A 39-year-old man was killed and another man was critically injured in a shooting Monday night near 52nd and Sansom Streets, according to reports.

The shooting happened shortly before 10:30 p.m. The 39-year-old victim was shot three times – in the head, chest and leg. He was taken to the hospital and was pronounced dead shortly before 11 p.m., according to a report by CBS Philly. The second victim, a man in his 30s, was shot once in the chest. He is in critical condition.  Continue Reading

                    Click to enlarge

The School District of Philadelphia hopes to better understand how the District is changing through the Comprehensive School Planning Review (CSPR), a collaborative process that will assess public school enrollment, educational program offerings, and school facilities.

This assessment can help plan for things like overcrowding or underuse or whether schools will need different resources to support changes in the languages they serve.

The CSPR process will take place across four years, and will assess public schools with traditional enrollment across the City of Philadelphia. Cycle 1 of the process started at the beginning of the 2019/2020 school and includes 21 schools spread across three areas of the city.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: Democrat Roni Green won the special election with about 85 percent of the vote. Green told The Philadelphia Inquirer that she will focus on “education, job creation and programs to prevent gun violence.” The election allows Green to serve out the remainder of Movita Johnson-Harrell’s term, which runs through this year. She will be on the primary ballot on April 28 vying for a full two-year term.

Voters in the 190th state legislative district (see map) will go to the polls on Tuesday, Feb. 25 to elect a new state representative.

The special election features Democrat and union official G. Roni Green and Republican Wanda Logan (Facebook link), who is making her fifth bid for the seat and her first as a Republican. The seat was left vacant after Movita Johnson-Harrell stepped down following charges that she stole nearly $500,000 from her non-profit. She pleaded guilty and began serving a three-month jail sentence earlier this month. That will be followed by 8-and-a-half months of house arrest.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: Fresh Grocer will be closing the store at 40th and Walnut Streets in early March, according to Jennifer Rizzi, Director of Communications at the University of Pennsylvania. Penn has signed a lease with Acme Markets for this location. Acme is currently working on an anticipated timeframe for renovations to the existing facility and anticipated opening.

Fresh Grocer will leave its 40th and Walnut Street location this spring after four years of legal battle with the landlord – The University of Pennsylvania. According to a joint statement from Penn and Fresh Grocer, the store will close in March 2020, after almost 20 years in operation.

Penn terminated the Fresh Grocer’s lease in April 2016, claiming that the store had failed to renew it on time. Fresh Grocer countered with a lawsuit against Penn and refused to vacate the space until this spring.  Continue Reading

The Sanctuary Jam: A Philadelphia First: At St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, Hamilton Village (3916 Locust Walk, Philadelphia, PA 19104) is open to both Drexel University and University of Pennsylvania students and musicians as well as West Philly residents.

Visit with us and hear the best of the universities instructors in jazz, and if you play an instrument you’re invited to sit in. Come support Jazz in all its Glory…FREE PIZZA – GREAT MUSIC – NO CHARGE.

A wonderful way to spend a Sunday afternoon:  ALL ARE WELCOME!

(This post is sponsored by The Jazz Sanctuary).

Mercy Hospital in West Philadelphia, which has provided in-patient services to residents for more than 100 years, may terminate these services by mid-August, according to reports. The officials of the hospital, located at 54th and Cedar and operated by Trinity Health, have notified city health officials about their plans, WHYY reports.

“Hospital officials assured City health officials that if these services are terminated, the process will take months and be conducted responsibly,” Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said in a statement.  Continue Reading