The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Hi, Philly. Ready for a new week?
Ahead of the holiday season, we rounded up more than 70 gift ideas for every type of Philly personality, from the snack aficionado to the sports megafan.
And a lawsuit over redevelopment plans in Exton is prompting the debate: What should a dead mall become?
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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The holidays will be here sooner than you can say “Super Bowl LIX champions.” Haven’t started shopping? No worries. We found 70-plus gifts to spur hometown pride.
There’s a little something for everyone in this year’s gift guide:
🎁 For the one craving new experiences, you could reserve a spot in Pizzeria Beddia’s Hoagie Room (from $85) or grab tickets to the Philadelphia Flower Show (from $25).
🎁 For the food enthusiast, consider the new Dietz Dill vodka, a collab from Philly brands Dietz & Watson and Jacquin’s ($12.99), or a print of their favorite local eatery by All the Restaurants (from $55).
🎁 For the Eagles obsessive, splurge on the “Princess Di” varsity jacket ($400) or order a print of The Inquirer’s front page from Monday, Feb. 10, 2025 — you know the one (from $45).
Take the quiz to find your perfect Philly-themed gifts in our 2025 guide.
Further reading: For more local gift ideas, check out these nine books by Philly authors, 15 iconic eats you can ship, 10 more pieces of gear for sports fans, and 10 sweet and savory Di Bruno Bros. treats.
As a former Chester County kid, I remember Exton Square Mall as the site of Easter bunny photo shoots, food court hangouts, and Saturday night wanderings. Nowadays, it’s the site of a fight.
The nearly 1 million-square-foot shopping plaza is the subject of a lawsuit after West Whiteland Township officials rejected a local developer’s plan for more apartments, townhouses, and a 55+ community on the property.
The officials cite concerns about sewer, traffic, and density, including from nearby residents worried that Exton is already overbuilt.
The developers contest those concerns while arguing that their proposal to turn the nearly empty complex into a “vibrant, mixed-use town center” is better than many other dead-mall projects around the United States.
Consumer reporter Erin McCarthy has the story.
In other Exton news: Innovative Aerosystems has expanded its flight controls plant to replace jet pilots with made-in-Pennsylvania software and hardware.
What you should know today
Dozens more flights at Philadelphia International Airport were delayed or canceled Saturday, the second day of a federal order reducing air traffic amid the government shutdown. On Sunday morning, though, travelers seemed pleasantly surprised to see security lines moving relatively quickly.
The Chester County man who shot at a SWAT team in the 2018 “White Christmas” standoff was sentenced last week to decades in prison.
A new partisan tilt to the traditionally routine and sleepy judicial retention elections may create a ripple effects in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in the years to come, experts say.
Hundreds of Philadelphia School District students are not getting services they are legally entitled to receive, those on the ground in city schools say, including speech and occupational therapy supports.
The Philadelphia Art Museum dismissed CEO Sasha Suda for cause last week after commissioning an independent investigation, according to museum leaders. Suda’s lawyer called it “a sham.”
Ambient listening and artificial intelligence scribe tools are gaining traction at health systems in Philadelphia and beyond. Doctors say they improve patient visits.
Amid uncertainty over federal food assistance benefits, a Kensington florist is hosting free Sunday breakfasts at her studio to support people in need.
Hip Hop, the 76ers’ high-flying rabbit mascot of the aughts, returned to the court in the team’s win against Toronto on Saturday to the delight of fans of all eras.
Quote of the day
Hurts’ relationship with the Jordan Brand — and Michael Jordan himself — is growing. The quarterback says it’s helping him express himself on and off the field.
🧠 Trivia time
At the pumped-up 2026 New Year’s Eve fireworks display on the Delaware River waterfront, which activity will attendees be invited to do?
A) Meet a Ben Franklin impersonator
B) Smash a ceramic Cowboys logo
C) Ring a Liberty Bell replica
D) Scream into the void
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and whom) we’re...
🍹 Congratulating: Tequilas’ David Suro-Piñera on his Food & Wine nod.
🏛️ Spotting: Mark Wahlberg atop the Art Museum steps with his Cheesesteak costar.
🍝 Learning: How to make perfect pasta at home, according to Marc Vetri.
🎸 Reading: This excerpt from The Philadelphia Music Book: Sounds of a City.
6️⃣7️⃣ Considering: What “6-7″ reveals about America, from Kensington to Dictionary.com.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philadelphia _ Authority 🏗️
ELEMENT PROVED
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Tammy Murphy, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Angelo’s Pizzeria. The Inquirer’s cheesesteak columnist, Tommy Rowan, asked: Is the South Philly sandwich maker overrated? Their fast expansion puts their legacy in peril, he found.
Photo of the day
📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story
Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Tom Lamont, who describes the night he became a true Sixers fan:
It was the spring of 1965. I was a freshman at the University of Pennsylvania. Having grown up in Northern New Jersey, my sports allegiances were largely New York based. But watching the Sixers that year really pulled me into Philadelphia.
They made it to the Eastern Conference finals against the hated Celtics, with Bill Russell and coach Red Auerbach. When the Celtics came to Philadelphia, Auerbach and a few players often ate at Kelly & Cohen, close to the Penn campus. We would taunt them whenever we saw them (but it was a taunt of great respect).
The series alternated home games, with Boston up 2-1 going into game 4 at Convention Hall. In those days, the NBA wasn’t what it is today so you could just walk up to the box office a day or two before the game and buy tickets. We paid $6 for upstairs center court tickets, which at the time we thought was very expensive.
The Celtics led by two points with one second to play and the Sixers had to go the length of the court. Players huddled under the far basket assuming there would be a long heave with the hope for a tip in. But instead, Johnny Kerr threw the ball to Hal Greer at midcourt. Greer turned and fired, just as the buzzer went off. The ball banged off the backboard and went in. The crowd went nuts and I can still hear Dave Zinkoff’s booming voice: “GRRRREEEEERRRR, from KERRR!”
That was the moment I truly had Philadelphia in my blood. There were no three-point shots in 1965, so the game went to overtime and the Sixers won. They lost the series in seven games on the memorable and horrible “Havlicek steals the ball!” play at the end. My grief and anguish watching that punctuated my newfound love for and identity with Philadelphia.
And with that, go forth and enjoy your day. See ya back here tomorrow.
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