Storybrooke Daily Mirror

"The Mirror strikes again! I wanted to bring you the latest edition. I assure you it's one of my better hatchet jobs."

- Sidney Glass to Regina Mills

The Storybrooke Daily Mirror is a newspaper on ABC's Once Upon a Time. It first appears in the second episode of the first season.

Front Page Headlines

 * "Stranger Destroys Historic Sign"
 * "Coma Patient Wakes Up"
 * "Welcome Home, John Doe"
 * "Ex-Jailbird"
 * "Heartless!"
 * "Reagan: Marines Will Be Staying In Beirut"
 * "Local Paleontologist Gives Lecture On Unusual Fossil"
 * "Mr. Gold To Marry Belle French"
 * "New B&B Regulations"

Characters on the Front Page

 * Belle French
 * David Nolan
 * Emma Swan
 * Mary Margaret Blanchard
 * Mr. Gold

Trivia

 * -|On-screen Notes=

On-screen Notes

 * The name of the newspaper, Daily Mirror, refers to Sidney's Enchanted Forest counterpart, a genie who seals himself into the Evil Queen's mirror after using his last wish.
 * Printed on the newspaper in the same section as the price, town name and date, is the tag "Independent and Locally Owned", which is ironic given the paper's non-independence and subjection to Regina's demands before the curse was broken.
 * During season one, the newspapers do not carry dates. Instead they carry the tag "published daily".
 * The price of the newspaper has increased from 30¢ to 75¢ between 1983 and 2011.

Articles

 * In "The Thing You Love Most", the cover story reads (note that the article is just the same block of text repeated three times):

STRANGER DESTROYS HISTORIC SIGN

ALCOHOL INVOLVED

By Michael Wong – staff

Storybrooke, Maine – The "Welcome to Storybrooke" sign on Route 1 was demolished this morning shortly after 3 a.m. when a single car swerved off the road, colliding with the sign as it came to rest. Emma Swan, 28, of Boston was traveling south of Route 1 when she lost control of her 1979 Volkswagen Beetle and left the roadway, Storybrooke Sheriff Graham told. Earlier that evening, Swan was seen getting into her vehicle visibly intoxicated, at which it was suggested to her that she spend the night in town, rather than attempt the drive back to Boston. According to Sheriff Graham, Swan claims that she was not drunk and that she swerved to avoid a large wolf in the road. Swan was wearing her seatbelt and was uninjured. Swan was taken to the Storybrooke Sheriff's office where she was treated and held overnight as a precaution. The sign sustained about $1,200 worth of damage.


 * The name of the news reporter is Michael Wong, who worked as an art director on this episode.
 * The part about Emma getting into her vehicle "visibly intoxicated" and being recommended to spend the night in town refers to a deleted scene from "Pilot", where Graham meets Emma by her car and suggests that she stays at the inn for the night due to Regina's drinks being strong. Emma disagrees and believes she is fine to drive and would pass a breathalyzer test.
 * The back headlines read "Sonnet Hill Orchard Park Apple Tree Threatened by Prune Beetle S [four illegible characters] " and "Crops Decimated by Freak Flood".


 * In "The Price of Gold", the front page shows a photograph of David Nolan in hospital. The main headline (seen upside-down) says "Coma patient wakes up". Another headline says "The 13th zodiac sign?".
 * In "The Shepherd", the cover story on the newspaper says:

WELCOME HOME JOHN DOE!

Storybrooke Daily Mirror

News Staff

STORYBROOKE, MAINE – The as yet, unidentified man in his early 30's - who has become known only by the moniker, John Doe, has finally gone home - directly to a house right here in Storybrooke. "It is truly a miracle that he has survived at all," said hospital volunteer and local schoolteacher, Mary Margaret Blanchard, on the day of his initial admittance to the Storybrooke Hospital. "It has been inter- esting nursing him back to health and we al all so glad he has pulled through. It is incredible to think how far he has progressed. Not only is he conscious, but he now has a whole new life to live." Details as to the identity of the individual will be released soon. Several days ago, a woman claiming to be his estranged wife made herself known to the Storybrooke Sheriff's Department [obscured] [obscured]


 * The top header of the newspaper says "Comet Marley Makes Debut Appearance". Fittingly enough, the lesson plan on the chalkboard in Mary Margaret's classroom mentions comets, and other astronomical objects.
 * One of the headlines reads "Remnants of Seventeenth Century Colonial Settlement Uncovered at Harestock Bridge". Curiously, the caption does not match the headline. It mentions Storybrooke fishermen who are in an uncertain situation after health officials issue a warning about tide contamination.
 * Another headline reads "Lyme Disease: A New Understanding". Lyme disease is an infectious disease transmitted to humans by the bite of infected ticks.
 * There is also a headline about capsaicin, an active component of chili peppers, that produces a sensation of burning in any tissue with which it comes into contact with.
 * Another headline mentions a "Rhododendron Society".
 * A back page article called "Storybrooke Teens Plan Clothing Swap Event for Charity" is adapted from a real article from August 2001 in the online Canadian newspaper Southwestern Ontario. Parts of the article can be glimpsed in the episode, while the rest of it can be seen on a newspaper prop which was auctioned off online in June 2018. The missing text is set in fuchsia :


 * Kristin Agi and Sheila Millar both worked as production staff members on "The Price of Gold".
 * Millar is also quoted as a park visitor in an unseen newspaper article from "Desperate Souls", in a newspaper prop auctioned off along with the other one.
 * Another back page article called "Town plants gardens to absorb storm water" is directly adapted from an article by the same name in The Post-Star, a daily newspaper in Glen Falls, New York. Most of the Daily Mirror's version is unreadable on its own, but if you compare it to the real article, you can see that the content is the same, but names of people and some of the geographical names have been changed for the show. A slightly clearer version can be seen in the auction prop, which also reveals a few extra words which are obscured or illegible on-screen (these are set in fuchsia ):


 * Brian Cunningham, like Sheila Millar, worked as a production staff member on "The Price of Gold". He also worked as a concept illustrator for Season One.
 * Wayne Power is the transport coordinator on the show.
 * Michael Joy is a production designer for the show. He is also listed as a translator for Mary Margaret's copy of The Mysterious Island by Jules Verne in "7:15 A.M." and "Tiny".
 * Bill Burd is the show's property master. He is also listed as the author of one of the novels on a shelf (next to the Heroes and Villains paperback) in "Operation Mongoose Part 1", and the author of a novel in a hardback fiction bestseller list in "Operation Mongoose Part 2".
 * Inside the newspaper, there is an headline which reads "local mining museum falls on hard times".


 * The newspaper article Henry is reading in "Desperate Souls" (half the article can be seen in the episode, while the rest of it can be seen on a newspaper prop which was auctioned off online in June 2018; the missing text is set in fuchsia ) says:

   EX-JAILBIRD    '''

 EMMA SWAN BIRTHED BABE BEHIND BARS  

 SIDNEY GLASS  

 Editor 

[photograph] Documents have surfaced which purport to show Sheriff Office [illegible word] Emma Swan made a series of "poor choices" when she was a teenager

STORYBROOKE, MAINE – The race for the position of local sheriff has just gone into overdrive. The Storybrooke Daily Mirror has recently come into possession of a number of controversial documents that purport to shed an entirely new light onto the character of Storybrooke’s prospective new law enforce- ment official, Emma Swan. Records show that when she was merely a girl of seventeen, Emma Swan found herself, ironi- cally, on the wrong side of the law. She was visiting friends of her foster parents in the town of Worcester, Massachusetts, it would prove to be a trip that that Swan would come to regret. Something that would earn her a juvenile criminal record. On the evening of June 16th, 1996, Swan entered into a local five and dime store to buy a gossip magazine. Soon thereafter, she was caught on CCTV video cameras trying to dip her hand into the purse of another female customer. The clerk caught sight of her actions and purportedly called the police depart- ment. It was soon thereafter that the young Emma Swan got her first taste of justice.

Please see ➡ Swan behind bars – A5


 * The time and place for Emma's arrest are contradicted in "Tallahassee" and "There's No Place Like Home", which prove Emma was actually arrested in Portland, 2001. She was not arrested for pickpocketing, but for possession of stolen goods, under completely different circumstances than the ones described in the article.
 * There is an article called "Pumpkins Weekends at Storybrooke Farm are seasonal treats for the entire family." It is adapted from selected paragraphs from a real newspaper article from October 2010 (updated in January 2011), from the official website of the Daily Herald, a daily newspaper based in Arlington Heights, Illinois. ''Again, some of the article can be seen on-screen, while the rest can be seen on the newspaper prop which was auctioned off. About the format: Missing text is still set in fuchsia . One paragraph was moved to a different part of the article; it is marked with a yellow background . Note that a few lines have been shrunken down to fit within the table.


 * S.B. Edwards worked as a production staff member on the Season Two episode "Manhattan".
 * One of the headlines reads "The Placebo Effect".
 * The newspaper also front page headline about cassoulet. This is a casserole originating in the south of France, containing, among other things, white beans.
 * An article seen in the auctioned newspaper prop (which cannot be seen in the actual episode, since the newspaper Henry reads is folded in half) is called "Beetle-killed lumber being used in home construction". It is adapted from the first paragraphs of the article "Beetle-killed wood being used in home construction", a real article published in The Denver Post in September 2011, about beetle kill in Colorado.


 * Mark Soperlo worked as a production staff member on "The Price of Gold". He is also listed as a police officer on a wall plaque at the Hyperion Heights police station in "The Guardian".
 * Since the show often uses names of production staff members in their newspaper props, "Cunningham" is most likely another reference to concept artist Brian Cunningham.
 * Yet another unseen article reads:

Municipal Rose Garden: Gazebo Vandalized

Storybrooke Daily Mirror News Staff

Storybrooke, Maine -- Vandals have been trashing the Memorial gazebo in Skylark Rose Garden, and it has local residents worried about the [two illegible words] spot becoming a [two illegible words] for bored teenagers. The Parks and Recreation Director Cheryl Marion says it's under attack. Broken glass and garbage was strewn everywhere. However, the Direc- tor says she's seen a lot worse. [illegible word] we found this gate, completely ripped off [illegible word] to the ground. She tells it like it is. "I t [sic] called vandalism and it's completely frustrating. People are frustrated. Sheila Millar said, "I think this is a beautiful park." Millar is glad to hear about Marion's effort to keep the complex clean. He'd [sic] like the [three illegible words] lights installed and a neighbor- hood watch organized to strike out vandalism. "I think that's a wonderful idea. Anything that can increase the safety of the [illegible word] is always beneficial for everybody" said Marion. The sad part is is [sic] these kids are perfectly comfortable enough to do these terrible things to other parks. Our job is just trying to make them [illegible word] comfortable any more" Marion said. [Two illegible words] lights are a first step in trying to combat this problem."


 * Cheryl Marion is an art director on the show. She was also listed as one of the reviewers quoted on the book blurb for the paperback edition of Isaac's novel Heroes and Villains in "Operation Mongoose Part 1".
 * She is also listed as a B&B owner in an unused newspaper prop previously located at a replica of the Storybrooke pawnshop storefront at the Disney's Hollywood Studios (the storefront was demolished in 2016).


 * The Storybrooke Daily Mirror has a website.
 * In "Hat Trick" and "The Stable Boy", one of the main headlines on the cover says "the science of memory". The headline "remembering" can be glimpsed inside the newspaper in "Hat Trick". This is a subtle reference to the haze the Storybrooke residents live in, with their true identities completely wiped.
 * In "The Stable Boy", the main article says:

'''   HEARTLESS! '''

 SCHOOL TEACHER JAILED ON MURDER CHARGES  

Storybrooke Daily Mirror

News staff

A Storybrooke Elementary School teacher, Mary Margaret Blanchard, was arrested yesterday and charged with the murder of Storybrooke resident Katherine Nolan [sic], according to local law enforce- ment. Although the Sheriff’s office will not release the details of the incident, Sheriff Emma Swan says that they have evidence linking Blanchard to a violent struggle with Nolan on the night of Nolan’s disappearance. Blanchard is being held at the Storybrooke Sheriff's and will await trial in the upcoming weeks. Blanchard was charged with felony counts of murder, attempted murder and assault and a misdemeanor count of criminal possession of a weapon, Swan said. She was arraigned in Story- brooke City Court and processed for holding in lieu of $500,000 bail. Although Blanchard’s motives remain unclear, one Storybrooke resident who wishes to [obscured] [obscured]


 * Another article reads:

Storybrooke Elementary Girl is Crowned New Champion at RegionalSpelling Bee

[Photograph] Neil Westlake

Storybrooke's own Tenaya Wilkins regional win is a pay off formany evenings spent pouring through the dictionary andmemorizing entries while the rest of her friends would play atthe local park.

Storybrooke Daily Mirror

News staff

STORYBROOKE, MAINE – As it often does, it came down to just one word for Storybrooke Elementary's 10 year old "logophile" Tenaya Wilkins. The word that ultimately got her through to the sectionals, however, was a veritable delay chain of letters: antidesptab- lishmentarism. She aced it, however, without breaking a sweat. Accepting her trophy on the dais, she gave a glowing accolade [obscured]


 * Antidisestablishmentarianism is a political position that developed in 19th-century Britain in opposition to Liberal proposals for the disestablishment of the Church of England.
 * Neil Westlake is a graphic designer and production staff member on the show, whose name has appeared on several other props throughout the series:
 * As a complainant in a police report in "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter".
 * As a land surveyor on a document in "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree".
 * As one of the reviewers on the book blurb for Isaac's novel Heroes and Villains in "Operation Mongoose Part 1".
 * As a Storybrooke entrepreneur on a sign by the town hall in "Last Rites".
 * As the author of the book Robin Hood: Myth and Legend in "Only You" and "The Girl in the Tower".
 * As a superintendent in the aforementioned unused newspaper prop at Disney's Hollywood Studios.
 * One of the headlines mentions probiotics, which are microorganisms that are believed to provide health benefits when consumed.


 * In the morning edition of October 23, 1983, the top story is called "Reagan: Marines Will be Staying in Beirut". It is adapted from an old version of a Wikipedia article on the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings, which occurred in the early morning on that day:


 * Another article on the October 23. front page is called "Shelter Dog Adopted by the Couple that Stole him." It is directly adapted from a real news article from October 2012, from the news section on the official website of WMTW, channel 8, an ABC-affiliated television station, serving the Portland, Maine television market.


 * When Henry is looking at apartments in "Kansas", one of the classified ads says:

Apartment for rent Two bedroom, two bath, clocktower views, was a master woodworker in the Enchanted Forest so all cabinets are custom.


 * One of the apartments is described as "charming newly renovated". The ad says, "For enquiries please call Jeanne 604.264.1001 ext. 418". This is a real phone number, which belongs to Noble & Associates Realty Ltd, a property management company in Vancouver, British Columbia, where Once Upon a Time is filmed.
 * There is also an ad for a company called the "Royal Carpet Cleaning".
 * One ad mentions a Storybrooke location called Hunter's Grove, which also appears on a map of Storybooke in "Manhattan", "The Queen Is Dead" and "Lacey".
 * Another ad says:

SIGN, EMBROIDERY SCREENING and Sporting Goods business for sale in Storybrooke, owners are highly motivated $40,000 obo, can be seen on the web, call Jim at 555-0131.


 * Another ad in "Kansas" mentions a company called Storybrooke Realty, which is also mentioned in two newspaper ads in "Birth".


 * A newspaper article about a campaign to encourage people to spend more money in their local Storybrooke shops, is directly adapted from an article in the British newspaper Hampshire Chronicle, a local newspaper based in Winchester, Hampshire. The original article, which is from June 2014, is called "Bishop's Waltham traders to launch new campaign on July 4" (note that the name of the show's version is off-screen), and is about a corresponding, local campaign. Note that due to an oversight, the last paragraph of the show's version mistakenly refers to money as British pounds instead of dollars. Also note that some of the text is off-screen, but parts of it can be seen on an online Instagram photo posted by a crew member: and a fan Twitter post. The missing text is set in fuchsia (note that a few lines have been shrunken down to fit within the table):


 * Sabine Schoppel is the art department coordinator on the show.
 * In the same issue, there is an article called "Volunteers Help rebuild Storybrooke Heritage Trail", which was adapted from a real news article from July 2014, published on the official website of WCSH, a television station in Maine. Some of the text is off-screen, but can be seen in a photo of Georgina Haig during the filming of the episode and on the Instagram photo. The missing text is set in fuchsia :


 * The third headline on the front page is called "Storybrooke Priory's 'laughing' gargoyle has been vandalized", although what little that can be glimpsed of the rest of the article is too blurred to read. However, most of it can be read in the photograph of Georgina Haig and a micro-excerpt can be seen in the Instagram post. The article is adapted from excerpts from the real-world article "Statues of Jesus, Virgin Mary at New Jersey Churches Vandalized in 'Sicko' Manner, Says Official", published in January 2014 by The Christian Post, a Christian newspaper based in Washington, D.C.


 * One of the classified ads in "Birth" is about a house near Storybrooke Priory.
 * Since the show often uses names of crew members on their newspaper props, "Soparlo" is most likely a reference to production staff member Mark Soparlo.
 * The photograph of Georgina Haig reveals the final front page article, which is a short piece called "Submit your local weather photos for the Meteorological Society exhibition", where readers are encouraged to submit their own weather photos for a local exhibition. A short piece of text next to it mentions "East Storybrooke Lumberjacks Soparlo and Venturi" who "practice speed climbing at The Ultimate Lumberjack Show at the Priory".
 * "Venturi" is most likely a reference to illustrator Paolo Venturi, who worked as a concept artist on the show, or art director Greg Venturi.

115 W 10th Ave, Storybrooke NANTUCKET STYLE HOUSE
 * The newspaper ad for Emma's house says:

One of Storybrooke’s finest heritage homes awaits you. Completely renovated throughout, this house features an open floor plan, ch 10' cell on the main floor custom cabinetry in the kitchen, stainless steel appliances, bamboo hard wood floors throughout, limestone, marble and granite in all baths and kitchen, custom fp & huge 400 square foot secluded South facing terrace off kitchen / dining room. Professionally landscaped

with sprinkler systems rock w and night lighting, 2 bedrooms on 2nd floor, master bedroom can easily accommodate a King Bed and has lot of closet space! 3rd floor addition allows for full height and is fully finished for use as a den, bedroom, office or combo. There is a detached single garage with plenty of room for storage. Exterior shed may be used for more storage. Open House Saturday 12-5


 * Another property is located near the Storybrooke Heritage Park.
 * Two of the ads, mention a company called Storybrooke Realty, which was also mentioned in a newspaper ad in "Kansas".
 * One ad mentions a property located near Nightingale Village, which was also mentioned on a map of Storybrooke in "Lacey".


 * -|Production Notes=

Unseen Newspaper Props

 * An unused newspaper prop pictured in an Instagram post by Raphael Sbarge reveals the following article:

LOCAL PALEONTOLOGIST GIVES LECTURE ON 'UNUSUAL FOSSIL'      TRILOBITE VARIANT FOSSIL FOUND AT STORYBROOKE PRIORY

Storybrooke Daily Mirror

News Staff

A regular evening 'constitutional' for T. [image ends] turned into the find of a lifetime for thi [image ends] paleontologist from Storybrooke. He w [image ends] his dog, Caine, at Storybrooke Priory b [image ends] where he lives. It was then that he sa [image ends] and unfamliar shape among the rock [image ends] ' of the bluff. On closer inspection, he [image ends] was a fossil – but quite unlike any that [image ends] before. The next morning he sent an [image ends] [illegible word] to the Storybrooke Museum. [image ends] "They think we may have a [illegible word / image ends] [illegible word] trilobite at the [illegible word /image ends] all exited about that." The fossil is of a [illegible word / image ends] [illegible word] that had a [two illegible words / image ends]  [illegible / image ends]


 * An unused newspaper prop which used to be located at a replica of the Storybrooke pawnshop storefront at the Disney's Hollywood Studios (the storefront was demolished in 2016) contains an article which was adapted from a real article from January 6, 2015, published in the Bangor Daily News, published in Bangor, Maine:


 * Cheryl Marion is an art director on the show, while Douglas McLean is a production staff member.
 * Cheryl Marion is also listed as one of the reviewers quoted on the book blurb for the paperback edition of Isaac's novel Heroes and Villains in "Operation Mongoose Part 1". She is also quote as a Parks and Recreation Director in an unseen article from "Desperate Souls".
 * Another front page article reads:

Vintage Rocking Horse sells for $11,00 [sic] in Local Auction

[Photograph] The 1907 child's toy is one of only 7 in the entire world

Storybrooke Daily Mirror News Staff

STORYBROOKE, Maine – Storybrooke Fine Arts Auctioneers held a 'Memorial of Childhood' charity auction on Saturday – the proceeds of which will directly benefit the maternity ward of Storybrooke General Hospital. The highest selling item in the catalog was a 1907 American-manufactured Kuhn-Hass rocking horse that sold for a sum of $11,000. The highest bidder, who bid by telephone, has chosen to remain anonymous. One of only seven models known to still exist, the elaborately carved and hand-painted child's toy was made in [illegible name], Maryland, by the Kuhn [obscured] (...) [four illegible words] and a [illegible] nineteenth century French fiddle-playing skeleton automaton.


 * Notice the glaring misprint in the headline, which claims that the rare toy sold for only 11 dollars, not 11000, as stated in the body of the article.
 * The other articles on the front page, which are only partially readable, are:
 * An article about oil prices, called "Maine Heating Oil Prices Continue Decline".
 * "Cosmetology School Closes", a short article about the fate of a business called the Storybrooke School of Hair Fashions.
 * "District 'Rehires' School Superintendent". The superintendent in question is Neil Westlake, a graphic designer and productions staff member on the show. Westlake's name has appeared on quite a few props throughout the series and he has been listed as:
 * A complainant in a police report in "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter".
 * A land surveyor on a document in "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree".
 * A photographer in the Storybrooke Daily Mirror in "The Stable Boy".
 * One of the reviewers on the book blurb for Isaac's novel Heroes and Villains in "Operation Mongoose Part 1".
 * A Storybrooke entrepreneur on a sign by the town hall in "Last Rites".
 * The author of the book Robin Hood: Myth and Legend in "Only You" and "The Girl in the Tower".
 * The headlines at the top include "PPD and You", "The Hügelkultur Revolution" and "The Ultimate Ropa Vieja".
 * Hügelkultur is a horticulturual technique where a mound constructed from decaying wood debris and other compostable biomass plant materials is planted as a raised bed. Ropa vieja (Spanish for "old clothes") is one of the national dishes of Cuba.
 * A Portland section inside the newspaper contains the following articles (note that they are difficult to read):
 * "Rare Polio-like illness puzzles health officials" ("Researchers cannot find link between more than children who have been hit by paralysis")
 * "Couple stumble upon $6-million treasure trove"
 * "Trials are months away"


 * -|Cultural References=

Lost

 * In the online list of potential jobs, there is a temporary position as an inventory control specialist for 8 months, a reference to the second Lost number.
 * The newspaper Regina is reading on the morning after the Dark Curse is dated October 23. 23 is the fourth Lost number.
 * In "Kansas", one of the classifieds shows the number 16, the fourth Lost number. Another ad contains the number 08.

Popular Culture

 * The Storybrooke Daily Mirror shares its name with a well-known British tabloid.
 * In "The Shepherd", there is a picture of the Chartres Cathedral on the cover of the newspaper.
 * In "Desperate Souls", there is a picture of Stonehenge on the front page of the newspaper.
 * In "Hat Trick" and "The Stable Boy", a picture of the famous Indian marble mausoleum Taj Mahal appears on the cover.
 * On October 23. 1983, one of the newspaper headlines is "Reagan: Marines Will be Staying in Beirut", referring to the bombing of American and French troops in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War in 1983.


 * -|Set Notes=

Props Notes

 * The newspaper prop which was used during principal photography of "A Tale of Two Sisters" is different from the one that is seen in close-ups from this episode, which contains a different photograph of Belle and Mr. Gold. However, the original newspaper can still be seen in a wider shot of Elsa holding the newspaper inside the pawnshop.

Set Dressing

 * There is a Storybrooke Daily Mirror newspaper stand and a Storybrooke Daily Mirror vending machine outside Granny's Diner.
 * An identical vending machine is sitting in the street outside a nearby building.


 * -|Goofs=

Goofs

 * The front page article Emma's car crash, is just the same block of text repeated three times.
 * Kathryn's first name is misspelled "Katherine" in the Storybrooke Daily Mirror.
 * In a newspaper article about a campaign to encourage people to spend more money in their local shops, the last paragraph refers to money as British pounds, not dollars. However, another sum correctly uses dollars.

Appearances
Note: "Archive" denotes archive footage.