Police are investigating a shooting at 43rd and Chestnut Streets that left a young man in critical condition. The shooting took place on Sunday night shortly before 8 p.m. The victim, a man in his mid-20s, was shot twice, in his neck and shoulder. He was transported by police to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and was listed in critical condition.

No arrests have been made and no weapon was recovered.

Haven Philly co-owners Marcus Hall (left) and Chris Scott.

This is a precarious time to open a business, but Marcus Hall believes he may have hit on a remedy for those stay-at-home blues.

Hall and partner Chris Scott launched likely the city’s first board game rental service on Saturday in West Philly (and eventually a full blown board game café near 51st and Baltimore). Haven Philly offers contactless drop off and pick up of board games in the West Philly zip codes of 19143, 19139 and 19104.

We’re talking everything from classics like checkers, Scrabble and Sorry to newer games like Catan and Ticket to Ride and, yes, even Pandemic. They have some 200 games available. Rental costs will be based on the game’s purchase price. Games that cost under $20, for example, will be available for $2.50 per day with a slight discount for multiple days (up to five days total).  Continue Reading

Here’s a great new way to dispose of unwanted clothing and electronics in an environmentally safe way instead of sending them to a landfill.

The City’s SmartCityPHL initiative has recently launched a new pilot recycling program with Retrievr and what’s even better is that your unwanted items will be picked up from your doorstep! Retrievr’s service covers the entire city, all you have to do is schedule a pick-up time with them, then bag or box your items and leave them by your door!

The service is absolutely free for clothing and small electronics pickup, but the company charges a small fee for large electronics like TVs, microwaves, and air conditioners. Note: you can recycle these items for free at sanitation convenience centers.  Continue Reading

Most Penn undergraduates won’t be coming back to campus this fall, the university announced yesterday.

The university revised its plan for on-campus undergraduate housing for the 2020 Fall semester due to continuous spread of COVID-19. The revised plan was announced on Tuesday and now includes very limited on-campus housing for the Fall semester for international students and students experiencing significant housing or personal hardships.

Penn announced earlier this summer that the majority of instruction for undergraduate students would be online during the Fall semester, but the plan allowed for students to move onto campus.  Continue Reading

Here’s a great opportunity to watch two independent films with your family, friends and neighbors while in your own home! On Thursday, Aug. 13, at 5:30 p.m., join (via Zoom) this pop-up, virtual film club to screen two films from Mike Dennis of Reelblack Inc – “Hardest Part” and “Next Tuesday”. After the screening, stick around to have a community chat and share your thoughts and reactions to the films.

For more information and to register, click here.

Blue Stoop, a literary hub supporting Philadelphia writers and readers from all walks of life, is offering 8-week writing classes for the 2020 Fall season, including Foundations of Fiction Writing, Foundations of Cultural Essay Writing, and Foundations of Poetry Writing. All classes will be virtual this fall – through Zoom – led by Philadelphia based writers and poets.

The organization is also offering shorter intensives, the first being “Creating the Creative Life You Want” with writer and founder of the online community “Permission to Write,” Ashley Coleman, on Saturday, Aug. 22.  Continue Reading