The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning. Sunday showers are in store as our cooldown continues.
A school in South Philadelphia is in dire need of attention to its often-broken bathrooms. Lawmakers want the district to do more than put toilets in a trailer.
And Philadelphians are finding community in playing a centuries-old game that has exploded in popularity.
Scroll along for these stories and more.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Southwark Elementary is years away from receiving $45.8 million in necessary renovations. In the meantime, the Philadelphia School District has promised to remedy its often-broken bathroom problem by installing temporary toilets in trailers.
But a number of concerned legislators are pressing the Philadelphia School District to act immediately. They call the situation at Southwark an “emergency” and are not satisfied with the district’s promises.
Parents and students have sounded the alarm on the school’s poor conditions, noting a lack of soap and paper towels, and broken stall doors. The building is also plagued by rodent infestations.
In their own words: “The bathrooms are disgusting, they’re so dirty and smell terrible,” a fifth grader said.
Philly schools reporter Kristen A. Graham has the story.
In other school news: Despite a looming budget crisis, the Cherry Hill school district is considering spending millions to build additions to ease overcrowding at two schools.
What you should know today
The Philadelphia medical examiner ruled that the deaths of three ironworkers in the Grays Ferry garage collapse were accidental.
Former presidents, athletes, and entertainers attended a History Channel event at the Kimmel Center on Saturday, as part of the 250th anniversary celebration of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Pennsylvania lawmakers are pushing for a statewide requirement for “bell-to-bell” cell phone bans at schools. One Philly-area school district stands by its decision to not take phones away from students.
Erie Indemnity, Pennsylvania’s No. 2 auto insurer, lost half its value in the last couple of years, but claims its 7 million customers have nothing to worry about.
A Downingtown man styled himself as a crusader protecting children by hunting down and attacking pedophiles. He was sentenced in a brutal assault.
In the first three months of 2026, State Rep. Chris Rabb raised nearly twice as much as his opponents in Philadelphia’s open congressional race, according to new campaign finance filings. The reports offer the first glimpse into the depth of the “unauthorized withdrawals” allegedly made by his ex-treasurer.
Prosecutors filed new burglary charges against Jonathan Christian Gerlach tied to break-ins at cemeteries in Luzerne and Lancaster Counties.
West Chester-based shopping network QVC Group filed for bankruptcy this week. Here’s what that means for its TV programming, customers, employees, and more.
Center City’s vacant retail spaces have become fewer in recent months, as more businesses set up shop, but occupancy still lags behind 2019 levels.
A bride had an unexpected seizure just before walking down the aisle. At the hospital, Lankenau nurses put up decorations to help make the wedding happen.
From youngsters in Chinatown to bubbies in Jewish community centers, mahjong culture is seeing a boom in Philly and beyond.
🀄 After the pandemic: The game’s resurgence is an extension of a larger trend toward analog gatherings, bringing people together to connect and play away from screens.
🀄 Beyond its Chinese origins: With roots in mid-1800s China, the game spread across the world by the early 20th century, leading to regional variations. It’s also a time-honored tradition in Jewish communities.
🀄 “Granny core” activities: In Chinese culture, mahjong has a reputation as an elders’ game, but its popularity has also drawn younger Asian Americans and bridged generational divides.
Diamy Wang writes for The Inquirer on mahjong’s history and clubs like Philly Mah-Jawn Mahjong Club around the city.
âť“Pop quiz
Which big act had to move a forthcoming show from Xfinity Mobile Arena to Atlantic City due to a conflict with the Flyers’ playoff schedule?
A) Florence + the Machine
B) Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band
C) Tame Impala
D) Lionel Richie & Earth, Wind & Fire
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re ...
đź“° Reading: Julie K. Brown, the woman who took down Jeffrey Epstein, was forged in Philly.
🍦 Indulging in: Ice cream at Milk Jawn with Mawn’s Phila and Rachel Lorn.
đź‘ť Packing for: A stylish weekend in the Hudson Valley.
🏺 Moved by: The powerful story behind a century-old stone jar at the Art Museum.
🦑 Feasting on: Stuffed squid and Mexican-style risotto among the best things we ate this week.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This English artist sings the Flyers’ victory anthem, “Man I Need”
LANAI VIDEO
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Ron Workman, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Adventure Aquarium. Its penguins are setting the record straight: The Pittsburgh Penguins might be their kind, but the Flyers are their home team.
More on the playoffs: Gritty is not letting up on his beef with Penguins mascot Iceburgh. It’s personal — and violent. Meanwhile, the rivalry is palpable in one quiet town halfway between Philly and Pittsburgh, whose mayor unironically goes by “Hockey.”
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s track sounds like: “I just walk the same old road, taking in the season.”
One more musical thing: To pop critic Dan DeLuca, British pop star Lily Allen’s Met Philly show felt more like a one-woman play than a conventional concert. Check out his review of her sold-out performance.
👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with us. Have a great one.
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