Morning Headlines: Temple Stadium Gets Initial Go-Ahead

The Scoop: But there's still fierce opposition from North Philly neighbors.

Good morning, Philadelphia. Here’s what you need to know today.

Temple’s board has signed off on initial planning for a new football stadium, but opposition remains fierce.

The university’s Board of Trustees on Monday approved a $1 million design study to prepare the way for a 35,000-seat stadium on North Broad Street, BillyPenn.com reports, despite heated and vocal opposition: One student accused the university of breeding a culture of “white supremacy.” “Temple does not care about black people or the community they are part of,” Deandre Jefferson said. “We are working diligently to be good neighbors to the North Philadelphia community,” Patrick O’Connor, the board’s chairman, said after the vote. “We have a couple thousand alumni who would love to have a stadium on campus,” said another trustee. “It’s moving Temple into the major leagues.” The study is due in spring, 6ABC reports. Construction on a stadium could begin in 2017.

Gov. Tom Wolf will propose his 2016-17 budget to the Pa. General Assembly today.

True, he’s still locked in a standoff with legislators over the 2015-16 budget, but a schedule is a schedule, and it’s time to begin work on the next budget. “We’re in uncharted territory, absolutely,” Sen. Pat Browne told KYW. We’re looking at essentially a two year budget now. Two proposals coming forward – the first time since the 1960s.” The result? The Post-Gazette says Wolf’s themes in his new budget address will sound familiar. “We need to have an honest budget, that is funded with recurring revenue, and we need to have investment in education.” Wolf gives his annual speech today at 11:30 a.m.

The Gallery, closed for renovations, now won’t re-open until 2018.

Philly.com reports that developers had previously targeted Summer 2017 for the project’s completion. “It’s taken some time to get it through the predevelopment process, get the pre-leasing commitment needed,” said an official with Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust. Now they expect to open the following spring. “A spring 2018 date is still pretty much on target, and we look forward to bringing in the project on budget and on time,” said another PREIT executive. “We’re confident that it’s going to be a success.”

Top Chef auditions are being held today at former winner Kevin Sbraga’s Philly restaurant.

Nick Elmi, another Top Chef winner from Philadelphia, offers the following advice to KYW: “Be yourself, but be an amplified version of yourself. Be excited. That’s what they’re looking for, and when I say excited, it’s not just about your personality, it’s about your food. Your food’s gotta be exciting.” Auditions are scheduled to run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.

Villanova’s men’s basketball team is No. 1 in the polls for the first time ever.

Philly Mag reports: The Villanova men’s basketball team may have its 1985 national championship, but the Wildcats had never been ranked No. 1 in the country during the regular season — until now. (There was no postseason AP poll in the 1985 season.) The Wildcats are currently 10-1 in the Big East, a game up on Xavier (the fourth-ranked team in the nation). They received 11 first-place votes in the Coaches Poll and finished four points ahead of No. 2 Maryland (who also got 11 first-place votes). In the AP Poll, Villanova got 32 first-place votes to Maryland’s 13. The Wildcats play against DePaul in Chicago today and at home against St. John’s on Saturday this week. Those are two games the Wildcats shouldn’t lose; Villanova is set for an extended stay at the No. 1 spot.

Get morning headlines in your inbox: Sign up here.