Hillary Clinton is coming back to Philadelphia and this time she will visit a voter registration event in West Philadelphia, according to local media reports. The event will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 16 at West Philadelphia High School (4901 Chestnut St), beginning at 1:15 p.m. (doors open to the public at 11:15 a.m.).

The purpose of the event is to encourage people to register to vote before the October 11 deadline.

To RSVP, please go to the event’s page on the Hillary Clinton website.

Check out this DNC Donkey at The Porch at 30th Street Station (Photo West Philly Local).

As Philadelphia is preparing for the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC), here’s some useful info for the locals. Approximately 50,000 participants among delegates, media, and other attendees, are expected at the event, which will be held at the Wells Fargo Center on July 25-28. By the way, many guests will be staying in University City hotels. Also, The Daily Show will be at the Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut St) from July 26-29 (in total, four episodes will be filmed there!). Unfortunately, general public tickets have already been sold out.

All city services are expected to operate as scheduled during the event, and Philadelphia Police, Fire and EMS services will not be impacted by the DNC. The City has created a special DNC web page with the Convention news and official information, city service updates and changes, and things to see and do.  Continue Reading

The 2016 Pennsylvania Primary Election results are in, and here are some local results and a breakdown by wards on the vote for presidential candidates. Overall, West Philadelphia’s Democratic voters supported Hillary Clinton, except for the 27th Ward where Bernie Sanders came out on top. Note: the results below are unofficial and incomplete. To view more results, go here.

PA Representative, District 190

Vanessa Lowery Brown – 36.45 percent (5381 votes)
Wanda Logan – 28.37 percent (4188 votes)
Ray Bailey – 12.02 percent (1775 votes)
Darryl Thomas – 11.37 percent (1679 votes)

PA Representative, District 188 

James Roebuck (incumbent, unopposed) – 99.87 percent (12134 votes)

Representative in Congress, District 2 (Democrats)

Chaka Fattah (incumbent) – 36.76 percent (58821 votes)
Dwight Evans – 43.51 percent (69622 votes)

Continue Reading

Philly Cuts owner Darryl Thomas (center) and his employees and supporters in front of his barbershop at 44th and Chestnut (Darryl Thomas Facebook photo)

The barbershop on 44th and Chestnut Streets in West Philadelphia seems to have only two floors: the ground floor for men’s haircuts, and the second floor for women’s haircuts. But there’s also third floor, a room plastered with maps and signs, with people taking calls and typing messages: A campaign office.

Philly Cuts has been in operation for 18 years, and this year its 43-year-old owner Darryl Thomas is running for political office for the first time. Thomas, a Democrat, is running for State Representative of the 190th District in the primary election on Tuesday, April 26th. This legislative district includes Belmont, Carroll Park, Cathedral Park, Mill Creek, Haddington, East Parkside,West Powelton, Strawberry Mansion, Allegheny West and Lehigh West. This is the district that Thomas grew up in and left for college—but eventually came back to.

Thomas said the barbershop is like a “watering hole”— a natural place for the community to come together, and a good place to reach them. Over the years, that barbershop has morphed into a community crossroads, a place where people can come for one service — a haircut — and find information and access to other services, like healthcare, education, and job opportunities.  Continue Reading

Pennsylvania’s primary is this Tuesday (Apr. 26) and, along with the well-hyped presidential races, there are a few local primaries on the ballot as well. Follow the links below to the Committee of 70 website for details on candidates for each seat.

The entire Pennsylvania House of Representatives (203 seats) and half the state Senate (50 seats, including Districts 1, 3, 5 and 7 in Philadelphia) are on the ballot. Republicans currently have a 119-84 majority in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Primaries will also be held for state Attorney General, Auditor General and Treasurer.

Vincent Hughes is running unopposed on the primary ballot for the Pennsylvania Senate seat in District 7.  Continue Reading

Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders will hold rallies in the city, the day before the Pennsylvania primary election on Tuesday, April 26.

Sanders will hold a rally on Monday with actors Susan Sarandon and Kendrick Sampson at the Daskalakis Athletic Center at Drexel University, 3301 Market St. Doors open at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public and no tickets are required, but RSVPS are strongly encouraged since admission is first come, first served.

Clinton’s rally will take place at the City Hall Courtyard, 1401 John F Kennedy Blvd. Doors open at 5:15 p.m., and RSVP is also recommended.

The Republican frontrunner Donald Trump will be at West Chester University, 700 S High Street West Chester, PA, for a 4 p.m. rally on Monday. Doors open at 1 p.m. and tickets are available here.