Pennsylvania

🏭 A legal fight over coal mining | Morning Newsletter

Published

5 days ago

April 1, 2026

Welcome to April, Philly! What’s that old saying, “April showers bring May flowers?” Well, we’re looking at the possibility of some showers today, and the temperature will be near 80.

A legal fight over coal mining in southwestern Pennsylvania is brewing. An environmental group’s efforts to restore state land is running up against an industry that isn’t done digging up fossil fuels.

And get ready for a busy month in Philly’s restaurant scene. We have new restaurants opening, the return of a former city staple, and James Beard Award nominees.

Plus, a judge ruled that Penn must release the names of people affiliated with campus Jewish organizations to the Trump administration, and more news of the day.

— Sam Stewart (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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A fight over Gov. Josh Shapiro’s energy policies is playing out. The dispute started in 2024, when activists petitioned regulators to preemptively declare 11,000 acres off-limits for mining.

That threatened to undermine expansion plans by a major Pennsylvania coal company. The firm’s affiliates have received tens of millions of dollars in state subsidies. And the owners are also major campaign donors to Shapiro and state Republican lawmakers.

The coal company lobbied the state to reject the mining restriction. After consulting Shapiro’s office, environmental regulators did just that.

But that rejection spurred litigation — and the documents from that dispute now offer a window into how Shapiro is navigating energy politics in a major fossil fuel-producing state ahead of a possible 2028 presidential campaign.

This is no April Fool’s joke, Philly. The city’s restaurant scene is busy this month.

🏅There are seven Philly finalists for the 2026 James Beard Foundation Awards. Michelin-recommended Thai restaurant Kalaya and Italian bakery and café Fiore are some names on the list.

🍲 Several new restaurants are slated to open this month, from pizza places to a Vietnamese-Cajun-inspired spot, Carolyn’s Modern Vietnamese.

🍺 Plus, an old classic is making a comeback. Iron Hill Brewery, which closed all locations and filed for bankruptcy last year, is set to return to Market East.

What you should know today

The University of Pennsylvania must release lists of people affiliated with Jewish organizations on its campus, a federal court judge ruled on Tuesday. Penn had argued that releasing the information would put employees at risk.
Convicted former labor leader John J. Dougherty will be permitted to hold a hearing about his request to have his prison term cut short to care for his gravely ill wife.
Parkside Borough Council President Dominic Capobianco used a borough-issued gas card to fill up his personal vehicle, and his wife’s, stealing $2,500 from the tiny Delaware County town, according to the DA.
A Kensington elementary school parent has accused the Philadelphia School District of unfairly foisting a school closure, despite it not being on the list of 18 schools facing shutdown.
Philly’s government is slowly rebuilding its workforce after the COVID-19 pandemic, with officials saying the number of unfilled jobs is at its lowest point in several years.
Gov. Josh Shapiro hosted an official statewide pep rally ahead of Pennsylvania’s major celebrations and sporting events this summer, like the nation’s 250th and the FIFA World Cup.
Uber is expanding its program that offers free and discounted rides to seniors to Northeast Philadelphia through KleinLife.

Quote of the day

Visa and Bank of America are transforming a Fishtown park into a hub for community soccer matches and development in the lead-up to the 2026 World Cup in Philadelphia. Visa and Bank of America will open the Visa Street Soccer Park at 1036 N. Front St., a refurbishment of Fishtown’s Tiptop Playground.

🧠 Trivia time

Which former Eagle and podcaster will do on-course reporting during the popular golf event, the Masters Par 3 Contest?

A) Donovan McNabb

B) Nick Foles

C) John Middlekauff

D) Jason Kelce

Think you know? Check your answer.

What we’re …

🏡 Admiring: A renovated three-bedroom home in Roxborough with an updated kitchen and an electric-vehicle charging station.

⚽ Wondering: Can the U.S. soccer team play in Philadelphia at the World Cup? The answer is: It’s complicated.

🏢 Keeping an eye on: SEPTA is seeking apartment development near its Regional Rail stations.

🌱 Sniffling about: Sneezin’ season is back. Expect a tree-pollen bonanza as temperatures rise this week.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Hint: This new city-sponsored initiative will focus on turning East Passyunk, Center City, and West Philly into live music destinations.

ELVIN SIGHT WEEK

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.

Cheers to James O’Connor, who solved Tuesday’s anagram: Strathmere.

The lifeguard headquarters house in the Cape May County community was demolished over the weekend when local officials deemed it too dangerous after a year of extreme weather left the beach eroded.

Photo of the day

That’s all for today, folks! Enjoy the first day of April and I’ll be back soon. 👋

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Pennsylvania

2 Pennsylvania firefighters killed in vehicle collision during a search for a missing woman

Published

1 hour ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

2 Pennsylvania firefighters killed in vehicle collision during a search for a missing woman

RICHMOND TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Two firefighters traveling in a utility vehicle along a Pennsylvania road during a search for a missing woman were killed in a head-on crash with a car, officials said.

The two members of the Walnuttown Fire Company died after the crash with a Toyota Camry at about 6 p.m. Saturday, roughly 45 miles (72 kilometers) northwest of Philadelphia. Fire Chief Jeff Buck and Assistant Fire Chief Robert Shick Jr. were heading north when they were struck by a sedan heading south on Route 222, according to the Berks County Coroner.

NBC Philadelphia reported that the utility vehicle was riding on the shoulder of Route 222 when the Camry swerved off of the road. Police told the station that a male and a female who were in the Camry when it crashed fled and were later arrested.

Video from the crash scene shows the utility vehicle on its side.

No further details about the arrest or the search for the missing woman were immediately available Sunday.

A call and an email seeking information were made to the Fleetwood Police Department.

Autopsies on the firefighters, both residents of Fleetwood, were scheduled for Monday.

“At this time we would like to send our thoughts and prayers” to the Shick and Buck families, the Walnuttown Fire Company said in a Facebook post. “Rest easy chiefs, we got it from here.”

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Pennsylvania

Toddler injured by wolf after crawling under Pennsylvania zoo’s exterior metal fence

Published

13 hours ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

Toddler injured by wolf after crawling under Pennsylvania zoo’s exterior metal fence

A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure, officials at the zoo confirmed Sunday.The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.After the “unsupervised” child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, a wolf approached “and made contact with the child’s hand,” according to a statement from the zoo.”This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression,” the zoo said in a statement. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.

HERSHEY, Pa. —

A toddler was lightly injured by a wolf at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo after he crawled under a fence and stuck his hand into the animal’s enclosure, officials at the zoo confirmed Sunday.

The child was never inside the wolf habitat at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park, and the officials characterized the injuries as minor without elaborating.

After the “unsupervised” child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, a wolf approached “and made contact with the child’s hand,” according to a statement from the zoo.

“This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression,” the zoo said in a statement. “Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”

The zoo is part of the entertainment complex in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a chocolate-themed amusement park. The zoo’s website says it has three gray wolves.

Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.

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Pennsylvania

MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania

Published

1 day ago

April 5, 2026

Press Room

MSU football locks in official visit with underrated CB prospect from Pennsylvania

Michigan State football has locked in an official visit with an intriguing defensive back prospect from Pennsylvania.

Trey Hopkins of Wyndmoor, Pa. announced on Saturday that he’s scheduled an official visit to Michigan State for late May. According to a social media post from Hopkins, he will visit Michigan State on May 29.

Hopkins is currently unranked and unrated on 247Sports. He is listed at 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, and plays for La Salle College. His position is listed as cornerback.

Michigan State extended Hopkins an offer in late February, and is one of nearly 20 schools to offer him, according to 247Sports. Other than his offer from the Spartans, Hopkins has received offers from Penn State, Maryland, UCLA, Virginia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, USF, Temple, James Madison, Liberty, Miami (OH) and some other group of five or FCS programs.

Michigan State will be the first of three currently scheduled official visits for Hopkins. According to 247Sports, he will also take official visits to Virginia Tech (June 5) and Penn State (June 11).

Contact/Follow us @The SpartansWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Michigan State news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Robert Bondy on X @RobertBondy5.

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