RECAP: Looking back on the week that was
• Pa. House gets first woman leader, adopts new rules
Three months after the possibility was first floated, state Rep. Joanna McClinton officially became Pa.’s first woman House speaker. The 40-year-old pastor from Southwest Philly is the second Black person to hold the role. She replaced Rep. Mark Rozzi, whose compromise, interim speakership did have a major effect: it produced new operating rules for the chamber. They make it harder for committee chairs to keep popular bills from reaching the House floor, and expand options for sexual harassment complaints against lawmakers. [Billy Penn/Pa. House/WFMZ/AP]
• PPA cracks down on ‘ghost cars’
The Philadelphia Parking Authority is towing cars…and residents are thrilled? The much-maligned PPA, now under direction of former Deputy Mayor Rich Lazer, is being cheered for removing parked vehicles without license plates — 33 in the last week, per The Inquirer. Owners sometimes remove or obscure the tags so they can’t be connected to a ticket. So-called “ghost cars” are also used to avoid automatic toll assessments on highways. [@PhilaParking/Inquirer$/NBC10]
• I-95 cap project finally kicks off
For anyone who’s followed the project over the past decade, it might be hard to believe. Construction has finally begun on the park over I-95 to reconnect Center City with the Delaware River waterfront. The $329 million project starts with demolition of the existing car-centric overpass, followed by two years of construction to create the new cap that’ll host 12 acres of parkland and open space. [BP 2017/WHYY’s PlanPhilly]
• BP Quizzo returns, take the trivia quiz
After a winter break, our monthly BP Quizzo night made a fantastic return at Attic Brewing Co., where nearly 100 people joined us for local trivia and happy hour specials. Competition was fierce, but in the end the Quaker Quizzers won a $50 gift card with 19/24 questions correct. Now it’s your turn. Without using Google, can you beat the high score? [Billy Penn]
VISION: Looking forward to the week ahead
• Shapiro to give first budget address
The week after Mayor Kenney presented his final budget proposal, Gov. Shapiro gets to introduce his first. The governor has teased some of his ideas, including a $2,500 tax credit for newly certified teachers, police officers, and nurses. He also promised tax cuts, and said action on “gun reforms” is crucial, though the Republican-controlled Senate could still block related legislation.[Billy Penn/Pa. Gov/US News/@GovernorShapiro]
• Asbestos forces high schoolers to new location
After a federally-mandated inspection discovered asbestos at Building 21 high school in West Oak Lane last week, classes are being moved to Strawberry Mansion High School, which has flex space designed for this purpose. Some Building 21 parents feel that’s unacceptable, citing shootings in the area, and have begun pleading for alternate arrangements — like virtual learning. There’s a 2-hour delay Monday for students to get “settled” in the new location. [6ABC/PhillyVoice/Inquirer$/District PDF]
• More chances to hear from Philly candidates
It’s officially candidate forum szn. Last week mayoral contenders talked public safety and the arts; this week brings a chance to network with them ($40, March 8, Center City Biz Assn) and hear their thoughts on tech, innovation, and education (March 9, String Theory Schools + NAACP). There’s also two opportunities to meet Council candidates: March 8 in Northern Liberties and March 9 in Germantown. [Eventbrite/Billy Penn/CCBA/Facebook/5th Square]
• Celebrate International Women’s Day
In some form or another, International Women’s Day has been celebrated around the world for over a century. Philly gets into it this year with a variety of events. There’s networking for women in tech at Venture Cafe, a storytelling breakfast with Alicia Vitarelli of 6ABC, a mini conference on behavioral health equity, and a rooftop cocktail party benefitting the nonprofit Women’s Way. [IWD/Meetup/Eventbrite/Healthy Minds Philly/Stratus]
Catch up on the previous week
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