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Officials say Philly is expanding street sweeping in April
Somewhat famously, Philadelphia is the only major U.S. city lacking a citywide street cleaning program.
- A street sweeping pilot is picking back up next month, according to city officials. Unlike an early edition of the program, people will have to move parked cars when cleaners come through.
Brooms will sweep through 14 city neighborhoods starting in April, Asha Prihar reports. The Streets Dept. is holding info sessions on Zoom this week.
A place to find and celebrate Philly’s Latina creatives
Local Puerto Rican artist Shawnick Rodriguez wanted to connect with and uplift others like her, so she started an Instagram account.
- Over the past two years, her Phillyiated Latinas page has attracted a following by highlighting Latina creators, artists, and entrepreneurs.
It’s become a real community, Bibi Correana reports, where followers call each other “primas” — more than friends, they feel like family.
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- A new visualization shows the changing concentrations of poverty in Philly over the past half century, and also includes a map of the shifting racial demographics. [@EconomyLeague/Economy League]
- Through a program with Jumpstart Philly, aspiring developers paid just $10 for houses needing renovations. After fixing them up, they’re now selling the properties as affordable homes. [Axios]
- Sales of weekly passes at SEPTA jumped 11% as gas prices spiked, according to the agency. [CBS3]
- Making good on recommendations from a report on the MOVE bombing victim remains, Penn Museum appointed Tia Jackson-Truitt as its first chief diversity officer. [Billy Penn/Biz Journal$]
- Look for more cannabis companies out of Philadelphia soon: 10 entrepreneurs were selected for Philly Startup Leaders’ Cannabiz accelerator. [Technical.ly]
- Heads up, it’s that time of year again: destroy spotted lanternfly eggs. [@vcmcguire/Billy Penn]
Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)
We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting at the Community College of Philadelphia.
- The House of Umoja, a historic peacemaking institute that helped calm city violence in the 1970s, will start hosting community solutions meetings every Saturday. [Billy Penn/Umoja]
- A Council committee hearing discussed increasing funding to address Philly’s pandemic domestic violence spike, which is most prevalent in cases involving guns. [WHYY/Billy Penn]
- Listen to a doctor’s essay about her experience during the shooting inside Jefferson University Hospital last fall. [Internal Medicine — audio not paywalled]
- A free virtual symposium on March 25 will offer insights into developing, pitching, and funding projects that use community-academic partnerships. [Penn Injury Science]
- About half of U.S. adults say they support the development of personalized smart guns. [Morning Consult]
By the numbers in Philadelphia
- 35: Shooting victims recorded last week, vs. 30 the week prior [PPD Google Drive]
- 404: Shooting victims this year, 2% below last year [PCGVR]
- 103: Year-to-date homicides, 1% above last year [Philly Police]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Kenney is out of town, and Managing Director Tumar Alexander is still on his medical leave of absence, so Acting Managing Director Vanessa Garrett-Harley attends the city’s biweekly briefing on the city’s gun violence response (1 p.m.). You can live on WURD Radio 900 AM / 96.1 FM or watch on Facebook.
? Billy Penn event: Join us for news and history trivia about the city you love! Our monthly Philly Quizzo night is back at Jose Pistola’s in Center City. Free RSVP, happy hour specials, win a $50 gift card if you get the top score. Don’t miss the bonus music trivia round. (6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 23)
? Billy Penn partner event: Deputy editor Beatrice Forman helps moderate “Shift the Narrative: A Media Panel on Community-Centered Gun Violence Reporting,” presented by PCGVR, PABJ, Young Chances Foundation, and Philly Truce. (1 to 2 p.m. Friday, April 1)
♻️ Brainstorm solutions to Philly’s trash and recycling crisis at Weavers Way Co-op’s virtual meeting with former Philly Recycling Coordinator Maurice Sampson. Free RSVP. (6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, March 17)
