Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard
Link copied to clipboard

More than 10,000 people shot since 2015 | Morning Newsletter

And, Cosby accusers denounce his overturned conviction.

    by Lauren Aguirre
    Published 

    The Morning Newsletter

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

Happy Sunday, readers of The Inquirer Morning Newsletter. Here’s what you should know.

Philadelphia has hit another bleak milestone — more than 10,000 people have been shot in the city since 2015, the year police began routinely posting gun-violence statistics online. The city’s midyear homicide total was the highest in at least 60 years.

Reporters Chris Palmer, Dylan Purcell, and Anna Orso talked to Philadelphias about how this violence impacts their communities and asked city leaders what’s being done to stop it.

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

The week ahead

  1. Some of Bill Cosby’s accusers and their supporters held a vigil Saturday to denounce the court decision that overturned his conviction.

  2. A racist rant in Mount Laurel sparked neighbors to fight back and press for change. The man taunted people to “come see me” — and dozens showed up outside his condo and protested for hours until he was arrested. But a lot happened before this moment went viral.

  3. Hundreds turned out to honor the Main Line firefighter who died on his last day on the job before returning home to Canada.

  4. President Joe Biden will be in Philly this week to talk about voting rights.

  5. Delaware County didn’t have its own health department when the pandemic hit the region, so Chester County stepped in to help. And that partnership is ending soon.

  6. Former Camden Mayor Gwendolyn Faison, the first woman to hold that office, has died at 96.

  7. Good luck finding a bathhouse at the Jersey Shore. There used to be hundreds of places where you could pay to shower but now it’s just a handful. Here’s why.

This week’s most popular stories

  1. Four Seasons Total Landscaping is hosting a concert, and tickets sold out in 17 minutes

  2. New Jersey man’s racist rant dared neighbor to ‘come see me.’ On Monday, dozens did.

  3. A cardiologist answers 10 questions from readers about fish oil and heart disease l Expert Opinion

  4. Every kid in Pa. has the right to a school year ‘do over.’ But if families want that, they have to act fast.

  5. They thought they had a rare copy of the Declaration of Independence. Turns out it’s even more special.

Behind the story with Marina Affo

Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face along the way. This week we chat with quick strike investigative reporter Marina Affo about her job and her work as a newer Inquirer staff member.

How would you describe what a quick strike investigative reporter is?

The Quick Strike team takes news of the moment and digs deeper. When new legislation came out about ATVs, I wrote an explainer for anyone who hadn’t read up on the culture. When the city budget gave money for anti-violence initiatives, I paired up with a reporter to look into some of those programs.

What does a typical day look like for you? Does one exist?

Every day is totally different, and I like that. Some days I’m working on a story from the day before. Other days, something breaking comes up in relation to past stories, and I have to dig even deeper. Or, one of the desks needs an assist, and I get to learn and report on something new.

What are a few things you’ve worked on recently that you’re proud of?

I did my first explainer recently about ATV and biking culture in the city, and that was a lot of fun.

What are you keeping an eye on as far as trends to possibly look into?

Still getting to know the people and the pulse of a new city.

What’s something you’ve learned through your own reporting, at any point in your career?

Three big things I’ve learned: One, a lot of people are motivated by very similar things, even if those motivations manifest in dramatically different actions and views. Two, most interviews begin before you hit record and end way after you’ve asked what you think will be your last question. And three, you never know what hardship someone has gone through or how much just giving them space to get it all out will impact them, so give them that space.

What are you looking forward to this year outside of work?

My boyfriend and I are new homeowners, so I’m looking forward to decorating the place and creating a home filled with love (and a lot of fairy lights).

Email Marina Affo at maffo@inquirer.com, and follow her on Twitter at @marina_affo.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

The Philly skies are always pretty just after some rain. Thanks for sharing!

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!

Spotted lanternflies aren’t going anywhere

In some areas, spotted lanternflies seem to have greatly reduced populations, or they’re just not present at all. But that doesn’t mean they’ve gone away. Turns out, the spotted lanternfly is a complicated bug. They’re still widely present, but are highly mobile and are notorious hitchhikers, so can spread far. Here’s what scientists are learning about their patterns.

What we’re…

  1. Exploring: Ember & Ash’s wood-fueled hearth pays homage to the rustic art of off-cut cooking, where no organ is left behind.

  2. Eating: A South Philly restaurant family is reviving sandwich shop history with epic hoagies and pizza steak.

  3. Listening to: Black Thought is telling his Philly story in a new Audible memoir.

Your Daily Dose of | Philly drag

As the region reopens, so are Philly clubs. And drag shows. After more than a year of not performing in person, Sapphira Cristál is back. Here’s a day in her life.