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MONDAY JAN 18 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - a day of remembrance and community service. It is also a City holiday. City offices and the Free Library are closed, and trash/recycling pickup will be delayed one day all week.


HEADLINES
 
CITY WILL ALLOW INDOOR DINING AND ALLOW THEATERS TO OPEN
The Free Library will also expand in-person services at some locations starting Jan 19.

CITY DEFINES ELIGIBLE GROUPS AND THEIR PRIORITY TO RECEIVE VACCINE

PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM OPENS UP AGAIN     [www.inquirer.com]
The rules have been tweaked to try to support small rather than large businesses. Follow the link (above) for an Inquirer article that covers these changes in detail.


SUPERINTENDENT HITE SAYS YOUNGEST STUDENTS MAY RETURN TO SCHOOL IN FEBRUARY    [www.inquirer.com]

"PHILLY FIGHTING COVID" OPENS MASS VACCINATION SITE IN THE CONSTITUTION CENTER, OFFERS ALERT SYSTEM 

INQUIRER-PROVIDED LIST OF MUSEUMS AND ATTRACTIONS THAT HAVE REOPENED    [www.inquirer.com]
Some require pre-registration, advanced ticket purchase,  or other limits.

GOV. WOLF ANNOUNCES LIFTING OF RECENT "TIME-LIMITED" RESTRICTIONS ON JAN 4







RECENT COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS FOR PHILADELPHIA:

Week of 01/09 - 01/015 (Sat to Fri)  (7 days):

New confirmed cases:   3875  (average of about 554 cases/day)
Deaths: 116
First Dose Vaccinations: 60,965  as of 1/14/21
Second Dose Vaccinations: 12,927  as of 1/14/21


Data are from press briefings by the City and Department of Health, such as this one covering 1/9 - 1/11/21. These figures do not include "presumptive" new cases, a much smaller number of cases which are reported each day by the City. Vaccination data now available here.



SPECIAL NEWSLETTER SECTIONS

COVID-19:

 CLICK HERE  to jump to the Newsletter's constantly changing COVID-19 update section.
CLICK HERE to jump to our Pandemic Virtual Events section.


CEDAR PARK HISTORY CHEST

CLICK HERE to jump to CPN's ongoing pictorial exploration of local history. 

PHILADELPHIA + BEYOND

CLICK HERE
to jump to our expanded news section  
You know the mantra:
  • stay indoors as much as possible.
  • wear a mask when outside (it's mandatory) and practice social distancing
  • wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
CPN'S ANNUAL HOLIDAY BASKET FOOD DRIVE

This year's Holiday Food Drive was a smashing success: a heartfelt "Thanks!" goes to all who participated. The Holiday Basket committee is continuing to distribute grocery store gift cards and CPN hopes to have final statistics available in an upcoming newsletter. 


UPDATE TO 12/17/20 ZONING MEETING - PROJECTED DEVELOPMENT AT 48TH AND CHESTER
 
A community meeting was held via Zoom on December 17, 2020, to review a project proposal for the site at 48th and Chester Avenue.  A large number of community members attended, and many issues were brought to the table.  At that time, the development team offered to return to the community on Thursday, January 14, 2021.  CPN has received this further communication from the team:
 
"We certainly received a lot of feedback on a number of issues and the entire development team is currently working on providing additional information and considering possible physical changes as was suggested.
 
I know that we had tentatively scheduled a second meeting for January 14th.    However, we are going to need some additional time in order to review and revise our plans and attempt to address some of the other issues raised and thus we are not going to be able to present on January 14th.
 
I will be back in touch once we are ready to again present to the entire community."
STATEMENT BY CEDAR PARK NEIGHBORS ON RACIAL JUSTICE
 

George Floyd, Rayshard Brooks, Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor - the list of racially motivated murders demands action. Black Lives Matter. The forces of change have motivated movements across the world, in our nation, and within our communities to fight for racial justice. This past Friday, June 19 was Juneteenth, commemorating June 19, 1865 when Union troops arrived in Galveston Bay, Texas to ensure that all enslaved people were freed. Freedom, though, does not guarantee racial equality. Cedar Park Neighbors supports the human rights initiatives and protections embedded in the Black Lives Matter movement. We stand with our black and brown neighbors!

- June 22 2020

CONGRATULATIONS TO
THE AWARDEES FOR THE 2020-2021 GARY BRONSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
Cedar Park Neighbors is happy to announce the recipients of our 2020-21 Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Awards. The names of this year's ten winners can be found on the CPN website.  We congratulate these  neighborhood students on their academic achievements, contributions to the community, and pursuit of their educational goals!

For more information about the scholarship program, see our committee website. You can also support our neighborhood students by donating to the scholarship fund online.
 
Donate
The Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship was renamed in 2015 in honor of our visionary neighbor and friend, who founded this scholarship 30 years ago.
Monday's schedule includes an opening greeting and a  dramatic reading of Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech at 10:00 a.m., followed throughout the day by a Dreamline Workshop; Transcribe-a-thon; "John Lewis: Good Trouble"; Black Art and Visions of Freedom; Athletes and Activism
PHILLY FIGHTING COVID OPENS UP MASS VACCINATION CENTER AND ALERT SYSTEM
 

Philly Fighting COVID (PFC), founded just this year, has opened a "mass vaccination" site at the Convention Center, in the same hall most recently used for vote tabulation. Working in conjunction with the Department of Public Health, the site is currently helping  carry out inoculation of health care workers, the first class of people scheduled to get the vaccine. However, they also offer access to an alert system where Philadelphians can sign up to "pre-commit" to get vaccinated. Getting the alert does not save you a "place in line" - but it lets you know when it's your turn, meaning people in your class are eligible to get vaccinated.

PFC warns that the site was initially having problems due to heavy demand, but they have requested more bandwidth.

The images shown at the top of this article are from a 1-minute video tour of the site. The entire video is visible here.

 


WAYS TO SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES

 
University City District (UCD) is sponsoring several programs to provide support to a number of local businesses and other institutions, including many in our area, during the pandemic.

You can donate to individual businesses and non-profits (sort of mini-GoFundMes) through the West Philly Forward program.

You can also support some businesses by buying gift packages through UCD's West Philly Favorites program. These packages are described as "curated series of gift packs filled with handcrafted and locally produced items from neighborhood small businesses". The program extends over four weeks beginning in mid-January. You can buy individual packs. up to two weeks before scheduled pick-up dates (the first pick-up date is Jan 29).  Visit this website for fuller details.
PREVENTION TRILOGY - A ZOOM EVENT ON PERSONAL SAFETY

COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR MENTAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH

COVID-19, lockdown, loss of income, loss of social interaction - it's a lot to cope with. Cedar Park Neighbors maintains here and on its website a list of resources that may help. We recommend those in our list because they are accepting of sliding-scale fees, especially for "self-pay" beneficiaries (those with minimal or no health care plan).

 
 
REGULAR WEEKLY UPDATE SECTION

This section of the CPN Newsletter will continue to highlight new developments in areas where the COVID-19 health emergency has had an impact on our lives. Additional details can be found on the  COVID-19 page on CPN's website, where it is just a click away.
CITY CURRENT RESPONSE TO INCREASING SPREAD OF CORONAVIRUS
You can read the fullest description of the current restrictions by following this link.to the city's revised "Safer at Home" plan. 

[UPDATE 1/15/21:]  On Jan 15, the Mayor and the Philadelphia Health Commissioner announced relaxation of restrictions on indoor dining and theaters, starting Saturday Jan 16th.  Read about it in the Health Department's public announcement..
WHERE TO FIND RELIABLE COVID-19 INFORMATION
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA INFORMATION RESOURCES:

The City's home page for COVID info:   https://www.phila.gov/COVID-19
"Reopening" guidance:    https://www.phila.gov/reopen
COVID Testing:    https://www.phila.gov/testing
Food support:    https://www.phila.gov/food

You can sign up for daily Coronavirus updates via text message: Text COVIDPHL to 888-777. The text messages will come from PHLOEM, Philadelphia's Office of Emergency Management.

The city's published list of priority groups and their order of receiving the vaccine can be found here.

Still further Philadelphia resources are described on the CPN website's COVID-19 page.

OTHER VALUABLE RESOURCES:

Other sources of information are available on the CPN website, including State of Pennsylvania, Federal, and some private sources.
TESTING
Where You Can Get Tested:
Start by using the City's COVID-19 test site finder. Note whether the site requires an appointment, and whether it has eligibility requirements for testing.

Some community organizations and religious institutions have created "pop-up" testing sites. These usually operate one or two days and can be best found by going through local social media. Other steady sources include the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium and Philadelphia FIGHT Community Health Centers.  In addition, the Department of Health posts these events on its COVID-19 web page.
FREE FOOD SUPPORT
[UPDATE 01/11/21:]  The School District's Friday food distribution has restarted  its regular schedule on Friday Jan 8.
 
.[UPDATE 01/11/21:] Some free food sites have closed and others have opened. Lists of both closed and recently opened sites are given in this city update.

GENERAL INFORMATION

The City, in partnership with the Philadelphia Corporation for the Aging and with Philabundance,  is operating or helping to support several different kinds of free food distribution sites (https://www.phila.gov/food/#/). These sites operate on different schedules and are aimed at different clienteles, but all serve the purpose of offering free access to food for those in need. All have been operating since early in the pandemic and continue to operate now.

YOU CAN FIND OUT THE LOCATION OF NEARBY SITES ON-LINE AT: https://www.phila.gov/food/#/. Some sites also list schedule information.

Families are encouraged to confirm locations and schedules by calling 311 or visiting phila.gov/food before their first visit to a site.. In some cases you may need to call the site to confirm the hours..

You can view further details and suggestions on the CPN website.
HELP FOR RENTERS
EVICTION MORATORIUMS

The eviction moratorium issued by the Federal government, through the CDC, was extended until Jan 31, 2021 upon signing of the recent COVID-19 Relief "stimulus" bill.

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA'S  EVICTION DIVERSION PROGRAM:
sets up a mandatory negotiation process in which tenants and landlords can try to reach an agreement that will help let tenants stay in their homes. The negotiation process is mandatory for all landlords. City council has extended this program until 3/31/2021.


EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

This program closed Nov 4 - no new applications for assistance are being accepted. However, you can still visit the website to check on status of an existing claim or to find out about "Phase 3" benefits


OTHER SUPPORT

For others looking for support, visit the website of phillytenant.org.
HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
[UPDATE 1/12/21:] PAYROLL PROTECTION PROGRAM (PPP) IS BACK

The new version of the law is both familiar and improved. Here's an Inquirer article about "8 things small businesses need to know."

Some highlights:

 
  • Eligible companies are those with 300 (not 500) or fewer employees, and
    can include sole-proprietors.
  • You still need to apply through an SBA-approved lender.
  • Loan forgiveness has been made easier on smaller loans.
  • You can count several more kinds of expenses.
  • Money has been set aside for loans in "Low to Moderate Income Areas"
 
THE NEW STIMULUS BILL: INFORMATION AND ADVICE FROM CONGRESSMAN EVANS'S OFFICE

The stimulus bill signed Dec 27 by President Trump contains provisions totaling $325 billion for small businesses, according to Congressman Dwight Evans.

The Congressman is making available a six-page fact sheet on the new legislation which was produced by the House Small Business Committee

The Congressman's office will also answer questions from small-business owners who call his office at 215-276-0340 asking about the provisions in the law and how they might apply.

Congressman Evans's office has also produced a one-page flyer summarizing some useful tax benefits that were made available through the CARES Act (the March 2020 stimulus).



THE GENERAL RESTRICTIONS NOW IN EFFECT

City restrictions temporarily prohibit certain business activities through at least Jan 15. Still included are: indoor dining,  indoor gatherings, colleges, and movie theatres and other inside performance spaces. Numerous other activities (including gyms, casinos and theatres) were allowed to resume as of Jan 4. Follow the link (above) for more complete details. Indoor dining is expected to be permitted at 25-50% capacity on Jan 15 - official word will be given on Tuesday Jan 12.



COMCAST RISE:
A three-year plan to provide grants and business services to small businesses

The second round of applications is now open until Feb 7 2021. Monitor the website for announcements.



OTHER FORMS OF GRANTS AND LOANS:
You'll find these described in more detail on the CPN website:


FILING FOR A USE AND OCCUPANCY TAX REFUND

Follow the link (above) for instructions. This is targeted specifically at business owners who have paid U&O taxes covering a period during which they could not operate their business premises due to COVID-19 closures. It can include the portion of restaurants and bars used for indoor dining 

Filing for a partial refund of Use & Occupancy Tax can now be based on unused portions of bars and restaurants due to restrictions on indoor dining.
CITY TAXES
The city has a number of programs under which financially stressed residents and businesses can set up payment plans for taxes (including real estate taxes, school taxes, business income taxes, and water bills). Follow this link for the city's introductory website to these programs.
SEPTA - PATCO - PennDOT

Riders on all of SEPTA's services must wear face masks or face coverings and must practice social distancing where possible.
 
Effective midnight Sunday Dec 13, the trolley tunnels will be closed between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. seven days a week. "OWL Bus Service" will be available at 40th Street. Above-ground, trolleys will still operate on their normal routes in West and Southwest Philadelphia. This affects routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36.

SEPTA is now running "Owl Bus Service" on weekends between the hours of 12:30 a.m. and 5:30 a.m., ending overnight service on the Market-Frankford El and Broad Street Subway

Use the following links to keep informed of other service changes for SEPTA, PATCO, and PennDOT:

SEPTA's home page
SEPTA's COVID-19 page
PATCO: Check this website for updates on PATCO schedules
PennDOT: visit this link and select Driver and Vehicle Services.

 
SCHOOLS
 VIRTUAL INSTRUCTION CONTINUES IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT

[UPDATE 01/15/21:]  Superintendent Hite is revisiting a plan to return the youngest students to in-person teaching:
 Some Philly students will likely return to in-person learning in February, superintendent says    [www.inquirer.com]

GETTING CONNECTED:
 
This is the City’s plan to ensure all children have effective and reliable internet access to permit them to access virtual learning.

City of Philadelphia Launches “PHLConnectED” to Connect K-12 Students to the Internet
 
Parents can get information regarding PHLConnectED by dialing 211
 
MASKS:

Children in Pennsylvania schools (all types) will need to wear masks at all times

ACCESS CENTERS

The City has opened 88 Access Centers throughout the City to provide a learning environment for those children who cannot take advantage of virtual learning at home.  Further details can be found via the CPN web site.

 
LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS
Clark Park :
Hours are:
9:30-10:0 for seniors and immunocompromised shoppers
10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for general commerce

Rittenhouse:
Market is back on regular Saturday schedule. Hours are Saturday 10 a.m.- 2 p.m., with 10 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. reserved for seniors and immuno-compromised customers.
 
VIRTUAL EVENTS
Prevention Trilogy: hosted on Zoom by the Holly Street Neighbors CDC.
See the flyer (elsewhere in this Newsletter) or download it at this site.

Free Library of Philadelphia: The Free Library of Philadelphia now maintains a calendar of virtual events and programming!

John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge:  leads live nature programs on its Facebook page every Tuesday and Thursday until further notice.

Ahimsa House: Ahimsa House is holding some virtual classes, including a poetry reading and a silent meditation. Click to their website for details.

Cedar Park History Chest
1965-08-03: Philadelphia Evening Bulletin photo captioned, "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., addresses street corner rally at 40th and Lancaster Avenue." via Temple Urban Archives.
1965-08-03: Philadelphia Evening Bulletin article on Dr. King's visit. Full article can be viewed and expanded via Temple University's "Civil Rights in a Northern City: Philadelphia" collection.
Philadelphia + Beyond

CPN Board Meeting 2021 Schedule


NOTE: public meetings including public sessions of the Board Meetings are cancelled until further notice due to the ongoing health emergency. The CPN Board will continue to meet in virtual fashion each month. The schedule below is informational only. 
Watch this space for the CPN Board's schedule of 2021 meetings.
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