Philadelphia officials announced today that there were 1,158 new COVID-19 cases in the city, bringing the total reported cases to 52,043 since the pandemic began. Due to a continuous increase in the number of new cases over the past few weeks and to help stop the spread of the virus, city officials have devised new COVID-19 restrictions. The announcement is expected to be made on Monday, Nov. 16, according to Mayor Jim Kenney:

We must do everything we can to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Philadelphia. Specific details are still being finalized, but we plan to announce changes to restrictions on Monday, November 16. https://t.co/fgAPsfbU3P

— Jim #MaskUpPHL Kenney (@PhillyMayor) November 13, 2020

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UPDATE (11/11/2020): University City District (UCD) is offering bagged leaf collection this Saturday, Nov. 14. University City residents must place bagged leaves in brown, biodegradable paper bags on their street corners for pickup after 1 p.m. Sign up your block by either email (cleanandsafe@universitycity.org), or by calling UCD at 215-243-0555.

The Streets Department’s annual Fall Leaf Recycling Program will kick off Monday, Nov. 9 and run through Saturday, Dec. 19. Residents are encouraged to participate in bagged leaf drop-off at specially designated locations or mechanical leaf collection (or both).  Continue Reading

Philadelphia public schools will not return to in-class instruction until further notice, according to today’s announcement by the School District. The decision was made based on the most recent updates from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health (PDPH). There has been an upsurge in COVID-19 cases in the city in the past few weeks (740 new cases were reported on Nov. 5 – the highest daily increase since the beginning of the pandemic).

Last month, the School District announced a hybrid learning plan that would allow public school students from kindergarten through 2nd grade to return to classrooms two days a week across the city beginning Nov. 30. However, this plan has now been postponed indefinitely.  Continue Reading

The 2020 General Election voter turnout was high in the Philadelphia area, including in West Philly. Dozens of polling places were open in West Philadelphia for in-person voting and long lines were reported shortly after 7 a.m. on Tuesday at many voting locations in the area:

We’re visiting polling sites across West/Southwest Philly all day today. First up: Mt. Olivet Church on N. 41st.

Lines were already long but we came with masks and hand sanitizer to hand out. pic.twitter.com/LNmeBGwW53

— Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (@CouncilmemberJG) November 3, 2020

Lines considerably decreased by 9 a.m. and voting went quite smoothly.  Continue Reading

It’s General Election Eve and here are a few things to keep in mind about the big day tomorrow.

Those who haven’t voted early can vote in person tomorrow. There are dozens of polling places around West Philadelphia; to find your polling place, go here. Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Your ID is not required to vote unless you are voting for the first time or have recently moved. As long as you are in line by 8 p.m., you can vote.

Please note that these polling places are not for dropping off your mail or absentee ballot. You can still drop it off at one of the City’s Satellite Election offices created to help with mail-in voting (there are two offices in West Philly). You can also request a new mail ballot if yours hasn’t arrived yet, then fill it out and return it. These offices will stay open through Election Day. Their hours are 11:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., but they will accept dropped off ballots until 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Continue Reading

After one-day break (no curfew on Thursday), a citywide curfew has been declared for Philadelphia again starting tonight (Oct. 30) at 9 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. on Saturday. During this time, residents are allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, seek medical or emergency assistance, or drop off a mail-in ballot.

Heavier police presence can be seen this afternoon around 52nd Street in West Philadelphia. Also, as had been expected, the National Guard started arriving in the city today, following a few days of civil unrest as the result of the police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. on Monday: Continue Reading