Philly considers a ‘fair workweek,’ why you hit every red light | Morning Newsletter
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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 got chilly fast, didn't it? I'm certainly not complaining — though I will complain if it rains again this afternoon. If you need a little sunshine on what looks like a cloudy day, turn to this morning's top stories. First up, Philly's looking for inspiration as officials consider laws to bring a "fair workweek" (read: no unpredictable schedules) to local workers, and Seattle may have found the solution. And if you've ever wanted to know why you can't catch a break with red lights, we've got an answer for you, thanks to a reader-submitted question.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
Back in fall 2016, Seattle passed what’s known as a “fair workweek” law mandating employers give workers their schedules two weeks in advance. And workers said “bye, bye” to unpredictable schedules.
In Seattle, workers also can refuse unscheduled hours without risking their jobs and they get extra money if they're taken off the schedule, too.
Philadelphia's City Council is hosting a hearing on its own version of the law Oct. 30, and there's a lot they can learn from Seattle's experiences — including investing in enforcement.
Fairmount resident Jerilyn Dressler recently wrote into our Curious Philly question-and-answer forum asking why traffic lights seem so unpredictable. Sometimes the reds are long and the greens are short; sometimes they’re timed to slow you down, or they break.
If you feel personally attacked by red lights on every block, the good news is you are not cursed by the traffic gods.
It turns out, like many traffic frustrations, there's no one reason you might be plagued by red lights in Pennsylvania. It has to do with safety, ride-sharing, construction, and state municipalities.
If you hate going to the grocery store, you’re definitely not alone. At least, that’s what Walmart, Postmates, Jet.com, and Instacart are betting their delivery business models on.
Sure, 84 percent of adults say they've never ordered groceries online. But Philadelphia's virtual shopping carts are still up for grabs.
Peapod, a brand from Pennsylvania-based grocer Giant, wants to be your go-to and, so far, it's holding its own among other retail giants.
What you need to know today
If you were out and about in Philly Sunday afternoon, you may have been surprised to come across hundreds of dirt bikers riding down city streets. They were honoring the anniversary of a popular local dirt bike rider's shooting death, though about 20 people were arrested in connection to the event.
The race for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania took a personal turn this weekend as U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta lashed out over U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr.'s latest campaign ad about healthcare, calling it "insensitive" and "disgusting."
Racist literature was left on at least 30 front lawns in Cherry Hill Saturday night. Police are calling for the public's help finding who's behind the hate-filled leafletting.
A 24-year-old woman was reportedly raped at knife-point in Center City Saturday night as she walked to a women's shelter. Police are now searching for the man who attacked her on the 1200 block of Lombard Street.
A local nonprofit is working to open a safe injection site in Philadelphia, but as of Friday, U.S. Attorney William M. McSwain is already looking for ways to stop them.
Fall brings crisp temperatures, colorful leaves … and mice infestations as the furry rodents look for someplace warm to ride out the winter. But there are some ways you can keep them away.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
A little spooky, no, @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
A little Monday morning inspiration: columnist Mike Newall has caught up with the teen who, after being shot, returned to the Reading Terminal job he fought for for nearly two years.
Don't expect to see LeSean McCoy in an Eagles uniform anytime soon. Though rumors flew last week he could be coming our way, ESPN reports a deal between the Bills and the Eagles is unlikely.
Sorry, Tinto fans, you won't be able to get into your favorite Center City tapas bar until next month. Even worse, it's about to be super famous: a Hollywood movie is filming there.
Sad to say Gritty's appearance hasn't brought the Flyers enough good luck for a winning record just yet. They've started the season 2-3.
Gen Z has all the fun. More local colleges are scrapping SAT requirements, meaning more students can skip the big, stressful test.
A developer wants to turn a Society Hill lot into a townhouse, but advocates claim the spot has "archaeological potential." The Historical Commission, however, has decided there's nothing it can do.
Opinions
On the heels of the release of her book about women's anger, Good and Mad, journalist (and Abington native) Rebecca Traister sat down with columnist Ronnie Polaneczky to talk about how fed-up woman are having a major moment.
The Trump administration is clamping down on protests outside the White House and, columnist Will Bunch writes, we should be very afraid of what comes next.
What we’re reading
When two Pennsylvania parents found the state lacks applied behavioral therapy resources for special needs children, they decided to do something about it. WHYY's story on their efforts is an inspiring read.
Landlords are fighting tenants with Section 8 housing vouchers and the New York Times' story on the concerning trend uses Philly as a prime example.
The Washington Post has put together an incredible visual story explaining the ripple effect a change in U.S. abortion policy had around the globe.
Has male hair undergone a revolution? Philadelphia Magazine thinks so, and their essay on supposedly radical changes will have you looking out for new hairstyles all day.
The teens are at it again. The Atlantic dove into the latest Instagram trend — posting the same photo of a toaster or kiwi every day — for a quirky read.
Your Daily Dose of | Minefaire
This past weekend, thousands of gamers (and their parents) swarmed the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center to talk about one thing: Minecraft.