The school voucher debate is back | Morning Newsletter
And Bryce Harper joins the 300-homer club
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
You can expect partly sunny skies and high of 79.
The biggest celebratory news is Phillies star Bryce Harper belting his 300th career home run. We have more info on that later in the newsletter.
But first, our lead story explains the latest on the issue of school vouchers in Pennsylvania.
— Taylor Allen (@TayImanAllen, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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The GOP-controlled state Senate again approved a $100 million initiative that would allow some students in Pennsylvania’s poorest districts to attend private schools.
Reminder: The move comes less than a month after Gov. Josh Shapiro, a Democrat, vetoed the same proposal that he helped develop. Shapiro led the state through a monthlong state budget impasse after negotiations broke down between him, Senate Republicans, and House Democrats over this issue.
The Senate also cut a number of Democratic priorities from the state’s spending plan, including tens of millions of dollars in supplementary funding for the poorest school districts and money to continue a home-repair assistance program.
Republicans say they are “negotiating in public” and now the ball is in House Democrats’ court. Meanwhile, House Democrats still don’t want to vote on a school voucher bill.
Click here to see what the teachers’ union had to say.
City and school district officials Wednesday announced that students and families will notice strengthened security when school starts next week.
The district will be using drones to monitor events and tools with artificial intelligence to scan students for guns. It also plans to invest in digital cameras for all schools and significantly enhance police presence at arrival and dismissals.
Important note: In the 2022-23 school year, 199 public school students were shot and 33 killed.
Continue reading to learn what else is included in this year’s safety measures.
What you should know today
The Phillies may have lost to the Los Angeles Angels yesterday but the highlight was Bryce Harper hitting his 300th home run of his career. He’s now the 12th active player and the 158th in baseball history to achieve this milestone.
In rural South Jersey, 63 acres were returned to Native Americans as a preserve. The new Cohanzick Nature Reserve honors Indigenous peoples, but will be open to the public with an educational center and trails.
The nonprofit New Jersey Conservation Foundation purchased a 691-acre former cranberry farm to add to its Michael Huber Prairie Warbler Preserve in Burlington County.
A cannabis-infused pizzeria in Queen Village is planning to reopen after the city shut it down in May.
Consumers in the Philadelphia region are subjected to the highest bank overdraft fees in the country yet one of the lowest ATM fees.
For the Fall 2023 Center City City District Restaurant Week, we rounded up 25 of our favorite dining deals.
Pop-up pickleball courts are coming to Dilworth Park. Two outdoor temporary courts will be available to rent from Sept. 7 through Oct. 21.
Labor Day is creeping up, so columnist Stephanie Farr asked what Philadelphians consider to be the most inherently Philly jobs.
Below are a couple of the highlights:
SEPTA bus driver: It takes someone with a no-nonsense attitude to drive a 40-foot bus through Philly streets plagued with potholes while dealing with dozens of passengers throughout the day. Notable examples include Eric “Bus Driver Doo” Lilley and Chris DeShields
Pole greaser: This one is my personal favorite. This gig wasn’t a thing until the Phillies’ 2009 World Series run. The city initially tried Crisco to deter fans from climbing poles but switched to hydraulic fluid. Neither has been effective.
Click here for the complete list.
🧠 Trivia time 🧠
Bruce Springsteen rescheduled his postponed Philly shows.
What are the new dates?
A) Nov. 11 and 12, 2023
B) Dec. 12 and 13, 2023
C) Aug. 15 and 16, 2024
D) Aug. 21 and 23, 2024
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
✅ Testing: Your Philly labor knowledge.
👀 Watching: New York’s attorney general wants an immediate verdict in the fraud lawsuit against former President Donald Trump.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram 🧩
Hint: Ceramics in Kensington
LOT ACHY DUTIES
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Gwyn Knauer, who correctly guessed Wednesday’s answer: Barnes Foundation.
Photo of the day
And that’s it for your Thursday morning news update. I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow. 📧