🌷 Out from under snowy covers | Morning Newsletter

It’s a foggy Friday, Philly.

Spending five-plus weeks under snowpacks hasn’t been all bad for local plant life. But as the thaw accelerates, home gardeners should watch their step.

And area legislators are responding to President Donald Trump’s new Department of Homeland Security secretary pick after the firing of Kristi Noem.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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How plants weathered Philly’s winter

It’s not quite spring, but warmer weather is on its way. How is the region’s plant life holding up after all that snow and ice?

🌷 Horticulturalists say the harsh winter brought some benefits to local plants. The snow cover, in particular, “insulated” dormant plants and roots.

🌷 However, that snow cover also allowed destructive voles to stay active and protected from predators underground, where they nibbled on (and killed) roots and grasses. Deer had a tougher time finding food. And plants near salted driveways may be dehydrated.

🌷 With the recent thaw, “mud season” has arrived in Philly. Avoid walking on the compacted ground, which can further tighten the soil and reduce its air spaces, experts say.

Weather reporter Anthony R. Wood has more details on how foliage fared, and how gardeners can prepare for next season.

P.S. Cherry blossom season is on its way, too: The National Park Service predicts D.C.’s blossoms will peak between March 29 and April 1.

Moving on from Noem

President Trump on Thursday announced that he is replacing DHS Secretary Kristi Noem with GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin after Noem faced increasing criticism of her oversight of deportation operations. She will take on a newly created role called “the Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.”

Pennsylvania and New Jersey lawmakers were quick to comment on the leadership change.

U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D., Pa.), who called for Noem to be fired after federal immigration agents killed two American citizens in January, committed to supporting Mullin. U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick (R., Pa.) also plans to vote to confirm Mullin.

U.S. Sen. Andy Kim (D., N.J.), who had also called for Noem’s termination, said the change is “only the start of” needed reform at DHS.

Politics reporter Fallon Roth has more regional reactions.

In other ICE-related news: The Montgomery County commissioners further limited the county’s cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement by passing a resolution restricting the agency from using county property or resources for noncriminal investigations. And Gisele Fetterman’s X and Instagram profiles are now inactive, weeks after she spoke against ICE.

Plus: The House narrowly rejected a war powers resolution Thursday to halt Trump’s attacks on Iran, an early sign of unease in Congress over the rapidly widening conflict.

What you should know today

• The investigation into the cause of a Wednesday explosion at a Gloucester County cocoa butter processor continues. Conditions have improved for some victims injured in the blast.
• A body was discovered on a Central Bucks West High School practice field Wednesday night, school officials said. And a human skull and other remains were found this week in a wooded area of Cape May County.
• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro joined Democratic leaders from nearly two dozen states in challenging Trump’s latest global tariffs.
• A former Bucks County man who moved to Florida and voted in person for Trump in 2020, then mailed in a Pennsylvania ballot for the same election, was convicted of voted fraud Wednesday. And an undocumented West African immigrant in Philly has been charged with fraudulent voting after casting a ballot in the 2024 federal election, authorities said.
• Quakertown residents berated the borough council at a public meeting Wednesday for refusing to discipline the town’s police chief after student protesters’ arrests last month.
• Flyers fight coach and bare-knuckle brawler Johnny “Cannoli” Garbarino sparked a melee outside Barstool Sansom last weekend. A cop at the scene reportedly gave him a fist bump.
• Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration sent Philadelphia City Council a bill on Thursday to encourage more apartment construction around SEPTA stations. And more than 60,000 people living in poverty rely on subsidized SEPTA passes — but it’s unclear if Parker is funding the program in her budget next week.
• City Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson on Thursday introduced legislation that would more tightly regulate smoke shops and the products they sell. Council also formally honored a Philly-born Palestinian American killed last month by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
• William Way LGBT Community Center is set to demolish and replace its historic headquarters with a new building and apartments.

Plus: Why do some Philly sidewalks say they’re ‘not dedicated to the public’?

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 2018 on what those angled plaques in the sidewalk really mean when they say the areas around them are “not dedicated to the public.” (If you’re unfamiliar: Look down the next time you’re, say, on the University of Pennsylvania’s campus, or near the Federal Detention Center downtown.)

No, it’s not that pedestrians can’t walk there. Those markers are signaling that the space of sidewalk between where that metal sign stops and the building begins technically isn’t public property. 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

A Fishtown resident has gotten attention for posting fliers across town with fun facts about which topic?

A) Eagles

B) Frogs

C) Snoopy

D) Fish

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

What we’re …

☀️ Noting: Philly Parks & Rec’s new summer camp lotto system at these in-demand locations.

💅 Asking: Where chefs and bartenders get their long-lasting manicures.

🍎 Welcoming: The sixth-season renewal of Quinta Brunson’s Philly-set Abbott Elementary.

🏒 Recapping: Our Reddit AMA on the Flyers, including what to expect at the trade deadline.

🏠 Surprised to learn: Wallpapering is back for Philly homes — and the rules have changed.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: Women’s sports hub and cafe coming soon 🐦

OPPOSING TOE

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

Cheers to Catherine Mineo, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Metropolitan. After a 33-year run, the bakery brand has sold. Its Rittenhouse shop closes this month, but the breads will live on.

Photo of the day

🎒 One last congratulatory thing: Preschool classroom assistant Angela Feliciano is the first from Camden to be named New Jersey’s teaching assistant of the year. The Camden Education Association’s president called it “a proud moment” for the city.

Thanks for ending your week with The Inquirer. Paola has you covered with the weekend’s news. I’ll be back with you Monday.

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