🚴 City Hall bike lanes are in jeopardy

🧳 Let’s Plan Your Friend’s Day in Philly

How many times have you gotten a message from an acquaintance saying, “Hey, I’m going to be in your city. What should I do? Where should I stay? What should I eat?” Instead of racking your brain trying to think of recommendations, send them this episode with our itinerary ideas for a quick visit to Philly. [🎧 City Cast Philly]

🏨 Hotel Workers Go on Strike

If those friends plan on visiting soon, they may have to explore alternative lodging options if they don’t want to cross a picket line. Room attendants, cooks, and other hospitality workers from Center City hotels are on strike, advocating for better pay ahead of the expected influx of tourists next year. Hospitality union Unite Here Local 274 has alerts for which hotels are having labor disputes. [CBS Philly]

🚴 Future of City Hall Bike Lane Now Uncertain

Despite the fact that construction has already begun on new bike lanes surrounding City Hall, Councilmember Jeffrey Young Jr. pulled his support for his own bill authorizing the project. The future of the lanes, and what this means for money already spent, are unclear. [🔒 The Inquirer]

❤️‍🩹 Overdose Deaths on the Decline

Final numbers have yet to be calculated, but 2025 is on track to have for the first time in nine years fewer than 1,000 overdoses. Service providers credit expanded access to Narcan and wellness resources. [Billy Penn]

• Related: All 61 Philadelphia fire stations have Narcan distribution boxes on the exterior of their buildings. Anyone can take as much free Narcan as needed. [City of Philadelphia]

Each year the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission approves new historical markers commemorating significant figures, places, and events in Pennsylvania history. Next year Pennsylvania is getting 45 new plaques, and 13 of those will be in Philly. So what’s the criteria for eligibility and who gets to make a nomination?

Who or What Qualifies

Anyone, even if you’re in middle school, can nominate a person, place, event, organization, or innovation that made a significant impact in its time. Said impact cannot just be hyperlocal or regional, but should have wider implications statewide and/or nationally.

For example, abolitionist William Still lived in Philadelphia and most of his work was done here, but his role in the Underground Railroad and the anti-slavery movement had a lasting impact beyond the city. Hence why a marker commemorating him was eligible (and later approved).

Markers for living people are not allowed. The nominee must be dead for a minimum of five years (with exception given to U.S. presidents and Pennsylvania governors).

How To Apply

Make sure that what you want to commemorate doesn’t already have a plaque by searching the PHMC database.

Gather your materials to build your case as to why your nomination should be approved. You’ll want clear documentation of primary (letters, legal documents, newspapers from that time period) and secondary (biographies, textbooks) sources.

If you want to strengthen your application, consider partnering with a local historical society, libraries, colleges, or a cultural organization that could provide expertise and resources.

PHMC recommends you consider questions like:

• What was the cause and effect?
• What was the subject’s lasting impact in history?
• What role did the subject play in the cultural, societal, and/or political spheres in its time?

Next, complete a pre-application form and email it to [email protected] by Jan. 15. This form requests details such as contact information, a brief summary of the subject matter’s impact, and whether any other organizations helped prepare the research.

After that, you’ll need to complete a Significance and Documentation worksheet. You’ll use the research you’ve gathered to summarize in one to three sentences (or 100 words) what the subject you’re nominating is and why it matters. You must also cite at least three sources, one being a primary source.

Create an account on PA-SHARE to submit a draft application for initial feedback by Feb. 15. A final application must be submitted through the site by April 1. These are the annual deadlines. All forms and guidance can be found here.