American Bible Society staffers quit after ultimatum; federal workers plan shutdown protest | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
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If you’re walking by Independence Hall this morning you may see more than the usual tourists. Federal workers plan to gather on the mall to protest the partial government shutdown that began Dec. 22. This morning we have updates for you on which agencies and services have been affected by the shutdown and what could come next. Just across the street from this morning’s rally stands the American Bible Society which is dealing with its own kind of staff revolt. After issuing its employees a controversial ultimatum last year, some staffers have quit.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
It’s been over a year since the CEO of the American Bible Society announced a new employee policy: sign the company’s “Affirmation of Biblical Community” or resign.
What did the affirmation include? A promise not to lie, abuse drugs, or have sex before marriage — defined as between a man and a woman.
Staffers have until Jan. 18 to decide to sign. So far, just under 20 percent of the 200-year-old Society, which distributes Bibles across the globe, has chosen to leave instead.
The partial government shutdown continues and its effects continue to build, too. Federal workers plan to rally Tuesday morning at Independence National Historical Park to protest the shutdown and pay freeze.
Roughly 800,000 federal workers have gone without their regular paychecks since the shutdown began. National parks have closed, leaving garbage and human waste to pile up. Immigration Court in Philadelphia is shuttered. The list goes on.
What’s next? Federal courts could curtail operations if the shutdown continues and Pennsylvania pension funds could take a hit.
“NorEasterNick” Pittman, a high-octane South Jersey TV news personality, is not happy that NJ Transit’s Atlantic City Rail Line service has been suspended.
The weatherman has taken up the cause of the line’s restoration, even starting a petition last August that has been signed by more than 5,800 people.
For the Brigantine native and Mays Landing resident, it’s about more than a rail line. It’s about standing up for South Jersey.
What you need to know today
Seven men and five women were picked as jurors Monday in the trial of of Joshua Hupperterz, the former Temple University student accused of killing 22-year-old Temple student Jenna Burleigh in August 2017. Opening statements are scheduled today.
Police have identified the 38-year-old dog walker who died after being punched in a South Philly park Saturday night. Officials were also questioning a “person of interest” in the attack Monday.
Is trauma related to teen obesity? A new study says that teens who have suffered adverse childhood experiences are at a greater risk of being overweight.
Amtrak plans to replace 30th Street Station’s iconic flipboard sign this month, but a local company and U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle are still fighting to save it.
Philadanco founder Joan Myers Brown is collaborating on a proposed dance-focused charter school for West Philly with String Theory Schools. There’s a public hearing for proposed charters later this month.
Fans learned quite a few lessons from the Eagles' latest playoff victory. Chief among them: the Birds can beat the Saints. After all, a lot has changed since the teams' last match-up.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
It has been a very wet winter so far, @snapshot_ianw.
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
Gaming doesn’t have to be a stay-at-home activity. With physical esports gaming centers, like the new Level13 in West Chester, it’s getting even more social.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez isn’t the only person with content from their younger days on the internet. Luckily, there are ways you can scrub embarrassing memories from the web.
The latest season of Married at First Sight features eight Philly couples. The title is literal — the couples really do get hitched to strangers. But not before visiting Club Risque, apparently.
Fat Jack’s Comicrypt needs a superhero. The iconic comic book shops in Center City and Oaklyn, New Jersey, are struggling amid online competition, so its fans and employees are raising money.
Powerlifting requires strength and focus, and, for some women with type 1 diabetes, it also helps manage the chronic disease.
Philly theater fans looking for day-trip plans are in luck. A baker’s dozen of new off-Broadway shows are worth consideration.
Opinions
“Yet the ‘ancient history’ of genocide upon which our country is founded overlaps directly with the legacy our city uses to draw millions of tourists each year. After all, it was William Penn himself who negotiated a deal with the Lenape people to gain permission to establish this city, and his own son who broke that agreement.” — South Philadelphia writer Imran Siddiquee on how the East Passyunk logo misrepresents Philadelphia history.
City officials recently expanded the tobacco ban from mental health facilities to include city-funded inpatient substance use disorder programs. If they want to see a positive response to the ban, they need to listen to those most impacted by the decision, writes recovery scientist Robert Ashford.
Devin Reaves, the executive director of the Pennsylvania Harm Reduction Coalition, writes that the ban creates another barrier to treatment at a time when we should be removing them.
What we’re reading
Your neighbors want you to slow. down. Billy Penn has details on the new pilot program for creating “Slow Zones” for safety in Philadelphia, including the neighborhoods that have applied to participate.
The Philadelphia region’s Sudanese community is making their voices heard by protesting in solidarity with demonstrators in Khartoum. WHYY has details from right here and from Sudan.
City Lab has dug deep in the lawsuit challenging New Jersey over school segregation. It’s a unique case as it’s being brought to state, and not federal, court.
If you like a healthy debate and food for thought, check out a conversation on capitalism versus socialism held by two writers over at Vox. They each make some predictions about America’s future.
Following a year of hits for Creed II’s Michael B. Jordan and Black Panther’s Chadwick Boseman, Esquire says their careers highlight the struggles that black actors face. Did you know they both even played the same part once?
A Daily Dose of | ¡NO SEÑOR!
When Bears kicker Cody Parkey missed a game-winning field goal Sunday, announcer Rickie Ricardo’s emotional, “¡No, señor!"-filled narration of the Eagles win captured the magic of the moment.