Cosby sent to prison; can Yelp help you find a hospital? | Morning Newsletter
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With yesterday's sentencing, Bill Cosby's dramatic fall from grace is complete, making him the first male celebrity of the #MeToo era sent to prison for sexual misconduct. For his accusers, it was a day of reckoning, and reactions to the legal battle's conclusion are still pouring in. As for this morning's other top stories, we must make a hard pivot towards two completely different topics: whether social reviews are right for hospitals and whether free municipal IDs are coming to our region.
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— Aubrey Nagle (@aubsn, morningnewsletter@philly.com)
A three-year legal battle ended Tuesday will Bill Cosby being led out of a Norristown courtroom in handcuffs. He’s been sentenced to three to 10 years in state prison for his 2004 assault on Andrea Constand, who described the effect of the crime in a victim-impact statement.
Once a comedic icon and trailblazer, the 81-year-old entertainer was denied bail and could spend the final stage of his life behind bars labeled as a sexually violent predator.
The first accusation against Bill Cosby was leveled more than a decade ago. At a news conference with several of Cosby's accusers Tuesday, one said, "I have waited 32 years for this day."
Online review sites like Yelp are well known for recommending hair salons and restaurants. But what about hospitals?
As we do with so many aspects of our lives, patients are increasingly turning to social media to inform their decisions about where to go for health care.
Crowd-sourced reviews may not always be accurate, but they provide insights that hospital-sponsored surveys do not.
Think about all the things you need an ID for: looking for a job, housing, government services, health care. Countless people nationwide don’t have basic identification cards, and the cost of supporting documents and the ID itself are often to blame.
Fees exist for copies of birth certificates in Pennsylvania, which are needed to get an ID, and a state ID costs $30.50. In New Jersey it's $24.
At least eight states issue free or discounted IDs to low-income or homeless residents. Could it happen here?
What you need to know today
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is now weighing an issue with far-reaching implications for expecting mothers: can women who abuse drugs during their pregnancies be punished as child abusers?
That same court will also hear oral arguments today in the case that will determine whether sections of the state grand jury report on clergy sexual abuse that are now blacked out should remain redacted.
The Pennsylvania state legislature is pushing a bill to allow more victims of child sexual assault to sue their attackers for decades-old abuse. The clock is ticking, but top Senate Republicans say the bill has "glaring problems."
Allegations of systemic racial discrimination in Haverford, particularly in its school district, have inflamed the community. To discuss the issue, the Human Relations Commission of Haverford has slated its first-ever public forum.
When overdoses spike like they did last weekend in Kensington, Philly police officers have a responsibility unique to the opioid crisis: chasing tainted bags of heroin as demand rises.
The latest on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh: President Trump blasted the judge's accusers in an angry rant to the United Nations Tuesday while the Senate Judiciary Committee scheduled a Friday vote on the nomination, one day after the hearing from Christine Blasey Ford is set.
Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly
Whoa. You almost need shades for those leaves, @eastfallslocal.
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!
That’s Interesting
A Philly-made website is poking fun at the ridiculous products sold to women to fix their "problem bodies," and its creator wants you to know your eyelashes aren't really crooked.
Girard Point Bridge will soon have a new billboard calling attention to gun violence and unsolved murder cases. It was inspired by columnist Helen Ubiñas' look at the Philly teens lost to gun violence.
Trying these out immediately: when counting sheep doesn't work, three sleep-inducing stretches might help you get some shut-eye.
The new Comcast Center is getting a mod-looking coffee bar from one of Philly's hottest chefs and it's got some nice views, to boot. But the new restaurant and bar from globe-trotting chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten will have an even better view up in the clouds.
It's not easy to break into the fashion world (c'mon, you've seen The Devil Wears Prada) but a Landsdale native dressing Jay-Z and Diddy may soon give Tom Ford a run for his money.
Even as the Phillies' season collapsed (they dropped below .500 last night in a loss to the Rockies), rookie manager Gabe Kapler managed to keep his cool — and he's not going to get heated just to please Philly fans.
Opinions
Development in Philly is booming, but something is often missing when a new building opens, writes Diana Lind, managing director of the Penn Fels Policy Research Initiative: all the promised (and much-needed) trees.
The controversy surrounding Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's past looks like a revenge attack on a civilization deemed too male, writes Heather MacDonald of the Manhattan Institute.
What we’re reading
Following the death of a 7-year-old who fell between SEPTA subway cars this week, Billy Penn has looked into how other transit companies prevent similar incidents and the results offer compelling solutions.
Affordable, high-quality after-school care options are hard to come by in Philadelphia. WHYY reports on local organizers looking to change that.
Take a break this weekend and enjoy the fall weather (well, when it's not raining) thanks to NJ.com's list of 20 gorgeous New Jersey roads for autumnal joy rides.
No, you're not imagining it: some restaurants are just really loud. Find out why via the Chicago Tribune's delightful exploration of eatery audio ins and outs.
Your Daily Dose of | Bliss
That’s it, it’s settled. Shelley McDonnough has the best job ever. She works in Tastykake’s research and development unit and yes, she gets to taste-test them.