Inside Pa.’s first sports-betting casino; N.J. gerrymandering battle continues | Morning Newsletter
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With little fanfare, the first Pennsylvania casino has officially opened for legal sports-betting. So far, the sportsbook is picking up a younger audience and this morning we've got an inside look at the first few weeks of the operation. We also have an outside look at Wissahickon Creek, this time a bird's eye view from a plane 800 feet up. From the sky, conservationists have seen what needs to be done to protect the waterway as it runs through the region.
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— Aubrey Nagle (morningnewsletter@philly.com)
Did you know Pennsylvania’s first legal sports-betting operation is officially open for business?
If not, don't blame yourself — the launch was so low-key that a news release wasn't issued until betting had already started at Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course.
Two weeks in, the sportsbook is drawing a younger crowd, which is good news for casinos with aging audiences.
From its beginnings behind a shopping mall in Montgomery County to its junction with the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, Wissahickon Creek winds for 24 miles through 16 towns and villages.
To get a better look at the ways it might be vulnerable to its environment, members of the Wissahickon Valley Watershed Association, a nonprofit land trust founded to protect the creek, hopped in a plane.
From 800 feet up, they saw all the ways it might be threatened by pollution or development.
New Jersey isn’t following the crowd. Nationally Democrats have been fighting gerrymandering (including, successfully, in Pennsylvania), but Garden State Democrats are looking to further entrench their power in Trenton.
A proposal to amend the state constitution has drawn sharp criticism from good-government groups, civil rights groups, and redistricting experts. They say it would allow Democrats to unfairly draw legislative districts in their favor.
What you need to know today
Pennsbury schools in Bucks County will reopen today, but the boil-water advisory that shut them is still in effect and will remain so until at least Tuesday.
You could say tonight's Eagles-Redskins game is a bit high-pressure: the outcome will have a huge impact on the Birds' playoff chances. At least Darren Sproles plans to get back on the field.
The housing market has peaked and home sales are trending downward. The biggest factor? A decline in affordability.
After a stressful week that saw their general manager, an assistant general manager, and an assistant coach fired, the Flyers persevered to beat the Pittsburgh Penguins 4-2 over the weekend.
The annual Pennsylvania Society bash up in Manhattan took place this weekend, but attendees said this year it just didn't feel the same.
Across the country, worshipers gathered for the annual Human Rights Shabbat Saturday, a particularly poignant event this year following high-profile shootings like October's massacre at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
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That’s Interesting
The Sixers had a hot weekend, nabbing their fourth straight win Sunday on a great night for Ben Simmons. Joel Embiid even got to rest a little bit Friday.
Philadelphia's professional esports team, the Fusion, finally played in Philadelphia over the weekend with an Overwatch matchup against New York's The Excelsior.
Bob Dylan will have the spotlight tonight as he opens up the Met Philadelphia, but tomorrow night is all about Penn alum John Legend. Ahead of the show, he dished on the most challenging part of writing original Christmas songs for his new album.
Speaking of Christmas, 'tis the season to see Santa everywhere from office holiday parties to malls and tree lightings. Three New Jersey Santas say there's much more to it than the suit.
Want to get outdoors and enjoy local art? Go hunting for the dozen Philly murals that speak to the Asian experience.
The Phillies are eyeing up a trade for Seattle shortstop Jean Segura, according to reports, a move that wouldn't disqualify the team from also pursuing Manny Machado.
Opinions
Bart Blatstein, president and Chief Executive Officer of Tower Investments, Inc., writes that Temple University's board must take a stand against professor Marc Lamont Hill after his comments to the United Nations about Israel.
Staff writer Abraham Gutman, on the other hand, writes that Hill's comments don't sound wrong from his vantage point in Tel Aviv.
What we’re reading
NJ.com just published what they call the most comprehensive statewide database of police use of force in the U.S. You can search through every local police department in New Jersey through an interactive map and peruse their biggest findings.
Reporter Jim Saksa went on a Hunter S. Thompson-esque ride with the Jersey Devils, a bicycle club that shares some aesthetic similarities with outlaw motorcycle gangs, for PlanPhilly.
Spoilers ahead for This Is Us fans: Philadelphia Magazine is calling out the show's Philly City Council election plotline for inaccuracies.
Should Philly be sad it lost out on Amazon HQ? The Ringer writes that the yearlong search was just the company's way of taking advantage of America's inequalities.
Don't miss the New York Times' report on strange ecommerce empires called "A Business With No End." The interactive design alone is worth a peek.
Your Daily Dose of | Superstition
Get out your prayer candles, Buddhas, and backward hats: Eagles fans need all their good luck charms handy during tonight’s game.