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Schuylkill River Trail gets $2.5 million for extension to Passyunk

A $2.5 million state grant will help take the Schuylkill River Trail further into Southwest Philly, getting it closer to potentially linking up with FDR Park.

• Stretching from Bartram’s Garden to the Passyunk Avenue Bridge, the paved path will have nighttime lighting. The segment is the latest in a larger project to reinvigorate Philly’s central river banks.

The full $7.5 million project includes a new park at the foot of the bridge, Asha Prihar reports, with construction expected to start next year.

Philly design star launches new show to inspire entrepreneurs

In the few years Shannon Maldonado has run design studio Yowie, her Fabric Row shop has gained national acclaim. Now she’s launching a new show.

• Called “Small Enough,” the series follows Philly entrepreneurs as they recount and relive the challenges of starting a small business. The pilot debuted last week, and also features Lindsey Scannapieco of Bok.

“A lot of the information out there over-glamorizes what it’s like to run a small business,” Maldonado told Jordan Levy about what sets the show apart.

RECAP: What else happened?

$ = paywalled

• Pennsylvania unveiled a plan to combat the teacher staffing “crisis.” The state has seen a 70% drop in new teaching certifications over the past decade. Philadelphia is 94% staffed for teachers; 95% for principals. [WITF/Inquirer$/@newskag]
• Local nonprofit Ardella’s House is renovating a new North Philly property that’ll offer free rooms for formerly incarcerated women as they transition back. It should be ready this fall. [WHYY]
• RIP to Claes Oldenburg, who was 93. The pop art maestro created the Clothespin sculpture across from City Hall, as well as the paint brush at PAFA, the split button at Penn, and other Philly public art. [Artnet/WHYY]
• Remember Ryan Long’s impressive Jeopardy streak earlier this year? Another Philadelphian appeared on the game show last night, public school teacher Erica Weiner-Amachi. Spoiler: she didn’t win, but she got close. [Billy Penn/PhillyVoice/Sportskeeda]
• Sportstalk icon/scourge Mike Missanelli, who abruptly left 97.5 The Fanatic last month after 15 years, announced his new gig — an Eagles post-game YouTube show. [Billy Penn/Crossing Broad]

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. 

• Will Philadelphia’s new 10 p.m. teen curfew reduce gun violence? It sounds good, but studies have shown it might not help. [WHYY]
• Kensington anti-violence activist Rosalind Pichardo, who was featured in Billy Penn’s “Who’s Next” back in 2017, was invited to the White House for the signing of the new bipartisan gun law. [WHYY/Billy Penn/6ABC]
• Pa.’s attorney general is among several state officials urging the Biden admin to tighten regulations on “ghost guns” — firearms made at home with no serial number or tracking. It’s what was used in the recent South Street shooting, and many others. [WESA/Al Dia/WHYY]
• “SHOT: We the Mothers” is a new outdoor exhibit opening Thursday in West Philly’s Saunders Park, featuring photographs of 51 moms who lost children to gun violence. [Mural Arts/Kathy Shorr]
• Communication specialists offer tips on how to help kids cope with the violence they hear about on the news or see in the streets. [PBS]

By the numbers in Philadelphia

• 62: Shooting victims recorded last week so far, vs. 64 the week prior. [PPD Google Drive]
• 1,317: Shooting victims this year, up 2% from last year [PCGVR]
• 302: Year-to-date homicides, down 1% from last year; up 66% vs. five years ago [Philly Police]

MAYOR WATCH

Mayor Kenney is traveling the rest of this week, taking personal time for a trip to Germany, per his office. There he’ll attend the Cities Fortifying Democracy Forum in Berlin.

ON THE CALENDAR