Voters can now pick up or drop off their voted ballots at a new satellite election office in West Philadelphia. The new office has opened over the weekend at Alain Locke School (4550 Haverford Ave.). The hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Today is the last day for Pennsylvania residents to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election. If you’re eligible to vote, but haven’t registered yet, you can also do it at the new election office. The deadline to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is October 27th.

Another election office in West Philadelphia is located at Overbrook Elementary School (Annex Trailer), 2032 N. 62nd St. For information on other citywide election office locations, go here.  Continue Reading

The School District of Philadelphia announced a plan Wednesday that would allow public school students from kindergarten through 2nd grade to return to classrooms two days a week across the city beginning Nov. 30.

At each school, kindergarten through 2nd grade students will be sorted into two groups. One group will attend class in person on Monday and Tuesday and the other group on Thursday and Friday. All students will participate in remote learning on Wednesdays, according to the plan.

The plan is opt-in, so parents can also choose to keep students at home where they will participate in online direct instruction, independent learning and small group instruction. The hybrid plan could be scrapped for a particular classroom or school if the “vast majority” of students don’t opt in or if “significant numbers” of teachers are unable to teach in person, according to the plan.  Continue Reading

The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election in Pennsylvania is Monday, Oct. 19. If you’re eligible to vote, but haven’t registered yet, check out these four options. City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier’s team is also offering delivery of voter registration forms and mail-in ballot applications to 3rd District residents (West and Southwest Philadelphia).

To request an application, residents can call her office at 215-686-0460 or fill out this form.  Continue Reading

A 5-year-old boy was found unresponsive in a bathtub in an apartment on the 4800 block of Pine Street on Monday night, according to multiple reports. The boy was found by his father around 10 p.m. face down in the tub. He also had a cut on his neck, according to reports. He was rushed to the hospital and was pronounced dead about an hour later.

The boy’s 40-year-old mother was also found inside the apartment with cuts on her wrists, according to reports. She was taken to the hospital and was listed in stable condition. She was being evaluated by mental health experts on Tuesday. No charges have been filed yet.

Suicide Prevention Help: If you’re in crisis or know someone who is in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, available 24 hours, at 800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741).

Finally here’s good news for those who have been waiting for a new supermarket to open at 40th and Walnut, in the space once occupied by The Fresh Grocer until early March. Acme Markets will open what it’s calling a “first class” urban grocery store on Friday, Oct. 23. Acme staff is currently on-site working on remodeling the space.

The store is also hiring new staff, according to signs posted in its windows.

The University of Pennsylvania signed a lease with Acme Markets for the supermarket space at 4001 Walnut St. in 2017, however a legal battle ensued after that between the University and Fresh Grocer which refused to vacate the space until earlier this year.  Continue Reading

The City’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program is currently in its second phase and the deadline for applications has been extended to Nov. 4. The program is designed to help renters who have lost more than 30 percent of their income due to reduced work hours/wages because of the pandemic, or have become unemployed after March 1 because of COVID-19.

Phase 2 rental assistance has recently been increased from $750 to up to $1,500 per renter per month. Payments will be made directly to landlords.

Other Phase 2 Program criteria include:  Continue Reading