Morning roundup
Youth homeless undercount; Faster pothole fixes with new crew; Schools reinstate mask mandate | Morning roundup
Italian Market grease pole competition in photos ๐

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Philly keeps undercounting youth experiencing homelessness
Philadelphia’s Office of Homeless Services is expected to soon release its annual “point in time” count of people living on the streets.
- Peopleย 18 to 24 are habitually undercounted, advocates say, because they’ll often turn to couch-surfing and try to avoid adult shelters. Meanwhile,ย targeted services for these hundreds of youth are lacking.
The youth homeless count used to be conducted by an outside agency, reports Steve Volk,ย but the city took over — and its method is raising questions.
New city unit could make fixing potholes (and sidewalks) faster
Frustrated with city roadways and sidewalks? The Streets Department is creating a new 13-person unit that’ll help fix them faster.
- The new crew will focus on upgrading curb rampsย to be ADA-compliant, a prereq for paving potholes that also makes sidewalks more accessible. The plan calls for 1,500 ramps to get fixed this year.
That number makes up a fraction of the over 70k ramps that need updating, Jordan Levy reports,ย but the in-house team should also help cut costs in half.
March On: The Fight for Pride
New podcastย by Billy Penn reporter Michaela Winberg
Out now:ย Trailerย | Next up: Episode 1, May 26
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- A recount looms in the race for Republican nomination for U.S. Senate from Pa., with Mehmet Ozย holding a 900-something vote leadย overย Dave McCormick. The McCormickย campaignย filed suit to compel countiesย to count mail ballots submitted on time, but without a date written on the outside. The state and national GOP orgsย are backing Oz on this.ย [NBC News/Wash Examiner/AP]
- With COVIDย case counts in the city upย more than 60% since two weeks ago, the Philly School District hasย reinstated its universal mask mandateย for students, teachers, and staff. [Billy Penn/Phila SD]
- There’s a plan moving through Philly governmentย to end prison gerrymanderingย by counting 7,800 incarcerated people at their last known address. [Inquirer$]
- Odunde is back after two years off,ย withย a week of eventsย leading up to what’s known as the country’s largestย African American street festival. [Visit Philly/Odunde]
- If you’re keeping track, Philadelphian Ryan Longย won again on Jeopardyย last night, his sixth victory. [Jeopardy]
- Barstool Sports created a ghost kitchen app that lets youย order cheesesteaks from random restaurantsย around the county. ย [Liberty Line]
- As is tradition in Philadelphia, people braved the weekend heatย toย shimmy up a greased poleย in the Italian Marketย for fame and glory. [Billy Penn]
MAYOR WATCH
After a year ofย virtual school,ย shifting mask mandates, andย triumph, it’s the start of graduation season for the School District of Philadelphia’s seniors. Mayor Kenney congratulates the class of ’22 alongside district representatives and educators duringย theย Our Class, Our Futureย celebration at the Dell Music Center. (11:25 a.m.)
ON THE CALENDAR
๐ธย Bands supportingย Billy Penn:ย We’re emceeing aย music show at The Fire, the woman-owned indie music venue and bar on Girard Avenue. Come hang at our table as you check out local bands with sounds ranging from blues-rock to surf-goth.ย Tickets are $15, and a portion of sales benefit BP’s journalism. (8 p.m. to midnight, Wednesday, June 1)
๐ญ Theย Northern Liberties Night Marketย takes over North 2nd Street withย dozens of food trucks, vendors, cafes, live music, and street performers. (5 to 10 p.m. Thursday, May 26)
๐ฅย Brought to you by cinรฉSPEAK, Under the Stars in Clark Park is back — this time with a free screening of “Prince’s Sign O’ The Times,” a high energy concert film featuring none other than the High Priest of Pop. (7:30 p.m. Friday, May 27)