Cedar Park Neighbors maintains on its website a comprehensive, constantly updated tally of COVID-19 information. Covered topics include restrictions on commercial and social activity, free food support, vaccination, testing, SEPTA, schools, financial assistance for renters and businesses, and links to other sources of information, all geared toward citizens of West Philadelphia in particular.
Click this link to reach the COVID-19 page on CPN's website. |
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RECENT COVID-19 CASE NUMBERS FOR PHILADELPHIA
Week of 04/02 - 04/09 (8 days due to city holiday on April 2):
New confirmed cases this week: 4025 (average of 575 cases/day)
Previous three weeks (earliest to most recent): 2749, 2736, 4027
Deaths this week: 42
Previous three weeks (earliest to most recent): 23, 38, 51
Vaccinations so far:
First Dose: 211,162 as of 4/16/21 4:28 p.m.
Second Dose: 438,422 as of 4/16/21 4:28 p.m.
Data are from Mon.-Fri. press briefings by the City and Department of Health, such as this one covering 04/10/21-04/12/21. These figures do not include "presumptive" new cases, a much smaller number of cases which are reported each day by the City. Vaccination data available here.
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You know the mantra:
- stay within your "bubble" as much as possible.
- wear a mask when outside (it's mandatory) and practice social distancing
- wash hands frequently for at least 20 seconds.
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MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE CITY'S "VACCINATION INTEREST" FORM. IT'S HOW YOU CAN REGISTER TO BE CONTACTED TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT FOR VACCINATION
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NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR CPN'S BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Are you interested in serving your community as a board member for Cedar Park Neighbors? We’re looking for new members to serve two-year terms that begin on June 1, 2021. Please email your nomination (name, email address, home or work street address, and why you wish to run for the board) to David Hincher, 1st Vice President.
Are you a long-time resident or have you recently moved to the neighborhood? Are you a renter, homeowner, or business owner? If you live or work in Cedar Park and want to help your community, consider running for your neighborhood board!
View the CPN map to check if you live or work in our boundaries (map link).
RESPONSIBILITIES OF CEDAR PARK NEIGHBORS BOARD MEMBERS
Cedar Park Neighbors is the registered community organization (RCO) for the Cedar Park area. As representatives of the community and the organization, CPN Board Members behave in a responsible, accountable organization, promoting the general welfare of the community. The basic responsibilities of a CPN Board Member are:
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Participation in monthly two-hour CPN Board Meetings, which are typically held the 3rd Monday of each month from 7:00-9:00pm. All meetings are virtual until further notice.
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Join a Committee (Scholarship, Zoning, Holiday Food Basket, Jazz, Communications, Transit, or start one that you feel is needed!)
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Encourage neighbors and friends to join CPN and participate in our activities
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Maintain your annual membership during your term
Please note that in order to stand for election as a CPN board member or to vote in the elections, you need to be a current CPN member. Click here to join (or renew membership) with CPN!
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TWO PUBLIC CPN ZONING COMMITTEE HEARINGS THIS WEEK
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The CPN Zoning Committee will hold two meetings regarding properties in the Cedar Park area. The public is invited to join remotely - Zoom info is given below:
Pentridge Station (5100 block Pentridge):
Tuesday Apr 20 @ 7 p.m.
Request from the folks at Pentridge Station to once again hold their summer pop-up beer garden at 5112-5120 Pentridge Street. They will also talk about proposed events in the fall.
Join via Zoom by clicking this link:
Omni America (5000 block Warrington)
Wednesday Apr 21 @ 6 p.m.
The team from Omni America returns for a public meeting hosted by Councilwoman Gauthier's office on their proposed project at 5000 Warrington Avenue. Omni has made revisions based on the feedback they received in February, and has requested the opportunity to present these updates to the community.
Please register if you’re interested in attending by clicking this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpde6vrzsqGN0bLMltjhReHPTBx6qrfXC5
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OPPORTUNITIES TO LOVE CEDAR PARK THIS SPRING
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We have more opportunities for others who love Cedar Park, enjoy working outdoors, and want to keep Cedar Park clean and green. There are signs of spring throughout the park. Take a walk and observe the trees and spring bulbs budding.
Future work days:
Remember to set your calendar to join us!
May 8 10:00 am – 1:00 pm LOVE YOUR PARK WEEK
June 12 10:00 am – noon
July 10 10:00 am – noon
We follow all safety health protocols. Volunteers must wear masks and will work on safely distanced tasks. All ages are welcome and no experience is necessary. It’s fun, good exercise, and you get to meet great neighbors.
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CPN DESIGNATES FOUR AWARDEES FOR $1000 GRANTS THROUGH UNIVERSITY CITY DISTRICT
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CPN recently participated in a grant program run by the University City District in which a total of $20,000 was allocated among five community organizations to be distributed as small grants ($1000 each) to local businesses. CPN was authorized to give out four grants. CPN is happy to have had this opportunity to drive some help to local businesses. Here are the names of the awardees:
Amari’s Restaurant
Indie-Life Media
Spinning Chairs Barber Shop
The Green Tambourine Music Studio
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STATEMENT BY CEDAR PARK NEIGHBORS ON RACIAL JUSTICE
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When: Wednesday Apr 28 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Where: Landsdowne Drive & Horticultural Drive, West Fairmount Park
Come learn the basics of mulching and planting trees with Stewardship Coordinators and natural lands experts Jason Mifflin and AeLin Compton! This in-person workshop will feature all the best practices of caring for the young trees in your park- including hands on demonstrations of properly planting and mulching trees.
This an in-person workshop, held outdoors and socially distant. Participants are required to pre-register and wear a face mask.
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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
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2021-2022 GARY BRONSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIPS
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CPN is working towards another successful campaign to fund more scholarships for local students.
Watch for announcements of the opening of application season.
The names of last year's ten winners of Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarships can be found on the CPN website.
For more information about the scholarship program, see our committee website. You can contribute to fundraising efforts for 2021 awards by donating to the scholarship fund online.
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The Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship was renamed in 2015 in honor of our visionary neighbor and friend, who founded this scholarship 30 years ago.
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The logs shown above - recovered during tree maintenance at The Woodlands - are from an Ailanthus tree that had naturally hollowed out, and the Woodlands staff thought it would make for a perfect play area for children. There are no plans to remove those logs anytime soon.
The installation is near the road not far from the entrance where Tiny Circus usually holds its performances during West Craft Fests.
Also: try out The Woodlands's new Tree Finder tool. For the first time, the over 1,000 trees living in the 54 acre Woodlands are listed in a public inventory. The Woodlands Tree Finder is a tool you can use on-site or at home. Trees are searchable by species, common name, inventory tree tag number, and by location. You can access the tree finder online here:
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When: Wednesday Apr 28 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Where: Landsdowne Drive & Horticultural Drive, West Fairmount Park
Come learn the basics of mulching and planting trees with Stewardship Coordinators and natural lands experts Jason Mifflin and AeLin Compton! This in-person workshop will feature all the best practices of caring for the young trees in your park- including hands on demonstrations of properly planting and mulching trees.
This an in-person workshop, held outdoors and socially distant. Participants are required to pre-register and wear a face mask.
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YOUTH OUTREACH
OFFICE OF CONGRESSMAN DWIGHT EVANS
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Congressman Dwight Evans's office announced several upcoming programs to which young people of the 3rd Congressional District are invited to apply:
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PRIMARY DAY IS MAY 18
FOUR BALLOT QUESTIONS INCLUDED
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Municipal Primary: May 18th. Elections will be held for a variety of judgeships, for Philadelphia District Attorney, for City Controller, and for Judge of Elections and Inspector of Elections in many wards.
There are also four ballot questions. Three are amendments to the State constitution affecting:
- law governing declaration of states of emergency
- prohibiting denial of equal rights based on race or ethnicity
The fourth is a statewide referendum "Making Municipal Fire and Emergency Medical Services Companies Eligible for Loans"
IMPORTANT DATES:
Last day to register to vote: May 3rd
Last day to request a mail-in ballot: May 11th (realistically, you should request it well before then)
Mail-in ballots and civilian absentee ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by May 18th.
Military and overseas absentee ballots must be received by the Board of Elections by May 25th.
Want to know more? The place to start is at the City Commissioners website, www.philadelphiavotes.com.
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This May 15 event is this year's West Philadelphia event.
COVID-19 has made this chore a little less convenient, but still do-able:
- You have to pick a designated 15-minute slot during which to arrive with your disposable hazardous waste.
- To do this, you have to first create an account and pre-register with the Streets Department at this website (it's pretty quick, and if you already have an account you can skip this step.)
- Log in and pick a time slot - the website will reflect the info back to you for confirmation.
- Confirm the appointment - Streets will send you an email as written confirmation.
NOTE: you can no longer bring old computers, printers, TVs, or other e-waste to these hazardous waste events - bring them instead directly to a Sanitation Convenience Center. There are two nearby in West Philly (5100 Grays Ave) and Southwest Philly (3033 S 63 St). You may need to show proof of residency in Philadelphia (e.g., Driver's License). Hours of operation are not listed on the website but there are phone numbers listed for each site.
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Written and directed by Rich Bradford
EXTENDED THRU APR 25
Pay-What-You-Can
SOLD OUT!!
But you can still sign up to be added to a waiting list in case of cancellations - call 215-921-8243 or email company@curiotheatre.org.
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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).
You may also be interested by Boost Your Mood, a series of pamphlets available from DBHIDS* and HealthyMindsPhilly. It covers a number of areas: Wellness Tips; Numbers to Know; Coping with COVID-19; Children, Youth, and Families; Community Support; and Addressing Trauma and Violence. You can read them on-line or print them as a single document.
* Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, City of Philadelphia
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May 8 2021: 13th Annual Oral Cancer Walk & 5K: sponsored by Penn Dental Medicine. Not so much "virtual" as "remote". Register here and click here for the event flyer.
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.
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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.
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Apr 19
May 17
Jun 21
Jul 19
Aug 16
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Sep 20
Oct 18
Nov 15
Dec 20
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Have a topic, concern, project, or initiative you would like to submit to Cedar Park Neighbors for a potential board meeting presentation? Contact us!
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