Philly experiences unseasonably warm temps; Mummer who wore blackface denounced by his union | Morning Newsletter
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The Morning Newsletter
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Good morning, everyone! I hope you get outside to enjoy the unseasonably superb weather today. In this weekend’s Q&A, we talk to our deputy managing producer Lexi Belculfine about how you see The Inquirer on your computers and phones. There’s more that happens behind the scenes than you might think!
— Tauhid Chappell (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
The week ahead
Depending on whom you ask, this warm weather is either a blessing or just another sobering reminder of climate change. Philadelphians around the region are enjoying the spring-like temps. But there’s also an overarching question: What happened to January?
The Carpenters union in Philly is attempting to distance itself from an official with one of its local chapters who was identified wearing blackface in this year’s Mummers Parade. This continues the ongoing fallout from the parade since instances of blackface were first brought to light.
Wildwood is bracing for its moment in the Trump spotlight when the president visits the city’s convention center later this month. The campaign rally has riled up several Garden State politicians.
This week’s most popular stories
Corey Michael Hadley, Army infantryman and sharpshooter, dies at 30
Wawa founding family accused of cheating former workers out of millions in company stock
Jeffrey Lurie’s meddling with the Eagles will cost him Doug Pederson, sooner or later | Marcus Hayes
Joe Biden told this protester to ‘vote for Trump.’ Bernie Sanders just hired him.
Behind the story with Lexi Belculfine
Each week we go behind the scenes with one of our reporters or editors to discuss their work and the challenges they face. This week we chat with Lexi Belculfine, who helps manage the Inquirer’s homepage and mobile experience.
As deputy managing producer and mobile editor, what does your role entail?
Whether our readers are on their computers or on the go, I help make sure they have a great experience on Inquirer.com.
What goes into configuring the Inquirer.com homepage and how do you determine which stories get placed where?
We have more than a dozen journalists making Inquirer.com indispensable to Philly. Every headline, photo and story is placed on the homepage by those producers, and we’re constantly trying to make the page as useful and relevant as possible. We work with a team of editors across the newsroom to decide what stories are in the spotlight.
What are stories that capture your attention?
I read local news because I think it’s a great way to learn about our city. I’m also a sucker for stories about animals.
If there’s one thing readers should know as they read Inquirer.com, on their computers or phones, it should be …
Humans update the site around the clock, and we put a lot of time and care into it. Send us your feedback; we’d love to hear from you.
Stay in touch with Lexi on Twitter at @LexiBelc or by email at LBelculfine@inquirer.com.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Do you see it? 👁Thanks for sharing, @rafurstein.
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!
#CuriousPhilly: Have a question about your community? Ask us!
Have you submitted a question to Curious Philly yet? Try us. We’re listening to our readers and doing our best to find answers to the things you’re curious about.
Our readers’ latest question: Why is a Revolutionary War traitor the namesake of certain streets in Philly?
The answer: The conflation of James Fitzpatrick’s story has him painted as either a traitor or a Robin Hood figure. The fiction blended with facts was evident in the naming of roads.
What we’re …
Eating: sopes with chorizo at the new La Cocina Del Cafe at 1500 S. Broad St. The cafe is helping increase the influx of genuine Mexican flavors in South Philly.
Trying: exercise routines and health advice from some of the top chefs in Philly.
Watching: Just Mercy, a film based on a true story that follows an attorney who appeals the conviction of Walter McMillian, a black man on death row who was wrongfully imprisoned for the 1986 murder of a white woman.
Listening to: The Thompsons’ 1975 album, I’ll Get Over It, a Philly classic that was reissued by BCW Records and Brewerytown Beats. Brewerytown Beats’ owner is on a mission to preserve and celebrate Philly’s music, particularly decades-old, forgotten treasures.
Comment of the week
At least he is sorry about it. Our government steals from us everyday without one iota of an apology. — Sinstar.72, on ‘I’m sorry, I have a sick child,’ Philly robber writes in demand note.
Your Daily Dose of | The UpSide
Emilia Flores not only owns an eatery called Taco Stop, which sells Mexican street-style tacos, but also hosts a rack of coats outside her store in an effort to help those in need stay warm during the cold months.