Open carry debate in Philly burbs, coming to the rescue for unlucky couples, Southwest pilots recall 'terror' in the sky | Morning Newsletter
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Thanks for starting the day with us. Happy Friday, Philly. Advocates for open-carry are taking part in a debate over rights in Philadelphia's suburbs. When an Abington man was seen walking around a neighborhood with an AR-15 rifle, some gun owners wondered why it was even news. Weddings can be stressful enough, but imagine if weeks before the I-dos, your venue shuts down and on top of that, you don't get your money back. That's become reality for some Philly couples, but an outpouring of support has followed. Tammi Jo Shults and her co-pilot have been called heroes for safely landing a Southwest plane in Philadelphia after its engine exploded. They're opening up about the ordeal for the first time publicly. There's plenty to get to today, so let's get started.
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— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
» READ MORE: Abington man carrying AR-15 rifle sparks open carry debate in Philly burbs
Open carry advocates in Philadelphia's suburbs have been pushed into a debate after a man in Abington was seen on several occasions walking around with an AR-15 rifle. Mark Fiorino of Allentown thought "it shouldn't even be in the news."
In 45 states, open carry is legal in some capacity and in Pennsylvania you do not need a license to do so, except in Philadelphia. The Abington man, still unidentified by authorities, claimed he was trying to educate the public by carrying the weapon around. Statements from the man's friends caused police to take a closer look. They ultimately took his weapon away and committed him for mental health evaluation.
Some open-carry advocates like Fiorino say that the Abington man did not take the proper approach and Fiorino says that he might have been new to open carry. He adds that where he lives, he has noticed fewer negative encounters with police and other citizens when they notice the gun on his hip in recent years.
» READ MORE: After Philly wedding venue closes, an outpouring of offers for out-of-luck couples
No one can pull off the perfect wedding on their own. The outpouring of support for a group of Philly couples might be the ultimate example of that.
Earlier this week, my colleague Anna Orso reported on a Fishtown wedding venue that suddenly shut down following a battle with the city over the necessary license to host large events – a license the venue did not have. The closure, just weeks before the I-dos of several couples, left them out in the cold and short thousands of dollars.
That's when folks came to the rescue. When their stories became public, several businesses and organizations offered to help solve the critical issue for these couples. Among them was developer Bart Blatstein. who has a plan involving his Atlantic City hotel for all the unlucky couples.
» READ MORE: Pilots describe critical moments leading up to Southwest emergency landing
"Extraordinary." That's the word the pilots, who landed a plane in Philadelphia last month after its engine exploded, used in their first public interview to describe the moment they heard a loud bang and knew something was wrong.
The bang meant it was time for pilot Tammie Jo Shults to quickly assess the situation and take action to save lives. Shults and co-pilot Darren Ellisor never doubted that they could safely land the plane as passengers experienced 20 minutes of terror in the sky.
Shults and the crew sent a letter to the husband of Jennifer Riordan, the passenger who died after the emergency landing. Shults said speaking with Riordan's husband taught her "what a sweet and rich family they are." You can watch the full interview with Shults and Ellisor tonight on ABC.
What you need to know today
Thursday morning marked the end of a violent 18 hours in Philadelphia. Nine men were shot in the city during that span, five of whom lost their lives.
The gun control debate is likely to be a key issue in Pennsylvania's race for governor later this year. While all of the Republicans vying for the role — Laura Ellsworth, Paul Mango and Scott Wagner — are promising to protect the right to bear arms, they all have different approaches to doing so.
A Pennsylvania mother says she "felt like a caged animal," while she was pregnant and in jail at the Lebanon County Correctional Facility. In a lawsuit, she claims the jail shackled her when she was giving birth, violating a law that has been effect in Pennsylvania since 2010.
A federal judge is urging the Trump and Kenney administrations to compromise in the bitter "sanctuary city" dispute. While both sides have been stuck on issues for months, the judge believes there's a third option they should consider.
For St. Joe's men's varsity rowing team, today marks the start of just another Dad Vail Regatta. Well, there's one difference for the squad: they're favored to win. That winning feeling isn't a new one for Drexel's women's varsity team. They're thinking repeat.
Single-game tickets for Eagles games went on sale on Ticketmaster Thursday, but many fans only walked away with frustration. This isn't the first time Ticketmaster has felt the wrath of Eagles Nation.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
That's a beautiful way to end the day at Dilworth Park, @valer1ej.
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That’s Interesting
While baseball's an old pastime, some new technology is helping Villanova's team swing for the fences. Professor and baseball-lover Dr. Mark Jupina has developed a way to take the team out to the ballgame, without going outside.
You learn a lot of lessons in your 20s. The most valuable ones might just come from your fur baby. Reporter Bethany Ao shares how her pug puppy Pinto has taught her how to be an adult.
Lots of people hang in Fishtown, but this weekend, folks will swing, jump and splash as well. NBC's American Ninja Warrior will be taping in the neighborhood today and tomorrow. If it gets a little loud, don't be alarmed.
Philly native Eisha Smith got some surprise cash this week from Ellen Degeneres (with an assist from former Eagles player Jon Dorenbos). The surprise is an extra special one for Smith because of the inspiration she draws from Degeneres.
Kim Shamsiddin once struggled to find clothes that adhered to her religion's rules, while of course still being stylish. That inspired her to launch a line of Islamic garb that will be available at a one-day-only pop-up shop in Philly on Mother's Day.
If you're short on cash, you don't have to be bored in Philly this summer. That's because you can lie in a hammock, have brunch by the water and dance the night away at one of the 500 free events offered along the Delaware River waterfront, May through September.
Opinions
Columnist Ronnie Polaneczky is praising Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections for going after the developer of what she calls a "potential death trap," that could endanger lives.
Journalist and software developer Davis Shaver writes that following the controversial Temple "doxxing" case, news organizations must take a closer look at how they're handling the private information of readers.
What we’re reading
FiveThirtyEight takes a deep dive into a recent poll that examined the attitudes toward same-sex marriage in the U.S., from different political, religious and cultural perspectives. They note that while the legal debate over same-sex marriage is over, support for it is far from unanimous.
Tidal, the subscription music service owned by Jay-Z, has been accused of knowingly inflating numbers for Beyoncé and Kanye West to the tune of millions of streams. In a statement to Variety, Tidal calls the accusations "ridiculous," and a "smear campaign."
Alanna Gardner believes there's a tie between physical and mental wellness and that relationship is seen in her life as a fitness instructor with a full-time gig as a therapist. Philadelphia Magazine gives us a look at how she balances it all.
An amazing medical procedure is being hailed as the first of its kind. The Washington Post tells the story of Army Pvt. Shamika Burrage who lost her ear when she was ejected from her car during a crash. Doctors grew her a new one, inside her own body.
Planning out your summer travel? While people rarely forget to take their cell phone on vacation, you might forget that a host of tech snags will be waiting for you and your device when you arrive. The New York Times has some handy tips to avoid those.
Your Daily Dose of | Philly Special
The 'Philly Special' is a play that Eagles fans will keep close their hearts as they look back at the team's first Super Bowl win. Thanks to a local jeweler, you can literally do that.