Need a roundup of the local news impacting Kensington?
To increase community information, Kensington Voice is publishing weekly news briefs on Mondays (except on holidays). There will be a monthly roundup in our print newspaper, too.
Here’s this week’s roundup below.
- On Feb. 16, City Council passed District 7 Councilmember Quetcy Lozada’s four resolutions. One resolution allows the Council’s Committee on Public Safety to hold public hearings about the open-air drug market in Kensington. Another calls for a “Marshall Stabilization and Recovery Plan” to address the public health crisis in Kensington. For the full story, click here.
- The federal tax deadline is April 18, 2023. Several neighborhood organizations like Ceiba and HACE offer free tax preparation services to low-income filers. Click here to book an appointment with Ceiba. To make an appointment with HACE, call 215-426-8025 or email jmartinez@hacecdc.org.
- GALAEI and The West Philly Bunny Hop are teaming up for a free food and resource distribution every last Thursday of the month. Starting on Feb. 23, the distribution will take place at GALAEI’s building located at 118 Fontain St. Masks are encouraged, and the site is wheelchair accessible.
- Looking to buy a home and need closing cost assistance? According to HACE’s newsletter, Citizens Bank is offering homebuyers up to $10,000 with no strings attached. For more information, call HACE at 215-426-8025 or 215-437-7867.
- Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia (CSFP) is accepting scholarship applications for the 2023-2024 school year until March 1: www.csfphiladelphia.org/scholarships/. CSFP serves K-8th grade students attending tuition-based schools. The scholarships are need-based and awarded by random lottery.
- Norris Square Community Alliance’s COVID-19 testing partnership with Philadelphia FIGHT is ending. The last day for testing is Tuesday, Feb. 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m at 174 Diamond St.
- Kensington’s Cantina La Martina opened its doors on Feb. 22, 2022, which also happens to be National Margarita Day. On Wednesday, Chef Dionicio Jimenez is hosting a celebration that he’s dubbed “Dos” to celebrate the start of his second year in business and in the spirit of the 2/22/22 anniversary. There will be several specials that riff off of the number two at the restaurant at 2800 D St. To learn more about Cantina La Martina’s origins, click here.
- Taller Puertorriqueño’s annual Arturo A. Schomburg Symposium “Colorism: Shades of Oppression, Inclusivity, and Power” takes place this Friday and Saturday. The event is free for students and community members. Reserve your ticket online here.
- The Block Gives Back is asking for nominations for its annual street cleaning and block party initiative, “4 Blocks in 4 Weeks.” The goal is to get youth involved each Saturday this April. To nominate your block, email TheBlockGivesBack@gmail.com or fill out this form.
- For those wondering, SEPTA’s Market-Frankford Line Painting Project is moving through Front Street and Kensington Avenue. It is the 100th anniversary of the Frankford section of the line. The project includes sandblasting and painting the steel beams on the east end of the line “SEPTA Blue.” SEPTA doesn’t expect service interruptions. On the street level, construction crews are maintaining two lanes of traffic and pedestrian traffic.
Please send any news or press releases to editors@kensingtonvoice.com.
Editors: Siani Colón Designer: Zari Tarazona
