School’s in for summer | Morning Newsletter
And threatened South Philly fields.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Philly, we made it to another sunny Friday. Expect temps to reach the mid-80s today.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker formally introduced her “extended-day, extended-year” pilot for 25 Philadelphia schools on Thursday. We have the details on what the plan actually entails — and for now, it’s not mandatory, full-day, year-round instruction.
And the playing fields at Seventh and Bigler Streets have long been home to the Southeast Youth Athletic Association, a volunteer-run league that hosts thousands of kids for baseball, soccer, and flag football. The fields are now threatened by a new PennDot plan to widen I-95.
Plus, we have takeaways from the first presidential debate. Here’s what you need to know today.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Mayor Parker and Superintendent Tony B. Watlington Sr. shared more details yesterday about the city’s plan for year-round schooling opportunities, to kick off in the 2024-25 academic year.
What’s the plan: Twenty district schools and five charter schools will pilot free before- and aftercare, as well as programming during winter and spring breaks and for six weeks during the summer. The goal is to offer extra academic support for K-8 students, plus support for working parents.
What the plan is not: Mandatory, full-day schooling held every weekday of the year. Parker, however, did not detail how or whether the program would transition into more formalized year-round instruction, a pledge she’d made on the campaign trail.
Who’s in trouble: The press conference came two days after The Inquirer broke news of the plan. Parker addressed the unnamed sources of the leaked info: “Whomever you were, it was cute.”
What’s the reaction: At a meeting Thursday evening, the district’s board approved $20 million in contracts with outside providers, who are key to Parker’s initiative.
The fields at Seventh and Bigler have played host to thousands of South Philly ballplayers over the past three decades. A proposal from PennDot is threatening their future.
⚾ A project called the Walt Whitman Interchange would build I-95 access roads right through the Southeast Youth Athletic Association’s five playing fields.
⚾ Construction on the project wouldn’t begin for another 10 years or so, and PennDot officials emphasize that the plans are not final. But the volunteers who run the youth org are rallying the community to save the fields now.
⚾ “We’re all a family down here,” one player’s mom told The Inquirer. “Everybody knows everybody. The thought of them removing this just for a ramp — it would be impacting so many lives. They don’t want to pick a fight with South Philly.”
Reporter Mike Newall has the story.
What you should know today
In the first debate of the 2024 election, President Joe Biden struggled to dispel concerns about his fitness for a second term, while former President Donald Trump capitalized on those moments of weakness but did little to dismiss vulnerabilities of his own.
So, who won? Inquirer Opinion writers think it was Biden.
A Philadelphia police inspector who had been accused of sexual harassment has sued the city, saying the allegations were never substantiated by department investigators but were weaponized against him by white supervisors because he is Black.
The family of Isya Stanley, the 17-year-old who was killed in a shooting in Fairmount that injured four others last week, are calling on police to catch those responsible.
The head of regional billboard giant Catalyst faces auction of nine New Jersey properties after defaulting on payments. Lenders say he owes millions.
SEPTA and the union representing Regional Rail locomotive engineers have reached a tentative contract agreement that will boost their wages.
Members of Bryn Mawr College’s Board of Trustees plan to meet with students this fall to discuss the school’s endowment and investment strategies.
A 15-story Center City office building sold for $11.5 million — one-third of its 2018 price. It’s an example of values shifting with work patterns.
Swede Run Fields in Moorestown has become an increasingly popular stop for migratory birds, other wildlife — and people, too.
Bryce Harper has been named an All-Star game starter for National League. Six other Phillies were named finalists for the team.
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 from reporter Milan Varia on the mystifying bus status “untracked” as seen on the SEPTA app. Does it mean the bus isn’t coming? Does it mean it’s late? Can they ... not find the bus?
It turns out the answer is yes, kinda, to all of the above. As a frequent (and frequently unhappy) rider of the 52, this was a must-read for me. 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
The William Penn Foundation, the largest foundation that only gives locally, is expanding what it funds. What area is newly included?
A) Increasing trust in democracy
B) Literacy
C) Operating support for arts and culture programs
D) Watershed protection
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🏀 Dancing along with: Incoming Sixer Jared McCain’s TikToks.
🐺 Cheering: These all-time Phillies player fan clubs.
🏊 Signing up for: Swimming at these clubs in Philadelphia and the suburbs.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
This musician’s Fourth of July Picnic is coming to the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion next Thursday.
Hint: 🌿
LILO NEWLINES
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Jim Diamond, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Cape May. The Shore town at the southernmost point in New Jersey is among the latest to unveil cashless digital beach tags.
Photo of the day
🧑⚖️ One more legal thing: Apparently elected officials can get called for jury duty just like the rest of us, even if they’re elected to ... uphold the law. Find the details in this delightful read about District Attorney Larry Krasner’s visit to City Hall Courtroom 643.
Have a great weekend! I’ll see you back here on Monday.
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