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Joe Biden chooses Philly for campaign headquarters; ‘Jeopardy!’ whiz James Holzhauer’s secrets to winning | Morning Newsletter

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'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek (left) stands beside current champion James Holzhauer. Both 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' won't air Friday night on 6ABC due to day two of the NFL Draft.
'Jeopardy!' host Alex Trebek (left) stands beside current champion James Holzhauer. Both 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune' won't air Friday night on 6ABC due to day two of the NFL Draft.Read moreJeopardy!

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If you’re wondering how James Holzhauer buzzes in with superhuman speed on Jeopardy!, well, join the club. But some of his secrets to fact-recalling success may lie in brain training exercises like overlearning and category priming, my colleague Tom Avril explains. Meanwhile, former vice president and current 2020 presidential hopeful Joe Biden believes his key to success is in Philadelphia and the state of Pennsylvania, and he’s bringing his campaign headquarters to town.

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— Oona Goodin-Smith (@oonagoodinsmith, morningnewsletter@philly.com)

Jeopardy! phenom James Holzhauer has already raked in $1.69 million in 22 games, and returns to TV on Monday to defend his title.

But what would it take to topple the game show giant — a feat Philly native Adam Levin came so close to doing?

We’ll take “quick thinking” for $1,000, Alex.

Reporter Tom Avril looks at the strategies used to become faster at remembering facts and making memories more durable and accessible.

He may be “the scrappy kid from Scranton,” but in the 2020 presidential race, Joe Biden is pledging his allegiance to Philly.

A formal announcement that the former vice president will base his presidential campaign in Philadelphia is expected this morning, days before his rally Saturday at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

The national headquarters will be located in Center City — and within a city where Biden has deep ties and in a state that is central to his strategy — and will have around 50 staffers to start, a number that could grow as the campaign progresses.

Pennsylvania has also been a major focus for President Donald Trump, a Penn graduate who has held dozens of rallies in the state and is scheduled to return Monday for an event near Williamsport, two days after Biden appears in Philadelphia.

Growing up as a “rambunctious” and athletic kid in Tacony, Kevin McCloskey always had a fighting spirit, and joined the Army after high school.

But after his Humvee ran over an IED buried in an Afghan road in 2008, McCloskey lost both of his legs, and began the greatest mission of his life: recovery.

His is a good story, but it’s not a fairy tale — and 11 years later, the things that once came easily to him still present challenges.

The key to his daily drive: golf. Speaking to veterans groups and taking part in swing clinics for amputees learning to golf, the course connects him to his community, and pushes him to succeed.

What you need to know today

  1. The state of New Jersey has fined West Wildwood Mayor Christopher Fox nearly $25,000 for violations of state ethics laws, the largest fine ever levied against an elected official. Fox lives with the borough’s police chief, Jacqueline Ferentz, and the municipality is paying off a $1.7 million jury verdict to Ferentz stemming from her dismissal by a previous mayor.

  2. Reputed mob enforcer turned restaurateur Philip Narducci pleaded guilty Wednesday to federal loan-sharking charges, after prosecutors “made him an offer he couldn’t refuse," according to his lawyer. In an unusual move, the Chick’s gastropub co-owner asked a judge to end his bail early and allow him to return to prison right away.

  3. After more than a year of debate and numerous hearings, New Jersey’s legal weed bill is dead. The question of legalized marijuana for recreational use will now go to the Garden State’s voters on the 2020 ballot.

  4. For Lynn Schutzman, a former King of Prussia pharmacist who lived in her Mercedes in a Target parking lot after falling on hard times, the last three weeks have been filled with goodwill and good works. Thanks to the kindness of her community, she’s now living in a tastefully-decorated studio apartment, being honored at a medical banquet, and has found “new family.”

  5. Many residents in the tiny Shore community of Seaview Harbor feel like they’re already living in the affluent neighboring community of Longport and want to make things official. But will Longport welcome them?

  6. Honoring National Trauma Survivors Day, Philadelphia-area trauma survivors told their stories of trials and triumph at Hahnemann University Hospital Wednesday.

Through Your Eyes | #OurPhilly

Came for the view, stayed for Billy Penn. Great shot, @cgregory422.

Tag your Instagram posts or tweets with #OurPhilly and we’ll pick our favorite each day to feature in this newsletter and give you a shout out!

That’s Interesting

  1. For Philadelphians with family in Venezuela, sending home “hope boxes” full of medicine, food, and toiletries has become the norm as the country’s crisis of political power has translated to skyrocketing consumer prices, food shortages, and a collapse of the public health system. (Haga clic aquí para leer esta historia en español.)

  2. Break out the helmet and tire pump: Friday, May 17 is Bike to Work Day, and businesses around Philly are offering plenty of perks for pedaling in.

  3. Is this the “greatest, worst map” ever made of Philadelphia? Just ask the city’s key recognizable landmarks: Sugarhouse Casino, Philadelphia Mills mall, and an indoor rock-climbing gym. Or better yet, check out Philly’s signature foods — you know, sunny-side up eggs and a massive hot dog.

  4. Cheers, book lovers: Brews & Views, the Free Library of Philadelphia and Brûlée Catering’s collaborative rooftop beer garden, returns next week for its third consecutive year at Parkway Central Library.

Opinions

“Were you raped as a child by a Pennsylvania priest or schoolteacher? If you want justice, then you had better hope it happened in New Jersey or New York. Only those states, under groundbreaking laws, allow civil action for abuse that happened years ago.” - Columnist Maria Panaritis on justice for sexual abuse victims in Pennsylvania.

  1. Indicted labor leader John Dougherty has an outsized influence on Philly’s upcoming mayoral primary, and that’s something that may not change with the election, writes author Solomon Jones.

  2. Everyone — including the police — looked bad throwing punches in a filmed altercation at a Norristown carnival over the weekend, says columnist Jenice Armstrong.

What we’re reading

  1. They like youse, they really like youse, Philly. An international media company’s list of “America’s Top 50 USA Sexiest Accents” ranks Philadelphia as No. 8 in aural appeal. But the Jersey accent? Not so much, PhillyVoice reports.

  2. As the Garden State weighs legalizing recreational marijuana, Jersey cops are gearing up to spot stoned drivers. WHYY looks at the science used by drug recognition experts and why some say their tactics are akin to “a coin flip.”

  3. Once a household name, Watergate burglar James McCord managed to slip into obscurity in Berks County, quietly living out his days while his neighbors were none the wiser. The Morning Call tells his story.

Your Daily Dose of | Mews you can use

Kitten season is around the corner. But before you adopt an adorable furry friend, it’simportant to paws and consider the claw-mitment.