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Summer arts guide, Wells Fargo Center to get a new look | Morning Newsletter

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Beyonce performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, April 14, 2018 in Indio, Calif.
Beyonce performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on Saturday, April 14, 2018 in Indio, Calif. Read moreLuis Sinco/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Happy Thursday, Philly. I know it's been a little cloudy lately, but this morning we're looking towards sunnier days with our excellent summer arts guide. Everything you need to know to have a blast this summer — what movies to see, what exhibits to visit — is just a scroll away. And yes, Beyoncé is involved. In other big news for the city, my colleague Sam Donnellon has gone behind the scenes of the Wells Fargo Center's serious makeover to make it less serious. Think big glass windows, social spaces, and fewer boxed-in VIPs. Personally, I'm excited for more cup holders.

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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

» READ MORE: Summer arts guide: Philly’s best festivals, concerts, movies and more

Whether you're not a beach fan or need something cool to do between trips to the Shore, Philadelphia is teeming with great art all summer long. Our critics have gathered up the most exciting festivals, musicals, comedy shows, and much more so you can get straight to the fun.

  1. Philly's festivals from Wawa Welcome America and Odunde to the Philadelphia Folk Festival

  2. 'Ocean's 8,' 'Incredibles 2,' 'Jurassic World' and all the best movies hitting theaters

  3. U2, Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Lauryn Hill, Taylor Swift and more are coming to town

  4. What to see in Philadelphia's museums this summer

  5. Calling all theater buffs: Aladdin, PA Shakespeare, and more are coming your way

  6. All the kid-friendly fun in Philadelphia this summer

  7. Classical concerts: 'Star Wars' at the Mann, Curtis Summerfest, 'Fred' the organ at Kimmel

  8. 30 Philly comedy shows to laugh away the summer

» READ MORE: Wells Fargo Center is getting a millennial makeover

The walls are coming down at the Wells Fargo Center. Don't worry, it's just the outer walls that will get the wrecking ball. Soon the arena will be encased in glass instead, so you can see the skyline.

But that's not all. Say goodbye to luxury suites and say hello to wider corridors, courtside luxury boxes, and better food.

It's all part of the arena's effort to get with the times and attract new fans who favor interactive experiences, following the footsteps of other successful arena makeovers.

» READ MORE: Judge rules for Philadelphia in ‘Sanctuary City’ case

Mayor Jim Kenney did a literal victory dance yesterday when a federal judge ruled in the city's favor in its contentious case against the Trump administration for government funds.

The judge deemed that the Trump administration's attempt to withhold $1.5 million in federal law-enforcement grant money from Philly because it refused to help enforce immigration laws "violates statutory and constitutional law."

The case took nearly a year of litigation. The city sued last summer, saying the Police Department is not an arm of immigration enforcement.

What you need to know today

  1. A week after the city cleared two heroin encampments in Kensington, neighbors on Emerald Street are hoping their turn is next. But the final two camps in the neighborhood are harder problems to solve.

  2. Spurred by recent school shootings across the country, a rash of school-safety legislation has been floating around Harrisburg. Whether they'll pass the Republican-controlled legislature, though, is unclear. Meanwhile, eighth graders at a school in Chadds Ford just received bullet-proof shields as graduation gifts.

  3. The Eagles gave the press 40 minutes of locker room time Wednesday and Chris Long, Zach Ertz, and Jason Kelce spoke of the team's unity in the light of the cancelled White House visit. Coach Doug Pederson didn't say much and neither did safety Malcolm Jenkins — he opted for handwritten signs instead. 

  4. The woman whose violent arrest by Wildwood police went viral over Memorial Day weekend spoke out on Good Morning America yesterday. She denied claims she kicked and spit at police.

  5. Anthony Wright was wrongly imprisoned for 25 years for a rape and murder that DNA evidence proved he didn't commit. Yesterday he received the largest wrongful-conviction payout in Philadelphia history.

  6. Mayor Kenney just joined a bipartisan group of 80 mayors from around the country to denounce the Trump administration's proposed changes to the Title X family planning program. The proposed rules would deny funding from clinics that even tell women about abortions.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

At least the downpour resulted in this excellent sunset. A shot well worth the wait, @danlc!

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

  1. After years of hosting monthly Shabbat services in a Friends meeting house, a new Jewish community center has opened in Haddonfield.

  2. Before you head to this weekend's 30th annual Pride Parade, brush up on the march's long Philadelphia history and get some tips from a drag queen on how to keep that pride makeup in place all day.

  3. Queen Village resident Warren Lipka was once a main player in one of the most inept heists of all time, in which a group of friends failed to steal from a $20 million book collection. And you can watch it all go down in a new movie.

  4. Will you be celebrating Father's Day Eagles-style? My colleague Ray Boyd knows a Super Bowl championship will certainly shake up his holiday and he wants to hear your stories, too.

  5. The MLB draft wrapped up yesterday and the Phillies snagged over 30 newcomers over three days. A number of Philly-area prospects got picked up, too.

  6. New Jersey just held a census to track ticks across its 21 counties and what they found would make anyone squirm: the disease-carrying bugs are spreading.

Opinions

"Either you're the Miss America Pageant or you're not. Own it! Embrace it. This is edging way too close to 'every kid gets a trophy' territory." — Writer Lisa DePaulo, who has covered the Miss America pageant since 1982, on the organization's decision to nix its swimsuit and evening gown segments.

  1. When President Trump meets with Kim Jong Un next week in Singapore, there are a few things we should all be looking out for, writes columnist Trudy Rubin, including who's the better deal-maker, Trump or Kim.

  2. As a suicide-attempt survivor and a journalist, Liz Spikol writes that she was disappointed by how media outlets covered Kate Spade's death in irresponsible detail.

What we’re reading

  1. If you've ever looked warily at all the packaging that comes with your meal delivery, Grid Philly's deep (and we mean deep) dive on convenient, sustainable food is for you.

  2. The mission of Kensington Storefront, the public art-making space, has evolved to serve a community plagued by opioid addiction. As Generocity reports, they're now looking for more help. 

  3. Local developer Jon Orens is bringing several nonprofits together to fight opioid addiction with a new recovery center in honor of his son, who died of an overdose. Billy Penn has the touching story.

  4. Texas Monthly was on hand for the emotional reunion of a mother and her 14-year-old son who were separated for nearly ten months by Border Patrol at the U.S.-Mexico border while fleeing an abusive ex-husband. Their story is a must-read.

  5. Fall down the rabbit hole of what went wrong with Toys "R" Us thanks to an excellent Bloomberg profile on its demise. The art along with it is pretty funny, too.

Your Daily Dose of | Selfies

Would you pay $25 to take selfies with patriotic murals and summery backdrops? A new pop-up exhibit in Center City thinks so. (And it seems to be right.)