Philly makes its World Cup case | Morning Newsletter
And, why were so many people complaining about the 2021 Shore season?
Good morning, good people. You’re reading The Inquirer Morning Newsletter, catching you up on all the news that’s fit to email. Today we dive into Philly’s 2026 FIFA World Cup bid, explore why people were complaining about an otherwise pleasant 2021 Shore season, and look at a local YouTuber who the Feds say built one of the most brazen and successful digital piracy schemes in recent memory.
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— Tommy Rowan (@tommyrowan, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Well, no one can say that Philly didn’t try.
As FIFA judges made their way from a Center City hotel to Lincoln Financial Field in South Philadelphia on Wednesday, electronic billboards cheered them on with positive messages.
Upon entering the Sports Complex, the judges passed encouraging banners hanging from Citizens Bank Park, a show of solidarity from the Phillies brass. And upon arrival at the Linc, the judges were greeted with a pep rally of boisterous, soccer-loving Philadelphia fans, hooting and hollering.
All done in hopes of hosting the 2026 men’s World Cup.
“It was obvious that — I think in maybe typical Philadelphia fashion — it was very clear that you want it,” said FIFA Vice President Victor Montagliani.
But can we get it?
Reporter Jonathan Tannenwald has all the details.
The 2021 Shore season, by all indications, seemed pleasant.
The weather was mostly sunny, and coronavirus seemed relatively muted. Masks were off, restaurants and stores were fully open.
People were on vacation again. Shore towns were thriving.
But still, so many complaints.
They complained on Facebook. And they complained in real life.
“My one store didn’t have air-conditioning. I get it, it’s hot in that store. People would complain to me. I’d say, I’m sorry, we don’t have air-conditioning,” says Ariana Hellein, an Ocean City store owner. “And they would complain, why isn’t there a breeze?”
So what crawled up so many people’s bathing suits?
Reporter Amy Rosenberg has the full story.
Reopening resources
Here’s our latest list of restaurants, large performance venues, universities, and gyms in the Philly region where you need to show proof of vaccination.
What happens if you get a breakthrough COVID-19 infection? Here’s what to expect.
Here’s where to get a COVID-19 test in the Philadelphia region.
Should you laminate your vaccination card? What if you lose it? Here are the dos and don’ts.
Here’s what you need to know about medical exemptions.
It could be time to upgrade your face gear. Which masks work best?
What you need to know today
Local YouTuber Bill Omar Carrasquillo, known to his internet admirers as “Omi in a Hellcat,” was arrested this week for allegedly building a multimillion-dollar empire from illegal streaming.
Check out our guide to Pennsylvania’s 2022 governor’s race, filling you in on who is running and what happens next.
After a series of school closures so far this year, Philadelphia health officials on Wednesday relaxed the guidance for when schools should temporarily shut down due to COVID-19 cases.
The restroom situation at Wissahickon Valley Park, especially in the summer, is apparently urgent. But how many toilets, what kind, and where?
Pennsylvania’s climate plan for 2021, released Wednesday, notes that the state’s average temperature has risen nearly 2 degrees since 1900 (most of it in the last 20 years), and the future is likely to feature more warmth, flooding and extreme weather — unless greenhouse gas emissions are lowered.
The remnants of Hurricane Ida left a grim lesson in their wake: Public officials need to be more prepared, and they need to better prepare the public.
And it looks like longtime Comcast executive David L. Cohen is well on his way to becoming the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
Lean into that pumpkin life, @jochris.215.
Tag your Instagram posts with #OurPhilly, and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature here and give you a shout-out.
That's interesting
🎬In the area to shoot the movie Hustle, Adam Sandler and his costars have perked up the Philly area dining and celebrity scene.
💔Can the rift between Ben Simmons and the Sixers be repaired? Doc Rivers is not ruling it out.
🎳Brooklyn Bowl, the 1,000-capacity music venue that also functions as a bowling alley and a restaurant, will open its fourth (and first Philly) location in Fishtown on Nov. 4. They’re calling it Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia. (Should go over well.)
🤬It’s officially Dallas week in Philadelphia. Here’s how the team is preparing for its much anticipated match-up against the overrated, overconfident ... and locally despised Cowboys.
Opinions
“How much of a person’s past defines and dictates their present, or future — even when, maybe especially when, it tests our personal limits of empathy and sympathy? What more is owed after a person has ‘paid’ for their crimes — or at least served their time? Must every sentence be a life sentence?” writes columnist Helen Ubiñas, spotlighting new murals of formerly incarcerated Philadelphians that aim to change the narrative of life after prison.
Pennsylvania State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D., Philadelphia) says that state Republicans continue to find new ways to undermine citizens’ basic democratic rights, and that their actions are leading to a major voter suppression showdown. “And now that they’ve issued subpoenas for sensitive voter data, who knows how long my constituents have until their rights are infringed upon.”
A Canadian sports-betting firm studied whether hockey teams that fought a lot won a lot. And, as sports columnist Mike Sielski puts it, the study found that “the Flyers perhaps should have been fighting less frequently than they were.”
What we're reading
Lisa DePaulo, one of Philly’s favorite magazine writers, is back. In Philly Mag, she reflects on leaving for New York, shares her struggle with breast cancer and how it led her down South, and why returning home gave her something to live for.
In honor of Ben Simmons and what no doubt awaits him this NBA season, Billy Penn compiled a handy and hilarious list of Philly’s best boos of the last 25 years.
In the New York Times, a woman who birthed her first child at 45 mulls the benefits and downsides of having children late. Among the great tidbits: “How we lose and gain family is never ordinary.”
Photo of the Day
Be safe out there. Storms are expected Thursday into Friday, and there’s a slight chance of “isolated tornadoes.”
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