A ‘dead zone’ for service | Morning Newsletter
💿 And the world’s greatest record store
The Morning Newsletter
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For some Verizon customers in West Philadelphia, their neighborhood was a “dead zone” for service. Residents became even more frustrated after Verizon’s response. Our main story today explores what happened and how the problem finally got fixed.
— Paola Pérez (@pdesiperez, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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Margaux Munnelly noticed she couldn’t make calls while walking her dog at night. Jake Blanch couldn’t work in his garage without losing service.
Sometimes their phones would show a bar or two of connection, but they still couldn’t make calls or send texts.
These neighbors and others started to compare notes and found a pattern: People along streets serviced by Verizon or a subsidiary were experiencing similar service interruptions.
Notable quote: “If I was outside my house and there was an emergency, I couldn’t even contact the police because we have no service,” Emily Hammer said.
Residents reached out to the company and compared notes again. Written exchanges provided few answers and over the phone, representatives offered different explanations and “solutions.” Some received free extenders, and others were reassured that a “tower was redirected” during maintenance.
Yet October came and went with no remedies until The Inquirer asked Verizon about the dead zone. But by Thursday, the company said service was restored.
Keep reading for the company’s explanation of what happened and how the problem finally got (mostly) fixed.
What you should know today
Two veteran SEPTA rail workers were injured Saturday morning when they were struck by a work vehicle in Radnor Township near the County Line station of the Route 100 Norristown High Speed Line.
Feeling sluggish? You’re not alone. The time just changed, making this the longest weekend of the year. Even if you dread it, here are 5 reasons to welcome the change.
Military colors and U.S. flags will be prominent along city streets on Sunday for the Philadelphia Veterans Parade, with more than 7,000 participants expected. Here’s how to watch it and what roads to avoid.
Walter Ogrod, who was exonerated after spending 28 years in prison for the 1988 slaying of 4-year-old Barbara Jean Horn, has agreed to a $9.1 million settlement of a federal lawsuit he filed against the City of Philadelphia.
The Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter board voted Thursday night to close the school after the 2023-24 year. But the vote appears to violate Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act, which stipulates that votes must be taken in public.
Roosevelt Poplar will be the new president of the Philadelphia police officers’ union. The longtime vice president succeeds John McNesby.
The Olney Youth Arts Festival returned after a 4-year hiatus with a strong sense of togetherness.
Betsy Ross marked her 250th anniversary by getting hitched ... with a hitch.
Val Shively’s Upper Darby shop might be the world’s greatest record store, with 4 million records on hand. Smithsonian magazine has called it “the world’s greatest record store.” But visitors shouldn’t expect to browse.
Shively is the larger-than-life subject of Christopher Plant’s new documentary film ReCollections: Val Shively — 50 Years of Collecting Records in Philadelphia.
Apart from amassing a remarkable collection at R&B Records, Shively, 79, is a one-of-a-kind living, breathing repository of music history who now wonders what legacy a lifetime of collecting will leave behind.
Keep reading for our pop critic Dan DeLuca’s story experience inside this fantastically cluttered and storied shop.
❓Pop quiz❓
Approximately how many black bears are living in Pennsylvania?
A) 800
B) 5,000
C) 15,000
D) 40,000
Think you know? Check your answer here.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: Into the mountains
COOP SON
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Erica Griste who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Six Flags.
Photo of the day
🎶 For today’s Sunday track, we’re listening to: “Now I’m lost at sea, at what cost I’m free / On an odyssey of apologies.” 🎶
👋🏽 I’m starting my morning with a breakfast sandwich. Thanks for starting yours with The Inquirer.