The new, “fully-modernized” McDonald’s restaurant at 40th and Walnut is expected to open this month on the ground floor of a new office building.

The original 50-year-old McDonald’s building at 40th and Walnut was demolished last year to make room for the new Penn-owned six-story building. The project is part of the University of Pennsylvania’s plan to invest in the 40th Street Corridor, which began more than 20 years ago. Penn purchased the land from McDonald’s in 2022 and is leasing space to it in the new building. The new building will house Penn offices on the floors two through six.

The new restaurant is expected to have a soft opening on Monday, Sept. 23. A grand opening is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 4. The restaurant has a new team of operators, who are reportedly “excited to open for the community.”

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Here’s a unique opportunity to visit and learn more about some of the most interesting but often forgotten historic and cultural places along 52nd Street, aka “The Strip.” A walking tour titled West Philly’s Main Street: A Walk Through Time, will take place Saturday, Oct. 5, and is organized by All That Philly Jazz, a public project exploring the history of jazz in Philadelphia. The 52nd Street stroll and talk, led by All That Philly Jazz Director Faye Anderson, will uncover the Strip’s hidden past as an entertainment destination for African Americans.

The 52nd Street Stroll dives deep into the Strip’s social and cultural heritage. Uncovering hidden landmarks, it will revisit forgotten stories and remember the iconic figures who shaped the historic corridor.

Here are some of the stops during the stroll:

• Nightclub frequented by celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Cab Calloway, Joe Frazier, Teddy Pendergrass and Stevie Wonder.
• First-ever Walk of Fame memorializing African American artists of stage, screen and television.
• Oldest Black-owned bookstore on the East Coast.
• Sites featured in the 1972 Blaxploitation film “Trick Baby.”
• Restaurant where President Bill Clinton ordered soul food.

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Community leaders, elected officials, and residents gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Satellite Election Office in West Philadelphia. (Photo by Khalif Chestnut)

The Philadelphia City Commissioners unveiled a new permanent “satellite” election office in West Philadelphia. The office officially opened on Tuesday morning at 5610 Lancaster Avenue. This is the third election office in Philadelphia and second in West Philadelphia. Seven more are expected to open across the city in the near future.

The office will provide such essential services as voter registration and mail-in and absentee ballot processing. It will be open seven days a week to serve the public ahead of the upcoming election.

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The Philadelphia Department of Public Health is partnering with several West and Southwest Philly produce trucks to promote fresh fruits and vegetables for neighborhood residents. The Philly Loves Fresh initiative encourages people to buy fresh produce from the trucks since it is not often available at local retail stores. Only about 19 percent of all food stores stock large amounts of fresh produce.

The initiative encourages residents to meet the owners and visit their trucks more often. Run by African immigrants or their families, some of these trucks have been serving local neighborhoods for over 30 years, often in the same spot! Here’s some historical context of how these trucks came to be in Philadelphia from the Philly Loves Fresh website:

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City Council is hosting a tax relief workshop this Thursday, Sept. 12, in Southwest Philadelphia to help residents whose taxes have gone up in recent years.

The workshop, presented by Council President Kenyatta Johnson (2nd District) and Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (3rd District), will take place in the Kingsessing neighborhood, which, according to an analysis by the Philadelphia Inquirer, saw the highest increase in property tax bills for single-family homes anywhere in the city.

The workshop will be held at Salt and Light Church (5736 Chester Ave) from 6-8 p.m.. Residents can get in-person assistance with tax relief programs and property assessment appeals.

To keep families in their homes, City Council provided more homeowners with property tax relief than ever before. Council and the Mayor enacted Councilmember Gauthier’s low-income property tax freeze, which keeps property taxes for eligible and enrolled homeowners at their current (pre-2024 assessment) level. Council President Johnson also led the successful expansion of the Homestead Exemption from $80,000 to $100,000.

For more information on these and other real estate tax relief programs, visit: https://www.phila.gov/services/payments-assistance-taxes/taxes/property-and-real-estate-taxes/get-real-estate-tax-relief/

SEPTA has announced proposed fare changes, including the elimination of the 50-cent fare discount for Key card and contactless media users, which means that they will have to pay the full amount of $2.50 per ride.

SEPTA officials say that the transit authority is facing a $240 million budget deficit after runnning out of COVID funding and getting less state funding than expected.

The $2.50 fare is the same as a single fare cost of a Quick Trip ticket, which can be purchased at SEPTA kiosks with cash. Transfers would remain free and SEPTA is not expected to raise the cost of daily, weekly and monthly passes. The last fare increase was adopted in 2017.

SEPTA will hold two public hearings on October 16, at 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., where the proposed fare adjustments will be presented.

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