DAILY GRINDER: Voter ID Fights Heating Up Before Holidays
Democratic City Commissioner-elect Stephanie Singer called the Voter ID legislation, set to be looked at again in 2012 (it needs to be passed by February to be eligible for the presidential election) “hogwash” while on the radio yesterday. She says poll workers checking signatures is enough, and legislation like this will just stop more people from voting....
Continue ReadingNutter to Sign LGBT-Friendly Equal Benefits Ordinance
Mayor Nutter will sign Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown’s Equal Benefits Ordinance at 3 p.m. today. As PW previously reported, the Equal Rights Bill, No. 110057, requires “contractors accepting service contracts from the City of Philadelphia of $250,000 or more must extend the same employment benefits to life partners of its employees that is extended...
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Scenes from Occupy Philly on Eviction Day
If you’re curious about what’s happening at Dilworth Plaza right now, check out these photos from PW staffer Michael Alan Goldberg. Hundreds of Occupiers are protesting their eviction, which was supposed to happen at 5 this evening. There aren’t a whole lot of cops right now, but we suspect that the city will strike when the buzz dies ...
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Occupy Philly Plans For Eviction, Encourages Mass Participation
Occupy Philly has until 5 p.m. today to vacate Dilworth Plaza. As you’ve been reading in PW, that’s only likely for some participants. And there’s been little to no talk from the city on what to do with the homeless population. Last time I talked to a homeless resident about this very idea, he asked if it had suddenly become illegal to become homeless—“and...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: Here’s What Happened With Occupy Philly’s Move and Re-Move Last Night
After yesterday’s arrests on the Market Street Bridge, members of Occupy Philly voted to move their tent city from Dilworth Plaza to Thomas Paine Plaza, across the street. So, they started moving there. Then, police told them to turn around because they didn’t have a permit. So they did. Meanwhile, the Occupy Philly legal team was meeting with Mayor Nutter...
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Occupy Philly Puts City in a Tough Spot
Today’s a national day of action for Occupy groups and others all over the country. Earlier this morning, Occupy Wall Street blocked rush hour traffic on the actual Wall Street. Fifty were arrested. Police shut down Occupy Dallas last night, and 18 were arrested. Meanwhile, Philly protesters were served an eviction notice last night—and didn’t take too...
Continue ReadingDAILY GRINDER: Occupy Philly Told to Leave; Will they ‘Self-Evict?’
Occupy Philly received an eviction notice last night that may be more vague than it’s letting on. It reads: “Notice of start of Dilworth Plaza construction. Be advised that the permit for demonstration on city property issued by the City of Philadelphia effective 10/6/11 expires at the start of Dilworth Plaza construction project. The project’s commencement...
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Occupy Philly, Night 41: ‘This Place Stinks’
Tensions ran high at Occupy Philly last night. Protests the country over have been broken up by police and Mayor Nutter chose the weekend after his re-election to talk tough with the protesters. There was an alleged rape last weekend, sanitation has become a growing concern (especially with recent media reports of shit smeared on lower Dilworth Plaza walls)...
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Occupy Philly Suggests Nutter, City Are Exploiting Negative Issues
Occupy Philly working groups held a press conference today at 1 p.m. in response to Mayor Michael Nutter’s weekend comments, in which he came out with a new, harsh tone toward the movement, saying they had changed and become radicalized. He also expressed worry about an alleged rape which occurred Saturday night. Today’s press conference, it was said by Occupy...
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