Philadelphia Parks and Recreation (PPR) has begun its competitive lifeguard recruitment process for the summer. PPR hires 400 lifeguards annually to staff its 70 outdoor and four indoor pools (read our earlier post here).

This is a great summer job for young people because it pays between $12.33 and $14.60 an hour and most people are able to work in their own neighborhood. PPR staff can even assist interested candidates that may not be the strong swimmers, if they start the process early.

The first step for interested candidates is to attend a screening at one of PPR’s three indoor training facilities during the following screening days and times from now until June:  Continue Reading

The Power Smoothie from Inspire on Vimeo.

It’s time you changed the power status quo

Do you think about where your power is coming from when you flip a switch? While the source of power going to your neighborhood may be far away, its effects hit very close to home. Unless you generate it yourself, your home uses the power supplied through a municipal grid. It gets energy from a variety of sources, both clean and dirty. In Pennsylvania, the grid is dirty since its main source of energy is comprised of coal.

Guess what? It doesn’t have to be that way. You have the power to switch up the source of power in the grid, simply by paying your monthly electricity bill.  Continue Reading

                                       Click to enlarge.

The Philadelphia Police Department has released surveillance video and is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying an armed suspect who they believe robbed two food trucks in the area on Monday.

The first robbery took place at approximately 6:30 p.m. when an unknown male entered the Halal food truck parked near the corner of 45th and Walnut Streets, armed with a black handgun, and demanded money. He took $500 and fled north on 45th Street toward Sansom. Surveillance video shows the suspect getting out of the passenger side and then getting back into a black sedan parked near the corner of 45th and Sansom.  Continue Reading

The seven candidates running for District Attorney are scheduled to attend a forum in West Parkside on Thursday (March 16) from 9-11 a.m.

Candidates Teresa Carr Deni, Tariq El-Shabazz, Beth Grossman, Joe Khan, Lawrence Krasner, Rich Negrin, and Michael Untermeyer will discuss issues ranging from mass incarceration to police oversight at the Philadelphia Business and Technology Center (5070 Parkside Ave). The Business Association of West Parkside is sponsoring the forum.

Craig Ey, Editor-in-Chief of the Philadelphia Business Journal, will moderate the forum. This will be the first official event with all seven candidates present. Attendees will also have the chance to ask specific questions.  Continue Reading

University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) continues offering job training and employment opportunities to West Philly residents. Now through March 24, WPSI is recruiting for a training program with Green City Works, University City District’s in-house landscaping operation.

WPSI is seeking applicants who possess a high school diploma or GED, are currently unemployed, and live in the West Philadelphia zip codes of 19104, 19131, 19139, 19143, or 19151. WPSI is seeking applicants with a track record of excellence in landscaping or related fields.

In addition to learning the skills needed to successfully connect to employment, program graduates are guaranteed an interview with the employer and receive a performance-based stipend during the training.

Interested applicants can visit www.westphiladelphiaskill.org to learn more about the program and submit an application, available under “Opportunities for Job Seekers.” Applications are also available here. Paper applications are available at First District Plaza, Suite 206 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The application deadline is March 24 at 5 p.m.

UPDATE (3/14/17, 1:20 p.m.): The snow emergency was lifted at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, and parking is again allowed on snow emergency routes.

Due to the anticipated winter storm a snow emergency will be in effect in Philadelphia beginning at 9 p.m. this evening, which means all the vehicles parked along streets designated as snow emergency routes should be moved. Enforcement, with ticketing and towing, will begin at midnight. Cars left on snow emergency routes will be moved to other parking spots to assist in snow plowing operations. If your car is moved, call 215-686-SNOW to find it (don’t call 911).

Here you can find more information about snow emergency routes and here is a map.

The Philadelphia Parking Authority has announced that they will not be enforcing meters or time limits on residential blocks during the snow emergency.

All trash and recycling collections will be suspended for Tuesday, March 14. If your collection day is Tuesday please hold your trash until the next week.  Continue Reading