I hope you all had a nice holiday weekend. As we prepare for more session days next week, I anticipate we’ll be busy wrapping up any legislation that can be agreed upon by both House and Senate chambers.

As you may have heard, no agreement was reached on regulating skill games, and they are currently being removed from establishments across the commonwealth. While I understand there are many places who want the income they generate, unregulated machines can be a blight in neighborhoods around our city, and I am not sorry to see them go.

Our city once again suffered a great tragedy this week with the shooting of police officers, resulting in the death of Officer Shane Sieber. Gun violence has no place in our society and while the numbers have decreased recently, any death due to this is one too many. Please keep our first responders and their families in your thoughts as they navigate this difficult time.

I look forward to updating you on everything we do in Harrisburg next week.

Sincerely,

My next Shredding & E-Recycling event will be held tomorrow, Saturday, October 17th from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. at 343 Fairmount Ave. My office and I are excited to help you safely dispose of personal and sensitive documents.

If you can’t make it out tomorrow, my office will be back for another event on Halloween! We’ll be at The Mummers Museum, 1100 S. 2nd St. from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. on Saturday, October 31st. Along with the shredding and e-recycling opportunities, there will be a Trunk or Treat sponsored by the museum, so come out in your favorite costume and enjoy some Halloween treats.

My fall Senior Fair is just one week away, taking place Friday, October 23rd from 1-3 p.m. at Holy Name Church, 701 Gaul St. My office is bringing resources to seniors and caregivers like information on healthcare, volunteer opportunities, prescription drug plans, preventing identity theft, and more. We’ll also have local, city and state agencies on hand ready to answer all of your questions.

This week, the City of Philadelphia and Delaware River Waterfront Corporation announced the completion of the Washington Avenue Connector project, holding a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the redesign of the avenue between 4th Street and Columbus Boulevard.

It’s been an ongoing project for years, and I’m happy to see the modernization and connectors come to fruition. These improvements make traveling in the neighborhood and to the Delaware River waterfront safer, more accessible and more enjoyable for pedestrians, vehicles and bikers.

The final day to register for the November 3rd general election is Monday, October 19th, and you can visit the PA Online Voter Registration link to fill out your application. Your registration is not complete until processed and accepted by the county’s voter registration office, so keep watch for further correspondence.

For mail-in and absentee voters, the final day to request a ballot is Tuesday, October 27th, and you can visit the application page at this link. Remember, voting by mail is a safe and secure way to make your voice heard in November.

My staff was thrilled to participate in Let’s Eat Week, bringing together the community and teams across Chobani and La Colombe to pack and distribute a total of 14,000 boxes of nutritious pantry staples and snacks. Boxes went to families facing food insecurity, part of a week of volunteering in honor of today being World Food Day. I will always support efforts to feed our neighbors in need, and I appreciate Chobani’s commitment and partnership in fighting local hunger.

Join the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association for its monthly neighborhood-wide clean up from 9-11 a.m. at The Yard behind the NLNA Community Center, 700 North 3rd St. Supplies including bags, gloves and trash pickers will be given out. This month’s event will also include e-waste recycling and document shredding.

BYOC (Bring Your Own Chair) South Street returns to the 200 block of South Street from 2-9 p.m. on Saturday, October 17th. This edition will be Halloween-themed with a pumpkin carving contest and a showing of “Hocus Pocus,” along with a bounce house, games, live music and more.

The Philly Pops Little Big Band presents another edition of Pops on the Plaza on Saturday, October 17th from 2:30-3:45 p.m. at Headhouse Plaza. The free event will feature performances by the Philly Pops and Settlement Music School.

Music in the Park returns to Liberty Lands, 913 North 3rd St., from 5-8 p.m. on Friday, October 23rd, featuring live music by The Croutons, food, drinks from the Lost Time Brewing pop up and more.

ZERO Prostate Cancer is currently conducting the Prostate Cancer BEACON Survey to gather insights from 10,000 participants across all 50 states and U.S. territories. Prostate cancer impacts thousands of families nationwide, and your voice will directly inform researchers, healthcare leaders and policymakers to improve care and drive meaningful policy changes.

You can take the BEACON Survey now at this link, and you can visit the ZERO Prostate Cancer website to view a variety of support services for patients, survivors, families and people at risk.

District Office

610 North Second Street

Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 503-3245

Pennsylvania State Capitol
300 Main Capitol Building

P.O. Box 202175

Harrisburg, PA 17120
(717) 783-8098