🎨 Street artists take on local anti-graffiti neighbor

LeBron James Brings More Than Hope for the Sixers

Whether or not you follow basketball, everyone in Philly knows that the Sixers snagging the NBA all-time leading scorer, four-time NBA Champion, and 22-time All-Star will change the game for the team. Donning the number 23, the worldwide sensation plans to finish out his basketball career in the City of Brotherly Love, and fans and the region alike are seeing gold.

• LeBron is bringing in the big bucks. I don't mean his salary. James is making $8 million over his two-year contract, with a player option for the second year, meaning he can decide whether to stick around for his 25th season in the NBA. For context, James made more as a rookie in 2003, making this the smallest salary of his career. As for Philly, the city stands to make over $400 million in economic impact thanks to King James.
• Sixers will have to tighten the purse strings. Even though the deal made with James is considered one of the best value plays for a team in free agency history, the Sixers still need to come up with millions of dollars to fund it. That means some current players are likely on the chopping block.
• Ticket prices are through the roof. Remember last year when a Sixers game was $1 a seat? Those days are long gone. After news of James’ signing, tickets for the preseason game against the Celtics spiked from $107 to over $500.
• Gov. Shapiro proclaims LeBron James Day. The Pennsylvania governor and die-hard Sixers fan jumped on James’ announcement to join the team last Friday and declared the day, July 24, LeBron James Day.
• Merch has dropped. The Sixers have official shirts and hoodies available online with James’ number and phrases like “Trust The LeProcess.” Over the weekend, fans waited in line for hours to cop Mitchell & Ness’ drop. Don’t even get me started on the unofficial merch!
• Why Philly? James has no obvious connection to the team’s staff or Philadelphia. He didn't even visit the Liberty Bell when he played here in high school, saying, “I don’t want to see no damn bell.” So why us? Some say that the Sixers have the talent, and James wants another ring. If Joel Embiid and James can stay healthy, and with Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown at their side, the team has a pretty good shot at a winning season.

Whether or not King James brings the city a championship win, there’s no better time to be a Sixers fan. Want more on James’ journey to Philly? Listen to today’s episode.

Second-Degree Murder Law Remains After State Court Ruled It Unconstitutional

Lawmakers missed the July 24 deadline to update the law that originally imposed a mandatory life sentence on second-degree murder charges. Since legislators have not agreed on a new sentencing statute, the 500 Philadelphians and 1,100 Pennsylvanians who are currently serving sentences for this charge could petition for individual resentencing hearings, which would cost around $24 million and take over a decade. [Metro Philadelphia]

Walking and Biking Trails Are Getting A Major Expansion

The region is getting a $300 million infusion of funds to add more trails, improve pedestrian safety, and encourage eco-friendly transportation options. The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, which approved the plan, will help fund projects such as the Spring Garden Connector, linking it to the Schuylkill River Trail and the Delaware River Trail. [WHYY]

• Related: Another project to improve pedestrian and cyclist safety, the Washington Avenue Connector, is almost finished. [Philly Voice]

Why Joel Is Getting So Much Hate

An active Bella Vista community member, Joel Palmer, spends his free time cleaning up his neighborhood and covering up street art, such as graffiti and tags, with spray paint. Street artist Praise Dobbler is one of the local taggers pushing back against Palmer by putting stickers or tags up in the area with phrases like “Joel is a known eater of boogers." [Billy Penn]

• Related: What does street art look like to you? Mural Arts started as an anti-graffiti program in the 1980s and evolved into the nation's biggest public art program. [🎧City Cast Philly]

Philly Accent Is Strong Across Languages, Even Unspoken Ones

The region's dialect is unmistakable, and even in visual languages, Philly has a distinct flair. Local American Sign Language speakers have their own terms for common words, and have unique hand positions and body movements when signing. The Philadelphia Signs Project is trying to preserve and document this distinct ASL style. [PhillyVoice]