🦅 The Birds are back | Morning Newsletter
And block-by-block cleaning pilot ends.
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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. It’s another sunny day with a high near 80.
Football has returned, with our Eagles kicking off the 2024-25 season with a “home” game in São Paulo, Brazil, this Friday night. Alongside plenty of preview coverage, The Inquirer’s sports team has a fun new game called Bird Box to test your knowledge of players past and present.
And Mayor Cherelle L. Parker says her summertime cleaning program was a success — but now comes the hard part. Here’s what you need to know today.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Grab your face paint and tailgate tents. The Birds are back.
As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare to take on the Green Bay Packers in their season opener, The Inquirer’s sports writers set out to answer a few questions: Will the team be stronger for their 2023-24 season collapse? Did Nick Sirianni deserve another chance? Can Jalen Hurts get back among the elite? Could Jason Kelce become a coach? Will out-of-towners ever stop making fun of us?
Time will tell. Here’s what else to know before the first game.
🦅 Game on: Play our new weekly game, Bird Box, by populating the grid with the names of athletes from the past 50 seasons based on clues (say, “Joined after 2000″ or “100+ career games played”). Think of it like Sudoku for Eagles players.
🦅 On the field: Need a refresher on who’s actually on the team this year? We analyzed all 53 Eagles players on the roster, from fresh faces to proven stars. Plus, check out our game-by-game predictions for the entire season.
🦅 Kickoff time: For Brazilian Birds fans, Friday’s game at Corinthians Arena — the first NFL game in South America — “will be their Super Bowl.”
🦅 Catch up: The Inquirer’s sports reporters and columnists have plenty more Eagles season preview analysis.
The Parker administration’s inaugural summertime cleaning program is officially over, with 18,000 blocks swept and scrubbed over 13 weeks. But its cleaner-and-greener promise lives on. What’s next?
🧹 Starting this fall, the block-by-block program will repeat twice per year, and new quality-of-life crews will be sent to Philadelphia’s 10 councilmanic districts for regular cleanings. The administration will also announce a pilot program for twice-weekly trash collection later in the year.
🧹 The mayor declared success during a Wednesday news conference. But she acknowledged that daily maintenance is up to residents.
🧹 Meanwhile, critics say the block-by-block program is more show than substance: “Cleaning up something once and then thinking it’s just going to stay clean after that is just absurd,” the city’s former litter director told The Inquirer.
City Hall reporter Anna Orso has the story.
P.S. Also on Wednesday, Parker said keeping the Sixers in Philadelphia “is a priority” for her, but she continued to avoid taking a firm position on whether the team should construct an arena in Center City.
What you should know today
Federal authorities in Philadelphia have seized more than 30 internet domains believed to be part of a Russian-backed disinformation campaign aimed at influencing the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
During his Wednesday visit to Lancaster, Democratic VP candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz talked sweet treats and voter turnout. Former President Donald Trump stopped in Harrisburg on the same day for a town hall with Fox anchor Sean Hannity.
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump have agreed to the rules for next week’s presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philly, including muted mics.
Following the city’s latest property assessments, many West and Southwest Philly residents’ tax bills will more than double next year. Some don’t know what tax relief is available to them.
Under a new law, school districts will be able to apply for state funds to purchase and install solar panels, generating energy savings that can be invested back into classrooms.
Pennsylvania schools and the state are failing to adequately protect children from lead in drinking water that can cause nervous system damage and learning disabilities, according to a new report.
Nearly 30 restaurants are expected to open in Philadelphia this fall, and another dozen are expected in the suburbs.
🧠Trivia time
In a predawn heist Wednesday, a crew of thieves stole three large pallets containing $42,000 worth of perishable product from a tractor-trailer in South Philadelphia — the latest in a rash of cargo thefts. What was stolen?
A) Mexican avocados
B) Crab meat
C) Lobster tails
D) Water ice
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🎨 Hearing: The story behind artist Jesse Krimes’ Rikers Quilt.
♻️ Recycling: Refrigerators, window units, and more appliances for free in New Jersey.
🏠Buying: Affordable starter homes in these Philly-area counties.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Collegeville native and recent Bachelor star Joey Graziadei is joining this reality show.
CHASTEST HANDWRITING
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Patricia Taylor Todd, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Supreme Court justice is promoting her new memoir, Lovely One, with a stop in Philadelphia on Sept. 28
Photo of the day
👋 Have a great Thursday. I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow.
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