Half-price clothing sale
The Classroom Thrift Shop, 4301 Tyson Ave., sponsored by the women of Temple Menorah Keneseth Chai, will hold its half-price clothing sale through Dec. 6.
Shop hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. ••
Daily park hours change
The city Department of Philadelphia Parks and Recreation announced that, through March 31, the following areas will be closed daily from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.: Wissahickon Valley, East and West Fairmount Park, Cobbs Creek Park, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park, Tacony Creek Park, Poquessing Creek Park, Bartram’s Garden and Pennypack Park.
All trails, parking lots and other areas in these parks will be closed to all pedestrian, bicycle, equestrian and vehicular traffic. The expanded closing hours are being implemented to ensure public safety as deer control activities are being conducted in these parks.
The parks are open from dawn to dusk. ••
Nazareth improves cardiac care
In an effort to help its physicians provide faster and more efficient cardiac care to Philadelphia-area residents, Nazareth Hospital announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art cardiac catheterization X-ray lab from Philips Healthcare.
Nazareth will now be able to conduct minimally invasive procedures on the new system to treat a wide range of clinical problems including coronary artery disease — a leading cause of heart disorders in the U.S. These catheter-based procedures may reduce the risks and recovery time found in traditional surgical approaches. The benefits of catheter-based interventions include shorter hospital stays, reduced recovery time without the pain of a large incision and less visible surgical scarring.
For more information, call 866-NAZARETH. ••
Zoom history meeting tonight
The Friends of Northeast Philadelphia History Network is holding a Zoom meeting on Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 p.m.
The topic is Sandy Run and the Holmesburg Water Works. The speaker is Adam Levine, a Philadelphia Water Department historian.
Join at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88370950899?pwd=SWI1cTRGakdEODhMYmFyeG85ZG8vZz09.
The meeting ID is 883 7095 0899. The passcode is 505603. ••
Virtual Christmas Tea on Sunday
Redemption Lutheran Church, 8001 Bustleton Ave., will hold a digital Victorian Christmas Tea on Sunday Dec. 6, at 2 p.m.
When you register, you will receive in the mail a packet with recipes, recommendations, tea and a craft to help you get ready for this at-home tea experience. There will be readings, carols, fellowship and a talk from Bishop Patricia Davenport.
To register, call 215-342-2085 or visit www.redemptionphiladelphia.org/tea. Admission is $10. ••
Donate a toy
The annual Roxanne’s Run will not take place, as usual, at American Legion Cpl. John Loudenslager Post 366.
Instead, Roxanna Gambino Schroeder and the HellRaisers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club will collect toys and deliver them before Christmas.
To donate a toy, call 215-626-1723. ••
Apply to work at USPS
The United States Postal Service is seeking applications for carrier assistant positions in Philadelphia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
There is no fee to apply for a position with the postal service. Free information about career opportunities with the postal service is available at http://usps.com/careers.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and pass a background investigation and medical assessment. ••
Mechanical leaf collection continues
Mechanical leaf collection continues in portions of the Northeast.
All leaves should be raked in the street to the curb’s edge by 7 a.m. Move your vehicle to an off-street parking location.
The schedule is:
• Thursday, Dec. 3: Bustleton Avenue to Roosevelt Boulevard, from Grant Avenue to Lott Street; Orchard Lane to Clarendon Avenue, from Knights Road to Crestmont Avenue
• Friday, Dec. 4: Frankford Avenue to State Road, from Grant Avenue to Linden Avenue
For more information, visit http://www.philadelphiastreets.com/leaves or call 311. ••
Wolf signs Karen’s Law
State Sen. John Sabatina announced Gov. Tom Wolf signed his Karen’s Law legislation.
Officially Karen’s Law was signed as the House companion bill sponsored by Rep. Martina White.
Karen’s Law is named after Karen Widdoss-Milewski, a constituent Sabatina’s.
“It’s a great feeling to turn something so horrific into something so positive,” she said. “This will help thousands of survivors.”
Karen’s Law affects parole application eligibility for inmates deemed sexually violent predators or sentenced under one of the violent or sexual offenses listed in the legislation, allowing the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole to increase the time between parole hearings from one year to three years.
Sabatina first met Widdoss-Milewski in 2017 when she came into his office to discuss her situation and the re-victimization she faced on an annual basis. He introduced the legislation then. In 2019, White joined Sabatina in pushing for Karen’s Law, which accelerated the process with bipartisan and bicameral support.
Sabatina thanked White for sponsoring the House companion bill. ••
Old Sears site being redeveloped
Colliers Retail recently sold the former Sears, a 237,151-square-foot, three-story retail property at 2201 Cottman Ave.
Abrams Realty and Development and Bock Development will redevelop the site, which sold for $28.75 million, as the “Court at Cottman.”
The Sears closed in April 2018. ••
Military relief program extended
State Sen. John Sabatina Jr. announced Senate Bill 1076 was signed into law by Gov. Tom Wolf. The bill extends the Military Family Relief Assistance Program. Created in 2005, MFRAP provides grants up to $3,500 to Pennsylvania service members and their families in need.
“Since the program began almost $2 million has reached military families in need,” said Sabatina, who was a co-prime sponsor of this legislation. “The program was set to expire this year. We could not have let that happen under any circumstance. But now, in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s simply unthinkable to let this expire.”
The program offers grants to service members who experienced a sudden loss of income or assets as a result of military service; emergency child care needs; natural or manmade disasters resulting in the need for food, shelter and other necessities; the death or critical illness of a parent, spouse, sibling or child; or exigent circumstances beyond the eligible member’s control.
“These heroes sign up to put their lives on the line to protect our way of life,” Sabatina said. “The least we can do is make sure that we care for them in their time of need. COVID-19 is a situation the program is designed to handle.” ••
Help for home improvements
Philly Reclaim, the brick and mortar architectural salvage storefront of the deconstruction nonprofit Philadelphia Community Corps, is giving out an unlimited number of $100 eCoupons to help people through the coronavirus lockdown. The eCoupons are valid until the end of the year. Here’s the eCoupon link: https://bit.ly/3obhlWd.
People can use the eCoupons to buy home improvement items such as doors, windows, mantels, tile, paint, flooring, lumber, bricks, art, furniture, tools and a variety of vintage goods.
Philadelphia Community Corps has an ongoing end-of-the-year fundraising campaign. Donate here: https://www.classy.org/campaign/giving-tuesday-2020/c307506, ••
Christmas show in Sellersville
Fiddlers Natalie MacMaster and Donnell Leahy will bring their A Celtic Family Christmas At Home tour to the Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave. in Sellersville, on Friday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m.
Tickets cost $25. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. There is a livestream option available.
There are public parking lots near the theater. Free street parking is also available.
Call 215-257-5808 or visit st94.com. ••
