Photo by West Philly Local

Newly elected City Councilwoman Jamie Gauthier says one of her top priorities when she takes office in January is addressing the development “frenzy” in West Philadelphia by pressing for more affordable housing.

“I think we should look at zoning with an eye toward equitability and affordability,” she told the Spruce Hill Community Association during its annual meeting at the Penn Alexander School on Tuesday.

Gauthier, who grew up in Kingsessing, will represent a district that has some of the most expensive real estate and the deepest poverty in Philadelphia. Development and issues related to zoning have become flashpoints in recent years.  Continue Reading

State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell will welcome her constituents to her new district office location during an open house Saturday.

The open house will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 at 550 N. 52nd St.

Johnson-Harrell and her staff will be available to show constituents around the new office location, to answer questions and provide help with state government-related programs.  Continue Reading

City Council candidate for the 3rd District, Jamie Gauthier, is hosting two last meet-and-greets this week before the May 21 primary election. Both of these meet-and-greets will take place at her campaign headquarters at 5121 Baltimore Ave.:

Wednesday, May 15
Time: 6pm-8pm

Thursday, May 16
Time: 6pm-8pm

All interested individuals are invited to meet Ms. Gauthier and ask questions. Free dinner will be served at both events.

Jamie Gauthier is running against long-term incumbent Jannie Blackwell in the primary election.

Democratic nominee Movita Johnson-Harrell easily won Tuesday’s special election for the 190th House District seat.

Johnson-Harrell, who was most recently the head of the victim service unit in the District Attorney’s Office, won with about two-thirds of votes cast. She replaces Vanessa Lowery Brown, who was forced to resign in December after being convicted of bribery charges.

Amen Brown, a Democrat who was running as an independent, finished second, according to reports. Pamela K. Williams, a pastor from West Philly running in the Working Families Party, finished third and Republican Michael Harvey finished fourth.  Continue Reading

             

Jamie Gauthier, a Garden Court resident and the former head of the Fairmount Park Conservancy, has announced that she will mount a primary campaign against Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, whose family has controlled the 3rd District seat since the 1970s.

Gauthier is a former president of the Garden Court Community Association, was born in the district and returned as an adult to get a master’s degree at Penn and raise her children here. She served as executive director of the Fairmount Park Conservancy from October 2017 until yesterday when she stepped down to announce her candidacy. She previously served as head of the Sustainable Business Network, a non-profit started in West Philly that helps small businesses balance profitability with social and environmental responsibility. Gauthier has a master’s degree in city planning from Penn.  Continue Reading

A few days after he was handpicked to run for the vacant 190th state District seat, West Philly native Darryl Thomas has withdrawn from the race following a Philadelphia Inquirer article questioning his place of residence and voting record.

Within 48 hours, Movita Johnson-Harrell, who runs the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Victims Services office, was unofficially named the new Democratic nominee for the special election on March 12. She announced the nomination on her social media late Sunday.  Continue Reading