Commissioner Ross urges Philly police to move beyond hate; Miles Sanders’ NFL dream realized thanks to mom | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross on Thursday announced the firing of the largest amount of police officers in recent history. The dismissals stem from racist or offensive posts from officers that appeared on Facebook. Ross expressed his anger and disappointment over the remarks and hopes the ordeal taught his department a valuable lesson. Eagles rookie Miles Sanders learned a thing or two from his mom. While he had a lot of influences growing up in football-crazed Steelers country, he wouldn’t be where he is today without her.
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— Ray Boyd (@RayBoydDigital, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross made his feelings clear on Thursday while announcing the firing of 13 officers over racist or offensive Facebook posts.
“I continue to be very angered and disappointed by these posts, many of which, in my view, violate the basic tenets of human decency," he said.
Ross did not identify any of the officers. As he addressed the firings, he urged for an end to what he called the "ridiculous hate that has consumed this country and has done so for centuries.”
That “hate” is what prompted the department to remove 72 officers from the streets last month after a database kept by the Plain View Project cited more than 1,100 controversial posts. The Fraternal Order of Police plans to meet with the officers to prepare “an appropriate response to protect [its] members’ rights.”
Eagles rookie Miles Sanders is in Philly now, but hails from Swissvale, a borough outside of Pittsburgh, very much in the heart of Steelers country. Though, the football-crazed town isn’t the reason Sanders made it to the NFL. Credit belongs to a mother who devoted so much to making sure her son had everything he needed.
Marlene Sanders was a single mother who viewed football as a way to keep Miles out of trouble — until a coach told her it could be so much more for her son. He watched players of similar talent fall short of making the pros because of distractions, but his mother’s lessons put him on a different path.
The Eagles’ new running-back gets a lot from his mom including her broad shoulders and athleticism. Most importantly, he has her work ethic.
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has accepted two petitions to flex its authority over state and local courts. And petitioners want more. An onslaught of legal actions are taking aim at the way justice is administered in Philly and across the state.
Four aspects of the justice system could change depending on court rulings: Access to recording in courtrooms, bail hearings, detainers on probation violators, and the death penalty.
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner has been among the voices calling for the state’s death penalty to be abolished — an action he argues is long overdue.
What you need to know today
A coalition of nonprofit hospitals across the Philadelphia region say the area’s top health priority is battling an epidemic that has managed to push “beyond all geographical, social, and economic boundaries.”
The sudden closure of Hahnemann Hospital has left Drexel University physicians wondering what it means for their careers. On Thursday, Drexel’s president explained why it has had “to make extremely difficult decisions.”
Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro plans to combat gun violence in Philadelphia through a new partnership with an organization that focuses its efforts on women.
A Philadelphia judge has sided with property owners in one of the largest assessment challenges in the city’s history. Now, the city and school district must pay up.
Reading, Pa. was minutes away from raising an LGBTQ Pride flag outside City Hall for the first time. That was until the event was abruptly called off by the mayor — a move that has since come under fire.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Might be swinging through Spruce Street Harbor Park after seeing this picture 🤔. Thanks for the inspiration, @jbake_photography.
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
Wearwell, a clothing-subscription company based in Philly, was born out of a deadly tragedy — one that inspired its owners to put ethics first.
Philadelphia’s “moon tree” grew from a seed taken to the moon on Apollo 14 in 1971. A reader asked The Inquirer about the condition of the tree, and reporter Stephanie Farr found that the original mysteriously died years ago, and its clone appears to be headed toward a similar fate.
Speaking of space, NASA plans to send a drone-style vehicle to Saturn’s largest moon and three Penn State aerospace engineers are playing a major role in the mission.
Wednesday night’s rain-delayed Phillies loss didn’t have many highlights. But you have to appreciate one young fan’s act of kindness caught on TV.
A collection of top Philly ballers are joining forces and hoping to create a few highlights of their own while competing for millions of dollars in The Basketball Tournament.
Opinions
“The strongest argument against the death penalty in Pennsylvania: More people have been exonerated than executed. ... The 140 people now on death row are languishing in indefinite, de facto solitary confinement, sometimes for decades. If that is not cruel punishment, what is?” — The Inquirer Editorial Board on why the death penalty should be abolished in Pennsylvania.
Hahnemann Hospital’s closure threatens the lives of thousands of patients and history proves that it would be senseless for Philadelphia to lose the institution, writes Rutgers Ph.D student Ian Gavigan and Rutgers Ph.D candidate Amy Zanoni.
True reproductive “choice” only belongs to some and often is not a reality for black, brown, and young people, writes Miciah Foster of New Voices for Reproductive Justice.
What we’re reading
For Eater food critic Robert Sietsema, dining out is as natural as walking. But when an accident bound him to a wheelchair, he found out just how daunting the experience becomes.
Netflix expected to gain 5 million new subscribers in the second quarter of 2019, but instead saw 2.7 million. Netflix isn’t panicking, but there might be some new reasons to do so coming soon, Vox reports.
When you think of American whiskey, you probably think of Kentucky. A new initiative is aiming to put Pennsylvania on the map and in its rightful place in whiskey history, Philadelphia magazine reports.
A Daily Dose of | Oval+
Oval+, the summer pop-up that partially shuts down Philly’s Benjamin Franklin Parkway, returns today. Visitors can enjoy a beer garden, food trucks, DJ-spun tunes, and more — while it lasts.