Beginning today, fully vaccinated Philadelphians are no longer required to wear masks or facial coverings indoors, except in the following settings:

• Health care institutions, including vaccine clinics and blood drives

• Public transportation

• Congregate facilities, such as prisons and shelters

• Indoor schools and camps

Some private companies and stores may also still ask their customers and workers to wear a mask.

More than two-thirds of adults in Philadelphia have been vaccinated, and the number of new COVID-19 cases has been steadily dropping every week. Unvaccinated residents are still strongly recommended to continue to wear masks in public places and are urged to get vaccinated.

Trash and recycling collections will be one day behind schedule for the duration of this week (June 7-12). Residents are asked to set their trash and recycling items out one day after their regular collection day.

Delays in collections are due to the trash volume from the Memorial Day holiday and the severe weather during the week of May 31st. Today, Streets Department crews were working to collect Friday’s materials left over from last week.

Rendering of the 76-unit apartment building approved Wednesday for the corner of 48th and Chester.

The city’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) yesterday unanimously approved a 76-unit apartment building proposed for the corner of 48th and Chester that has been debated for months.

The owner of the nearby Renaissance Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center is combining several parcels it owns along 48th Street and asked to change the zoning designation to accommodate the building, which includes 34 parking spots and a small courtyard. The two-tiered design includes three stories on edges of the project and four stories in the center. A members-only dog park formerly occupied the land. Continue Reading

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

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