The Streets Department’s 2023 Leaf Recycling Program begins on Monday, Nov. 6 and runs through Saturday, Dec. 16. The program is one of several services provided by the Streets Department that helps reduce the amount of materials that reach the waste stream.

During the six-week program, bagged leaf drop-off will be offered citywide at various locations. West Philadelphia residents can drop off bagged leaves at 54th & Woodbine Avenue or 43rd & Powelton Avenue on the following Saturdays, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.:

Continue Reading

Come Tuesday, hundreds of costumed tots and their parents or guardians will descend upon West Philly streets for trick-or-treating. Neighbors usually buy a lot of sweet treats to give away but do they always buy the “right” sweets?

As you may have noticed, many kids are very selective about what kind of candy they want. This Halloween, a group of University of Pennsylvania students will be conducting a Halloween Data Project, trying to identify the most popular candy for West Philly kids.

“The general plan is to walk around on Tuesday during trick or treat, get permission from parents/guardians first and then ask kids their favorite candy,” writes Ethan Markwalter, a senior at Penn studying statistics. “We were also thinking about noting their costume too. For example, that way we know Batman likes snickers.”

Continue Reading

UPDATE (10/27/2023): Transport Workers Union (TWU) Local 234, the union representing 5,000 Philadelphia-area transit workers, has reached a tentative agreement with SEPTA for a new one-year labor contract to expire in November 2024.

The tentative agreement reached today provides TWU members in the City, Frontier and Suburban Divisions of SEPTA with:

• Across the board wage increases
• Increases in pay for new and recently hired operators
• A signing bonus for all active union members
• Retention bonuses to incentivize employees eligible to retire to remain on the job for at least another year
• An increase in the pension for those that retire in the next year and a doubling of the long-neglected disability pension benefit.

Continue Reading

The Enterprise Center, the West Philadelphia-based non-profit that helps local minority-owned businesses, has recently received a generous investment in its Innovate Capital Growth Fund (ICGF). The $5 million investment was made by TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank. It is the first equity investment made by the Foundation.

ICGF is a new non-profit sponsored Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) focused on providing growth equity to minority and women-owned businesses in the Mid-Atlantic, with a focus on the Greater Philadelphia area. To date, the Foundation is the fund’s largest financial institution investor.

Continue Reading

A new seasonal pop-up beer garden officially launched last night on The Lawn at uCity Square (37th and Filbert). The bar is inspired by local creativity and activation and offers locally-sourced food, brews, and cocktails.

The beer garden is operated by and in partnership with MilkBoy Restaurant Group. It offers a diverse array of beverages including offerings from Two Locals Brewing Company, Philadelphia’s first Black-owned brewery, and local rap artist Chill Moody’s nicethingsBEER. In addition, it will have an ever-evolving selection of seasonal brews from both Yards Brewing Company and Love City Brewing, as well as craft and canned cocktails, wine, and a rotating lineup of food trucks.

Continue Reading

The popular West Philly dive bar, The Bar(n), located in Cedar Park (49th and Catharine), needs help after a devastating fire that early Monday morning, Sept. 25. While the Bar(n)’s management are hoping that they will rebuild the space, which sustained heavy damage, they have launched a fundraising campaign to help support their staff while the bar remains closed.

“In this challenging time, I turn to you, our cherished patrons and friends, who have enjoyed countless moments at The Bar(n), to ask for your support,” The Bar(n) General Manager, Chris White, posted on the fundraising campaign page. “We have initiated a donation campaign to help our dedicated staff members during this difficult period. Every contribution, no matter how small, will make a meaningful difference in their lives.”

The current goal of the campaign is to raise $10,000 which will be evenly distributed among the staff members. Over $4,000 have already been raised as of today.

Continue Reading