Photos by Shannon Collins Photography (@shannoncollinsphoto)

Many people visit the beautiful historic Woodlands cemetery every day – nature lovers, runners, dog walkers and others. And some folks may not realize that The Woodlands is an active cemetery and non-profit organization. After seeing an uptick in visitors with the return of students in the recent days, the Woodlands administration has posted on social media a reminder of their rules and safety guidelines, which we are sharing on our website:

“Welcome back, students! Now is a beautiful time to visit The Woodlands and a great opportunity to remind our visitors about the rules and safety guidelines that help keep these 54 acres open daily to the public. First and foremost: please remember that The Woodlands is an active cemetery and nonprofit. Treat the site with reverence and respect.

• Do not climb, sit, or lean on headstones—they are heavy and historic.

• Dogs must be on a leash (and the person walking the dog must be holding onto the leash) at all times with no exceptions.  Owners are required to pick up after their dogs.

• Biking is allowed on paved roads only. Do not bike on the dirt running path.

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Here’s some great news for local community members and visitors to Bartram’s Garden. After being cancelled since mid-July due to a report of chemical contamination on a portion of the Bartram Mile Trail, the Free Fishing program is set to resume at Bartram’s on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 5-8 p.m.

The popular program is resuming following independent test results that indicate very low levels of hexavalent chromium, a toxin, outside the affected areas of the Trail. All fishing equipment “has been properly cleaned,” according to a statement by Bartram’s, and the team is ready to “invite folks back to the Dock for fishing.”

And there’s more good news: Bartram’s is also extending the fishing season through the end of September “to make up for the lost time.”

While fishing is resuming this week, free boating is still on hold while all boating equipment goes through a cleaning process. Bartram’s team hopes to announce the reopening soon. Free biking programs also remain on pause until further notice. The impacted portion of the Trail will remain closed until the contamination is removed from the landscape.

By the way, check out the 2024 Southwest Fish-Off, which will be held on Sunday, Sept. 15. For more information and updates, visit www.bartramsgarden.org or follow Bartram’s on social media (@bartramsgarden).

Penn has announced its annual Spruce Street closures to accommodate students moving to campus to start the school year. Portions of the street will be closed to vehicular traffic, including bicycles, every day from Monday, Aug. 19 through Friday, Aug. 23 with the exception of Thursday, Aug. 22. Here are more details:

Monday, Aug. 19 and Tuesday, Aug. 20

Spruce Street closed between 34th and 38th Streets from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Aug. 21

Spruce Street closed between 34th and 38th Streets from 7:30 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Friday, Aug. 23

Spruce Street closed between 38th and 40th Streets from 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.

SEPTA buses will be rerouted during the closures. Please visit the SEPTA website for more information on detours.

The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative is partnering with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) for a new Navy Yard Skills Initiative program, which will train Philadelphia residents for permanent, full-time, union careers with the Philadelphia division of the Naval Surface Warfare Center.

The Management Assistant program seeks to connect Philadelphians with experience in office management for federal careers earning $26/hour. Recruitment for the program kicked off on Tuesday, Aug. 13 and job seekers will be able to submit applications until Friday, Aug. 23 at 5 p.m.. To apply, candidates must be a resident of Philadelphia county, commit to the full training schedule, possess a high school diploma or GED, and have previous experience using Microsoft Office Suite in an office setting. For additional information and to apply for the program, please visit: www.navyyard.org/skills.

The program is the second partnership between the Skills Initiative and Naval Surface Warfare Center, building on the success of the 2023 Industrial Trades Program. The Naval Surface Warfare Center facility at The Navy Yard employs about 2,800 people.

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Innovate Capital Growth Fund, an SBIC fund sponsored by The Enterprise Center, has recently announced its first investment: a $2 million equity investment in EMSCO Scientific Enterprises Inc., a West Philadelphia-based distributor of research laboratory supplies and equipment. This investment in EMSCO’s growth strategy will hopefully allow the company to become a world-class distributor of choice for researchers across the globe.

EMSCO is an African-American owned enterprise which has been in business for more than 40 years. The company recently opened a new 70,000 square-foot biorepository/freezer farm facility in West Philadelphia devoted to the processing and storage of human/animal cell and tissue samples for use in cell and gene therapy and immune-oncology research.

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Chai Nashta, an Indian cafe, is coming soon to 4520 Baltimore Ave.. We don’t have a ton of info on Chai Nashta yet, but it’s exciting that the space that until recently was occupied by the shaved ice dessert shop Ice Cave hasn’t stayed empty for long. Ice Cave closed its doors in late spring.

The location on Baltimore Avenue is very close to two popular Indian/South Asian cuisine spots – Desi Village Restaurant (4527 Baltimore Ave) and Mood Cafe (4618 Baltimore Ave). We can’t wait to try Chai Nashta’s drinks and treats and hope the new cafe will be a great addition to the local food scene.

We’ll let you know about the opening date and other details when they become available. In the meantime, follow Chai Nashta on Instagram.