🚘 Your ride home from the Shore might go a little faster | Morning Newsletter
And Abbott Elementary’s Philly jawns
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
We’re looking at a relatively mild day with temperatures heading into the low-to-mid 40s.
Today let’s take a trip down the Atlantic City Expressway, where New Jersey is looking to take its tolls fully cashless.
And check out our rundown of all the times ABC’s new mockumentary Abbott Elementary has made sure to remind us that this jawn is talking ’bout Philly.
— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com )
I love heading down the Shore each summer, but the worst part is getting there and back to Philly. Traffic, tollbooth bottlenecks — and it’s worse for those who still pit-stop to pay tolls with cash.
That might change soon. The Garden State has a plan to replace those booths with E-ZPass gantries. Officials estimate it would take $900 million to replace the booths on the Parkway and Turnpike. About 55% of toll facilities in the U.S. are cashless.
Here’s the rub — and it has a name. “Leakage” is what the industry calls uncollected tolls, and the pay-by-plate honor system has been a big problem. In Pennsylvania, roughly $104 million went uncollected in the last fiscal year due to a combination of cameras unable to make out license plates, no way to force out-of-state drivers to pay, or people simply not paying.
Our reporter Thomas Fitzgerald has more on cashless tolls.
What you should know today
A Chester County school board member blamed ‘illegal immigrants’ for falling test scores. Thousands called for her resignation.
We’ve got new details on how candidates for Pennsylvania’s open U.S. Senate seat are funding their campaigns. The governor’s race? We’ve got that, too.
Mayor Kenney challenged big city institutions to spend an additional $75 million on contracts with local Black- and brown-owned businesses.
Philly Democrats tapped state lawmaker Mike Driscoll as their candidate to run for disgraced former City Councilmember Bobby Henon’s seat.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has been selected to play in the Rising Stars game during NBA All-Star Weekend.
And is an omicron infection as good as a booster? What the science says about “hybrid’ immunity.”
Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
All hail Quinta Brunson, who figured out a way to simultaneously show the plight of Philadelphia’s cash-strapped public school system in one of the most authentic yet satirical ways possible.
Brunson — the West Philly comedian, turned actress, turned producer on ABC’s mockumentary Abbott Elementary — has put the city center stage with hilarious innuendo, wardrobe choices, and, of course, vernacular. We know because our reporter Nick Vadala chronicled all the Philly references.
Oh and in case you missed it, we had a Philly teacher review the show’s pilot. Our resident grammarian even weighed in.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
Black History Month was created by Carter G. Woodson, who believed that if a race had no recorded history, it would lose its traditions and risk having its accomplishments and culture erased. Initially started as Negro History Week, it’s now celebrated throughout February, as we hold space to honor Black traditions, contributions, and history. Today’s question: Do you know what year the tradition started? Find the answer here.
a. 1886
b. 1910
c. 1926
What we’re …
🥩 Questioning: How a piece of steak can start an all-out brawl at Golden Corral.
💔 Reading: This examination of one’s brain after heartbreak.
👏🏽 Applauding: The Penn swimmers who issued a statement defending and supporting transgender woman and fellow swimmer Lia Thomas.
Photo of the day
That’s all for your Wednesday. Now let’s get after it. 💪