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Bitter cold hits Philly as addiction fight continues, Trump takes aim at legal marijuana | Morning Newsletter

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A man struggles to control his scarf in the high winds and blowing snow in Atlantic City on January 4, 2018.
A man struggles to control his scarf in the high winds and blowing snow in Atlantic City on January 4, 2018.Read moreELIZABETH ROBERTSON / Staff Photographer
    by Ray Boyd
    Published 

Happy Friday, folks. It's still cold outside and heading into the weekend, it's only going to get colder. If you're making your way out the door, be mindful of changes to SEPTA Regional Rail service today.

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— Ray Boyd

» READ MORE: Snow hits the Philly region, plummeting temperatures follow

If you're not a fan of the cold, things are only going to get worse this week. The "bomb cyclone" left us with plenty of snow and set the stage for plummeting temperatures.

Today's weather outlook prompted SEPTA to lighten its Regional Rail service throughout the region, offering fewer trains in hopes that if issues do arise, they'll have less people stuck on less trains. Keep that in mind for your commute.

While you're waiting on the train, don't forget the damage freezing temperatures can cause to your hair and skin. In fact, your car, home and pets all need extra TLC when this type of weather hits. Could the road salt even be causing us harm?

» READ MORE: Officials try to get homeless off cold streets while battling addiction in Kensington

A Code Blue was issued in Philadelphia, ramping up efforts to get people off the streets in these bitter cold conditions. Amid the city's heroin crisis, this issue is very apparent in Kensington. Addiction means many there prefer the cold over a shelter.

This struggle comes on the heels of a devastating year of loss for Philadelphia. Officials expect the total number of overdose deaths for 2017 to surpass 1,200. That's quadruple the murder rate in Philadelphia.

To make things worse, experts do not see an end in sight. For 2018, they expect the epidemic to get even worse.

» READ MORE: Pa., N.J., Del. support legal marijuana, but Trump administration won’t make it easy

Pennsylvania medical marijuana patients have their IDs in hand, but the Trump administration is setting its sights on legal marijuana. The administration is rescinding an Obama-era policy that helped legalized marijuana flourish.

Pennsylvania isn't the only state in the region that would be impacted. Delaware looks close to being the first mid-Atlantic state to legalize recreational use for adults.

New Jersey is considering a similar bill. A key figure in the Garden State's marijuana movement can't help but see the irony in it all.

What you need to know today

  1. A resident at a Philadelphia group home for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities is dead after a worker gave him a slice of pizza – a decision that ignored the man's doctor-ordered diet.

  2. According to documents reviewed by the Inquirer, Daily News and Philly.com, hundreds of Comcast's door-to-door sales people received some bad news right before Christmas.

  3. For years, it has been dismissed for not having enough scientific backing, but researchers are seeing the positive impacts of animal-assisted intervention programs for children with autism. One little girl has benefited in West Chester.

  4. Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House is already turning heads before its release. It includes an account that Fox News' Sean Hannity provided the president with questions before an interview in Pennsylvania. Hannity took notice.

  5. The Dow crossed 25,000 on Thursday, a milestone that had investors celebrating. According to some experts, the record-setting rally was set in motion by tax reform.

  6. Reporter Tommy Rowan has taken a historical dive into the Inquirer archives, back to the day in 1971 when the paper defied the government to publish the Pentagon Papers.

  7. Ambler native Josh Singer already has an Oscar for his writing work on Spotlight and The Post might be good enough to land him more hardware. Now, Singer knows what it's like to get a 6:30 a.m. call from Steven Spielberg.

  8. The Flyers rode a hot second period to victory against the Islanders last night.

» READ MORE: #OurPhilly

We want to see what our community looks like through your eyes. Show us the park that your family walks through every weekend with the dog, the block party in your neighborhood or the historic stretch you see every morning on your commute to work.

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 to build those followers!

That’s Interesting

  1. Joel Embiid might play tonight when the Sixers take on the Pistons. He might not. As reporter Sarah Todd explains, the Sixers trust "The Process" to make the call.

  2. Off does not mean safe when it comes to snow blowers. One doctor is seeing more cases of missing fingers this time of year, all because people do not know the dangers of the device.

  3. The Eagles will open the playoffs against the Saints, Falcons or Panthers. My colleague Marcus Hayes explains the strengths, weaknesses and the "Foles Factor" for each potential opponent.

  4. Comfort food spot the Ugly Duckling in Center City Philadelphia has closed. As food writer Michael Klein explains, it seemed to fall between the "quacks" of the rest of the Duck empire in Philadelphia.

  5. Eric Nzeribe created a humor magazine during the height of the Liberian Civil War. Now, living in Philadelphia, he continues the magazine as a resource for African immigrants and continues to make people laugh.

  6. While you're outside shoveling snow, experts say not to view it as just another form of exercise. It can be the perfect storm for a heart attack.

  7. Ruben Amaro Jr. went from general manager of the Phillies, to coach for the Red Sox. Now, he can add actor to his resume thanks to The Goldbergs.

  8. Speaking of baseball, apparently Millville, N.J., native and Angels outfielder Mike Trout is a "weather geek." He was incredibly excited for the "bomb cyclone" – too excited if you ask his wife.

  9. Do you scroll your Twitter feed only to log out feeling frustrated or anxious? Those who do are starting off the year by giving up social media all together.

  10. Game of Thrones is coming back. But not as quickly as some fans might hope.

Opinions

"In this state, abusers are free to stash their weapons with a friend or a relative,
— making them accessible for the next time they get annoyed with a spouse or a child. And, they will get annoyed again.” — The Inquirer Editorial Board writes that the Pennsylvania legislature has failed to protect victims of domestic violence by not forcing abusers to hand over their guns immediately.

  1. There have been countless reports, writes columnist Will Bunch, that highlight how Trump supporters feel about the president's performance. He thinks it's time to visit anti-Trump country to see what they think.

  2. Protesters and unrest have erupted in Iran, but as columnist Trudy Rubin writes, President Donald Trump's tweets shouldn't be your main source for information on the issue.

What we’re reading

  1. President Trump made it clear that he wants more states to strengthen voter ID laws. As Wired reports, researchers are working on an algorithm that will make the whole controversy easier for courts to understand in future cases.

  2. We're feeling the cold in Philadelphia and it's only getting chillier this weekend. National Geographic broke down what the cold weather can do to the human body.

  3. How did CNN's Anderson Cooper manage to stay warm while hosting their New Year's Eve special? As Philly Voice explains, it was all thanks to a Manayunk retailer.

  4. Doylestown's own Pink received a Grammy nomination for her single "What About Us" and she'll be performing at the 60th annual Grammy Awards. Rolling Stone breaks down more of the performances including Lady Gaga and Childish Gambino.

  5. Is the two-party system a thing of the past for American politics? Vanity Fair takes a look at how President Donald Trump might have awakened a major shift in our politics.

Your Daily Dose of | Puppies

Four Philly-area puppies will play in Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl XIV. Philly fans will root on Daisy, Lila, Hinesville, and Neville in the big game.