|
| What Philly's Talking About |
| Initial Approval for School District Budget Cuts | If the $225 million budget cuts get final approval, the district would eliminate 220 building substitute positions and reassign over 300 school-based roles. The cuts are intended to address the district’s budget deficit and prepare for rising costs over the next five years. [Chalkbeat] | - Related: The proposed cuts could be reduced if Mayor Parker’s $1 tax on rideshares is approved. [🎧 City Cast Philly]
| | Mandatory Life Sentences for Second-Degree Murders Overturned | The Pennsylvania Supreme Court unanimously declared that mandatory life without parole for second-degree murder convictions is unconstitutional under the state’s ban on cruel punishment. The ruling could potentially change the lives of over 1,000 people currently serving life sentences, but the state legislature would ultimately decide to apply the ruling retroactively. [Spotlight PA] | | PPA Violations Skyrocket Outside of Center City | The Philadelphia Parking Authority issued 104,643 citations for cars parked on sidewalks in neighborhoods outside Center City in 2024 and 2025. The PPA has also stepped up enforcement of vehicles blocking ramps and crosswalks. [🔒 The Inquirer] | | | What’s Philly Doing Wrong With Its Recycling? | Contamination, lack of trash cans, and miscommunication are among the biggest reasons why only 14% of recyclables are diverted from the landfill. Now, the city’s working to regain the public’s trust and prove that yes, Philly does recycle. [Green Philly] | |
|
|
|
| | | Skip the stress and keep the magic. Simply Eloped offers curated elopement and vow renewal packages in stunning destinations nationwide, so you can celebrate your love story, your way. |
|
|
|
| What To Know About Philly’s Superfund Sites |
|  | Superfund sites pose a high risk to the public and the environment. (Courtesy of Jordan Gass-Pooré) |
| The Philadelphia area is no stranger to pollutants from oil refineries and incinerators. And if you live along the Delaware River, you’re more likely to be exposed to hazardous waste sites. That’s true for Port Richmond, where a large, toxic black mound called the Franklin Slag Pile is being cleaned up after over two decades. But what exactly is this site, and what makes it so dangerous? | | What’s a Superfund Site? | The Franklin Slag Pile is an example of a “Superfund” site. Enacted by Congress in 1980, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (or Superfund) allows the EPA to decontaminate sites harmed by industries that released hazardous waste, substances, and materials. It holds violators accountable by requiring them either to clean up the site or to reimburse the government to do so. | | To be designated a Superfund site, the process begins with a notice of a hazardous release into the environment, followed by an evaluation process. Qualified sites are then placed on the National Priorities List, which collects contaminated sites that pose the most risk to the public and the environment. Once listed, more evaluations are done to determine how these sites can be best remediated. | | How Many Are in Philly? | Aside from the Franklin Slag Pile, the other Superfund site is the Metal Bank at Cottman and Delaware avenues. | | There were previously more Superfund sites in Philadelphia and the rest of Pennsylvania, many of which have now been cleaned up and designated for reuse. The redevelopment can come in the form of different projects, including green space, military use, or public service. | | However, in neighboring Camden County, New Jersey, nine Superfund sites pose an environmental risk for other communities in the larger Philadelphia region. | | What Can I Do? | You can search Superfund sites by location through the EPA’s database. There you can find Superfunds that are currently active, proposed, or have since been removed. | | Contact your legislators to voice concerns. Use these tools to find your: | | | You can form or join a Superfund Community Advisory Group to keep residents up to date on site activities and inform the EPA’s decision-making. | | For Port Richmond residents and concerned constituents, the EPA is hosting a virtual public meeting on April 29. The agency will also be present at a future Port Richmond Neighborhood Action meeting. Follow the page for updates. | | 🎧 Tune into today’s episode with reporter Jordan Gass-Pooré to learn more about plans to remediate the Franklin Slag Pile and why climate change is making Philly’s toxic sites more dangerous. | | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
