UPDATE (6/13/2023, 2:23 p.m.): The Boil Water Advisory, issued for parts of West Philadelphia on Sunday, has been lifted. No harmful bacteria were found in the water samples tested by the Philadelphia Water Department.

6/12/2023: A Boil Water advisory issued last night by the Philadelphia Water Department for upper West Philadelphia neighborhoods is still in effect until further notice. Customers in the affected area, which includes Wynnefield Heights, Wynnefield, Overbrook Farms, Green Hill Farms, Overbrook, Overbrook Park, Morris Park, and parts of Carrol Park, Haddington, West Parkside, and West Fairmount Park (see full map here), should not drink the water without boiling it first for at least one minute. This concerns water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, brushing teeth, washing dishes, and preparing formula.

The advisory was issued on Sunday evening, following a collapse of a pumping station serving a section of upper West Philadelphia and a temporary loss of pressure in the system, which happened between approximately 3:45 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. on June 11. While the pressure was restored later on Sunday, testing in the area, which began last night, is still taking place this morning and afternoon. This is because a lack of pressure can create a vacuum that could pull disease-causing organisms such as bacteria into water pipes. If the results of the testing from Sunday and Monday meet quality standards, PWD will inform customers that they no longer need to boil water. Continue Reading

Philadelphia’s free spraygrounds are expected to be reopened for the 2023 season on Saturday, May 27, according to an announcement by Parks & Rec. There are over 90 water-based play spaces in Philadelphia, many of them are spraygrounds or spray parks, but some sites include a single sprinkler, or spray jet.

During the season, which ends on Labor Day, spraygrounds will be open seven days a week, with the exception of bad weather days, at the following hours:

Weekdays: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Weekends: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Continue Reading

As you may have heard, Tuesday is Election Day in Pennsylvania. Locally, it’s kind of a big deal with candidates for mayor, the entire City Council, sheriff, a bunch of judges, controller, register of wills and four questions on the ballot.

It all can be a little overwhelming, so what follows is a slew of links to help you make sense of it. Remember that Pennsylvania has closed primaries, so you have to be registered in a party to vote for a candidate. But you independents can still vote for ballot questions.

Who’s running?

There is no shortage of info on candidates for mayor. One place to start to hear from the candidates themselves is the Committee of 70’s “Last Word” mayoral forum held on May 4. Billy Penn’s “Procrastinator’s Guide” to the election is also super helpful for info on all of the candidates from Mayor to City Council to Supreme Court.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has a good analysis of the four ballot questions here. Continue Reading

West Philly voters will have a chance this week to meet some candidates for the City Council’s At-Large seats and mayor at two community forums. Both events will take place on Thursday, March 16. Here are some more details about each event.

• The Enterprise Center (4548 Market St.) is hosting a Mayor 100: Minority-Owned Business Policy Forum, where Democratic and Republican candidates for mayor will have an opportunity to listen to business owners’ concerns and offer their vision for strengthening related policies in the incoming administration. The event will be moderated by WHYY’s Cherri Gregg and the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Layla Jones. Shirley Franklin, former Mayor of Atlanta, will deliver keynote remarks at the start of the event.

The forum is hosted in collaboration with Futurnet, the Urban League of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Equity Alliance, WHYY, and other organizations. Continue Reading

Some of the 13 women honored with a City Council resolution on March 8, International Women’s Day. Photo courtesy of the Office of Councilmember Jamie Gauthier.

In honor of International Women’s Day, celebrated on March 8, City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier introduced and passed a City Council resolution honoring 13 West and Southwest Philadelphia women working to make their communities joyful and safe places to live.

The list included:

Tanja Carter – A community activist in Mill Creek, a block captain, and the founder of It Takes a Village of Helping Hands, a community organization which improves and empowers neighbors by hosting events, beautifying alleys, city streets, and parks, and more.

Callalily Cousar – The President of the East Parkside Residence Assistance (ERPA). In this role, she has established a playground, created a food cupboard, hosted block parties, health fairs, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and tax and resume workshops.

Constance Harris Crews – The President of the Kingsessing Recreation Center Advisory Council, a block captain, a committeeperson, the co-commissioner of the Jayhawks Basketball Program, and the Program Liaison for the Jayhawks 1975 Youth Association. Continue Reading

UPDATE (3/2/2023): If you missed this event, you can watch a recording here.

(2/28/2023): A mayoral forum sponsored by CeaseFirePA and WHYY News and dedicated to gun violence, policing and public safety, will take place Wednesday, March 1. The “100th Mayor: Restoring Safety Forum” will be held at WHYY, 150 N. 6th St. (invite-only tickets were available for in-person attendees) and will also be livestreamed via Facebook.

The mayoral candidates will be asked some tough questions on the city gun violence crisis by three moderators: gun violence prevention reporter Sam Searles, community leader Chantay Love, and trauma surgeon Elinore Kaufman.

The forum will be held from 7 to 9 p.m.. To receive the livestream link, sign up here.