UPDATE (4/15/2020): SEPTA began offering free surgical masks to riders on some buses and subway trains and at 69th Street, 15th Street, Suburban and Jefferson stations, according to reports. This is a temporary initiative intended for riders who have not yet secured their own masks or facial coverings. It will only be available while supplies last, according to CBS Philly.

4/14/2020: SEPTA’s “Lifeline Service Schedule,” designed for safer traveling for essential workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, went into effect on April 9th. The new schedule includes suspended select trolley lines and bus routes and also closed select trolley and train stops/stations.

The original Lifeline Service Schedule, published last Wednesday, has been updated. Some El stations in West Philadelphia that SEPTA had planned to close, including the 46th Street station, remain in operation.  Continue Reading

Councilmember Jamie Gauthier is launching a new Town Hall series to continue a dialogue with the community during the COVID-19 crisis. Town halls will take place every other Thursday at 4:30 p.m. The first town hall will be Thursday, April 16 and will focus on public benefits and how to access them. A representative from Benefits Data Trust will share information and answer questions about public assistance, including programs like WIC, unemployment, and Medicaid.  Continue Reading

“This is perhaps the best rainbow I’ve ever seen from my South 46th Street porch – a welcome counteroffensive to the darkest days most of us have ever experienced.”

Photo and caption by Marshall Ledger.

Starting Thursday, April 9, SEPTA will switch to a “Lifeline Service Schedule,” when service will be modified to make stops only at select stations or will be suspended on entire routes. As part of these new measures focusing on essential travel during the COVID-19 pandemic, Route 34 Trolley will be suspended until further notice beginning Thursday. All other routes – 10, 11, 13, 15, 36 – will continue to operate on a Saturday schedule, seven days a week.

In addition, the following trolley line stations will be closed: 13th St, 19th St, 33rd St, and 36th St.  Continue Reading

 Click to enlarge

University City District (UCD) is offering up to $5,000 grants to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. A $250,000 emergency grant program, launched by UCD on Wednesday thanks to a donation from the University of Pennsylvania, will help independent retailers and restaurants that operate in its coverage area.

The fund makes available grants ranging between $1,000 and $5,000 per qualifying business.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our neighborhood and are essential to its vivacity,” said UCD President Matt Bergheiser. “Our business owners and their employees have always been here to support this community, and we are honored to be present for them in a time of distress.”  Continue Reading

Curio’s spring show, Everybody, was postponed indefinitely (Photo by Rebecca Gudelunas)

Curio Theatre has postponed their spring production, EVERYBODY, indefinitely. The show had been scheduled to open on April 25th and was supposed to conclude Curio’s 15th season.

“We take the safety of our community very seriously, and based on current health guidelines, we felt we had no other choice but to postpone,” reads an e-mail announcement from Curio’s Managing Director Gay Carducci and Artistic Director Paul Kuhn. “… Keeping our artists and staff safe is something we do not take lightly, but this was a difficult decision to make on behalf of an entire community — a decision that impacts actors, designers, and backstage theater makers.”  Continue Reading