5 stories to follow: April 1

Happy April Fools' Day. But this post isn't a joke -- here are five stories you should know about today.

1. Opening Day: The Phillies take on the Braves in Atlanta at 7:10 p.m. For much more coverage, check out the Daily News' season preview.

2. Two-year law degree coming to Drexel: Students will soon be able to earn a law degree in two years, instead of the usual three, at Drexel University. The school is set to announce its "Fast Forward" program today. The program will cost the same as the traditional three years of coursework, but will condense the curriculum into two straight years of classes, without summers off.

3. AVI appeals deadline: Today is the deadline for Philadelphia property owners to file a first-level appeal of new property-tax assessments. You can appeal if you think the city evaluated your property incorrectly or the assessment isn't in line with similar properties in your neighborhood. But an appeal can also lead to a higher assessment.

4. Cherry blossoms: Washington, D.C., may have the most well-known cherry blossom festival, but Philly has one of its own. The four-week-long Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival kicks off today and has events around the city throughout the month. "It's a big celebration of Japanese culture," Aaron Dilliplane, assistant director of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, told CBS Philadelphia.

5. Kevin Ware's gruesome injury: Louisville guard Kevin Ware broke his leg during the team's win against Duke to advance to the Final Four. As the Sports Doc blog says, "If you saw it, chances are you'll never forget it." Sports Doc has more on Ware's prognosis.