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.
🧠 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 👋
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