🪰 Bug off | Morning Newsletter

Welcome to a new year, Philly. Early 2025 already has snow in the forecast: The region might see a dusting this afternoon, as well as potentially several inches Monday.

Invasive flies have never been worse in Chester County’s mushroom capital, homeowners say. Our top story explains why eliminating them is a challenge.

And D.C. newcomers will be sworn in today, with Dave McCormick becoming Pennsylvania’s top-ranking Republican and Delaware legislators Lisa Blunt Rochester and Sarah McBride making history. Read on to learn what their tenures mean for the 119th Congress.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

P.S. Friday means new games! Test your Eagles players know-how with the season’s final Bird Box, then take our latest news quiz, including questions on a costumed Will Ferrell, a viral Muppet, and more.

If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.

Imagine this: You buy a historic home on an idyllic plot of land in Chester County. But soon, what seemed a dream is now a nightmare as thousands of tiny black flies invade your property. They hide in vents and on lightbulbs. They’re even lurking in the bathroom.

🪰 Such is the life of one Avondale couple, and dozens of other residents of the county known for its mushroom production.

🪰 Phorid flies thrive in the soil of the mushroom farms. Fly population exploded in Chester County in 2024, filling houses with swarms of insects — and leaving homeowners with little recourse.

🪰 The recent boom even prompted Kennett Square’s mayor to declare an emergency declaration with the hope of attracting more state resources toward finding a science-backed solution to manage the invasion.

Reporter Jesse Bunch has the skin-crawling details on the phorid fly’s occupation, and efforts to eliminate the suburban pest for good.

Today marks the beginning of the 119th Congress as junior legislators are sworn in at the U.S. Capitol. Several prominent newcomers will serve Pennsylvania and the region.

McCormick’s rise: As Pennsylvania’s next senator, Dave McCormick will become the highest-ranking Republican in the state. He has already wielded some of that influence.

Making history: Lisa Blunt Rochester will be sworn in as the first Black woman to represent Delaware in the Senate. Sarah McBride, the first transgender member of Congress, will be sworn in to fill Rochester’s seat. The two have reputations as pragmatic politicians who work across the aisle.

Pennsylvania’s red wave: The state’s 17-person U.S. House delegation will skew Republican as it gains two members who flipped Democratic districts, Ryan Mackenzie in the Lehigh Valley and Rob Bresnahan in Northeast Pennsylvania. As one GOP political consultant put it, their wins were “indicative of the direction of this region.”

Politics reporters Julia Terruso and Aliya Schneider have the stories.

In other legislative news: New Jersey Democratic Sen. Cory Booker could have an unexpected partner to push his objectives on improving the U.S. food industry: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

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 2020 on Philadelphians’ most common garbage questions. First up: When setting out waste for pickup, how early is too early?

Depends on the time of year. The Streets Department is currently on its winter schedule, which means trash and recycling can be set out as early as 5 p.m. the night before they are scheduled to be collected. And yes, you really can get a fine if your cans go out before then. Here’s the full explanation to that query and two more.

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.

Fifty years ago, the Daily News tried to predict what 2025 in Philadelphia would look like. Which was not one of the predictions?

A) “Everything spotlessly clean”

B) “The Philadelphia accent finally will be a thing of the past”

C) “No football”

D) “The Philadelphia Bulletin will be dead by 1978″

Think you know? Check your answer.

📺 Anticipating: The Abbott Elementary and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia crossover episode airing Wednesday.

🍝 Slurping: Mafaldine, caramelle, and other ~hot~ pasta shapes in 2025.

🔔 Remembering: When the 1976 Bicentennial began with the Liberty Bell moving to its own pavilion.

🏈 Buying: Tickets to the Birds’ first-round playoff game at the Linc.

Hint: The nature-focused nonprofit that feeds used Christmas trees to its namesake animals 🐐

GOTHICALLY PROPJET

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Amy Swisher, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Sons of Ben. When a Philadelphia Union fan needed a lifesaving kidney transplant, another Union fan he didn’t know stepped up, with an assist from the team’s supporters club. (Doop doop.)

P.S. Nearly two months after firing Jim Curtin, the Union on Thursday announced their new manager, Bradley Carnell.

🃏 One last colorful thing: This year’s Mummers Parade drew crowds and holiday cheer — as well as some befuddled reactions. “What is this? What are they doing? It’s cool, but I’m also very confused,” one new-to-town passerby said. See The Inquirer’s photo gallery from the 2025 event.

Thanks for starting your year with The Inquirer. Enjoy the rest of your Friday.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.