#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY
Side-by-side in the Italian Market
(Photo by @karenbenson.eyeful)
Philadelphia’s Academy of Natural Sciences museum is closing
Just shy of its 200th anniversary, the museum of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University in Philadelphia will close Sept. 30.
The shocking announcement described the public museum as a casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic, which undercut attendance, according to Drexel.
The Academy aims to continue scientific research and public education. Gov. Shapiro’s office says it is in talks with Drexel, the Academy and Mayor Parker’s office about the Academy’s long-term future. Continue reading…
City Hall art gallery remembers a federal act that put artists to work in the 1970s
As the nation celebrates Labor Day and the unofficial end of summer, an exhibit in Philadelphia City Hall traces a largely forgotten federal labor act that once funded jobs for tens of thousands of artists and academics in the 1970s.
The exhibit was created by Philadelphia artists Blaise Tobia and Virginia Maksymowicz, who worked as artists with CETA in New York City. Now, they coordinate the CETA Arts Legacy Project. Continue reading…
RECAP: What else happened?
$ = paywalled
• Utility executives and cybersecurity experts warn Pa. lawmakers of growing threats. [Capital-Star]
• Popular yogurt company Chobani will invest $1.2 billion in Pennsylvania, bringing hundreds of jobs to the Lehigh Valley. [WHYY]
• A MyChart Medicare phishing scam raises concern among Philadelphia health systems, with state Attorney General David Sunday urging residents to beware of unsolicited free offers and rewards. [Inq$]
• Temple signed a five-year contract with the university Police union, looking to hire and retain more officers amid a decline in recruitment. [Temple News]
• Kingsessing neighbors celebrated the grand re-opening and ribbon-cutting of the 148-year-old Francis J. Myers Recreation Center after a $27 million renovation. [West Philly Local]
• This former “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” producer from Philly penned her first mystery novel, ‘The Refuge,’ exploring the relationship humans have to the wilderness. [PhillyVoice]
MAYOR WATCH
Mayor Parker has no public events scheduled for Wednesday.
Parker did issue a statement on the sudden announcement that the Academy of Natural Sciences would close its museum on Sept. 30, stating that her office is in talks with Drexel, the Academy and Gov. Shapiro’s office about the Academy’s long-term future.
Weekly brief on gun violence prevention (with PCGVR)
We publish this report each week in partnership with the Philadelphia Center for Gun Violence Reporting.
- A new toolkit and firearm safety screening workflow offer practical starting points for intervention at hospitals. [Children’s Hospital Association]
- The Giffords Law Center created a gun industry accountability lawsuit tracker from 2015-Present, with nine of those cases coming out of Philadelphia. [Giffords Law Center]
- For high school students, carrying a firearm was associated with higher odds of suicide attempts. [JAMA Network Open]
By the numbers in Philadelphia
- 18: Shooting victims recorded from Aug 24 to Aug. 30 with 1 fatalities, according to city data. During the previous week, 13 shooting victims were recorded, including 2 fatalities. [Source: nickhand.dev]
- 120: Year-to-date homicides, down 20% vs. last year’s pace; down 66% vs. five years ago. [Philly Police]
Highlights from Billy Penn’s City Guide
- A stoner’s guide to Philly murals: 11 of the trippiest artworks in the city
Dubbed the “Mural Capital of the World,” Philadelphia is home to over 4,000 works of painted public art — and murals might just be one of the best things to look at while high.
- Alcohol-free spaces to spend your nights out
For some Philadelphians, zero proof is a year-round practice. Here’s our guide to fun and inventive N/A-friendly places around the city.
ON THE CALENDAR
The Made in Philadelphia Market in Dilworth Park (Friday),
a Yellow Fever tour by Christ Church (Friday),
Opera on Tap Presents: Whimsy in the Garden at Ebenezer Maxwell Mansion (Sunday)
AND MORE!
Send us events to add to the **FULL LIST** of this week’s events calendar at BillyPenn.com!
BILLY PENN GUIDES
🏙️ Billy Penn City Guide
✏️ Philly Quizzo guide
🎭 Philly Fringe Fest guide
🍓 Farmers market guide
✊🏾 Black history in Philly guide
🍦 Vegan ice cream guide
🥕 CSA farmshare guide
☕ Philly coffee guide
🚶🏽♀️ Alt Philly history walking tours guide
🎭 Philly’s comedy scene
🎤 Philly Record Store Guide
🛍️ Thrifty in Philly guide
📚 Book lovers’ guide to Philly
🍹 Non-alcoholic Philly
😋 Dining in Philly
🏃🏽 Philly Runners Guide
