Philly News Briefs: 1/19/06

1.) It seems that the Philadelphia 76ers are so bad that they have become a national joke. Sunday night “The Simpsons” lampooned the struggling team (which is 5-37 so far this season). A scene took place in the Kwik-E-Mart with customers lining up to buy overpriced parade supplies. A bald man asked for the price of sunblock and was told it was, outrageously, $30. Apu helpfully told the man that he’d throw in a free Sixers hat with the price of purchase and the customer said no, he’d just take the sunscreen. Even in the national comedy scene, the 76ers are a joke.

Governor Wolf helped sort donated clothes for the homeless during a Day of Service project at Girard College.

2.) Philadelphia is gearing up for its first real snowstorm of the 2015-2016 winter… are you ready? El Nino has kept the winter storms at bay so far, but it seems like the East Coast is about to feel the wrath of the Arctic Blast. Forecasts show the cold front, which is currently out in the Pacific, moving into our area by Friday afternoon and lingering until late in the day on Saturday. The northern and western suburbs are due to see the most snow, with Center City likely seeing more of a wintry mix. At least everyone who has been complaining about a lack of snow will finally be silenced!

3.) Thousands of people, including several of Philadelphia’s elected and appointed officials, all teamed up yesterday to pull off Philly’s annual Day of Service in honor of Martin Luther King. Scores of volunteers gathered at the Cheesman A. Herrick Fieldhouse and Armory at Girard College in Fairmount to participate in as many as 150 service projects being held on the campus. Several local dignitaries, including Mayor Jim Kenney, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross all took time out of their busy schedules to sort donated clothes for the homeless.