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Mummers scandal simmers, court clerk asked Meek Mill for money, Trump's first SOTU | Morning Newsletter

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Doug Pederson, shown here with confetti raining down shortly after winning the NFC Championship, is the third coach to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl. Will he be the first to win?
Doug Pederson, shown here with confetti raining down shortly after winning the NFC Championship, is the third coach to lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl. Will he be the first to win?Read moreDavid Maialetti / Staff

Good morning, Philly. Today we continue our coverage of the Eagles ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl, but we've also got an eye on a scandal potentially brewing on Two Street and a strange twist in Meek Mill's case. Let's dig in, shall we?

If you like what you're reading, tell your friends it's free to sign up for this newsletter here.

— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

» READ MORE: Eagles’ unlikely road to the Super Bowl required a culture change

Just a few more days, friends. Tomorrow we'll explore everything you need to know to plan a party, or find one around town. Today we're zeroing in on the competition.

Birds and fans prepare for a fight

  1. To get to this point, the Eagles required a major culture change after firing Chip KellyDoug Pederson was able to turn it around.

  2. When the team needs a laugh at times like these, they turn to class clown Lane Johnson. And when they need Reggie White-like energy, they turn to Fletcher Cox.

  3. From Kazakhstan to California to South Philly, fans are sharing their favorite memories of watching the Birds.

  4. Even the Philadelphia Museum of Art is getting all decked out in green.

  5. For some Eagles, Sunday isn't just the Super Bowl; it could also be their last game with the team.

Behind enemy lines

  1. At least one former Eagles coach thinks the Patriots are cheaters, alleging they used unsavory tactics in the 2005 Super Bowl against the Birds.

  2. Boston is taking Philly banning to a new level, prohibiting beers, cheesesteaks, soft pretzels, and midnight green anything.

  3. It may be strange to see Nick Foles compared to Tom Brady, but the comparisons aren't going to end any time soon.

  4. This will be the Patriots guard Nate Solder's fourth Super Bowl — and the team's first since Aaron Hernandez's suicide.

  5. Tom Brady says his injured passing hand continues to get better.

» READ MORE: Trump delivers first State of the Union

Last night President Trump delivered his first State of the Union address. His immigration plan was booed by Democrats, he urged lawmakers to pass a $1.5 trillion infrastructure plan, and he pushed for national paid family leave. Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D., Mass.), the great-nephew of former President John F. Kennedy, delivered the Democrats' rebuttal.

Skipped the speech? Take a look back with this play-by-play, complete with fact-checking and initial reactions from the media. In response, columnist Will Bunch writes that the speech ignored many of the nation's real issues.

» READ MORE: Court clerk fired for asking Meek Mill for money

Meek Mill's strange affair with Philadelphia court continues. A court clerk was fired Tuesday after admitting she asked the rapper to help pay her son's college tuition. The clerk has denied that Judge Genece Brinkley, who Mill's team has continually accused of ethical misconduct, was aware of her plea.

Though bound not to speak publicly on the case, Brinkley recently released a transcript that addresses some of the allegations Mill's team has made.

What you need to know today

  1. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is getting involved with Philadelphia's soda tax, weighing whether it amounts to a double tax.

  2. Belying their glittery exterior, the Mummers Fancy Brigade Division is immersed in sequined scandal. Rumors are flying that mysterious allegations could take down this year's first-place winner.

  3. As campuses across the country crack down on Greek life, local sororities are fighting back against frat culture to end hazing and alcohol abuse.

  4. Despite its dangers, panhandlers still frequent highways beneath the Ben Franklin Bridge. Why take the risk? It's a lucrative spot that, until recently, could have landed you in jail.

  5. Take a first look at The Hub of Hope, a new facility in Suburban Station which will provide meals, medical care, and amenities to the city's homeless.

  6. Hundreds flooded City Hall Tuesday to demand school board members that will speak to the interests of charter schools, following years of tensions between charters and the district.

  7. Getting a new phone line? If you're in the Philly area, you could end up with a new area code, too.

» READ MORE: #OurPhilly: Eagles Edition

The Eagles are headed to the big game, and we want to see your Eagles pride and displays of super-fandom.

Tag your photos #OurPhilly on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram and we'll pick our favorite each day this week to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s Interesting

  1. How do you get 10,000 wings to Wing Bowl, on Super Bowl weekend, no less? You work all night, according to the guy who makes 'em.

  2. Amazon is establishing its own healthcare business to help its employees. Meanwhile, Philly has enlisted a mega-consultant in its quest for HQ2.

  3. Good Day Philadelphia co-anchor and resident "it" girl Alex Holley is having a crazy, busy month. But she's also having the time of her life.

  4. The Willow Grove Park Mall is replacing its J.C. Penney with a fancy dine-in movie theater. So long, stale popcorn.

  5. A popular fitness app is shedding light on where the region likes to run — and where it doesn't. (Beautiful heat maps included.)

  6. Want to see a show? You're in luck: there are more than 30 plays and musicals headed our way this spring.

  7. Touring in New Zealand meant Philly's own The War on Drugs was asleep when they won a Grammy Sunday, but the time zone is not stopping them from cheering on the Birds.

Opinions

"Black and brown communities that are trapped beneath the weight of poverty and have never experienced the compassion suddenly heaped upon young, white addicts who come here from other places."
— Columnist Solomon Jones asks, where were safe spaces like safe-injection sites when black and brown people were addicted to crack?
  1. NBC won't have broadcast legend Bob Costas on its Super Bowl show thanks to his ambivalence about the sport. CNN's Michael Smerconish writes Costas is right about the alarming dangers of football.

  2. Pennsylvania State Sen. Lawrence M. Farnese, Jr. writes that the #MeToo movement might be the next victim of SLAPP lawsuits, used by wealthy interests looking to stifle free speech.

What we’re reading

  1. Miracle of miracles, Chickie's and Pete's managed to get their Crabfries served at U.S Bank Stadium during the Super Bowl, and the owner told Philadelphia Magazine how he did it.

  2. Leading up to the big game, the Philadelphia Citizen is profiling Eagles players that support their communities. These mini-profiles of Lane Johnson and Torrey Smith will have you cheering harder.

  3. Billy Penn took a ride with volunteers who spend cold nights reaching out to the city's homeless to learn more about their lives. The volunteers and their stories are inspiring.

  4. Are the residents of New Philadelphia, Ohio Eagles fans now? Sports Illustrated went there to find out, because somebody has to ask the tough questions.

  5. Now that Get Out is nominated for multiple Oscars, Rolling Stone explains how the genre finally overcame its bad reputation, a great quick history for film buffs.

Your Daily Dose of | Vintage

A small New Jersey shop is getting a taste of fame now that its beloved typewriters have shared the screen with Tom Hanks and appeared on an award-winning TV show.