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Day in the life of a Philly matchmaker; Philly responds to Kate Smith controversy | Morning Newsletter

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Michal Naisteter meets with a Philadelphia single to add him to her network of potential matches.
Michal Naisteter meets with a Philadelphia single to add him to her network of potential matches.Read more--- Kristen Balderas / Staff

    The Morning Newsletter

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

This morning, the news is all about heat. First you’ll learn all about how to find it, thanks to a local matchmaker who’s thriving in the age of dating apps. Then you’ll see it burning up every corner of Philly sports, from controversy over the Flyers and Kate Smith to Bryce Harper’s ejection. Even Donovan McNabb is catching some from the Eagles. Can’t stand the heat, get out of ... your inbox?

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

Think everyone is dating online these days? Think again. Philadelphia matchmaker Michal Naisteter knows that’s not the only modern way to find love.

The proliferation of apps like Tinder have chipped away at the stigma of being set up. But when singles tire of swiping left and right, they seek out professionals like Naisteter.

The goal of every match isn’t marriage, necessarily. It’s fewer, better dates.

It’s been six years since the Philadelphia School District closed Germantown High School. Back then, local residents wondered what might replace the school and who would be responsible for it.

The answers to those questions are still unclear, as the building’s owner has stayed mum and various development plans have come into and out of the picture.

Now the property has racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in overdue taxes and is once again up for sale.

Philadelphians have been quick to voice their opinions on the removal of the statue of Kate Smith from outside Xfinity Live! Sunday. The Flyers parted ways with the singer’s rendition of “God Bless America” after her previous recordings of songs with racist lyrics came to light.

Wildwood Mayor Ernie Troiano said his town would continue to play Smith’s “God Bless America” along the boardwalk throughout the summer. Former Flyers VP Lou Scheinfeld says the team’s “knee-jerk reaction” to the controversy put them in a corner.

Readers wrote in to the Inquirer to express their thoughts on the matter, and none were too happy.

What you need to know today

  1. Sri Lanka’s minister of defense says the toll from the Easter Sunday bombing of churches and hotels now stands at 321 dead and 500 injured. The victims were from at least 12 different countries, including the U.S.

  2. A court has once again ruled that Philadelphia did not violate the religious freedoms of a Catholic social services agency when it severed a foster care contract after the agency would not work with LGBTQ parents.

  3. Hundreds of thousands of Philadelphia homeowners received property tax hikes this year, and will again next year. But what can the city’s elected officials do about it?

  4. Speaking of elections, more than 30 City Council candidates joined a meet-and-greet forum at WHYY last night to answer voters’ questions ahead of next month’s primary election.

  5. Speaking of elections (is there an echo in here?) Joe Biden’s big campaign launch may not include Pennsylvania, or be so big, after all. His previously announced plans are in flux.

  6. Bryce Harper made his list of career ejections a round dozen last night after he got tossed from the Phillies-Mets game, prompting Harper and manager Gabe Kapler to rage against the home-plate umpire. The heat didn’t help: the Phils lost 5-1.

The Made In Philly project highlights stories of local residents that are overlooked and untold. Now we’re bringing the conversation to you. Come meet the young reporters behind this project to discuss stories you want to see, at Milk & Honey Market in West Philly Monday, April 29. The first cup of coffee is on us!

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

It’s like nature’s bouquet, @jbake_photography.

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. In case you’re wondering, Sixers’ star Joel Embiid isn’t worried about racking up enough flagrant fouls in the playoffs to receive a suspension, despite having two already. They play to end their series against the Nets tonight.

  2. Did Earth Day inspire you to reduce the plastic in your life? Local grocery stores are helping customers break the habit with new initiatives.

  3. For the past year, reporter Sarah Gantz has focused on health care costs in Philadelphia. Among the city’s biggest concerns? Hospital bills and errors, and colonoscopies.

  4. The Penn Relays are this week and a fan-favorite event, the USA vs. the World competition featuring Olympic and world class-caliber athletes, is celebrating 20 years.

  5. Over the weekend former Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb drew heat for criticizing Carson Wentz. Eagle Lane Johnson called McNabb a snake in return.

Opinions

“I know SEPTA was repeatedly warned about this issue before it rolled out the Key card, because I was part of an advisory group that raised it. But instead of addressing it, SEPTA officials chose to put an expensive burden on the backs of the most vulnerable Philadelphians.” — Amanda Bergson-Shilcock, a lifelong SEPTA rider and a Glenside resident, on the limitations of the SEPTA Key for groups and families.

  1. This primary season, Philadelphia City Council candidates should focus on fixing homelessness, write Michael Hinson, president and COO of SELF, Inc., Mel Wills, president and CEO of One Day At A Time, and David Tomlinson, president and CEO of Goods and Services, Inc.

  2. The racist songs Kate Smith sang may be ancient, but so are the wounds reopened by the conversation surrounding her removal, writes the Inquirer Editorial Board.

What we’re reading

  1. A recycling plant outside Reading, Pa., is working on one of the recycling industry’s most pernicious problems: plastic bags. WHYY’s report explains why their mission is so important.

  2. City Lab has published a new interactive map of the U.S. that shows where traffic pollution is hurting children most and Philadelphia is dark red. (Hint: that’s not good.)

  3. The New Yorker’s retelling of the story of Eric Vogel, a Jewish trumpeter who survived the Holocaust by entertaining Nazis, is a remarkable read.

  4. Generations of teenagers have decorated their rooms with posters of their favorite artists and celebrities. But the demise of the cheap art, Vox reports, is leaving an empty space on bedroom walls.

  5. Speaking of teens, Philly’s are ambitious and what the students want most from schools, Billy Penn reports, is more college counseling.

A Daily Dose of | Voice

Mutha Knows is a household name in local urban radio and one of the few black, openly queer voices in the industry. But to his college professors, he’s just “Kevin.”