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Hurricane Michael devastates Florida, Sixers prepare for regular season | Weekend Newsletter

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Russell Craig works on Portraits of Justice
Russell Craig works on Portraits of JusticeRead moreDAVID MAIALETTI

    The Morning Newsletter

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

Welcome to another week, Philly. It's beginning to feel a whole lot like fall, and while frost isn't coming to the city quite yet, you may want to keep a jacket on hand. This morning we have our usual bag of good reads from last week, plus an interview with one of our colleagues about a Philadelphian who turned his life around thanks to a No. 2 pencil.

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—  Oona Goodin-SmithTauhid Chappell (morningnewsletter@philly.com)

The week ahead

  1. This week the Pennsylvania Senate is expected to take action on a bill fueled by this summer's Catholic clergy grand jury report that would, among other changes, suspend for two years the civil statute of limitations for child sex-abuse offenses. The bill easily passed in the House last month, but the Senate's top Republican is circulating a proposal that would nix the change.

  2. Officials are still assessing the devastation of Hurricane Michael after the storm ravaged the Florida Panhandle late last week. At least 18 people have died from the storm, according to CNN.

  3. Sixers season officially starts Tuesday, when the team takes on the Celtics in Boston. Though "The Process" is taking longer than expected with Markelle Fultz, big things are expected from Ben Simmons, and former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell says the new season is looking up.

  4. Hungry for new Philly restaurant recommendations? Look for Inquirer food critic Craig LaBan's Ultimate Dining Guide 2018, out this Thursday.

This week’s most popular stories

Behind the story with Samantha Melamed

Each week we'll go behind the scenes with one of our reporters to learn how they reported their latest story and the challenges they faced along the way. This week, reporter Samantha Melamed discusses how she learned about Russell Craig, a North Philly artist who used drawing and painting as an escape while he was in prison, then turned that passion into a successful career as a muralist. 

How did you first learn about Russell Craig?

[Inquirer video editor/producer] Raishad Hardnett, my collaborator on this story, learned about Russell's story from contacts at Mural Arts and recognized immediately that it was a story worth telling. Then, fortunately, he convinced me to join him in this project.

What can you tell me about the stigma and hardship people released from prison face? Are success stories like Russell's rare to find or hear about?

There are success stories — and there are also a lot of far more complicated stories. People coming out of prison often struggle with housing, particularly given that they may not be allowed to stay with family in public housing. They face enormous stigma on the job market, particularly as background checks have become more common; there have even been stories of people with records barred from work as home health aides for their own kin.

What are some difficulties you face when trying to get someone to open up about their prison experience?

Not everyone wants to think about or be identified with that part of their life. Fortunately, Russell was open to sharing — he gets that it's part of the story that makes him who he is.

What were some new things you learned when writing this profile?

I never imagined there was such a thriving art market in prison! He really made a business for himself selling portraits in prison, and that's what convinced him he could do it on the outside, too.

Contact Samantha Melamed at SMelamed@philly.com or on Twitter at @samanthamelamed. Contact Raishad Hardnett by email at RHardnett@philly.com or on Twitter at @raishadmomar.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Halloween is just around the corner. We hope you have a fun time carving out some spooky designs like @rebecca__adams! 🎃

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!

#CuriousPhilly: Have a question about your community? Ask us!

Have you submitted a question to Curious Philly yet? Try us. We're listening to our readers and doing our best to find answers to the things you're curious about.

We're also looking for help with a new Curious Philly story. Do you know someone working into their 70s, 80s or 90s, just because they love what they do? We want to hear from you. Send us a name and 2-3 sentences about the working Philadelphian who you know to audience@philly.com, and we may be in touch for an upcoming article.

What we’re…

  1. Eating: This Bucks County firehouse's sweet and savory jams, a hot commodity sold across the world.

  2. DrinkingThe Paper Trail at Friday Saturday Sunday, a bar that prides itself on ditching the paperwork for an off-menu experience.

  3. Watching: Rittenhouse Square in the newly-released trailer for Glass, M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming Philly-filmed movie.

  4. Listening to: Folk music, inspired by the incredible legacy of the Bucks County Folk Music Shop, one of the nation's oldest stores for acoustic stringed instruments.

 Comment of the week

Convert more parking spots to commercial/taxi//uber/lyft loading zones, and then increase fines for double parking or parking in bus stops (and for private cars parking in the commercial loading zones). Encourage people to use SEPTA or else park in parking lots and garages. Encourage parking lots to reduce rates for short term (hour or less) parking. Everybody wins. Steve.Rosard, on the
— truck traffic

A DAILY DOSE OF | ORANGE

Gritty has come into Philly like a wrecking ball , and whether you love, hate, or just prefer to keep a safe distance from the Flyers' furball, you've got to give credit to the mascot's masterful marketing .