Princeton faces complex past, the Pa., N.J. midterm races to watch | Morning Newsletter
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There are less than three months until the midterm elections and local races are set to have a major impact on the national political landscape. So, today we're breaking down the most competitive races in our region for you to keep an eye on. Meanwhile, Princeton is making some important changes to campus life in an effort to be more welcoming to a diverse student body. The first step? Facing its very complex history head-on. Oh, and in case you haven't heard, the Eagles play tonight. Go Birds.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
» READ MORE: A change on campus: How Princeton is confronting its complicated past
Princeton, one of the nation's oldest elite universities, is embracing and revealing its complicated past in an effort to be more welcoming to its increasingly diverse student body.
It's made moves like naming an archway after a former slave who worked on campus and commissioning new portraits of distinguished alumni. But it's also had to grapple with the tainted legacy of one of Princeton's most iconic leaders: Woodrow Wilson.
Princeton isn't the only local school to struggle with its past. Bryn Mawr is reducing the visibility of its second president after reviewing her history of racism.
» READ MORE: Which Pa. and N.J. races will make the difference in the fight for Congress?
When the midterm elections arrive this November, the Philadelphia region will be a key national player. Democrats are looking to gain the House majority and they're targeting six local Republican-held districts. Both Pennsylvania and New Jersey host Senate races, too, as the GOP tries to keep its 51-49 advantage.
So, to break down the local landscape, my colleague Jonathan Tamari has ranked the most competitive contests in our region.
One opponent Pennsylvanians will face this November is an old foe: uncounted absentee ballots. Not all votes are counted because the deadlines are just too tight.
» READ MORE: Philly’s U.S. attorney slams ‘sanctuary city’ policy, citing immigrant who raped a child
The region's top Justice Department official sharply criticized Philadelphia leaders for its "sanctuary city" policy Wednesday.
U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain blamed the policy for giving an undocumented Honduran man who raped a child a "free pass." The man had been released by police in 2015 after an aggravated assault case against him was dropped. He was arrested for raping a family member a year and a half later.
The accusation prompted a pointed response from District Attorney Larry Krasner.
What you need to know today
The Birds are back. The Eagles take the field for the first time since their Super Bowl victory tonight at 7 p.m., but for players trying to make the Eagles roster, tonight is no meaningless preseason match-up.
A provision of the federal tax-cut bill signed into law in December aims to promote "Opportunity Zones" in rural and low-income urban communities like Pine Hill, New Jersey. But it's also going to give the Trump National Golf Club there a tax break.
The former president of a suspended Temple University fraternity, who is already facing sexual-assault charges, was charged with rape Wednesday for a separate alleged assault.
The Philly immigration judge who was removed by the Justice Department over the delayed deportation of a Guatemalan man has inspired a grievance filed on behalf of 350 immigration judges. A representative also revealed the judge had been removed from at least two dozen other cases.
A Delaware County high school student shocked the Wallingford-Swarthmore School District board last month with news that a faith-based crisis pregnancy center was invited to her health class and offered medically inaccurate information. The board is launching an investigation.
Following a national trend, Philadelphia's residents are now almost evenly split between homeowners (at 52 percent) and renters (at 48 percent) as the number of renters shot up between 2006 and 2016.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Ok, "jawning" is officially my new favorite word, @philly_jawnings.
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
Getaround, a car-sharing app that lets users rent their cars to strangers, has been called the Airbnb for vehicles — and it just arrived in Philadelphia.
Drones aren't just for the skies — unfortunately. New research shows cancerous tumor cells send out "drones" which ambush and weaken the immune system.
How could bills for two echocardiograms performed on the same man, in the same hospital, with the same insurance plan cost him $339 and $3,484? The answer is frustrating yet all too common.
The Sixers received prime billing this NBA season, according to a partial schedule. They'll open the season and play Christmas Day in Boston before hosting the Houston Rockets on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Sorry to burst your summer bubble, but it's almost back to school time. Some handy tips from neuroscience research can prepare your brain for the transition.
When two Philadelphia women met Carmen Chévere Ortiz, who saved her Puerto Rican neighbors from Hurricane Maria's floodwaters, they were instant friends. This week a simple gesture secured their bond: a hotel room in Philadelphia.
Opinions
A policy to force each state to accept the concealed carry handgun standards of every other state awaits a vote in the U.S. Senate. Rep. Ryan Costello is urging his colleagues to vote against it, writing that the law could harm Pennsylvanians.
Last week, digital marketer Helene Cohen Bludman attended a digital marketing conference in Philly. She was surprised to find few fellow Boomers in attendance, she writes, but found ageist stereotypes were well represented.
What we’re reading
"Losing Earth," the New York Times' 18-month-long investigation into how the years between 1979 and 1989 led to the understanding of climate change and almost led to a solution is a devastating and necessary read.
A record number of LGBTQ candidates are running for state seats in Pennsylvania. Billy Penn has published an engrossing look at the landscape and how Harrisburg (and voters) are reacting.
If you've been wondering how the restoration of 30th Street Station is going, PlanPhilly has the details. It sounds like the landmark is in meticulous hands.
NJ.com crunched the numbers (into informative interactive graphics, by the way) and writes that the death of New Jersey's suburbs may be a myth.
The hottest young names in Hollywood are all connected by one thing: hip Evangelical pastors. The Cut's odd guide to the tangled web of Pentecostal megachurches catering to celebs explores how the other half repents.
Your Daily Dose of | Surprise
Banner planes are a Jersey Shore staple. But one local family put a twist on tradition by hiring a flight to answer an important question: boy or girl?