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Society Hill wants extra security | Morning Newsletter

And how the proposed Sixers arena would impact Jefferson Station

Tyger Williams / Staff Photographer

    The Morning Newsletter

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

It’s supposed to be a rainy day. Don’t layer too much, though. Temps will reach a high of 68.

Back in July, there was a rare shooting in Society Hill. Bullets hit a UPS truck but no one was hurt. In the months since, a group of residents raised money to hire private security this summer.

Our lead story details how the newly formed Delancey Square Town Watch hopes this will work.

If you see this 🔑 in today’s newsletter, that means we’re highlighting our exclusive journalism. You need to be a subscriber to read these stories.

— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

A galvanized group of Society Hill residents secured over $35,000 to hire a private security guard to patrol a swath of the neighborhood from 7:30 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. on weekends during the summer.

Necessary context: Society Hill is one of the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods, a historic enclave wedged between Old City and South Street.

The goal is to prevent violent crime, deter homelessness, drug use, and petty theft that residents said are plaguing the neighborhood.

Notable quote: “In Society Hill, there’s always been a sense that there’s been this kind of imaginary gate around it. There’s almost like this feel of a gated community, but it’s not,” said Joe Dain, 50, cofounder of the Delancey Square Town Watch.

The criticism: Not everyone is on board. Some argue that Society Hill is one of the safest places in the city and the guards might invite more problems than they solve. Others are skeptical about how a security guard would solve problems like stolen packages and people sleeping outdoors.

Keep reading to learn why some residents think this is necessary.

What you should know today

  1. We analyzed more than 100 City Council members. The next cohort of lawmakers will be one of the least experienced — and youngest — in decades.

  2. Ex-cop John Wood decided to pull out of the Philadelphia mayor’s race, giving Cherelle Parker the top ballot position.

  3. Dads do significantly more childcare since the pandemic, but it’s still not nearly equal.

  4. This online tool will measure which Philly neighborhoods offer the best quality of life, with categories including personal safety, health, and walkability.

  5. A 149-unit apartment building is planned for Spring Garden and 13th Streets, replacing a surface parking lot. 🔑

  6. In case you were wondering, two Pennsylvania malls are apparently the best for surviving a zombie apocalypse.

The debate over the Sixers’ proposed arena has been framed in a binary: Bad for Chinatown. Good for Market Street.

Columnist Inga Saffron explores the idea that the arena could be damaging to both, especially for SEPTA’s second-busiest station, Jefferson.

The Sixers and their architects at Gensler are still in the early stages of working out the complex design.

Saffron argues the challenges of building an 18,000-seat arena on top of a busy train station and amid a tight urban site that boasts office and apartment buildings are becoming increasingly evident.

In her own words:

“Unlike the fans who go to basketball games, the people who live and work in such towers are present every day. They will shop in the Fashion District’s stores, eat in Chinatown’s restaurants, and use Jefferson Station’s trains. Before Philadelphia commits to an arena, it’s worth remembering that there’s more than one way to save Market Street.”

Keep reading to learn how the proposed arena could affect Filbert and Market Streets. 🔑

🧠 Trivia time 🧠

Which entertainer was not honored by the White House this week?

A) Bruce Springsteen

B) Gladys Knight

C) Mindy Kaling

D)Adam Sandler

Find out if you know the answer.

What we’re...

👀 Watching: A federal appeals court directed former president Donald Trump’s lawyer to turn over documents in the investigation in the Mar-a-Lago case.

💭 Wondering: Why some of you are putting Swiss on your cheesesteaks. Speaking of cheesesteaks, you should vote which spot makes the best one.

🎉Celebrating: Aurora the North American porcupine named after Princess Aurora in Sleeping Beauty just turned 7 at the Philadelphia Zoo. She got the royalty treatment.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩

Hint: Known for lighting up the Schuylkill

BAOTOU SHOWER

We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Cheers to Robin Connell, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Asbury Park. Email us if you know the answer.

Photo of the day

And that’s your Thursday morning news brief. I’ll be out for a few days but my lovely colleagues will fill in. I’ll be back in your inbox on Tuesday. ☀️