Behind the rise in abortions in Pa. | Morning Newsletter
And neighbors balk at Wawa & Sheetz
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/3SHFVA7RWZCZZDYHB3EIRZHULQ.png)
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Good morning, Philly.
It’s a mostly toasty, sunny Sunday with a high near 97.
There’s a chance for relief by way of some rain in the afternoon, but excessive heat warnings stand through the evening, and the city’s heat health emergency is still in effect. Health officials warn that this heat wave may take a dangerous turn, so be sure to stay hydrated, keep an eye on young ones and furry friends, and know the signs of heat-related medical conditions.
State abortion bans led about 171,000 people to travel outside their home state for the procedure in 2023, according to a new report. Our top story digs into data showing more out-of-state residents driving an increase in abortions in Pennsylvania, which has become a critical access point for a growing number of patients.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
As more states restricted abortion access after the Supreme Court overturned long-standing protections, more out-of-state patients made their way to the Keystone State for abortion services.
Where Pennsylvania stands: Abortion remains legal through the 23rd week of pregnancy.
What the data show: Abortions in the state rose 15% between 2018 and 2022. The vast majority were among Pennsylvania residents, but the state saw a sharp increase in out-of-state abortion patients from 2021 to 2022. That number shot up 41%, according to the latest available data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Where they are coming from: Most traveled from Ohio, where a bill went into effect in 2022 outlawing most abortions after six weeks.
On the ground: Clinics in Western Pennsylvania, particularly those in Pittsburgh, were hardest hit by the influx of out-of-state patients.
Health reporter Sarah Gantz teamed up with data editor Stephen Stirling to bring you the full analysis here.
Two companies want to set up shop on the same corner in Phoenixville. Some neighbors, like Sarah Sterling pictured above, say, “No way.”
Wawa and — in a first for the Philadelphia region, Sheetz — are looking to build convenience stores with gas stations at a high-traffic intersection. But members of the group Protecting Schuylkill Township are concerned that the stations could bring hazardous fumes and other disturbances to nearby homes.
Both businesses say their stores would be safe for residents, and Sheetz’s proposal is only in the early stages. Still, community activists are sounding alarm bells on several fronts, including the potential health impacts of having pumps in close proximity to homes, noise and light pollution, and more traffic coming to a corridor that is already busy.
Sterling would feel the impact of these stores right in her backyard. The white building with a blue roof is the proposed site of the Sheetz station. She and others worry that it could jeopardize their suburban oasis.
In her own words: “These are our homes, and it’s our health and safety,” Sterling said. “You live here for three years, and it’s suddenly like, ‘Oh, this is not as safe of an environment as I thought it was.’”
Read on to see what studies show regarding gas emissions and how zoning guidelines are at play.
What you should know today
Former President Donald Trump made his first 2024 campaign visit to Philadelphia Saturday with a rally at Temple University, where he made multiple appeals to Hispanic and Black voters. On the way to Liacouras Center, Trump stopped for a cheesesteak at Tony & Nick’s in South Philly.
A 31-year-old Philadelphia police officer was shot and critically wounded Saturday night during a car stop in the city’s Kensington section, one of at least eight officers who have been shot in the city in the last eight months.
A Temple University student was killed early Saturday morning in what police are calling a domestic homicide.
Philadelphia police on Friday night announced the arrest of a 23-year-old man in the shooting of seven people Wednesday evening in North Philadelphia.
A Norristown woman was sentenced to three to six years in state prison on Friday for causing a crash with a SEPTA bus that killed her 14-month-old son last year. She was high on narcotics when she hit the bus.
Lawyers for two Philadelphia gun owners filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging the city’s days-old law banning rapid-fire gun devices known as “bump stocks.”
And on Friday, the Supreme Court upheld a federal gun control law that is intended to protect victims of domestic violence.
SEPTA and other transit agencies need more money. Pa. Senate Republicans are open to it, but have yet to determine how much they’re willing to spend.
Members of the Delaware County Prison Employees Independent Union last week passed a vote of no-confidence against Warden Laura K. Williams, asserting her tenure at the county jail has led to dangerous working conditions and low staff morale.
The former president of Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers could spend nearly six years in federal prison if prosecutors get their way at his sentencing hearing on union embezzlement charges this week.
❓Pop quiz
Though he struggled to describe it, HBO House of the Dragon star Fabien Frankel said he loves this Philly staple.
A) water ice
B) soft pretzel
C) cheesesteak
D) scrapple
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This former Philadelphian and country star will share select tunes and a few brews with fans at Philly’s McGlinchey’s Bar.
BAR HAZY NC
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Robert Firely who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: King of Prussia, home to the third-largest shopping mall in the U.S., where an interactive Netflix House will launch in 2025.
Photo of the day
Cole Hamels officially hung up his cleats Friday night. His major-league career lasted 15 seasons, during the first 10 of which he called Philadelphia home. “And now,” the 2008 World Series MVP said after turning to the Phillies’ dugout, “it’s this team’s turn.”
🎶 Today’s Sunday track goes like this: “The heat is on / On the street / Inside your head / On every beat.” No lies detected. I have a feeling we’ll be listening to that one again very soon.
👋🏽 Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Inquirer. Enjoy the day, and stay hydrated out there.