Another nor'easter arrives, nearly 100 file to run for Congress | Morning Newsletter
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Some "spring" we're having, huh? I feel like a broken record this morning, but we do have the latest updates for you on today's nor'easter. Plus, we're taking a look at the nearly 100 people running for Congress in Pennsylvania and how the downsizing of Philly prisons is affecting inmates and staff. Bundle up, grab a warm drink, and dive into the news. And maybe just stay inside if you can.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
» READ MORE: Another nor’easter: the latest forecast and closings
It's going to snow. Schools are closed, public transit's on a modified schedule. It's March. Stop me if you've heard this one before.
"Wait, I thought we were only getting a few inches?" Yeah, well, things change. Precipitation is expected to turn to snow later this morning, with snow totals of up to a foot or more projected in the region by the time the storm ends tonight.
Overnight forecasts warned Philly could see 8-12 inches of white stuff — and you bet we're in danger of breaking some winter records.
» READ MORE: Philly jails are downsizing, yet overtime continues to climb
Philadelphia's jail population has fallen by 27 percent over the past two years. Yet overtime costs at the city's five main jails have climbed to around $26 million and staffing shortages plague the system.
What's the problem? Depends on who you ask. The correction officers' union blames mismanagement and bad hiring. Commissioner Blanche Carney says officers are abusing sick leave.
The result? Prisoners locked down in their cells for days at a time.
» READ MORE: These are Pennsylvania’s congressional hopefuls
Yesterday was the deadline for Pennsylvanians to file their petitions to run for Congress, and nearly 100 people did so in what's sure to be a wild election season.
A new congressional map is now in place ahead of the May primary vote, too. You can find out who's running in your district (and, um, where that district actually is) right here.
One person hoping to appear on those ballots with "Philadelphia" next to his name is Lt. Gov. Mike Stack. His opponents argue, however, he doesn't live in Philly like his nominating papers say.
What you need to know today
The suspect in the series of bombings that have left two dead in Austin, Texas reportedly blew himself up with an explosive device following a confrontation with police this morning.
An armed man was fatally shot by police Tuesday after a five-hour standoff at a Panera restaurant across the street from Princeton University. It wasn't clear what initially sparked the standoff.
Days after students around the country walked out to protest gun violence in schools, a student opened fire in a Maryland high school Tuesday. The shooter was killed and two students were injured.
After work on the Mariner East pipeline running through Chester County was halted when sink holes opened up along construction, opponents say they want the project's risk assessment made public. But state officials say not so fast.
Great news for fans of good architecture: a long-hidden West Philly building designed by famed architect Frank Furness is undergoing a $5 million renovation.
A new real estate tool is helping locals tell house-hunters which 'hoods are Philly's quietest, kid-friendliest, and most festive. Let the neighborhood pride wars begin.
Thanks to a Tuesday night victory over Marquette University, Penn State is headed to the semifinals of the NIT men's basketball tournament.
Surprising approximately no one, a new study says chronically overworked medical residents like shorter shifts. It also says longer shifts don't help doctors learn more.
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
To all of you who braved the cold yesterday for their Philly birthright — free Rita's wooder ice on the first day of spring — I salute you.
Speaking of wishful thinking, Franklin Square has announced its slate of family-friendly spring and summer activities, and it includes a return of the Chinese Lantern Festival and a new concert series.
Nearly 10,000 artifacts left behind by Native Americans as early as 4,000 years ago have been discovered in Camden, and you can see them up close.
By the way, there was no buried Civil War treasure out in Elk County where the FBI was digging last week. Sad face.
Cornerback Daryl Worley, one of the latest additions to the Eagles, is a Philly native and lifelong Eagles fan who can't wait to put on his new uniform.
In light of the Eagles' Super Bowl win (still fun to say huh?), Philly fans are asking an important question: Who's the greatest coach in Philly sports history? Is it Jay Wright? Doug Pederson?
Ever wondered who takes care of the Liberty Bell? He's a 45-year veteran of the National Park Service who's a descendant of an indentured servant who worked at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.
Pottsville's own Yuengling is releasing its first new year-round beer in nearly two decades. Cheers.
Opinions
As students protest a new Temple University pocket park named after a board chair who's Bill Cosby's former lawyer, columnist Ronnie Polaneczky suggests they name a sexual assault crisis center after him instead.
The city continues its fight against the opioid epidemic, but, as Solomon Jones writes, the black community is still dealing with the fallout from the crack epidemic. He suggests ways the city can repair the damage.
What we’re reading
A Mt. Airy artist has created moving portraits of the Parkland, Fla. shooting victims for the upcoming March for Our Lives, and Billy Penn's interview with her explains how she turns pain into art.
The New Yorker has published an eerie photo essay of young people from across the country — and across demographics —who grew up in post-Columbine era embracing guns. Following another day of gun violence on campus, it's an unsettling read.
WHYY's story on Maddie Heeney, a transgender girl from Wilmington, exemplifies a heated debate going on about how other transgender students are treated in Delaware schools.
Ever heard of a food forest? (I mean, all forests have food for some species, right?) It's a new type of public urban garden meant to get healthy food into food deserts and, as Next City tells it, there are people in Philly trying to plant some right now.
On a lighter note, country music fans are hearing the sound of their favorite genre slowly include more pop and even R&B influences. NPR reports on how the fascinating shift is going down.
Your Daily Dose of | Sage
Smudging — the ceremonial burning of sage or other herbs as a spiritual cleansing or blessing — is so popular with millennials and Gen Xers these days that some stores have trouble keeping it in stock.