Good morning, Philly. Expect hot, muggy conditions with thunderstorms threatening today.
Speaking of the weather, our region has experienced an unusually flood-prone season, a new Inquirer analysis has found. We start today by understanding what’s driving the deluges.
And, we learn about a plan to preserve a stripped-down version of the Academy of Natural Sciences.
Plus, new allegations emerge in the case of a Mayor Parker confidant who pleaded guilty to tax fraud, and more news of the day.
— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Water, water everywhere
This summer, I’ve been startled by the number of times my phone has blared a flash flood warning, vibrating with urgency and imploring me not to risk going out.
It’s not just me. The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has set a record for flood warnings this year. With four months left in 2026, the Philadelphia region has experienced nearly three times as many floods as it normally gets in an entire year, according to a new Inquirer analysis. Read on for more about this soupy trend.
🌧️ Causes: In general, rising global temperatures add more water vapor to the air. Locally, it’s possible that June’s above-normal sea-surface temperatures off the coast may have juiced rainfall.
📍 Hot spots: Floods are unpredictable, but Upper Makefield, in Bucks County; Germantown, in Philadelphia; portions of Camden, and towns near the Brandywine Creek all see frequent flooding.
⚠️ About those warnings: They’re forecasts, so they don’t always pan out. But local emergency responders say it’s better to be warned than surprised.
Read The Inquirer’s full analysis of the unusually flood-prone summer here.
A new life for dinos and dioramas?
As news broke yesterday that the Academy of Natural Sciences would shut its doors at the end of the month, tributes to the historic institution poured in.
Many Philadelphians recalled how the nearly 200-year-old natural history museum shaped them, vividly describing exhibits they’d seen decades ago.
But some civic leaders piped up to say all is not lost. David L. Cohen, the former U.S. ambassador to Canada and Comcast executive, said he’s been tapped by Gov. Josh Shapiro to find a fix.
“I don’t want to lose the Academy on my watch, and neither does the mayor,” Shapiro told Cohen, Cohen said. “Can you figure out if there’s a solution here?”
Drexel University, which absorbed the Academy in 2011, and the Academy are exploring the establishment of another, perhaps smaller, museum elsewhere with a third partner, Cohen said.
Inquirer higher education reporter Susan Snyder has the full story.
What you should know today
- Court documents revealed that a key adviser to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s 2023 campaign not only committed tax evasion, he also tried unsuccessfully to bilk the campaign, prosecutors said.
- The Upper Pottsgrove police officer who shot and killed a college student after the student knocked on the wrong door has been charged with manslaughter.
- Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner will not be called to testify about a controversial case that has seen attorneys in his office accuse him of putting his own interests before the law.
- Police have identified the victim killed in a knife-wielding spree in Times Square as Erin Piacenti, a 32-year-old graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.
- SEPTA is getting $13.3 million from the federal government to finance a replacements for its Regional Rail Silverliner IV cars, which were built in the 1970s and have a tendency to catch fire.
- The School District of Philadelphia is pushing back the deadline to apply to its 37 magnet schools, citing state delays in reporting standardized test results.
Quote of the day
Heavy Metal Sausage Co.’s tiny trattoria in South Philly has earned national accolades, but a recent order by the city’s Health Department to stop serving meals could spell its end, The Inquirer’s Bea Forman reports.
🧠 Trivia time
Which food company announced a $1.2 billion investment for a new manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania on Tuesday?
A) Hershey
B) Nestlé
C) Yum! Brands
D) Chobani
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🍷 Sipping. Snacky European-style bars are having a moment in Philly. Food critic Craig LaBan reviews two exemplars: Bar ILU in Kensington and Grace & Proper in Bella Vista.
🍂 Planning for. Empty calendar got you down? Reporter Dugan Arnett has your guide to festivals, group bike rides, and other fall-flavored fun to fill your schedule in the coming months.
🦕 Hunting. If the closure of the Academy of Natural Sciences leaves you yearning to walk with the giants, Arnett also has this list of prehistoric parks and exhibits to get your fix.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Urban legend has it that Knight Park, in this New Jersey borough, must be sold off if alcohol sales are ever permitted there.
SCOLDING WOOL
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Richard Brasch who correctly guessed Monday’s anagram: Freckled Jawn. A South Jersey couple decided to buy their local brewery, Eight & Sand Beer Co., in Woodbury rather than see it shut down for good. The newly renamed Freckled Jawn Brewing is expected to open in October.
Photo of the day
Continuing with today’s water theme, hope your Wednesday is as peaceful as this placid photo of Neshaminy Creek 👋
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