Category: Inquirer Morning Newsletter

Good morning, Philly. We’re in for a sunny, but breezy, crisp fall day with highs near the upper 60s.

Today, we start with new polling on Sen. John Fetterman, whose sinking popularity demonstrates that you don’t have to be up for reelection this midterm to affect your party’s mojo.

And, we look into whether a recent spate of restaurant citations signify a new inspection regime in Philadelphia.

Plus, Pennsylvania’s measles case count has topped 800, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Midterm jitters

Sen. John Fetterman isn’t on the ballot this November, but his recent behavior has become a source of anxiety among his Democratic colleagues.

Following his participation in the Republican Party’s midterm convention, and recent reporting alleging a lack of interest in his job, Fetterman’s favorability with voters has dipped lower than ever, according to an Inquirer/New York Times/Siena University poll.

By the numbers: For the first time in this polling series, a plurality of likely Pennsylvania voters have a negative view of Fetterman: 47%. And, a majority say they view him as more of a Republican than a Democrat.

Why it matters: Fetterman’s recent breaks with his party are making Democrats nervous. If Democrats retake the Senate majority by one or two votes, his role as a wild card could enable or foil the party’s plans to act as a check on President Donald Trump’s agenda.

Read on for other fresh takeaways from Pennsylvania voters.

Inspection lottery

Restaurant sanitation inspections are an important public health measure. They can also be reassuring to customers, who look to the reports for details about how their food is prepared.

But recent high-profile enforcement against restaurants that say they hadn’t been penalized previously for the issues raised sent shivers through the food industry.

Take Stargazy, a British restaurant on Passyunk Avenue that for years offered a Friday fish-and-chips special, only to be told recently that it had to get rid of its deep fryer.

Then, there’s Heavy Metal Sausage. The darling of best-of lists recently had to halt dinner service after a Health Department citation. Its owners say this was a hit to their revenue.

For its part, the city says its rules have not changed and there is no crackdown.

Inquirer food writer Michael Klein explains how both of these things can be true.

What you should know today

• Pennsylvania’s measles case count topped 800 on Wednesday and a local outbreak continues to grow in Chester County.
• One in four Pennsylvania voters in her own party doesn’t know who Republican gubernatorial nominee Stacy Garrity is, according to new polling by The Inquirer, the New York Times, and Siena University.
• In response to a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice, attorneys representing top Philadelphia elected officials have argued that the federal government cannot force city employees to assist in immigration enforcement.
• State Rep. Chris Rabb’s former campaign treasurer pleaded guilty to embezzling a total of about $1 million from his congressional campaign and her other clients.
• Following a joint investigation by the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Philly police, 10 alleged drug traffickers have been charged following a yearslong investigation into an operation that sent millions of dollars of cocaine into Philadelphia.
• A group of 18 Philadelphia grassroots nonprofits are suing an umbrella organization that lost them hundreds of thousands of dollars through mismanagement and poor accounting practices.

Quote of the day

Pennsylvania Republicans such as former U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta worked behind the scenes to secure presidential clemency for John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty.

Read The Inquirer’s Chris Palmer and Andrew Seidman to learn how they came to rally around the onetime Democratic heavyweight.

🧠 Trivia time

Masked thieves stole what from a tractor-trailer in South Philly earlier this week.

A) Dimes

B) Crab legs

C) Beef ribs

D) Televisions

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🎟️ Scoping out. Acts from Gorillaz to Tom Jones to Phoebe Bridgers will be playing in our area in the coming days. The Inquirer’s Dan DeLuca has a full concert list to help plan your weekend.

🏢 Inspired by. When aging congregants of a West Philly church needed affordable senior housing, The Inquirer’s Michaelle Bond reports, the church responded by building it.

🇯🇵 Taking note of. Food writer Michael Klein has the lowdown on a new Japanese comfort-food takeout spot that has opened on West Passyunk, specializing in breaded cutlets called katsu.

🎤 Chuckling at. Live comedy is a high-wire act. The Inquirer’s Earl Hopkins has the full rundown of shows coming this fall that are too big to flop.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A new ordinance seeks to give officials in one corner of Chester County more power to address unruly students from this school, who rent houses nearby.

INVASIVE VOLUNTARILY

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Wednesday’s answer was tricky. We received far fewer submissions than average. Cheers to Charlene M. Wiltshire, who correctly guessed the anagram: TRACON. Flight delays at PHL lingered into Tuesday after communication at this, the FAA name for air traffic control facilities, went on the fritz.

Photo of the day

Love it or hate it, the Rocky statue is back on top of the Art Museum steps.

Hope your day is also tops. See you tomorrow 👋

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Good morning, Philly. Expect more breezy, fall-like weather with a side of coastal flooding.

Today, we have an exclusive update in the case of seven missing women linked to a house in Olney: The Inquirer has uncovered a 2009 sex crimes conviction against its owner, Raymond “R.C.” Horsch.

And, we explore whether the turmoil roiling Philly District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office could derail his political ambitions.

Plus, a Philadelphia teacher faces public backlash for lying about having Black and Palestinian heritage, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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A conviction for Horsch

With every new allegation in the sprawling missing-persons case centered on the home of Raymond “R.C.” Horsch, I keep coming back to one question: What did police know about Horsch?

It turns out, he had one conviction that had not been previously reported and that suggests law enforcement was alerted to his potentially violent behavior nearly two decades ago.

In 2009, Horsch was driving his green Jeep Wrangler around Kensington when he saw a 9-year-old girl. “Come here, in my car, sexy girl,” he told her, according to an arrest report. Instead, the girl fled home, where her mother called the police.

Horsch was later convicted of two misdemeanor counts of luring a child into a motor vehicle and corrupting the morals of a minor. He appealed.

This time, the girl and her mother were afraid to testify against Horsch a second time. The case fell apart. Horsch petitioned to have the records related to his prior conviction expunged.

The Inquirer is now fighting in court to preserve them, arguing that they may contain information important to the public and investigators.

Read the full story here.

Future in question

After a federal judge last week openly declared that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner may have committed federal crimes, speculation began swirling over his political future.

One notable reaction was silence. Most prominent elected officials, including some of Krasner’s ardent supporters, have not publicly come to his defense.

The Inquirer has also learned that at least two elected Democrats have spoken to ward leaders about filling the district attorney role if Krasner were to be forced out of office.

For his part, Krasner has long operated outside of the Democratic Party organization, winning without ever receiving the party’s endorsement. In a statement to The Inquirer, Krasner called Diamond’s comments merely “accusations.”

The Inquirer’s Anna Orso has the full lowdown.

What you should know today

• Hannah Gann, a veteran Philadelphia School District educator and prominent activist, revealed on social media that she had lied for years about having Black and Palestinian heritage.
• Zymire Hughes, the man charged with aggravated assault over allegedly wearing a Chucky-like mask and harrassing passersby in Center City last month, appeared in court Tuesday.
• People who buy health insurance through Pennsylvania’s Affordable Care Act marketplace, Pennie, can expect double-digit rate hikes next year.
• Gov. Josh Shapiro has amassed a $60 million war chest for a reelection campaign that’s not looking very competitive. So how could he spend all that cash?
• New Jersey is one of eight states now suing the Trump administration over its attempts to cancel offshore wind leases and pay companies to instead develop fossil fuel projects.
• A data center in Vineland, N.J., has been hit with more than $1 million in fines for installing natural-gas generators without proper permits.

Quote of the day

Historic Wonderland Pier in Ocean City, N.J., is showing signs of collapse.

The Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg reports the owner/developer who planned to preserve rides like the pier’s Ferris wheel now says he may instead have to dismantle them.

🧠 Trivia time

Inquirer atmosphere reporter Anthony R. Wood recently used this term to describe the transition from summer into fall.

A) Equinoctial flip

B) Autumnal shift

C) Summer slide

D) Astronomical fall

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🏀 Saving up for. The massive additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown to the 76ers lineup have pushed up ticket prices, giving some fans sticker shock.

🚋 Nostalgic for. SEPTA’s recent revamp of route names and signs provided the agency with an unexpected business opportunity. It’s now selling decommissioned transit signs for up to $350 a pop.

🌸 Touring. Lynnewood Hall, a Gilded Age mansion in Elkins Park, is opening to the public for the first time in 84 years for a flower show.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Flight delays at PHL lingered into Tuesday after communication at this, the FAA name for air traffic control facilities, went on the fritz.

CARTON

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Lindsay Carter, who correctly guessed Tuesday’s answer: Zach Ertz. On the day that tests revealed Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert sprained an MCL and will miss multiple weeks, the Eagles announced the signing of Ertz, a fan-favorite name from the past.

Photo of the day

A moody and atmospheric photo to match the cooler temps we’re in for this week.

Many thanks to Tommy Rowan for taking the reins yesterday. See you tomorrow, Philly 👋

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Happy fall, y’all. The fall equinox starts tonight, ushering in the Halloween season and an October chill. Dayside, though, looks damp and breezy. Meanwhile, a nor’easter is threatening to hit the region later this week.

Today, we start with a deep dive into mental illness in the trades, and what Philadelphia’s unions and industry leaders are doing about it.

And, we look at SEPTA’s pivot to an upbeat approach in its effort to secure more funds from Harrisburg.

Plus, Cheltenham football coaches were held for trial for failing to report a player’s locker room assault, and more news of the day.

— Tommy Rowan (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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The people building Philadelphia are breaking down

The construction trades constitute a workforce that is deeply woven into Philadelphia’s civic identity.

Roughly 121,000 people across the Philadelphia metropolitan area work in construction. Politicians court their support. The city celebrates the buildings, roads, and public projects they build.

But under all that civic pride and remarkable growth are hardhats with heavy hearts: A work force for which traumatic events come with the territory. Take this past April, when three construction workers died as a result of a parking-garage collapse.

It all amounts to a mental health crisis roiling the construction industry.

Reporter Abigail Covington has the full story.

A vision of better transit

After another high-wire financial rescue from the state, SEPTA leaders are determined to flip their script in the transit funding debate.

They’re no longer warning of calamity. Now, they’re showing what the system could be with more investment.

“I wanted to get away from the doom and gloom message,” SEPTA General Manager Scott A. Sauer said in an interview with The Inquirer.

Reporter (and video superstar) Tom Fitzgerald will fill you in.

What you should know today

• A district judge ruled Monday that four former Cheltenham High School football coaches presided over a “cone of silence” last year by failing to report that one of their players had been beaten by his teammates in two locker room assaults.
• Pennsylvania has recorded nearly 800 cases of measles this year, officials said Monday.
• Flights into Philadelphia International Airport were grounded for much of the day Monday due to a stop instituted by the Federal Aviation Administration that impacted hundreds of flights in the Northeast in the wake of equipment outages.
• Swarthmore College has renamed the former Trotter Hall and its adjacent lawn for two Black scholars who feature prominently in its history.
• Philly laws conflate drag shows with strip clubs — a definition similar to that in southern states. City Council wants to change that.
• The Pennsylvania Turnpike has begun work on a $90.5 million project to widen a section near an I-95 interchange in Bucks County as part of an overarching plan to rebuild the toll road, which opened in the fall of 1940.

Quote of the day

Camille Joseph left Haiti for a better life in Philadelphia. His family wonders why he was fatally shot in Nicetown.

🧠 Trivia time

This NFL Hall of Famer is in Eagles’ fans’ crosshairs for comments he made about quarterback Jalen Hurts during Sunday’s win over the Tennessee Titans.

A) Tom Brady

B) Deion Sanders

C) Jerry Rice

D) Drew Brees

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🎸 Hyped for. Fall pop music season is underway. From Phoebe Bridgers, to AC/DC, to Gorillaz, and Doja Cat, here are 30 pop music concerts you cannot miss this autumn.

⚾ Preparing for. A fifth straight postseason is in sight for the Phillies. But there are plenty of questions going into the final homestand of the regular season.

🫶 Learning more about. Nakashima, Noguchi, and Asawa are artists who helped shape the American mid-century aesthetic, and changed the way Americans thought of design. A Barnes exhibit wants to showcase their art without forgetting their trauma.

🦅 Tipping our cap to. After 12 seasons and 805 NHL regular-season games, former Flyer Kevin Hayes announced his retirement from professional hockey.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: On the day that tests revealed Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert sprained an MCL and will miss multiple weeks, the team announced the signing of this fan-favorite name from the past.

CZAR ET HZ

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Carol Basile, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Gillie da King. The Eagles hype man is back with a new dance video, this time set to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk.”

Photo of the day

And we end today with a wonderful fireworks shot from staff photographer Elizabeth Robertson, who captured this scene from a Delaware River ferry during the weekend. Feels fitting that a fireworks display should help close out the summer season.

👋 Thanks for spending some time today with The Inquirer.

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Happy Monday, Philly. We’re in for some sunshine, with highs near the low 70s.

Today, we start with a question: Where, exactly, does Fishtown begin and end?

Then, our reporters have uncovered an uncanny connection to a crematorium in the sprawling missing persons investigation centered on the Olney home of Raymond “R.C.” Horsch.

Plus, Pennsylvania officials struggle to balance transparency and privacy concerns in measles cases, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What’s in a name?

Decades of gentrification in the River Wards have blurred Fishtown’s borders.

Developers tagged their properties with the desirable neighborhood name as they ventured into sections of Kensington.

New residents also adopted the moniker, hanging fish placards on homes well north of what would have been considered Fishtown years ago.

What’s at stake is more than what to call a few blocks: A neighborhood name can shape a place’s identity, its perceived desirability, and even how it is marketed and valued.

At the same time, these borders can be informal by design.

“There never really was a Fishtown, government-wise. It was a localism,” explains Kenneth Milano, a Kensington-born historian and cofounder of the Kensington History Project.

The Inquirer’s Michael Klein and Sam Morris investigate Fishtown’s changing boundaries.

Ashes in Kensington

A piece of art created by the late Raymond “R.C.” Horsch points to a bizarre connection.

It shows a woman’s body being loaded into an incinerator.

Horsch, who died of a lung condition last year, is at the center of a sweeping investigation into the disappearances of seven women, some of whom were last seen at his home in Olney. So far no remains have been recovered.

Horsch was also an artist and pornographer, capturing women in addiction, sometimes in violent scenarios. Some of those images were staged. But local and federal investigators believe others show evidence of harm.

In a 2014 art exhibition, Horsch played a video of an autopsied body in a crematorium. The Inquirer has uncovered that it was taken in a facility affiliated with the notorious Garzone Funeral Home, which was shut down in 2007 over illegal body parts sales. Police are now investigating that connection.

Read more from The Inquirer’s Ryan W. Briggs, Max Marin, Barbara Laker, and Ellie Rushing.

What you should know today

• Some experts say Pennsylvania has a duty to share more about confirmed measles cases to try to combat misinformation, despite privacy laws that limit sharing identifiable information.
• Speaking of measles, Philadelphia health officials are notifying visitors to the PHL airport of a possible measles exposure last week.
• Vanguard, the investment giant based in Malvern, recently lost market share for the first time in 50 years.
• In much of the country, buyers have the upper hand in home sales these days. Not so in Bucks, Montgomery, and Chester Counties, according to a new report.
• Delta is adding a nonstop flight from Philadelphia International Airport to Los Angeles, starting next summer.
• During his performance at the Linc this weekend, Ed Sheeran addressed backlash to the decision to drop Macklemore as an opening act, after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian remarks onstage.
• A couple of Phillies rookies helped carry the team to a Sunday win over the Mets.

Quote of the day

Enforcing Lower Merion’s ban on gas-powered leaf blowers seemed like it would be a breeze.

But now, the policy is pitting neighbors against each other and straining township resources, reports The Inquirer’s Denali Sagner.

🧠 Trivia time

For one weekend in September, Phoenixville will transform into this fictional town from Gilmore Girls.

A) Mayberry

B) Springfield

C) Widow’s Bay

D) Stars Hollow

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

❄️ Forecasting. With the fall equinox on Tuesday, The Inquirer’s weather reporter Tony Wood turns his attention to predictions about the upcoming winter.

🪡 Profiling. Many small businesses close when owners can’t find a successor, but a tailor shop in Bucks County bucks that trend. A fifth generation is set to take over, writes The Inquirer’s Jess Rohan.

🛷 Checking out. Do you dream of hurtling down an icy track at speeds befitting a local highway? The Inquirer’s Maggie Prosser visited a Malvern business park to see how USA Luge recruits the next generation of sliders.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Rapper and cohost of the podcast Million Dollaz Worth of Game.

ALIKE GLIDING

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Mattingly Cohen, who correctly guessed Sunday’s anagram: Michelle Zauner. The Crying in H Mart author and leader of the Philly-born pop band Japanese Breakfast has a new memoir on the way.

Photo of the day

📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story

It’s time for our weekly ‘only in Philly’ feature, where we elevate stories from our readers. Email us a colorful anecdote about life in Philly for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from me! A couple of weeks ago, I was walking near my home in South Philly, when I encountered the following:

Three little girls who must have been 7 or 8 years old stopped me on the street and asked if they could sing me “a carol.”

I said “Sure,” and looked around to see if any parents nearby had put them up to it. I didn’t see anyone.

They launched into a song mostly in unison that I couldn’t quite place until they got to the chorus: “I don’t want to lose your love, toniiiiiight.” They hit that line with gusto and then stopped, the tallest giving a small nod of satisfaction with their performance. Then, they traipsed off into the early evening.

The mid-’80s Outfield hit “Your Love,” about a one-night stand is not my idea of a carol but it was cute nonetheless.

👋 Thanks for spending some of your Monday with The Inquirer.

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Good morning, Philly. While the Eagles face the Titans and triple-digit heat in Nashville today, we’ve got showers with highs in the upper 70s.

Our main Sunday read highlights a surge in bookshops across the Philadelphia region.

Further on, learn about an expanding network of curbside composting.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Bookstores are so back

New bookstores are popping off from Fishtown to Manayunk and West Chester.

Books are flying off the shelves, even with the growing competition. The phenomenon mirrors a national trend of physical book sales outpacing online retail in the past five years. Libraries are seeing a resurgence in patronage, too.

Sellers told The Inquirer’s Jess Rohan that a hunger for community, a desire to support local businesses, and screen fatigue are fueling the boom. Books also offer an escape.

In their own words: “There is a bit of backlash to the doomscrolling,” Abington’s library director told Rohan. “People just want to tuck themselves into a different world,” said a Bordentown shop owner.

Hear from readers and bookstore owners alike on the return to print, and see a map of bookstore openings in the region since 2025.

📖 Plus: We asked local booksellers what they’re reading and enjoying. Here are their favorites.

‘A full-circle food system’

For many enthusiasts, what began as a backyard experiment to collect compostable material later grew into a way of life to reduce waste and improve food system circularity.

Curbside compost is trending in the Philly suburbs, as a growing system of providers and composters work together towards what one compost aficionado calls “a better, more sustainable future of a full-circle food system.”

♻️ Composting is a process that recycles and breaks down food and other organic matter into soil-like material. The brown stuff is then used in farms and gardens to fertilize soil for new crops.

🍎 In Delco, many residents’ scraps are ending up mixed into a five-acre site at Linvilla Orchards.

🗑️ As more municipalities adopt composting programs, purveyors say the practice is becoming a key part of the region’s waste management strategy.

Inquirer Local reporter Denali Sagner has the story.

What you should know today

• A group of clergy, political leaders, and activists gathered at the Philadelphia ICE office on Friday in the wake of a deportation officer’s suicide, condemning what they said was the agency’s destruction of lives both inside and outside its ranks.
• A police officer at Temple University is under internal investigation for allegedly making racist comments to young Black males riding dirt bikes on campus.
• Protesters gathered near Lincoln Financial Field ahead of Ed Sheeran’s concert on Saturday evening. It was his first show since Macklemore was dropped as an opener following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks onstage.
• As measles cases spread in Pennsylvania, some Philadelphia-area parents are opting to vaccinate kids early, delay daycare, and avoid Lancaster County.
• A developer has sued the Upper Merion Township Board of Supervisors over its rejection of a proposed 4.6 million-square-foot data center campus.
• The Trump administration’s plan to overhaul SNAP would force Pennsylvania to pay more for the federal food program and jeopardize those in need, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s office says. That’s a price the state is not ready to pay.
• Former Philadelphia labor leader and longtime Democratic power broker John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty has reportedly changed his party registration to Republican. President Donald Trump commuted his prison sentence for a corruption conviction earlier this month.
• A mixed-income apartment project in Center City received its final approval after almost 11 years of delays. Construction will begin in a matter of weeks.

This week in history

🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at Atlantic City crowning the first deaf Miss America.

Heather Whitestone was not the first deaf contestant, but she remains the only deaf woman to have won.

At 18 months old, she contracted a serious bacterial infection that damaged the nerves in her ears and led to a total loss of hearing.

A reporter would later ask Whitestone about the potential challenges she faced fulfilling such a public-facing role.

“I think I’m doing just fine,” she said with a wry smile. “I mean, look at us now.”

Read on for the full story.

❓Pop quiz

Despite rumors, Uncle Bobbie’s Coffee and Books in Germantown clarified that it has no issues with this NFL player:

A) Micah Parsons

B) Colin Kaepernick

C) Jalen Hurts

D) Josh Allen

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🍕 Craving: Wood-fired Neapolitan pie from one of the Philly suburbs’ best shops.

🐦‍⬛ Wondering: When the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site, now shuttered for two years, is expected to reopen.

🧠 Unlocking: The relationships between words to solve this week’s Pillars.

🧵 Admiring: A Bayeux Tapestry that has returned to public view for the first time in decades, among the best art we saw this week.

🏖️ Reviewing: The Inquirer’s Amy S. Rosenberg made 10 predictions on how the Shore summer would go. Here’s how she did.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Philly bandleader of Japanese Breakfast a.k.a….

CELLE HUMANIZER

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Beth Dombkowski who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: La Colombe. The Philly-founded coffee company is launching a canned matcha latte as the drink’s popularity grows.

Photo of the day

Years in the making, Philadelphia Ballet officially opened its sparkling new headquarters Friday morning. Culture writer Peter Dobrin reports.

🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “Is it for peace and plenty, or is it for the sacred face? / It’s all for the love of you.”

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day here. Have a great one, and go Birds.

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Rise and shine, Philly. Saturday should be sunny, followed by clouds rolling in overnight.

A reader asked us for advice on dealing with an overly involved parent at school drop-off.

Plus, we’re talking about “Cybercabs” spotted in Philly, the closure of a Center City steak shop, and our report card for this week in local news.

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• Philadelphia health officials warned that people may have been exposed to measles at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in West Philadelphia last week.
• City Councilmember Kendra Brooks is considering challenging Mayor Cherelle L. Parker in the spring Democratic primary election, sources tell The Inquirer.
• Popular DJ and radio show host Mike Bowe has died. He spent more than 40 years at Philadelphia stations. He was 76.
• Tesla’s gold, driverless Cybercabs seem to be testing on city streets. There’s no steering wheel, pedals, or mirrors, and it is piloted by AI.
• A longtime Rittenhouse Square grocery store is behind on its rent. Neighbors are stepping in to help.
• Shay’s Steaks, the Logan Square eatery connected to embattled city judge Scott DiClaudio, will close next week as part of a settlement of an eviction battle with its landlord.
• Society Hill neighbors will spend about $54,000 on a traffic study of neighborhood roads and the city’s proposal to enhance protections for bike lane users.
• A four-story, 35-unit apartment project is slated for East Germantown, part of a wave of development proposals in the area after decades of divestment.
• From PHL landing in last place for a sixth straight year to a 57-year-old typo that may be here to stay, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.

Helpful or hovering?

This week’s dilemma reads: At school drop off, a mother likes to hover around the kids and discipline all of them for every little thing. If there were any actual issues, we’d step in of course, but if they’re bumping into each other on purpose and laughing, for example, she tells them things like, “Stop doing that it’s almost school time!” or “Francesca doesn’t like that!” (Not the kid’s real name.) Also it’s very clear that Francesca does in fact like it, so we just tell our kids it’s fine. The mom stands right over her daughter and says things like, “We don’t do that, right?” It’s very performative and very annoying.

Now I respect that she can parent her kid however she wants to, but forcefully talking to our kids is driving some of us nuts. I believe kids usually can and should work out issues amongst themselves (again, though, we haven’t actually seen an issue!). She’s not only a helicopter parent, she’s a military-helicopter parent hovering over her kid and attacking the rest. Do we just keep telling our kids it’s fine and maybe, in private, tell them to not listen to her or do we take her aside and tell her what’s what?

This situation got the attention of life and culture reporters Zoe Greenberg and Mike Newall. They discussed what may motivate a “performative parent” and ways to set boundaries with kindness and compassion.

“You don’t parent other people’s kids,” Newall said. “Unless the kid is in danger or a danger to someone else.”

Jump into the group chat here. And if you need advice, or just want to share your thoughts, we want to hear it. Email us here.

One viewpoint

The Inquirer Editorial Board has endorsed Larry Krasner to lead the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office in previous elections.

But the board now writes that it believes Krasner “has created an untenable situation that could impact the treatment of crime victims and wrongdoers.”

“A series of legal setbacks has cast doubt on Krasner’s ability to administer fair and impartial justice, let alone manage his office,” the board argues.

Read on here.

❓Pop quiz

Superman star David Corenswet grew up in Philadelphia loving the Eagles, but that didn’t stop him from saying yes to donning a jersey for this team in the forthcoming biopic, Mr. Irrelevant.

A) New York Giants

B) Dallas Cowboys

C) Baltimore Ravens

D) Washington Commanders

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Philly-founded coffee company

ALEC BLOOM

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Melinda Williams, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Independence Hall. The official naming of the United States will be remembered at a “firstival” there today.

We were there

A group of Philly-area women — many in their 70s and 80s — have banded together as the scrappiest dragon-boating team on the Schuylkill.

The Inquirer’s Dugan Arnett takes us along for a ride with the “renegades” of the river.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

🎤 People are closely watching developments to Ed Sheeran’s tour stop in South Philadelphia on Saturday. As of Friday afternoon, his concert at the Linc is still on. It’s slated to start later (so perhaps there are no openers) and protesters plan to rally outside the stadium.

🤔 Redditors caught a now-deleted Facebook post by Visit Philly that featured a peculiar “Philadelphia” skyline.

🎟️ SEPTA is giving away two tickets to the Phillies’ Sept. 25 game. Fingers crossed for Red October.

👋🏽 That’s it for now. Thanks for reading, and I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow.

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It’s Friday, Philly. Expect mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid-80s.

What does it take for a restaurant to last in Philadelphia? An Inquirer analysis found that new food licenses are outpacing closures in the city.

We also dig into why Washington Square has a new surveillance camera.

Plus, Philly City Hall was evacuated due to a suspicious package, and more news to know before your weekend begins.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Chew on this churn

Philly is a foodie’s paradise with thousands of restaurants that call it home. But it’s a notoriously difficult business, and recent high-profile closures in the city reinforce that reality.

According to our analysis of business licenses since 2006, the median lifespan of a restaurant is seven and a half years.

To examine what has changed in that time frame, we looked into what happened in 2018. That year’s data shows:

✅ The city had a little more than 8,000 active licenses for food preparing and serving. (A new licensing process that year gave this figure a boost.)

⛔ Around 1,000 new licenses were issued throughout that year, but around 650 of those businesses have since closed.

That short forecast, coupled with the volatile dining scene, hasn’t deterred new places from opening up shop, though. And there’s one West Philly block in particular that represents this turnover trend.

Follow along with senior interactive designer Garland Fordice as she explains the data and takes us to the neighborhood.

👀 Who’s watching?

There’s a new fixture on Washington Square that doesn’t exactly obscure its presence.

The fenced off, solar-powered security camera has sparked questions about whether it was a Flock camera, a type of surveillance device that has raised privacy concerns.

But it’s not a Flock device, my colleague Abraham Gutman reports. He tracked down more information on the camera, including:

Who installed it. The National Park Service did so in July, according to City Councilmember Mark Squilla.

Why they put it there. A handful of vandalism incidents in the area prompted the additional surveillance measure.

Get the full story here.

What you should know today

• South Jersey power broker and former Inquirer co-owner George E. Norcross III on Thursday filed a $100 million defamation and conspiracy lawsuit against the newspaper and one of its editors.
• Sheriff’s deputies investigated a package found in Council chambers, Council President Kenyatta Johnson said. No injuries were reported and police have determined it was not a bomb.
• The cousin of a woman believed to have been killed by Raymond Horsch criticized police for sharing graphic details with the public before conferring with family.
• Upper Darby passed an ordinance this week aiming to restrict the township’s cooperation with federal immigration agents.
• The head of the Conviction Integrity Unit in the District Attorney’s Office has stepped down from his supervisory role, sources said, days after a federal judge said his actions in a contentious post-conviction case could amount to crimes.
• Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker ordered a task force to explore whether the city should place new regulations on the construction of data centers that power artificial intelligence. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Gov. Josh Shapiro called for the federal government to establish “strict rules of the road” to guide the AI industry.
• Atlantic City’s iconic Steel Pier, home to diving horses, Miss America pageants, and lately rides, has gone up for sale at $85 million.
• Old City is one of the few Philadelphia neighborhoods that still sees condo development. A new 43-unit project, which would preserve historic features, could become part of the trend.

Plus: Avenues in Philly begin at 64th. What happened to 1st through 63rd?

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. We’ll feature both new and timeless stories from our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks.

This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer on Philadelphia street nomenclature. A reader, self-described as obsessed with avenue numbers in Philadelphia, wanted to know why they start at 64th. And why 63rd Street, not 63rd Avenue?

We asked multiple city departments, but as it turns out, no one really knows why. Still, Inquirer reporter Michelle Myers uncovered some history of Philly’s street naming conventions, and how it may be related to the city’s addressing system. Here’s the full story.

Have your own burning question about Philadelphia, its local oddities, or how the region works? Submit it here and you might find the answer featured in this space.

🧠 Trivia time

Biology students at Stockton University are monitoring this Jersey Shore icon and say the species could be in danger:

A) Turtles

B) Horses

C) Horseshoe crabs

D) Ospreys

Think you know? Test your local news know-how and check your answer in our weekly quiz.

What we’re …

🌕 Highlighting: Philly’s most unique mooncakes, according to The Inquirer’s food writer Kiki Aranita.

⚽ Impressed by: Union phenom Cavan Sullivan, 16, and two other teammates got the call-up to play with the senior U.S. men’s national team.

🎸 Listing: Concerts to catch as we wrap up the last big weekend for outdoor shows in Philly.

⛳ Following: Why the plan to build a warehouse on a shuttered South Jersey golf course has yet to break ground.

☕ Curious about: A West Philly coffee shop’s new bagel-themed fall drink. The Inquirer’s Emily Bloch says it’s a “must-try.”

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: The United States got its name at this Philadelphia site on Sept. 9, 1776. (At the time, it was called the Pennsylvania State House.)

ENPLANED LICHENED

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Khalil Garriott, who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: Reading Terminal Market. The beloved Center City institution recently tallied up its local economic impact, to the tune of $126 million last year.

Photo of the day

Thanks for starting your weekend with us. Have a great one.

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Good morning, Philly. Temperatures may creep into the mid-80s this afternoon, with a slight chance of storms overnight.

Today, we start with an unsettling development in a sweeping Olney missing persons investigation that continually raises more questions than answers. Police found photo evidence of two more lifeless women in their ongoing investigation into violent pornographer Raymond Horsch and his son, Eugene.

Then, we’ll take a journey along South Jersey’s most dangerous roadways, as analyzed by The Inquirer.

Plus, we cover a strange incident at a No ICE in Philly meeting, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Two more women linked to Olney house

And then there were seven.

Philadelphia police on Wednesday said investigators had recovered images from the home of Raymond “R.C.” Horsch — the now-deceased pornographer, illicit drugmaker, and chemist — that appeared to show two more dead women. It was the most significant update since police began poring over more than a million photos, videos, and pieces of writing found inside the house a month ago.

Despite the major announcement, there was a haunting lack of answers in the update. No remains have been recovered from the house and the two additional women’s names were not released.

Police also officially confirmed details of one videotaped death first reported by The Inquirer last month.

Read The Inquirer’s Ellie Rushing, Max Marin, Ryan Briggs, and Barbara Laker.

And, if you need helping keeping track of updates to this case, we have a timeline for you.

South Jersey’s deadliest roadways

If you’ve ever white-knuckled the steering wheel taking Route 42 down to the Shore, or while driving north along I-76 into Philly, the next fact might not surprise you.

The tangled interchange where these two meet I-295 has recorded some of the highest rates of fatal accidents in the region, according to a new Inquirer analysis.

Our newsroom looked into 330 fatal crashes in South Jersey between 2019 and July 2026 to identify the corridors that were most crash-prone, and to figure out what about their design makes them so deadly.

Indeed, the geography of the road often bears some blame, according to Chris Pollard of the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission. Highways such as I-76 with tricky merges, heavy congestion, and sharp bends are more likely to be fatal than calmer sections of road.

The Inquirer’s Sarah Nicell and Lizzie Mulvey break down the other hot spots here.

What you should know today

• Philadelphia police are investigating how their civil affairs officers ended up monitoring a peaceful meeting of the activist group No ICE Philly, an occurrence some attendees found intimidating.
• Experts say a federal judge’s recent call to investigate Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and one of his deputies could have political as well as legal ramifications for the office.
• Philly’s political parties just got more powerful, per a new city board of ethics policy that interprets a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision.
• A prominent Center City personal injury attorney, who has a significant following on TikTok as “Tommy the Lawyer,” has been charged in a domestic violence dispute.
• Planned Parenthood clinics in Pennsylvania are now offering care for menopause, including hormone replacement therapy, to try to replace money lost due to funding cuts targeting abortion.
• An iconic Keith Haring mural in Point Breeze, We the Youth, is on track to become the first outdoor mural officially designated and as a protected landmark in the city’s history.

Quote of the day

Updating a beloved library should be easy win for a local politician.

But as The Inquirer’s Nate File reports, Councilmember Jeffery Young Jr. got an earful from unhappy North Philly residents like Estremera, and community organizers like David Evans (pictured), at a meeting on Tuesday night.

🧠 Trivia time

Big Daddy Graham was an overnight host on what Philadelphia radio station?

A) KYW Newsradio

B) WMMR

C) 97.5 The Fanatic

D) 94 WIP

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🍽️ Reviewing: The Blue Warbler in Chestnut Hill tries to be a lot of things: a day café, a neighborhood hub, and a trendy dinner spot, all while eschewing meat from its menu. Food critic Craig LaBan writes that it fulfills much of that tall order.

✈️ Ranking: For the sixth year in a row, Philadelphia International Airport ranked dead last among similarly sized airports, per JD Power. The Inquirer’s Ariana Perez-Castells says its aging buildings are to blame.

🏛️ Pondering: Despite its 150 years as a local institution, the Academy of Natural Sciences building is not historically protected. The Inquirer’s Michaelle Bond reports that fact surprised many in the conservation community.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This Philadelphia institution saw around 6 million visitors last year.

A DETRIMENTAL REMARKING

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Roserita Fratoni, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s anagram: The Bear. Ceramicist Jono Pandolfi is selling cups and plates like those seen on the Hulu series for a limited time in Philly.

Photo of the day

This picture does a good job of capturing the feeling of being outdoors in this week’s nearly perfect weather.

👋 Thanks for spending some of your week with The Inquirer. Paola Pérez will be tapping in for me tomorrow. See you Monday!

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Good morning, Philly.

Today, we’re taking a closer look at some of Philadelphia’s most powerful people. First, we’ll unpack why a judge has asked federal prosecutors to investigate District Attorney Larry Krasner over allegations of conspiracy and obstruction of justice.

Then, we head to City Hall for a sneak peek at which agenda items will be driving Philadelphia City Council this fall.

Plus, we cover Pennsylvania’s fourth confirmed measles death, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Judge: Investigate Krasner

A post-conviction case that has embroiled Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner’s office could now lead to a criminal investigation into his conduct.

In a memorandum this week, U.S. District Judge Paul S. Diamond wrote that Krasner and one of his top supervisors, Matthew Stiegler, could no longer work on the case, in which a man convicted of second-degree murder in 2009 is trying to get that conviction overturned.

The man, Dennis Johnson, has seen his petition overshadowed by revelations about the inner workings of Krasner’s office. During hearings earlier this year, attorneys described pressure to protect Stiegler’s handling of Johnson’s case, and to lie to Diamond in court.

“I have thus reluctantly concluded that Philadelphia’s highest law enforcement official and one of his top assistants may have violated the law,” Diamond wrote. He said he had referred the matter to federal prosecutors.

In a statement Tuesday, Krasner said, “I respectfully and vigorously disagree” with Diamond’s findings.

Inquirer federal courts reporter Chris Palmer has more.

What’s coming in Council

When City Council reconvenes on Thursday, the pressure will be on.

All 17 legislators are up for reelection next year, as is Mayor Cherelle L. Parker. What they do or don’t accomplish this session will be fresh in voters’ minds.

Here are some agenda items to follow this fall:

🏟️ Stadium development. Two years after a bruising political fight over a Center City arena proposal, the 76ers and Flyers now want City Council to approve a new arena development, this time in South Philly’s sports complex.

🗑️ Burning trash. Philadelphia sends about a third of its trash to an incinerator in Chester, just south of the city. Councilmembers Jamie Gauthier and Mark Squilla have competing ideas for how to stop that practice.

✏️ School funding. Philadelphia public schools face a $300 million structural budget deficit. In the spring, City Council and the mayor failed to reach a deal over new tax revenue to help plug the hole. That means it’s still a live issue.

City Hall reporters Sean Collins Walsh and Anna Orso take it from here.

What you should know today

• An 18-year-old from Mifflin County died due to measles complications, the county coroner said on Tuesday, bringing the total count of Pennsylvania fatalities from the current outbreak up to four.
• Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s new second-in-command — who was hired this summer during a “reorganization” of the scandal-plagued office — has now left that post.
• The Iran war is costing taxpayers up to $3 billion per month, according to a Congressional Budget Office report commissioned by U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D.,Philadelphia).
• After the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the Trump administration’s proposed restrictions on mail voting, Gov. Josh Shapiro took a victory lap on social media.
• An Upper Bucks man who shot at a DoorDash driver last year, irate that his cheesesteaks were late, was sentenced to four to 10 years in state prison Tuesday.
• RIP Neshaminy Mall. The Bucks County institution will close by the end of October and be demolished, said Bensalem Mayor Joe DiGirolamo.

Quote of the day

A Montgomery County animal sanctuary is going viral for offering morning coffees and evening cocktail dates — with baby cows.

The Inquirer’s Bea Forman reports that the events have proven so popular they’re helping pay for much-needed renovations.

🧠 Trivia time

Fifty-two Philadelphia public schools still lack air-conditioning. This week, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts donated how much to help cool Northeast High’s auditorium?

A) $200,000

B) $400,000

C) $600,000

D) $2 million

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🧖‍♀️ Touring. Bathhouse, a sprawling new wellness complex in the basement of the Bellevue Hotel, offers saunas, pools, and a steam room. But don’t call it a “spa,” reports The Inquirer’s Bea Forman.

🍽️ Winning. One local spot, Bomb Bomb Bar in South Philly, has landed on the annual New York Times Best Restaurants list. Plus, the chefs behind Honeysuckle got a nod from Food & Wine, per our Food team.

🦅 Checking out. The tiniest piece of Eagles art is here. It costs $1 and you can buy it from a handful of novelty vending machines at the Linc, writes The Inquirer’s Emily Bloch.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: You can buy plates like those featured in this TV show at a pop-up in Olde Kensington.

HERB TEA

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Peter DeMuro, who correctly guessed Tuesday’s answer: Steve Gerben. Born in Berwyn and now living in West Chester, Gerben has not had to leave home to find success — on TV or on the links.

Photo of the day

Philly-set shows went largely statuette-less this week, save a lone Emmy for Task. You win some, you lose some.

👋 Cheers for now!

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Good morning, Philly. It looks like another lovely day, with highs near the mid-to-upper 70s. Let’s get into today’s stories.

A lot of people want to live in or near Center City — and developers are listening.

And, we’ll cover why anti-data center advocates are targeting Philly for a moratorium.

Plus, chaos at a North Philly charter school, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Downtown demand

The last 18 months or so were a boon for housing construction in Philly, much of it concentrated in the heart of the city, according to a new report by the Center City District.

Two out of every five of the homes recently built in the city were in the greater downtown section, roughly from Girard Avenue to Tasker Street, and from river to river.

The last two years have also seen the biggest number of new units downtown come online of the last decade, often in big office-to-residential conversions.

“This matters for the whole city, not just for the downtown,” said Prema Katari Gupta, Center City District’s president and CEO. “When Center City and the neighborhoods around it keep adding supply, it takes pressure off rents elsewhere,” by keeping wealthy residents from pushing into more affordable areas.

Inquirer real estate reporter Michaelle Bond has the full story.

Data center debate hits Philly

Anti-data center activists rallied outside of Philadelphia City Hall on Monday, hoping to kick off a conversation about a local moratorium.

These massive developments have recently come under fire as the backlash to the AI boom they power grows.

As the debate heats up, let’s cover some basic facts about data centers in Philly:

Eight. The number of smaller data centers constructed in Philly before the issue was widely controversial.

Two. The number of parcels that could host a massive “hyperscale” data center in the city: the Bellwether District, and a city-owned plot of land next to the Northeast Philly Airport.

Zero. The number of specific hyperscale data center proposals under consideration within the city’s borders.

The Inquirer’s Anna Orso has more on what local officials are saying about the controversial developments.

What you should know today

• A North Philadelphia charter school up for renewal this year suffers from administrative infighting and poor financial controls, according to Inquirer interviews with staff.
• The Jefferson County coroner has updated the cause of death for a 40-year-old unvaccinated woman from a “suspected” case of measles to a “probable” case.
• The Philadelphia Police Department is firing an officer who left a man lying in a bike lane before he was fatally struck by a car, said Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
• Pennsylvania’s attorney general charged 12 people in connection with an alleged multimillion-dollar operation to sell weed products as legal cannabis.
• Parks and Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson said she personally approved renovations to athletic fields in FDR Park last year, despite the state having denied required environmental permits.
• Macklemore will no longer be opening for Ed Sheeran at the Linc on Friday, after he made pro-Palestine statements at two shows in New Jersey.
• Workers at five PHL restaurants announced their intent to unionize with the local Unite Here 274.
• Philadelphia Orchestra members’ base pay could top $200,000 under the terms of a new union contract.

Quote of the day

Nobel Peace Prize winner, advocate for girls education, Eagles fan.

Malala Yousafzai attended her first Birds game on Sunday, but as The Inquirer’s Earl Hopkins writes, she’s been saying “Go Birds” for a minute.

🧠 Trivia time

A New Jersey mom is headed to prison for defrauding a pandemic relief fund. What lavish event did she throw that drew attention to her ill-gotten gains?

A) A Cinderella-themed prom send-off

B) An Eagles party featuring real Eagles players

C) Diner en blanc

D) A West Philly block party with Will Smith

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🏡 Checking out. This week’s house of the week is a compact rowhouse with a surprising bathroom layout in Graduate Hospital, priced at $485,000.

🍎 Picking. A spring freeze damaged fruit trees in our region, so apple farms are getting creative this u-pick season.

🍽️ Composting. Reading Terminal Market has saved more than a million pounds of food scraps from being tossed in a landfill.

📖 Considering. The Inquirer Editorial Board weighs in on whether the government should regulate AI, amid fears of rogue agents.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This Chester County native costars in the Netflix comedy Tires.

BEST REVENGE

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to Patty Penn, who correctly guessed Monday’s answer: Girard College. Over the weekend, this historic institution hosted the Philly Black Wine and Spirits Fest, an event aimed at making wine more approachable and promoting Black winemakers.

Photo of the day

👋 Have a peaceful Tuesday. See you tomorrow!

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