An interactive look at a segregated city | Morning Newsletter
And, what exactly happened on the El
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/YS2RYRM3QRFWZMWKJQKVHG6KFU.jpg)
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
I remember the excitement of trips into Center City as a kid. Downtown meant the pulse of Philly — diverse, interacting, working, thriving. But I also remember those return legs home to Hunting Park, seeing that the further Center City was in the rearview, the further away that prosperity felt.
Our top story today is an interactive look at just how segregated Philly still is in 2021. Residential segregation between Black and white Philadelphians has declined stubbornly slowly over the last 40 years, making us one of the most segregated cities in the country.
This one is really fascinating, I hope you can find some time today to check it out. Thanks for starting Tuesday with The Inquirer, Philly.
— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Segregation is a complex topic with a fraught history. This story illuminates some of that history, and the lines that divide Philadelphia. And the data is stark:
Among the 30 biggest cities, Philadelphia is second only to Chicago in Black-white residential segregation. And it’s the sixth-highest in Latino-white segregation.
If you include every county in the U.S.that has at least 10,000 people and a Black population of at least 5%, Philly is more segregated than 94% of them.
Our reporters Aseem Shukla and Michaelle Bond deliver this interactive look.
The rape of a passenger on a SEPTA train one night last week lasted about six minutes, and other passengers not only looked on but appeared to point their smartphones at the assault as it happened, police said yesterday.
But the only person to call 911 was an off-duty SEPTA employee, whose quick thinking allowed Transit Police officers to arrive three minutes later, interrupt the assault, and arrest the alleged rapist. “We need the public to notify us when they see something that seems to be unusual,” Transit Police Chief Thomas Nestel III said.
Our reporter Vinny Vella has more.
What you should know
A youth residential facility in Flourtown will pay an additional $4.6 million to three sisters after being accused of negligently returning one of them to their abusive father.
The federal trial against labor leader John “Johnny Doc” Dougherty enters its ninth day today. Prosecutors played wiretaps yesterday of Dougherty making various requests of City Councilmember Bobby Henon, who they’ve portrayed as his puppet.
A gunman opened fire outside Lincoln High School in Mayfair, killing a 66-year-old man and leaving a 16-year-old in critical condition.
The Environmental Protection Agency is vowing to do its part to address the effects of PFAS, a so-called forever chemical linked to cancer. It’s found in everyday products and has particularly affected an area in Montgomery and Bucks Counties, where firefighter foam containing PFAS from nearby military bases seeped into the groundwater.
Eagles tackle Lane Johnson shared his struggles with depression and anxiety, and our columnist Mike Sielski writes that Johnson has restarted a vital conversation about athletes’ mental health.
Also in sports, Ben Simmons practiced again yesterday and we have the video to prove it. If you want in depth coverage of all Philly sports teams, you should check out the all-new Inquirer Sports Daily.
Through your eyes | #OurPhilly
As someone that’s always been fascinated by the old war boats at the Navy Yard, this shot from @mad_hatter_311 has my attention. Show us the region from your perspective using the hashtag #OurPhilly.
That’s interesting
😋 Philly is unquestionably one of the best food cities, but a pop-up coming next month from this New Jersey restaurant is cause for excitement.
🙉 A resurgence of the golden lion tamarin monkey, nearly wiped out by yellow fever, might be possible, thanks to an assist from the Philadelphia Zoo.
Opinions
“Colin Powell symbolized the values this country once respected and a kind of moderate Republican that has virtually gone the way of the dodo. He supported leaders of both parties, depending on who he thought would do the best job, and who he thought might bring the country together.” The words of our foreign affairs columnist Trudy Rubin, on the life of Colin Powell, who passed yesterday at the age of 84.
Blame pandemic school closures for the rise of so many sick kids, writes Scott Martin, chair of the Pennsylvania Senate’s Education Committee.
Raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania is not only wise but just might save the commonwealth, economics researcher Matthew Jeffrey Vegari writes.
What we’re...
Doing today: Enjoying seasonable temperatures in the upper 60s. It’s finally feeling like fall after last week’s summer temps threw the region for a loop.
Remembering: The impact of Kariamu Welsh on the dance scene here and abroad. The former Temple dance professor has passed at 72.
Keeping our eye on: Billy Penn says the long-awaited stretch of the Delaware River Trail will be completed by Fall 2022, but there are already sections you can take advantage of.
Photo of the day
Godspeed, Philly. I’ll catch you tomorrow.