The Philly DA race pits safety against reform | Morning Newsletter
And, insight into those vaccine effectiveness numbers.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning from The Inquirer newsroom.
First: We’re bringing you the whole story on the race for Philly district attorney, which puts incumbent Larry Krasner up against Carlos Vega in the Democratic primary. And there’s one big open question about the support for Krasner this time.
Then: The COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective. We offer insights into the numbers you’re seeing everywhere.
And: Attention, South Jersey travelers (including those of you heading to the Shore). A retaining wall collapse in South Jersey could set back the project to fix the region’s great idler of traffic.
— Ashley Hoffman (@_ashleyhoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Philly DA Larry Krasner and challenger Carlos Vega enter election homestretch as gun violence surges
The first week Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner assumed office, he fired Carlos Vega among many prosecutors. Now, he’s facing Vega as a challenger in the Democratic primary.
That’s just one thing making for a gripping clash of personalities with the primary just weeks away now. It’s all taking place against a backdrop of historic violence in the city that spiked while Krasner has been on the job.
The district attorney who oversaw progressive changes to Philadelphia is defining this election as a “contest between the past and the future” for criminal justice reform. Krasner says the pandemic is the root of the violence plaguing the city, pointing to a surge of violence across the country. Vega says Krasner is shifting the blame — he’s a reform-minded homicide prosecutor who says Krasner is making the city unsafe.
Whether all the progressives who made a DA out of Krasner are still with him is an open question, but there are some early signs that he might not be a darling in his own party now. Political writer Chris Brennan has the story on this contest of philosophies.
The reality of the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines has more nuances than some of the estimates in headlines you may have seen.
They’re really safe. They work really well. And to get this pandemic under control, the public must be vaccinated.
To understand the potency of vaccines in the real world, a sound bite will never cut it. So health reporter Tom Avril turned to a biostatistician and a health economist well-versed in the vaccine trials to get a grasp of how effectiveness of vaccines is actually calculated.
Helpful COVID-19 Resources
Am I eligible to get vaccinated? Know the requirements for Philly, Pa., and New Jersey.
Where can I get a COVID-19 vaccine in the Philly area? Use our lookup tool.
Here’s how to prepare for a vaccine appointment.
What can I do once I’m fully vaccinated? Here’s a full breakdown.
Can I go on vacation yet? This is how to know what’s safe.
What you need to know today
It looks as if the traffic nightmare could be haunting travelers in South Jersey — including those heading to the Shore — for much longer due to the collapse of a retaining wall.
A Philly clinic gave out more than 1,000 vaccine doses in an effort to bridge the “digital divide” with a good old-fashioned phone call or text message.
The implantable-medical-device industry outspends the much larger pharmaceutical industry, a recent study by Penn researchers found.
At schools, airports, and mushroom farms, Democrats embark on a hybrid celebration-education tour to spread the word about President Joe Biden’s stimulus.
Here’s a breakdown of the woes facing Pennsylvania’s $62 billion pension plan, including that botched financial performance figure.
A road trip for gun-purchase background checks stopped in Philly yesterday as part of a 10-day tour.
A woman has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a pregnant Upper Darby woman.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
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That’s interesting
🗳️ State Sen. Sharif Street is asking voters if they want him to be their next U.S. senator with an exploratory committee. And, the vocal ShopRite chain owner Jeff Brown, who is eyeing a run for mayor, is partnering with Philly’s Black-owned food businesses.
⚖️ An NYC law firm expands to Philly, betting on whistleblower complaints, the government’s biggest source of financial settlements.
🏦 We’ve listed the Philly region’s Top Workplaces of 2021.
🏀 Ben Simmons played an aggressive game for the Sixers this weekend. He has to step up his game, David Murphy writes.
🦅 Coach Nick Sirianni brings Gabe Kapler levels of enthusiasm to the Eagles. Marcus Hayes wonders whether it’s enough to turn off the team.
Opinions
“It would be easy to write off so much of the madness, maybe enjoy a few chuckles at the latest insanity. But remember what happened last time we laughed off a clown?” columnist Helen Ubiñas writes about the Squilla & Co. lawsuit pursued at the foot of the Christopher Columbus statue.
When columnist Maria Panaritis salvaged a stranger’s forgotten engagement ring, it carried her to a meaningful real-life love story closer to home.
The Kimmel Center’s $1,000 mandatory donation for the best seats doesn’t fit with its diversity statement, writes creator Gilberto Vega, imploring the center to reconsider the policy.
What we’re reading
The Philly iceberg meme that exploded on reddit is separating Philadelphians into very specific categories, PhillyVoice explains.
McDonald’s true happy place is its expansive catalog of video games, revisited by TheTakeout.
Team Pfizer, team Moderna and team Johnson? As younger people become eligible for the vaccine, here come the vaccine-centric TikTok trends, NBC News reports.
A 70-year-old Marine veteran raced into a building that was on fire to evacuate his neighbors, who were in grave danger. James Johnson credits his military instincts for the act of bravery. After alerting the people in the home, he returned to the blaze to pull a man who had caught on fire out of the house.