Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Philly schools won’t fully reopen | Morning Newsletter

And Eagles fans might be able to attend games after all.

Volunteers provide coronavirus testing for any Delaware County resident over the age 18, during a walk in at the Parking Lot Adjacent to Providence Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center on Mercy Fitzgerald Campus in Yeadon Pa. Thursday, July 9, 2020.
Volunteers provide coronavirus testing for any Delaware County resident over the age 18, during a walk in at the Parking Lot Adjacent to Providence Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center on Mercy Fitzgerald Campus in Yeadon Pa. Thursday, July 9, 2020.Read moreJOSE F. MORENO / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

School this year won’t be the same. Philadelphia’s reopening plan allows for just two days of in-person instruction a week, and lots of social distancing. Also, a day after Philly said fans wouldn’t be able to attend Eagles games, officials clarified that crowds at home games could be possible in the future.

Don’t forget to look up tonight. You could catch a glimpse of the International Space Station.

— Lauren Aguirre (@laurencaguirre, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Yeadon, a Delaware County town of fewer than 12,000 people, has seen the highest rate of coronavirus cases of any suburban municipality or Philly zip code with at least 10,000 residents. This has been going on since before June 15, and Yeadon sits in the only suburban Philly county that does not have its own health department.

The situation has shown signs of improvement lately, but with people across the country growing impatient with staying at home and wearing masks, public health experts say those gains could be lost.

Philadelphia has announced its plan for reopening schools. The plan includes only two days of in-person instruction a week, social distancing and face masks, and increased sanitation, among other things. But each of Philly’s 200-plus schools is still responsible for its own operations plan to execute the guidelines.

Understandably, parents are worried about their children’s health. While parents have the option of 100% virtual schooling to avoid public spaces, some are concerned about educating their children while also having to work. Some are even sending their kids to live in another city.

What you need to know today

  1. Philly clarified that fans might be able to attend Eagles games in the future if restrictions ease. And, the city is paying $35 million for the Eagles and Phillies stadiums this year, when fans might not be able to visit.

  2. Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf announced new restrictions on bars, restaurants, and businesses as the coronavirus cases continued to climb in parts of the state. [You can track case numbers by county in the Philly region at inquirer.com/virustracker.]

  3. Nearly three-quarters of Pennsylvania state university faculty said they would not feel safe teaching students face-to-face this fall, a survey shows.

  4. This is what racism does to your heart and your health.

  5. Joe Biden is leading in a new Pennsylvania poll, but many are wary of “secret Trump voters.”

  6. The coronavirus has caused more than 136,000 deaths in the U.S., but the impact doesn’t end there. For every COVID-19 death, nine relatives suffer, Penn State researchers said.

Through your eyes | #OurPhilly

This shot brought some calm to my day and I hope it does the same for you. Thanks for sharing, @gritadelphia.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s interesting

  1. 🔭 If you missed the International Space Station sighting last night, you’ll get another chance tonight. Here’s what to look for in the sky.

  2. 🎄 Tinsel, the seasonal pop-up bar in Midtown Village, has returned for Christmas in July.

  3. 🍟 The retro eatery Nifty Fifty’s is back in South Philly after 17 years.

  4. 🖼️ What museums and attractions are open in and around Philly? We have a list.

  5. 🛠️ Tool libraries are helping homeowners tackle projects during the pandemic by lending equipment.

  6. 💌 How to (kindly) uninvite people from your wedding and other etiquette tips for the pandemic.

Opinions

“There’s no reward in constantly questioning your place in a community and what role you play; it creates mental turmoil. However, this struggle was unavoidable. That’s because primarily white, outwardly liberal institutions like Haverford have such a long history of talking the talk without living up to it.” writes Rasaaq Shittu, a Black rising sophomore at Haverford College, on what racism looks like at “liberal” institutions.

  1. A Philly mom in Hong Kong, Tanya Underwood, writes about her family’s experience of returning to school after COVID-19.

  2. You’re probably not an expert at assessing the risks of COVID-19, but your doctor can help, writes Jeffrey Millstein, a primary-care physician and medical director for patient experience-regional practices at Penn Medicine.

What we’re reading

  1. “Black at” pages have sprung up for universities across the country. What results have they gotten in the Philly area? Billy Penn breaks it down.

  2. This summer, 100 of Philly’s hottest blocks are getting super soakers and other toys to help beat the heat. WHYY has more.

  3. LA Pride is leaving West Hollywood after four decades, or since 1979. The event brings hundreds of thousands of people to the city every year, according to The Los Angeles Times.

Your Daily Dose of | We The People

For the first time in her adult life, BL Shirelle has no connections to the court system, after finishing her parole. She’s now the deputy director of Die Jim Crow Records, the first record label for current and formerly incarcerated musicians. She’s also the label’s first solo artist.