Category: Inquirer Morning Newsletter

Saturday is here. We’re expected to see more showers, and there’s a potential for flooding into the night.

A reader is feeling conflicted about micromanaging their child’s school lunch options. Inquirer staffers offer their advice.

Plus, we have news on the Philly Naked Bike Ride route, high-rise plans from the city’s largest apartment developer, and our report card for this week in Philadelphia stories.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• A Philadelphia judge declined to issue an emergency injunction that would have prevented moving Kensington High students to an empty middle school in the Northeast.
• Newly surfaced surveillance video captures a previously unseen part of the encounter before an off-duty Philly officer was killed on Sunday.
• A tornado touched down in Delaware on Thursday amid severe weather and flooding, the National Weather Service confirmed.
• Pennsylvania health officials confirmed 89 new measles cases in the state in the last seven days, an escalation of a rapidly growing outbreak now impacting more than two dozen counties.
• The Philadelphia school board voted to spend up to $7 million on rental space to house a district high school in Center City.
• Philadelphia’s largest apartment owner wants to build a 31-story high-rise at 24th and Walnut Streets.
• This year’s Philly Naked Bike Ride will mark the bare-as-you-dare event’s 17th edition, starting on Martin Luther King Drive.
• A shuttered bridal shop in downtown Conshohocken will soon become the home of another family-run business with local roots.
• Between baseball blessings and everyone’s new favorite Philadelphian, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.

Got (chocolate) milk?

A reader asked: My child is about to start kindergarten and is excited about the school-provided lunch (he knows there is regular pizza). The menu looks mostly fine and I won’t stop him from enjoying it if everyone else is, but I noticed that he can choose to have chocolate milk every single day, which seems like a lot to me. Am I overthinking it or should I tell him he can only choose it once a week? I won’t even be there to see if he’s telling the truth. Do I ask the school to restrict it?

To tackle this case, we brought in Inquirer reporters Jason Nark and Zoe Greenberg. They discussed how they’d approach the situation, and the potential for hard-line enforcement to backfire.

“I would talk to the school, first, and if this was their policy, I would talk to my daughter and set some limits,” Nark said. His child is also starting kindergarten this year.

Read their full conversation here. Need advice, or want to share your thoughts? We want to hear it. Email us here.

One viewpoint

In this week’s Shackamaxon, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson unpacks SEPTA’s new bus route changes, which feel like cuts to many riders.

“Although I sympathize with anyone who is losing their preferred bus route, these choices were not made without justification,” Pearson writes.

Get his take on what he dubbed a “quiet revolution,” as well as an upset victory in Western Pennsylvania, and the civic hero who squared up to Center City’s masked clown creeper.

❓Pop quiz

Small businesses selling ice cream, little cakes, and loaded baked potatoes are transforming this neighborhood:

A) Germantown

B) Graduate Hospital

C) University City

D) Roxborough

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Shopping complex in Montgomery County

GLOW PREVAIL WORK

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

Cheers to Anita Osmian, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Nicole Cashman. Cashman takes the helm of Welcome America Inc., the nonprofit behind Philly’s Wawa Welcome America festival, after the former CEO departed earlier this year.

We were there

Fortescue in Cumberland County was once known as the “weakfish capital of the world.” That’s no longer the case, and it’s unclear why they disappeared.

Jason Nark, who reports on rural communities far from city life, took a trip to the sleepy Delaware Bay town to find out what locals and experts alike believe may have happened to the “tide runner” fish.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

😬 You’ve probably seen the viral Jason Kelce ad where he’s asking for your … pee. To cool data centers, apparently. Here’s the actual story behind it.

🍽️ Reddit has thoughts on Dîner en Blanc after the 14th annual event was canceled due to severe weather. Would-be partygoers took the celebration elsewhere on Thursday.

⚽ The Union’s brawl with Inter Miami is a big talker this week. (I’m jealous of everyone who got to witness the chaos in person.) An update from The Inquirer’s Jonathan Tannenwald: Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi was fined for his part, and the Union’s Cavan Sullivan is eligible to play vs. Austin FC tonight.

👋🏽 Thanks for stopping by. Have a good one!

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Happy Friday! Today we’re finally getting a reprieve from the heat, with highs just scraping the low 80s.

We start with a development in the Olney house saga. Specifically, a newly unearthed photograph of one of four missing women linked to the property.

Next, we unpack what a federal plan to “deregulate” Head Start could look like in Philly.

Plus, how Pennsylvania’s new data center regulations stack up against other states, and more news of the day.

— Laura Benshoff

(morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Missing in plain sight

Blair Tonzelli was reported missing in February 2023.

Friends last saw her the year before at a house in Olney. That property is now the site of a sweeping police investigation into the disappearances of four women.

The Inquirer has found that months after Tonzelli vanished, her picture remained on a pornographic website maintained by Raymond “R.C.” Horsch, a former occupant of the Olney house, who passed away last year.

Inquirer reporters recovered an archived version of his site, where Horsch posted hundreds of similar images of many still-unidentified women.

Reporters Ryan W. Briggs, Max Marin, and Ellie Rushing have the full story.

An uncertain future

One day early last week, Inquirer reporter Alfred Lubrano observed as 16 toddlers darted around a playground in Southwest Philadelphia, trailed by four teachers.

These were just a few of the estimated 7,500 low-income Philadelphia children who receive free education, health, or other services from Head Start.

Now, the 61-year-old federal program is poised for a major overhaul. The Trump administration plans to cut 1,400 of the program’s mandates.

Those changes would cause the number of students per teacher to rise “dramatically,” one Head Start provider told Lubrano.

Read his full story on the impact here.

What you should know today

• Following his executive order earlier this week, Gov. Josh Shapiro said Pennsylvania now has the “strictest guardrails in the nation” on data center development. We fact-checked that claim.
• In a related story, Pennsylvania’s DEP is currently weighing whether to issue permits for backup power generators for a planned Amazon data center in Bucks County.
• Police identified the man accused of chasing Center City pedestrians in a Chucky-style horror mask.
• The School District of Philadelphia faces a new lawsuit over its plan to relocate Kensington High students.
• Temple University will raise salaries for campus police.
• Scammers posing as WHYY’s Fresh Air host Terry Gross are conning media figures and celebrities.
• For the first time in its 14 years in Philly, organizers canceled last night’s Dîner en Blanc due to inclement weather.

Plus: What is the origin of Philly’s Shot Tower?

Welcome back to Curious Philly Friday. This is our forum for readers to ask about the city’s quirks and then we report the answers.

This week, we’re resurfacing an explainer from 2023 about a towering brick structure in Queen Village. Several readers wondered what its original purpose was, and how it came to be nestled among a playground and rec center.

It turns out, this building was once among the tallest structures in Philadelphia, and its height was key to its initial function. Read on for 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

What’s SEPTA’s name for its new bus route changes and updates?

A) SEPTA 2.0

B) On the Move

C) New Bus Network

D) Bus Revolution

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

What we’re …

🎬 Watching: Tony, the Anthony Bourdain biopic, starring South Jersey’s Dominic Sessa.

🤤 Salivating over: Jacket potatoes, matcha lattes, and other “little treats” in Grad Hospital.

📸 Discovering: That the first-ever selfie was taken in Philadelphia.

🪞 Envisioning: A new home for the Portal. [Spoiler alert: A lot of you like the Art Museum steps.]

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: The new CEO of Welcome America Inc., the nonprofit behind Philly’s Wawa Welcome America festival.

CHANEL MASONIC

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

Cheers to Nancy Gatti who correctly guessed Thursday’s answer: The Scottish Rite. A chaotic debate has broken out in Collingswood over who should be paying for the historic theater.

Photo of the day

Have a wonderful weekend, Philly! And if you or your kids are heading back to school on Monday, I hope you get to savor the final dregs of summer.

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. A flood watch is in effect for the Philadelphia region beginning at noon Thursday.

To start, we examine the turnover of top appointees in Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration in comparison to her recent predecessors.

And federal investigators have released new evidence from last year’s fatal medical jet crash in Northeast Philadelphia.

Plus, our tool can help you navigate changes coming to SEPTA’s bus network, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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More than half have departed

According to an Inquirer analysis of personnel moves, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker has seen higher turnover among her top appointees than other recent mayors.

By this point in their tenures, former Mayors Michael A. Nutter and Jim Kenney saw only a few appointees leave city government.

Parker has lost six of her 11 original top appointees since taking office. The most recent departures, those of Managing Director Adam K. Thiel and City Solicitor Renee Garcia, were announced last month.

The next two tiers of city government leaders under Parker have seen less churn.

See the data in Sean Collins Walsh’s full story.

Potential factors in fatal crash

The National Transportation Safety Board filed documents revealing new details on the medical transport plane that crashed near the Roosevelt Mall just after takeoff in January 2025. All six people onboard and two others on the ground were killed.

While a cause has not yet been determined, the federal agency found that both human and oversight failings preceded the incident.

These include potentially fatigued pilots, training weaknesses, and a lack of safety checks by the Federal Aviation Administration as possible contributing factors.

Henry Savage and Dylan Purcell report on what investigators have pieced together so far.

What you should know today

• Temple University will begin requiring most freshmen to live on campus. It’s a significant change for what was once largely a commuter school.
• Someone vandalized a sculpture at the Weitzman Jewish history museum with antisemitic graffiti on Aug. 13. The Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission condemned the incident on Tuesday.
• A section of Walnut Street that was most recently a beer garden will become a two-story retail building.
• The Philadelphia School District says it can’t use recent state test scores to judge whether its academics are improving. Officials blamed a delay in Harrisburg.
• After thousands of its license-plate searches leaked online, Abington police are ending contracts with surveillance firm Flock Safety.
• SEPTA will implement phase one of its new bus network this weekend, with changes to 30 lines. Plug your address into our tool and see how your route will be affected.
• The Pennsylvania State Employees’ Retirement System ended a $300 million foreign-stocks investment for poor performance — then gave the same firm a fresh $2 billion to invest in U.S. stocks.
• Thanks to a resolution that passed Wednesday, Collingswood voters will have the final say on the borough’s long-standing liquor license ban.

Quote of the day

The Cannonball Club and its old cars on display are breathing new life into an empty Fishtown factory.

The club will serve as a hangout spot for city-dwelling car enthusiasts, complete with a café and bar, and a social and coworking space. It opens for business on Sept. 10 and already has some members signed up.

🧠 Trivia time

Woodford Cedar Run in South Jersey cares for thousands of animals each year. For the first time, it now has a full-time vet.

What year did the wildlife refuge first open?

A) 1982

B) 1999

C) 1957

D) 2000

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re …

🎤 Stoked to see: The indomitable Motown queen Diana Ross and other acts around Philly this week.

🧀 Flattered by: A small town in Idaho thinks it can beat our “longest cheesesteak” record. (It’s for a good cause, though, so we’re not too pressed about it.)

🏅 ⚽ Highlighting: The Philly area’s 25 best athletes under 25.

🎸 Chatting with: The Bacon Brothers on their Philly childhoods and the secret to eating Tastykake Jelly Krimpets.

☀️ Hyped for: The return of our favorite gang of morally bankrupt misfits on TV.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Historic theater in Collingswood

CHEST TITHE RIOTS

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

Cheers to David Struck, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Taco Heart. The Texas-style taco spot has a new outpost coming to Ardmore in October.

Photo of the day

East Whiteland residents were staunchly opposed to a controversial 1.5 million-square-foot data center project. That scrutiny propelled the community to gather support for a November ballot question that would expand the number of elected officials who represent them.

👋🏽 The weekend is in sight! Thanks for stopping by. Have a good Thursday.

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 digging into Gov. Josh Shapiro’s new executive order restricting data center development in Pennsylvania. We also cover why a wave of longtime Philadelphia-area restaurateurs are calling it quits.

Plus, someone in a Chucky-style mask is harassing pedestrians near City Hall, and more news of the day.

Finally, a housekeeping note: I’m officially taking the helm of this newsletter most weekdays. My inbox is open if you ever feel moved to chat about something I write!

— Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Data center retreat

Gov. Josh Shapiro signed a sweeping executive order imposing new regulations on data centers on Tuesday.

The restrictions stop short of a full-blown moratorium, but they could effectively halt developments by requiring local approval before state permits are issued.

The move represented a major pivot for Shapiro, who is up for reelection this year and long-rumored to be a Democratic presidential contender in 2028.

Just last year, he touted helping Pennsylvania land a major Amazon project to build data centers in Bucks and Luzerne Counties.

Since then, such developments have grown increasingly unpopular. In one recent poll by Quinnipiac University, 76% of registered Pennsylvania voters said they would oppose a data center in their communities.

Reporter Gillian McGoldrick has the full story.

A ‘gray wave’ for restaurants

The Pub in Pennsauken. Kelly’s Seafood in Northeast Philly. Cherry Street Tavern in Logan Square. Around the region, a spate of decades-old bars and restaurants are either for sale or closing their doors for good.

📊 The numbers: These high-profile changes don’t spell doom for the local food scene. The Inquirer counted 86 Philadelphia-area restaurant closings in 2025. A hundred are expected to open in 2026. Some churn is normal.

🧑‍🍳 The reality: Often, generational turnover is driving the decision to sell or close up shop. “The parents retire and the children don’t want to get into the business — because it’s a hard business,” said one longtime liquor-licensing attorney.

Food writer Mike Klein covers what’s next for these institutions.

What you should know today

• A former Penn State student accused of trafficking cocaine out of fraternity houses has turned himself in.
• Police are looking for leads on a man in a horror-movie mask who’s been harassing — and chasing — pedestrians near City Hall. Stay safe out there.
• A 129-unit affordable-apartment building is slated for development near Temple University.
• Lower Merion school officials voted to scale back the use of screens in classrooms, particularly for early grades.
• Kennett Square is cracking down on Airbnbs, passing a local ordinance to cap the total number at fewer than two dozen.
• Poe’s Sandwich Joint is out as the food vendor at Human Robot Brewing in Olde Kensington. Cantina La Martina is stepping in.

Quote of the day

Michella Crosby, a West Philly block captain, noticed that the kids on her street seemed hungry during summer break. So, she and her neighbors took matters into their own hands.

Reporter Ximena Conde profiled community leaders providing an estimated one million free summer meals in Philadelphia this year.

🧠 Trivia time

What’s the name of Comcast’s new AI home security system?

A) Comcast Guardian

B) Xfinity Shield

C) SpectacorAI

D) Xfinity Defend

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (or who) we’re …

🎨 Watching: This video following a new mural celebrating Black dance pioneers as it takes shape in Grays Ferry.

🍽️ Eating: Corned beef, smoked fish, and rye bread from Steve Stein’s Famous Deli, before it closes for good.

💊 Researching: Whether GLP-1’s help with alcohol use disorder.

✍️ Congratulating: Mark Tatulli, the South Jersey cartoonist who just won the highest award in his field.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This South Philly taqueria is adding a second location.

OAT RACHET

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 Tuesday’s answer: Phanatic Smoothie. This new Wawa menu item tastes like a “World Series win with a sprinkling of Mets’ tears,” according to one customer.

Photo of the day

Thank you for hanging with The Inquirer this morning. I’m off tomorrow but will be back in your inboxes on Friday. Cheers!

A clarification: Yesterday’s newsletter unclearly characterized the affiliations of those accused in an alleged Penn State drug ring. All but one were students at the time the suspected ring was active.

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! 👋 Thanks for starting your week with The Inquirer. Let’s get into it.

Thirty SEPTA bus routes are set to change at the end of August. The public transit agency launched its bus network redesign efforts after ridership declined, and this will be the first phase of changes.

And on a more serious note, an off-duty Philadelphia police officer was shot and killed on Sunday outside an after-hours lounge in Southwest Philadelphia, police said. Another person was also left in critical condition.

Plus, the president’s confidence in Stacy Garrity has become a critical question in the final stretch of the Pennsylvania governor’s race, and more news of the day.

— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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SEPTA’s big changes

The first phase of SEPTA’s bus network overhaul begins Aug. 23, when 30 routes will be affected in some way. Some routes with low ridership or that duplicate nearby service will be eliminated. Others will be extended or run more frequently, and two new routes will be added.

🚍 What routes will change? New and expanded routes include Route 72, a new crosstown bus running along Cheltenham Avenue, and the new Route 76 bus from Columbus Commons to Rising Sun and Olney. Route 45 will be extended to provide service to the Navy Yard, and Route 79 will be extended from South Philadelphia into University City.

🚍 What routes will be eliminated? Routes 35, 47M, 62, 78, 80, 89, and 106 will be cut, officials say.

🚍 What areas are most impacted? South Philadelphia, Kensington/Juniata, the Cheltenham Avenue Corridor, the Lancaster Avenue Corridor, and Roxborough.

The Inquirer’s Thomas Fitzgerald and Erica Palan have the details.

‘We continue to pray for his family’

An off-duty Philadelphia police officer died after being shot early Sunday morning in Southwest Philadelphia, police said.

The shooting occurred near a property neighbors and police have called an after-hours lounge. A social media account linked the address to a nightclub called “Nipsey’s Hookah Lounge.”

Responding officers found the off-duty officer and another gunshot-wound victim at the scene, police said. Both victims were taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, where the police officer was pronounced dead around 8 a.m., police said. The other victim was in critical condition when he arrived at the hospital, said police spokesperson Sgt. Eric Gripp.

The 29-year-old officer had been with the Police Department for two years, police said, and was assigned to the 12th District, in Southwest Philadelphia.

What you should know today

• The United States and Canada are moving closer to a deal to avert the imposition of punitive 50% tariffs on such Canadian products as hockey sticks, wine, and cement, according to officials.
• Pennsylvania’s GOP nominee for governor, Stacy Garrity, is looking for help from President Donald Trump and national Republicans.
• No matter what they’re seeking treatment for, teenagers who come to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia emergency department are handed a 10-minute health survey with questions about anxiety, depression, and self harm. About one in three have reported symptoms of depression or suicidal thoughts that may otherwise have gone unnoticed.
• A Gladwyne-based senior services organization is planning to build an independent living community on an estate in Radnor Township, a move the group says is necessary as demand for senior living services rises in the region.
• A man who police say burglarized nearly 30 stores in Philadelphia was arrested last week in Florida. Ravon Service, was arrested at a resort hotel in Kissimmee, Florida, about 20 miles southwest of Orlando, according to the U.S. Marshals Service in Philadelphia.

Quote of the day

When Samantha Paige Rosen quit her job and moved in with her parents at age 29, she thought it “wasn’t what adults were supposed to do.” But she’s glad she did it anyway. Her anthology, Living, Together: Reimagining Community in the Age of Disconnection, offers a window into the experience of living outside of a traditional nuclear family arrangement.

🧠 Trivia time

What is the name of the sports apparel company that was once based in the Philly suburbs and had been known for its trash talk-inspired T-shirts?

A) AND1

B) Mitchell & Ness

C) Philly Phaithful

D) Phillygoat

Think you know? Check your answer.

What (and whom) we’re…

🛍️ Shopping for: Art and antiques at Gargoyles gallery and vintage shop, which just returned to South Street with all its treasures.

🚢 Impressed by: Philadelphia’s official tall ship, the Gazela, which at 125 years old isn’t done riding the waves.

🚴 Admiring: City bike messengers. They race through shifting dispatches, tight deadlines, and city traffic while pushing to reclaim streets and make cycling safer.

👀 Watching: LeBron James’ new YouTube channel. Surprisingly, it’s not a basketball thing.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: ⚽ Home to Philly’s Union

AKA BUR SPUR

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

Cheers to Rosemary Hering who correctly guessed Sunday’s answer: Ridley Park. Seamus Coffey, 8, caught a piranha in the borough’s lake. Now, he’s a budding fishing influencer.

Photo of the day

📬 Your ‘only in Philly’ story

Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, something that made you fall in love with Philly all over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.

This “only in Philly” story comes from reader David Theriault, who describes a delightful Uber ride in the city:

It happened one night about a month ago, we had friends in town and had a reservation for dinner so we called an Uber.

We all jump in the Prius and I can hear Fleetwood Mac playing softly on the stereo. So I ask the driver, as we all pile on top of one another, “Do you like Fleetwood Mac?”

At that point, the driver cranks the stereo up to level 11 and he reaches between the seats on the ceiling and gets an LED dome light flashing. He starts singing “Go Your Own Way” at the top of his lungs and then reaches for a full sized gold microphone and continues to drive and sing into the mic for the rest of the trip.

Of course he got a good tip and we all had a great conversation over dinner.

P.S. He was a pretty good singer!

👋 Have a good day, every one!

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Welcome to Sunday. Showers and thunderstorms are likely throughout the day.

Our main read examines a riverside neighborhood in Northwest Philly as it embarks on another new era.

And a new tool has forged a faster path to fill the ranks of Philadelphia’s police force.

Scroll along for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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From Banana Republic to boutiques

Manayunk has taken different shapes from its textile mill days in the 19th century to chain retailers in the 1990s. Today, you’ll find a collection of local upstarts scattered across its main corridor.

More changes are coming, including:

🏠 More housing. An apartment boom promises to add more than 1,800 residential units, though neighbors have concerns about traffic and parking.

🛍️ New commerce. In the last two years, 12 new businesses have opened along Main Street, and others are on the way. Retailers have hopes that the ongoing residential development will be good for business.

One thing is for certain: Manayunk’s future depends on neighborhood support.

Olivia Prusky and Jake Blumgart report on what’s next for the community.

Ranks on the rebound

A software called Guardian is helping the Philadelphia Police Department expedite a hiring process that once took nearly a year. Now, it can be done in less than two months.

The department has scrapped paper applications in exchange for the system. In turn, officials are beginning to see something of a reversal from yearslong staffing deficits, according to Capt. John Walker, who oversees the police academy’s recruiting efforts.

Justin Biedinger, a former California officer who founded Guardian Alliance Technologies, said Philadelphia is one of its largest clients. He said the service quickens hiring timelines, and provides increased scrutiny of potential candidates.

In his own words: “With Guardian, these applicants can’t lie.”

Jesse Bunch has the story on the technology and its impact.

What you should know today

• A newly formed nonprofit is trying to shut down the decade-old Bar X in the Gayborhood, alleging it is a public nuisance.
• The sprawling missing persons investigation in Olney has evolved into something even more complex — a death investigation without any dead bodies.
• Pennsylvania ended mandatory life sentences for felony murder, leaving lawmakers to determine what comes next.
• A production company is making a TV docuseries on the work of SEPTA’s transit police, shadowing officers in Philadelphia as they patrol trains, buses, and streets.
• After the FIFA Fan Festival, Lemon Hill’s caretakers fear the coming $4M in park upgrades won’t include the long-term maintenance funding they’ve long asked for.
• Lower Merion banned two parents from school board meetings for “disruptive” behavior. First Amendment lawyers said it could be a violation of residents’ constitutional rights.
• Cheltenham has a new police chief. He’s a longtime crisis negotiator and community policing advocate who led one of the township’s most famous criminal investigations.

This week in history

🎤 Here’s Tommy Rowan with a look back at the work of a local “Monuments Man.”

Not all Philadelphians who answered President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s call to action were soldiers and civilians.

There were also artists.

Local legends like Walker Kirtland Hancock — who would become one of the United States’ most distinguished sculptors — headed for World War II’s battlefields to try and pry Europe’s cultural treasures from the grip of the Gestapo.

Read on for the full story.

❓Pop quiz

Eagles fans are freaking out after the team teased the return of a vintage white and kelly green helmet the Birds haven’t used in decades.

In what year did the Eagles last wear the helmet?

A) 1991

B) 1983

C) 1973

D) 1965

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🏐 Intrigued by: The tradition of competitive Amish volleyball.

☀️ Basking in: The abundance of the Italian Market with cookbook shop owner Catie Gainor on her perfect day in Philly.

🍗 Savoring: Chicken roulade at the Academy Grill in Fort Washington.

🤩 Gawking at: The inside of the iconic “Mondrian” house in Queen Village, thanks to a rare antique sale.

🌳 Considering: The pros and cons of new planters on South Broad Street.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A Delco kid is reeling with fame after catching a piranha in a lake in this borough

DIRK REPLAY

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

Cheers to Rick Brash and Jim Diamond, who were the only readers to correctly guess Saturday’s answer: Knight Foundation. 45 affordable apartments for artists on Broad Street will be partly funded by the philanthropic organization.

Photo of the day

🎶 Today’s song goes like this: “To get the good vibe, I need snow and sunshine.” Shoutout to Born at Midnite for making my week with their incredibly groovy set at Johnny Brenda’s.

👋🏽 Thanks for starting your day with The Inquirer. Have a good one!

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. It’s set to be a hot and sunny Saturday.

Are some cheesesteaks really that much better? Inquirer staffers try to settle a beef over what makes one authentic.

Plus, feds looked into a Philly lobbyist linked to Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, a sprawling King of Prussia data center complex was rejected, and we’ve got our report card for this week in Philly news.

— Paola Pérez and Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• Federal investigators last summer subpoenaed records about William F. Dunbar Sr., a Philly lobbyist who was key to Mayor Parker’s 2023 campaign. None of the sources said they were aware of an investigation centered on Parker.
• Three Philly men allegedly stole hundreds of federal government checks between 2024 and 2026, reselling them online. Federal prosecutors said their haul totaled $68 million.
• Upper Merion Township’s Board of Supervisors unanimously rejected a data center campus proposal that had sparked a backlash from constituents.
• A Main Line psychiatrist who lost her medical license following an investigation into a sexual relationship with a patient can keep working while she appeals that decision, a judge ruled.
• Iemad Saifo, the owner of Zena’s American Mediterranean Cuisine in Collingswood, was released from ICE detention.
• Kensington High School will temporarily close its building over asbestos concerns. Students and staff will move into the old Austin Meehan Middle School.
• Aramark, one of the region’s major employers, struck a deal directly with Penn Medicine to provide more affordable healthcare to its workers.
• From a Jersey Shore vacation that cost $10,000 to Philly sports taking over the holidays, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.

The real cheesesteak beef

A reader asked: I have family visiting and they want an “authentic Philly cheesesteak.” Should I take the entire day, battle traffic and parking, and shuttle them down to South Philly? Or can I order takeout from our local pizza place in the burbs? Is there that much difference?

To help, we enlisted the palates of features columnist Stephanie Farr and programming editor Tommy Rowan.

Farr admitted she took the local pizza shop route when her dad came to town, but now laments her decision. “Missteaks were made, obviously,” Farr said.

Rowan, a cheesesteak connoisseur in his own right, described himself as picky. “If you are passionate about something you have rules,” he said.

They also touched on an important ingredient that flavors the cheesesteak experience in Philly: the people you meet.

Read their full discussion here. Need advice, or want to share your thoughts? We want to hear it. Email us here.

One viewpoint

In this week’s Shackamaxon, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson unpacks how data centers are shaping the election landscape.

Gov. Josh Shapiro, for example, has shifted his stance from an early embrace of data centers. The issue is testing his high approval ratings in Pennsylvania.

“Of course, there’s a certain opportunism to state Treasurer Stacy Garrity’s embrace of the techlash,” Pearson writes of Shapiro’s gubernatorial opponent.

Hear Pearson’s perspective on how Shapiro is trying to thread the needle on data centers, as well as other happenings in Harrisburg and City Hall.

❓Pop quiz

The Union’s new third jersey pays tribute to the entire Philadelphia professional sports landscape. What landmark is the jersey’s centerpiece?

A) Commodore Barry Bridge

B) Art Museum steps

C) Center City skyline

D) None of the above

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Philanthropic organization (two words)

KIND HUNTING AFOOT

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

Cheers to Deborah Solo who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Dito van Reigersberg. Two new scholarships named for the beloved artist — who performed as Philly’s legendary drag queen Martha Graham Cracker — will support local artists in drag, cabaret, and theater.

We were there

Before the Phillies bested the Minnesota Twins in Dyersville, Iowa, this week, the players and their families had a chance to visit the set of the 1989 baseball classic Field of Dreams.

Staff writer Lochlahn March and photographer Yong Kim traveled with the team and captured the Phillies soaking up some movie magic.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

🧠 Another week, another brand-new Pillars to solve. Have you played our new game yet?

🚲 Ariane Datil shows us the best spots to watch the Cycling Classic later this month.

💍 The Foo Fighters rocked the Linc on Thursday night for three whole hours, and that doesn’t include the terrific openers. Someone on Reddit caught the moment a proposal happened in the crowd.

👋🏽 Take care, and I’ll catch up with you again 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.

Happy Friday, Philly. It’s looking like a mostly sunny day with a high around 88.

Two Liberty Place, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and hundreds of other buildings rely on Vicinity Energy’s steam plants for heat, air-conditioning, and chilled water. Its workers are bargaining for better pay and safer facilities — and they’re prepared to walk off the job.

And if you’ve ever wondered what a black hole sounds like, a Villanova professor enlisted the help of a composer to make that a reality.

Plus, Pennsylvania won’t change its childhood vaccine guidelines, despite President Donald Trump’s latest executive order, and more news of the day.

— Paola Pérez and Laura Benshoff (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

‘We’re not asking for extraordinary things’

Philadelphia’s steam system was originally built by Peco at the start of the 20th century. Run by Vicinity Energy today, its employees manage some 41 miles of underground pipe infrastructure and services 400 buildings in the city.

Those workers, represented by IBEW Local 614, could launch a strike if they do not reach a deal as they negotiate a new contract with the company. They voted to authorize a strike on Saturday if the union calls for it.

Among their asks, workers want:

💰 More money. That includes raises on “substandard” wages, better short-term disability pay, and adequate compensation for time spent training new hires.

⚠️ Workplace safety. Some plants are in need of repair, leading to unsafe conditions, such as asbestos and standing water in work areas.

Ariana Perez-Castells reports on what a day on the job looks like for Philly’s steam workers, as well as allegations of threats to “discharge” employees who strike.

The sound of space

Most of space is empty and “deathly silent,” said Villanova physics professor Becka Phillipson. So Phillipson, who researches black holes, gave herself an astronomical challenge: translating these remote cosmic objects into sound.

That took some creative license. While black holes are invisible, the environment around them brightens or dims depending on the material interacting with them.

Phillipson decided that brighter light near a black hole would equal a higher pitch, and in that way turned data she was collecting into sounds.

Composer LJ White then layered those sounds with singing, percussion, and recordings of Phillipson talking about black holes. The resulting 13-minute piece debuted during a sold out concert at the Chestnut Hill Skyspace last weekend.

But you can still hear it, and learn more about the process of turning distant celestial bodies into music, by reading on.

What you should know today

• Philadelphia health officials said earlier this week that the city has seen 22 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis. Across the state, cases are even higher.
• Gov. Josh Shapiro said the state will not follow President Trump’s executive order reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccinations.
• Gunfire directed toward a couple in North Philly, killing 61-year-old Michelle Wilson, may have been retaliation for an earlier killing involving their son, according to law enforcement sources.
• An effort using cameras to police loading zones in Center City is working, according to PPA officials. So they’re doubling down.
• Immigration courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware are ordering people to leave the country in droves. The number of removal and voluntary deportation orders from the three states has topped 46,000 since January 2025.
• A “historic” El Niño developing in the Pacific Ocean could mean a gentler Atlantic hurricane season, and maybe less risk of flooding in Philadelphia.

Plus: What’s next for the Rizzo statue?

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 have an explainer from Michelle Myers on the future of the 10-foot bronze statue of Frank Rizzo, the former mayor and police commissioner.

The monument of Rizzo, who died 35 years ago, was removed from public display following civil rights protests in 2020. Reader JJ Cutuli wanted to know: “Where is the Frank Rizzo statue, right now?”

In short, it has undergone expensive repairs, and now it’s looking for a new home. Here’s what Myers discovered.

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

Philadelphia is the latest locale for vigilante Jack Reacher’s shadowy dealings in season four of Reacher, streaming now on Amazon Video. What location has NOT been spotted in a season four episode?

A) Pat’s King of Steaks

B) City Hall

C) Parc

D) LOVE Park

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

What we’re …

🗓️ Tracking: A timeline of the police investigation into Eugene Horsch and missing women in Olney.

⚾ Rooting for: This Philly-area Little League team is just one win away from stamping its ticket to Williamsport.

🪕 Attending: Philly Folk Festival, Foo Fighters, a free Snacktime show, and more concerts this week.

🥊 Prepping you for: UFC 330 in Philly this weekend. Get the match schedule, hometown competitors, and more.

☕ Sipping: Coffee from a new Yemeni- and Saudi-inspired cafe in Willow Grove.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: The beloved artist _ a.k.a. Martha Graham Cracker

REGARDING OVERBITES

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

Cheers to Bobbi Harris, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Ross Tucker. He’s jumping to the No. 2 booth at CBS alongside veteran play-by-play voice Ian Eagle. The big promotion stems from Tony Romo’s arrest.

Here’s what one reader said about the situation:

As a longtime Eagles fan, I would not miss Tony Romo at all, if he’s out of the broadcast booth that long. It’s funny, but Romo, just like Dak Prescott today, is the “greatest quarterback who never won anything.” Ten seasons (I believe) with the “elite” Dallas Cowboys and he won all of two playoff games. But he was able to leverage that into being one of the highest paid football announcers working today. (Or not working…)

Photo of the day

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake devastated Colombia earlier this week. Community nonprofit Acción Colombia will be holding multiple events Saturday and Sunday in and around Philly to collect donations.

👋 Thanks, as always, for reading. Have a wonderful weekend when you get there.

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! 👋 We’re one day closer to the weekend.

Your Peco bills could increase, thanks to new hyperscale AI data centers. The Inquirer has a full breakdown to help explain.

And at least two women were likely killed inside the Olney home at the center of a sprawling missing persons investigation, police believe. But neither of the women had been previously linked to the case, according to investigators.

Plus, half the 26 people charged in an NCAA gambling scandal have now pleaded guilty or admitted wrongdoing, and more news of the day.

— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

How data centers could impact your bills

If you give a computer a task, it’s going to need electricity to perform it. The more difficult the problem, the more resources it requires. This is at the heart of the fight against the data centers behind AI — often an incredibly complex and power-hungry process.

You might think that tech giants that build and use data centers would cover 100% of the costs. However, the knock-on repercussions of this heavy power drain could affect the amount you owe on your Peco bill.

“Hyperscale data centers” that power AI tools consume exponentially more resources than conventional ones. To put it in perspective, in a single hour, a hyperscale 1,000,000-kW data center running at peak capacity can consume more electricity than every household in Philadelphia combined.

These hyperscale facilities and their projected demand for power could impact three categories on your bill: generation, transmission, and distribution.

We’ll walk through each one and explain the rest.

‘Graphic and dark’ discoveries

Philadelphia police believe Maribel Fresses, who was last seen in February 2018, and Gabriella Amarando, who has been missing since September 2012, were killed inside the Olney home at the center of a missing persons investigation.

The Wednesday announcement was the latest and most striking development in a case that has drawn national attention since police launched an investigation in June into the disappearances of two other women last seen at the home of Eugene Albert Horsch and his late father, Raymond “R.C.” Horsch.

Authorities say the two-month search of the home involved more than 95 search warrants and surfaced an “astonishing” array of evidence: five urns of cremated remains, more than 20 containers full of unknown chemicals and oily substances, and 50 hard drives and other electronic devices holding more than 600,000 images, 70,000 videos, and 10,000 pages of writings and drawings.

Inside one of those hard drives, authorities said, detectives found images and videos that appeared to show Fresses and Amarando alive inside the house — followed by “graphic and dark” depictions of what appeared to be their bodies. But because no bodies have been found, police say they cannot officially declare the women dead.

What you should know today

• Two people charged with participating in an international scheme to rig basketball games for professional gamblers pleaded guilty in Philadelphia’s federal court Wednesday — the latest development in a scandal that shook the sports world when prosecutors unveiled a sprawling set of indictments earlier this year.
• Pennsylvania Attorney General David Sunday filed a lawsuit against TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance, on Tuesday, alleging the social media giant failed to shield children from age-inappropriate material and from over-usage of the app.
• A former cardiac thoracic surgeon at one of Main Line Health’s flagship programs says in a federal lawsuit that he was fired after reporting a series of bad patient outcomes. He accused the nonprofit hospital system of failing to thoroughly investigate a pattern of complications among the patients of another senior surgeon.
• As it faced parents and community members during an emotional meeting Tuesday, the Cheltenham school board laid out several steps to address concerns about the 2025 locker-room assault scandal that led to criminal charges against four coaches and six players.
• Philadelphia police are searching for a man they say walked up to a couple sitting on a porch and opened fire late Sunday night, killing the woman and injuring the man before fleeing.
• White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the youngest person to hold the role at 28 years old, will leave at month’s end, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday. Trump did not outline plans for who might replace her in the high-profile role.

Quote of the day

Battleship New Jersey will soon undergo another facelift through a $24.25 million redevelopment project tackling work on and off the ship. The project includes an expanded visitor center, double the parking, and a new event space.

🧠 Trivia time

The country’s first and last pennies were made in Pennsylvania. What city were they made in?

A) Reading

B) Allentown

C) Philadelphia

D) Pittsburgh

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🧑‍💻 Wondering: What do Gen Z workers want out of their jobs? A recent survey says they’re skeptical about what’s learned in college and want to build up more hard skills.

🚴 Excited about: The forthcoming Philadelphia Cycling Classic! Check out some of the best spots around the city to watch the race’s return.

🛍️ Shopping for: Antiques down the Shore. There are 11 shops we think are worth your while.

🍝 Considering: Could Waltz, a new Italian restaurant in South Philly, be your next date-night destination? The Inquirer’s Craig LaBan believes so.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Eagles preseason announcer on NBC10 since 2019

SORE STRUCK

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

Cheers to Becky Bowlby, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Keanu Reeves. His band, Dogstar, has reunited after a 20-year break, and they’re playing three Philly-area shows this week.

Photo of the day

⚾ One last thing: Bryson Stott is expected to wear a custom pair of cleats for the Phillies’ Field of Dreams game. The design features late Phillies legends Harry Kalas, Tug McGraw, Roy Halladay, Darren Daulton, Robin Roberts, and Richie Ashburn. But forecasters warn that rain could impact the game.

Have a good one, folks! 👋

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.