🥞 Your best bets for brunch in Philly

🌎 Did You Feel That?!

A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit North Jersey on Friday morning, and Philly felt it. It led to an evacuation at City Hall, some short delays at PHL Airport, and a pause in PATCO service. [NBC10]

• 🫨 Where were you when it happened? Send me a line about your Philly earthquake experience, and I may include it in a future newsletter.

☀️ Ready for the Solar Eclipse?

Speaking of natural phenomena, today’s eclipse day! If you’re still looking for viewing tips or events, we’ve got you covered. [Hey Philly]

• If you’re looking for an event in your neighborhood, your local library branch may also be hosting something. [Free Library]

❓ What’s That Glass Box on Independence Mall?

There’s a new, large art installation right outside the Independence Visitor Center with 38 life-sized figures made from stacked paper. Each one represents a U.S. state without “clean slate laws,” or policies that expedite the expungement of criminal records. [WHYY]

🗳️ New Election Office

ICYMI: Philly has opened a satellite election office at 40th and Market, where you can request, receive, and return a mail ballot all at once. Nine more will open before the November general election. [City & State PA]

April 23 is this year’s Pennsylvania primary, when Democrats and Republicans will choose their parties’ nominees for offices at various levels of government, including three state “row offices.”

One of those row offices is Pennsylvania’s auditor general, the state’s chief fiscal watchdog who serves in four-year terms. The auditor general’s office’s duties include conducting financial audits and evaluating the performance of government programs.

🔴 Who You’ll See on Your Ballot If You’re a Republican

• Tim DeFoor, incumbent

🔵 Who You’ll See on Your Ballot If You’re a Democrat

• Malcolm Kenyatta, state representative for part of North Philadelphia
• Mark Pinsley, Lehigh County Controller

🥜 The Race in a Nutshell

DeFoor, a one-term incumbent, is running unopposed in the Republican primary. Kenyatta and Pinsley are competing for the Democratic nomination to run against DeFoor in November.

Pinsley has framed himself as the candidate who has extensive experience doing audits that “translate to impact.” Meanwhile, Kenyatta has touted his insider’s view of state government and experience “in the weeds of approving dollars.”

Kenyatta has racked up a substantial list of endorsements, including from the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. Pinsley’s endorsements include VoteVets, Parents Medical Rights Group, and Freethought Equality, according to WESA.

There’s been some controversy in the race: in February, a video showing Kenyatta telling somebody that Pinsley doesn’t “like Black people” circulated online. Pinsely denied the accusation, and Kenyatta called the video — which he said was filmed without his knowledge — a “dirty political trick.”

📖 Dig Deeper with These Candidate Guides

• Spotlight PA (includes top issues and endorsements)
• WESA (includes candidate survey responses, endorsements, and fundraising)
• PennLive (includes candidate survey responses)
• ABC27

🗳️ To Learn About Other Primary Races…

Check out Hey Philly’s complete election guide here.

14 Ways To Brunch in Philly

Whether it’s your favorite weekend recovery meal or your Mother’s Day go-to, brunch has mass appeal. In Philly, restaurants with this breakfast-and-lunch combo feature everything from build-your-own-donut stations to mimosa towers. We’re revisiting a conversation from January, when City Cast Philly podcast host Trenae Nuri broke down the hottest brunch spots with food contributor Dave Wez to help you decide where to make those reservations for upcoming spring celebrations.