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Sixers take London, Cosby returns to Philly, Pa. congressional map upheld | Morning Newsletter

All the local news you need to know to start your day, delivered straight to your email.

Sixers guard Markelle Fultz smiles with teammate forward Dario Saric and guard Ben Simmons late in the fourth-quarter against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 in Philadelphia.
Sixers guard Markelle Fultz smiles with teammate forward Dario Saric and guard Ben Simmons late in the fourth-quarter against the Detroit Pistons on Friday, Jan. 5, 2018 in Philadelphia.Read moreYONG KIM / Staff Photographer

Hello, Philadelphia. I hope you're enjoying this downright balmy weather we're having, at least compared to the deep freeze we just clawed back from. Today we're gearing up for the Sixers' big London game and recapping a surprise appearance in the city by Bill Cosby.

If you like what you're reading, tell your friends it's free to sign up to get this newsletter in your inbox every weekday. I would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and feedback, so please email me, tweet me @aubsn, or reach our social team on Facebook. Thank you for reading.

— Aubrey Nagle

» READ MORE: London calling: Sixers play Celtics today across the pond

Today the Sixers play the Celtics, but it isn't any old matchup; they're across the pond in London, playing at the O2 Arena. Stateside, the tip off is at 3 p.m. — and you can watch it on TV or online.

Yes, the NBA is actually a big deal in Europe. But the Sixers are focused on one thing: beating the Celtics. Coach Brett Brown has been quick to stop European media calling Joel Embiid a superstar, whose backup Amir Johnson may be ill tonight. Rookie Markelle Fultz, by the way, still won't be playing.

Reporter Keith Pompey has been in London all week, getting lost in Greenwich, seeing the sights (like Tower Bridge, not London Bridge), and getting hooked on afternoon tea.

» READ MORE: Your restaurant rants revealed

Let's Eat newsletter author Michael Klein opened the floodgates by asking readers, "What bugs you about the dining experience?" And from bad manners to wobbly tables, boy, did you answer!

But he couldn't let you off that easy. He asked restaurant folks, "What annoys you about patrons?" and they let their guard down, too. (Pro tip: don't snap your fingers at servers.)

Want to take this insider knowledge for a spin? Be sure to use those holiday gift certificates in a timely fashion — before your eatery of choice shuts its doors.

» READ MORE: Federal judges uphold Pa. congressional map

Federal judges upheld Pennsylvania's congressional district map yesterday, often called one of the nation's most heavily gerrymandered.

The plaintiffs are already planning to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. But, for voters hoping for a redrawn map, experts say another case, in which a group of voters filed a lawsuit against the state, is the one to watch.

Just this week, though, federal judges in North Carolina ruled that state's congressional map was unconstitutional because of gerrymandering and ordered it redrawn. Nationally, the issue is far from settled.

What you need to know today

  1. Here's a name you haven't heard in a while: Bill Cosby was out on the town last night ahead of his April retrial on sexual assault charges, dining at an Old City eatery and inviting reporters along for the ride.

  2. Yesterday Gov. Tom Wolf declared a state of emergency in the state of Pennsylvania on the opioid crisis, and we now have details on what this renewed effort to quell the epidemic will entail.

  3. Charter schools aren't better after all, at least not in Pennsylvania, according to a new report being released today. It says lax state oversight means thousands of students are suffering.

  4. Pennsylvania's first mini-casino is on its way and I bet you can't guess where it's headed.

  5. Before dawn yesterday, immigration agents raided 7-Eleven stores across the country — including in Pennsylvania and New Jersey — to audit its hiring practices, arresting 21 people along the way.

  6. A Penn sophomore who disappeared last week while on winter break in Southern California has been found dead, and police are launching a homicide investigation.

  7. A car dealership wants to install a towering vehicle "vending machine" in the middle of Fishtown. They just need Zoning Board approval for the lights, which neighbors are decidedly against.

» 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. Reminder: Martin Luther King Jr. Day is on Monday. If you're looking for a place to volunteer, check out this list of opportunities to do good.

  2. Need something to do this weekend besides watch Saturday's Eagles game? Take advantage of the not completely freezing weather with a beer fest, concerts and more.

  3. The possible closure of the Gayborhood's 12th Street Gym also means change for the 3-year-old mural featuring LGBT activist Gloria Casarez on its facade. Here's what happens if the gym shutters.

  4. What's it take to become a Phillies ball girl? Glad you asked: reporter Bethany Ao went to tryouts to find out.

  5. You've heard it during many an awards show speech: "stand in your truth." But how is "your truth" different than "my truth" or "the truth?"

  6. Comcast wants to take over your home with the "internet of things." They just announced they're making smart-home features free for 15 million customers.

  7. Does the cold make you catch a cold? Test your germ smarts with an interactive quiz so fun it's contagious.

Opinions

"But I know this now: Lt. LeTourneau made a commitment to put other lives ahead of his own on the first day he set foot aboard a fire truck. Whatever words you use to describe courage, Matt lived it." Walt Hunter, former CBS3 investigative reporter and a life member of Narberth Fire Company, remembers fallen firefighter
— Lt. Matt LeTourneau.
  1. Michael Wolff's controversial tome Fire and Fury is making the rounds for many reasons, but columnist Trudy Rubin says the book also reveals a lot about President Trump's Mideast doctrine.

  2. As the next generation moves away from driving their own vehicles, columnist Dom Giordano laments the loss of freedom cars represent.

What we’re reading

  1. Philadelphia Magazine's quick Q&A with one of the city's best drone photographers is a fun peek behind the curtain at all those stellar aerial shots.

  2. WHYY dug into a different kind of school choice they say no one is talking about, expertly explaining how some neighborhood schools are becoming accidental magnets.

  3. Impact100 shared its story of bringing local women together to change the world with the Philadelphia Citizen, a happy tale amidst the repercussions of the #MeToo movement.

  4. Speaking of #MeToo, the movement's influence on the red carpet is just one of the ways pop culture is experiencing a great "awokening," as extensively detailed by The Cut.

  5. As a guilty user of game-like self-care apps myself, this New Yorker essay on how self-improvement has become a competition rang especially true. Yikes.

Your Daily Dose of | Games

Plenty of bars have a few editions of Jenga or Connect Four lying around. But a new cafe coming to Fairmount is stacked with board games — 800 to 1,000 of them —  from the owner's collection.