Where does Kensington go next? | Morning Newsletter
And midday appointments on the rise.
The Morning Newsletter
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Welcome to Monday. What a wild weekend of weather, eh? Today will be a sunny, blustery day, with a high in the low 50s.
Kensington’s problems are long standing and complicated. With global attention focusing on the neighborhood’s open-air drug market and escalating overdose fatalities, we delve into the roots of these issues and explore what stakeholders believe the new mayor could do to address them.
On a lighter note, midday appointments, ranging from haircuts to golf swings, have been on the rise since the pandemic normalized remote work. The level of openness varies by employer.
Let’s get into those stories and more.
— Julie Zeglen (@juliezeglen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Cautionary tale. International spectacle. Policy failure.
Amid this notoriety, for thousands of Philadelphians, Kensington is still home.
When she took office in January, Mayor Cherelle L. Parker made it a cornerstone of her administration to clear out Kensington Avenue’s open-air drug market. While details of her plan won’t be released until April, she has said she intends to focus most on supporting longtime residents.
But some stakeholders are concerned that efforts to eliminate the local drug market may lead to gentrification and displacement, as developers might prioritize property flipping over the needs of the existing community. Some worry, too, that people who use drugs won’t get life-saving help if the resources in place now disappear.
How did the former manufacturing hub turn into the epicenter of the region’s opioid crisis? And what could be the path forward for Parker, whose stance on harm reduction efforts such as needle exchange is a sharp departure from her predecessors?
By the numbers: More than one-third of the city’s homeless people live in Kensington. Nearly half of longtime residents live in poverty. The zip code 19134 saw 1,270 fatal overdoses between 2015 and 2022.
Notable quote: “The ‘I made it out’ should not be normalized,” said Kiara Lynn Garcia, a Kensington native who moved away after college but is now considering buying a house in the neighborhood where she grew up. “It should be ‘We empowered you to do better.’”
A look forward: Inquirer reporter Max Marin, who has covered Kensington for years, offers a nuanced overview of what represents some of the city’s greatest challenges.
What you should know today
The search for the 6-year-old girl who fell into Chester Creek on Saturday night shifted to a recovery mission by Sunday evening.
Even some MAGA Republicans are wary of abortion bans. That could be a problem for U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick’s challenger, anti-abortion activist and first-time candidate Mark Houck.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner is suing some of the largest pharmaceutical countries and pharmacy benefit managers in the country over the cost of insulin.
Parker’s proposed budget would see the mayor’s office receive $15.2 million in the next fiscal year. That represents a 151% increase over its original budget for this year — the largest of any department — aligning with a staff increase from 39 budgeted positions to 113.
The psychological toll of gun violence hits bus drivers hard, too. SEPTA is stepping up training in trauma care for frontline managers and working on prototypes of a bulletproof compartment for bus operators amid an increase in violent incidents.
Visit Mayfair Elementary and you’ll find a one-of-a-kind classroom where pre-teens learn elements of plumbing, carpentry, electrical work and masonry — the foundational elements of career and technical education.
Who is the city’s new director of Latino engagement? Meet William Garcia, a pastor who for the last 20 years has worked for Esperanza Academy Charter School.
High-end fitness club Equinox is set to open its first Philadelphia location in late fall.
Fresh off of purchasing Jerry Blavat’s Memories in Margate, this nightlife bigwig is adding two splashy new restaurants to his growing portfolio in downtown Philadelphia.
Nikki Lopez, a bar and venue with “really good drinks at an affordable price,” will open on South Street on the former site of Dobbs.
As a hybrid worker who hasn’t spent a full week inside an office since March 2020, I’m a big fan of pausing in the afternoon to stretch my legs and take my dog for a quick walk on at-home days.
Plenty of other WFH Philadelphians have the same idea, though some take it a bit further by getting their errands done during their 9-to-5. Not just a stop by the neighborhood bodega for lunch — we’re talking tasks that require more of a time commitment, such as manicures, haircuts and workout classes.
💅 The rise of remote work has also led to a rise in midday appointments, according to salon owners, estheticians, personal trainers, and other business managers.
💅 While some clients stay on top of work during their visits via smartphone or even a laptop open in front of the drying chair, others have resorted to low-level lying to cover their digital tracks so bosses can’t tell they’re not at their desks.
💅 But the trend may be shifting as more employers mandate in-office work.
Capturing examples from the benign to the more extreme — “At the driving range at Burholme Golf, one regular perches his laptop on the divider between stalls, working between each swing” — consumer reporter Erin McCarthy takes a close look at the culture of midday bookings, and how businesses are adapting to changing workplace norms.
🧠 Trivia time
This former Phillies star fell in love with horse racing. Now he owns a Kentucky Derby favorite.
A) Chase Utley
B) Pat Burrell
C) Cole Hamels
D) Jayson Werth
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we're...
📚 Reading: Words of wisdom from 91-year-old Delores F. Brisbon, who made history as the first Black woman to be named COO at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in 1980.
🖌️ Coloring: These fun, printable Phillies illustrations as baseball season commences.
🏈 Pushing: Tushes, as the NFL allows the Eagles to keep doing what they do better than anyone.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
This ex-Temple Owl and now showrunner is returning to the university as a commencement speaker in May.
Hint: 🎒
SQUAB TRUNNION
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Harry Whalen, who correctly solved Sunday’s anagram: Lionel Messi. The Argentinian soccer star sadly did not play in Friday’s game against El Salvador at Lincoln Financial Field.
Photo of the day
Spoiler: The winner ate a whopping 7.5 footlong cheesesteaks in 10 minutes.
Your “only in Philly” story
📬 Think back to the night that changed your life that could only happen in Philly, a true example of the Philly spirit, the time you finally felt like you belonged in Philly if you’re not a lifer, or something that made you fall in love with Philly over again — or proud to be from here if you are. Then email it to us for a chance to be featured in the Monday edition of this newsletter.
This “only in Philly” story comes from reader Dorothy Stiles, who describes a sweet moment in a local cafe:
My husband and I moved to Philly just before the Eagles won the Super Bowl, and felt it was a good luck omen. Since then there have been numerous experiences that have convinced us that we made the right choice moving here.
The most recent incident that is yet more proof that this is truly the “City of Brotherly Love” was when a few friends and I were having brunch at a local coffee shop, Ants Pants Cafe. We were clearly the senior ladies in the room, catching up on what’s new with us, perhaps chatting and laughing a bit too loud for some of the younger people working on laptops. So we did our best to keep it down hoping not to disturb a young woman near us.
As we prepared to leave and asked for the check, the waiter smiled and told us the young lady on the laptop near us had picked up our tab. She had left without our noticing, but made our day. We agreed to each “pay it forward” and spread the word that Philly truly is the “City of Brotherly/Sisterly Love.”
Enjoy the rest of your Monday! See ya tomorrow morning.
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