Black-Owned Businesses in Center City

Photo courtesy of Bower Cafe

This Black History Month, celebrate the diversity and richness of Center City by supporting our local Black-owned businesses. Below is a curated list of Black-owned establishments, ranging from coffee shops to clothing stores to all-natural skincare services. There’s something for everyone!

Bower Cafe | With a focus on good vibes and simplicity of service, Bower Cafe is not just a cafe but also features outdoor seating and the “Bower Booth,” a podcast station and DJ booth available to rent. | 1213 Walnut St.

Common Ground | Common Ground is a consignment shop located in Center City offering many different styles of collectible shoes, apparel, and accessories. | 134 S. 11th St.

Dviniti Skin Care | Known as Philly’s ‘Mad Scientist Gone Good,’ Marquita Robinson Garcia, a cosmetic chemist turned entrepreneur, has a mission to bring personalized, sustainable skincare to the mainstream. | 1500 Locust St., Ste. 3801

Farina Pasta | While traveling in Italy, Farina founder and Drexel culinary grad Dan Lee discovered that freshly made pasta was available anytime – not just for special occasions. His business brings that ethos and high quality to Center City. | 132 S. 17th St.

NOAA Celebrates Whale Week 2026

We celebrated Whale Week from February 9–13. If you missed it, be sure to check out some of our great whale content!

Whale Week: Celebrating the Wonder of Whales
Whales are among the largest and oldest animals on Earth. They can be found in every ocean and range in size from the small dwarf sperm whale to the massive blue whale, the largest animal on the planet. Explore NOAA Fisheries’ whale science and conservation efforts through the features and videos below.

Celebrate Whale Week with Us: A Message from the Director of Protected Resources
Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Office of Protected Resources, Kim Damon-Randall, shares a message inviting everyone to learn about the types of technology we use to study whales, how to watch whales responsibly, and how you can help whales.

Follow the Whales: How Tagging Supports Whale Research and Rescue
Scientists at NOAA Fisheries attach electronic tags to individual whales to safely and remotely collect powerful data. Marine animal telemetry allows the scientists to monitor the movement and behavior of a tagged whale and learn how whales use their ocean habitats.

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Philadelphia Espresso Martini Crawl Takes Over Northern Liberties This March

Philadelphia, PA – Spring is buzzing early in Philadelphia’s fastest growing neighborhoods. Northern Liberties Business Improvement District announces the return of the 3rd Annual Northern Liberties Espresso Martini Bar Crawl on Saturday, March 14, 2026, from 11:00am to 4:00pm.

The event returns with the biggest line-up ever, with 20+ participating locations and dozens of $8, $10 and $12 specially priced espresso martinis. Bars and restaurants will compete for bragging rights for categories such as best classic, most creative and best of the day. Look for standards and spins on the classics, plus more out of the box options, ranging to cheese covered, garnish embellished and flavored espresso martinis. The 2026 line-up includes Amina, Bar1010, Bourbon and Branch, Cantina Dos Segundos, El Camino Real, Jerry’s Bar, Newsroom Philly, North 3rd, North Bowl, One Shot Coffee, Ortliebs, SET NoLibs, Silk City, Standard Tap, The 700, Urban Village and Yards Brewing.

Select bars and restaurants will have coffee-infused food specials, as well as specials for St. Patrick’s Weekend. Retailers will offer caffeine-inspired surprises, like Espresso Coffee Shower Steamers at Ray’s Reusables, exclusive espresso martini-inspired ice cream at Milk Jawn and espresso martini sweets and treats at Madison K Cookies. There is no cost to attend the event, with drinks, food and retail specials pay-as-you-go. For more information, visit explorenorthernliberties.org/events/ Presented by Northern Liberties Business Improvement District and sponsor Aversa PR & Philly Publicist. Follow for menu updates and previews on Instagram at @NorthLiberties

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Travel Advisory – Winslow Twp. Police

The Winslow Township Police Department is urging all residents to stay off the roadways unless travel is absolutely necessary due to hazardous winter weather conditions. Snow and ice covered roads, along with downed trees and power lines are creating dangerous driving conditions throughout the township.

Winslow Twp. Public Works along with County and State crews are actively plowing and treating roadways. Limiting travel allows them to operate more effectively and helps keep our first responders safe while handling emergency calls.

If you must travel:

• Reduce your speed and use extra caution

• Increase your following distance

• Clear all snow and ice from your vehicle before driving

• Stay alert for plow trucks and emergency vehicles

We strongly encourage residents to remain home during the storm/cleanup and avoid unnecessary travel until overall conditions improve.

Your cooperation helps keep our roads clear and our community safe. Stay safe, Winslow Township.

A Nation of Artists Joint Website Launch

Childe Hassam’s Up the Avenue from Thirty-Fourth Street (1917) from the Middleton Family Collection, courtesy of the PMA

The Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts have launched a joint website for A Nation of Artists, offering a first look at this landmark dual-museum collaboration.

The exhibition brings together works spanning three centuries and features more than 1,000 pieces, blending historically underrepresented artists with established icons. The initiative is supported by The Middleton Family Collection.

The exhibition opens at both institutions on April 12, 2026.

Please Remove All Vehicles to Allow the Snowplows to Clear the Streets

To ensure the safety and efficiency of snow removal operations, please remove all vehicles, basketball hoops, and any other items from the street by the end of the day. This will allow the snowplows to clear the streets properly and help prevent any damage to property. Vehicles not removed from roadways may be towed.

§ 171-28Designation of snow emergency no-parking areas.
[Amended 12-14-2022 by Ord. No. 2022-10]
A.
Whenever snow has fallen or ice has formed on a road surface and the accumulation is such that it covers a street or highway, an emergency shall be deemed to exist and no vehicle shall be parked on any streets in the Borough, whether paved or unpaved, or portion thereof.
B.
The above parking prohibitions shall remain in effect after the snow has ceased until the streets have been plowed or sufficiently treated to the extent that parking will not interfere with snow removal, roadway treatment operations, or the normal flow of traffic.

https://ecode360.com/10097533

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Mandatory Parking Restrictions, Stratford

With the recent HEAVY SNOW, please remind family, friends & neighbors to MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO REMOVE VEHICLES from the roadway to allow for snowplow and emergency vehicle clearance. Fire Trucks and Ambulances require wider cartways.

When on street parking is reinstated, be mindful not to narrow the cartway by parking immediately abreast to other parked vehicles on residential streets. Further parking restrictions may be implemented as necessary.
If your number of cars exceed your driveway / garage space, please consider parking in a neighbor’s driveway. Temporary parking on the grass is permitted during the snow emergency.

The special parking restrictions will take effect at 6:00pm Sunday February 22^nd.

Cybersecurity Essentials Every Modern Law Firm Should Have

Law firms hold a rare combination of information. Financial records, contracts, trade secrets, personal details, and occasionally messages people hope never appear on a projector screen. To a cybercriminal, this looks less like data and more like opportunity. Smaller firms sometimes assume they fly under the radar. In reality, they often look easier to approach.

Modern cybersecurity for a law firm needing IT services is less about paranoia and more about preparation. Most breaches do not involve movie-style hacking scenes. They begin with a simple email, a reused password, or a distracted click at the wrong moment. Preventing these problems relies on habits supported by technology rather than heroic last-minute reactions.

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Ohio SERS Benefits: What School Employees Should Know

The School Employees Retirement System, better known as SERS, exists specifically for non-teaching public school employees in Ohio. That means the cafeteria workers, bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals, and administrative staff who keep schools running every day. If someone works for an Ohio public school district and is not a teacher or administrator covered under STRS, there is a good chance they fall under SERS.

SERS is a defined benefit plan, which is a meaningful distinction. Employees do not have to manage investments on their own or worry about market swings eating away at their retirement. The system calculates benefits based on years of service and a member’s final average salary, offering a predictable monthly payment upon retirement.

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New Jersey State Police Issue Travel Restriction

The New Jersey Office of Emergency Management under the Division of the New Jersey State Police have issued a mandatory travel restriction beginning 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, February 22, 2026, and ending 7:00 a.m. on Monday, February 23, 2026, in response to a major winter storm expected to bring heavy snow, blizzard conditions, and strong winds across the state.Governor Sherrill declared a State of Emergency on Saturday, February 21, 2026, effective Sunday, February 22, 2026 at 12:00 p.m., to protect public safety and ensure timely snow removal and emergency response.Travel Restriction Details:

All non-exempt vehicles are prohibited from operating on state, county, municipal, and interstate roadways during this period.The New Jersey Turnpike is exempt from this restriction.Violators may face penalties under state law.

Exemptions:The travel restriction does not apply to:

Emergency and public safety vehicles and personnelPublic works and snow removal crewsPublic transportation vehicles and personnelGovernment officials conducting official businessUtility company vehicles and personnelHealthcare workers and urgent medical travelPersonnel supporting emergency shelter operations and human services facilitiesDelivery of critical medical supplies and services to healthcare facilitiesNews mediaPrivate snow removal contractorsPatients seeking urgent critical care and their escortsTravel necessary to maintain critical infrastructure and essential services, including energy, fuel, food, pharmacies, and hardware storesPersonnel supporting airline and airport operations

This measure is intended to safeguard lives and allow emergency and utility crews to clear roads and restore essential services as quickly as possible.For official updates and preparedness information, visit www.ready.nj.gov.Follow the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management online atFacebook @ReadyNewJerseyInstagram @ReadyNJX @ReadyNJ