Scanlon urges House Speaker to pass Farm Bill
Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon joined 65 of her Democratic Women’s Caucus colleagues in a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson urging him to revise the partisan farm bill that passed out of the House Committee on Agriculture and work with House Democrats to pass a bipartisan farm bill that helps women, families and farmers.
The members warned that including cuts to food and nutrition assistance programs, including Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program benefits, in the farm bill could jeopardize its final passage, putting thousands of farmers and families in harm’s way. The letter highlights the positive impact that members say SNAP has on women and families, emphasizing that the majority of the program’s recipients are women and children, many in families experiencing poverty.
“H.R.8467, the ‘Farm, Food, and National Security Act,’ as passed out of Committee, would cut $30 billion in food assistance from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program over the next decade, the largest cut to SNAP in nearly twenty years,” the members wrote. “This would disproportionately impact women and children, who make up the vast majority of SNAP participants.
“We are committed to passing a farm bill that supports both our farmers and ranchers, and nutrition assistance for women and their families. We look forward to working with you to address our concerns and deliver for women across the country.”
Opera Philadelphia announces $11 tickets
Anthony Roth Costanzo, the star countertenor who took the helm as General Director and president of Opera Philadelphia on June 1, announced that all tickets for every performance in the 2024-25 season will be available for $11, or a higher price of your choosing, as part of a new initiative called Pick Your Price. The pioneering ticket program, the first of its kind initiated by a major American opera company, represents a radical shift aimed at bringing opera to more people.
“Price can be a big barrier to entry at the opera, and ticket sales are a metric that too often determines how we program, how we engage, and how we market. If we are worried about making sure we sell expensive tickets, it limits the possibility of who we reach and what we make.” Costanzo said. “Pick Your Price invites everyone to connect with Opera Philadelphia at a price that works for them.”
Pick Your Price starts now, and tickets are available for all productions in the 2024-25 season, beginning with the American Premiere of The Listeners by Philadelphia-born composer Missy Mazzoli, which opens Sept. 25 at the Academy of Music. Learn more at operaphila.org.
Polish American festival
The 58th annual Polish American Festival at Our Lady of Czestochowa, 654 Ferry Road in Doylestown, will continue Sept. 7-8, noon to 8 p.m. The festival features carnival rides, live music and stage shows and ongoing entertainment on the main stage and in the Polish Village, highlighting Polish traditions and customs, Polish folk dance groups and Polish and American food and refreshments. The $15 admission includes all events and carnival rides. Visit PolishAmericanFestival.org. ••
Buddy Holly tribute concert
Zachary Stevenson brings his Buddy Holly Tribute to the Philadelphia region for the first time on Sept. 14, at 2 p.m., at Sellersville Theater 1894.
Tickets are available at https://www.st94.com/events/oh-boys-buddy-holly-tribute/
The Buddy Holly Tribute one-act show will feature hits such as That’ll Be the Day, Peggy Sue, Oh Boy and Rave On.
Stevenson will be backed by Philadelphia psychedelic-rock trio Echo Kid as the Crickets. Echo Kid features Brendan McHale on bass, Christian Turzo on guitar and Kieran McCabe on drums. ••
Hero Thrill Show is Sept. 21
The 69th annual Hero Thrill Show will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, from noon to 5 p.m., at the Wells Fargo Center parking lot.
Featured will be the Sound of Philadelphia music by DJ legend Bob Pantano, performances and displays of K-9 and bicycle units, the elite Philadelphia Police Motorcycle Highway Patrol Drill Team, mounted police horse, fire engines, crime-fighting equipment by the Police Aviation Unit, Bomb Squad, Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Marine Unit, firearms instructors, Police Academy and SWAT Unit.
Tickets are $15 for individuals and $35 for a family (up to five).
Proceeds pay for the college tuition of children of Philadelphia police officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty.
For more information, go to herothrillshow.org. ••
Entertainment at Parx
Parx Casino is offering the following upcoming entertainment:
Sept. 7: Australian Pink Floyd
Sept. 21: Dustin Lynch
Oct. 4: Heather McDonald
Oct. 18: Straight No Chaser
Oct. 19: Giggly Squad Live
Oct. 25: Michael Blaustein
Nov. 9: Air Supply
Nov. 21: Aaron Lewis
Nov. 23: Steve Trevino
Dec. 7: Kathleen Madigan ••
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.
Call Commander Israel Wolmark at 215-725-0630 if you would like to join the post. ••
Sign up for Philly Bike Ride
The third annual Philly Bike Ride will take place on Saturday, Oct. 19, beginning at 7:30 a.m. at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Riders will pass Independence Hall, City Hall, Love Park, Chinatown, Old City, Penn’s Landing and Boathouse Row on Kelly Drive. They can choose between a 20-mile course or a 7.6-mile version, both ending at the art museum.
The free post-ride festival features live music, wellness activities, a beer garden and food trucks.
The cost is $69, with various add-ons available.
A portion of proceeds will support the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia and its Youth Cycling Program.For more information, visit www.phillybikeride.com ••
A space for UArts student work
Councilwoman Rue Landau, in collaboration with Creative Philadelphia, is launching an initiative to support students and faculty affected by the recent closure of the University of the Arts.
The project aims to transform City Hall into a welcoming hub for these displaced artists’ work, providing them with a space to showcase their work in City Hall and in the office of Landau (Room 592) and the corridors.
Students and faculty of UArts are invited to submit their artwork for consideration through an online submission form, with a deadline of Oct. 4.
“The closure of UArts is a significant loss for our city, but it also presents an opportunity for us to uplift and support these talented artists,” Landau said. “I’m honored to provide a space for their work alongside the Creative Philadelphia so that they know the city values their contributions to our arts scene.”
The submission form for UArts students and faculty to have their work featured can be found here. ••
After-school program for sophs
Applications have been extended until Friday, Sept. 20, for local students seeking educational experiences in science and healthcare fields to apply to The College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s Wohlreich Junior Fellows Program.
There is no cost to apply for any of the college’s science-focused youth programs.
Founded in 2009, the George and Judy Wohlreich Junior Fellows program is a summer and after-school program for Philadelphia high school students from “historically excluded” communities who have an interest in health. The program seeks to foster interest in careers in healthcare and medicine through hands-on learning and interaction with professionals. The program also provides academic counseling and support to better prepare these students for college and their future careers.
The program is open to students entering 10th grade who are Philadelphia residents, enrolled in a Philadelphia high school, have an interest in science and healthcare professions, will be the first in their immediate family to graduate from a college or university, qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch, and have no disciplinary problems on their school record. There are no costs to participate in the program.
The program goes for three years.
Apply here: Wohlreich Junior Fellows Program | The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Learn more at https://collegeofphysicians.org/programs. ••
Party for West Catholic girls class of ‘69
West Catholic Girls Class of 1969 will have its 55th anniversary party on Sunday, Sept. 29, at Anthony’s Ristorante, 865 W. Springfield Road, Springfield. The cost for the luncheon is $65. Call Hannah at 610-764-3249. ••
