City pulls out of community litter cleanup program
A union grievance has thrown a wrench in the gears of a public-private partnership tackling Philadelphia’s pervasive litter problem.
- Last summer, the Streets Department started picking up bags of trash collected by gig workers signed up for Glitter, a company that crowdsources funding for block-by-block cleanups.
But the city abruptly stopped participating in early March, Meir Rinde reports, after the sanitation workers union claimed a contract violation.
→ Who’s allowed to clean the streets?
Candidate with No. 1 ballot position drops out of mayor’s race
John Wood, a retired police lieutenant who was relatively unknown until he pulled the No. 1 ballot spot, has dropped out of the race for Philly mayor.
- Wood cited finances as reason for his exit — he entered late, so is behind in fundraising — but he’d also faced scrutiny from Philly Mag and The Inquirer over his suburban residency and voter registration.
That leaves 11 Democratic candidates on the May 16 primary ballot, with Cherelle Parker now listed at the top.
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
- Philadelphia City Council has a lot of newcomers right now. The median length of service is 3.1 years, the lowest it’s been since 1983. [Inquirer$/@billy_penn]
- Fewer routes are disappearing under SEPTA’s revised Bus Revolution plan, which was revamped after customer feedback. Another round of listening sessions is planned before a rollout in summer 2024. [SEPTA/WHYY]
- To make way for the new Chubb HQ being built at 20th and Arch, a historic brick gas station was picked up and moved to Fairmount Park. [BP 2022/6ABC]
- Resolve Philly cofounder Cassie Haynes is leaving the journalism solutions nonprofit in June. The org runs Broke in Philly, a reporting project on economic mobility in which we participate. [Al Dia/Billy Penn]
- ICYMI, Stephen Starr cut all ties with Bankroll, the luxury sports betting bar in the former Boyd Theatre owned by Bucks County venture capitalist and school board donor Paul Martino. [Biz Journal$/Patch/WHYY]
- Vogue takes a look at the immersive new Terence Nance exhibit at the Institute of Contemporary Art. [Vogue]
MAYOR WATCH
Nothing on the public schedule for Mayor JFK today. Yesterday he wished Ramadan Mubarak to all celebrating the Muslim month of fasting. City Hall hosts the annual Philadelphia Ramadan & Eid Fund iftar dinner on April 6.
ON THE CALENDAR
📜 Get free admission to the Constitution Center for a day of Women’s History Month programming, including talks, tours, and make-and-take activities. (10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 25)
🤵🏽 Philly’s recurring GayBINGO goes black tie for the AIDS Fund’s annual fundraiser at the Loews Hotel. Your $200 ticket includes cocktails and dinner. (6:30 p.m. Saturday, March 25)
🎷 Stop by LOVE Park to help the city set a new world record for the most jazz hands at once. The first 500 people get complimentary white gloves; the current record is 477. (12 to 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 28)
Catch up on the previous week
Receive Billy Penn’s free daily roundup in your inbox every morning
