Overdose death changes two families forever; The future of Germantown High School | Morning Newsletter
All the local news you need to know to start your day, delivered straight to your email.
/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-pmn.s3.amazonaws.com/public/KLFWPR5FGFDHZLLIP67IQRHJRY.jpg)
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
A 24-year-old Montgomery County woman will spend the next 21 years behind bars. Emma Semler was sentenced to prison for providing drugs to her friend who overdosed in a KFC bathroom in 2014. Jenny Werstler’s parents do believe that justice was served, but if you ask them — Emma isn’t the only one that deserves to be blamed for their daughter’s death. Meanwhile, Germantown residents are finally getting some answers about the development plans for the shuttered Germantown High School. But not everyone likes what’s in store for the sprawling campus.
Reading this online? Sign up here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox every morning.
— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
One death forever altered the world of two local families. Jenny Werstler, 20, overdosed inside a KFC bathroom in Overbrook. Her friend Emma Semler panicked and left her there. Finally, five years later, someone had to pay the price.
Semler was held accountable. Last week, a judge sentenced her to 21 years in prison for supplying the drugs that killed Werstler.
The case that began with Werstler’s death and ended with Semler’s sentencing sheds light on the epidemic that has devastated Philly-area families in various ways. Werstler’s parents believe justice was served, but Semler’s sentence does little to ease their grief.
Philadelphians and tourists flock to South 22nd Street to get their fix of unusual medical devices and bizarre bones. Soon, that experience could get a major upgrade.
The Mütter Museum of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia is in need of more space as its collection of medical oddities and visitor numbers grow. The college is seeking $25 million to double the size of the museum, add staff positions, and bolster the college’s junior fellows program.
The timetable for building construction has not been set. But the Mütter vows to preserve its beloved 19th-century flavor.
Developers met with nearly 100 Germantown neighbors this week to discuss the future of Germantown High and Fulton Elementary schools. The fate of the now shuttered schools has been a point of contention in the neighborhood and the meeting was billed as a first look at the master plan.
A local team of developers bought the campuses in 2017 and since then, nearby residents have struggled to get answers and voiced their frustration with the lack of transparency.
Developers have finally opened up about the plan which includes a charter school, cafe, coworking space, and more than 230 housing units. Residents raised concerns over what the apartments — and their price tags — could mean for the neighborhood.
What you need to know today
A North Philly man is being held for trial in the shooting death of Tameka Michelle Washington, a transgender woman and a well-known LGBTQ advocate in the city. Authorities say the man became a suspect after he returned to the scene of the crime for something he left behind.
A Trump administration rule could lead to homeless LGBTQ people being turned away from shelters. The move has angered some Philly officials who maintain that the city will continue to guarantee equal access to homeless services.
Four people found murdered in a West Philly basement last year were slain because their killers wanted to steal drugs to resell, police said. A man allegedly involved in the transaction testified this week, and revealed just how much money was made from the bloodbath.
Illegal trash dumpers in Philly are a pretty brazen bunch — especially when they think no one is watching. Well, now it turns out someone is watching: Philly police and officials through cameras being installed across the city.
A recent study raised concerns about errors in court records due to misunderstanding African American speech. These instances were recently on the table at “Why Language Matters,” a closed event for Philly judges.
Referee Alan Maloney drew national ire after he required a New Jersey high school wrestler to cut off his dreadlocks to compete in a match. The incident ignited a New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association investigation and they expect to issue their findings soon.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
I call winner ✋🏾. Thanks for sharing, @9thday_ofmarch.
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
The Four Seasons Philadelphia at the top of the city’s new Comcast tower has an opening date for later this summer. You can book a room in the luxury hotel now, but be prepared for the sticker shock.
This news will sting a little bit if you plan on spending your summer in North Wildwood. N.J. officials are warning the public to stay away from a salt pond where clinging jellyfish were recently discovered.
If you’re a Kool & The Gang fan, a “Celebration” might be in order. The longest continuously performing R&B group in history were named the winners of the 2019 Marian Anderson Award.
A bizarre feud involving alleged infidelity, a BMW gas tank, and two former Philadelphia Eagles players has been settled in a Florida court. By the way, the two former Birds are related.
Soon the students at Rowan University will be able to turn to canine comfort to combat college stress. The school will launch an animal therapy program thanks to a South Jersey businessman and animal lover’s multi-million dollar donation.
And speaking of man’s best friend, service dogs are helping Philly military veterans get a new lease on life, made possible by the efforts of a local nonprofit.
Opinions
“As a City, we can no longer entertain a conversation about good apples and bad apples, or isolated incidents. ... The residents of the City, and most importantly Police Department leadership, must work together to say enough is enough. We must understand and undo racism and strive to proactively address this issue, which starts with the Police Department." — Philadelphia Police Advisory Commission Executive Director Hans Menos on recently unearthed Facebook posts from Philly police officers.
If you’re grappling with whether or not the Sixers should pay big to keep Tobias Harris and Jimmy Butler in Philly, just remember that they were just three points away from doing something very special, writes columnist David Murphy.
As America continues to search for solutions to end mass shootings, the time has come for the elimination of gun-free zones, writes former federal and state prosecutor George Parry.
What we’re reading
A bill that has passed the Oregon Senate might make 911 callers think twice about the reason they’re dialing. Vox breaks down the bill which allows victims of racist emergency calls to fight back.
Many of the juveniles arrested in Philadelphia wind up in a hopeless cycle that leads them right back into police custody. Thanks to a brainstorm by Philly cops, and a $1 million grant, a new idea could break that cycle, The Philadelphia Citizen reports.
Restaurant names aren’t just randomly selected because they sound cool. They’re often symbols of culture and heritage. Sadly, a lot of Philly restaurant names are often mispronounced, so Philadelphia Magazine found out their correct pronunciations.
A Daily Dose of | Newfoundlands 🐾
Mackenzie Makatche is a Delaware County dog mom to nine big, fluffy, and lovable Newfoundlands and documents her pet parenting journey for more than 37,000 followers on Instagram. And she has her own meme.