Oscars recap; ‘Olympics for florists’ comes to Flower Show; Is FedLoan running out of money? | Morning Newsletter
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This morning I’m all about two things: competition and money. So, you know, a regular Monday morning. On the competitive side, we’ve got a recap of Hollywood’s biggest night for those who skipped the Oscars or just want to relive the glamour. Plus my colleague Bethany Ao has taken a look at the reality show-like contest coming to this year’s Flower Show. On the money side, a look at the electricians union shows how it gathers green for political spending while an update on an American loan servicer shows it might be running out of dough.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
This year’s Philadelphia Flower Show is not just the annual walk in the indoor park you’ve come to expect from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society.
No, this year there’s an air of intense reality show competition among the blooms’ perfumes.
That’s because starting this week the Interflora World Cup, “the Olympics for florists,” will have contenders from 23 countries vying to be named champion — and the whole floral world is watching.
The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, which graduates know as FedLoan, services $1 in $5 of the nation’s student debt.
PHEAA has lately faced lawsuits from disgruntled customers and investigations from state attorneys general. But now it could be in financial trouble, too.
The agency’s profits have plummeted by 90 percent over the last four years and it could soon start to lose money. That means the river of money it usually sends to Pennsylvania’s college grant program is drying up.
Last month’s indictment of John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty just scratched the surface of the union leader’s immense political influence and impact. He has helped elect senators, Congress members, governors, judges, mayors, and City Council members.
And he did it with the help of his money machine: small-dollar donations withdrawn from the paychecks of members of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.
The Inquirer has analyzed these contributions to the union’s main political action committee and found it collected just under $41 million from members from 2002 through 2018.
What you need to know today
If you fell asleep before Bradley Cooper performed “Shallow” with Lady Gaga, don’t miss our recap of the 2019 Oscars (spoiler alert: Green Book won best picture). The red carpet was full of stunning looks and the host-less ceremony went well. Plus a Penn sophomore’s movie took home an award.
Philly-based Spark Therapeutics Inc., founded by two researchers from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, has agreed to be sold to Switzerland-based Roche Holding AG in a deal valued at $4.8 billion.
Vice President Mike Pence is scheduled to meet with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido today after a weekend of unrest in the country. Two people were killed in violent clashes as activists tried to deliver humanitarian aid Saturday.
Camden’s City Council is considering a measure that would call for makeshift memorials to be dismantled and removed after 15 days, but for some that seems all too cruel.
Police believe the man behind eight recent attacks on women in South Philadelphia, including sexual assaults, attacked another woman Saturday night. In surveillance video of one of the attacks, the suspect can be seen riding a bicycle through the neighborhood.
Pennsylvania’s Auditor General has found that officials in 18 counties accepted hundreds of dollars in gifts from companies selling voting machines ahead of the 2020 election.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Thank you for being so vigilant, @maisy_thecorgi.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s Interesting
Rookie goalie Carter Hart, who has been wowing fans lately, will be sidelined for at least 10 days with a lower-body injury, the Flyers announced Saturday.
Chester-raised kickboxing champion Fredia Gibbs became a star in the 90s. Thanks to a new statue of her being erected later this year, generations to come will learn how she turned bullies’ taunts into motivation.
The Please Touch Museum’s latest play encourages kids to appreciate other people’s cultures and reflects Philly’s African American Muslim community, and it does it all through bean pie.
Good news for Bridesburg: a new waterfront park is being planned for the neighborhood. It’ll eventually connect to an existing 2.2-mile trail along Delaware Avenue.
It’s tax season. (Please, try to contain your excitement.) Take a moment to review handy deduction tips, they could save you time and a headache.
A slew of Phillies spring training games are slated for this week. Check the schedule and find out how to watch them all.
Opinions
“That’s his punishment. He can purchase his freedom from other consequences with the same bankroll he used at the Orchids of Asia, but he can’t buy back his public image. And God help him if TMZ or somebody gets hold of that videotape.” — Columnist Bob Ford on Patriots owner Robert Kraft forever tarnishing his legacy after being charged as part of a prostitution sting in Florida.
Sen. Kamala Harris has declared “We need to have Medicare for all,” but University of Pennsylvania professor Mark V. Pauly remains nervous about the prospect.
The abuses of men like Robert Kraft, Jeffrey Epstein, and President Donald Trump are waking people up to holding America’s billionaires to account, writes columnist Will Bunch.
What we’re reading
PlanPhilly has checked in with the lobbying war over Philadelphia’s soda tax and found that, yes, it’s still being fought to the tune of millions of dollars.
Last month, the Inquirer reported on how recyclables in Philly are being incinerated instead. The Guardian is offering another look at the phenomenon as it repeats across U.S. cities, with a focus on our region.
Pairing well with that report is a WHYY report on Pittsburgh researchers who are looking to combat climate change by creating bath sponge-like membranes to filter exhaust gas from power plants.
Seun Olubodun, owner of Duke & Winston, is bringing the bulldog-faced brand back to life and Philadelphia Weekly caught up with him about why he closed his store, the mental health fallout that followed, and losing his beloved pet.
Just for fun: don’t miss the thread about a bat that found its way into the Museum of English Rural Life.
A Daily Dose of | Relaxation
Mellow Massage brings more than just acupuncture and yoga to East Falls. Owner Gerrae Simons Miller is opening wellness practices to people of all ethnic backgrounds and religions, too.