Philadelphians may soon have protective face masks available at their fingertips, thanks to two companies looking to bring PPE vending machines to the city. New York City-based startup Rapid Mask2Go said Philly could be second behind NYC to get its new KN95 mask dispensers. “We are working with a few locations in Philadelphia,” co-founder David Edelman told Billy Penn. If those locations are privately owned, Edelman wouldn’t have to jump through many hoops to make it happen. Vending machine operators need a commercial activity license, according to L&I spokesperson Karen Guss, which is...…Philadelphians may soon have protective face masks available at their fingertips, thanks to two companies looking to bring PPE vending machines to the city. New York City-based startup Rapid Mask2Go said Philly could be second behind NYC to get its new KN95 mask dispensers. “We are working with a few locations in Philadelphia,” co-founder David Edelman told Billy Penn. If those locations are privately owned, Edelman wouldn’t have to jump through many hoops to make it happen. Vending machine operators need a commercial activity license, according to L&I spokesperson Karen Guss, which is...WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. If you’ve spent time outside this summer — which you probably have, since it’s one of the only safe things to do during the pandemic — you’ve almost definitely seen them. The spotted creepy crawlies with vibrant red coloring or high-contrast black and white dots and spindly, spider-like legs are everywhere right now. They’re spotted lanternfly nymphs, and, yes, they jump around like popcorn, complicating efforts to squash or brush them away. There might also be more of them than ever before. The...…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. If you’ve spent time outside this summer — which you probably have, since it’s one of the only safe things to do during the pandemic — you’ve almost definitely seen them. The spotted creepy crawlies with vibrant red coloring or high-contrast black and white dots and spindly, spider-like legs are everywhere right now. They’re spotted lanternfly nymphs, and, yes, they jump around like popcorn, complicating efforts to squash or brush them away. There might also be more of them than ever before. The...WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Restaurants have been one of the hardest-hit sectors of the U.S. economy. They may also be among the last businesses allowed to return to normal operations. That hasn’t stopped industry professionals from thinking toward the future. One option chefs and restaurant owners have been poring over is utilizing outdoor space to safely expand capacity. The tactic is being deployed in cities and towns across the globe — and thanks to the time of year, it’s also a potential option in Philadelphia. Whether...…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Restaurants have been one of the hardest-hit sectors of the U.S. economy. They may also be among the last businesses allowed to return to normal operations. That hasn’t stopped industry professionals from thinking toward the future. One option chefs and restaurant owners have been poring over is utilizing outdoor space to safely expand capacity. The tactic is being deployed in cities and towns across the globe — and thanks to the time of year, it’s also a potential option in Philadelphia. Whether...WW…

Sporting surgical masks, cloth masks, and an Elmo head mask, the Positive Movement Entertainment drumline this weekend marched through South Philly streets and went viral — again. Drumline founder Tony “Tone” Royster, who is the subject of a , said almost didn’t happen. The troupe had recently been at the receiving end of some social media hate, he told Billy Penn, and had been stopped by police because of coronavirus restrictions when marching in Germantown earlier. Royster decided to go for it anyway. “Something was like, ‘Let’s just march two blocks and see how it goes.'” During that...…Sporting surgical masks, cloth masks, and an Elmo head mask, the Positive Movement Entertainment drumline this weekend marched through South Philly streets and went viral — again. Drumline founder Tony “Tone” Royster, who is the subject of a , said almost didn’t happen. The troupe had recently been at the receiving end of some social media hate, he told Billy Penn, and had been stopped by police because of coronavirus restrictions when marching in Germantown earlier. Royster decided to go for it anyway. “Something was like, ‘Let’s just march two blocks and see how it goes.'” During that...WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Tony “Tone” Royster and the Positive Movement Entertainment drumline (you know, the one with the Elmo) were driving to their first-ever gig in the Poconos on Wednesday afternoon. It was to be a surprise birthday party parade. That’s a request PME has been getting more and more since social distancing began foiling traditional b-day plans. In fact, since the pandemic hit, the troupe is busier than ever. But PME’s inaugural Poconos performance was special for more reasons than its novelty and distance...…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Tony “Tone” Royster and the Positive Movement Entertainment drumline (you know, the one with the Elmo) were driving to their first-ever gig in the Poconos on Wednesday afternoon. It was to be a surprise birthday party parade. That’s a request PME has been getting more and more since social distancing began foiling traditional b-day plans. In fact, since the pandemic hit, the troupe is busier than ever. But PME’s inaugural Poconos performance was special for more reasons than its novelty and distance...WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. There’s usually no reason for police to stop on the 3700 block of North 15th Street. On a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, friends and neighbors communed on porches and came home from work while children played near a basketball court. Many residents didn’t realize it was the one year anniversary of the shootout that briefly but significantly disrupted their lives — and brought intense media focus to the close-knit block. “This is an up-and-coming Black middle class community,” Cynthia Muse said. “Every...…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. There’s usually no reason for police to stop on the 3700 block of North 15th Street. On a cloudy Wednesday afternoon, friends and neighbors communed on porches and came home from work while children played near a basketball court. Many residents didn’t realize it was the one year anniversary of the shootout that briefly but significantly disrupted their lives — and brought intense media focus to the close-knit block. “This is an up-and-coming Black middle class community,” Cynthia Muse said. “Every...WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Philadelphia Free Library President and Director Siobhan Reardon has resigned after 12 years of leading the city literary institution. Reardon submitted a letter of resignation to the chairs of the library’s board of trustees and board of directors on Thursday. “After careful consideration I have made the decision to step aside from my position as president & director of the Free Library of Philadelphia and to work with the foundation to plan a transition as president of the foundation,” Reardon...…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Philadelphia Free Library President and Director Siobhan Reardon has resigned after 12 years of leading the city literary institution. Reardon submitted a letter of resignation to the chairs of the library’s board of trustees and board of directors on Thursday. “After careful consideration I have made the decision to step aside from my position as president & director of the Free Library of Philadelphia and to work with the foundation to plan a transition as president of the foundation,” Reardon...WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Three months ago, the 2020 presidential race was the most important story of the year. The Democratic field was a multi-headed hydra, the caucuses were packed and the debate stage was a battleground for the national zeitgeist. Then the coronavirus happened. Elections were postponed. Millions lost their jobs. Virtually overnight, the nation faced its most sudden economic gutpunch in modern history. Politics? Who had time for politics anymore? At the same time, government actions took center state....…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. Three months ago, the 2020 presidential race was the most important story of the year. The Democratic field was a multi-headed hydra, the caucuses were packed and the debate stage was a battleground for the national zeitgeist. Then the coronavirus happened. Elections were postponed. Millions lost their jobs. Virtually overnight, the nation faced its most sudden economic gutpunch in modern history. Politics? Who had time for politics anymore? At the same time, government actions took center state....WW…

💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. A decade ago, Cameron Jones knew almost nothing about Philadelphia. The 30-year-old grew up in D.C., then spent his teen years in Tampa. As an adult, he wanted to move back north. While researching his options, he fell in love with Philly. “The more I found out about the history and the culture and the sheer number of very strange things that happen here, the more I wanted to live here,” Jones told Billy Penn. Thanks to “intense” online research and conversations on social media, he knew a ton about...…💌 Love Philly? Sign up for to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. A decade ago, Cameron Jones knew almost nothing about Philadelphia. The 30-year-old grew up in D.C., then spent his teen years in Tampa. As an adult, he wanted to move back north. While researching his options, he fell in love with Philly. “The more I found out about the history and the culture and the sheer number of very strange things that happen here, the more I wanted to live here,” Jones told Billy Penn. Thanks to “intense” online research and conversations on social media, he knew a ton about...WW…

A lifelong Fishtowner stood with about 30 people behind a wall of police, opposite a Tuesday rally decrying . The rally was also connected to the sweeping protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans at the hands of police. Talking to Billy Penn, the Fishtown resident wondered aloud why the protests were in Philly. “This didn’t even happen here,” Clifford, who did not give his last name, said of Floyd’s death. “Why are we picking on the cops in Philadelphia?” West Philly native Sam Sessoms helped organize a different march down 52nd Street earlier that same day....…A lifelong Fishtowner stood with about 30 people behind a wall of police, opposite a Tuesday rally decrying . The rally was also connected to the sweeping protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd and other Black Americans at the hands of police. Talking to Billy Penn, the Fishtown resident wondered aloud why the protests were in Philly. “This didn’t even happen here,” Clifford, who did not give his last name, said of Floyd’s death. “Why are we picking on the cops in Philadelphia?” West Philly native Sam Sessoms helped organize a different march down 52nd Street earlier that same day....WW…