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Kennedy restaurant says sign was hacked with racist message


Kennedy Township police are investigating
Tawnya Panizzi
By Tawnya Panizzi
1 Min Read March 19, 2026 | 2 hours ago
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The family behind a Kennedy restaurant says their digital illuminated sign was hacked with racist messages this week.

Mama Lena’s Firehouse Grill posted to its Facebook page on Wednesday that its LED sign was hacked and accessed “without our knowledge or permission, resulting in an inappropriate message being displayed.”

Derogatory language was scrolling on the sign on a firetruck parked outside the restaurant along Fairhaven Road.

Kennedy Township police are investigating. Restaurant owners are cooperating with police to find a suspect.

“This message was not created, approved or posted by us,” Mama Lena’s Facebook post reads. “It does not reflect who we are, our values or our business.”

It was taken down immediately, according to the post.

The restaurant has yet to officially open. It is in the process of preparing for its opening day.

“This makes the situation even more unfortunate, as we’ve been working hard to build something positive for the community,” the post said.

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About the Writers

Tawnya Panizzi is a TribLive reporter. She joined the Trib in 1997. She can be reached at tpanizzi@triblive.com.

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