Philadelphia health officials are urging residents, including those fully vaccinated, to go back to wearing masks in public indoor spaces as the number of new coronavirus cases in the city is growing again due to the highly contagious Delta variant. The new guidance aims to protect children under 12 years old who are not yet eligible for COVID vaccines, according to acting Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Cheryl Bettigole.

There has been a “small but disturbing” increase in coronavirus  cases and hospitalizations among children in Philadelphia, according to Bettigole. The number of new COVID-19 cases overall has doubled in the city over the past couple of weeks. Continue Reading

As Philadelphia is experiencing one of the worst years of gun violence, first-term lawmaker Amen Brown, who represents Philadelphia’s 190th Legislative District, continues his efforts to tackle this devastating issue. Brown, who earlier this year negotiated an agreement with the state’s largest gun show promoter to ban sales of “ghost gun” kits at its shows, has recently announced a Gun Violence Community Survey prepared by his office.

The survey is geared to residents of the 190th District, which encompasses several West Philadelphia neighborhoods, and asks several key questions pertaining to gun violence. Continue Reading

A rendering image of CCP’s Career and Advanced Technology Center being built at 48th and Market.

The Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) today celebrated the halfway point in construction for its highly anticipated state-of-the-art teaching and learning facility in West Philadelphia. The college held a midpoint ceremony for its Career and Advanced Technology Center (CATC) located at the southeast corner of 48th and Market.

Stakeholders and community partners received updates at today’s event on the programming and learning opportunities the CATC will provide. They also signed a stud with a permanent marker to be placed within the inner walls of the building and participated in a guided tour of the facility. Continue Reading

Here’s a quick update on our last month’s post regarding the development of a 132-unit residential complex at 43rd and Baltimore (4224 Baltimore Ave) across from Clark Park.

Developers announced in June that they were finally moving forward with the construction. The work began promptly after the announcement. Street parking around the construction area was closed and trees were removed, which made the site much more open and unrecognizable. Some excavation work has also begun.

Zoning approval for the project was granted in June 2015 and building permit was issued in May 2019. Continue Reading

Weekly transpasses are being replaced by fare cards for Philadelphia public school students, the School District of Philadelphia and SEPTA have announced. About 65,000 eligible students in Philadelphia will receive a SEPTA Student Fare Card – a contact-free, reusable chip card that students can use to get to and from school during the 2021-2022 school year.

Here’s how the card will work for students:

Students can use the fare card up to eight times per day between the hours of 5:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. on any bus, trolley or subway on school days. If a student needs to use regional rail, they can upgrade their student fare card at designated SEPTA stations for about $10 per 5-day school week. Continue Reading

The SEPTA Trolley Tunnel that connects West Philadelphia with Center City will close for more than two weeks beginning Friday, July 9, which means that trolley routes 10, 11, 13, 34, and 36 will temporarily divert to 40th and Market. The annual trolley tunnel maintenance/construction project, “Trolley Tunnel Blitz”, will begin at 10 p.m. on Friday and continue until Monday, July 26, at 5:00 a.m.

During the “Blitz”, trolleys will continue operating in West Philadelphia. SEPTA customers may transfer to the Market Frankford Line at the 40th Street station (40th and Market) at no additional charge. Continue Reading