West Philly City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier yesterday joined a dozen others on the City Council in formal apologizing for the 1985 MOVE bombing and called on the city to declare May 13th an annual day of “reflection, observation, and recommitment to the principle that all people are created equal and endowed with inalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

Wednesday, May 13th, marked the 35th anniversary of the city-sanctioned police attack on the MOVE home at 6221 Osage Ave. Police fired thousands of rounds into the building in a siege that culminated in the dropping of two bombs on the building. Eleven MOVE members died, including children and dozens of homes were destroyed in an ensuing fire that consumed dozens of nearby homes.  Continue Reading

We’re continuing the list of the COVID-19 pandemic related closings, cancellations and changes in operation for local businesses and organizations. Check out the previously published list here.

• West Philly Porchfest, the annual do-it-yourself music festival scheduled for June 6th, has been postponed. A new date has not been set yet, but the organizers are hoping to hold the event this year. Follow their Facebook page for updates.

• Shakespeare in Clark Park has postponed its Summer 2020 production, Pericles, until next summer. For more information and to support SCP, visit their website.

• Curio Theatre’s 2020 Summer Camp will be offered online as a Pay-What-You-Can opportunity. Classes will be held in July — specific dates and times will be announced soon. Instead of two-week sessions, all sessions will be shorted to one week. Visit curiotheatre.org for updates.  Continue Reading

The City of Philadelphia has announced an Emergency Rental Assistance Program, which aims to help people who have lost income and are unable to pay their rent due to the COVID-19 crisis.

The City will begin accepting applications for the program on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 a.m. The deadline to apply is Saturday, May 16 at 5 p.m.

To be eligible, renters must:

• Rent an apartment or house in Philadelphia
• Have a valid and current written lease signed by landlord
• Have lost income because of COVID-19
• Meet income guidelines  Continue Reading

A research team from Drexel University is seeking feedback from Philadelphia residents on how they are dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, with the aim of making things easier in the near future and long term.

The research team aims to collect reliable information on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work and health (physical and mental health) to effectively assess the needs of communities and support them better:

“We all have shown great solidarity toward one another and we hope that this extends to taking part in this study. Thank you for helping us help you! Do not hesitate to share this survey link with your friends, family and colleagues.”  Continue Reading

After a temporary switch to Saturday schedules and limited (“Lifeline”) service due to the COVID-19 crisis, SEPTA will return to regular service on Sunday, May 17. Regular service will resume on all trolley, Market Frankford, Broad Street and Norristown High Speed Line routes. Market Frankford and Broad Street Owl service will also resume.

Bus routes will also return to regular service, with the following exceptions:

Routes 204, 310, 311, and LUCY Gold and Green routes will continue to operate on a reduced schedule. Route 91 remains suspended.  Continue Reading

We have shared information on what’s happening at local restaurants and eateries and how you can order food (takeout or delivery). Some restaurants have also posted information on how you can help their workers during the pandemic. University City District’s UC Dining Days website provides information on dozens West Philly restaurants. Check it out here.

But what about other businesses that have been affected by the coronavirus? An online resource, Support PHL, has been created to support businesses that were closed following Governor Wolf’s directive to help spread COVID-19 in the state. There you can find information on many West Philly businesses – barber shops, gift and flower shops, fitness studios, cafes and bars, art studios, and more. There is also information on various COVID-19 relief funds and resources for small businesses.

For more information and to donate to small businesses, go here. For relief funds, check out this page.