❄️ Bracing for an expensive winter | Morning Newsletter
And why small Pa. filmmakers are crying foul.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
We’re back to sunny skies with temperatures reaching the low 50s.
Welcome back after the Thanksgiving weekend. I hope you ate all the stuffing, turkey and pie you desired.
But now it’s Monday and it’s time to throw out those leftovers if you haven’t already (or at least freeze ‘em).
We have a few more weeks but some of the signs of winter have already arrived. Shorter days and colder temperatures are the obvious cues. But one more indication is right around the corner: higher heating bills.
Our lead story explains why you’ll likely need to dig deeper into your pockets to warm your home this season.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Expect a more expensive winter regardless of how you heat your home.
The bad news: Residential customers will spend about 28% more to heat with natural gas compared to last winter.
Heating oil customers are likely to pay 45% more this year than last year.
The energy portion of a PECO electricity bill will rise 15.8% in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs Thursday.
Less common fueling methods like propane and kerosene are also increasing.
Be aware: Expect high prices especially between early December and early February if you rely on diesel or heating oil.
The good news: Electricity prices may be peaking and customers could have choices with competitive suppliers over the next few weeks.
Continue reading to understand the global impact on local prices and get a few tips on how to save some money.
Harrisburg set aside $5 million specifically for independent filmmakers since most of the state’s film tax credits go to big-budget projects like HBO’s Mare of Easttown, which filmed in the Philly suburbs.
But instead of going toward several smaller indie flicks, as some lawmakers intended, the $5 mil went to one of the state’s most famous filmmakers, M. Night Shyamalan, for Knock at the Cabin, a film slated to release next year.
Necessary context: Pennsylvania has one large $95 million film tax-credit pool, and the other is the smaller $5 million for independents.
The total $100 million supports about $400 million in film and media production.
The film tax credit program subsidizes entertainment companies shooting and producing in Pennsylvania. A company can use the tax credits to reduce its state taxes or sell them.
Continue reading to learn more about growing tensions between big and small film projects.
What you should know today
Immigrants from all over the world have built new lives in Philadelphia after fleeing conflict, religious persecution, natural disasters, etc. Read their reflections, including a remote interpreter from Afghanistan who came to Philadelphia after the war ended last year.
Philly’s Candy Lady shared her love of selling treats, her rise as a local celebrity, and her determination to make it big time.
Hopeworks, a Camden nonprofit that trains young people for entry-level jobs in tech, will expand with a Kensington office.
Boot & Saddle, the popular South Philly indie rock club, may no longer exist, but the sign will shine on.
A rural Pennsylvania ski hill that’s been shuttered for nearly a decade is looking for a way to operate again.
Local coronavirus numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
After Philly’s Boot & Saddle closed in 2020, it reopened earlier this month as a nighttime live music venue and all-day cafe and jazz bar under new owners.
What is the new name?
A. Solar Myth
B. Luna
C. Trick question. It’s the same name
D. None of the above
Find out if you know the answer.
What we’re ...
📰 Reading: A collection of meet-cute stories surviving spouses told The Inquirer’s obit writer.
🌅 Recommending: A winter trip to the Jersey Shore (yes, seriously). You’ll want to see the sunset this time of year.
📚Sharing: A guide for more than a dozen indie bookstores in Philly, the surrounding suburbs, and New Jersey.
🧩 Unscramble the Anagram 🧩
Hint: Wissahickon Valley Park
DOLO PELVIS
Photo of the Day
And that’s our beginning to the week. Thanks for starting it with The Inquirer.
