History meeting tonight
The Northeast Philadelphia History Network will hold a Zoom meeting on Wednesday. Jan. 6, at 7 p.m.
The topic will be 1687 Thomas Holme Map Part 2. The speaker will be historian Fred Moore.
Join the meeting at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84631896058?pwd=czdPeU1jL2xzS3JXSEs5QXhhdUc3Zz09.
The meeting ID is 846 3189 6058. The passcode is 914925. ••
Sale at thrift shop
The Classroom Thrift Shop, 4301 Tyson Ave., sponsored by the women of Temple Menorah Keneseth Chai, will hold a half-price sale through Friday, Jan. 8.
Shop hours are weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Call 215-624-9130. ••
City hiring paramedics
The Philadelphia Fire Department is hiring paramedics.
The deadline to apply is Jan. 22.
The starting annual salary is $56,277.
For more information, call 215-MU6-0880, visit phila.gov/fire or email [email protected]. ••
Big money for local projects
State Sen. Christine Tartaglione announced that $10 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grants have been awarded in support of nine community development projects in and around the 2nd Senatorial District.
RACP grants were awarded to the following local organizations and projects:
• Friends of Father Judge High School Inc. and FOFJHS Career Pathways Academy, $500,000. The Career Pathways Academy building would be a 20,000-square-foot, two-story building built to deliver vocational education and workforce development. The Oblate Faculty House will be knocked down to make room for the new structure.
• American Oncologic Hospital d/b/a Fox Chase Cancer Center, $1.5 million. The project involves the construction of a 15-bed ICU in an addition that will be connected to the current ICU space.
• Free Library of Philadelphia Foundation, renovation of Frankford Library, $1 million.
• Kinder Academy Development Organization, Trinity PAL Center (6901 Rising Sun Ave.), $1 million. The project will entail the construction of a facility to house the return of the Gibbons PAL program and other community outreach initiatives. Initial construction plans include a basketball court with high ceiling, homework room(s), restrooms, office space for program officers. ••
Action for small biz
State Sen. Christine Tartaglione is applauding the announcement by Gov. Tom Wolf of his intent to transfer $145 million from the state’s Workers’ Compensation Security Fund into the General Fund so that they may be reallocated for pandemic-related small business relief.
Meanwhile, the House Republican Caucus notes that it took the lead in standing up for Pennsylvania’s workers, businesses and restaurants by passing legislation, which Wolf vetoed, that would have prevented the current restaurant shutdown and passing a constitutional amendment to limit the governor’s emergency authority.
“I have said throughout the COVID-19 pandemic that we must strive to protect the financial health of workers and their families in addition to their physical health,” Tartaglione said. “The preservation of small businesses such as restaurants and taverns, gyms and independent entertainment venues, which employed some 2.5 million Pennsylvanians prior to the pandemic, is vital to protecting these jobs.”
In response to the governor’s announcement, House Majority Leader Kerry Benninghoff said in a statement, “There is only one reason why restaurants and small businesses are shut down, suffering and facing permanent closure, and that reason is the governor. The backbone of our state and local economy, restaurants and small businesses, have been unfairly targeted by his administration, and have been pleading for months for relief from his mandates.” ••
Money awarded to arsenal business center
The state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program awarded $2 million to Arsenal Associates to assist in its plan to take a blighted 40 acres of the former Frankford Arsenal and create a modern, mixed-use community to include multi-tenant offices and manufacturing buildings.
“This grant will help our local economy by providing hundreds of family sustaining jobs, not just during construction but also after completion,” said state Rep. Joe Hohenstein. “Improvements to our historic arsenal will attract different types of businesses with capacity to support light manufacturing and industry. Our neighborhoods deserve to be a part of a diverse economy that provides real opportunity, and this project is an important step in that direction.”
According to Arsenal Associates, the revitalization plan includes retaining 494 jobs, which is estimated to increase to 790 jobs with the $2 million RACP grant. ••
Nazareth offers low-dose CT scans
Nazareth Hospital offers low-dose CT (LDCT) screenings for patients with high risk for lung cancer.
LDCT screenings detect unusual changes in the lungs before a high-risk individual shows any signs of having lung cancer. The procedure is quick and painless, detects smaller tumors than regular X-rays and requires a radiation dose only slightly higher than traditional X-rays.
Health insurance usually covers annual LDCT scans for people with a high risk for lung cancer.
For more information about LDCT scans, visit www.trinityhealthma.org/find-a-service-or-specialty/imaging-and-radiology/ct-scan. ••
