Mayor Kenney’s plan to rebuild | Morning Newsletter
🏕️ And campground drama
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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
Don’t forget an umbrella today. We’re in for heavy rain and breezy weather with temps reaching the high 50s.
When Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney began his tenure, he touted his signature Rebuild program as a once-in-a-generation chance to remake as many as 200 of the city’s recreation centers, parks, and libraries.
As he prepares to leave office, only 17 projects are done.
Our lead story reflects on Kenney’s Rebuild initiative.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Of the city’s initial list of 72 sites picked for renovations, 55 are still under construction, in the design phase, or have had relatively small fixes and emergency repairs completed.
Any plans to renovate sites beyond the initial cohort never materialized.
As far as Kenney’s legacy, the Rebuild initiative reflects his commitment to improving conditions for children and families in the city’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods and providing job opportunities. The completed renovations have transformed once-dilapidated spaces and more are on track to finish within the next year.
Still, Rebuild is far from meeting its original goals and has persistently had delays from the beginning.
Pay attention: Mayor-elect Cherelle Parker has said repeatedly that she supports the program but hasn’t committed to retaining the current process.
Continue reading for a complete look back at Kenney’s legacy-making project.
Some Chester County local residents aren’t fond of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources’ plans for a new campground at Big Elk Creek State Park.
An online survey conducted by the DCNR shows that 70% of respondents supported some form of camping at the state park.
But when DCNR presented a slideshow during a meeting last month at Lincoln University, it was the first time many in the audience heard the word “campground” mentioned at all.
Soon after, opponents created Save Big Elk Creek, a group with hopes to cut back DCNR’s plans and keep the land the way it is.
Keep reading to understand why some don’t want the change.
What you should know today
PennVet students say they’re working unsustainable schedules with 100-hour weeks. They say patient care is suffering.
Pennsylvania congressional candidate Shamaine Daniels became the first in the world to use an artificial intelligence robot to call voters.
We analyzed why former University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill didn’t get the same support as Harvard president Claudine Gay following their controversial congressional committee testimony earlier this month on antisemitism.
Descendants of Benjamin Franklin are selling their Philly portrait of him through Christie’s “Important Americana” auction next month.
Hundreds of Pemberton residents are rallying against a proposal for a housing plan on a portion of 700 privately owned forested acres in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens.
Amy Goldberg is the first woman to lead Temple University’s century-old medical school.
Hundreds of copies of a rare and highly coveted Taylor Swift record were available at a Kutztown record shop. When superfans found out, they went into a frenzy.
🧠 Trivia time
What year did the Reading Terminal Market open its doors?
A) 1893
B) 1900
C) 1993
D) 1793
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
👀 Watching: A jury awarded $148 million in damages to two former Georgia election workers who sued Rudy Giuliani for defamation over lies he spread about them in 2020.
🎧 Listening to: South Fellini’s hilarious new Christmas song, “If You Give Me Seven Fishes.”
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: ⛸️
TINHORN MARK
We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Send us your own original anagram to unscramble if you’d like. Email us if you know the answer. Cheers to Carolyn Ostrander, who correctly guessed Sunday’s answer: Tacony Creek Park.
Photo of the day
And that’s your news for the day. Have a great start of your week, and I’ll be back tomorrow. 👋🏽