Pa. towns gamble on gambling, Villanova heads to championship, Cosby retrial set to begin | Morning Newsletter

The city's land bank was created four years ago to turn vacant lots into productive parcels and there's a lot of community interest. So why is there a backlog of 5,000 properties, like a sprawling North Philly community garden run by nuns, the city has yet to sell?

Gov. Phil Murphy's recently announced changes to New Jersey's medical marijuana program have been hailed by current and potential patients. The overhaul could open the program to 100,000 or even 200,000 new patients.

During this year's elections, 57 percent of Pennsylvanians will vote using outdated, hackable machines that don't provide a paper record of each vote to safeguard against fraud. They're likely to be used in 2020, too.

A lack of oversight, advocates say, of guardianships for the elderly allowed one woman with a record of fraud, bad checks, and forgery to become the legal guardian in over 100 cases in the Philly region.

Instead of relying on the police, Philly victims of sexual assault are finding "street justice" elsewhere — often on Facebook.

Did you know you can recycle cigarette butts? A Trenton business is helping clean up Philly neighborhoods by turning the street scourge into things communities can really use.

Phillies fans all have their eyes on manager Gabe Kapler after this weekend's 15-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves. Columnist Bob Brookover says his early actions are cause for concern. (Want more Phillies news in your inbox? Check out our new newsletter, Extra Innings.)

The founder of a Boston-based fashion company has given fifteen Germantown girls their own Cinderalla moments thanks to a project to supply girls with dresses for spring formals and proms.

Beyoncé's father, Mathew Knowles, sat down with columnist Jenice Armstrong about his new book — and yes, she asked if he knows who bit Beyoncé.

The Sixers won their tenth straight game Sunday, their longest winning streak since 2000. Star center Joel Embiid has undergone surgery to repair a fractured bone near his eye and is expected to sit out for two to four weeks. (The playoffs start in two. Yikes.)

As it turns out, Abington High School won't be renamed after billionaire donor Stephen Schwarzman, thanks to public outrage.

This summer's Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival will be a bit more magical thanks to an appearance by an actor from the Harry Potter series.

How would you feel about a 50-cent surcharge added to your next Uber ride? Scott Petri, the executive director of the Philadelphia Parking Authority, writes the change would send more money to the School District.

Many say that shrinking Pennyslvania's legislature would make it more efficient. Not so, writes Berwood A. Yost of the Franklin and Marshall College Poll and professor Matthew M. Schousen.

A PlanPhilly interview with a famed landscape architect who got his start in Philly raises important questions about our beloved reputation as a city of neighborhoods.

The city could be getting a dockless bike share system, and the Philadelphia Citizen questions whether it would work for the city's diverse ridership. 

Philadelphia Magazine went on a fact-checking mission of the city's history tours. Some of the half-truths and Philly myths are pretty creative.

Speaking of creativity, feminists in China are using emoji and memes to avoid being censored, Wired reports.

A black outdoorswoman walked from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama last year in an effort to connect with the trail's history and her tale, written for BuzzFeed, is unforgettable.