Police commissioner leaving for Port Authority job
Police Commissioner Danielle M. Outlaw will be leaving her position to accept a new leadership position with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey as Deputy Chief Security Officer. Her last day as police commissioner will be Sept. 22. The mayor has appointed First Deputy John M. Stanford Jr. to interim police commissioner.
Outlaw has been PPD’s commissioner for three and a half years; she stepped into her role on Feb. 10, 2020, as the city’s first black woman to lead the Philadelphia Police Department. “Commissioner Outlaw has worked relentlessly for three and a half years during an unprecedented era in our city and a number of crisis situations, and she deserves praise for her commitment to bring long-overdue reform to the pepartment after years of racism and gender discrimination prior to her appointment,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “We wish her success in her new position and thank Commissioner Outlaw for her dedication to serve the residents of Philadelphia.”
When appointed, Outlaw was also one of a few black female leaders of major city police departments in the country. Prior to coming to Philadelphia, she was also the first black woman to lead the Portland, Oregon Police Department.
“It has been my honor and privilege to serve during Mayor Kenney’s administration and alongside each member of the Philadelphia Police Department,” she said. “The hard work, resilience and professionalism of our force is truly commendable. Our team has shown incredible adaptability and has worked tirelessly to maintain our pillars of organizational excellence, crime prevention and reduction, and community engagement and inclusion even in the face of adversity. My staff’s teamwork, innovative thinking and determination have kept the department moving forward, and for that, I am extremely grateful.
“Throughout my tenure, I have persistently strived to ensure that we excel in areas where the needs of the department and the community are not just met – but are exceeded. To meet specific goals, the Crime Prevention and Violence Reduction Action Plan was developed and shared with the public within the first three months after I was appointed, even as the pandemic was escalating into crisis mode. I am extremely proud of the PPD team. We have made significant progress in all three of the plan’s organizational pillars – Organizational Excellence, Crime Prevention and Violence Reduction, and Community Engagement and Inclusion. Under this plan, we have seen crime reductions, improved clearance rates, a reduction in complaints against police, new employee and wellness initiatives; to include the development of an employee intervention system, improved diversity in hiring and promotions, better internal and external communications, and so much more. I know progress will continue under this plan since it’s working.”
Southern Class of ‘68 reunion
South Philadelphia High School’s Class of 1968 will hold its 55th reunion on Oct. 21 from noon to 4 p.m. at the Waterfall Room, 2015 S. Swanson St. Includes a buffet luncheon with open bar. Tickets are $65 and money is due by Oct. 1. Send payments to SPHS Class of 1968, c/o Maria Leati, 26 Old Republic Lane, Marlton, NJ 08053. For more information, visit www.sphsalumni.com/reunions/.
Film Festival at Theatre Exile brings 5 days of flicks
The Philadelphia Unnamed Film Festival will celebrate its eighth year with another eclectic lineup of independent films from Sept. 27 through Oct. 1 at Theatre Exile, 1340 S. 13th St. in South Philly.
PUFF8 will present a unique, wide-ranging mix of new and old films from all genre spectrums and end with free rock and roll brunch along with a retro screening of the classic Y2K comedy Josie and the Pussycats.
“This is the most exciting lineup we’ve had in a while,” said Matt Profaci, the festival’s operations manager. “It’s a truly unique blend of new, independent filmmaking with some really bizarre throwbacks that are unmissable. Our programmers worked so hard this year and we can’t wait to unleash #PUFF8 to our fans.”
Films include Caddy Hack, Bizarre Block, Killer Workout, Horror Shorts, Grieve, 10 Year Anniversary Motivational Growth, Emmanuelle’s Revenge, Global Grab Bag, Sweet Relief, Hunting for the Hag, Local Block, Scream Therapy, Enter the Clones of Bruce, Psychosis, Door, T Blockers, Music Videos, Josie and the Pussycats, and Hist-O-Rama 3D: It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time.
Tickets and a full list of films can be found at https://filmfreeway.com/PhiladelphiaUnnamedFilmFestival. Full fest badges are available for $90 before the festival ($100 at the door) and individual tickets are $15.
Evans spotlights insulin cost cap for Medicare
Congressman Dwight Evans held an event recently at Jefferson Einstein Hospital to spotlight the $35-per-month cost cap for insulin for Medicare beneficiaries that took effect recently as a result of the Inflation Reduction Act – some eligible patients still aren’t aware of the change.
“Four years ago, I came here to advocate for helping patients with the often-high cost of insulin. Today, I’m pleased to be back with good news.” Evans said. “As of July, the insulin cost cap of $35 a month has fully phased in for people covered by Medicare Part D or B. Just in my district, which includes almost half of Philadelphia, this cap is helping 2,900 people on Medicare who rely on insulin. They are saving an average of $510 per year compared to 2020 prices. And I was proud to vote for the historic Inflation Reduction Act that made this happen.”
Evans said he and President Biden both want to go further with the insulin cost cap.
“He and I want to extend that lifesaving protection to all Americans,” Evans said. “In my district, about 25,000 people require daily shots of insulin to manage their diabetes. They’re also getting some help, because of President Biden’s strong public advocacy. He has convinced the three largest insulin producers to cut their prices up to 75 percent. And that’s good news, once those price cuts take effect. But the president and I want to go further and expand the $35 cap to all Americans.”
Trip to Ohio, Kentucky
St. Jerome’s Senior Citizens Club invites the public to join them for a five-day trip (Oct. 15-19) to the Ark Encounter and Creation Museum, with a guided tour of Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky. For reservations, questions or a brochure, call Diane McDowell at 267-496-2431. ••
Local author releasing novel
Mayfair author Becky Flade announced that Tirgearr Publishing will release her next novel, Beautiful Dangerous, worldwide on Sept. 26. Beautiful Dangerous is the fourth book in Flade’s award-winning series of romantic thrillers set in Philadelphia. It is available for pre-order at all major digital retailers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble and iBooks/iTunes. Flade, a Frankford High School graduate, has been writing since kindergarten, when her Brown Elementary School teacher, Miss Daniels, helped with her first book detailing her and her best friend’s first solo trip to the market for milk. For more information, follow Flade on Facebook. ••
Farm stand at Jeanes
Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus, 7600 Central Ave., has a farm stand that is open Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. through October. The stand is located next to parking lot C of Jeanes Campus and the Fox Chase Cancer Center Campus. Call 215-728-4861 or email Rosemarie.Schlegel@tuhs.temple.edu. ••
Parkinson’s support group
Temple University Hospital – Jeanes Campus is offering a Parkinson’s disease support group for those who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s and their families. The group will meet on the second Wednesday of every other month from 6-7 p.m. at the Cheltenham Friends Meetinghouse, 7604 Central Ave. The schedule is Oct. 11, Dec. 13 (holiday party) and Feb. 14. The group is led by nurse practitioner June Ro, and will include guest speakers. To register, contact Ro at 215-707-2619 or Jungyoon.Ro@tuhs.temple.edu. ••
Support for small nonprofits
A Little Better Company, an agency focused on making the world a little better, announces the launch of its inaugural Unless Project, a grant-meets-accelerator program providing $150,000 in marketing and capacity-building services to small organizations with big ideas but limited resources.
Up to four U.S.-based nonprofits will be selected to participate in the Unless Project to turn their transformational ideas into impact.
Simon Rogers, founder of ALBC, said: “In our experience, organizations with truly new and novel ideas struggle to get the resources and buy-in they need to bring their ideas to life. Today, the ability to communicate in the right way can make or break their success, and that gap between idea and impact is where the Unless Project comes in.”
The Unless Project seeks applications from nonprofits that are working on new, novel, provable, scalable and sustainable solutions to challenges in one of ALBC’s four focus areas:
• Environmental Sustainability
• Human Health and Wellness
• Social Progress and Advocacy
• Artistic Activism
The short application process includes a five-question eligibility quiz (yes/no answers only), a short application (written or video submissions) and, for finalists, a 30- to 45-minute Zoom discussion with the selection committee.
The eligibility quiz is available now, and applications are open through Oct. 15. Awardees will be notified on Dec. 15, and then be guided through a six-month process to transform their brand, tapping into all of ALBC’s capabilities and expertise.
ALBC will cover all marketing-related expenditures along the way. Additionally, the grant will include a $2,500 stipend to cover unplanned out-of-pocket expenses.
Interested nonprofits can take the eligibility quiz at https://bit.ly/unless-quiz.
Or sign up for an information session: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_A14a76RyQImqfP1CS62XhA#/registration.
To learn more, become part of the ALBC collective or to partner with the Unless Project, visit https://www.alittlebetter.co/. ••
VFW looking for members
Bustleton-Somerton/CTR1 Michael J. Strange VFW Post 6617 meets on the third Wednesday of every month at American Legion Post 810, 9151 Old Newtown Road. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. If you are a military veteran who served in a designated combat zone, you are eligible to join the VFW. Contact Commander Israel Wolmark at 215-725-0630 if you would like to join the post. ••
Broadway show
The Marlyn Chakov Fein Chapter, Fox Chase Cancer Center is running a bus trip to New York on Saturday, Sept. 30, to see the Broadway production of Some Like It Hot. The cost is $230, which includes orchestra seating and round-trip motor coach. Bus leaves from 604 Township Line Road, Cheltenham, at 9:15 a.m. Call Harriet at 215-969-8366 for tickets. The event supports cancer research and compassionate patient care at Fox Chase Cancer Center. ••
Upcoming cruise
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring a fully escorted Holy Lands & Aegean Majesty cruise from Oct. 6-17, visiting Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Italy. Rates, including airfare, range from $4,298 to $8,098 per person, double occupancy. Call 215-788-9408 for information and reservations. ••
Cruise the Mediterranean
Norwegian Cruise Line will host a Mediterranean cruise from Rome to Venice on Oct. 10-19. The trip is all inclusive with round-trip airfare, a beverage package, all meals, three specialty dinners, taxes, transfers and all gratuities. The cost for a balcony sea view cabin is $3,511 per person. For more information, contact Fillmore Travel’s Kevin Fries at 215-498-8294 or fkevin910@comcast.net. ••
Register for bike ride
The closed-road, non-competitive Philly Bike Ride will take place on Saturday, Oct. 14, starting at 7:30 a.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
Participants can choose from a 20-mile course or a shorter 7.6-mile version, with a finish line by the iconic setting of the art museum and the shadow of the famed Rocky steps. The event concludes with a post-ride festival, free and open to the public, that features live music, wellness activities and food trucks.
The cost starts at $35, with various add-ons available. There are two special ticket deals available.
The event supports the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia. A portion of proceeds from the event will support the Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling program.
Registration is open and more information is available at Phillybikeride.com. ••
Save at Boscov’s
The Marlyn Chakov Fein Chapter, Fox Chase Cancer Center is partnering with Boscov’s “Friends Helping Friends” on Wednesday, Oct. 18, at all Boscov’s locations, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The group is selling a shopping pass for $5, which can represent savings of up to 25% off purchases. Call Shirley at 215-530-6637 to purchase shopping passes. The profits of the event will be donated to Fox Chase Cancer Center to support cancer research and compassionate patient care. ••
Day dedicated to women
NBC 10 news anchor Tracy Davidson will present Lifting Your Voice, a day dedicated to women, on Sunday, Oct. 22, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., at Philadelphia Country Club 1601 Spring Mill Road, in Gladwyne. The guest speaker will be Jen Croneberger, an author and former recipient of the Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry’s Female Business Leader of the Year. She holds a master’s degree in Sports and Performance Psychology and a Sustainable Business Strategy Certification from the Harvard Business School.
For tickets, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lifting-your-voice-fall-2023-tickets-522147375857?aff=erelexpmlt. ••
South Phila. HS class of ‘68 reunion
The South Philadelphia High School Class of 1968 will hold its 55th reunion on Saturday, Oct. 21, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Waterfall Room, 2015 S. Water St. Tickets cost $60 and include buffet dinner and open bar. For tickets and more information, call Arleen Liberi [609-922-2419], Maria Leati [856-287-3734] or Stephen Michielli [267-252-2740]. ••
