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Philly preps for the Fourth, Allentown Cadets march on | Morning Newsletter

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Youngsters in Independence Mall eat their free meals at Wawa's Hoagie Day Thursday, June 28, 2018, part of the Welcome America July Fourth festivities.
Youngsters in Independence Mall eat their free meals at Wawa's Hoagie Day Thursday, June 28, 2018, part of the Welcome America July Fourth festivities.Read moreHEATHER KHALIFA / Staff Photographer

Good morning, Philly. Be careful in Center City this morning, a large water main break flooded several blocks around Sansom and Juniper Streets. And I'm not sure you've noticed, but it is really ridiculously hot outside. Unfortunately, relief is not quite in sight and the extended heat wave adds to health concerns for Fourth of July crowds. But that isn't going to keep the city from donning its best red, white, and blue. So, we've got some tips and tricks for your holiday ahead. We've also got an update from Allentown's Cadets drum and bugle corps after their scandal-filled year. They performed for their first time at home this season over the weekend. All this and more ahead. I hope you enjoy the holiday tomorrow; we'll pick back up here on Thursday. Don't forget: wear sunscreen, drink water, and find some shade!

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

» READ MORE: Philly preps for July Fourth: where to watch fireworks and more

It's almost time to celebrate America's birthday. If you're spending the day behind a grill, find out how to build a better burger straight from the experts. If you're down the Shore for the holiday, don't miss restaurant critic Craig LaBan's favorite sandwiches. If you're headed to the Party on the Parkway, don't forget to check road closures and SEPTA schedules.

Are you ready to exhibit proper decorum during your celebration? Take our very goofy quiz to make sure you're prepared. Then find out where to see fireworks in the region.

Speaking of sparklers, sales of fireworks are skyrocketing (pun fully intended) since Pennsylvania changed its laws, though even the smallest fireworks can be deadly.

» READ MORE: Allentown’s famed Cadets rise again after year of scandal

After a tumultuous year, Allentown's famed Cadets drum and bugle corps performed the first home show of their summer tour on Saturday night.

The past few months have seen the #MeToo movement march into the Cadets community, ending the nearly four-decade career of director George Hopkins who was accused of sexual misconduct by nine women.

Alumni have stepped in to fill the leadership roles left empty by Hopkins and the board of directors who resigned amid the scandal. And through it all, the band has kept playing.

» READ MORE: Did a Philly Starbucks barista mock a customer with a stutter?

Last week, a University of Pennsylvania graduate student named Sam says he ordered a drink at a Starbucks in University City, only to have the barista mock him for his stutter. When he received his drink, the label said, "SSSam."

Ironically enough, just yesterday a report on how the company can address discrimination and bias, prepared by the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund and public policy organization Demos, was released.

This all follows a few weeks after the company closed its U.S. stores for a day of anti-bias training after the wrongful arrests of two black men at a Center City location.

What you need to know today

  1. Protesters have set up camp outside Philly's Immigration and Customs Enforcement office at Eighth and Cherry Streets. They want an end to that agency's policies and to cooperation between the city and ICE.

  2. An Ohio man arrested Sunday for allegedly plotting a terror attack on the Fourth of July in Cleveland was also eyeing Philadelphia's City Hall and a local federal building for a Labor Day attack.

  3. In his quest for the governor's office, Pennsylvania Republican nominee Scott Wagner has cast himself as a Trump-like figure, but the stance isn't helping his fundraising efforts. In other local GOP news, U.S. Rep. Lou Barletta is fundraising with the face of Brexit, Nigel Farage, who U.S. Sen. Bob Casey's campaign has called an "anti-Semite."

  4. Last week, authorities seized 110 pounds of synthetic opioid fentanyl being shipped through Philadelphia. The lot had a street value of $1.7 million and was found in barrels being shipped from China.

  5. Years ago, Mount Holly settled a lawsuit contending a local redevelopment project would unfairly displace minorities. Fifteen residents were promised homes to replace those being bulldozed, but only six have moved so far. The rest of the new houses sit empty.

  6. LeBron turned us down. Belinelli and Ilyasova hit the road. JJ Redick is staying in town. It's been a wild free agency for the Sixers so far. But can they reel in another big fish in San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard?

  7. "SEPTA got it right," isn't something Philadelphians say too often. In the case of installing a critical railroad safety system, though, they're on the right track. Their friends over at NJ Transit? They're lagging behind.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Oh man, @_codys_world_ is living the life!

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

  1. If you've ever spent time in Old City, chances are longtime busker David Puryear and his alto saxophone "Miss Nasty" have supplied the background music. But you probably don't know the story behind his handwritten signs.

  2. The end of June wasn't a great time for health violations in University City restaurants: both Han Dynasty and Bobby's Burger Palace were among the eateries closed thanks to mouse droppings and roaches.

  3. West Philadelphia's own Will Smith has responded to the large-scale mural of his likeness recently installed where he was born and raised: "[It] just wrecked me."

  4. When it's this hot outside sun protection is extra important, but sometimes even clothing isn't enough to block the rays. So one King of Prussia dermatologist invented clothing with SPF woven right in.

  5. Phillies pitcher Zach Eflin has been wowing crowds after a tremendous June, winning all five of his starts. It hasn't been a easy road, though; Eflin's emergence is a direct result of years of struggle.

  6. Melrose Park infertility specialist Jerome Check believes the abortion pill mifepristone can extend the lives of terminally ill lung cancer patients. So why can't he get oncologists to send him patients?

Opinions

"Smoking isn't about willpower. It's also about how a multi-billion-dollar industry finds new ways to trick our teens…into an addiction. " — Colleen McCauley, RN, BSN, MPH, Health Policy Director for Public Citizens for Children and Youth, on how Harrisburg throttled a move by Philadelphia City Council to protect children from Big Tobacco.
  1. Columnist Ronnie Polaneczky is celebrating readers of her column for convincing the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass a bill making it harder for caregivers to get away with abusing those in their care.

  2. Sophie Davies, a student of environmental economics and political sciences and an Avalon regular, calls for New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy to protect the Shore (and generations of memories) from climate change.

What we’re reading

  1. Philly's skyline may be literally on the up-and-up, but for birds it's a dangerous minefield according to Billy Penn's sad new report. (Warning: the report includes images of deceased birds.)

  2. A long read from the Ringer on the racially motivated destruction of Tulsa, Oklahoma's Greenwood district, called Black Wall Street, is a must-read. The tragic event is approaching its 100th anniversary and is a story too seldom told.

  3. Fishtown's historic St. Laurentius church is still standing, but PlanPhilly reports it's on shaky ground. Some neighbors are still protesting its development into apartments even as it comes closer to being demolished.

  4. It's hard to look away from photos of a newly revamped North Wildwood hotel that was basically built for Instagram. Thanks to MetroPhily you can drool over its twee interiors.

  5. You can thank the New York Times in advance for their handy guide to cleaning your laptop. It's almost definitely secretly disgusting (or maybe not so secretly).

Your Daily Dose of | Observation

Narberth-bred author Beck Dorey-Stein spent five years as a White House stenographer. One of her fondest memories? Calming a nervous Charles Barkley before he met President Barack Obama.