👟 Philly sneaker culture’s moment | Morning Newsletter
And the stakes of tonight’s debate.
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The Morning Newsletter
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It’s Thursday, and just a week from July 4. Check out The Inquirer’s guides to help you plan your holiday including where to watch fireworks, what to know about the Wawa Welcome America festival, and what’s open and closed on the Fourth.
Today we have a deep dive on the city’s sneaker culture — and why some Philadelphia sneakerheads are willing to pay top dollar for their expansive footwear collections.
And tonight’s debate between Biden and Trump is the earliest between candidates of rival parties in presidential campaign history. Can it jolt more Pennsylvania voters into paying attention?
Read on for these stories and many more.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Philadelphia has long been a hotbed of sneaker culture, from the athletes who flaunt their fashion sense through their feet to collectors motivated by the thrill of the chase. Some own hundreds of pairs and attend conventions to barter or trade for new kicks.
👟 The passion of the city’s sneakerheads has been amplified this year thanks to big events like Sneaker Con and Got Sole, plus the exclusive local drop of the Nike Dunk Low “Philly” shoes.
👟 The recent fervor inspired sports editor Devin Jackson to dig into what makes Philadelphia’s scene unique.
👟 “My brothers and dad are sneakerheads, so I’ve always appreciated the art of sneaker collecting, but what really sparked my interest was talking with Brian Nadav from Lapstone & Hammer after the Phillies helped release the Nike Dunk ‘Philly’ shoe on social media,” Jackson told me. “He emphasized the community aspect of Philly’s sneaker culture.”
Read Jackson’s deep dive into why local sneaker culture is bigger than ever.
Tonight’s televised debate between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will be the earliest in history between candidates of rival parties, held five months before the general election.
The stakes are high: Polls suggest the candidates are stuck in a dead heat across the United States. They’ll each be trying to reach undecided voters in swing states — such as Pennsylvania.
The benefits of an early debate: With a strong performance, Biden could shut down critics who say he is too old to run for re-election. Meanwhile, Trump could show off the “more disciplined” approach he’s been taking on the campaign trail lately, as one political consultant put it.
Alternatively: If it doesn’t go well, there’s enough time between now and November to course-correct.
Julia Terruso explains why Thursday’s debate matters, while Aliya Schneider digs into a new analysis cautioning pollsters to not underestimate Trump’s support as they did in past elections.
P.S. In Bucks County, Democrats are trying to focus a congressional race on abortion. Katie Bernard goes inside the rematch between incumbent U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and challenger Ashley Ehasz.
What you should know today
American Ninja Warrior champion Drew Drechsel was sentenced to 10 years in prison for manufacturing child pornography and enticing a South Jersey minor to travel for sex.
Local 98′s former leader was sentenced to four years in prison for his role in a more than $600,000 embezzlement scheme.
Former Jackass star Bam Margera pleaded guilty to two counts of disorderly conduct in connection with an incident last year in which he was accused of assaulting and threatening family members. Here’s the full timeline of the case.
A Philly judge rejected an attempt to prevent the city from banning casino-style “skill games” that have sprung up in convenience stores across the city and that critics say attract crime.
Benefits Data Trust’s abrupt closure announcement comes just six months after a board presentation said the org expected to break even this year with $32 million in revenue, sowing further confusion in an embattled nonprofit sector.
Sen. John Fetterman met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit this week to the country he’s staunchly supported. The senator is also the subject of a lengthy new New Yorker profile.
Center City’s retail occupancy has stayed pretty stable in recent months despite some retailers closing stores, per a new report.
Round one of the NBA draft was last night. See what the Sixers got up to. Plus: Try The Inquirer’s fun tool to play the role of GM and create your ideal starting five.
Meet SEPTA’s Al’Lee Floyd, who’s turned the public transit agency’s merchandise into must-have items and helped the store reach its most profitable year ever.
🧠 Trivia time
Forty years after its release, which big album from a local treasure is suddenly back on the charts?
A) Boyz II Men’s Cooleyhighharmony
B) Hall & Oates’ Big Bam Boom
C) Prince’s Purple Rain
D) Bruce Springsteen’s Born in the U.S.A.
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
👫 Loving: The bond between Phillies star Brandon Marsh and his sister, Pan Am gold medalist Erin Marsh.
🎤 Honoring: Lay Bankz, the Philly teen who started TikTok’s viral #Ick trend and just made XXL’s 2024 Freshman List.
🛶 Lazing: On the water with these local canoe and kayak tours.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
This Shore town at the southernmost point in New Jersey is among the latest to unveil cashless digital beach tags.
AYE CAMP
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to new subscriber Colleen Phifer, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Mo’ne Davis. The former Little League phenom from South Philly, who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 2014, recently returned to the diamond to honor Black baseball pioneers.
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