Hiya, Philly. It’s set to be a hot and sunny Tuesday.
After the shocking announcement that the University of the Arts will close for good on Friday, students, faculty, staff, and alumni are still awaiting answers about the unprecedented move. While top leaders are still tight-lipped, one trustee said it would have taken $40 million to save the storied institution.
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And for the primary election in New Jersey, we have the details on embattled U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’s plan to run as an independent, even as he remains on trial for criminal charges. Plus, check back with The Inquirer throughout the day for live election results.
Here’s what you need to know today.
— Julie Zeglen (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
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UArts’ legacy, and lingering questions
The past few days have been a whirlwind for students, faculty, staff, and alumni of Philly’s University of the Arts, one of the oldest art schools in the country.
The latest: After the sudden Friday evening announcement that the college would shut down on June 7, hundreds of students and supporters staged a colorful protest on the steps of Hamilton Hall on Monday afternoon. A virtual town hall scheduled for 4 p.m. was cancelled just minutes before its start.
Lingering questions: While it’s still unclear exactly what events led to Friday’s abrupt announcement, a university trustee told The Inquirer it would have taken roughly $40 million to stave off the financial crisis that leaders say ultimately forced them to decide to close the school. Signs of financial distress go back at least one year.
Real estate footprint: The school’s influence extends beyond the arts. UArts owns a string of iconic Center City properties estimated to be worth $162 million, including Dorrance Hamilton and Furness Halls — the core of its campus — and several high-rises used as dorms, classrooms, or other academic space. What will happens to its real estate? For now, much like students’ academic fates, it’s not clear.
Further reading: Check out The Inquirer’s explainer on UArts’ history and place in Philly’s higher education landscape; our story on an Instagram account dedicated to supporting UArts student artists; and a first-person account from a mourning alum on what it feels like “when your college disappears, just like that.”
Eyes on New Jersey’s primary election day
Today is the primary election in New Jersey. Democratic voters won’t find the incumbent, U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, on the ballot — but they might see him there in the fall.
🗳️ The embattled senator, who is currently on trial in Manhattan on federal fraud and bribery charges, has filed paperwork to run a long-shot campaign as an independent in the November Senate race.
🗳️ Even if he is acquitted in the criminal trial, it’s not likely that he’ll retain his seat. See: low approval ratings, calls from colleagues to resign, and years of legal challenges.
🗳️ Meanwhile, U.S. Rep Andy Kim seems poised to take Menendez’s seat in the Senate. Nine people are running to replace Kim in the House’s 3rd Congressional District — five Democrats and four Republicans. And over in the GOP, the Senate race is between a Trump-backed candidate and a state party establishment rep.
Catch live updates of Jersey’s primary election throughout the day. (Psst, here’s why The Inquirer uses expected turnout to display results.)
What you should know today
District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the elimination of a street group tied to five homicides and a host of shootings. Also on Monday, a key member of a West Philadelphia gang pleaded guilty to shooting nine people and killing three in 2021.
A person with measles traveled through the Philadelphia International Airport on Friday. The city health department is advising those who may have been exposed to get vaccinated.
The months-long showdown over control of Philadelphia’s largest union for city workers allegedly turned physical, with police called to AFSCME District Council 33′s headquarters Monday morning.
Rutgers-Camden has started work on a $60 million project to upgrade facilities, better connect the state university campus and its host city, and preserve a distinctive streetscape along a major downtown thoroughfare. Will it work?
Dredging will begin this week in North Wildwood as part of an eagerly anticipated emergency replenishment project. Thousand-foot stretches of beach will be closed at a time.
Pennsylvanians want to make it easier to build housing, including affordable units. But as new polls show, the politics are complicated.
Parking at SEPTA Regional Rail lots has been free since the pandemic. Now, the transit agency is reinstating the $1 daily rate for surface lots and $2 for garages — and may soon double both.
🧠 Trivia time
Electric bills are projected to go up as rising temperatures lead to more extreme heat events. How much more can Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents expect to pay to keep their homes cool this summer, on average, compared to last year?
A) About $10, or 3%
B) About $35, or 7%
C) About $80, or 12%
D) About $100, or 50%
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re...
🐄 Buying: Milk, cheese, and ice cream straight from these Philly-area farms.
📦 Wondering: If a fake Amazon review makes you laugh, are you more likely to buy?
🤔 Investigating: Why Colin Bridgerton owns this exclusive Gritty T-shirt.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
This multi-hyphenate West Philly native rides the El, hosts celebrity game nights, and sells plant-based cheesesteaks.
QUO SVELTE
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Doug Taber, who solved Monday’s anagram: Haddonfield. The Camden County town hosts a free, weekly ballroom dancing class for the blind and visually impaired.
Photo of the day
Have a good Tuesday, OK? I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow.
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