‘Knucklehead behavior’ postpones indoor dining in N.J. | Morning Newsletter
Plus, Trump's campaigned has sued Pennsylvania elections officials.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
On the coronavirus front, New Jersey pulled back its planned resumption of outdoor dining yesterday, while Delaware had already postponed its move to the final phase of that state’s reopening plan. And in Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf said yesterday that the state saw a “slight uptick” in new cases over the last week.
Locally, there have been shakeups in the Philadelphia Police Department; the Trump campaign sued Pennsylvania election officials; and city teachers responded to a survey about returning to school in the fall.
— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Indoor dining was set to resume in New Jersey this week. But, due in part to what Gov. Phil Murphy called “knucklehead behavior” at outdoor restaurants, he pulled that back. Murphy also cited rising coronavirus case trends elsewhere in the country for pressing the pause button. At least 12 other states, including Delaware, have paused dropping or have added coronavirus-related restrictions due to a surge in new cases.
Malls around the region began opening this past weekend, with New Jersey’s opening yesterday. Here’s what that looked like in Cherry HiIl. And, in other news, PPE vending machines are coming to Suburban Station this week, and Pennsylvania has outlined steps for resuming nursing home visits.
Larry Krasner won office in 2017 vowing to change a criminal justice system that he described as both racist and lacking accountability. During his tenure as Philadelphia’s district attorney, Krasner has been seen as a progressive hero and also as a villain to those favoring lock-‘em-up law enforcement, my colleague Chris Brennan reports.
So, as Krasner faces his first Democratic primary as an incumbent in less than a year, those who want him out of his seat are trying to mobilize opposition against him.
What you need to know today
One of the high-ranking officials in the Philadelphia Police Department has been suspended with intent to dismiss. Chief Inspector Anthony Boyle was at the center of a narcotics scandal and alleged assault.
The Trump campaign sued Pennsylvania state and county elections officials yesterday. The president’s campaign says that mail ballot drop boxes are unconstitutional in how they were used earlier this month during the primaries.
My colleague Jesenia De Moya Correa interviewed business owners along the Germantown Avenue, Centro de Oro, and Front Street corridors. She found that cleanups are continuing with little financial assistance and a sense of fear.
The Philadelphia SWAT officer who was captured on video ripping down protesters’ masks and pepper-spraying them on I-676 has been identified as Richard P. Nicoletti, a 12-year veteran of the force. He has been suspended with intent to dismiss.
New Jersey is among the states that are projected to be hit hardest by future flooding, meaning thousands of more properties may be at risk for flooding than expected.
Pennsylvanians who are struggling with housing costs and rent because of the pandemic can soon start applying for aid to stay in their homes.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
Masks are now mandatory in Philly. Thanks for the reminder, @tominphilly.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s interesting
🎒Here’s what Philly teachers had to say about returning to school in the fall, according to a survey.
🔍For more than 30 years, the body of a woman found by the side of a road went unidentified. Now, state police investigators know her name, but much about the Philadelphia resident’s death is still a mystery, officials said.
💍Weddings now look different, from swapped-out microphones between toasts to a “sanitation supervisor.” My colleague Michael Klein wrote about what wedding caterers are doing as they restart.
⚾When the Phillies open their 2020 season, the franchise’s top two prospects should be on the major-league roster, columnist Bob Brookover writes.
🦇Could bats help us fight COVID-19? They carry the coronavirus but don’t get sick.
📈Which of the Philly area’s public companies’ stocks thrived or took a dive during the pandemic? And, when it comes to free trading apps, are they really democratizing Wall Street?
Opinions
“For some, the shooting was an aberration for a peaceful college town like State College. But for Black residents, it was especially distressing.” — write Eleanor Brown and Ben Jones about why Black people distrust the police, even in a small Pennsylvania college town. Brown is a professor of law and international affairs and a senior scientist in the Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State. Jones is the assistant director of the Rock Ethics Institute.
Eliminating school resource officer programs is an overreaction, writes Mo Canady, the executive director of the National Association of School Resource Officers. Instead, Canady writes, officers in schools need best practices.
Naiymah Sanchez and Mary Catherine Roper of the ACLU of Pennsylvania write about whether there should be a statewide ban on LGBTQ discrimination.
What we’re reading
WHYY reports that racial justice organizations are seeing a bump in donations. But it remains to be seen whether the bump will last.
If you find yourself checking your phone more, especially late at night, “with an endless scroll through social media in a desperate search for clarity,” you may be “doomscrolling.” Wired reports on how it’s impacting your mental health.
Two researchers have studied politics on TikTok and Musical.ly. The New York Times reported what they found.
Your Daily Dose of | Dance
The original recital for Sound Space Performing Arts was canceled because of coronavirus-related restrictions. But studio director Pamela Hetherington put on an outdoor show for the first time after she performed in many outdoor recitals when she grew up in Philadelphia. See my colleague Monica Herndon’s photo gallery here.