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Monday, June 12, 2023

6/12 WAKE-UP CALL: Tanker Fire Causes I95 Highway Hell




An elevated section of I-95 in Northeast Philadelphia collapsed early Sunday after a tanker truck carrying gasoline burst into flames beneath it, severing the main expressway on the East Coast and causing travel chaos in the region that will be felt for some time.

Four northbound lanes fell onto Cottman Avenue in the city’s Tacony neighborhood after steel girders supporting the roadway were weakened in the searing fire, officials said. The interstate was closed in both directions between Woodhaven Road and Aramingo Avenue.


Standing within view of the collapsed and charred section of roadway Sunday night, Gov. Josh Shapiro said he would issue a disaster declaration Monday morning, a step that will allow Pennsylvania to receive federal aid.

“Remarkable devastation,” Shapiro said, describing his view of the scene from a helicopter. “I found myself thanking the Lord that no motorists who were on I-95 were injured or died.”

No injuries or deaths have been reported, though Kenney said Sunday night “we understand the situation remains fluid.” Shapiro said “at least one vehicle” remained trapped in the rubble.


➤UKRAINE SAYS HEAVY BATTLES RAGING:  Ukraine's top military command said on Monday its forces were engaged in heavy battles in frontline hot spots, a day after Kyiv said it had made the first modest gains in reclaiming territory from Russia as part of its counteroffensive.

Some 25 battles had taken place over the past day near the eastern town of Bakhmut, and further south near Avdiivka and Maryinka, all in the Donetsk region, but also near Bilohorivka in the Luhansk region, Ukraine's armed forces general staff said. Ukraine said on Sunday its troops had made advances on three villages in Donetsk: Blahodatne, Neskuchne and Makarivka.  The claims could not be independently verified and there was no immediate comment from Russian officials. Some prominent Russian military bloggers indicated that while Ukrainian forces took Blahodatne and Neskuchne, fighting for Makarivka was going on.

Both sides have said their forces had inflicted heavy personnel and equipment losses on their opponents over the past week when Ukraine's counteroffensive was taking shape.


➤4 KIDS SURVIVE PLANE CRASH IN JUNGLE: Family of Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia said she was alive for four days after a plane with her and her children crashed in the Colombia Amazon rainforest. The children, aged 13, 9,4, and 12 months, were rescued after 40 days in the jungle. The mom reportedly told the eldest to save herself and to leave the crash. When the wreckage of the plane was found after weeks of hunting not only were the children not found dead alongside the adults, there was part-eaten fruit that suggested they had all survived. 

The siblings, members of the Huitoto Indigenous group, were dehydrated, malnourished and bitten by insects but are otherwise healthy, rescuers said.

➤CHARGES DROPPED AGAINST 'STREET PREACHER' IN READING PA: Charges were dropped against a self-professing Christian "street preacher" who was arrested while citing the Bible in protest of an LGBTQ Pride event in Reading, PA, authorities said. Damon Atkins was arrested June 6 for "disorderly conduct, engaged in fighting," but the charges were dropped after an official review of video evidence, the Berks County District Attorney's Office said in a press release.

"The charges were withdrawn after the District Attorney’s Office reviewed the videos of the incident along with applicable case law," the statement said.

✞ACTOR MIKE BATAYEH DIES AT 52: According to Today, Breaking Bad actor Mike Batayeh passed away on June 1st at the age of 52 due to a heart attack. “It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that my sisters and I announce the passing of our dear brother,” his family wrote on Facebook recently. “He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many.” Batayeh played the role of Dennis Markowski, the manager of Lavanderia Brillante laundromat, on Breaking Bad. He also appeared on shows such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Bernie Mac Show, Boy Meets World, and Everybody Loves Raymond. Batayeh held roles in films such as Detroit Unleaded, American Dreamz, Don’t Mess with the Zohan, and Gas as well.

🏆‘KIMBERLY AKIMBO’ AND ‘LEOPOLDSTADT’ WIN BIG AT THE 2023 TONY AWARDS: The 76th annual Tony Awards were held on Sunday (June 11th) at the United Palace in New York City. Ariana DeBose hosted the show for the second year in a row, which aired live on CBS. Due to the ongoing Hollywood writer’s strike, the 2023 ceremony was unscripted in agreement with the Writers Guild of America. DeBose opened a binder full of blank pages that read “SCRIPT” in reference to this during the wordless opening dance number.

The big winners of the evening were Kimberly Akimbo, which won Best Musical, and Leopoldstadt, which won Best Play. Kimberly Akimbo took home five awards in total, while Leopoldstadt took home four. The musical Some Like It Hot also had four wins in total.

Jodie Comer and Sean Hayes both took home their first Tony Awards for their work in Prima Facie and Good Night, Oscar respectively. Comer won Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play, while Hayes won Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play.

🎥‘TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS’ DOMINATES THE DOMESTIC BOX OFFICE: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts knocked Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse out of the top spot at the domestic box office over the weekend. The film brought in $60.5 million, while Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse followed close behind with $55.4 million in its second weekend. The Little Mermaid took third place with $22.7 million. Box Office Numbers from Friday (June 9th) through Sunday (June 11th):

1. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, $60.5M
2. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, $55.4M
3. The Little Mermaid, $22.7 million
4. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, $7 million
5. The Boogeyman, $6.9 million
6. Fast X, $5.2 million
7. Super Mario Bros., $2.12 million
8. About My Father, $845,000
9. The Machine, $575,000
10. Past Lives, $520,700

➤TRUMP USES ‘AIR’ MONOLOGUE WITHOUT CONSENT IN NEW CAMPAIGN VIDEO: According to Deadline, a spokesperson for Ben Affleck and Matt Damon released a statement condemning Donald Trump’s usage of a monologue from Air for a campaign video shared on Saturday (June 10th). “We had no foreknowledge of, did not consent to and do not endorse or approve any footage or audio from Air being repurposed by the Trump campaign as a political advertisement or for any other use,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Specifically in terms of any and all rights available to us under US copyright and intellectual property law, we hereby, expressly give notice that in the case of any use of material from Air by the Trump campaign where approval or consent is required, we do not grant such consent.”

⚾'WANTED TO DO IT HERE IN PITTSBURGH': MCCUTCHEN GETS 2,000TH HIT: Andrew McCutchen recorded his 2,000th hit, Jack Suwinski hit his 12th home run and the Pittsburgh Pirates edged the Mets 2-1 on Sunday, New York's eighth loss in nine games. McCutchen became the 291st player and fifth active player to reach 2,000 hits when he turned on a slider from Carlos Carrasco (2-3) leading off the first and laced it to left field.

⚾MCCLANAHAN WINS 10TH WITH 'ANOTHER REALLY STRONG PERFORMANCE': Shane McClanahan is making a serious case to be the American League starter again in next month's All-Star Game. McClanahan became the first 10-game winner in the major leagues and the Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Texas Rangers 7-3 on Sunday, taking two of three games in a matchup of the teams with the best records in baseball.

⚾MLB SCORES:
Arizona Diamondbacks 7 vs Detroit Tigers 5
Cleveland Guardians 5 Houston 0
Baltimore Orioles 11 Kansas City Royals 3
Philadelphia Phillies 7 LA Dodgers 3
Washington Nationals 6 vs Atlanta Braves 2
Pittsburgh Pirates 2 New York Mets 1
Minnesota Twins 6 vs Toronto Blue Jays 7
Tampa Bay Rays 7 Texas Rangers 3
Miami Marlins 6 vs Chicago White Sox 5
Oakland Athletics 8 vs Milwaukee Brewers 6
Cincinnati Reds 4 vs St. Louis Cardinals 3
Colorado Rockies 5 San Diego Padres 4
San Francisco Giants 13 Chicago Cubs 3
Los Angeles Angels 9 Seattle Mariners 4
Boston Red Sox 3 New York Yankees 2

🎾NOVAK DJOKOVIC WINS FRENCH OPEN, RECORD 23RD GRAND SLAM MEN'S TITLE: History was made at Roland Garros on Sunday as Novak Djokovic won a record 23rd Grand Slam title, the most of any man who has ever played the sport. Djokovic, 36, began nervously, trailing 3-0 and 4-2 in the first set, with the weight of the occasion seemingly heavy on his shoulders, his feet unusually off balance. But as so often in his career, Djokovic dug himself out of trouble and then pulled away in familiar style to win 7-6 (1), 6-3, 7-5.

🏀KEVIN LOVE CELEBRATES BABY'S BIRTH, PLANS TO PLAY IN GAME 5: Miami Heat forward Kevin Love missed the team flight to Denver for Game 5 of the NBA Finals, but he had the best possible excuse. Love and his wife, Kate Bock, became parents on Saturday. Love flew to Denver on his own, arriving in time for the team's film session and media responsibilities on Sunday. Game 5 is Monday, with the Nuggets leading the Heat 3-1 in the series. Love plans to play.
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