School safety debate roils Cherry Hill, how Philly deals with litterbugs | Morning Newsletter
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Welcome to Wednesday, friends. Yesterday's sunny weather is followed up by a more mild day today, but enjoy it before rain sets in tomorrow. Today we're focusing on the school safety and gun control debates sweeping the region, and talking about how you deal with litterbugs on your turf.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
» READ MORE: Hundreds pack school board meeting after teacher’s suspension for Fla. shooting comments
On their second day of protests in support of teacher Timothy Locke, who was suspended for voicing concerns about school security after the Parkland, Fla. mass shooting, hundreds of students walked out of Cherry Hill High School East Tuesday morning.
Last night, the controversy spread to a school board meeting, where hundreds packed the gym to address concerns over school safety.
Cherry Hill isn't the only local community concerned — far from it. There have been roughly 75 threats of violence against schools in Pennsylvania since the Parkland shooting, and parents have been questioning school leaders and elected officials about how to keep students safe.
» READ MORE: GOP slow to take up gun control measures
Despite pressure from student survivors of the Florida shooting, GOP leaders in Congress are moving slowly on tighter gun laws. One bill on the table is aimed at incentivizing increased participation in the existing federal background check system.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said Tuesday that the Justice Department is reviewing plans to ban rapid-fire bump stocks, a gun accessory used in last year's Las Vegas massacre.
Meanwhile, in New Jersey the Assembly Judiciary Committee is set to weigh seven bills on tightening the state's gun laws today.
» READ MORE: How Philadelphians deal with litterbugs
Following a recent report on the city's litter problem, Inquirer readers reached out to explain how they deal with the perpetrators. Let's just say, you may not want to try their methods at home, folks.
Thanks to the ability to submit reports online, litter complaints to the city's 311 system have more than tripled since 2010.
In the spirit of trash transparency, columnist Mike Newall has confessed his worst littering sin — and it involves being lowered headfirst into an open sewer grate.
What you need to know today
Anti-Semitic incidents in the United States increased nearly 60 percent last year, with significant spikes in Pennsylvania and New Jersey according to a new report.
Our Mother of Sorrows in West Philadelphia will soon be sold, so workers are removing remains from the church's tombs. But on Monday they discovered the parish's founding pastor was missing.
Philly archaeologists have produced an interactive map showing exactly where 200 abandoned cemeteries lie all over the city. Developers, beware.
The South Philly drug-dealing doctor who amassed a $5 million fortune from selling false prescriptions will forfeit nearly all of that fortune and spend the next four years in prison, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Childhood obesity rates appear to be on the rise across the country. The good news? Philly's kids seem to be bucking the national trend.
Though a Supreme Court ruling struck down laws imposing burdensome requirements on abortion clinics two years ago, a new study shows such laws still exist all over the U.S., including in Pennsylvania.
Three Camden police officers have been removed from street duty while prosecutors investigate a video showing an alleged assault that left a man with a fractured wrist.
Capofitto is the first restaurant to reopen after a devastating Old City fire closed multiple businesses this month. Bridget Foy's has released design plans for its eventual post-fire reopening, too.
How much have your property taxes increased in the last decade? If you live in Bucks, Chester, Montgomery or Delaware Counties, it could be 28 percent — and you can compare municipalities with this interactive map.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
We want to see what our community looks like through your eyes. Show us the park that your family walks through every weekend with the dog, the block party in your neighborhood or the historic stretch you see every morning on your commute to work.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we'll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s Interesting
The Barnes Foundation has announced a landmark collaboration with Mural Arts' Restorative Justice program that will turn the Barnes' former ticketing gatehouse into a permanent public art hub.
Disney is giving back to Black Panther fans with a $1 million donation to the Boys & Girls Club of America to help expand their STEM programs — including in Philly.
More than 1,000 rental apartments could be coming to Second Street and Germantown Avenue, the final phase of a makeover to the Schmidt's brewery area.
Students in Chester County who have difficulty getting to school due to a medical condition can now attend class virtually thanks to a robot that brings school to them.
NBA fans should learn Mikal Bridges' name. The Villanova basketball star is a surefire lottery pick in the next draft.
If you've entered the Logan Hotel (formerly the Four Seasons) in the past 35 years, chances are you've seen Anthony Rodriguez, a doorman with a front-row seat to Center City's transformation.
Eagles punter Donnie Jones is going out on a high note: he announced his retirement Tuesday.
The Sixers' Trevor Booker is working toward becoming a billionaire and has his sights set on opening a college. (He just might not do it all from Philly, as he could be bought out of his contract.)
LeBron James says he's flattered by those billboards asking him to come to Philly next year, by the way.
Opinions
In the wake of discussions on safety following another mass school shooting, columnist Stu Bykofsky asks, "What's so bad about arming teachers?"
Now that Philadelphia nearly has its own school board, Kendra Brooks and Shakeda Gaines, advocates for local school control, have ideas for funding the district that don't include increased property taxes.
What we’re reading
You'll want to get to know the owner of Hi-Spot Bowling, a mainstay in Roxborough closing today after 71 years, over at PhillyVoice. He's worked there since 1947.
This one's less of a "read" and more of an "explore" — Grubhub built an interactive map of women-led restaurants all around the country so you can support the ones in your neighborhood.
Billy Penn answers an important question as the Francisville, Brewerytown, and Sharswood neighborhoods begin to change: why are neighborhood organizations checking ID?
As gun violence debates wage on, Vox has helpfully broken down the myths and truths about how the NRA influences elections.
Ahead of this week's Oscars, the Ringer caught up with the people who flubbed and then corrected last year's infamous Best Picture announcement. You'll get second-hand embarrassment just from reading.
Your Daily Dose of | Swag
Not only do celebs get to attend award shows, but they leave with thousands of dollars worth of goodies. And they have a Lafayette Hill-bred swag bag maker to thank.