Sweet Amalia’s summer on hold | Morning Newsletter
✈️ And Spirit travelers cope with shutdown.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Welcome to a sunny Sunday. It’ll be a chilly start for Broad Street runners.
In today’s main read, bureaucracy and septic systems have forced an acclaimed South Jersey eatery to push its regular opening date. Longtime fans worry a beloved summer rite is at risk.
And Spirit Airlines’ abrupt closure is sending Philly-area travelers scrambling for alternatives. Its loss may be more sharply felt down the Shore.
Scroll along for these stories and more.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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🎤 I’m passing the mic to my colleague Amy Rosenberg.
If the cute mango yellow farm stand that morphed over the last decade into the acclaimed Sweet Amalia Market & Kitchen were located on the other side of Route 40, there wouldn’t be these problems.
That side of the street is outside the boundary of the 938,000-acre Pinelands Area of South Jersey. So there would be no Pinelands-related interruption to the “dreamy” seasonal oyster slurping and Farmstand Italian sub savoring (pistachio mortadella, soppressata, mozzarella, Parmesan) offered by Sweet Amalia.
But, as Sweet Amalia fans are aware, the nationally celebrated, if obscurely located, eatery on the way (kind of) to the Shore announced April 6 that roadblocks with Pinelands regulations left it unable to open as usual this season.
“While we are eager to open our doors, we must wait on seating approvals,” Sweet Amalia wrote on Instagram. The owners had been asked to remove the picnic tables used and be takeout only. They chose to remain closed. — Amy Rosenberg
Read Rosenberg’s story on the regulations behind the delay.
What you should know today
The Philadelphia School District’s facilities master plan is approved, but no school closures are planned until at least 2027 — and the blueprint could change between now and then. Here’s what’s next.
Figs, the quaint BYOB in Fairmount, has closed after 25 years. It was sold and will soon reopen as a new restaurant.
The fatal explosion that rocked Bristol Health in December has spurred Bucks County lawmakers to introduce a new bill that would boost emergency preparedness and make it easier for first responders to evacuate high-risk care facilities.
Five Boys’ Latin of Philadelphia Charter School seniors just earned college degrees, the school’s first of their kind. Next month, they’ll collect their high school diplomas.
A Delco man pleaded guilty to being the ringleader of a group that scammed dog sellers in Lancaster County for more than $366,000.
Linvilla Orchards has lost nearly all of its peaches and apples after a “devastating” freeze that hurt farms across the region.
Philly-area homeowners’ remodeling dreams were dashed when their design company filed for liquidation bankruptcy and shuttered all U.S. stores.
Travelers in the Philadelphia area and beyond were left in limbo after Spirit Airlines suddenly ceased operations and canceled all flights.
✈️ At PHL on Saturday, Spirit kiosks were unstaffed, and a sign warned travelers that the airline is no longer in business. The company also had a major operating base at Newark Liberty International Airport.
✈️ Meanwhile, the situation was more dire at Atlantic City International Airport, where Spirit served 99% of commercial passengers. One frustrated customer told The Inquirer he rebooked a flight to Florida with Frontier for $1,600.
✈️ Spirit’s website says its customer service is no longer available and tells travelers to not go to the airport. The company has promised automatic refunds for flights purchased with a credit or debit card.
Michelle Myers, Kristen A. Graham, and Andrew Kitchenman have the report on the reverberating impact of the shutdown.
❓Pop quiz
Which Flyer blasted pucks through the basement drywall of his parents’ house?
A) Porter Martone
B) Travis Konecny
C) Owen Tippett
D) Emil Andrae
Think you know? Check your answer in our interactive quiz to get to know the players.
What we’re ...
🐈 Loving: Excellent (cats and) vinyl finds in the Italian Market.
🏠 Impressed by: How this homeowner scored a four-bedroom home in Brewerytown with only $1,400 up front.
🏖️ Headed for: A no-traffic Shore escape on Absecon Island.
🦌 Curious about: The case of a missing elk statue.
🍨 Indulging in: A delightful PB&J sundae in Fishtown, among the best things we ate this week.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Pennsylvania Dutch country
ANCESTRAL
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Audrey Topp, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Hasan Piker. State Rep. Chris Rabb appeared on the controversial leftist streamer’s show and drew hordes of young progressives to campaign events in Philly on Thursday.
Photo of the day
🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “Could you make the sky look clear? / Make me feel like home is here.” Seeing Irish band NewDad in concert was the highlight of my week.
👋🏽 That’s it for now. Thanks for starting your morning with us, and have a great rest of your day.
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