Latest snow forecast, Sixers win with injured Embiid, DEP halts Sunoco pipeline | Morning Newsletter

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File Photo: A pedestrian braves the snow with an umbrella near 23rd and Spring Garden streets as snow falls on Dec. 15Read moreTIM TAI / Staff Photographer

Published Jan. 4, 2018, 6:35 a.m. ET

Welcome to (a snowy) Thursday. If you're waking up to flakes, enjoy a moment of winter wonderland from your window — you won't be as fond of it once you step outside. Trust me.

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

Blizzard warnings are in effect for the Jersey Shore, the National Weather Service has issued a winter-storm warning for the immediate Philadelphia area, and schools are closing thanks to a "bomb cyclone" (polar vortex is so 2017) moving up the coast.

That means subfreezing temps will be the norm until Monday and there will be dangerous wind today and tomorrow. We could see 4 to 5 inches of snow in Philly, and anywhere from 6 to 12 inches in South Jersey and the Shore. So far the deep freeze has brought at least one weather-related death in Montgomery County.

Dog owners should keep furry friends indoors as much as possible, but here's how to keep them safely covered up for outdoor walks. Breaking out the snowblower this morning? Be sure to know its ins and outs, or it could cost you a finger.

Sixers star center Joel Embiid had been ruled out of last night's game against the Spurs for a sprained right hand he suffered Sunday. But just minutes before the game, he changed his mind.

And it's a good thing, too; the team needed him. Despite a visibly swollen hand, he finished with 21 points, second on the team only to Ben Simmons with 26. The Sixers got their first three-game win streak since November and snapped a 12-game losing streak to the Spurs.

Speaking of ailments, when will injured rookie guard Markelle Fultz get back on the court? According to coach Brett Brown it's still a mystery.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection has suspended construction on Sunoco's Mariner East 2 shale pipeline. Now they must satisfy several permit conditions before construction can continue.

The $2.5 billion project has met much opposition in Delaware and Chester Counties, through which Sunoco's building the second of three pipelines.

Sunoco has been reprimanded repeatedly for work problems on the system. Just last week, it was allegedly caught drilling illegally near Harrisburg. They were cited in November for construction spills, too.

What you need to know today

The School Reform Commission has voted to dissolve itself, but what comes next? Here's everything you need to know about the school board replacing it.
Ex-Trump strategist Steve Bannon did not hold back in a new book on Trump's campaign, calling a Donald Trump Jr. meeting with Russians both "treasonous" and "unpatriotic." Trump then said Bannon "lost his mind" when he left the White House.
Four women, all Democrats, were sworn into Chester County row-office posts yesterday, offices not held by a Democrat since before the Civil War. Their historic wins have Pennsylvania Republicans nervous about the suburbs.
Political unrest in Iran continued yesterday as government supporters took to the streets for rallies following a week of anti-government protests that swept through big cities and into the countryside.
If your information was stolen to make fake comments to the Federal Communications Commission, the Pennsylvania Attorney General wants to hear from you.
Delaware could be the next state to legalize recreational marijuana. Spirits were high (pun fully intended) yesterday as a governor's taskforce reviewed changes to a proposed bill which legislature will vote on this spring.
Local restaurants closed out the year with mouse droppings inside a hot dog machine and more gross health violations. Here's hoping these eateries have resolved to make a clean sweep in 2018.
It's a good time to wash your hands: the flu is picking up steam, but RSV and norovirus are also making the rounds.
One upside to all this cold? The freeze may be curtailing tree-killing bugs in the area.

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That’s Interesting

Almond milk is out, tart cherries are in, and everything's smoked. These are the Philly food trends to look for in 2018. And these are the trends restaurant critic Craig LaBan hopes will die in 2018.
La Salle shocked the art world Tuesday after announcing plans to sell 46 masterpieces from its prized museum collection to help stem financial woes.
The Temple student whose hilarious recipe reaction videos went viral just appeared on Ellen —and walked away with an incredible deal.
Rhys Hoskins looks to be the Phillies' next leader. Luckily, it seems his first impressions of new manager Gabe Kapler are very good.
Philly Loves Bowie Week, a 10-day celebration of David Bowie for a city with connections to and many fans of the star, begins Friday. Get ready for karaoke, art shows, and more.
Netflix's Will Smith-starring fantasy cop film Bright is getting a sequel, despite decidedly mixed reviews.
You think you're a Carson Wentz fan? His teammates are even bigger fans, and they've picked their favorite Wentz plays from this season to prove it.
Bye, bye love: After 20 years, the Johnny Rockets on South Street has closed.

Opinions

"It was a movement led by the disenfranchised, a movement stoked by activists, a movement that succeeded thanks to votes cast by people of color who have long been unequally treated by the criminal justice system." — Now that Larry Krasner has been sworn in, columnist Solomon Jones writes, the black community has some demands.

Columnist Trudy Rubin provides a primer on the political protests sweeping Iran, including what Americans should and should not do to support the protesters.
We need more women in leadership positions, write Wendy L. Hill, Ph.D. and Mariandl Hufford of The Agnes Irwin School, and there are ways to set them up for success from a young age.

What we’re reading

"A Tale of Two Parks," a PlanPhilly story of how a community was able to revive the underutilized Olney Rec. Center, is a great example of how neighborhoods coming together.
The Atlantic dug into the College Republicans scene at Penn State for a look at how President Trump's supporters are changing the campus organizations. It's an interesting read.
Activists around the country are feeling protest burnt out, writes The Outline. The article tells a few tales close to home, from Philly Socialists to the Philly Tenants Union, about "low and slow" activism.
Sports Illustrated's "Open Floor" podcast spent an episode (transcribed, too, for readers) deciding that maybe they preemptively called the Sixers a playoff team. What do you think?
New York Magazine has published an excerpt from media critic Michael Wolff's upcoming book Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House. You have to read it to (maybe) believe it.

Your Daily Dose of | Smiles

Local celebrity dog, Lentil, made Christmas dreams come true for a 10-year-old Williamsport boy: he met the Eagles at their New Year's Eve game.