An empire of neglect | Morning Newsletter
🚎 And SEPTA’s safety report.
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Hi, Philly. This sunny Tuesday could mark Philly’s first 100-degree day in more than a decade. But the recent heat streak hasn’t stopped the region from setting a July weather record — for snow (kinda).
New Jersey real estate investors have left affordable housing complexes across the country in shambles, and Philadelphia seniors are caught in the middle.
And, following a safety investigation, the Federal Transit Administration has ordered SEPTA to better protect transit operators from assaults and tighten procedures to prevent bodily harm.
We also have dispatches from the Republican National Convention and the actions Pennsylvania politicians are taking after the Trump assassination attempt. Read on for the news you need to know.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Residents of the 11-story Brith Sholom House in Philly’s Wynnefield neighborhood live with bedbug infestations, crumbling ceilings, and violence. And they’re far from the only tenants facing threats to their health and safety.
Brith Sholom is part of a network of affordable housing complexes owned by companies linked to the Puretz family — New Jersey real estate investors with a pattern of buying large developments in need of major repairs, inflating their value to lenders, then profiting as they let the properties fall into ruin. Across 21 states, the Puretzes have left thousands of poor, older, and disabled residents in dangerous conditions.
The Wynnefield residents are demanding answers and support from the city as their landlords face a slew of lawsuits, a threatened gas shutoff, and an impending sheriff sale. But accountability may be tough to come by in a tangled legal predicament.
In the span of one week last July, SEPTA buses and trolleys were the center of five major collisions that killed one person and injured at least 25. The Federal Transit Administration called for an investigation into the agency’s safety practices in response.
Here’s a snapshot of the fixes ordered by the FTA in its resulting report released Monday:
🚎 Increase hiring for safety compliance roles, traffic controllers, and vehicle operators.
🚍 Develop more secure compartments for bus drivers.
🚃 Coordinate with the city and PennDot to improve roadway visibility and other traffic challenges.
The report comes as SEPTA faces a $240 million operating deficit — and as assaults on SEPTA workers are on the rise.
Transportation reporter Tom Fitzgerald has the story.
What you should know today
Donald Trump was formally nominated as his party’s presidential candidate, and U.S. Sen. JD Vance of Ohio was named his VP pick, as Republicans kicked off their national convention in Milwaukee.
The event began amid an ongoing investigation into the attempt on Trump’s life during a weekend campaign rally in Butler, Pa. — a usually sleepy town of 13,000 where city workers have been inundated with messages ranging from support to threats.
Gov. Josh Shapiro is urging bipartisanship following the rally shooting. This may be his most important moment in the national spotlight yet.
Amid calls for unity and toned-down political rhetoric, Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dave McCormick’s campaign said he would suspend negative advertising if his opponent, Sen. Bob Casey, did, too. But Casey’s campaign said he already had.
Two officials in Delco resigned over social media posts related to the assassination attempt.
Twelve-year-old Malinda Hoagland died malnourished and abused in Chester County in May. Her family and their attorneys say the state failed her — and they’re demanding accountability.
Mayor Parker’s mandate that all city employees work from their downtown offices five days a week went into effect Monday, as an unfair-labor practices complaint is pending and discontent persists among many workers: “I just feel like we’re a bunch of pawns being used,” one said.
With the help of Philadelphia Housing Authority programs, a North Philly man was able to buy the house his family rented for more than 50 years. Now, he’s transforming it.
🧠 Trivia time
More than 700 people were randomly targeted in the latest round of a Pennsylvania Turnpike smishing scam. What does smishing mean?
A) Sending fake emails to elicit personal information
B) Sending fake voicemails to elicit personal information
C) Sending fake texts to elicit personal information
D) Smooshed fishing
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🛥️ Visiting, ASAP: The only lake in Pennsylvania where you can rent houseboats.
🧘 Already missing: Outdoor workout class Yoga on the Banks, which is shutting down after 10 years on the Schuylkill.
🎅 Buying: Tickets to the Cirque du Soleil Christmas show’s Philly debut.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
The fun-loving veteran newscaster and Good Day Philadelphia co-host.
JERKIER MICK
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Frank Senske, who solved Monday’s anagram: Gene Hart. The iconic Flyers broadcaster who died 25 years ago this month pulled double duty as a high school teacher in South Jersey.
Photo of the day
⚾ One last helpful thing: Phillies usher Richard Lewandowski became a hero to one distressed young fan at Thursday’s game against the Dodgers. After the kid’s dad dropped a home run ball in the stands, Lewandowski ran to grab him another one in a moment that quickly went viral.
Wishing you a day filled with air conditioning, shade, and water ice. See you back here tomorrow.
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