The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
And we’re back, Philly.
SEPTA’s planned cuts could add 70,000 hours to the region’s morning rush. See how much longer it will take to get to major employment centers with this interactive explainer.
And the new Inquirer Food is a better way to experience our journalism, from restaurant recommendations to industry accountability. Our food editor shows off what’s different.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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An extra 275,000 cars could be on Philly-area roads this fall if SEPTA’s deep service cuts take effect amid a dire financial shortfall.
🚍 Impact incoming: The region’s already-congested roads would likely see a surge in traffic as transit riders lose public transportation options and opt to drive, according to traffic-flow data from the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission.
🚍 By the numbers: That added congestion could translate to drivers spending a collective 70,000 more hours each weekday morning in Philadelphia traffic, with individuals seeing hours per year added to their commutes.
🚍 Case study: For a Narberth resident who commutes to Center City via the Paoli/Thorndale line, replacing what’s currently a 20-minute train ride with a car would more than double commuting time to an estimated 47 minutes.
In other traffic news: Architecture critic Inga Saffron argues that a thousand-car garage proposed by Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will make an already-crowded Grays Ferry Avenue even more dangerous, and worsen quality of life for nearby residents.
What you should know today
Police continue to investigate the shooting at Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park that left two people dead and nine others wounded late on Memorial Day. Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Tuesday decried the shooting, saying that it involved “wartime ammunition.”
A man police believe was a serial robber was fatally shot by a bystander early Tuesday behind a Dunkin’ in Mayfair, officials said.
The body of a park ranger who disappeared Friday when his kayak capsized in the Neshaminy Creek was recovered Sunday.
Police on horseback patrolled the Wildwood boardwalk to control teen crowds over the weekend, while Seaside Heights reported multiple stabbings and closed its boardwalk.
A former Philadelphia corrections officer was indicted and accused of pepper-spraying five prisoners in several incidents in 2023. And a former deputy commissioner filed a lawsuit accusing the previous leader of the Department of Prisons of “sexual favoritism” and retaliation.
Former police officer Mark Dial’s own testimony helped convict him of voluntary manslaughter for killing Eddie Irizarry in 2023, the foreman of the jury that delivered the verdict told The Inquirer.
The CDC will no longer recommend COVID vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women. A local expert says the disease is still dangerous for both groups.
As sea levels rise in New Jersey, a coalition is racing to save Stone Harbor’s Scotch Bonnet Island.
Some Philly-area Baby Boomers are reconsidering their retirement plans amid economic uncertainty.
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🎤 Now I’m passing the mic to food editor Matt Buchanan.
The food scene in Philly has never been more thrilling or more sprawling, with nonstop restaurant openings, an endless supply of unmissable dishes, and new moves from the scene’s most dynamic players. That also means there’s never been more to keep track of — who to follow, where to go, and what to eat.
We started reconceiving the food section a year ago with an eye toward making the region’s most authoritative food journalism more visually compelling, intuitive, and useful. Last fall, we launched the first phase of the new Inquirer Food with the unveiling of the 76, our annual tentpole highlighting Philly’s essential restaurants; the arrival of our new writer, former chef Kiki Aranita; and the debut of the Inquirer Food Instagram account.
Now we’re ready to complete the picture with three new features: the restaurant finder, maps, and a revitalized homepage. — Matt Buchanan
Learn more about what’s new from the Inquirer’s food team. Then, see the new features for yourself — from explanatory videos of trending eateries to an interactive map of the delivery cheesesteaks that actually deliver — and follow our food accounts on Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.
🧠 Trivia time
Sun Ra Arkestra leader Marshall Allen just turned 101. One half of which famous musical duo attended the Philly legend’s cosmic party at Solar Myth?
A) Hall & Oates
B) OutKast
C) The White Stripes
D) Eurythmics
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🎙️ Listening to: “The Aftermath,” the latest episode of MOVE: Untangling the Tragedy.
🏡 Selling: Homes in this two-week window for the highest prices.
🪿 Buying: Seven closed Wawa stores for $4.1 million.
🐦 Spending: 24 hours inside the World Series of Birding.
⚖️ Considering: This suggestion to reduce juvenile incarceration rates.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Sting and Shaggy’s only-in-Philly fest
NEEDY FIONA
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Kerry Leraris, who solved Sunday’s anagram: “Chef Too Hype,” a.k.a. Food Network winner Leslie Daniel. His skills took him to the upper echelons of the Atlantic City food scene. Here are his top Shore recommendations.
Photo of the day
🪦 One last creative thing: Philly’s most exciting arts venues aren’t theaters or music halls, but cemeteries. This weekend, you can check out live performances at Laurel Hill Cemetery via the Philadelphia Death and Arts Festival.
Wishing you an easy Wednesday. Thanks for starting it with The Inquirer.
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