Accountability
Walking buses, a playground, a bullet-resistant fence: How Kensington schools are using opioid settlement funds
Educators hope money from a legal settlement will provide students and families more support and opportunities.
Health & Wellness
Health news in Kensington, Philadelphia — covering the opioid crisis, addiction and recovery, mental health, harm reduction, healthcare access and food resources.
Accountability
As Kensington narcotics arrests increase, residents wonder “who the hell is engaging them?”
Residents are questioning whether the increased enforcement has improved quality of life in their neighborhood.
Accountability
Accountability
After hours of contentious testimony, Kensington mobile service restrictions bill advances to Philly City Council for vote
The legislation will proceed to a full City Council reading and, if passed, will require Mayor Cherelle Parker’s approval.
Accountability
Philly challenges state opioid trust’s decision on Kensington home repair, small business spending in court
The City of Philadelphia is challenging a state trust’s decision to disapprove $3.4 million in opioid settlement funds earmarked for Kensington.
Community Life
On Election Day, Port Richmond sees multigenerational voters, police visit
Voters arrived at the Tomaszewski Funeral Home in Port Richmond with concerns about various issues Tuesday morning, including public safety, immigration, and health care.
Accountability
Philly family sues city for wrongful death, medical neglect inside prison after Diabetic Ketoacidosis death
Louis Jung Jr. died after he was allegedly denied insulin inside a Philly prison. His family claims the city and its prison healthcare company showed “deliberate indifference” to his need for emergency medical care.
Accountability
Opioid trust ruling favors Kensington schools, parks, and housing relief, not home repairs or small businesses
The trust ruled in favor of funding for Kensington schools, parks, and housing, but against home repairs and small business support.
Accountability
Kensington leaders argue for neighborhood repair and safe spaces as prevention ahead of opioid settlement appeal
Community leaders and residents believe funding environmental conditions that will improve the lives of families and children is a step toward repairing the harms the open-air drug market has caused the neighborhood.
Accountability
City Council members push for prison oversight committee, housing-centered solutions to homelessness, addiction
The Office of Prison Oversight would amend Philadelphia’s Home Rule Charter, which is like the city’s constitution.
Accountability
Special committee on Kensington will hold hearing on “best practices in substance use disorder outreach”
The hearing announcement comes after Lozada introduced a bill earlier this month that would ban mobile service units in most of District 7.
Accountability
State lawmakers tour Kensington ahead of city's opioid settlement appeal: “I just didn’t know”
State Sens. Greg Rothman and Christine Tartaglione, along with most of the 13-member opioid settlement trust, voted “no” to Philadelphia’s spending on Kensington eviction prevention, home repairs, and improvements to schools and parks. The trust will hear the city’s appeal on Oct. 3.
Clean Streets
New faith-based resource center for people who use drugs opens on Allegheny and Frankford avenues
The new Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge (PAATC) center is open Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with plans to eventually offer nighttime hours.
Accountability
Women inside Philly jail banged on cells for hours before Amanda Cahill died, “reiterating her calls for help”
Women incarcerated near Cahill at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center said “the banging was so loud that people couldn't sleep."
Accountability
Woman dies “utterly, unacceptably predictable” death in jail following Kensington police sweep
Cahill, a mother of two sons, was one of 34 people arrested for narcotics violations and outstanding warrants in a coordinated police sweep under Mayor Cherelle Parker’s Kensington initiative.
Accountability
Councilmember Lozada introduces bill banning mobile services in most of Kensington's 7th District
If the legislation is enacted, those who violate the policy could receive up to a $500 fine.
Accountability
Parker administration arrests at least 34 people in Kensington sweep, prison system “prepared”
Police arrested 34 people for “narcotics violations,” including drug paraphernalia and possession, as well as outstanding warrants
Accountability
‘This isn’t about policy’: Vigil honors overdose victims in McPherson Square Park despite disruption from Philly police
Philly police ordered overdose vigil volunteers to move their tables from their setup near McPherson Square Library down to the street.
Community Life
Photos of Kensington: Kids gear up for school at “Classroom Kickoff” event on Frankford Avenue
The event was hosted by District 7 Councilmember Quetcy Lozada's office.
Arts & Culture
Free school supplies in Kensington: Here's a growing list of back-to-school events in the neighborhood
We’ve pulled together a list of events and places where you can get free school supplies for your kids to prepare for the school year.
Accountability
“Perfection doesn’t exist:” Mayor Parker talks policing and Kensington’s encampment sweep in exclusive WHYY interview
During an exclusive interview on WHYY’s live talk show Studio 2, Mayor Cherelle Parker discussed policing Kensington’s open-air drug market and said the May 8 encampment sweep didn’t go exactly as planned.
Clean Streets
Drexel and Prevention Point study offers women who use drugs HIV protection, health care support
Researchers are studying whether therapeutic writing exercises and cash incentives help motivate women with a history of drug use to continue taking PrEP and decrease their illicit drug use.
Accountability
Here's what addiction experts had to say at Kensington's latest hearing.
Local health experts emphasized system-wide challenges, ranging from 16-hour assessment wait times to a lack of coordination among service providers, shortages of medically monitored treatment beds, and insurance policy limitations.
Health & Wellness
Kensington civic group votes against Prevention Point zoning exception to offer medical services
The medical services that the zoning exception would impact include HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) testing and treatment, HIV medication, substance use treatment, and wound care.
Accountability
Here are the 25 Philadelphia public schools piloting year-round school this fall
Several local schools are on the list.