If you were planning to vote early in the Nov. 3 general election, but didn’t get a chance to apply for your mail-in or absentee ballot, you can still do it until tomorrow. The deadline for application is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and you can apply for a ballot in-person at one of the City’s satellite election offices.

There are two satellite election offices in West Philadelphia – at Alain Locke School (4550 Haverford Ave.) and at Overbrook Elementary School (Annex Trailer), 2032 N. 62nd St.. Regular hours of operation are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.. This Tuesday, all voters in line by 5 p.m. will be served, according to the Philadelphia City Commissioners Office:  Continue Reading

The City Council unanimously passed new regulations today limiting the use of consumer fireworks. The new legislation makes it illegal to set off fireworks after 9 p.m. except on federal holidays and when such use is in full compliance with the Fire Code. The legislation was introduced by Councilmember David Oh.

Oh drafted the legislation after hearing from distressed residents across the city.

“This is an issue that has impacted every single neighborhood in Philadelphia,” he said.  Continue Reading

Voters can now pick up or drop off their voted ballots at a new satellite election office in West Philadelphia. The new office has opened over the weekend at Alain Locke School (4550 Haverford Ave.). The hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Friday-Sunday, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Today is the last day for Pennsylvania residents to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election. If you’re eligible to vote, but haven’t registered yet, you can also do it at the new election office. The deadline to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is October 27th.

Another election office in West Philadelphia is located at Overbrook Elementary School (Annex Trailer), 2032 N. 62nd St. For information on other citywide election office locations, go here.  Continue Reading

The School District of Philadelphia announced a plan Wednesday that would allow public school students from kindergarten through 2nd grade to return to classrooms two days a week across the city beginning Nov. 30.

At each school, kindergarten through 2nd grade students will be sorted into two groups. One group will attend class in person on Monday and Tuesday and the other group on Thursday and Friday. All students will participate in remote learning on Wednesdays, according to the plan.

The plan is opt-in, so parents can also choose to keep students at home where they will participate in online direct instruction, independent learning and small group instruction. The hybrid plan could be scrapped for a particular classroom or school if the “vast majority” of students don’t opt in or if “significant numbers” of teachers are unable to teach in person, according to the plan.  Continue Reading

The City’s COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program is currently in its second phase and the deadline for applications has been extended to Nov. 4. The program is designed to help renters who have lost more than 30 percent of their income due to reduced work hours/wages because of the pandemic, or have become unemployed after March 1 because of COVID-19.

Phase 2 rental assistance has recently been increased from $750 to up to $1,500 per renter per month. Payments will be made directly to landlords.

Other Phase 2 Program criteria include:  Continue Reading

If your trash or recyclables haven’t been picked up, here’s a new tool that will help you track the status of collections on your block. The Streets Department has announced the launch of PickupPHL, a new interactive map that will allow residents to view daily trash and recycling collections. The new platform has officially launched for public use today (Oct. 1).

The new tool provides direct access to the City’s residential sanitation services and residents will have almost real-time access to the Sanitation Division’s truck routing system. The public will be able to see the daily progress of the Streets Department’s residential collection routes. PickupPHL allows users to determine if a block has been visited by a trash, recycling or both trucks and identify where collections are taking place daily.  Continue Reading