Another nor'easter headed this way, Cosby hearing turns hostile, Trump talks tariffs | Morning Newsletter
Happy Tuesday. They weren’t kidding about that “in like a lion” stuff, huh? I have more bad weather news for you this morning. We also have news from Bill Cosby’s latest court appearance and an update on the President’s trade tariff talks. Read up and bundle up, friends.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
Another dangerous nor’easter is headed this way
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, folks. The Philadelphia region has yet to fully recover from last week’s nor’easter and another one is headed our way.
We’re looking at a wintry mix in the region tonight into tomorrow, with the brunt of the storm hitting Wednesday afternoon. The current forecast calls for six to sixteen inches of heavy, wet snow for the region. The National Weather Service Office warns we could see double the power outages we had last week.
Meanwhile, thousands in the region are still coping without power by burying food in the snow and bunking with the in-laws. As you prep for more wild weather, take a deep breath and read up on why it takes Peco so long to restore your power after a storm.
Bill Cosby’s return to court marked by hostility, disputes over evidence
A pivotal hearing in Bill Cosby’s sexual assault case quickly turned contentious Monday, showing his April retrial could be decidedly more hostile than the first.
Prosecutors sought to have his new defense team, led by former Michael Jackson lawyer Tom Mesereau, thrown off the case. Then the defense accused prosecutors of major ethical breaches they said required the immediate dismissal of the case.
This was Cosby’s first major court appearance in the #MeToo era, and the atmosphere suggested his second trial could become even more heated than the first, which ended in a mistrial in June.
Trump’s tariff talks could hurt consumers
President Trump says he isn’t backing down from a plan to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, a move critics say would start a trade war. House Speaker Paul Ryan and other Republicans pleaded with him Monday to drop his plans.
Reports say the tariff would boost sales for U.S. steel and aluminum mills, but would hurt consumers by pressuring car manufacturers, beer, soda, and soup can users, and construction companies to raise their prices.
The chairman of the European Parliament’s international trade committee says if the tariffs go into effect, the European Union should employ counter-tariffs that would “really hit home” in the U.S.
What you need to know today
Families of the victims of confessed killer Cosmo DiNardo are suing his parents, charging that they gave him “a playland for illegal acts” on their Solebury Township farm.
School Reform Commission member Bill Green is running for Congress. The problem is, the law says SRC members can’t run for office. Hmm.
David Thornburgh, head of good-government group Committee of Seventy, thinks Pennsylvania’s new district map is a clear improvement. His father, Dick Thornburgh, Republican governor of Pennsylvania from 1979 to 1987, just asked the Supreme Court to block it. Awkward.
New Jersey lawmakers are working on measures that would legalize pot in the state. Legalization fans and opponents gathered Monday to debate the issue.
Do unhealthy diets run in the family? A new study says if you push a kid to diet they’re more likely to end up with dysfunctional eating habits and pass them on to their kids.
You may love Uber, but Pennsylvania isn’t so pleased with the platform. The state is suing Uber for $13.5 million after they failed to disclose a data breach affecting 13,500 Pennsylvanians.
Following recent public criticism of its diversity efforts, Philly Startup Leaders has named a new executive director — and if you’re involved in the local wellness community, you may already know her.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
A post shared by Jonene (@itsjonene) on Mar 4, 2018 at 9:04am PST
We want to see what our community looks like through your eyes. Show us the park that your family walks through every weekend with the dog, the block party in your neighborhood or the historic stretch you see every morning on your commute to work.
Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!
That’s Interesting
Looks like University City is a prime spot for Amazon’s next project. They’ve been granted a food establishment permit in the neighborhood.
Philadelphia is full of dog-friendly hotels, restaurants, and parks. But some less dog-friendly people say Fido-free zones must remain sacred.
Seen any snowy owls in the region this season? Turns out they’re loving a place almost everyone else hates: the airport.
Joel Embiid has played 82 career games, the equivalent of one NBA season, though it’s actually taken him 3 1/2 years. Here’s how he measures up against the greats so far.
NBC is honoring the Levittown high school that inspired its upcoming series Rise with a new theater grant. They’re sending money to other U.S. schools, too, including one in Philly.
The Goldbergs has decided that the best Philly cheesesteak is actually from New Jersey. Utter blasphemy.
The best way to garner a city’s worth of fans: be like former child star Macaulay Culkin and say the Eagles got robbed at the Oscars.
Opinions
“And viewing our civil servants as mere timeserving ‘bureaucrats’ fails to appreciate the contributions they make and the extent to which our government, in comparison with so many others, has been remarkably light on corruption.” — Columnist E.J. Dionne on how assumptions that lifelong politicians are up to no good damage democracy.
Commercials tout reverse mortgages as a way to pay off debt and improve your home, but really, writes analyst and advisor Art Ernst, all they do is con elderly victims out of their home equity.
Among other reasons local lawmakers should consider automatic voter registration, like cheaper operations and privacy protection, it would really help out members of the military, Marine Corps veteran Frank Broomell writes.
What we’re reading
Sam Hinkie, former general manager of the Sixers, is the architect of “The Process.” The Ringer caught up with him to see what he thinks of the Sixers’ exciting season — or, rather, what he’s not thinking. Fun fact: he watches The Bachelor.
You know I can’t resist some nice historical photos: Hidden City did a deep dive into a devastating winter fire on the 200 block of Chestnut long before last month’s blaze. Water used to douse the fire froze into a waterfall of ice.
The New Yorker just published a lengthy profile on Christopher Steele, the British ex-spy who wrote the secret dossier that helped trigger a federal investigation into President Trump’s alleged ties to Russia. It’s an absorbing explanation of how Steele’s image is being refracted through Washington politics.
Did you hear Frances McDormand’s Oscars acceptance speech and wonder, “what’s on earth does ‘inclusion rider’ mean?” Me too. The Hollywood Reporter explains it all.
For those looking to up their social media game without the help of fake followers, Philadelphia Magazine put together a helpful guide from local experts.
Your Daily Dose of | Martinis
Local bartenders say you’ve been drinking your martini all wrong. But don’t worry, so has James Bond. He may not even be drinking a real martini!
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