Philly’s recycling dilemma; homeowners fight back against city’s property assessments | Morning Newsletter

We’ve reached day 34 of the government shutdown — a historic total that continues to climb. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers will miss yet another paycheck today. Philly’s unions and labor advocates plan to show support for TSA workers this morning at Philadelphia International Airport.

The shutdown continues after the Senate blocked two pieces of dueling legislation Thursday that could have brought it to an end. The legislative moves were the Senate’s first attempts at ending the shutdown since it began more than a month ago.

Also, unpaid federal workers have yet another hurdle to contend with. They’re now at risk of losing dental and vision coverage — unless they’re willing to pay.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman doesn’t want to assume how most Pennsylvanians feel about legalizing marijuana for recreational use. He wants to hear from as many people as he can on the topic. So, he’s hitting the road.

Kappa Alpha Psi, a Philly-based organization and one of the country’s largest predominantly African-American fraternities, fired a top executive for allegedly embezzling money to feed a gambling habit, court records show. Now, federal authorities are investigating.

Developers unveiled a plan in 2017 to revitalize the blighted area around Amtrak’s North Philadelphia station. Finally, it appears the project to build housing, labs, and offices is in motion — the first solid sign of progress in the so-called North Station District plan.

The Eagles won’t be playing in Super Bowl LIII, so can we start thinking about Super Bowl 54? Why, not? The oddsmakers already are and it turns out they like Philly’s chances.

A South Philadelphia barbecue restaurant has joined the growing list of eateries looking to help unpaid government employees during the shutdown. Mike’s BBQ has launched a pay-it-forward system so you can buy a meal for a federal worker. But so far, they’ve been surprised by the reaction.

You might be caught off guard if you visit 30th Street Station today. Thursday night, crews began taking the first steps in removing the iconic 1970s era flipboard sign. Despite the urging of riders and politicians, Amtrak is removing the sign, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that distinct clicking sound is gone for good.

Camden is hoping to get rid of several illegal dumping sites in a very creative way. The city was one of four nationwide to receive a public art grant that will allow it to transform seven eyesores into art attractions. 

Giant Food Stores is hoping to draw in Center City shoppers with a new store concept. The market’s first downtown Philly store, Heirloom Market, opens today.

In reviewing artist Antony Gormley’s art installation STAND, Thomas Hines argues that the piece fails to transform the Philadelphia Art Museum’s steps, adding that the sculptures miss the whole point of Rocky Balboa.

Environmental hazards have made the conditions of Philly’s school buildings a human rights issue, writes Jerry Jordan, president of the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers who argues that there is no worthier investment than the safety and health of children.

We’re experiencing a wild swing between really cold and unseasonably warm days in Philly. While you may enjoy an occasional break from freezing days, what if they started disappearing? Vox examines the U.S. cities that could lose weeks of freezing days by 2050 — a list that includes cities in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. 

Meanwhile, disasters and personal experiences have made climate change a serious issue for a growing number of Americans. In fact, as National Geographic breaks down, new polls show that most Americans fear global warming and want to fix it.

Joe Beddia has built a reputation as a pizza artist in Philly. We’re still waiting for the opening of his expanded Pizzeria Beddia. In the meantime, Philadelphia Magazine explains that Beddia is teaming up with Fishtown’s Honeygrow. But no, they’re not making pies.

Speaking of the future of pizza, CBS News writes that one university is teaming up with a technology company to make robots that will deliver pizza and coffee to students on campus. We’ll keep an eye out for when this goes nationwide.

Many Americans are closely watching marijuana legalization efforts. As WHYY reports, that list includes New Jersey business leaders who have a lot of questions about what full legalization would mean for the workplace.