While you were gone: Racial math, Madonna, upcoming events and more

 Lynne Abraham and her group at Friday night's 'Mayoral MillenniaLab' event. (Brian Hickey/WHYY)

Lynne Abraham and her group at Friday night's 'Mayoral MillenniaLab' event. (Brian Hickey/WHYY)

Wondering what’s been going on with the mayoral campaign since you walked away from your computer on Friday? We got you covered.

Let’s check out a few stories that have run here, and via other media outlets, in the past few days. (And one that’s coming up.)

 

1 story we’re covering today

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Well, we actually covered it on Friday (but we’ll be posting it today, so it fits that “covering today” bill.) The Committee of Seventy, Philadelphia Citizen, Young Involved Philly and Pattison Leader Group teamed up to host Friday night’s “Mayoral MillenniaLab” at a Center City co-working space.

Mayoral candidates Lynne Abraham, Jim Kenney, Tony Williams and (a late-arriving) Doug Oliver collaborated with a hand-picked group of millennials and discussed solutions to “what if” scenarios facing the city.

NinetyNine was there, too. So we’ll tell you all about it today.

8 stories we’re linking

WHYY-Penjerdel Council mayoral forum scheduled for Wednesday morning (NinetyNine): Join WHYY and The Penjerdel Council for a mayoral forum moderated by WHYY’s Chris Satullo and PlanPhilly’s Matt Golas. Unlike typical political debates, the mayoral candidates will be invited to present their positions on business and infrastructure issues in 15-minute interviews.

Kenney has a great week; Williams, Abraham not so much (The Next Mayor/Inquirer): If successful campaigns are built on hard work, chance, and the missteps of one’s opponents, then Jim Kenney hit the trifecta last week.

Philadelphia’s Black leadership structure is crumbling (Philadelphia Tribune): The tragedy of the 2015 mayoral election is that it accentuates that the Black political structure in Philadelphia is dead, dying or, at the minimum, gravely in trouble. To underscore the political identity crisis in the African-American community, the Philadelphia Daily News asked: “Is [James] Kenney the future voice of Black Philadelphia?”

Dwight Evans: Philly’s political phoenix (Daily News): When Evans announced [support] for [mayoral candidate Jim] Kenney, he noted that last year he threw early support behind another candidate: now-Gov. [Tom] Wolf. Also, Evans and [Anthony Hardy] Williams serve together in the Legislature, have for 26 years. Dwight’s unspoken message: I know him. I work with him. He shouldn’t be mayor.

Philadelphia Mayoral Candidate Jim Kenney Thinks Madonna’s ‘Tonight Show’ Performance Was ‘Cray” (NBC10): Kenney apparently stayed up late Thursday night to see superstar Madonna perform alongside Philadelphia’s The Roots on the Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon.

Nutter challenges candidates for specifics on schools (The Next Mayor/Inquirer): Mayor Nutter took shots Thursday at the people hoping to become his successor, suggesting the candidates’ plans to fund the Philadelphia School District were “bogus.”

Nelson Diaz makes his case for mayor (Philadelphia Tribune): Democratic mayoral candidate Nelson Diaz believes there is great distinction between his campaign and agenda and that of his five opponents.

Former Mayor Street endorses Isaiah Thomas for Council (The Next Mayor/Inquirer): Former Mayor John Street, who has been largely quiet this election season, endorsed non-incumbent, Isaiah Thomas for council at-large late last week.

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