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The annual Philadelphia Marathon will return this Sunday, Nov. 21 after last year’s hiatus with COVID-19 safety measures in place. The Half-Marathon will be held on Saturday, Nov. 20. Both events kick off at 7 a.m. at 22nd St. and Benjamin Franklin Parkway and will bring road closures in many parts of the city, including in some West Philly areas.

Street and road closures will begin on Saturday and Sunday as early as 2 a.m. and will continue for the duration of the Half-Marathon and Marathon. All streets except Eakins Oval are expected to be reopened no later than 2 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Continue Reading

Today is Election Day and polls are open until 8 p.m. Click here to find your polling place and click here to check your registration status.

Four local ballot measures include a question that would “call on the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Governor to decriminalize the use of non-medical marijuana.” Another asks if you would like the City to set aside a small portion of the budget each year (0.5 percent or about $25 million this year) to fund affordable housing programs.

Two local offices are on today’s ballot: district attorney and city controller. Incumbent District Attorney Larry Krasner, a Democrat, is expected to cruise to victory. Incumbent Rebecca Rhynhart is a shoe-in for city controller – she is running unopposed.

Several judicial seats are also on the ballot. A rundown of the Pa. Supreme Court election and other state and local courts is here.

Two local non-profit organizations are seeking volunteers to work with Philadelphia children on their reading and writing skills or to help with other tasks.

• Mighty Writers, which has been focusing on providing food and literacy during the pandemic, is looking for volunteers who love writing and want to share that love with young people. Volunteers at Mighty Writers (over 400 every year!) are writers, playwrights, filmmakers, artists and business professionals. Volunteers all have three things in common: compassion, patience and a willingness to learn from the students.

Currently there are two ways to volunteer with Mighty Writers – by offering 1:1 writing attention to a child, or supporting the organization’s food and diaper distribution efforts. Continue Reading

Many Philadelphia residents who have been vaccinated against COVID are eligible to get a booster dose, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

The following groups who received the second dose of either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine at least six months ago are recommended to receive a booster dose:

• People who are 65+ years old or those who live in a nursing home.

• People between 18 and 64 years old with underlying medical conditions that may put them at risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19 or those who work in higher risk jobs, like healthcare workers, teachers or in other higher-risk institutional or occupational settings. Continue Reading

The Philadelphia City Commissioners will again be partnering with the Philadelphia Eagles to hold a mobile staffed mail-in and absentee ballot drop-off event at Lincoln Financial Field ahead of the Nov. 2 General Election. The event with the Eagles will take place on Saturday, Oct. 23, from Noon until 2 p.m. in Lot K at Lincoln Financial Field. Personnel from the Board of Elections will be on hand to collect the ballots.

Another mobile ballot drop-off event will take place in West Philadelphia on the same day. From 9 a.m. – 12 p.m., residents have a chance to drop off their voted absentee or mail-in ballot at W.C. Longstreth Elementary School, 5700 Willows Ave. For more mobile ballot drop-off events scheduled in other city neighborhoods, click here. Continue Reading

The School District of Philadelphia’s superintendent, William Hite, will transition from his role at the end of the 2021-2022 school year after 10 years of service. The District will officially begin the search, both locally and nationwide, for the next superintendent in the next two months.

Hite, 60, announced his decision to step down in September.

The Philadelphia School Board of Education began hosting a series of 17 listening sessions – in-person and virtual –  this week to collect input on hiring the next superintendent.

Two in-person listening sessions will take place in West Philadelphia at People’s Emergence Center (325 N. 39th St) this week. This is a great opportunity for West Philly families and all interested individuals to make their voices heard by providing input on the skills, talent and foresight the next Superintendent needs to bring to the District. Continue Reading