The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Welcome to Saturday. It will be mostly sunny with a high near 82.
Today, I’m talking about “peak Philly season” happenings that brought some joy into focus.
Plus, there’s news on a new fellowship at Penn, why Taylor Swift’s former Reading-area neighbor is headed to prison, our analysis of the Delco accent in Task, and much more.
Let’s get into it.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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What you should know today
A 67-year-man died after a fire erupted at a house Thursday evening in the city’s Port Richmond section. No other injuries were reported.
The Society Hill Civic Association board will vote on donating $25,000 to support a residents group’s lawsuit challenging the city’s planned bike lane protections on Pine and Spruce Streets.
The suspected shooter in the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk is in police custody. Following President Donald Trump’s remarks on Kirk’s assassination, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Trump “cherry picks which political violence he’s going to condemn.”
A new Spotlight PA report found Shapiro’s administration has spent more than $6 million in public dollars over the past four months to fix extensive damage to the governor’s stately residence following a brazen, middle-of-the-night arson attack.
Weeks after Ocean City Council rejected a high-rise hotel at the former Gillian’s Wonderland Pier site, the developer says he’s considering two offers on the property. One comes from Philip Norcross, who wants to build luxury townhomes.
The University of Pennsylvania’s law school faced an uproar for pausing a scholarship named for its first Black grad. On Friday, it unveiled new programs honoring her.
St. Joseph’s University is selling 15 former University of the Sciences buildings to an educational nonprofit led by Michael Karp, an owner of student housing in the area.
Philly-area Catholic schools and other nonpublic institutions are missing textbooks and educational supplies due to the state budget impasse in Harrisburg.
If Philadelphia’s accent is hard to replicate, the uniquely Delaware County flow is “pure verbal calculus,” writes Inquirer reporter Nick Vadala, a Ridley Township native. Here’s how the new Delco-set drama Task handled it.
“This is the season where we do what makes us happy and, in doing so, we make others happy too.”
It’s been a long week. With many people feeling that America is broken, tensions are high and divisions cut deep. But when I read about the concept of “peak Philly season,” as gracefully described by columnist Stephanie Farr, I mentally tethered myself to it. She’s absolutely right: Amid the chaos, we live for special moments here that bring hope, at our happy places and with our fellow Philadelphians. Farr’s column got me thinking about what filled my cup with joy recently. Here are a few things:
⚾ At Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday, I got to witness Kyle Schwarber’s 50th home run of the season, Otto Kemp’s 26th birthday HR, and the Phillies crush the Mets 9-3 (in “Hello Kitty” style, no less). Between cheering my heart out with everyone and reveling in the noticeably cooler air, the lively South Philly complex injected a heavy dose of happiness into my soul.
🥜 Diane Mastrull, my awesome colleague who edits this very newsletter, also put me on to my new favorite treat: the best dark chocolate-covered raisins I’ve ever had. They’re made by Nuts to You, a company that I had no idea was homegrown (until now). I did my research and ate up every sentence of food writer Mike Klein’s 2017 interview with its owners. You truly learn something new every day.
🤓 And then there’s Jeopardy! Bar League, a respite from the world in the form of trivia. I got to kick back and play for prizes alongside teams with genius names like “Red Hot Phillie Peppers” and “It’s Giving Yunk.” Our punny bone never fails. It’s also Manayunk Restaurant Week, which has proven to be delicious.
I often think of the meme, “The horrors persist, but so do I.” The unique early autumn vibes here amplify that sentiment for me, because despite the difficult stuff out of our control, we can latch on to this special window in time to carry us through. Now, I want to hear from you. What is something, big or small, that made you smile this week? What’s your favorite thing about this time of year here? Send me an email with your story.
On Monday, dozens of Philly-area preservation and historical groups signed a letter in opposition to potential changes or removal of exhibits about slavery at Independence National Historical Park. These exhibits are displayed at the President’s House Site.
In a column for The Inquirer, Rob M. Morris writes that this could be a major opportunity to widen the scope of the site’s contradictory history.
“I would like to recommend that they focus on the site as a key location that marks the transition from a brutal, backward, nasty economic system that relied on human bondage to a modern market-based system that rewards enterprise,” Morris writes.
Get Morris’ take on how a different approach to interpretations of its “sweeping and incongruous history” can inspire future generations.
🧠 Trivia time
Former wrestling legend Terry Brunk (better known as Sabu) took part in plenty of iconic matches in Philadelphia.
Who did Sabu square up against at CyberSlam in 1996?
A) Cactus Jack
B) 2 Cold Scorpio
C) Axl Rotten
D) Terry Brunk
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philadelphia-born entertainer
ALIBI HELD OILY
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Patricia McDermott who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Rowan University. Many students enter college without choosing a major. Local schools, including the Glassboro institution, are helping them figure out what they want to do with “meta majors” and exploratory studies programs.
British classic rock band The Who brought their final tour to Xfinity Mobile Arena on Wednesday.
Though they’ve thrown in the towel before, this time feels for real, pop critic Dan DeLuca writes. The band roared a majestic goodbye to the city that they said has given them “nothing but fabulous audiences.”
See more photos by Allie Ippolito and read the full review here.
Somewhere on the internet in Philly
Comedian Amanda Yoa is cracking people up with her persona “Pam from Port Richmond,” who takes Eagles game days very seriously. One commenter says: “This is ASMR for PA kids.”
Custard or Italian ice? Phillies players made their pick. At least one didn’t know what custard was. The official @nbcsphilly page also called Rita’s out: “sigh ... it’s *water* ice 😞”
And a new Instagram account called Human to Human is starting conversations with strangers around the city, “connecting Philly, one story at a time.”
👋🏽 Thanks for stopping by. Take care, and I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow.
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