đŒ A chaotic return for city workers | Morning Newsletter
And Harris finds Philly support.
![Workers walking into the Municipal Services Building at 15th Street and JFK Boulevard on the morning of Monday, July 15, the first day of the mayor's full-time office mandate.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/AQVZbz1s-K8z0j6VJ3eBkcLFDp8=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/A52NELFMBJEDZFKAOD22FZMPII.jpg)
The Morning Newsletter
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Hi, Philly. The forecast for the next three days features a chance of showers and thunderstorms. Today, weâll also see some sun, and temps in the high 80s.
Our top story follows Mayor Cherelle L. Parkerâs mandate that thousands more city workers must report to their downtown offices five days a week. A week into its enforcement, those workers describe crowded, dirty conditions and persistent low morale.
And as Vice President Kamala Harris kicks off her presidential campaign, Black and Asian American leaders in Philadelphia hope her candidacy will energize Democrats.
Hereâs what you need to know today.
â Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Parkerâs policy that all city employees must work from their downtown offices five days a week went into effect last Monday. The mandate affects about 20% of the municipal workforce who had previously followed hybrid schedules.
But were those offices ready for workersâ full-time return?
đŒ One week in, workers describe overcrowding, visible dirt and dust, a broken HVAC system, and workspaces still in the midst of active construction.
đŒ Union leaders report low morale and said they plan to track how many people retire early or quit because of the strict mandate and poor conditions. Philadelphia government already faces a staffing crisis as a quarter of city jobs lie vacant.
đŒ âItâs kind of a double slap in the face,â one employee told The Inquirer. âYou made us come back in the first place, and then you werenât even prepared for us to come back.â
Yet another way this fallâs election is set to be unprecedented: Vice President Kamala Harris is poised to become the first woman of color to lead a major partyâs presidential ticket.
Leaders in Pennsylvaniaâs Black and Asian American communities speculated Monday that excitement for Harris would grow, enabling Democrats to recruit new or disengaged voters. They also acknowledged that her identity will likely bring heightened scrutiny â but hope her qualifications take precedent. Reporters Layla A. Jones and Katie Bernard have the story.
Meanwhile, Pennsylvania continues to be a focus amid the national conversation on Harrisâ nascent election campaign.
The delegates: Pennsylvaniaâs delegates to the Democratic National Convention unanimously voted Monday to endorse Harris to be the presidential nominee. Check out The Inquirerâs live delegate tracker leading up to the DNC in August to see where delegates across the country stand.
The VP convo: Gov. Josh Shapiro, widely seen to be a contender to run alongside Harris, didnât confirm his interest in the role â but didnât deny it, either. If he did resign to run, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis would be first in line to fill any gubernatorial vacancies.
The endorsements: Harris nabbed the backing of all the usual suspects of the local Democratic party, including Sen. John Fetterman, despite his frustration with those who encouraged President Joe Biden to drop out, and Mayor Parker, who also applauded Bidenâs character. But Philly royalty Questlove and Sheryl Lee Ralph pledged their support, too. (No word yet on where Taylor Swift stands.)
đ„„đŽ Also, the memes: Oh, the memes. Supporters are using coconut tree emojis and Harrisâ campaign has embraced the âbrat summerâ vibe. TBD if adopting âWomenâs Worldâ would have the same effect.
What you should know today
The head of the U.S. Secret Service on Monday described the July 13 assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump at a Butler campaign rally as her agencyâs âmost significant operational failureâ in decades and said she took âfull responsibility.â
The mass shooting in West Philadelphia that left three men dead â including two brothers â and six others injured early Sunday was the result of an argument-turned-gun fight, police said Monday.
Edsaul Mendoza, the former police officer who fatally shot 12-year-old Thomas âT.J.â Siderio in South Philadelphia in 2022, was ordered Monday to serve at least eight years in prison for a crime that has devastated Siderioâs relatives and friends.
Construction of Tamanend Plaza, which will include a statue depicting Chief Tamanend and new bike lanes, can move forward in Old City thanks to millions in new grants.
Thousands of poor and elderly residents were stranded in awful apartments. Did you miss The Inquirerâs investigation last week? Here are the big takeaways.
The Inquirerâs Olympics coverage continues: Meet the Upper Merion grad whoâs set to be a two-time Olympian with USA Rugby.
đ§ Trivia time
Which munchies company just sold its majority ownership stake in University of Pennsylvania alum-founded Insomnia Cookies?
A) Herrâs Snacks
B) Nestlé
C) Krispy Kreme
D) Frito-Lay
Think you know? Check your answer.
What weâre...
⟠Cringing over: All the times Nick Castellanos hit home runs during historic and somber moments.
đ· Trying: To get a seat at this uber-exclusive restaurant opening soon in Society Hill.
đŽ Eating: Outside snacks, thanks to this neighborhood guide to rooftop and outdoor dining.
𧩠Unscramble the anagram
The neighborhood bordered by Spring Garden Street to the south, Girard Avenue to the north, Front Street to the east, and Seventh Street to the west (give or take a few blocks).
HORRIBLE INTERNETS
Email us if you know the answer. Weâll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Sibylle Pfaffenbichler, who solved Mondayâs anagram: Penn State. The public university system will raise in-state tuition at University Park by 2% in 2025-26.
Photo of the day
Enjoy the rest of your Tuesday. See you back here tomorrow.
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