Sheriff’s fixers have money problems | Morning Newsletter
And, your new favorite restaurant.
The Morning Newsletter
Start your day with the Philly news you need and the stories you want all in one easy-to-read newsletter
Howdy and hello, fine humans. It’s looking like a stormy Fridee Jr. According to superb weather reporter Tony Wood, “the Philly region may be in for tropical-storm force gusts and strong thunderstorms Thursday.”
Otherwise, we’re starting with a look at the Sheriff’s Office, which announced new top officials but kept their names secret.
We also have a quiz that will help you find your new favorite restaurant from The 76.
Plus, an activist offered money to a committeeperson and asked him to vote against Councilmember Cindy Bass, and more news of the day.
— Tommy Rowan (morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
If someone forwarded you this email, sign up for free here.
Philadelphia Sheriff Rochelle Bilal announced last week that she has appointed new top officials to fix a series of financial issues, including the dysfunctional sheriff’s sale process.
She just won’t say who the people are.
But The Inquirer has learned that two individuals she has tapped for those roles have each lost their own properties in a sheriff’s sale and faced other serious financial issues.
Read the full story from investigative reporters William Bender and Ryan W. Briggs.
In case you missed it, The 76, The Inquirer’s annual list of the most essential restaurants in the Philadelphia area, returned in October 2025 for its second year.
The new list looked a little different, with more than half the restaurants changing from the previous year. It’s still just as comprehensive, so we forgive you if you don’t know where to start.
That’s why we’re here to help you narrow down your favorites with our 76 quiz. Answer a few questions, and we’ll recommend a few spots based on your preferences.
What you should know today
In a 22nd Ward election controversy, an activist offered money to a committeeperson and asked them to vote against Councilmember Cindy Bass, videos obtained by The Inquirer show.
Police say a firearms instructor who cared about gun safety and reducing crime shot three Philly officers. Those who knew him are perplexed.
Three weeks after members of Congress listened to and then publicly shared concerns from inside Pennsylvania’s largest immigrant detention center for the first time, U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean said she was blocked from speaking with detainees while visiting the same facility.
More people in Philly and the surrounding region are struggling with insufficient food after President Donald Trump’s cuts have increased hunger to the highest levels in six years, according to a study released last week by the New York Federal Reserve.
Measles was detected in wastewater samples taken in Delaware County on two days last week, officials said.
The union representing transit police and SEPTA reached a tentative deal on a new three-year contract Wednesday that includes a 12% raise and avoids a possible strike during the region’s summer of big events.
Citing increased safety concerns, a Burlington County township has canceled this year’s annual Independence Day celebration.
Quote of the day
Philadelphia School District bus drivers, maintenance workers, cleaners, and tradespeople are entering contract season. Leaders of 32BJ SEIU District 1201, which represents 2,000 workers, are scheduled to begin talks with Philadelphia School District officials Thursday. Their current contract expires Aug. 31. The bottom line for members of 32BJ SEIU District 1201 is higher pay, officials said.
🧠 Trivia time
Before Leon Rose built the NBA’s New York Knicks, he was a gym rat at this local high school.
A) Father Judge
B) Haverford
C) Cherry Hill East
D) Roman Catholic
Think you know? Check your answer.
What we’re …
🎨 Appreciating. A pop art mural painted on the side of a Point Breeze rowhouse is the last of its kind. And you can live there.
⚾ Sad about. The Phillies demoted up-and-coming pitcher Andrew Painter to the minor leagues.
🏡 Lamenting. Villanova is the only community in the Philadelphia region with million-dollar entry-level homes. Since the pandemic, the number of these communities in the U.S. has tripled.
⛳ Respecting. Charlie Sifford is known as the Jackie Robinson of golf. Now, a scholarship in his honor helps students attend historically Black colleges and universities.
🧩 Unscramble the anagram
Hint: This sacred place is the canvas for a new immersive light show.
ABRA CLASHED ITALIC
Email us if you know the answer. We’ll select a reader at random to shout out here.
Cheers to John Piernikowski, who solved Wednesday’s anagram: Whole Foods. The grocery store’s Philly workers voted to join a union in 2025. This week they cleared a major hurdle, paving the way to negotiating their first union contract.
Photo of the day
We end with this lovely photo of a worker painting the steeple atop Trinity Presbyterian Church on a sunny day in Cherry Hill, N.J.
👋 This newsletter will be taking a break in observation of Juneteenth, but we’re still reporting the latest news over on Inquirer.com. Paola Pérez will catch up with you here again on Sunday. Until then, be well.
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.
