Good morning.
Wednesday’s high will reach the upper 30s. It appears a major snowstorm may be brewing and headed for Philly this weekend.
In today’s main story, hear from the Philadelphia Art Museum’s new chief on directing the institution through tumultuous times.
And Penn is doubling down on its refusal to provide a federal commission with the names of Jewish staffers and students.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Moving past turmoil
Daniel H. Weiss took the reins as director and CEO of the troubled Art Museum two months ago. In an interview with The Inquirer, he said he’s eager to quickly take action, employing a philosophy of “shared governance.”
Recent weeks have proved messy for the museum. The controversial rebranding campaign and the ouster of Sasha Suda cast an air of acrimony from within the museum, as well as a shadow on the art.
Weiss is prepared to turn that around.
In Weiss’ own words: “What I’d like to do over the next six months to one year is to get everybody excited about what’s possible, what we already have. How, by supporting each other and investing excitedly in our mission, we can do something really important.”
Another shake-up: The Philadelphia Art Museum’s marketing chief has resigned. The museum is now mulling over whether to keep or alter the rebrand.
Find more in Weiss’ conversation with arts reporter Peter Dobrin.
Penn pushes back
In a new legal filing, the University of Pennsylvania pushed back against a federal commission’s demand that would require it to turn over lists of Jewish students and staff.
Penn’s latest move follows a lawsuit from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which sued the university for not complying with a subpoena seeking such information.
The EEOC has pressed the institution for the data as part of a federal investigation into antisemitism on campus. Penn called the request “unconstitutional, disconcerting,” and “unnecessary.”
Higher education reporter Susan Snyder has the story.
What you should know today
- A coalition of building trades unions will loan the Philadelphia Housing Authority $50 million to help redevelop Brith Sholom House, a dilapidated senior apartment complex in West Philadelphia.
- Frank P. Olivieri — whose father and uncle invented the steak sandwich and who ran Pat’s King of Steaks for nearly four decades — died Sunday at 87. He had been under care for dementia.
- A Philadelphia police officer opened fire on a man Monday night after the man critically injured another person in Hunting Park, police said. The man, police said, was not hit.
- SEPTA Regional Rail riders experienced significant delays Tuesday after a train pulled down overhead wires. Riders are advised to check SEPTA’s website and mobile app for the latest updates as crews work to repair the wires.
- A disabled Ecuadorian immigrant who was arrested and detained by ICE after he flagged down an officer in September was ordered back to his homeland on Tuesday. The Seaford, Del., resident’s case drew support from Gov. Matt Meyer.
- Mikie Sherrill was sworn in as New Jersey governor Tuesday, becoming the second woman to govern the state and the first from the Democratic Party. And in his last full day in office, Phil Murphy signed a bill making cursive writing instruction mandatory for some elementary students in public schools.
- A Philly charter school is starting its own college so kids can graduate with high school diplomas and college credits — for free.
- PennDot is nearing the end of conceptual design for a proposed project to improve interchanges along a 7.5-mile stretch of U.S. Route 30 in Chester County. Construction would start in roughly a decade.
🧠 Trivia time
A recent analysis found that while this Philadelphia-area county draws in business, people struggle to afford to live there.
A) Bucks County
B) Delaware County
C) Chester County
D) Montgomery County
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🇬🇱 Explaining: The Trump-Denmark-Greenland drama.
🧑🚒 Learning: How Ben Franklin founded America’s first volunteer fire department.
🥩 Scoping out: What’s next for the Scarpetta space at the Rittenhouse Hotel.
🦅 Picking: Which Eagles should stay or go next season.
🍦 Eager to taste: Doughnuts, soft serve, and coffee at South Jersey’s latest cafe, set to open this Friday.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Founder of clothing company Skims
KHAKIS MIRANDA
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Liz Kelly, who solved Sunday’s anagram: Mandy Mango. She was recently eliminated from RuPaul Drag’s Race, but remains a star at home in Philly.
Photo of the day
👋🏽 Thanks for stopping by. Have a good day, OK? Julie will bring you tomorrow’s news.
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