Pizza lessons with chef Al Paris, page 30
Vo l . 6 3 N O. 2 5
Well, come, America! Five local eateries are to participate in the opening event of an 11-day fest celebrating Independence Day. By Joseph Myers r e v i e w s ta f f w r i t e r
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very birthday, especially one with millions of beneficiaries, deserves a celebration. Beginning Friday and extending through July 5, Wawa will stage nearly two weeks of reverence and revelry to help the United States of America make its 234th birthday a bash. The 11 days of feasting and frolicking will feature multiple events at various venues, leaving no excuse for forgetting to party. See WELCOME AMERICA page 12
Sports
Extra innings
Eight local Philadelphia Catholic and Philadelphia Public League all-stars showcased their skills in last week’s Carpenter Cup. By Joseph Myers................Page 37
w w w. s o u t h p h i l l y r ev i e w. c o m
Going to the Gulf Three recent college grads headed south to document April’s oil spill off the Louisana coast. Erica J. Minutella Review Intern
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uring Memorial Day weekend, while other Philadelphians were busy stoking up the grill or enjoying a family vacation at the Shore, two recent college graduates spent their holiday conceiving a rather startling plan. Disturbed by ongoing reports of the April 20 BP oil spill, they decided to pack their bags, head down to Louisiana June 3 and witness firsthand the devastation in the Gulf region. “We came up with the idea ... as a tribute to all the veterans who have fought for something spectacular,” Matthew Tucker, a former Seventh-Street-and-Washington-Avenue resident, said. Tucker and his friend, Gordon Rhoads, both 2010 graduates of Arcadia University, had a further plan to apprise Philadelphians of the situation and started a blog, Restore the Gulf, on which they documented their experiences in Louisiana through photography, video and the written word. “In our area, especially in Philadelphia, we’re getting so much of the maligned news stories, the half-truths,” Tucker said. Before driving south, they assigned themselves specific duties. Rhoads, thanks to his talent for organization and networking, acted as chief of operations while Tucker took care of the media aspect with his background in avant-garde film work. With the help See VOLUNTEERS page 9 After a week in Louisiana earlier this month, Michael Tucker will return to the site of the oil spill July 1.
JUNE 24, 2010
S ta f f p h o t o b y Greg Bezanis