A city leader’s six-figure side job | Morning Newsletter
And the rising Latino community
The Morning Newsletter
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Good morning, Philly.
Going out? Grab an umbrella. It’s a hot and partly sunny day with a high near 87, but afternoon showers and thunderstorms are expected.
Under former Mayor Jim Kenney, Adam Thiel was viewed as an effective emergency management expert, but kept a lower profile. Now he’s increasingly in the spotlight. Our main story highlights Thiel’s rise into a city government role with significant influence — all while he holds an obscure six-figure side gig.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Adam Thiel has a sprawling resumé detailing his journey to his current position as managing director of the city of Philadelphia.
He was once the city’s fire commissioner. Now the No. 2 official in city government, Thiel oversees day-to-day operations of more than a dozen agencies including the fire department, prisons, and public health.
Thiel is one of the highest-paid municipal employees, earning $310,000 a year. But during his final two years as commissioner, he also earned more than a half-million dollars in consulting work.
Thiel continues working part time as a consultant. It’s not unusual for government officials to have second jobs, but Thiel’s work stands out for its scope — and its secrecy.
So who are Thiel’s clients? He refused to give details in an interview. However, he says his work never violated ethics guidelines, which prohibit conflicts of interest but do not require him to disclose that information. And Mayor Cherelle L. Parker says Thiel’s consultation experience “fortifies” her confidence in him as a top expert in his field.
City Hall reporter Anna Orso and investigative researcher Ryan Briggs teamed up to chronicle Thiel’s leadership history, his turbulent start in Parker’s administration, and what we know about his side jobs.
The Latino community makes up just about 16% of Philadelphia’s population overall, but it has almost doubled in size since the start of the century, making it the city’s fastest-growing demographic.
The city’s relatively affordable housing, work opportunities, and cultural connections are some key factors attracting Latinos. Here’s a snapshot of this growth:
📈 The total number of Latinos has risen from 129,000 residents in 2000 to 244,000 last year, per U.S. Census Bureau data. Latinos have been historically undercounted in this data.
🌎 About 42% of Philly’s Latino population was born in another country or U.S. territory.
🇩🇴 The Dominican Republic is the second-highest country of origin among foreign-born residents in Philly.
Dive into the data to see how the Latino community is transforming the city.
What you should know today
A man who pleaded guilty to shooting Philadelphia Police Officer Giovanni Maysonet last year was sentenced to 22 to 44 years in prison Friday, prosecutors said.
When Vice President Kamala Harris appears for the first time with her running mate in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro said he hopes and plans to be in attendance. But what will his role be? And did Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker really announce who Harris’ running mate will be? A video posted to social media left many confused.
Former President Donald Trump said on social media that he has agreed with Fox News to debate Vice President Kamala Harris on Sept. 4 in Pennsylvania. Harris promptly rejected the idea and her campaign said Saturday Trump should “stop playing games.”
A grandson in a real estate dynasty has admitted to a $119 million conspiracy. Its empire of 100 neglected housing complexes includes Philly holdings.
Philadelphia has terminated its $3.8 million contract with mental health services provider The Consortium Inc., funding that allowed the group to work with 2,500 city residents with limited ability to pay.
Drexel University has entered into an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights to improve its handling of antisemitism complaints, though the office found no evidence of antisemitism in the case that sparked the probe or problems with the university’s handling of it.
A Main Line furniture heir and tech founder faces 26 fraud charges for allegedly bilking people out of $31 million in a Ponzi-like scheme, as well as charges of witness intimidation and retaliation.
Chris LaPierre has died at 52. The veteran of Iron Hill Brewery went by “Lappy” and was a fixture in the Philly-area brewing scene for decades.
A Philadelphia biotechnology company received approval Thursday from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a first-of-its-kind therapy targeting a rare form of cancer.
After months of rumors, it’s official: Mike Missanelli is returning to 97.5 The Fanatic.
❓Pop quiz
The now-defunct University of the Arts will have its well-regarded dance program saved by a small liberal arts college in what state?
A) Maryland
B) Virginia
C) Vermont
D) New Jersey
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This songstress is coming to Philly on her annual holiday tour to celebrate the seasonal omnipresence of her Christmas classic.
MAY HAIRCARE
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Karen Vogel who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Indego. Philly’s IBX-sponsored bike-share program is bringing back single-ride passes.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “I guess the apple don’t fall far from the tree / ‘Cause I’ve been looking at you so long, now I only see me.”
🍏 There’s a TikTok dance to this pop bop, and of course the cast of the new Twisters film got down to it. Have you seen the movie? Weather reporter Tony Wood talked to tornado experts who give Twisters a decent grade for scientific accuracy, but debunk some of its ... questionable twists.
👋🏽 Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Inquirer. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.