Spring arts guide, new Pa. map proposed, U.S. takes second gold medal | Morning Newsletter
Happy Monday, friends. You can almost feel spring right around the corner, so we’re already planning our weekends with our critics’ latest arts guide. This week we’ll also be watching as Pennsylvania lawmakers try to pass a new congressional district map, which will surely shake up local politics statewide. Let’s get started, shall we?
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
Spring arts guide: the best concerts, theater, events coming to Philly
Philly’s spring entertainment season has it all: Blow-out concerts, blockbuster movies, hot plays, Tall Ships, museum exhibits, and more. Our critics have picked the best, so you can maximize the fun.
Philadelphia’s art museums feature Renoir, Wyeths, Kutztown’s own Keith Haring
Jake Tapper, Madeleine Albright are just a couple of the authors reading in Philadelphia this spring
Philadelphia Flower Show, PIFA, Tall Ships, and more special events
Lorde, Pink, Jack White, Cardi B and all best upcoming shows and albums
Pa. GOP propose new congressional map, Dems say it’s still gerrymandered
On Friday night, Pennsylvania’s legislative leaders submitted a new proposed map of the state’s congressional districts.
By some measures, the map is little changed; the same number of districts would have been carried by President Trump versus Hillary Clinton under the proposed map as the current one. But on the other hand, it could create some questions for Democrats ahead of the 2018 elections.
Democrats have urged Gov. Tom Wolf to reject the map, and he’s expected to announce his position early this week.
Gov. Murphy to explore disparities in N.J. criminal justice system
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy announced the convening of a commission to examine racial and ethnic disparities in the state’s criminal justice system Sunday. The commission is expected to issue a report on its findings within a year of its first meeting.
An ACLU report in June 2017 showed that African Americans are arrested for marijuana possession in New Jersey three times as often as Caucasians and Hispanics.
Murphy pledged during his inaugural address to reform the state’s criminal justice system and resist what he called President Trump’s “unrelenting assault on our values.”
What you need to know today
A Russian airliner crashed Sunday just after take off, killing all 71 people on board outside of Moscow. Investigators are searching for clues to what caused the crash.
Regulars flocked to Dirty Frank’s over the weekend to show support for Sheila Modglin, the legendary bartender for more than 30 years who was struck by a car Thursday and remains in critical condition.
Third-party candidates may get a boost in Pennsylvania elections this year as new requirements for getting on the ballot mean they need fewer signatures than they have in the past.
Didn’t get a Super Bowl ticket? You’re not alone. The New Jersey Supreme Court will hear a suit against the NFL for offering only one percent of tickets to the public in 2014
Despite the opioid epidemic, Pennsylvania isn’t tracking the drugs involved in fatal overdoses. In the country, only Louisiana has a worse record for specifying the drugs on death certificates.
Though turmoil has rocked the White House since the departure of staff secretary Rob Porter, Trump aides have implied the president remains confident in chief of staff John Kelly.
Chester County police are now tracking “online robberies” in the area as criminals have been using Craigslist and apps like OfferUp to lure victims.
Philadelphia’s Vietnamese community held its Tet holiday celebration Sunday, but this year the event focused on mounting an anti-deportation movement to protect Asian communities from ICE.
New Jersey lawmakers are hoping to soon pass a sweeping set of changes that will make it easier to vote, from early voting to automatic registration.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
A post shared by Sarah Smile Photo © (@sarahsmilephoto) on Feb 11, 2018 at 12:56pm 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
The U.S. snagged its second gold medal of the Pyeongchang Olympics today thanks to snowboarder Jamie Anderson. On today’s agenda: men’s freestyle skiing, women’s luge, the women’s halfpipe gold medal final and more.
The confetti is still falling from Thursday’s parade, yet Eagles offensive coordinator Frank Reich has already been snatched up by another NFL team.
In the mood for another parade? Here’s how to celebrate Mardi Gras in Philadelphia this week.
As for Valentine’s Day, restaurant critic Craig LaBan has some advice for those looking to dine out on the most romantic night of the year.
A Philadelphia public school is using a new strategy to keep students from fighting: they’re paying them not to.
Eagles fans are questioning Super Bowl parade crowd estimates, but there’s one record they certainly did break: how much trash was left behind.
Surely it’s just a coincidence, but the Sixers are 3-0 and the Flyers are 4-0 since the Super Bowl. Just saying.
Opinions
“Temple’s Owls continuing to play at the home of the now-Super Bowl champs is a better option. It’s better than the high displacement, environmental impact, massive traffic jams, and logistical headaches that a stadium would cause for North Philly.“ — WURD’s Charles D. Ellison writes that the Eagles should do North Philly a favor and keep Temple University from building its new football stadium.
U.S. luger Chris Mazdzer, competing in the Pyeongchang games, writes we need to refocus the narrative around the Olympics on bringing the world together.
Chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party Val DiGiorgio responds to an Inquirer Editorial Board editorial on redistricting, writing that Republicans robbed no one with its 2011 congressional district map.
What we’re reading
Six African American Philadelphian writers wrote essays about black figures in the city’s history who deserve more attention for Philadelphia Magazine and each is compelling as the last.
A student journalist has told the story of the fire at Bridget Foy’s that may leave fans of the iconic Queen Village restaurant a bit teary, over at the Philadelphia Citizen.
Buzzfeed News makes an interesting case that the #MeToo movement is changing the shape of romance novels. It make you want to crack one open.
Speaking of #MeToo, Marie Claire and Esquire have teamed up to ask 21 luminaries from Roxane Gay to Terry Crews about sexual harassment and the future of relations between the sexes. The responses are fascinating.
The Washington Post sent a reporter to crash as many D.C. conferences as possible in one week (from net neutrality to couples therapy) and it’s just as entertaining as it sounds.
Your Daily Dose of | Editing
After his epic speech at the parade, Eagles center Jason Kelce’s Wikipedia page received some pretty amusing edits, including his job description. (No, he’s not the new mayor.)
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