Category: Newsletters

Good morning. More snow is expected across the region today.

Prior to the explosion of a nursing home in Bucks County last month, the facility was cited for multiple violations. Our main Sunday read examines the safety lapses that preceded the deadly incident, as well as the records of other homes in Philadelphia and surrounding counties.

And while Ocean City will never be the same without Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, boardwalk merchants are holding on — and they want a say in what comes next.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Repeat citations

Three people died after a natural gas explosion flattened Bristol Health & Rehab Center just before Christmas.

While the cause has not yet been determined, an Inquirer data review found that state regulators had cited the facility for over 70 health and safety violations in the three years leading up to the tragedy.

Highest in the region: The Bristol facility that exploded has been hit with $418,000 in fines since 2023, more than any nursing home in the Philadelphia area.

All other offenders: In the same time span, almost half of the Philadelphia-area’s 182 facilities have faced over $5 million in financial penalties for safety violations.

Reporters Lizzie Mulvey and Harold Brubaker break down the details on other regional nursing homes that have been fined, and the history of inspections and citations at the Bucks facility.

In related news: Muthoni Nduthu, a nurse who was killed in the blast, was laid to rest Saturday. She was memorialized by family, friends, and a nurse honor guard as a dutiful nurse and faithful mother.

‘They have galvanized us’

🎤 I’m passing the mic to Amy Rosenberg down the Shore.

Along the commercial stretch of Ocean City’s boardwalk, from Sixth to 14th Streets, there are 167 storefronts, including four Kohr Bros. Frozen Custards, three Johnson’s Popcorns, three Manco & Manco Pizzas, and eight Jilly’s stores of one type or another.

There are eight mini-golfs, nine candy shops, 18 ice cream places, 10 pizza shops, 18 arcades or other types of amusements, five jewelry stores, three surf shops, five T-shirt shops, and 47 clothing or other retail shops. There is one palm reader.

Even without Gillian’s Wonderland Pier, the iconic amusement park at Sixth Street that famously closed in October 2024, it still adds up to a classically specific, if repetitive, Jersey Shore boardwalk experience. Many of the shops are owned by the same Ocean City families, some into their third generation.

But now these very shop owners are sounding the alarm.

“This is a group that’s been hanging on for a long time,” Jamie Ford, owner of Barefoot Trading Co., at 1070 Boardwalk, said in an interview last week. “These places are hanging in there. They’re not going anywhere, but we’re nervous.” — Amy Rosenberg

Read on to learn why the merchants are urging city officials to green-light a plan for a hotel at the Wonderland site.

What you should know today

• Two Philly-area children’s hospitals are under federal investigation for their gender-affirming care for transgender children.
• Police are investigating the cause of a deadly three-car crash on Lincoln Drive on Thursday night.
• Bensalem Township police arrested two men and a 17-year-old boy for allegedly stealing $16,000 worth of weight-loss drugs being delivered to a pharmacy.
• Small-business advisers and advocates in Philadelphia are bracing for a big tax headache as the city’s municipal tax expands to cover tens of thousands more small businesses and self-employed workers.
• A federal lawsuit alleges misconduct by two Pennsylvania state troopers who investigated the case of a former pastor who was acquitted of a 1975 killing.
• In an interview with Pennsylvania’s two U.S. senators, CBS Evening News anchor Tony Dokoupil asked about “extreme rhetoric” in Minneapolis. Here’s what Dave McCormick and John Fetterman said.
• Springfield Hospital has a new buyer: the same local investor group that bought Taylor Hospital in September.
• The universities in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education were flat-funded this year for the first time since 2021-22. They’re preparing for another enrollment cliff.
• An Old City establishment now offers a GLP-1 menu, making it one of the country’s first full-service restaurants to do so. It’s part of a trend of restaurateurs adapting to diners’ shifting preferences amid economic uncertainty and the rise of appetite-curbing medications.
• Center City District Restaurant Week returns Sunday for the first time in a year, with 120 restaurants offering fixed-price lunches and dinners — the largest lineup since the pandemic.

❓Pop quiz

The Inquirer will make an appearance in an upcoming episode of which TV series?

A) The Pitt

B) The Paper

C) Abbott Elementary

D) The White Lotus

Think you know? Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Drag queen repping Philly on RuPaul’s Drag Race

GYM MADONNA

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

Cheers to Chris Lewis, who correctly guessed Saturday’s answer: Inglis House. Five residents of the home for people with severe physical disabilities are taking classes at Community College of Philadelphia. It’s the largest group to start since the 1990s.

📼 Photo of the day

This is Charlotte Astor, a high school junior from Cherry Hill. She’s trying to track down a long-lost demo tape recorded by her mom’s band in the ’90s. The hardcore community banded together to help Astor on her quest.

🎶 Today’s track goes like this: “As crazy as it may seem / I will change my whole life today.”

👋🏽 This newsletter is taking a break in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We’ll be back in your inbox bright and early on Wednesday. Until then, stay warm and take care.

Rise and shine, Philly.

Some snow is expected Saturday, but exactly how much is still up in the air.

In today’s edition, we’re talking about a new podcast that explores the city’s influence on a late filmmaker’s distinct style.

But first, there’s good news on students’ academic performance, another historic event added to the city’s busy schedule this year, and our weekly report card for the latest regional news.

Read on for these stories and more.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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What you should know today

• Philadelphia students are performing the best they have in math in years. There has been steady improvement since the pandemic.
• North Philadelphia restaurant Bella Vista is temporarily closed after a fire caused severe damage to the building on Friday morning.
• Police are investigating whether a string of Philadelphia murders of workers in the towing industry are connected.
• Federal grant recipients faced fresh uncertainty this week as $2 billion in mental health and addiction grants were abruptly cut and then restored with little explanation. Meanwhile, Philly groups secured about $3 million in new grants despite recent cuts and an uncertain future.
• About 70,000 Pennsylvania residents have dropped health coverage through the state’s Pennie marketplace, with sharp price hikes on the horizon.
• The Franklin Institute is debuting an “immersive multimedia show” about Ben Franklin on Saturday, marking his 320th birthday.
• A group seeking to open a charter school on the Valley Forge Military Academy campus has withdrawn its plans as Radnor pursues eminent domain.
• Apartments have come to Suburban Square, the first of their kind in the Ardmore shopping destination.
• Subaru Park will host the inaugural Women’s Lacrosse League championship in August, during the Philadelphia Waterdogs’ homecoming weekend.
• From Philadelphians saying goodbye to Ranger Suárez to rejecting a vibes-only Wawa, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.

This week’s obsession

Friday marked one year since the passing of David Lynch, the cult-classic filmmaker and onetime Philadelphian known for his beautifully strange storytelling. Lynch being one of my favorite directors, I got really excited to hear about Song of Lynchadelphia, a new deep dive into the profound impact this gritty city made on him and his artistry.

Lynch, a PAFA alumnus, would not have made films if it was not for the time he spent in Philadelphia in the mid-1960s. He called it one of “the sickest, most corrupt, fear-ridden” cities, as well as one of his “greatest influences.”

Podcast host Julien Suaudeau, a writer and film professor at Bryn Mawr College, said Song of Lynchadelphia explores “the encounter of the 1950s American innocence with a place where the dream had already, and very concretely, turned into a nightmare.” These themes are notable in projects like Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks.

The unsettling feeling of something lurking below the surface is pervasive in Lynch’s works. I personally enjoy any opportunity to learn how his cinematic universe came together, and how his foundational Philly years led him to become a key fixture in the world of surrealist American film.

One viewpoint

In the aftermath of Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal making national headlines for her comments about ICE, Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson argued that Bilal’s point is moot as she is unable to protect Philadelphians from the agency.

“Americans take their heroes where they can get them, but they should look past Philly’s sheriff,” Pearson writes.

Get Pearson’s perspective in this week’s Shackamaxon, as well as thoughts on SEPTA’s starts and stops, and America’s 250th birthday celebrations.

📍 Find the location

Think you can pinpoint where this car-free recreational spot can be found? Our weekly game puts your knowledge of Philly’s streets to the test. Check your answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: A Philly home for people with severe physical disabilities

ELUSION SIGH

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

Cheers to Kathleen Wersinger, who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Charles Dickens. Philadelphia’s favorite Victorian novelist made his second, and final, visit to the City of Brotherly Love on this week 158 years ago.

🔔 We were there

On Friday, the city revealed the 22 large replica Liberty Bells that will be installed across Philadelphia this year as part of the city’s Semiquincentennial celebration.

Each painted bell depicts the histories, heroes, cultures, and traditions of Philly neighborhoods. Here’s where you can find them this spring.

Somewhere on the internet in Philly

Vintage Philadelphia posted a picture of 15th and Chestnut in the 1940s. Recognize anything? 😉

Why are Redditors so excited about University City’s new Taco Bell? Food writer Beatrice Forman looked into it.

Over on Instagram, people are reacting to the Phillies re-signing J.T. Realmuto to a three-year, $45 million contract. Comments range from excitement (“I love this and tolerate no JT slander. This man needs to retire with Philly”) to ambivalence (“Happy for my mom, I guess”).

And Jimmy King shared some stunning sunset photos, with an encouraging reminder: “Longer and warmer days aren’t too far away.”

👋🏽 May your day be a good one. 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.

Good morning. It’s finally Friday.

Our top story looks at how Philly-area governments are (or aren’t) working with federal immigration agents.

We’re also following a basketball gambling conspiracy that federal prosecutors say involved tens of thousands of dollars in bribes and millions in fraudulent bets, some of which were placed in Philly.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Taking a stand

Between the newly inaugurated Bucks sheriff canceling an agreement with ICE and Haverford Township banning participation in such deals, top officials across the region are taking a stand against cooperation with ICE.

As they grapple with ever-shifting policies, here’s a brief overview of how they’re handling interactions with federal immigration authorities.

In Philadelphia, ICE is still active, but President Donald Trump has not sent troops as he has to other major cities. Philly calls itself a “welcoming city,” and a 2016 directive orders authorities to not comply with ICE-issued detainer requests unless there is a judicial warrant.

In Bucks County, sheriff’s deputies are no longer allowed to act as immigration officers. However, it is not a sanctuary county, and its corrections department will still share information with federal agencies, including ICE.

In Montgomery County, officials approved a policy that limits communication with ICE, but no formal ordinance labels it a sanctuary or welcoming county.

Politics reporter Fallon Roth explains county-level immigration policies and what local leaders are saying about ICE.

And in related news: The judicial district that oversees the Philadelphia court system says that the authority for managing ICE’s controversial presence at the Criminal Justice Center rests on Sheriff Rochelle Bilal and that decisions around that are her “sole responsibility.”

‘Historic’ gambling case

Federal prosecutors charged dozens of people Thursday in a wide-ranging scheme to fix basketball games in the NCAA and China.

Some of the bets in the “point-shaving” operation, placed at Rivers Casino in Philadelphia, were for hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to U.S. Attorney David Metcalf.

Who was charged: Twenty basketball players and six so-called “fixers.” They are accused of crimes, including bribery, conspiracy, and wire fraud. A number of Division 1 college players from programs including Northwestern State University and La Salle University were reportedly involved.

How they allegedly did it: The fixers would bribe players to underperform in games, then bettors would wager against that player’s team and collect millions in illicit winnings, Metcalf said.

Chris Palmer and Ryan W. Briggs have the story.

What you should know today

• Nearly 20 people witnessed an assault in the Cheltenham High football team’s locker room last fall, and no one tried to stop it, according to an external investigation.
• The Norristown Hospitality Center, a nonprofit day shelter for people experiencing homelessness, will shut down if it can’t find a new home quickly.
• A Republican state senator from Allentown called Philadelphia a nasty word. He doubled down on his remarks despite heavy backlash from prominent Philly Democrats.
• Penn has refused to comply with a federal subpoena seeking a list of Jewish students and faculty as part of a federal antisemitism investigation. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing the university for the data.
• Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration sued a former vendor for failing to deliver 3.4 million pieces of state agency mail to residents. In Shapiro’s first public remarks on the matter, he called the situation “absolutely unacceptable.”
• Families have flooded Yeadon police with concerns for their buried dead after more than 100 human remains were stolen from Mount Moriah Cemetery.
• Emergency medical services at Riddle Hospital in Media will be rebranded as Main Line Health EMS. The seven-ambulance fleet serves Main Line’s four-hospital system.
• Two former employees described safety issues and a culture hostile to women in their lawsuits against Trump National Golf Club in New Jersey.
• Rosemont College’s accrediting body has asked the school for information on its student records and finances and policies “to ensure truthfulness in public relations announcements.”
• Love City Brewing will take over a historic two-story building on Main Street in Manayunk.

Plus: Why isn’t the Philadelphia Art Museum more lit up at night?

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 from reporter Michelle Myers on why the Philadelphia Art Museum looks so dull and dim at night after a reader lamented the “shyness of such a gorgeous building.”

The reason it is kept looking gloomy in the dark involves infrastructure, money, and negotiations. 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

Erin Andrews’ coat at the Eagles-49ers game stole the show. What was it made of?

A) Chinchilla

B) Vintage mink

C) Eagle feathers

D) Faux fur

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

What (and whom) we’re …

🏅 Honoring: These Eagles with end-of-year awards and other superlatives.

✅ Noting: What’s open and closed in the Philly area on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

⚽ Interviewing: USMNT stalwart Antonee Robinson, whose return to action for Fulham shows what the U.S. has missed.

😋 Discovering: How a crusty, crackling bun topping traveled from Mexico to China — and where to eat them in Philly.

⚾ Getting to know: The Phillies’ new 17-year-old center fielder Francisco Renteria, a top international prospect.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Philadelphia’s favorite Victorian novelist

CHASED CRINKLES

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

Cheers to Tommy Joyce, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Brent Celek. The former Eagles tight end is using his platform to raise awareness on men’s health.

Photo of the day

Thanks, as always, for reading. Have a great weekend.

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.

Rise and shine, Philly.

Thursday will be freezing — literally — and another cold stretch is coming. Resident weather expert Tony Wood explains what may be ahead for the rest of this season.

In today’s main read, turning ordinary Phillyspeak into a relaxing sound has created an unlikely local celebrity. Get to know the comedian behind the viral Wawa whispers.

— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Hoagie-mouthed ‘ASMR’

Some may find the Philadelphia accent “to be like nails on a chalkboard,” as Betsy Kenney put it. But with millions of views on social media, she has managed to make her hometown way of talking a comforting noise for the world to hear.

For the uninitiated: ASMR is a soothing sensation by way of soft sounds or repetitive patterns. Think soft tapping or scratching.

Where Kenney comes in: She records herself whispering in her native Philly tongue and combines it with sounds that some find relaxing, like a spoon scooping Rita’s water ice.

Like music to Philly’s ears: Kenney found success doing impression videos, and noticed viewers were vibing with her uniquely Philly voice. Even Kylie Kelce rated Kenney’s accent an 11.

Abigail Covington has the story on Kenney’s comedy career taking shape since returning to her roots.

Winter nearing halftime

Bundle up — it’s about to get much colder, if not snowier, around here.

🥶 Our coldest stretch is coming soon. Starting Sunday, Philadelphia will experience a dramatic drop into next week. We’re talking lows in the teens.

🌨️ Snow or no snow? “We’re kind of in a waiting game,” one forecast specialist told Tony Wood.

❄️ Winter so far has been pretty “normal” around here, as it relates to snowfall and temperatures, according to the raw stats, but not behavior.

Let Wood guide you through what may remain of winter.

What you should know today

• Some elected city officials and community leaders on Wednesday called for ICE to get out of Philadelphia, saying agents had become a threat to safety and to the orderly administration of justice.
• Bucks County Sheriff Danny Ceisler terminated his office’s controversial partnership with ICE, citing negative impacts on public safety and immigrants’ trust of law enforcement. Haverford Township officials also voted this week to bar its police department from cooperating with the agency.
• Federal prosecutors have reportedly requested documents and information tied to the 2011 case of Ellen Greenberg. Sources say the inquiry appears to involve the handling of her death investigation.
• While the cause of last month’s fatal helicopter crash in South Jersey remains undetermined, investigators released a preliminary report piecing together a timeline detailing what happened before and after.
• St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children, a key safety-net provider in North Philadelphia, on Wednesday announced its third leadership change in less than three years.
• Pennsylvania Horticultural officials have billed the 2026 Flower Show — Philly’s first major event of its yearlong festivities planned for the 250th anniversary of America — as a celebration of the history of plants and gardening culture in the United States.
• At local colleges with major sports programs, some student athletes are now getting paychecks — from their athletic departments. Here’s how it’s going so far at Penn State, Temple, and other schools.
• The Art Museum steps will keep one Rocky statue — at the top. Another statue, which has not yet been determined, will be installed at the bottom of steps.

🧠 Trivia time

After eight seasons with Philadelphia, Ranger Suárez is headed to the American League. Which team just signed the left-handed pitcher?

A) Minnesota Twins

B) New York Yankees

C) Kansas City Royals

D) Boston Red Sox

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re…

🛍️ Explaining: What the Saks bankruptcy means for Philly-area shoppers.

🍸 Enjoying: Discounted cozy cocktails and small bites in Media.

🎤 Attending: Philly shows this week, which include Public Enemy and a Bob Dylan tribute.

💸 Noticing: A new service charge on OpenTable.

🇮🇪 Considering: How the Irish helped shape Philadelphia — and the United States.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Former Eagles tight end and Super Bowl champion

NECK TREBLE

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

Cheers to Robin Connell, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Pennsylvania Convention Center. The United Soccer Coaches Convention returns to Philly this week, with extra interest in a World Cup year.

Photo of the day

👋🏽 Thanks for reading. The weekend is almost here. Take care, and I’ll catch up with you again tomorrow morning.

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.