The Morning Newsletter
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It’s Friday, Philly. It’s also not a bad day to stay indoors, as heat, humidity, and potential storms return to the region.
Here’s some winter-themed news to cool you down: The Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village were endangered after Macy’s closed its Center City store, but local leaders have a plan to save both beloved holiday traditions.
And a raid by federal immigration agents last week in Montgomery County has left families searching for answers after 14 were arrested. Here’s what to know to close your week.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
P.S. Friday means trivia. Our latest news quiz includes questions on an infamous Black Sabbath show, a Cooper DeJean brand deal, and more.
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Yes, it’s July and 90-something degrees outside. But we’re looking ahead to chillier, cheerier times as fundraising kicks off to bring back the Christmas-themed Wanamaker Light Show and Dickens Village.
☃️ The campaign, led by the Philadelphia Visitor Center and Wanamaker Building owner TF Cornerstone, aims to bring the two attractions back this winter and to begin planning for their care in perpetuity.
☃️ Plans are also in motion to reopen the Wanamaker Grand Court for four months of pop-up performances, starting this September. That series is being led by Opera Philadelphia and is centered on the majestic Wanamaker Grand Court Organ.
☃️ “This is an emotional place for people that they remember from going every year or going when they were a kid or lying on that floor and being a part of it or shopping in the store,” Opera Philadelphia’s leader told The Inquirer. “So why not take that meaningful place and bring people back to it and fill it with beauty?”
Culture reporter Peter Dobrin has the details.
In other arts news: The former Philly Pops and Philadelphia Orchestra Kimmel Center, Inc. have settled a lawsuit, ending a two-year dispute.
🎤 Now I’m passing the mic to reporters Jeff Gammage and Michelle Myers.
Erika Moreno was awakened by a call from her partner, José Vázquez, phoning from his job at the Super Gigante food market in West Norriton.
“ICE is here,” he whispered. “We are hiding on the roof. I love you.” Then the line clicked off.
Inside the popular market near Norristown, shortly after 8 a.m. on July 16, undocumented workers were frantically searching for places to conceal themselves. Some hid within stacks of empty boxes, while others attempted to crawl under shelving units. Those who made it to the roof laid flat and turned off their cell phones. Below them, more than a dozen Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers had swarmed the store.
At home in nearby Norristown, Moreno paced the couple’s bedroom. Her sister-in-law phoned — video on social media showed a ladder set against a market wall and ICE agents taking people off the roof.
“I felt myself dying,” Moreno said. — Jeff Gammage and Michelle Myers
What you should know today
A Philly mother grieving the killing of her “loving” son who was shot at a block party over July Fourth weekend is still waiting for answers on the investigation into his death.
A Montgomery County jury convicted two men of first-degree murder in a fatal botched burglary in Lower Merion.
A Philly jail guard who pepper-sprayed an injured inmate was sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Former Flyers goalie Carter Hart was acquitted Thursday in Hockey Canada sexual assault case.
A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that the nonprofit Safehouse can argue that its founders’ religious beliefs give them a right to open a supervised injection site.
Gov. Josh Shapiro criticized New York Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani, saying he is not doing enough to combat antisemitism on the campaign trail.
With no Pennsylvania budget in sight, SEPTA employees on Thursday began posting alert signs at bus stops along routes slated to be eliminated or shortened. And Pennsylvania childcare centers are understaffed, so providers want $55 million from the state for hiring and retention. Plus, a skill game operator is at the center of the budget debate: Meet Pace-O-Matic.
Filmmaker Louis Massiah and his Scribe Video Center this weekend will host the inaugural North Philadelphia History Fest.
Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.
This week, we have an explainer on SEPTA’s senior fare cards, which any Pennsylvanian over 65 can get for free — and which expire after a few years, just as paid Key cards do. Why does the transit agency put aging card users through the hassle of renewing?
Blame the manufacturer-assigned shelf life. Here’s the full explanation.
Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.
🧠 Trivia time
Connor Barwin’s Make the World Better Foundation will host a two-day fundraising concert this weekend in FDR Park. What was the last major concert held at the South Philly park?
A) Live Aid 1985
B) Lollapalooza 1994
C) A surprise Bruce Springsteen show in 2000
D) Wu-Tang Clan’s farewell tour 2025
Think you know? Check your answer.
P.S. Friday’s headliner, singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus, wants to officiate your wedding during her show.
What we’re...
🐘 Remembering: When Lucy the Elephant was (carefully) relocated on this week in Philly history.
🏖️ Geoguessing: Where these Shore locations are on a map.
🪰 Stomping: Spotted lanternflies, now heading for Pennsylvania wine country.
🎙️ Queueing up: The Philly-tied entries on Time’s list of the 100 greatest podcasts.
💔 Considering: The hard lesson in loss brought by Malcolm-Jamal Warner’s death.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: F.k.a. The Gallery
STARFISH DICTION
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Tom Giamoni, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Albright College. The Reading school made dramatic cuts to avoid closure. Experts say its financial future is still murky.
Photo of the day
🔔 One last revolutionary thing: Ahead of 2026 events, the nonprofit fundraising arm for Independence National Historical Park is launching an effort to raise $250,000 from the public to offset federal budget cuts.
Stay safe in this heat, and have a great weekend. Paola will have the news for you tomorrow morning.
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