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Sixers defeat Nets, tie series; Who’s running for City Council?; Much work ahead for Notre Dame | Morning Newsletter

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Who's running for Philadelphia City Council?
Who's running for Philadelphia City Council?Read moreStaff

    The Morning Newsletter

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

Preparing for election season is rarely a simple task, and this year’s Philadelphia City Council races are no exception. To help weed through the dozens (yes, dozens) of candidates running, we’ve created a handy guide to each and every one of them that we’ve released this morning. Plus, we’ve got updates on the Sixers’ playoff performance and the tragic fire at Notre Dame.

P.S. A big congratulations to my colleagues Barbara Laker, Wendy Ruderman, Dylan Purcell and Jessica Griffin. Their “Toxic City” investigation was a finalist in the 2019 Pulitzer Prizes.

Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning.

— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

On May 21, dozens of candidates — 44 Democrats and 11 Republicans — hope to win their party’s nomination in the Philadelphia primary so they can get on the fall ballot for a seat on City Council.

So, uh, who are they?

We’ve broken down the horse race into key categories, like age, occupation, neighborhood, and political experience, to help you get to know them before you hit the voting booth.

When the Sixers show up, they really show up. Monday’s Game 2 of the Sixers’ playoff series against the Nets was a must-win and they walked away with a 145-123 victory.

Thanks to a dominant third quarter where they outscored the Nets 51-23, the series is all tied up.

What changed from Game 1? Ben Simmons was much more aggressive Monday, leaving no room for boos, and the team followed his lead. Maybe a little too well, in Joel Emiid’s case.

The world watched in horror as the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris was engulfed in flames Monday, losing its roof and its spire, though its iconic bell towers remain in tact.

The 12th-century cathedral is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, and its impact could be felt in the social media posts and statements from public figures worldwide mourning its destruction.

Now that the fire, which officials consider an accident, has been put out, the work begins to save the structure.

What you need to know today

  1. Pennsylvania is planning new regulations for chemicals that have seeped into drinking water in nearly two dozen towns in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, but they could take a few years to come to fruition.

  2. A federal investigation found “widespread sexual harassment” at AccuWeather Inc. that allegedly occurred while President Donald Trump’s nominee to become the new head of NOAA was the CEO.

  3. Camden activists have begun a three-day march to Trenton to demand more funding for the city’s public schools from lawmakers in hopes of avoiding layoffs and school closures.

  4. Kate McClure of Bordentown pleaded guilty Monday to a charge of conspiracy to commit theft by deception after she, her ex-boyfriend, and Johnny Bobbitt Jr. defrauded donors of $400,000 with a fake Good Samaritan tale.

  5. University of the Arts students are calling for social critic Camille Paglia to be removed from the faculty following comments she’s made about transgender people and survivors of sexual assault.

  6. Would you pick up that sweetened drink if you knew how much sugar was actually in it? A new study says labeling leads people to consume fewer sugary beverages.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

That is a *crisp* reflection, @lindzaywalters.

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

  1. After a short search, the Flyers have a new coach: Alain Vigneault, the 12th winningest coach in NHL history. Hope he likes orange monsters.

  2. Where were you during the Great Tornado Warning of 2019? Apparently many of your neighbors were on Twitter making tornado jokes. (Meanwhile, there actually was a tornado in lower Delaware.)

  3. It’s really truly spring now, which means seasonal produce is hitting your local market. Don’t miss these stars of the season as it ramps up.

  4. It will be 400 years this August since America’s legacy of slavery began. To mark the occasion, the Philadelphia Ethical Society is offering 400 lessons confronting systemic racism.

  5. Sad news for Philly’s craft beer community: Saint Benjamin’s Brewing Company will close next month.

  6. The Eagles are back, baby. Well, kind of. They reported to work for the first day of the offseason Monday, and you’ll be happy to hear they’re setting lofty goals for this season.

Opinions

“We had the great privilege of buying homes, which we know continues to be either flat-out denied, or just completely out of reach, for our poorer neighbors and some of our neighbors of color. If we can afford to buy homes and commit to our communities, we can afford to pay our fair share of property taxes.” — Point Breeze residents Alison Stohr, a Philly educator, and Mindy Isser, a labor organizer, on why they’ve given up their tax abatement.

  1. Now is the time for President Trump to act presidential and tell Americans to vaccinate their children, writes University of Pennsylvania professor Jonathan Zimmerman.

  2. Notre Dame cathedral is a building that stayed the same as the world changed around it, with a beating heart that spoke to generations of visitors, writes columnist Christine Flowers.

What we’re reading

  1. A nice follow-up to last night’s Sixers win: The Ringer talked to former players who have been “processed" about what it was like to be the league punchline.

  2. Some inspiration for your Tuesday: Philadelphia Magazine asked Philly CEOs for their advice on finding happiness at work.

  3. Southwest Philly is ground zero for auto repair shops and scrap yards in residential areas and residents are trying to fight back against the scourge of toxic chemicals, oil, and fires, PlanPhilly reports.

  4. The New Yorker’s deep look at the detention of Mohamedou Salahi in Guantánamo Bay takes quite a bit of time to get through, but it’s worth the read.

A Daily Dose of | Victory

Gene Dykes, the 71-year-old “ultrageezer” of Bala Cynwyd, broke his own record in the Boston Marathon Monday. What did you do this morning?