A 28-year-old man died Thursday evening from multiple gunshot wounds near 49th and Chester, according to police. The shooting took place at about 6:30 p.m., reportedly inside a laundromat located on the 1000 block of S. 49th Street.

Three unidentified men approached the victim and began firing. The victim, later identified by the police as Shawn Best, a Philadelphia resident, was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, where he was pronounced dead at 6:56 p.m.

The victim was reportedly with two children and there were about 10 other people inside the laundromat at the time of the shooting, according to NBC Philadelphia. No other injuries were reported.  Continue Reading

The School District of Philadelphia plans to open schools on Sept. 2 under a hybrid model that for most students will include two days a week in the classroom and three days a week online, officials announced Wednesday morning.

The plan calls for four-day-a-week instruction (Monday through Thursday) for special education students with “complex needs” and Pre-K students.

Students will also be able to opt-in to an all online “digital academy.” Registration for this program will begin at the end of July, according to the plan. Students who choose the digital academy will have to remain in that mode of instruction through the end of the first quarter and then can opt in to the hybrid model if they choose. More information on enrollment in the digital academy will be available later this month.  Continue Reading

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, large public gatherings – 50 people or more – will continue to be banned in Philadelphia until at least through the end of February 2021, according to an announcement today by Mayor Jim Kenney. This decision means that popular outdoor events, like the Broad Street Run, which had been rescheduled for October 4, and the Philadelphia Marathon, currently planned for November 22, as well as Thanksgiving Day and Mummers parades will likely be cancelled.

The School District of Philadelphia is expected to make an announcement about the upcoming school year and whether the buildings will reopen tomorrow.

Philadelphia is currently in a modified Green phase of reopening, which allows social gatherings of up to 50 people outdoors.

The annual SEPTA trolley tunnel repair and maintenance project, “Trolley Tunnel Blitz” has begun. The tunnel will be closed until Monday, July 20 and all trolleys will be on diversion to 40th and Market Streets where passengers can board the Market-Frankford Line to continue their travel to Center City. No additional fare is required when you switch to/from the Market-Frankford Line.

SEPTA crews will work around the clock during the Blitz to tackle track and power maintenance in the tunnel. This summer the focus will also be on intensive cleaning at all stations.

This is the eight consecutive year SEPTA has held the Trolley Tunnel Blitz. It is usually scheduled during summer months when ridership is traditionally lower.

Regular trolley service through the tunnel is expected to resume at 5 a.m. on Monday, July 20.

After a four-month break, the City’s Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) will resume hearings that will be held online until further notice. The first two hearings are scheduled for July 14 and July 15. Following these meetings, ZBA will hold meetings online twice a week through July to hear rescheduled cases.

The proposal to build a five-story “entrepreneur hub” on 53 N. 52nd Street, which was presented to the community last month, will be considered by the ZBA on Wednesday, July 15 at 10 a.m. Members of the public are invited to participate in the meeting via Zoom or by phone (see more info below).  Continue Reading

As of today, libraries and museums in Philadelphia are allowed to reopen, according to the modified Green phase re-opening plan. However, the Free Library of Philadelphia’s 54 branches are not ready to reopen yet, until they are “able to create a safe environment for everyone,” according to today’s announcement by Free Library president and director Siobhan A. Reardon. The library will continue offering virtual programming to the public. Library patrons also have access to digital resources – ebooks, audiobooks, movies, TV, music, over 100 databases, and the New York Times online.

Library materials pickup and returns will soon be available at limited locations. All service updates will be posted on the Free Library’s COVID-19 resource page as they become available. Also, visit the Free Library’s blog for more information on available programs, services, and resources.