This guy is paying people to get vaccinated | Morning Newsletter
And the Danielle Outlaw rumors explained
The Morning Newsletter
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I have quite the heartwarming story for what’s going to be another chilly Friday.
There’s a Pennsylvania man on a $10,000 mission with his own savings to ensure people get vaccinated against COVID-19. It’s the kind of story we all need right now.
Also, a rundown of what we do and don’t know about Philly Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw and the rumors swirling that she could become New York City’s next top cop.
— Kerith Gabriel (@sprtswtr, morningnewsletter@inquirer.com)
You can’t help but admire Kirk Bower.
Bower, who lives about 125 miles from Philadelphia in Columbia County, is offering $50 to anyone from his town of Berwick and neighboring Nescopeck to get vaccinated.
But it’s less about the gesture than the impetus. After Bower lost a dear friend to the virus, he took $10,000 of his own money — money he’d saved to restore an old truck — to incentivize as many as 200 people to protect themselves.
“I thought long and hard about what our duty is to our fellow man. We seem to have lost track of that, but we’re all in this together,” Bower said. “If people need an incentive, I can give them a $50 bill with proof of two shots.”
Our reporter Jason Nark delivers this story, with a look at vaccination rates in rural Pennsylvania.
What you should know today
Philly may mandate proof of vaccination for indoor dining at all restaurants.
Philly DA Larry Krasner walked back (sort of) his controversial comments on crime in the city, saying he was “inarticulate” in suggesting that it’s not at a “crisis” level.
Changes could be coming to the fees online food delivery services charge to bring orders from your favorite Philly spots.
Pennsylvania’s high-stakes congressional redistricting has turned into an intraparty fight between Democrats.
We’ve got the details on 988, the new three-digit suicide hotline expected to launch by July.
Our columnist Will Bunch says the GOP has hit rock bottom with Mehmet Oz as a candidate for Senate in Pennsylvania.
And an experimental chewing gum could reduce the spread of COVID-19, according to a Penn study.
Local Coronavirus Numbers: Here’s your daily look at the latest COVID-19 data.
The rumors that Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw is leaving the job she took less than two years ago are — for now — just rumors.
Outlaw this week said that she’s “flattered” to be seen as a candidate for the next New York City commissioner but that she’s “continuing to focus on her work here.”
🙂 What we do know: New York City Mayor-elect Eric Adams has said he will pick a woman to lead the NYPD. The department is the largest in the country, with about 35,000 uniformed officers, almost six times the size of the Philly force. Local news outlets have reported Outlaw is a finalist.
🤔 What we don’t know: It’s unclear if Outlaw interviewed for the job. She dodged the question, saying: “Any questions about the NYPD job need to be referred to them. It’s their process and out of respect for their process, I don’t have anything further to say on that.”
Our reporter Anna Orso has this and more on why, when it comes to the NYPD’s top cop, Outlaw’s name just keeps popping up.
🧠 Philly Trivia Time 🧠
With the Flyers hitting 10 straight losses, the team is on pace to miss the NHL playoffs for the first time in a long time. Today’s question: Do you know the pair of seasons in which the Flyers fell short of making the postseason? I’ll give you a hint: Bill Clinton was president. Take a guess and check this out for the answer.
Photo of the day
That’s it for me this week. My colleague Ashley Hoffman will recap the week and more in our Sunday Morning Newsletter. I’ll return Monday to get your week started.
As always, thanks for reading. 👋🏽