Carrying trauma into reopening | Morning Newsletter
And, results of the N.J. primary.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Hello, dedicated readers of The Inquirer Morning Newsletter.
First: Reopening is not such a blessed return for everyone, with fears lingering for members of communities of color in particular.
Then: Jack Ciattarelli won yesterday’s Republican primary and will face New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in November.
And: Temple is getting a new president, starting on the first of July.
P.S. The Sixers won Game 2 last night.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Many people have perhaps never been more ready for a summer full of socializing.
But for some members of communities of color, who have experienced the greatest hardship, the “normalcy narrative” is compounded by fear. Fear of the systemic problems that were always there and that the pandemic laid more visible than before. Fear of emotionally exhausting conversations. And the big one: the reality of the greater risk of exposure to the virus.
Even if someone identifying as Black or Latino was able to work remotely, the reach of the virus was inescapable. It’s more likely the virus sickened people in their inner circles disproportionately, said Erica Wilkins, director of couples and family therapy at Thomas Jefferson University.
”The truth is, those communities have never left,” said Mariely Moronta-Sanchez, director of community outreach at the Institute for Health, Health Care Policy and Aging Research at Rutgers University. “The service workers, people who drive taxis, people in the supermarkets never left the workforce. The excitement is bittersweet. … Not everyone is vaccinated, so there is still this kind of insecurity about whether it’s safe to be around other people.”
Read on for Bethany Ao and Aubrey Whelan’s story about how members of communities of color are bracing for a complex reopening.
Jack Ciattarelli, the former New Jersey assemblyman, won the Republican primary yesterday and will face incumbent Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy in November.
Ciattarelli centered his campaign on economic issues and criticism of Murphy’s handling of the pandemic. With 40% of the total votes tallied last night, almost half of Republican primary voters had backed Ciattarelli, and the Associated Press projected him as the winner over three challengers — two of whom invoked Trump often in their campaigns, attacking Ciattarelli as a “false conservative.”
Murphy was unopposed for the Democratic nomination. He’s widely seen as the favorite to win reelection. If reelected Nov. 2, he would be the state’s first Democratic governor since 1977 to win a second term.
Keep reading for reporter Allison Steele’s full breakdown of the primary.
Helpful COVID-19 Resources
Track the latest data on cases in the region.
Here’s what experts feel safe doing — and what they don’t.
What are the rules again now? One mask rules simple flowchart.
Side effects mean your COVID-19 vaccine is working. But what if you don’t have a reaction?
What you need to know today
Yesterday, Temple University tapped a Chestnut Hill resident whose career has straddled both business and academia, with previous leadership appointments at two Ivy League universities and Stanford, as its next president. Jason Wingard will become the first Black president in Temple’s 137-year history when he takes the helm July 1.
Nikola Jokić might be the NBA’s MVP, but an injured Joel Embiid — the Sixers’ mighty center — is looking like the best player in the sport, writes columnist David Murphy.
A long-delayed upgrade of Pa. computer system for unemployment benefits made a glitchy debut yesterday, frustrating people and confirming the concerns of detractors who feared that the pandemic-fueled demand would strain the new system.
A Supreme Court decision involving religious rights and anti-LGBTQ discrimination is coming, and Fulton v. the City of Philadelphia could have implications for all adult contracts.
Facing an FBI investigation, PSERS rewrote records saying staff was paid by an outside realty firm. Filed in “error,” it says.
A Philly councilmember proposed a creative arts fund to provide some much-needed support to the vibrant landscape, even going so far as calling for “consequences” if the city underfunds the arts.
The secret life of pollen: It makes you sneeze, itches your eyes — and it can solve crimes.
Prosecutors say a Pennsylvania Door Dash driver pretended to be Trump’s family online. The president totally bought the incredible deal. Then, the feds came knocking.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
Welcome to a city of murals, not just brotherly love.
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
🏀 Attention, Tappies (the Jake Tapper fan base, we assume): The unabashedly proud Philly native CNN anchor talked about his undying love for the city’s sports teams in this very must-watch Inquirer Live interview.
🥤 Two Robbers, Philly’s homegrown hard seltzer with a strange backstory about being robbed twice, sees a fizzy future ahead.
🔥 This is how to work out outdoors in this unrelenting Philly heat, mindfully.
🏘️ Build-it-yourself “kit” houses that Sears helped make popular are enduring in the Philly region.
💐 Fancy a scroll through photos of the Philadelphia Flower Show?
Opinions
“Access to water is not a luxury, it’s a necessity where one can pick up an essential life skill — learning to swim — and enjoy the basic comfort of cooling down on days it’s too hot to think,” columnist Elizabeth Wellington writes about the power of the pool to foster community.
Business as usual for PGW? Bad for consumers, the climate, and even PGW, writes The Inquirer Editorial Board, which operates separately from our newsroom.
“As a woman of color in the largely white, male-dominated space of tennis, she made a commitment to herself and her mental health that takes precedence over the prestige that comes from winning Grand Slam titles,” journalist Rashad Grove writes of Naomi Osaka’s latest trophy moment.
What we’re reading
Philly native Meek Mill shares his thoughts on the city’s gun laws, Revolt TV reports.
An app growing in popularity — yes, Citizen — has critics questioning if it preys on the fears of the citizens using it, Slate reports.
Your coffee order is a gamble these days. Blame supply shortages at Starbucks, according to BuzzFeed.
If you’re a sneakerhead in search of some kicks, check out what’s in store for the new movie Space Jam: A New Legacy, according to The Source.
Your Daily Dose of | Speed
Coatesville track star Terrance Laird of LSU is among the fastest sprinters in the country. The finish line? Maybe the NCAAs — or the Olympics.