The secrets to running success; Sixers begin championship quest | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
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Gene Dykes, 70, of Bala Cynwyd runs because he loves it. He’s inspiring fans and is more than willing to share his marathon secrets. I’ll see you at the Broad Street Run, Gene. Also on Broad Street, the Sixers will kick off their latest playoff run Saturday against the Brooklyn Nets amid a cloud of uncertainty. A dark cloud also hangs over the nonprofit charity organization created by Philly music legend Kenny Gamble. Two charity executives have been implicated in a federal probe.
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— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
“Just run.” That’s the secret Gene Dykes — a 70-year-old marathon runner from Bala Cynwyd — shares when fans ask him how he does it.
Dykes isn’t the typical example of a fading, aging athlete who’s still pretty good. He’s doing things other runners dream of and it appears he’s getting even better.
His upcoming race schedule includes Monday’s Boston Marathon, California’s Big Sur Marathon and Philly’s Broad Street Run. He does it all for the love of running and he’s inspiring others along the way.
Famed Philly music producer Kenny Gamble founded Universal Companies — an education and real estate development charity — in 1993. In federal charges filed Thursday, officials allege that officers of Universal paid kickbacks to secure contracts to operate charter schools in Milwaukee.
Charges were filed against Michael Bonds, the former board president of Milwaukee Public Schools, but the two Universal executives allegedly behind the payoffs were not charged. Gamble is not accused of any wrongdoing.
The two executives were identified by position, not by name. Tax records indicate that one of the positions correspond with a man who founded Universal along with Gamble.
The Sixers’ season included 51 wins and they enter the playoffs with about as many question marks. The biggest among them — the health of their star, Joel Embiid.
With or without Embiid, the Sixers open their first round series against the surprisingly dangerous Brooklyn Nets on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in South Philly. From the opening tip, all eyes and a world of pressure will be on head coach Brett Brown.
Brown and fans should breathe a collective sigh of relief when they see the winning percentage of the team’s potent starting lineup. However, Brown wishes they had a bigger sample size of games.
What you need to know today
Wikileaks founder Julian Assange was arrested Thursday on charges he conspired with former U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning to access secret military documents.
The Juvenile Law Center and former Glen Mills Schools students brought a federal lawsuit against the reform school Wednesday. They say safety isn’t the only thing the boys were robbed of.
Today marks one year since two black men were arrested inside a Philly Starbucks, sparking international outrage and a reckoning for one of the country’s biggest brands. Since then, we’ve seen both controversy and progress.
Middle school bullying led to a violent shooting at a Pottstown family’s home. Two men are facing charges for the shooting that shook an ordinarily tranquil neighborhood.
A lot of people are running for City Council in Philly’s May primary. How do you know which candidates are for real? You do what my colleague Julia Terruso did — follow the money.
Mark your calendars, Phillies fans. Philadelphia will play host for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game. The year marks the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence and America’s birthplace has its sights set on some other big events.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
We all know what that logo means. It’s playoff time, Sixers fans. Thanks for getting us in the 🏀spirit, @jeffphl.
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 Sixers’ “Phila Unite” branding (seen above) will also grace the feet of a select group of celebrity fans. The Sixers teamed up with a clothing store to create a limited edition pair of sneakers featuring the logo.
In the case of a new Wawa location coming to Center City Philly: smaller is better. Yesterday on Wawa Day, the beloved chain announced a plan to test out new items and features at the wee Wawa including a walk-up window.
The wildly popular Game of Thrones’ season premiere is set for this weekend. If you haven’t noticed, GOT fever is spreading in the form of clothes, makeup, Oreos, and even taxes.
Many wonder whether we’ll ever see another show that rises above our fragmented society to appeal to such a large group of people. TV critic Ellen Gray explains why Game of Thrones might have actually made this level of success even more attainable for others.
The concert film that was supposed to accompany an Aretha Franklin gospel album has finally been released after 47 years. My colleague Dan DeLuca’s review can be summed up in one word: Amazing.
Opinions
“Instead of amending the constitution, the state should invest resources to improve compliance with the Crime Victims Act. Victims deserve to be heard, and their rights should be respected. It should not require them to appeal to the court.” — The Inquirer Editorial Board on the effort to amend Pennsylvania’s constitution to address victims’ rights.
Protecting women from the sad story lines of domestic violence could be a major factor in reducing overall gun violence in America, writes Columnist Will Bunch.
The draw of Philly’s iconic Italian Market is undeniable. But closing it off to cars could truly unlock its potential, writes urban anthropologist Katrina Johnston-Zimmerman.
What we’re reading
You can spend an entire day with this piece from The New York Times Style Magazine. Fifteen playwrights predict what America will look like in five years and express their vision through theatre.
Speaking of forecasting the future, The Ringer predicts the NBA’s major awards for this season. Warning: There’s not a lot of love for Sixers players.
Philly emergency room workers have sadly become accustomed to waves of gunshot victims coming through the doors at the same time. Now, public health officials wonder if we should view these clusters as mass shootings, Billy Penn Reports.
Philadelphia City Council candidate Adrián Rivera-Reyes, 26, is looking to save lives in the city by bringing his science and medical background to lawmaking — a very rare career move in this city, Technical.ly Philly reports.
Many of us rarely go without our morning coffee. But have you ever thought about what that Starbucks trip costs you in the long run? A Vox reporter did the math and the total spent might make you skip this morning’s cup.
A Daily Dose of | Mindfulness
Amy Perez teaches children and staff at Philadelphia’s Mighty Writers how to be mindful. She calls mindfulness “the antidote to chaos.”