#BILLYPENNGRAM OF THE DAY
Buttercream rowhome
(photo by @aimeebsiegel)
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Want to see your photo here? Tag #billypenngram on Instagram
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As Philly schools near in-person learning, parents are divided
The School District of Philadelphia will likely restart some form of in-person learning before the end of the academic year, according to Superintendent Hite, who said a plan might be unveiled next week. The city health department has given the green light, and the mayor said he hopes it happens. How do parents feel about it? Last time, they were divided, a Keystone Crossroads analysis found. Parents at wealthier schools were slightly more likely to choose in-person — but opinions depended more on individual institutions than socioeconomic status.
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Philadelphia top on Starbucks' community funding list
After the unwarranted arrest of two Black men hanging out in a Rittenhouse cafe three years ago became national news and sparked a company reckoning, Starbucks has had a fraught history in Philadelphia. With its shops still viewed by some as gentrification enablers, the coffee giant is working to make good in the city. Latest effort: a $100 million national "Community Resilience Fund" that'll support small biz and other projects in majority person-of-color neighborhoods. Per the Business Journal, Philly will be one of the first cities to benefit.
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New Gloria Casarez tribute appears near whitewashed mural
Last month a developer painted over a mural honoring local LGBTQ icon Gloria Casarez. This week, a queer street artist put up a new one just 50 feet away. Tiff Urquhart's larger-than-life wheatpaste depicts the civil rights leader’s face in warm jewel tones on a corner of the Franklin Inn Club. The club president told Billy Penn she wasn't sure how long it would be allowed to remain, but Mural Arts executive director Jane Golden was thrilled. Urquhart rushed to get the new work up quickly, saying of Casarez, "“She just needed something in her memory right away.”
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"Local journalism is critically important and Billy Penn has done great work!"
— new BP member Cheryl M. 🖋️
Things that won't change: We don't have a paywall and there's no subscription fee. Our nonprofit newsroom runs on reader support. If you value our coverage, please join as a member today. Any amount helps, and just $5/month means more than you'd think.
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Philly Quizzo Question of the Day 🎲
A casino opens next week in the South Philly sports complex. What is it called?
(Answer below; take the most recent online quiz here)
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Tracking COVID-19
At a glance (vs. a week ago)
Pennsylvania: cases ↑, positivity ↓
Philadelphia: cases ↑, positivity ↓
Summary: City count and positivity trends will become more clear as people settle back into post-holiday testing routines. Hospitalizations are slowly dropping in Philly and statewide, although deaths are now trending up (this usually lags other metrics by a couple weeks).
Vaccine
- Philly has given an average of 2,656 first doses/day over the past week, for 52,583 partial vaccinations (3.3% of the population), plus enough second doses for 10,869 total vaccinations (0.69%). [phila.gov]
- Outside the city, Pennsylvania is averaging 14,448 first doses/day, for 299,954 partial vaccinations (2.67% of the population), plus enough second doses for 21,291 total vaccinations (0.38%). [pa.gov]
Cases
- Philadelphia's rolling average is 594 new cases/day (10% higher than a week ago) out of an average 6,700 daily tests. • The city has recorded 102k positives out of 1.19M tests given. • Positivity rate in Philly is averaging 8.7%, three-tenths of a point down from a week ago. [phila.gov]
- Pa.'s rolling average is 8,237 new COVID cases/day, 11% higher than a week ago. • There have been 741k total positives out of 4.16M people tested. • Last week, statewide positivity rate averaged 14.4%, six-tenths of a point down from the week prior. [pa.gov]
Hospitalizations + deaths
- In the city, 576 people are hospitalized with COVID, with 88 on ventilators. • Since March, 2,671 Philadelphians are known to have died of the disease. • Over the past seven days 121 people in Philly died of COVID, 8% fewer than a week ago. [phila.gov]
- Statewide, 5,069 people are hospitalized with COVID, including 1,035 in the ICU. • Since March, 18,429 Pennsylvanians are known to have died of the disease. • Over the past seven days 1,515 people in Pa. died of COVID, 22% more than a week ago. [pa.gov]
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Sponsor message
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RECAP: What else happened?
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Sponsor message
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Philly Quizzo answer: Developed by Cordish, the casino is named "Live!" — exclamation point included.
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MAYOR WATCH: Jan. 14, 2021
Mayor Kenney joins DA Krasner and other officials to discuss the city's public safety measures ahead of the presidential inauguration (2 p.m.).
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ON THE CALENDAR
🎲 Billy Penn event: How well do you know this city? Join us live on Zoom at our monthly news and history quiz — winning team gets a prize. Philly Quizzo is free to play, but RSVP is required. (6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 27)
🚥 After decades of collecting, the founder of the Neon Museum of Philadelphia finally found a home last year. Instead of waiting any longer, the space launches with a virtual grand opening that's free to attend. (7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15)
📰 Remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for his media savvy, WHYY hosts a panel of Black Philly journalists to discuss how communities can leverage the news industry to advance civic interests. (1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 18)
👩🎤 Partner event: Drag cabaret Martha Graham Cracker is back with another virtual show. Tickets are pay what you wish. (8 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23)
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