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We can’t read all about it | Morning Newsletter

And militarized presence in Kensington

Rochelle Bilal is sworn is as Sheriff Jan. 2 on the stage of the Met Philadelphia on North Broad Street.
Rochelle Bilal is sworn is as Sheriff Jan. 2 on the stage of the Met Philadelphia on North Broad Street.Read moreTom Gralish / Staff Photographer
    by Ashley Hoffman
    Published 

    The Morning Newsletter

    Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter

Today should be a cloudless day in the 40s. Maybe the rodent prophet was right after all.

We’re looking at positive “headlines” on Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s campaign website attributed to local news outlets, including The Inquirer, that no one can find.

On a happier note, it’s almost Valentine’s Day. With that in mind, do we have two morning newsletter readers with a uniquely Philly love story to share with Paola and me? Email us for a chance to be featured in this newsletter.

Inevitably, the indie band boygenius, and also gospel bandleader Tye Tribbett and orchestra music director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, were among the Philly-associated Grammy winners last night.

Editor’s note: Sunday’s edition of this newsletter used inaccurate terminology to characterize the extent of the lack of pharmacies available in some Philadelphia neighborhoods. We should have described the stories as delving into the impact of local pharmacy closures.

— Ashley Hoffman (@_AshleyHoffman, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)

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Did Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s campaign make up dozens of false news stories?

We’re looking into potentially false content masquerading as news on Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal’s campaign website.

Users who visited the site before Friday encountered dozens of positive headlines with logos like The Inquirer, NBC10, CBS3, and WHYY to stories no one can seem to locate. Her first term has received criticism, but you wouldn’t know it from these apparent “headlines.” Let’s take a look at a swatch from reporter William Bender’s story:

NBC10 spokesperson Diana Torralvo, for instance, said her digital team could not locate any of the dozen stories that Bilal’s team claims that it ran about her November 2019 election, police reform initiatives, distribution of free gun locks, suspension of evictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, or tips for domestic abuse survivors.

Our request for comment we sent last Thursday to the campaign’s email address was not returned, and the links to the headlines are gone.

One of the apparent stories was a dated article headlined “Philly sheriff’s office to digitize sheriff sale process, reduce confusion and fraud.” Meanwhile, no such article could be located.

We had communications ethicists and experts weigh in. Here’s what we know for sure.

What you should know today

  1. City Council explains the militarized presence in Kensington.

  2. Franklin Towne Charter High School says it is cooperating with police and will address any student involved in an after-school fight Friday that left a teenager injured.

  3. Sixers’ Joel Embiid will have knee surgery this week. He’s expected to be out for an extended period.

  4. Philadelphia will host six games in the 2026 World Cup, including on July 4.

  5. Independent pharmacists are fighting burnout and industry pressures as some Rite Aid and CVS pharmacies close their doors.

  6. In Chester’s historic bankruptcy, a court ruling affirms the state receiver’s powers in a fiscal “emergency.”

  7. Proposals to drastically change Cheltenham’s public buildings and services are making residents voice their preservation concerns.

  8. Here’s a look at five non-Quinyon Mitchell prospects who would fit the Eagles’ draft needs.

  9. Let’s hear from a pioneer in the tattooing industry.

🧠 Trivia time

What celeb is connected to the LOVE statue?

A) Kevin Bacon

B) M. Night Shyamalan

C) Will Smith

D) David Lynch

Think you know? Check your answer.

❓Pop quiz

Here’s where I quiz you on recent morning newsletters to see if you’re one of our super readers. Paola passed the mic to the ingenious Aseem Shukla about his analysis of how Philly’s food scene awards stack up against other cities.

What recently reopened restaurant captured the Bon Appetit best new restaurant award in 2015?

Hint: sounds like 🇩 + 🧘 (zen) + ⛳

Find out if you know the answer.

🧩 Unscramble the anagram

Who performs the traditional lion dance in honor of Lunar New Year every year?

Hint: ☀️

DELP LAIPH SNAIUS

Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here. Cheers to Mike Vaupel who correctly guessed Sunday’s answer: Carl Weathers. If you’d like to make your own, let us know.

GIF of the day

This lastingly relevant moment captured by Olivia Reiner continues to live rent-free in my mind. Jason represents me and Travis represents a message from Paola with her story recommendations for this newsletter.

I’ll be in the Greek isles in May, so I’m taking your recommendations for local Greek restaurants. Kanella’s my favorite. Email me your faves.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.