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Another Philly junkyard tire fire prompts air quality warning

An apparent junkyard fire yesterday afternoon sent black smoke into the air around 61st and West Passyunk in Southwest Philly. Yes, another one.

• Health officials warned nearby residents to take precautions and stay inside as they sent inspectors to test the air quality. The same thing happened in June, and in November — and dozens of times before that.

Illegal dumping is a big part of the problem. The Streets Department is getting $2 million to fight it, after cleanups fell steeply over the past five years.

Star and Kion Wright: The mother-son duo who breathe football

Rising Cheltenham high school senior Kion Wright is a defensive linemen fielding Division 1 offers. His mom Star coaches him — and plays herself.

• Wright owns the Philly Phantomz, a new WNFL team whose entire roster she coached onto the leagues All-Pro List (herself included). Now, she’s growing a global nonprofit that brings football to African countries.

“We just bounce off each other’s knowledge,” Kion told BP contributor Ray Dunne about his mom, who balances work and play in more ways than one.

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Data shows gun buyback programs  may reduce suicides and accidents, but don’t help with criminal shootings. Could they be made more effective? Some say higher payouts could help, others suggest wraparound resources. [WHYY]
• The average rent in Philly was above $1,650 in April, up 8.5% year over year. Landlords say they expect rents to continue to rise, citing higher property assessments. [Economy League/Tribune$]
• The Fishtown roundabout is about to pop off: Five new commercial spaces are in the works at the circular intersection, along with more than 50 housing units. [Rising Real Estate]
• RIP Andre Chin of Artisan Boulanger Patissier, who died after fighting prostate cancer. The Passyunk Avenue bakery he founded 20 years ago with wife Amanda Eap is expected to reopen next month. [@artisanbakeryphiladelphia/Inquirer$]
• Wawa teamed up with Cape May Brewing to create “Shore Tea.” The 4.5% ABV cans will be available this Thursday at Wawas that sell beer, including two in Philly. Stay tuned for our review. [Brewbound/CBS3]
• While James Harden is spinning the $15 million “pay cut” he took to re-sign with the Sixers philanthropy for the good of the team, Joel Embiid is going viral for a video of him dancing the Hora and being lofted in a chair at a Jewish wedding. [Inquirer$/Yahoo/@ToriRubinstein/@JClarkNBCS]

MAYOR WATCH

The city’s biweekly briefing on gun violence prevention is happening on a different day and time this week, so Mayor Kenney joins city and police officials today (instead of Wednesday) to give an update on Philadelphia’s anti-violence efforts (11 a.m.). You can watch live on Facebook or listen on 900AM/96.1FM WURD.

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