City Cast Philly
🍕 Your guide to Philly’s pizza scene
August 15, 2023
Good morning, neighbor. SEPTA begins mandatory safety training this week for all its employees, following a series of recent crashes. Tell us your SEPTA ‘horror stories’ and what you think Philly’s public transit system could be doing better! 🚌
What's CITY Talking About?
🐘 Republicans Back David Oh
Philly hasn’t had a Republican mayor since 1952. But GOP mayoral nominee David Oh is going to try to break that losing streak, with support from the local Republican party. Oh's backers are hosting a fundraiser for him today at the Union League. These fundraising events typically don’t start until after Labor Day, according to the candidate. In November, he'll face Democratic nominee Cherelle Parker. [Inquirer🔒]
🚃 Connecting SEPTA and Amtrak
30th Street Station is undergoing a $400 million reconstruction project to restore an underground tunnel that connects the Market-Frankford line to the Amtrak station. Currently, passengers must navigate a traffic-dense roadway with few signs. The project aims to make the stations more accessible, particularly for people with disabilities. As of now, there’s no estimated timeline for completion. [Billy Penn]
💰 Philly UBI Pilot Underway
Two groups of Philly parents who are enrolled in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program are receiving $500 a month, in addition to their current benefits. The Guaranteed Resources Optimize Wellbeing (GROW) study will evaluate how many people in each group are able to secure full-time employment by the end of the program. Families received their first payments on June 17. A final report will be released next summer. [PhillyVoice]
🚴🏽 Is Philly Bike-Friendly?
Philly was recently named the 4th Best Place to Bike in America, according to a bike safety nonprofit. But is this city actually bike-friendly? Local bicycle crash and safe street lawyers share how you can stay safe as a cyclist in Philly. [City Cast Philly 🎧]
What To Do
😹 Comedy | Tuesday | 6 p.m.
Get your daily dose of laughter at Abyssinia. [free, West Philly]
🎉 Night Market | Wednesday | 5 p.m.
Join South Street Headhouse district for a market featuring food trucks and local vendors. [pay-as-you-go, South Philly]
🛍️ Thrift Day | Thursday | 5 p.m.
Celebrate National Thrift Day by shopping from local thrift vendors at Victory Brewing Company. Live music on the roof. [pay-as-you-go, Logan Square]
🛼 Skate Party | Friday | 11 p.m.
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop on wheels at Philly SkatePlex. Featuring 3 Djs. [$16-$21, Northeast Philly]
Today on City Cast
Date Night ABCs in Philly
Let’s be real, it's easy to fall into a rut when it comes to creative date nights. Host Trenae Nuri talks with Manisha and Gabe Maday, the couple behind the account Philly Date Ideas, who are curating 26 Philly-only date ideas using the TikTok “alphabet dating” trend. They're already up to the letter 'J'!
Talk to you tomorrow, friend!
- Brittany Valentine
This newsletter was edited by Laura Benshoff.
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