Eagles lose more than just the game to Washington | Morning Newsletter

Well, the Eagles made their return to the field yesterday, and although there were no fans and their opponents didn’t have a team name, two things felt familiar: injuries and frustration. The Birds fell in the season-opener to Washington after blowing a 17-0 lead. More on that below from my colleagues.

In other news, more families seem to be opting for homeschooling because of some of the complications that pandemic-era learning can present. And, a leak of drilling fluid from the Sunoco pipeline has led Pennsylvania’s environmental protection department to force a reroute for a portion being built in Chester County.

— Josh Rosenblat (@joshrosenblat, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

Carson Wentz and the Eagles squander a 17-point lead in loss to Washington

Against a backdrop of social justice displays, playing against a team that finally admitted its nickname was offensive, and with no fans in the stands because of a global health pandemic, the Eagles got to play a football game. Well, they played 20 minutes of football, writes columnist Marcus Hayes. It’s too bad that NFL games are 60 minutes long.

The team jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter, only to lose 27-17 to Washington on the opening Sunday of the season. Doug Pederson’s squad was plagued by mistakes, with quarterback Carson Wentz getting sacked eight times, throwing two interceptions, and losing one fumble. And, in a call back to last season, the Eagles' injuries are already starting to pile up, especially along the offensive line.

Fans, though, still found a way to celebrate despite the coronavirus and the loss. My colleague Kristen A. Graham visited a Gloucester County parking lot turned drive-in movie theater that hosted a watch party for Birds fans.

School schedules are all over the place. More families are opting out.

The coronavirus pandemic has prompted more parents around the region to consider homeschooling. And a lot of that new interest is because of the uncertainty about school schedules and the challenges of virtual learning programs.

“If you bake something together, or go on a nature walk, they count as homeschool days,” one Bucks County mother said. She aims to spend an hour a day on more formal instruction with her 6-year-old daughter. “I sort of figure if she reads everyday, practices writing and does some math, whatever else we do is a bonus,” she said.

What you need to know today

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on Friday ordered Sunoco to reroute a portion of its pipeline being dug in Chester County after there was a spill in August of 8,000 gallons of drilling fluid.Philadelphia’s principals' union cited a “failure of leadership” in declaring “no confidence” in Superintendent William R. Hite Jr.Experts say that we don’t have to wipe down every surface to protect ourselves from the coronavirus.The public transportation funding crisis could force Pa. to lose manufacturing jobs.One of Trump’s strongholds in Pennsylvania used to be so collaborative that a local newspaper once described it as “communism on the prairie.”Since the start of the school year for K-12 public schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, there have been few confirmed coronavirus cases among students. But infection rates are rising for college-age adults in both states.Nourish, a vegan cafe on South Street that had been open about eight months ago, was destroyed by fire this weekend.Through your eyes 5/8 #OurPhilly

Thanks for capturing this South Street scene, @gritadelphia.

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!

That’s interesting

??Black girls with the Eyekonz Field Hockey and Lacrosse league marched against police brutality from Strawberry Mansion to the Art Museum steps. Through sports, Eyekonz teaches leadership and life skills to Philly children.??There’s another tropical storm forming in the Atlantic. This one is named Sally.?Coming into this weekend, Bryce Harper was struggling. My colleague Scott Lauber spoke with the team’s hitting coach to figure out what was going on.??The sounds of this summer in Philly were odd, for sure. But what can they say about the future of arts and culture in the city???Director Rita Coburn discusses her Marian Anderson documentary and the role Philly plays in it.??The Flyers' GM says he’s going to show patience this offseason. But my colleague Sam Carchidi writes that there’s no doubt the team needs an offensive upgrade.Opinions

“It’s often a nightmare because the restaurants are jammed with demanding bargain hunters who tip poorly. That’s during normal times. Can you imagine it will be any better during a pandemic?” — writes Greg Caputo, a Philadelphia podcast host, blogger, and former cook, about what Restaurant Week could be like in 2020.

City Council has to be able to multitask to address Philadelphia’s challenges, The Inquirer Editorial Board writes.Gaurab Baso, a primary-care physician, writes about having his “climate moment” and how climate change is affecting us right now.What we’re reading

This Billy Penn article explores the historical precedent for Philly’s affordable-housing issue by looking at a book from 1927.Philadelphia magazine spoke to urbanists about how they’d change the city.Should the pandemic force America to remake higher education? The New Republic explores that question in this article.Your Daily Dose of 5/8 Changing Lives

A program called MindSet that’s run by the nonprofit Episcopal Community Services uses coaching to help participants think more clearly and work toward goals to change their circumstances in lasting ways.

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