The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Morning, Philly. Our dry spell emphatically ended in parts of the region with last night’s storms.
A pest attacking Wissahickon Valley Park’s beeches at “extinction level” is just one of the growing threats to local forests. Below, dig into regional efforts to counter the attacks on our trees.
And the first round of SEPTA cuts is moving forward on Aug. 24, the transit agency’s general manager said Wednesday, after the Pennsylvania Senate failed to allocate funding to forestall them. Read on for the latest on the cuts and the stalled state budget.
Plus, we take a closer look at all the Independence Park signs under review by President Donald Trump’s administration.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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You don’t need to travel far from Center City to find thousands of acres of lush, green canopy and be reminded why the state name means “Penn’s Woods.” But increasingly, that canopy’s trees are under attack.
🌳 From Wissahickon Valley Park to the edges of the Greater Philadelphia region, cumulative threats of leaf and bark diseases, invasive plants that overrun natives, climate change, and more are endangering our forests.
🌳 While trees are always under some stress, experts say the current number of threats all at once further stresses forests to the point of some species’ possible extinction. Meanwhile, the latest federal budget calls for the end of funding for forest and rangeland research.
🌳 “We’re all very worried,” a Penn State forestry professor told The Inquirer. “We cannot ignore natural resources problems because they don’t just go away or solve themselves — they build up and get worse."
SEPTA GM Scott Sauer said Wednesday the transit agency must move forward with planned service cuts later this month. The decision comes in the face of a $213 million operating deficit, and with no guaranteed funding from the state legislature to fill enough of the gap in time to meet an Aug. 14 deadline.
The 20% overall cuts, which include the elimination of 32 bus lines, will take effect Aug. 24. Fares are also set to increase on Sept. 1.
Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald has more details.
SEPTA cuts’ impact: Plenty of hybrid workers in Philadelphia are not reporting to offices as often as employers require. SEPTA cuts could throw in-office plans into further disarray. Plus, hear from three SEPTA riders grappling with how their commutes — and their lives — will change with fewer buses, trains, and trolleys.
State budget impasse: The growing rift between House Democrats and Senate Republicans was clear Wednesday, as two House committees voted down the bills passed by the Senate the night before. And Senate Republicans are threatening to scrap a school funding formula adopted last year that targets money to the state’s poorest districts, saying it shortchanges other communities.
What you should know today
Three men were charged with robbery and related offenses for stealing $2 million in cash from an armored Brinks truck in Port Richmond in June, authorities said Wednesday.
The 10-foot bronze statue of former Mayor Frank Rizzo will go back to the group that donated it to the city in 1998. There are limits on where it can be displayed.
With just 18 days left until the city teachers’ contract expires, union officials said Wednesday that the core issue of pay remains unresolved — and a strike is still on the table.
Local colleges are bracing for a drop in international enrollment as students face confusion and fear over the Trump administration’s policies.
The region’s health systems expect significant revenue losses if the Medicaid cuts built into Trump’s tax and policy bill happen. See the hospitals with the most Medicaid patients last year.
Suburban parents say they’ve been sucked into a smartphone “whirlpool.” Now, they’re agitating to get the devices out of schools.
Sports radio host Mike Missanelli thought he was launching a new show at 97.5 The Fanatic. Instead, he was let go.
Most Phillies fans want to forget the 1964 season. A Facebook group is dedicated to remembering it.
Following a Trump order for National Park Service employees to flag displays that “inappropriately disparage Americans,” nine panels throughout Independence National Historical Park are under review.
They relate to the history of slavery and enslaved people in Philadelphia — for instance, an illustration depicting George Washington signing the Fugitive Slave Act set against a scene of violence against Black men.
Depending on the result of the review, the panels could be changed or removed as soon as Sept. 17.
See our interactive explainer about what’s in each of the flagged displays.
🧠 Trivia time
A partnership between FringeArts and Bearded Ladies Cabaret is bringing performances to which iconic location during the 2025 Philadelphia Fringe Festival?
A) Wanamaker Building
B) Rocky steps
C) Independence Hall
D) Reading Terminal Market
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🏀 Chuckling at: The Joel Embiid joke in the Naked Gun credits.
🍿 Visiting: The newly restored, single-screen Gap Theatre, two hours from Philly.
⛪ Coveting: This converted Haddon Heights church with a lazy river.
⚾ Trading for: The forthcoming “BATFLIP 2025″ Little League pin.
🤖 Considering: The economic and environmental burdens of AI.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Lancaster County celebration of medieval sports, fantasy, and more
CAESARIAN REFINES
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Barbara Bravo, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Marlton. The South Jersey town’s zip code has been named the second-hottest market of 2025 by Realtor.com.
Photo of the day
🌴 One last blinking thing: Wildwood’s longest-running neon sign maker is trying to keep the classic motel signs lit. Take a peek behind the scenes of Randy Hentges’ latest project, restoring the damaged sign at Isle of Palms motel.
Shine on and enjoy your Thursday. See you back here tomorrow to close out the week of news.
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