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The Morning Newsletter
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Good morning, chilly Philly. Welcome to the first day of the astronomical winter.
Did you see any snow in your neck of the woods? We’d love to see your photos. Saturday will start off cloudy, and we will likely not get out of the 30s.
Today, we’re talking about the art (and history) of writing Christmas cards. Plus, the sudden departure of a fixture of Philadelphia sports talk radio, new stores coming to the King of Prussia Mall in 2025, and much more.
— Paola Pérez (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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What you should know today
U.S. Marshals arrested a third suspect they say was involved in the Dilworth Park shooting that left three injured last week.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker on Friday took the Broad Street Line from City Hall to Temple University’s Performing Arts Center to cap off her first year in office by delivering Philadelphia’s first “State of the City” address. Here are three takeaways from Parker’s speech.
The principal of Rustin High School in the West Chester Area School District resigned last week, and district officials say he is facing a law enforcement investigation.
Up to $10 million in fencing will be installed along Amtrak rail tracks in Chester, where two children were killed last year.
Upper Darby will keep its high school pool open, the district’s superintendent said Thursday, after district leaders faced community pushback for considering whether to close it.
After less than a year as top cop, Norristown Police Chief Jacqueline Bailey-Davis has resigned from her post, borough officials said Thursday.
From popcorn to outdoor gear, the King of Prussia Mall is adding a number of established brands in the year ahead. Here’s what’s coming.
After 38 years with 94.1 WIP, Howard Eskin announced he was “moving on” from the station on Friday. He didn’t give a reason for the abrupt exit.
Game cafes Thirsty Dice in the Fairmount area and Twenty One Pips in Ardmore will shut down on Sunday.
As I write this, I’m also mentally chastising myself for being late to finish one of my favorite holiday traditions: writing Christmas cards and sending them in the mail.
Every year, I send 50+ cards. I used to go all out with multicolored pens, decorative stickers, and the most special stamps. I even kept a written inventory of names and addresses to track when they were completed, sent, and received. These days, I use a digital spreadsheet. Cute stickers are still a must, of course.
Well before holiday bells start ringing, my friends are already expecting a message from me to confirm their address again. Some get out ahead of me and text me their address early. This year, despite missing a crucial window to send them all “on time,” I’m going to drop a handful off at the post office today. Better late than never!
Regardless of when they arrive, I love participating in this annual exchange of envelopes and the expression of excitement and gratitude with my loved ones. It brings me joy, and that joy multiplies when I get to put another one on my tree. For those of us who still send them, it’s one way to spread holiday cheer with people we care about across the globe, especially long-distance friends and family. It’s also fun to curl up, put Christmas music on, and get in the festive mood with a creative activity.
Annual sales and circulation of holiday cards have been declining since the 1990s. Some consider it a dying practice. Others may think it’s wasteful (please recycle your nonmetallic cards!). I understand the surprise that people still hand-write cards when instant messages exist. Interestingly enough, the invention of the humble Christmas card actually borrowed from the customs of the past to move the holiday into the new Industrial Age. In a sense, it was born as a new tradition in response to the death of old ones.
A Christmas card might feel like a small gesture in the grand scheme of the holiday season. Sure, it’s not a shiny gift. But it goes a long way to tell someone you’re thinking of them across the miles, particularly in times when some may feel isolated and are experiencing the holiday blues. (Family photo cards are cool, too.) Columnist Peter Coy made his case in The Times for why we should still send cards “as a token of affection,” especially in polarizing times. I’m also thinking fondly of the village in Wisconsin (aptly named Rudolph) keeping this tradition alive with their own special twist. Whether you write it or type it, cheers to holiday snail mail.
When Vanessa “Hollywood” Rivera opened her auto-body repair shop, she had female customers’ comfort in mind. She wanted to create a space where women would feel safe. Then one came in and shot her.
Columnist Jenice Armstrong says what happened to Rivera is an example of how gun violence, despite being way down in the city, continues to take a heavy toll on Philadelphia.
“Every shooting incident leaves an indelible scar,” Armstrong writes. Continue reading her column on the shooting’s impact, and Rivera’s role in a small but growing group of female car care owners in an industry long dominated by men.
🧠Trivia time
On Dec. 15, 1968, Philadelphia Eagles fans threw snowballs at a man dressed as Santa Claus during a holiday show held at halftime of a game against which team?
A) Green Bay Packers
B) Minnesota Vikings
C) Dallas Cowboys
D) Kansas City Chiefs
Think you know? Check your answer.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: What’s that up in the sky? Mystery drones? The Italian Air Force? No, it’s Philadelphia’s Superman.
DEVIATED CROWNS
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to James O’Connor who correctly guessed Friday’s answer: Jon Bon Jovi. The Jersey-born rocker is featured in the latest Philly Specials single, a cover of Chuck Berry’s “Run Rudolph Run.”
Temple narrowly won its 2,000th men’s basketball game with a 62-61 victory over Davidson on Wednesday. That’s right — a single point. Elijah Gray’s basket with 5.7 seconds left in the game proved to be the difference.
See more photos from staff photographer Charles Fox and read Johnny Zawislak’s courtside dispatch.
Somewhere on the internet in Philly
Residents are talking about ways to give their neighborhood trash collection crews a holiday tip. Gift ideas range from a Wawa gift card to a handle of whiskey.
And in another corner of the web, one Philadelphian is giving the Washington Commanders a warm welcome ahead of Sunday’s matchup. (Yes, it’s an away game. Go Birds.)
👋🏽 I’ll see you back here again tomorrow with the latest news.
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