Good morning, Philly. Watch out for heavy downpours and the threat of flash flooding starting Saturday evening.
The train is crowded. A new passenger approaches your aisle. Who will have to squeeze into the dreaded middle seat? Inquirer staffers share their thoughts on the polite approach.
Plus,we have an update on the sprawling investigation into missing women in Olney, why the logo for Metaâs new AI agent may look familiar, and our report card for this week in Philly news.
â Paola PĂ©rez ([email protected])
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
What you should know today
-
The woman who police believe was killed by pornographer Raymond Horsch on camera has been identified as Nicole Amanda Fusaro. She was last seen in Kensington in 2018.
-
State officials announced four âbreakthrough casesâ of Pennsylvanians who were vaccinated against measles and have contracted the highly contagious illness.
-
Bald Birds Brewing Co. violated state wage law at its Montgomery County and Lycoming County locations, with some workers going unpaid for five weeks, according to state regulators.
-
After Meta debuted its new AI agent âMuseâ this week, Inquirer columnist Stephanie Farr connected the dots on why its logo rang a few bells: It resembles Mural Arts Philadelphiaâs logo.
-
Cherry Hillâs new Asianfresh Food Market officially opens to shoppers on Saturday. Take a peek inside.
-
The Wings, Philadelphiaâs National Lacrosse League team, is discontinuing operations.
-
Beauty brand Dove is picking up the tab at South Streetâs Marshaâs on Saturday, as part of a partnership with select women-owned bars across the country.
-
City crews officially began installing the Rocky statue at the top of the Art Museum steps on Friday. Construction is slated to be completed over the next two weeks and will cost roughly $150,000.
-
From a disappointing $88 baked potato to our first look at a new sports arena, catch up on the good, bad, and weird from recent stories out of Philly.
Rush hour train seat rules
A reader asked: On Regional Rail, I often sit in the aisle of a three-seater, knowing the car will fill up at rush hour. When it does, I stand up so another passenger can take the middle seat, then return to my aisle seat. My friend says thatâs awkward on a busy car, and I should just slide over. Whoâs right?
Personally, I think both achieve the same objective â namely, offering a seat at all â but the first option takes up more time, and feels like the less socially acceptable move.
To analyze the moral situation, my colleagues Beatrice Forman and Abigail Covington lit up the group chat with some unfiltered thoughts. âEverybody knows the middle seat is terrible,â Covington said.
Read more âIâve waited four yearsâ: Arrest made in 2022 killing of West Philly man after bar fight
Forman suggested that taking ownership of the end of the row comes off as a defensive posture. âI think itâs weird because it treats the middle seat kind of like a punishment? And most Regional Rail rides arenât long enough to the point that it matters,â Forman said.
Read their full conversation here. Need advice, or want to share your thoughts? We want to hear it. Email us here.
One viewpoint
Inquirer columnist Daniel Pearson was 12 years old when the 9/11 terror attacks happened. In reflection on the anniversary of the terror attacks, he argues that America lost its way afterward, and traces much of what went wrong to the nationâs initial efforts to avenge the fallen.
âWhen the planes hit the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001, most of us did not realize it was the first step in the dismantling of the world we knew,â Pearson writes.
Read on for Pearsonâs perspective on how the country can change its trajectory.
âPop quiz
Rep. David Maloney, a Republican who represents parts of Berks County, wants to rename Lake Erie to what?
A) Lake Maloney
B) Lake Trump
C) Lake Berks
D) Lake Pennsylvania
Think you know? Check your answer.
𧩠Unscramble the anagram
Hint: North Philly native and multiplatinum artist
LEMME ILK
Email us if you know the answer. Weâll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to Terry Hafler, who correctly guessed Fridayâs answer: Penn Medicine. Earlier this week, the hospital system announced a $50 million gift to accelerate work on therapies for cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases with the hope of bringing treatments to market faster.
We were there
The Academy of Natural Sciences Museum is closing its doors, but its âbeating heartâ will remain, to the tune of 19 million specimens amassed over more than two centuries. Think bird carcasses, fish, mollusks, minerals, and bones of various kinds.
Culture writer Peter Dobrin takes us backstage beyond the museum walls to show one of the worldâs largest repositories of natural specimens, and what will happen to the trove.
Somewhere on the internet in Philly
đĄ A team of Inquirer journalists sat down to answer reader questions about the case of Raymond Horsch and his son, Eugene.
đ°ïž Redditors are reminiscing on a decades-old photo of the food court in The Gallery. One commenter said, âI can smell this picture.â
đ Hello Kitty x Eagles? Yes, please.
đđœ Thanks for reading! It was nice to catch up with you. Letâs do this again tomorrow.
By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirerâs Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.
Read more âTiresâ cocreator Steve Gerben on how he became the âKing of West Chester Golfâ