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After fun first day, 100 Philly schools to close early due to heat

Monday was the first day of the academic year for Philadelphia public schools. Our photographers captured photos of students’ excitement all across the city.

• But it’ll be early dismissal at 100 schools that don’t have “sufficient cooling systems,” district officials announced yesterday. Tuesday and Wednesday afterschool and sports are also canceled.

At Paul Robeson High School in West Philadelphia, air conditioners were installed just in time, Eden MacDougall reports — after 16 years without.

RIP Michael Hinson, one of Philly’s LGBTQ community leaders

Michael Hinson, a legendary elder in Philadelphia’s LGBTQ community, died on Saturday at age 55.

• Hinson was the city’s first LGBT liaison, and one of the first to strategize against HIV/AIDS in the Black community. He founded Colours Magazine, and co-founded the Black Gay Men’s Leadership Council.

Friends and colleagues told Michaela Winberg that Hinson’s warmth and love left as much of an impact as his impressive list of accomplishments.

CAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• President Biden will be in Philadelphia on Thursday for a speech about “the continued battle for the soul of the nation” from Independence Mall. [NBC News]
• An FBI agent was shot in the leg Monday morning at the federal courthouse in Philly when someone — it’s not clear if it was the agent himself or another agent — discharged their weapon by accident. [6ABC]
• The system that processes EBT cards at grocery stores was out of commission all through Pennsylvania on Sunday. The company managing it promises things are back up and running. [Inquirer$]
• The long-planned Washington Avenue repaving project, the subject of much community debate, is now underway with overnight pavement milling from 4th Street to Grays Ferry. [Billy Penn/South Philly Review]
• Outdoor birds are back in their usual exhibits at the Philadelphia Zoo, after 4 months housed indoors due to avian flu concerns. [PhillyVoice]
• A new Marc Vetri pizza concept called “MVP” is headed to the Wells Fargo Center in October, joining new outposts from Jose Garces and Stephen Starr on the renovated club level. [Wooder Ice/WFC]
• After an alligator on a leash named Wally was spotted in Love Park and went viral, we wondered what other emotional support animals you might find strolling through the city. [Billy Penn]

MAYOR WATCH

Nothing public today for Mayor Jim F. Kenney.

ON THE CALENDAR