đź’ˇ If energy savings come knocking ... | Morning Newsletter
🥾 And hiking trails at risk
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Rise and shine, Philly. It’s a somewhat cloudy Sunday with a high near 58.
Paying less for goods and services is highly favorable, especially when you’re already grappling with elevated prices at the grocery store, the gas pump, and beyond. So when someone offers you steep savings on your monthly energy bills, how can you be sure they will actually save you money? Our main read walks you through the facts before a salesperson knocks on your door.
And stick around for an outdoorsy trip. We’re headed to York County to see hiking trails that could soon be lost thanks to a hydroelectric project, and an environmental group pushing back to save them.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Many Philly residents have recently reported getting a knock on their door from a salesperson who promised lower energy bills. As the weather warms, you may find yourself in a similar situation.
To avoid door-to-door scams:
🪪 Ask for identification
🗣️ Be wary of pressure tactics
đź’ˇ Do your own research
🚪 Remember, you don’t have to answer the door
Read on for more tips, plus learn about switching energy suppliers and the legality of door-to-door sales.
What you should know today
Edsaul Mendoza, the former Philadelphia police officer who shot and killed 12-year-old Thomas “T.J.” Siderio in South Philadelphia more than two years ago, pleaded guilty to third-degree murder on Friday — becoming the first city officer to be convicted of murder for an on-duty shooting.
A man has been charged with fatally stabbing another man and striking him with a car in South Philadelphia’s Pennsport section.
Penn shuts down pro-Palestinian student group.
A Bucks County school bus driver was arrested after being caught with more than 1,000 child porn images and videos, according to police.
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is coming through for the city school system in a big way, donating funds to buy air-conditioners for 10 schools.
President Joe Biden’s swing through Pennsylvania included more intimate moments along the campaign trail — a strategic decision by his campaign to try and showcase a more relatable president and set him apart from former President Donald Trump.
Philly drag queen Sapphira Cristál fell short of the title of America’s next drag superstar. The first queen to rep the city on “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” Cristál was both an immediate contender and fan favorite who stood out for unwavering authenticity and kindness.
The self-organized group of musicians known as the No Name Pops is negotiating with the family of late pianist and conductor Peter Nero to acquire the Philly Pops name.
For the third time in four years, Subaru Park will host teams from the National Women’s Soccer League this summer. But this time, it won’t just be one game — and it won’t just be Gotham FC.
Jewish voting advocates said Montgomery County’s mail ballot delays are making voting accessibility worse with election day falling during Passover. And ahead of Tuesday’s primary election, The Inquirer’s Editorial Board has vetted candidates in key races to help you decide. This board operates independently from the newsroom.
The Inquirer’s Jason Nark reports on rural parts of Pennsylvania and the outdoors far from city life. His latest assignment took him to Cuffs Run, a small tributary of the Susquehanna River.
Cuffs Run cuts a steep ravine into the bluffs above the river in York County. And for decades, energy producers and engineers have eyed its unique topography for a hydroelectric pumped storage facility.
But opposition to the plan has been nearly universal, bipartisan, and very vocal. Residents and a slew of nonprofits, including the Lancaster Conservancy, are prepared to fight the project if it moves forward.
The impact: The $2.5 billion project would encompass some 1,000 acres and require the acquisition of private homes of up to 40 residents, preserved farms and forested lands, and possibly even long-established hiking trails.
Not the first time: Several groups have tried and failed to make the Cuffs Run project a reality over the years. In 1991, when the same hydroelectric project was proposed by another group, locals said homes and fertile farmlands would be taken and they banded together, forming the Citizens Against Cuffs Run Project.
William McMahon of York Energy told The Inquirer’s Jason Nark that engineers have long known Cuffs Run is the best location for this effort.
In his own words: “I’m for the outdoors, for the environment, but I’m also a power engineer,” said McMahon. “We are doing the right thing, for the most people, for the long term.”
Go deeper in Jason’s story to learn more about the use of water power, and the continued efforts to protect this cherished land.
P.S. Stories like this make me even more excited for the official return of The Inquirer’s free Outdoorsy newsletter on June 7. Sign up here so I can drop a breath of fresh air in your inbox every week, plus Jason’s latest dispatches and practical guides to make the most of your time outside!
âť“Pop quiz
Swerve, a new fictional film (based on a true story) is screening at Penn’s Annenberg Center this weekend. It’s about which facet of Philly culture?
A) soft pretzels
B) bike culture
C) “savesies” culture
D) cheesesteaks
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: After 31 years, this longtime Philly sports talker and 94.1 WIP host is walking away from the microphone.
GOWN MCLEAN
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Shirley Ramsey who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Taylor Swift. Worth a read: A review of “The Tortured Poets Department” courtesy of our in-house pop critic Dan DeLuca, who points out the album sets a new record “for most F-bombs dropped on a Taylor Swift album.”
Did you go to the show? If you have major FOMO like me, at least we can thank Dan DeLuca and Rosa Cartagena for teaming up to bring us the sights and sounds of Bad Bunny’s breathtaking concert.
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “Maybe the next time I’ll be yours and maybe you’ll be mine.” I’ve had this Simply Red song stuck in my head for days. And just when I thought it couldn’t get better, I came to discover that track entirely (and beautifully) samples a Daryl Hall & John Oates bop. So satisfying.
👋🏽 Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Inquirer. Have a great day, and take care.