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Byron Allen takes on Comcast; Krasner pitches judges on ending Philly’s probation addiction | Morning Newsletter

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Actor and singer Jamie Foxx with Byron Allen at the Oscar Gala in February.
Actor and singer Jamie Foxx with Byron Allen at the Oscar Gala in February.Read moreEntertainment Studios Networks

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

It may be April 1 but you won’t find any pranks here this morning. You will find the latest on comedian and media mogul Byron Allen’s lawsuit against Comcast and Charter Communications over carrying his cable channels. It could be taken up by the Supreme Court. You’ll also find a look at District Attorney Larry Krasner’s efforts to break Philly’s addiction to supervision with the help of local judges. Whether it will work has yet to be determined.

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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

At just 14 years old, Byron Allen got his start writing jokes for David Letterman and Jay Leno. From these humble beginnings he built up a Hollywood empire of eight cable networks, a movie studio, 43 syndicated TV series and more.

Yet Allen hasn’t been able to get his cable channels distributed to the homes of Comcast and Charter Communications customers.

Now Allen is suing both companies, alleging discrimination over the snub, and the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to take up the case.

If the U.S. Census Bureau’s Philadelphia Regional Office has their way, you’ll be well versed in the benefits of filling out your census forms by the time they arrive next year.

It may feel like a lifetime away now, but communities across the country and region are already ramping up outreach efforts to make sure everyone is counted.

After all, hundreds of billions in federal money, seats in the U.S. House, and the boundaries of voting districts all depend on it.

Last month, Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner announced a new policy to seek shorter terms of probation or parole. Pennsylvania, after all, allows for some of the longest probation terms in the nation.

Now he wants Philly’s Common Pleas and Municipal Court judges on his side.

He’s proposing sweeping action and is asking judges to consider closing out probation or parole cases early. Will they listen?

What you need to know today

  1. A New Jersey priest accused of sexually abusing a minor has been removed from ministry, the Diocese of Trenton announced Saturday. Thus far, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have reacted very differently to clergy abuse scandals.

  2. A South Carolina man has been charged with kidnapping and killing a New Jersey woman who was set to attend Drexel University’s law school this fall. Officials say she got into his car Friday night after mistaking it for the Uber ride she had hailed.

  3. Sara Packer has been sentenced to life in prison for the rape, murder and dismemberment of her adopted daughter Grace in 2016. Last week her boyfriend Jacob Sullivan was sentenced to death.

  4. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is telling manufacturers to study the safety of using surgical mesh in breast reconstruction. But the FDA isn’t sure what kind of studies to require.

  5. How much will it cost the Philadelphia School District to remedy the urgent health and safety problems in its buildings? About $170 million, lawmakers and union leaders say.

  6. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are increasingly making courthouse arrests in Philadelphia, which advocates say obstructs justice for immigrants.

Join Inquirer columnist Jenice Armstrong for a conversation about the Starbucks protests one year later at the next Inquiring Minds Tuesday, April 2. Get your free tickets here.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

This shot is a home run, @matthewscottbarber.

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

  1. The Phillies completed a sweep of the Braves this weekend and Bryce Harper stole the show with his first home runs for Philly. A look back at the first two chapters of the star’s career — in Las Vegas and Washington — gives us a hint of what’s to come in Philly.

  2. With that said, it was a roller coaster of a weekend for Philly sports fans. The Eagles traded for Jordan Howard and the Flyers fell out of the playoff race.

  3. Speaking of those fans, the city’s reputation for ... enthusiastic sports lovers started with the voice of one all-star heckler.

  4. If you’re seeking a little creative inspiration this morning, look no further than Taller Puertorriqueño. The Fairhill arts center wants to heal its community through culture.

  5. The bulk bin aisle isn’t just for the zero-waste influencers in your life. With a little bit of planning you can take advantage of all its benefits.

  6. It’s tough for students with learning disabilities to get accommodations when taking standardized tests, and many are fuming that some parents lied about it as part of an elaborate college admissions scheme.

Opinions

“Meaningful work requirements like these reduce idle dependence and promote employment. That’s precisely why they have a dramatic effect in helping families escape poverty.” — Robert Rector, a senior research fellow for the Heritage Foundation’s Institute for Family, Community, and Opportunity, on what the Green New Deal won’t do for poverty.

  1. The Philadelphia Board of Education is seeking input on its budget process and you can get involved, write Lee Huang and Leticia Egea-Hinton, co-chairs of the board’s Finance and Facilities Committee.

  2. It’s time to rethink customs that blur the line between church and state at the Pennsylvania Statehouse, writes the Inquirer Editorial Board.

What we’re reading

  1. The show may technically be on the court, but Philadelphia Magazine says the folks sitting courtside are the scene-stealers at every Sixers game.

  2. Billy Penn’s look at a Northern Liberties airbrush shop that helps the city memorialize lost loved ones is a touching tale about communities that care for one another.

  3. The Pennsylvania House of Representatives chamber once had a lush lobbyist room and WHYY has the story of why it disappeared.

  4. Yes, some movie theater seats are better than others. Popular Science knows how to find them.

A Daily Dose of | Birthdays

Philadelphia’s Chinatown spent Sunday celebrating the birthday of General Humin, a guardian god to the Fujian people. He turned a spry 1,189 years old.