Gov. Wolf calls on Leach to resign, Eagles snag playoff bye | Morning Newsletter
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Welcome to Monday, folks. It's not time for Christmas vacation just yet: Today we're keeping an eye on news that Gov. Wolf has called on State Sen. Daylin Leach to resign and mulling over what yesterday's win means for the Eagles.
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— Aubrey Nagle
» READ MORE: Eagles clinch playoff bye in close win over Giants
Well, yesterday's win against the Giants wasn't pretty, but at least it's over. In their first game without quarterback Carson Wentz, out for the season with a torn ACL, the Eagles managed to keep the 2-12 Giants at bay (though just barely) and clinch a bye week in the first round of the playoffs.
Backup QB Nick Foles gave what Eagles beat writer Jeff McLane called a "Wentz-lite" performance, throwing four touchdowns and capitalizing on timely turnovers. But Wentz-less-ness wasn't the Birds' biggest worry yesterday: the defense performance was, to put it gently, unsettling. So who gets the credit for the W? Coach Doug Pederson, writes columnist David Murphy.
We'll see the Eagles next on Christmas night against the Raiders, then New Year's Eve against the Cowboys. They need to win one of those (or see a Vikings loss) to ensure home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
» READ MORE: Gov. Wolf calls for state senator to resign over allegations
The Inquirer and Daily News reported yesterday that eight women and three men claim Pennsylvania State Sen. Daylin Leach had inappropriately touched female campaign staffers or subjected them to highly sexualized conversations. Following the report, Governor Tom Wolf called on Leach to resign, saying, "This disturbing behavior is absolutely unacceptable."
Leach, who is now running for Congress, has released a statement denying the allegations. "I never, in any way, intentionally or unintentionally, touched them inappropriately. It did not happen," he wrote.
Sunday afternoon, Matt Goldfine, Leach's former campaign field director, confirmed the accounts detailed in the Inquirer and Daily News report, saying he had observed "a pattern of behavior that I believe was totally inappropriate."
» READ MORE: Grand jury says PSU failed to monitor frats, hazing
Ten months in the making, a condemnatory grand jury report released Friday says Pennsylvania State University failed to properly monitor and discipline its fraternities for years. This culture created life-threatening conditions and widespread violations of policies involving alcohol and hazing.
The 236-page report follows the death of sophomore pledge Tim Piazza in February but makes clear his death was no isolated incident. The report suggests the school toughen penalties for hazing and dub it "Tim's law."
Penn State has recently overhauled regulations on Greek life, including taking control of discipline and monitoring of fraternities, which used to be led by the student-run Interfraternity Council.
What you need to know today
This week, Congress aims to pass a huge tax overhaul and agree on a budget to avoid government shutdown. The final version of the proposed tax bill may feature some decidedly Grinchy aspects for Philadelphians.
While many begin to celebrate the holidays, the city's undocumented residents are feeling the chill of immigration enforcement crackdowns. They're surviving by staying home and locking up.
Did lack of water pressure make the deadly blaze at West Chester's Barclay Friends nursing home even harder to fight? Audio from the fire radio used that night tells the tale.
Another cyclist was injured just a block away from where a woman was killed in November, and cycling advocates are organizing a protest for protected bike lanes this Tuesday.
After last year's fatal crash and a damning National Transportation Safety Board report, Amtrak must overhaul its safety culture. So far, the agency hasn't stepped up to the task.
Gifting (or getting) "smart" devices for the holidays? Here's how to secure them and protect yourself from hijackers.
Protesters whose Inauguration Day demonstration turned violent in D.C. could be sent to prison for it, with two Philly participants among them.
One of Avalon's oldest homes is headed for demolition, the next in a long line of departed Shore properties — unless, that is, former residents can save it.
» READ MORE: #OurPhilly
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That’s Interesting
The Phillies spent $92.25 million last week, including $60 million to sign first baseman Carlos Santana (not that Carlos Santana). Here's what it means for next season.
Break out your salmon ladders: American Ninja Warrior is coming back to Philly next season, and applications are open.
Philly's favorite founding father, Benjamin Franklin, has been blessed with a song by Lin-Manuel Miranda straight from the Hamilton cutting room floor — and it's surprisingly not safe for work.
If they win tonight, the Flyers will tie one of the more bizarre records in NHL history: most consecutive victories immediately after a winless streak of at least 10 games. Yay?
It seems Mayfair has its own Grinch. A local woman was found to have stolen hundreds of her neighbors' holiday decorations over the past few months.
Consider swapping your twelve days of Christmas for twelve days of wellness: these health tips will get you through the holidays without the extra pounds.
A new picture book is the talk of the town: P is for Palestine celebrates the Palestinian struggle for freedom but has stirred a fair bit of controversy.
Philly's hottest club is…Applebee's? Reporter Samantha Melamed tries out their newest gimmick, the $1 Long Island Iced Tea.
Opinions
Columnist Trudy Rubin reports from Jerusalem on how the city is (and isn't) reacting to Trump's recent recognition of it as Israel's capital.
This holiday season, we should turn once more to Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which provides readers with a much-needed dose of empathy, retired professor Tom Frangicetto writes.
What we’re reading
Medical examiners are charged with figuring out how someone died and why, but an in-depth, 18-month investigation by NJ Advance Media calls the state's system for investigating deaths "a national disgrace." This one's worth your time, folks.
You may have heard the Planning Commission aims to direct Philadelphia's development and growth, but you may not know just how it works, and sometimes doesn't. PlanPhilly's Jake Blumgart, recently named reporter of the year by the Pen & Pencil press club, explains it all.
A new analysis from Highline, HuffPost's magazine, explains just how worse off the millennial generation is than their parents — and uses incredible video game-like graphics to do it.
And what are the young people into these days? Poetry, actually. The New York Times profiles a particularly popular type written by "Instapoets."
This photo essay on Brooklyn's weirdest and funkiest architecture over at Hyperallergic reminded me of Philly's mosaic-like mix (though obviously ours is superior in every way).
Your Daily Dose of | Opossum
Meet Gary the Trash Cat of West Philly, a tame opossum with a booming social media following and a line of greeting cards. Not kidding.