Deep freeze to bring snow, Krasner sworn in as DA, Trump tweets about 'nuclear button' | Morning Newsletter
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Good morning, folks. It's still freezing, and Trump spent last night tweeting about his "nuclear button," and I'm sure there's a dark cold war joke in there somewhere. But it might snow tonight, so that's something, right?
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— Aubrey Nagle
» READ MORE: Deep freeze could bring snow this week
Believe it or not, today is set to be the warmest of the week. A nor'easter is on its way and the Philly region could see anywhere from one to three inches of snow in the city to four to six inches at the shore between today and tomorrow.
Surrounding counties have issued "Code Blue" warnings and set up warming centers and extra shelters for those in need during the deep freeze.
Of course, the extreme cold has also led to water main breaks and frozen pipes throughout the area. Afraid your home might meet the same fate? Here's how to keep those pipes warm — and what to do when it's too late.
» READ MORE: Krasner sworn in as district attorney
Larry Krasner, the civil rights lawyer known for defending activists and protesters, was sworn in yesterday as Philadelphia's district attorney. Krasner promised throughout his campaign to focus on criminal justice reform, from ending use of the death penalty and the cash bail system to reducing the prison population.
Rebecca Rhynhart, also part of the city's new Democratic movement, officially became the city controller yesterday, too. Now, the Inquirer Editorial Board writes, we must hold them both accountable to their promises.
But that's just the beginning of what's sure to be a tumultuous year in Pennsylvania politics. From the gerrymandering case to congressional races, here are the five things to look out for in 2018.
» READ MORE: Trump tweets about ‘nuclear button,’ Palestine spur outrage
President Trump took to Twitter last night to seemingly threaten North Korea and brag about U.S. nuclear capabilities in response to a speech by Kim Jong Un. The "nuclear button" he bragged about doesn't exist, however.
He also threatened to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority via Twitter yesterday, which outraged Palestinian officials who called the tweets "blackmail."
In other White House news, the adminstration is reversing another set of rules put in place by President Barack Obama: they're scaling back the use of fines against nursing homes that harm residents. Want updates on the Trump administration sent to your inbox? Sign up for our Trumpadelphia newsletter.
What you need to know today
Talk about irony: The longtime chief of security for the Pennsylvania Senate, whose office works to ensure that each session occurs safely and without interruption, has resigned following accusations that he harassed two female subordinates.
A popular Philly-bred speaker who calls himself Dr. Umar and portrays himself as a psychologist and counselor doesn't have a license to be either, according to the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs.
About 1,000 Penn Medicine patients are about to receive an unwelcome letter: their personal information has been stolen.
Senator Orrin Hatch announced yesterday that he will retire, opening up an opportunity for Mitt Romney to run for his seat.
A wild brawl broke out in a Bensalem bar over the weekend, leaving a bartender with head injuries. Police have released video of the scene and are looking for four men.
Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz took some heat this weekend for tweeting a photo of his dog from a recent hunting trip, and has since responded to his critics.
Speaking of the Birds, looks like coach Doug Pederson has been watching old game tapes of QB Nick Foles from 2013 in hopes of fixing his flaws before playoffs.
Lehigh and Jefferson Universities are trying to become leaders in hemp production, banking on a comeback story worth tens of billions of dollars. Can they make hemp cool again?
» READ MORE: #OurPhilly
We want to see what our community looks like through your eyes. Show us the park that your family walks through every weekend with the dog, the block party in your neighborhood or the historic stretch you see every morning on your commute to work.
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 to build those followers!
That’s Interesting
Foodies, pick up your to-do lists: My colleague Michael Klein has compiled a list of the Philly restaurant openings you should be looking forward to this year.
Sixers shooting guard J. J. Redick doesn't get caught up with statistics and isn't worried about his three point percentage. He does, however, worry about his very particular pregame routine.
Old City's Chemical Heritage Foundation, a museum about much more than its name implies, is getting a new one.
Are you addicted to HQ Trivia? The app has bewitched hundreds of thousands of people to log on every day for a live quiz show in hopes of winning prize money.
An 88-year-old woman from Frankford is about to be your new hero: meet the William Penn superfan who once crashed a VIP event to ask Joe Biden why he didn't send her a thank you note.
Ready for a crazy sentence? A new movie theater just opened on South Street and tickets are just $5. The pop-up cinema is trying to revitalize the neighborhood, one screening at a time.
Attention fashion followers: from comfy glamour to Danish living, these are the lifestyle trends you can look forward to in 2018.
Opinions
The new movie musical The Greatest Showman tells the story of circus pioneer P. T. Barnum but, as David Mindich, chair of Temple's journalism department, writes, the sparkly film whitewashes America's racist past.
The Philadelphia Streets Department commissioner and the Philadelphia Zero Waste and Litter director have responded to an Inquirer article report on business recycling in Philadelphia. Poor compliance, they say, isn't a financial loss for the city, it's an environmental loss for us all.
What we’re reading
Whether you're a full-fledged foodie or a just like to eat out occasionally, you'll giggle over this list of food trends Philadelphia Magazine wishes would die in 2018.
New York Magazine has taken a deep and disturbing dive into the death toll of Hurricane Maria, which continues to climb and could overtake that of Hurricane Katrina.
A citizen science project helping find a cure for Alzheimer's Disease, as detailed in Wired, wowed me this morning. It's like a massive multiplayer game for science.
Ben Burtt gave the Star Wars franchise its signature sound. So why isn't he in the credits for the last two films? Vanity Fair investigates, and finds out how the sound wiz learned the ropes.
Slate explores something I've certainly always wondered: what happens to teens who watch beautiful twentysomething actors pretend to be teens on TV? (Spoiler alert: nothing good.)
Your Daily Dose of | Playtime
Jake's Place, a playground designed especially for children with special physical and or developmental needs inspired by a South Jersey boy, is expanding its reach. Truly fun for everyone!