#5SmartReads - June 6, 2022

Why Philly can’t make stronger gun laws, and the legal battle to get that changed (Billy Penn)

I feel the frustration when I cry “do something!” to our local representatives about the mass murders due to gun violence that is inexplicably an American problem.

Local leaders have tried to do quite a bit, especially in Philadelphia. But whatever laws they pass to make the cities safer, they’re swiftly undone by preemption statutes that are on the books in Pennsylvania, with the recommendation that the state legislature be the right body to introduce firearms legislation.

You can guess what the Republican-majority state legislature in PA has to say about that.

This is why staying engaged with local and state politics is so important - to know about the quirks in state law that accelerate or prevent laws from being enacted, and why.

I’m pissed off. But now I have something else to be pissed off about.

Coffee, the healthy indulgence (Axios)

If you’re a fellow coffee lover, I have some good news to share.

Coffee can actually help extend your life, per clinical evidence.

Now it’s also important to not overdue it or load your coffee with too much sugar or cream (everything has its limits), but we so rarely have any good news that this is worth sharing and celebrating.

So go ahead. Pour that second cup, and savor every sip of it.

A study gave cash and therapy to men at risk of criminal behavior. 10 years later, the results are in. (Vox)

Vice President Harris created a very similar program as Liberia’s Sustainable Transformation of Youth in Liberia and Chicago’s READI when she was district attorney of San Francisco - and it worked.

It mirrors the similar success rate of the Liberian program, and I expect to see some positive effects from READI as well.

If you give people the tools and the resources to sustain the changes they want to make, there’s a good chance they can change their lives.

It would be wonderful to see some of the police budgets be allocated into programs like this.

Style in Film: Kelly McGillis in Top Gun (Classiq)

Watching Top Gun last night, I couldn’t help but be obsessed with Charlie’s classic style - the red lips, the casual polish of her curly hair, the classic pieces she wears.

Nearly 40 years later, the look still WORKS and I want it. I can swap my schlubby self for badass naval aviation instructor any time.

We stan our queen - and I cannot wait to see Maverick tomorrow. And, you know, stock up on some oversized men’s button downs and a new red lipstick.

New Latino media startup launches with historic $80M raise (Axios)

18 Hispanic radio stations in the United States have new owners - and a progressive approach on building the future of media.

These stations are now part of Latino Media Network, founded by Jess Morales Rocketto and Stephanie Valencia. And while the founders have deep political experience, their new business is not centered on politics (and will continue to expand the stations’ talk radio, sports, and music focus).

If you thought video (and television news and social media) had killed the radio star, you’d be wrong.