The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
It’s Friday, Philly — just two days until Sunday.
One week after a deadly plane crash devastated Northeast Philadelphia, it’s still not clear exactly what caused the jet to go down. While conspiracy theories fill the void, the crash has left aviation experts baffled.
And Mayor Cherelle L. Parker is stressing safety ahead of potential Super Bowl celebrations. That means no pole climbing.
Plus, you already know there’s plenty of Eagles fandom coverage below, from bets with Kansas City orgs to a South Philly Saquon Barkley mural. Let’s get into it.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Also: Friday means games! Our latest news quiz includes questions on a Grammys acceptance speech, a Kelce cake controversy, and more. And Birdle, our twist on another popular word game, is back in honor of the Birds’ playoffs run. Can you guess the Eagles-related word of the day?
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All seemed well before the Learjet 55 operated by the Mexican air ambulance service Jet Rescue departed Northeast Philadelphia Airport Friday evening.
Less than a minute after takeoff, the heavily used jet plummeted to the ground, killing all six crew members and passengers and setting off a fiery explosion.
Conspiracy theories quickly spread. But a week after the crash, it’s still not clear what actually went wrong. Even experts are puzzled.
“It’s pretty strange,” a former pilot who has logged thousands of hours in command of a Learjet 55 told The Inquirer. “They were talking normal to the tower when they switched to takeoff … then nothing.”
Reporters Ryan Briggs and Dylan Purcell detail what we do know about the jet’s final seconds.
Remembering Steven Dreuitt: The Mount Airy man killed when flames from the plane crash engulfed his car was known as a devoted father. His fiancée and son, also injured in the crash, are now fighting for their lives.
Philly has a new golden rule for Sunday: Just don’t climb onto anything, OK?
Mayor Parker on Thursday discouraged Eagles fans from scaling the city’s poles in the case of a Super Bowl win. She also asked people to drink responsibly and be aware of others in crowded spaces while celebrating.
“We want Sunday to be a joyous moment for Philadelphia,” Parker said during a news conference. “But let’s vow to do so in a safe, respectful, and responsible way.”
The mayor’s plea comes after a teen died after climbing a Center City pole amid NFC Championship celebrations last month.
Reporter Jesse Bunch has the full details on the city’s Super Bowl safety plans.
If you’re traveling Sunday in Philly: Here’s everything you need to know about road closures, parking restrictions, and SEPTA detours.
What you should know today
Three University of Pennsylvania graduates sued their alma mater over the inclusion of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas in a women’s competition.
Waiters at a restaurant in a Delaware County country club refused to serve Black customers — including Eagles veteran Brandon Graham — according to a federal lawsuit filed by a former employee.
Thieves made away with 100,000 eggs valued at $40,000 from a Pennsylvania egg farm. Police have yet to crack the case.
Former State Rep. Kevin Boyle — a Northeast Philadelphia Democrat who lost reelection last year amid public concerns about his mental health — has landed a new job with the city.
Philadelphia lawmakers will consider implementing new regulations aimed at protecting workers from retaliation and bolstering the city’s ability to enforce existing labor laws.
Pennsylvania will give Crozer Health $20 million to keep Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital open for at least 30 days under a plan approved Thursday by a bankruptcy judge.
The leader of Norristown-based social services nonprofit ACLAMO, Nelly Jiménez-Arévalo, will be Montgomery County’s first director of immigrant affairs.
A U.S. bankruptcy court judge has ruled that a University of the Arts building should go to a developer that was the highest bidder even though it won’t be used for arts purposes.
A man fatally shot by Philadelphia police Monday had carjacked an ambulance in 2013 on the Schuylkill Expressway.
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 2019 on one of Philadelphia’s busiest transportation hubs, the intersection of the Market-Frankford Line and the Broad Street Line. On the El, the underground station is called 15th Street Station — yet on the BSL, it’s City Hall. A reader asked: Why did SEPTA give them different names? Aren’t they basically the same place?
In short, the names still represent different metro lines. They’ve also been in place for half a century. Here’s the full explanation (plus, some neat SEPTA history).
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.
🧠 Trivia time
Philadelphia has lots of Eagles art, but also, lots of eagle art. Which of these is not a bird-adorned art piece found at a local museum?
A) A flask from the 1800s at the Philadelphia Museum of Art
B) A very, very old silver coin at the Penn Museum
C) A historic army regiment banner at the African American Museum in Philadelphia
D) An engraved chair at the Woodmere Art Museum
Think you know? Check your answer.
What (and who) we’re...
🦅 Learning: The lore of the Eagles bus that broke down on the way to Super Bowl XV in 1981 — and became Northeast Philly’s Liberty Bell.
🦅 Rooting for: The Inquirer’s opinion writers, who went head-to-head with the Kansas City Star in a Super Bowl showdown of ideas.
🦅 Obsessed with: These 12 baby cows in Berks County, a.k.a. the state’s most stylish Birds fans.
🦅 Comparing: The Eagles’ and Chiefs’ best fits to decide which team is the best dressed.
🦅 Loving: How these Philly groups are betting on the Super Bowl, from pies in the face to many versions of “Fly, Eagles Fly.”
🦅 Glad to see: This South Jersey school district reversed its ban on Eagles gear for teachers.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Philadelphia schools leader who is a bit superstitious about the Birds
WANTONLY TOTING
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Kim Hyde, who solved Thursday’s anagram: Kendrick Lamar. Expect some Lamar-SZA collabs during the Super Bowl 59 halftime show this Sunday. Here’s when the performance will probably start — and for the unfamiliar, here’s a primer on the multi-Grammy-winning rapper.
Photo of the day
🦅 One last green thing: Philly artist Rob Nero’s new Saquon Barkley mural in South Philly is already attracting tons of attention. See how many times he’s interrupted by a passerby’s “Go Birds” in this behind-the-scenes video.
Experiencing some Birds Burnout? Bear with us. It’s only another few days ... unless they win, in which case, we will simply never shut up about it.
I’ll be back with you Monday morning. See you on the other side.
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