Markelle Fultz returns, Philly's best teachers, Orchestra names new president | Morning Newsletter
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Happy Tuesday, Philadelphia. Sixers fans are in a tizzy this morning now that Markelle Fultz has made his return. Plus, another kind of local hero is being celebrated across the city today: Philly's top teachers. Let's dive in, shall we?
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
» READ MORE: Markelle Fultz returns, stays silent on injury
Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz finally made his highly anticipated return last night in a key game at the Wells Fargo Center. Making his first appearance since Oct. 23, all eyes were on Fultz, the first overall pick in last year's draft.
Was it worth the wait? He finished with 10 points, eight assists, four rebounds and one turnover in under 15 minutes in the Sixers' 123-104 win over the Denver Nuggets.
But don't expect to hear much more on the mysterious shoulder injury that kept him off the court. He expertly deflected questions about it after the game.
» READ MORE: Who are Philly’s best teachers?
Zahmu Sankofa became a teacher almost by accident. He only found the career after being laid off from a former job. Twenty-two years later, he calls it "the best mistake of my life."
His students and colleagues must agree: Sankofa is one of 59 educators being honored today by Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation for excellence in teaching.
Get to know Sankofa and the rest of the city's top educators who are inspiring Philadelphia's youth.
» READ MORE: Man accused of stabbing Councilman David Oh says he’s victim of mistaken identity
Opening arguments in the trial of Shawn Yarbray, a 25-year-old Southwest Philadelphia man charged with stabbing City Councilman David Oh last May, are set to begin today.
Despite Oh's having identified Yarbray as his attacker in a police photo lineup days after the assault and at a court hearing last year, Yarbray and his attorney Samuel C. Stretton say Oh has identified the wrong man.
Stretton says it was a man who sent bigoted emails to an Asian American police officer in Hollywood mentioning Oh, who is also Asian American. Oh said Friday of Yarbray, "I am convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that it's him."
What you need to know today
On Monday a Pleasantville High School teacher and a Sewell salesman joined the 16 men before them by pleading guilty to participating in a multi-million dollar state health benefits fraud at the Jersey Shore.
The Commerce Department says the 2020 U.S. Census will include a question about citizenship status. California's Attorney General has already said the state will sue the Trump administration over the question.
Tonight the city will hold its first meeting in Kensington to discuss plans for safe injection sites in Philadelphia, and the neighborhood — which has felt the brunt of the city's crisis — is divided over the issue.
The Trump administration ordered 60 Russian intelligence and diplomatic officers expelled from the country Monday, in retaliation for the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain.
Is more hemp on the horizon? Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell wants to introduce legislation to legalize the crop.
Good news: the U.S. is curbing its world-leading use of antibiotics, according to a new study. The bad news (for everyone): other countries are catching up.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is naming a new president and he comes all the way from the West Coast.
The attorney for Eagle Michael Bennet, charged with a third-degree felony for allegedly striking an elderly paraplegic security guard, said Monday "he just flat-out didn't do it."
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
Hamilton star and East Oak Lane native Leslie Odom Jr. has written a new book about his Tony-winning career so far, and he credits Philadelphia as his source of inspiration.
Villanova hoops star Omari Spellman wasn't always the incredibly fit athlete you see today. Since freshman year he's lost over 40 pounds with simple changes to his routine.
The Phillies' season starts Thursday and, strangely enough, they just kicked it all off with a message from Justin Timberlake. It seems they have set their opening day roster, too.
A Philly lawyer has penned a legal thriller set in Philadelphia that's loosely based on the Amtrak crash that killed eight in 2015. Would you read it?
Jerryd Bayless may be a professional athlete in a city full of rabid sports fans, but from his art-filled New York home, you'd never even know which Philly team he plays for.
Actor Sean Penn came to town last night to promote his new book, a tome he calls "the hand of anarchy offering a dance that readers may or may not accept." Huh.
Opinions
Lawmakers of New Jersey, and soon those in Pennsylvania, must seize a new opportunity to reduce risk from radioactive waste, writes Frank von Hippel, professor emeritus and senior research physicist at Princeton University.
John Page, board member of the Souderton Charter School Collaborative, writes that bad cyber schools shouldn't be lumped in with brick-and-mortar charters in reports on school performance.
What we’re reading
Think we had it bad this winter? Check out this interactive map of snowfall over the contiguous United States via the Washington Post. We got off easy.
In light of last week's March for Our Lives, the Philadelphia Citizen asks whether Philadelphia schools should have threat assessment teams to identify threatening behavior before it turns violent.
What are the long-term effects of activism? The New York Times has examined how the stress and turmoil privately takes its toll on Black Lives Matter activists.
As if being a NASA astronaut who made two trips to the International Space Station and holds a record for spacewalk time isn't cool enough, Sunita Williams is now helping other people get to space. NPR reports on her work in another new frontier.
An innocent man spent 23 years in prison and, when he was released, all he wanted was his job back as groundskeeper for the White Sox. You need to read Nevest Coleman's story via the Chicago Tribune.
Your Daily Dose of | Kevin
The Phillies new broadcast team features three former players. And they're all named Kevin.