SEPTA has been on strike since midnight due to failed negotiations between its workers’ union and the agency (negotiations will resume this afternoon). Due to the strike, all SEPTA service in the city was shut down, which means that SEPTA City bus, trolley, Market Frankford Line, and Broad Street Line services are suspended. Regional Rail service has not been affected by the strike. Visit SEPTA’s Service Interruption Guide for more information.

Here’s some other important information regarding the strike:

• City government will remain open for business.
• Public schools are open.
• Parking is prohibited on both sides of Broad Street, from Spring Garden to South Street.
• Bus Zones may be used by any vehicle to drop-off and pick-up passengers. Vehicles may not be left unattended.
The City will provide a free shuttle for City employees along the Broad St line and Market Frankford line. All riders must show proof of city employment.
• Non-city employees are encouraged to work with their employers for alternate transportation plans and strategies.
• Jurors are also allowed to take the employee shuttle with proper documentation and photo ID, and will receive direction when they call to confirm their reporting times.

Good news for SEPTA customers: A few months after introducing the SEPTA Key Early Adopters program, which allows customers to purchase cards that work as monthly or weekly TransPasses, SEPTA has announced the roll-out of “Quick Trip” – single trip tickets for Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines.

A Quick Trip is a disposable magnetic strip ticket that customers can swipe at new Key turnstiles. A Quick Trip is valid for one-way travel from the station where it is purchased, and must be used on the day it is purchased. Station and date-of-purchase details are printed on the ticket.

The addition of the Quick Trip feature gives riders the option to purchase their fare in the station without worrying about having a token or exact change beforehand.

There is no discount for a Quick Trip – the regular one-way transit cash fare of $2.25 applies. Also, a Quick Trip cannot be used in combination with a transfer. However, SEPTA customers can use their debit and credit cards for single-trip purchases at station kiosks, and riders who use cash will receive change if they don’t have exact fare.  Continue Reading

The school year has just begun, but we have our first early dismissal due to lingering hot weather. The School District of Philadelphia has announced that all public schools will dismiss at noon on Friday, Sept. 9 due to the high temperatures forecasted for tomorrow (the temperatures are expected to reach the mid-90s). All after-school activities including all athletic programs and professional development classes scheduled for Friday are also canceled as well. All District early childhood centers will remain open as per their regular schedule.

All Archdiocesan schools will also dismiss at noon this Friday.

Check out this DNC Donkey at The Porch at 30th Street Station (Photo West Philly Local).

As Philadelphia is preparing for the 2016 Democratic National Convention (DNC), here’s some useful info for the locals. Approximately 50,000 participants among delegates, media, and other attendees, are expected at the event, which will be held at the Wells Fargo Center on July 25-28. By the way, many guests will be staying in University City hotels. Also, The Daily Show will be at the Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut St) from July 26-29 (in total, four episodes will be filmed there!). Unfortunately, general public tickets have already been sold out.

All city services are expected to operate as scheduled during the event, and Philadelphia Police, Fire and EMS services will not be impacted by the DNC. The City has created a special DNC web page with the Convention news and official information, city service updates and changes, and things to see and do.  Continue Reading

The Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) is conducting a tap water lead testing program and is seeking participants.

The program will run from July to December 2016, in advance of PWD’s regular water testing for lead under EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule, which is scheduled for 2017.

The 2016 lead testing program will check a minimum of 50 homes from what is categorized as Tier 1 (homes considered more likely to have lead in the plumbing). PWD is making efforts to increase the number of sampling sites to provide more data for assessment under this program, and residents interested in learning more about PWD’s programs should go to www.phila.gov/water/lead for additional information.  Continue Reading

The first excessive heat warning of the summer has been issued as the temperatures are expected to reach 94 degrees (with the humidity it will feel like 107!). Philadelphia Health Commissioner Thomas Farley has issued a heat warning for Wednesday, July 6, through Friday, July 8 in conjunction with the National Weather Service’s excessive heat warning for the area.

The warning has activated the city’s special summer heat programs, including home visits by special field teams, the monitoring of the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging’s ‘Heatline’, enhanced daytime outreach for the homeless, and the City’s effort to encourage the public to look in on older friends, relatives, and neighbors.

The ‘Heatline’ (215-765-9040) will be open from 9 a.m. until midnight, on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.

“We strongly urge the public to visit older friends, relatives and neighbors to ensure that air conditioners or fans are working and homes are adequately ventilated. In a heat wave, the majority of the victims are older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions,” Health Commissioner Farley said in a statement.  Continue Reading