Philadelphia officials have announced that they will be lifting the remaining COVID restrictions, except for the indoor mask mandate and the 11 p.m. last call for dining, on Wednesday, June 2. The previously announced date for dropping these restrictions was June 11, however, due to the lowest numbers of new COVID cases in the city since September, the officials’ plan has changed.

The restrictions that are being lifted on Wednesday include density and maximum capacity limits, and social distancing rules.

City officials may lift the indoor mask mandate on June 11 if the number of new COVID cases remains low. Just a reminder that the outdoor mask mandate was lifted on May 21.

Kingsessing Library and Recreation Center have been selected as sites eligible for improvements as part of the City of Philadelphia’s Rebuild program.

Rebuild coordinators are currently in the process of learning about these two sites and are asking community members to provide feedback by completing an online survey.

The survey asks community members to identify areas for improvement (outdoor and indoor) at each site among other questions. Continue Reading

As the city is preparing to lift all COVID-related capacity restrictions on June 11, check out updates on these great outdoor events, all held in Clark Park at 43rd and Chester:

The next Uhuru Flea Market will be held on Saturday, June 12. It is an all-day (9 a.m.-5 p.m.) African marketplace featuring dozens of vendors showcasing a wide range of handmade goods, crafts, housewares, food, and more. Volunteers are always needed for this event, held monthly from May to October and vendor spaces are available. The Uhuru Flea Market is an economic development project of the African People’s Education and Defense Fund (APEDF). For more information, visit: uhurufleamarket.blogspot.com or call 267-875-FLEA (3532). Continue Reading

An artist’s rendering of the proposed 76-unit apartment building with 15 units of affordable housing at 48th and Chester.

Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN), the neighborhood community association, has released a statement supporting the controversial apartment development project at 48th and Chester, two weeks after Councilmember Jamie Gauthier opposed the proposed development. The project has also prompted some intense discussions and protests among many community members in the recent months.

“Cedar Park Neighbors is proud to support the development of a new apartment building at the corner of 48th Street and Chester Avenue,” the statement reads. Continue Reading

The Under the Stars in Clark Park film series kicks off on June 4 with a short film program from the 2021 Philadelphia Latino Film Festival (Photo courtesy of cinéSPEAK).

After holding virtual film screenings for a year due to the COVID pandemic, cinéSPEAK is bringing audiences together for four magical evenings of independent cinema at one of West Philly’s most popular public spaces – Clark Park.

This new outdoor cinema series, titled Under the Stars in Clark Park, will feature incredible independent films, DJs, arts and cultural organizations, and food trucks every Friday in June (June 4, 11, 18 and 25).

“Doors”/Live DJ performances kick off at 7 p.m. and film screenings begin at 8:30 p.m. (sundown) at “The Bowl” at 43rd and Chester. Continue Reading

A new coffee shop, Greenstreet Coffee, is opening on Saturday, May 22 at 4533 Baltimore Ave., the location formerly occupied by Renata’s Kitchen.

The shop will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and invites everyone to check out their menu of “espresso drinks, drip coffee from Congo, cold brew, Metropolitan Bakery pastries, Kismet Bagels, High Fidelity Gluten and Vegan quiche and cookies and Okie Dokie donuts,” according to co-founder Chris Molieri.

Greenstreet Coffee is a Philadelphia-based small batch coffee roastery located in Point Breeze. The company also has another coffee shop in Center City. Continue Reading