🌱 W. Mt. Airy Fire Kills 2 + ReadyPhiladelphia Enrollment At 2%

Happy Monday, Philadelphia! Here's everything you need to know in town today.

First, today's weather:

Windy with clouds breaking. High: 49 Low: 32.

Here are the top stories today in Philadelphia:

1. Philadelphia officials are investigating a fire that left one woman and an infant dead Saturday night. Around 8:45 p.m. on the 300 block of West Mount Airy Avenue, officials saw a fire from the first floor of a two-story dwelling. The 7-month-old boy was trapped on the second floor and had to be pulled out of the house; the 70-year-old woman was found unresponsive in a bathroom. A 7-year-old in the home is currently in the hospital and listed in stable condition. (WPVI-TV)
2. ReadyPhiladelphia is the primary one-to-one system for the city to tell residents about things like severe weather, SEPTA delays, and unexpected disturbances such as fires. But in order to receive these notifications, people must know about the program and sign up. Roughly 31,300 people city-wide are signed up for email alerts — just under 2% of the population — and around 17,200 people are enrolled for text alerts only, according to city officials. (WHYY)
3. After nearly three years, Philadelphia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services has quietly ended its controversial smoking ban at drug treatment centers. The initial ban went into effect in January 2019 across the city's 80 inpatient facilities that receive funding through Community Behavioral Health, prompting a series of protests and news articles that spring. Emerging research has shown that the ban negatively affected people's decision to seek or stay in treatment. (WHYY)
4. A business owner from Connecticut ran 247 miles to deliver food to veterans in the Philadelphia area. Brian Gates of Bookwell Travel made the 60-hour trip on foot to call attention to food insecurity among veterans. Volunteers filled 7,000 bags with groceries to be given to local veterans and active duty service members, as well as to food pantries. (CBS Philly)
5. Since the pandemic temporarily halted construction last spring, Philadelphia has experienced an explosion in new development. Much of this development is focused around apartment buildings and retail shops in North Philadelphia and Center City. Community groups say that in some cases, neither developers nor the zoning board seriously listens to their concerns about the lack of affordable housing, gentrification, or parking. (The Philadelphia Tribune)

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Today in Philadelphia:

• Take 10% Off Your L.L.Bean Order — Online And In Stores (11:00 PM)
• New York Institute of Technology-Manhattan Campus Virtual Visit (12:00 PM)
• JFCS - Youth Volunteer Program (6:00 PM)
• Theatre Exile presents Extreme Home Makeover by Makasha Copeland (7:00 PM)

Philadelphia Patch Notebook

• Philadelphia VA Medical Center: "Veterans Day was loaded with great experiences for our Veterans including a private luncheon and Red Carpet movie premiere courtesy of Actor Sylvester Stallone, MGM Studios and Fathom Events." (Facebook)
• Philadelphia Youth Orchestra: "Remember Miro Raj? He was the 1st place winner of our 2021 Philadelphia Young Artists Orchestra Concerto Competition. Recently, he was named the co-winner of the Main Line Symphony Orchestra Competition. He will be featured at their concert on Feb. 25, 2022. Keep up the great work!" (Facebook)
• City of Philadelphia Government: "In 1️⃣ day #RebuildPHL and @PhillyMayor visited 3️⃣sites totaling $20M in investment into public spaces! Check out the latest video of the first-ever tri-breaking event hosted by #RebuildPHL! #CommunityBuilder" (Facebook)

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• Valerie Morrison - Psychic Medium — Private Psychic Readings by Telephone or at my Office (Visit website)
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Events:

• Take 10% Off Your L.L.Bean Order — Online And In Stores (November 15)
• Operation Holiday® launches the Christmas Season Helping Those in Need (November 18)
• The Craftery Market in Downtown Perkasie (November 20)
• Ugly Sweater Christmas Par-Tea (December 11)
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Gigs & services:

• VideoTapeTransfers.TV (Details)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you soon. If you're feeling these newsletters, consider inviting some of your friends and neighbors to follow along. You can send them this link to subscribe.

— Dan Casarella

About me: Dan Casarella is a writer, podcast producer, and small business development specialist who formerly worked in late-night television. He’s produced many talk segments, including with President Joe Biden, Kobe Byrant, and Chadwick Boseman. Dan studied Media Studies and Production at Temple University. He also enjoys running, painting, and the highs and lows of Philadelphia’s sports teams.