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🎞️ When David Lynch lived in Philly | Morning Newsletter

And today’s top stories

David Lynch in the late 1960s, when he was an art student living in Philadelphia.
David Lynch in the late 1960s, when he was an art student living in Philadelphia.Read moreC.K. WILLIAMS

    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, Philadelphia. It’s a cloudy day with a high near 78 and a chance of showers in the afternoon.

Welcome to the first Saturday edition of this newsletter. It’s the same morning roundup of news to help you start your day, plus a few new sections you won’t see in our regular weekday programming.

Today I’m talking about how Philly made its mark on the one and only David Lynch. Plus, there’s a new twist in the Sixers’ arena negotiations, city workers won a lunch-related skirmish in the return-to-office war, and a Philly coffee and doughnut shop plans a long goodbye.

Let’s get into it.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

  1. Aramark food service workers employed at Lincoln Financial Field have agreed to walk off the job if and when their union calls for a strike.

  2. The 76ers’ promise to forgo city taxpayer support for a downtown arena could get complicated now that the team is wants a new provision in the deal. Meanwhile, critics of the arena proposed for Chinatown’s doorstep will gather Saturday afternoon to protest with a rally and march through Center City.

  3. A 16-year-old has been charged with murder in the high-profile killing of a West Philly gang leader and rapper, as well as multiple shootings across North Philly last month.

  4. Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will debate Tuesday at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, but there won’t be a live audience.

  5. One man died Friday and two others were seriously injured after a two-story fall at a construction site in West Philadelphia.

  6. Gov. Josh Shapiro said he believes the parents of school shooters should be held liable for their child’s actions during an appearance on The View on Friday. He also discussed antisemitism, fracking, and Taylor Swift.

  7. In another sign of friction among a workforce unhappy with Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s order that they return to the office five days a week, a city department issued — then quickly retracted — an order banning workers from eating at their desks.

  8. Lawmakers could tighten rules on where and how mobile health-service providers that treat people living in addiction operate in Kensington.

  9. Notorious Philadelphia-area landlord Philip C. Pulley is scheduled to plead guilty to federal charges of double voting in two elections — and he’s now facing state-level charges of unlawful voting in a third race.

  10. Goodbye, Hello Donuts & Coffee. The shop plans to close on Dec. 1, citing a potentially overcaffeinated market in East Kensington.

Every Saturday, I’ll share a Philly story that’s stuck in my mind. This week, I can’t stop thinking about the iconic director David Lynch.

I’m a fan so I’ll talk Lynch anytime anyone is willing to discuss his nightmarish storytelling. But when I found out that he was among the star-studded alumnus of Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, I was struck by the thought of him, early in his career, walking around and being inspired by the city I call home. Then I read a piece from this week detailing Lynch’s time in Philly: Not only did he start a family here, this was the place where he created his first short films, and kick-started his journey to become a major fixture of surrealist American cinema.

Lynch is one of my favorite directors (of course film buffs know his movies like Mulholland Drive, Wild at Heart, and the Twin Peaks television series), so learning that his time here impacted his art made me want to know more about his process. (He’s known to avoid giving details to the deeper meanings behind his dreamlike pictures). Even without his explanations, I love that every line of dialogue or set design piece seems to serve a purpose. He’s an excellent storyteller with an attention to detail that never fails to draw you in. Even though Lynch only made three movies here, he regards Philadelphia as one of his “greatest influences.”

I kept reading about him, and turns out, he made his mark on the city, too. Some locals even dubbed one community that he lived in “Eraserhood” (inspired by his 1977 directorial debut Eraserhead, which he called “my Philadelphia Story”) and Love City Brewing apparently has an Eraserhood IPA on tap.

While he may not be local anymore, he’s going to keep making art (his latest project: a collaborative music album). After recently revealing he has emphysema, he made it known he would “never retire.”

While cell phones help us stay connected, teachers say they’ve become a “major problem” in the classroom.

Besides distracting students, more research connects social media use to poor mental health among American kids and teens. In response, a growing number of schools are banning phones in class or on campus altogether. The result? Some report happier, more engaged students, with better grades.

Jonathan Zimmerman writes in a guest opinion column for us that colleges and universities should follow schools’ lead and pull the plug on device use, including laptops.

Read on for his take on how phone rules in higher education could help students struggling with academic performance and mental health.

âť“ Pop quiz

The Birds are singing again for Christmas. Who was not announced as a special guest on the third — and (maybe) final — Eagles holiday album coming later this year?

A) Devon Gilfillian

B) Kevin Hart

C) Boyz II Men

D) Travis Kelce

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This state park about a 2½-hour drive from Philadelphia is home to one of the most scenic trails in the state with 21 waterfalls.

CLERK TESTING

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Louise Goldman who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Tyler School. Temple University’s art and architecture school will display “Black Like That,” a new exhibit bridging Black history and contemporary life, until Dec. 7.

There may have been some sloppy starts and low offensive moments, but the Birds survived the Green Bay Packers, 34-29, in their season kickoff Friday night in SĂŁo Paulo, Brazil.

The showdown in South America marked Saquon Barkley’s debut with the Eagles. The star running back finished with 24 carries for 109 yards, two catches for 23 yards and three touchdowns.

P.S. A fan in the crowd wore a Philadelphia brand cream cheese “hat.” Incredible.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

It’s hard to escape this high-rise building while walking around Rittenhouse Square. It’s The Drake, a residential 32-story tower that scrapes the sky with undoubtedly magnificent views.

I think the exterior is an aesthetic wonder. But a recent Reddit thread titled “I can’t decide if The Drake is beautiful or ugly” prompted the community to consider just how pretty it is. Beauty is in the eye of the Philadelphian, after all.

The original poster described it as “eye-catching and rather imposing.” Among over 150 responses, some pointed out its Spanish Baroque and Art Deco style, while someone asked, “What’s under that dome?” That’s a great Curious Philly question if someone wants to ask us.

👋🏽 Let’s do this again tomorrow with the latest news.

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