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 Friday the 13th. After yesterday’s hail and tornado combo, more rain is expected today and a wintry chill is settling in.
Today, we begin with a glowing progress report for Philly’s plan to shade more of the city.
Then, we assess how realistic hopes of new SEPTA funding are, given the Democratic trifecta coming to Harrisburg.
Plus, the Philly District Attorney’s Office will investigate the city’s foster care system after the death of 10-year-old Malayshia Allford, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Leaves may be dropping now, but Philly will enjoy a more robust tree canopy for years to come.
After losing the equivalent of 1,000 football fields worth of trees about a decade ago, the city embarked on an ambitious tree-planting quest.
It had planted nearly 19,000 new trees from 2023 to 2025, according to a new update to the Philly Tree Plan.
Putting down new roots hasn’t been easy. Much of the city is composed of dense residential streets with utilities buried under the same sidewalks where planting new trees would have the most impact.
Despite those hurdles, officials say the city is on track to meet its tree-planting goals.
Notable quote: “We’re making really great strides. We’re doing it,” said Kiasha Huling, director of the Philly Tree Coalition.
Read on for Inquirer environmental reporter Frank Kummer’s full story.
Come January, Democrats will run control the Pennsylvania Governor’s Office, state House of Representatives, and state Senate for the first time in more than 30 years.
Could SEPTA funding, long snarled in partisan gridlock, follow?
Newly reelected Gov. Josh Shapiro said last week “we will fund transit,” along with other Democratic priorities, although he did not explain how.
The transit agency projects a $192 million structural operating deficit next year, and has ambitious plans for not just stabilizing service but improving it.
Getting there would take a steady source of cash like a new tax, for example legalizing recreational marijuana and taxing it.
What you should know today
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office will conduct an independent investigation into the death of 10-year-old Malayshia Allford as well as the city’s foster care system, officials said Thursday.
A Peco technician did not know how to repair a leaking gas valve he encountered shortly before a nursing home explosion killed three people in Bucks County last year, according to a new report from the National Transportation Safety Board.
In a reversal from previous support of Sheriff Rochelle Bilal, Philly City Council will hold hearings examining ongoing problems in the sheriff’s office.
The prediction market site Kalshi approached area restaurants and encouraged them to make trades on the outcome of the Eagles-Giants game.
In the wake of the high-profile closures of several Philly arts institutions, a local state senator is proposing legislation to allow the city to raise its sales tax to fund those organizations.
A new bill in City Council could make it easier to build larger apartment buildings near transit stops in South Philly.
The Philadelphia School District is pushing back its deadline to apply to selective admissions schools amid changes to the standardized tests used to determine eligibility.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday, our forum in which readers ask about the city’s quirks and we report the answers.
This week, we’re bringing back a piece from 2025. That’s when a reader asked: Do train engineers have guidance for when to sound the horn? And what do the different toots mean?
Inquirer reporter Michelle Myers dived into the rules railway engineers must follow to find the answer. She learned that every engine whistle, horn signal, or combination of the two has a set meaning.
For example, a single long wooo alerts the crew to put the brakes on.
Read on for more about how to speak train.
Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.
🧠 Trivia time
A Main Line OB-GYN office gained traction online because of this unique feature:
A) A therapy dog
B) Karaoke for patients
C) Offering water ice in the waiting room
D) An Eagles-themed exam room
Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.
What we’re …
🌁 Walking. The newly refurbished Schuylkill River Crossing Swing Bridge opens today, allowing pedestrians to walk serenely from South Philly to West Philly.
🎨 Watching. Sometimes called the world’s second-oldest profession, sign painting is alive and well in Philly. Videojournalist Gabe Coffey followed the artists doing local hand-lettering.
🎶 Anticipating. Jazz vocalist Samara Joy will join the Philadelphia Orchestra in a one-night-only appearance in January, writes classical arts reporter Peter Dobrin.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This local school was started in a broke evangelical preacher’s abandoned meetinghouse.
FOURPENNY INVASIVE SAINTLY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Trudi Ramsay, who correctly solved Thursday’s anagram: Jaylen Brown. This Philly sports star this week played his much-anticipated first regular-season matchup against his former team, the Boston Celtics.
The American Revolution meets the Rebellion. I know this looks Photoshopped but I can assure you it isn’t.
👋 If you’re the superstitious type, keep your talismans close today. I hear it’s a good omen to read the news and support The Inquirer, so you’re already in luck. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
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