🚲 Bike life | Morning Newsletter

Good morning, Philly. It’s slated to be a cloudy Thursday, with high temps in the mid-80s and the threat of storms throughout the day.

In today’s newsletter, find a story about Philly’s “bike life” community. Yes, they’re aware of their negative reputation — and they say people thinking that way have it all wrong.

And Mayor Cherelle L. Parker’s administration has revealed plans to construct a more than $100 million “wellness village” on a city-owned plot of land on State Road next to the city’s jail complex. Funding for the project was included in a $6.37 billion budget for fiscal 2024-25 that City Council gave initial approval to early this morning.

Here’s what you need to know today.

P.S. The official start to summer is right around the corner. If you’re looking for outdoor adventures, sign up now for The Inquirer’s free and fun Outdoorsy newsletter. It will hit your inbox every Friday with guides to camping, swimming, hiking, and more.

— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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If you’ve driven anywhere in Philadelphia, you’ve probably seen them riding in a pack on the city’s widest avenues, performing near-acrobatic tricks on BMX and mountain bikes.

🚲 Philly’s “bike life” community can draw ire. But it’s also a creative outlet for young people who love riding and support each other.

🚲 “No matter what you do, what your job is, your race, size ... none of that matters when we’re out there,” said Mike Plasha, a.k.a. Hoodrich Bikelife, who organizes events and giveaways for riders. “What matters is you have a bicycle and you wanna be out here with us today. Everybody protects each other, looks out for each other.”

🚲 Communities reporter Nate File spoke to riders about what they want people to understand about bike life.

P.S. The story is also part of The Inquirer’s Community Tour video series about where Philadelphians find belonging, produced by communities and engagement editor Sabrina Iglesias and social platform editor Erin Reynolds. Watch the full bike life Community Tour video here.

Northeast Philadelphia may become the site of a drug treatment center and shelter housing more than 600 people in addiction.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker revealed that’s how she would spend the $100 million pitched for “triage and wellness facilities” during her inaugural budget address in March. The new details arrived in a closed-door meeting with city lawmakers this week, as City Council was in the final stages of negotiating Parker’s budget plan for the next fiscal year.

Zoom out: The plan is part of the mayor’s pledge to end open-air drug markets, a cornerstone of her administration. It comes a month after her administration quietly began adding beds to a homeless shelter in Fairmount to accommodate people with substance-use disorder, sparking outrage from neighbors.

Location, location, location: The center would be housed at 7979 State Road, next to the city’s jail complex — the same site where, in 2020, the city committed to building a tiny house village for unhoused people.

Notable quote: “If you’re going to do a site, I think in a secure complex like a prison complex makes sense to me,” said City Councilmember Mike Driscoll, whose district includes the site. “Every Councilperson at some point says, ‘Well, not in my backyard,’ but in reality we will have to take some ownership of this.”

City Hall reporters Anna Orso and Sean Collins Walsh have the stories on the plans for State Road and the details of the 2024-25 spending plan approved by Council overnight.

The Atlantic City restaurateur who holds the trademark to Tun Tavern has gone to court to block a nonprofit from using “The Tun” as the name for its planned re-creation of the historic tavern in Old City. Why is the site significant?

A) Birthplace of the Marines

B) John Adams’ house

C) Oldest church in the U.S.

D) Ben Franklin’s first printing press

Think you know? Check your answer.

🎓 Cheering: Philly Marine Joseph Bond, who at 72 is fulfilling his promise to his mom to graduate high school.

🌳 Paying: Entrance fees to visit New Jersey’s state parks and forests.

🌮 Planning: Outdoor meals in the ‘burbs with this new dining guide.

Where the Phillies are playing this weekend.

Hint: 💂

NON OLD

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Murray Fein, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Shirley MacLaine. The feted, 90-year-old movie star from The Apartment and Terms of Endearment was spotted filming in Atlantic City this week.

🌩️ It’s the 80th anniversary of D-Day. The Inquirer’s resident weather expert, Tony Wood, has a story on Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s request for a 10-day outlook for Normandy. Was the forecast accurate? Find out here.

Back at it tomorrow, Philly. Have a great Thursday.

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