Month: December 2013

Philadelphia, December 9, 2013– Mayor Michael A. Nutter issued the following statement on the approval of the merger between US Airways and American Airlines:rnrn rnrn“I congratulate US Airways and American Airlines on their new partnership, which will be a tremendous benefit for Philadelphia, Southeastern Pennsylvania and the entire tri-state region.rnrn rnrn“We are very excited about the new American Airlines in the Philadelphia market as it will enhance Philadelphia’s position in the global marketplace. The newly combined airline, the largest in the world, creates an extensive global network with 6,700 daily flights to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries.rnrn rnrn“The new company solidifies Philadelphia International Airport as a trans-Atlantic gateway and gives travelers access to a stronger One World global airline network. The City of Philadelphia will continue to work with American Airlines to bring more air service to the region, especially international service to Asia, South America and even more continents. I look forward to seeing growth in air service, employment and investment at Philadelphia International Airport as a result of this merger.”

First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia hosts concert to benefit Philippine typhoon relief featuring artists and alumni from the Academy of Vocal Arts.rnPhiladelphia, PA (PRWEB) December 06, 2013rnrnIn response to the devastation caused in the Philippines by typhoon Haiyan, the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia will join forces with The Academy of Vocal Arts to present the second of two concerts to raise money for Red Cross International’s relief efforts in the Philippines.rnFirst Presbyterian will host the concert at the church at 21st and Walnut Streets on Saturday, December 14 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25. All proceeds and any additional donations will go to Red Cross International.rnFor more information or to reserve tickets, please visit http://www.fpcphila.org/voices-for-relief/, or call Voices for Relief at 267-687-1496.rnThe inspiration for these concerts came from First Church member and AVA alumnus Jeffrey Halili, who is of Filipino heritage. “I couldn’t lay claim on my heritage and on my faith if I didn’t try to do what I could to help,” said Halili. “And what I can do is sing and reach out to my dearest friends who can sing as well. I’m very grateful that so many of my colleagues and teachers at AVA and my church family at 21st and Walnut are able to make these concerts happen.”rnThe concert will feature AVA alumni and resident artists Ailyn Pérez, Latonia Moore, Zach Borichevsky, William Davenport, Eric Dubin, Jeffrey Halili, Jennifer Hsiung, Ryan Kuster, Jeremy Milner, Chloé Moore, John Packard, Diego Silva, Jason Switzer, Richard Troxell, Moses Yungbae Yang, Corinne Winters, and John Viscardi with pianists José Mélendez, Richard Raub, and Tim Ribchester. (The list of artists is subject to change.)rnHospitality for the artists will be graciously provided by El Fuego Restaurant.rnThese artists have all volunteered their time to support this tremendous cause. They have starred in major roles at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, San Francisco Opera, English National Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Albert Hall, and many other renowned opera houses throughout the world. With recognition from distinguished competitions such the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, George London Foundation Vocal Competition, Gerda Lissner Foundation International Vocal Competition, and the Loren L. Zachary National Vocal Competition, these artists continue to showcase their vocal firepower and achievements in opera.rnTo reserve tickets, please visit http://www.fpcphila.org/voices-for-relief/, or call Voices for Relief at 267-687-1496.rnAbout The First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia: The First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia at 21st and Walnut Streets was founded in 1698. First Presbyterian is a home to a diverse group of Christians from the greater Philadelphia region. The church is many voices but one people who seek to glorify God through worship, prayer, and theological inquiry, to live the love of Christ through service to others, and to provide a welcoming and nurturing presence in this urban community. The church is an active member of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), the Presbytery of Philadelphia and the Covenant Network.rnAbout the Academy of Vocal Arts: Founded in 1934 and headquartered in Philadelphia, PA, the Academy of Vocal Arts (AVA) is dedicated to giving voice to opera’s future. Regarded by many as the premier opera training school in the world, AVA provides four years of tuition-free training. It is dedicated exclusively to the study of voice. The student body is intentionally small and admission highly competitive. More than two hundred singers from across the globe audition each year for the fewer than eight spots available in each class. The program is limited to fewer than thirty total Resident Artists, who are immersed in a uniquely intensive and highly personalized program where they learn from world-renowned faculty. They receive training in voice, vocal repertoire, acting, stage combat, opera history, several languages, and each year are presented in three to four fully-staged opera productions accompanied by the professional AVA Opera Orchestra. They are cast in leading roles that they will in all likelihood continue to perform for the rest of their careers. No other opera training program in the world rivals AVA’s success in developing individual artists whose extraordinary voices inspire millions on international stages.rnThe First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia will donate all 100% from the concert to support international services of the American Red Cross. The American Red Cross name and emblem are used with its permission, which in no way constitutes an endorsement, express or implied, of any product, service, company, opinion or political position. The American Red Cross logo is a registered trademark owned by the American Red Cross. For more information, please visit http://www.redcross.org.

Philadelphia, December 5, 2013 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that Fun Safe Philly Summer, the City’s collaborative initiative to provide summer programming and free meals to young people, served 3.4 million meals through the Summer Food Service Program, and promoted approximately 25,000 available summer programming opportunities for summer 2013.rnrn“It is vitally important that young Philadelphians have access to fun and enriching activities to help them gain academic and social skills, but it is particularly important for young people to be active and engaged in the summer months,” said Mayor Nutter. “I am proud of the continued success of Fun Safe Philly Summer. In its second year, it maintained the 25% summer meal service increase from 2012 and connected thousands of young people to program options, helping them spend their time productively all summer long.”rnrnThis summer, the Mayor’s Office partnered with the Department of Parks and Recreation, Radio One, VILLA, the Philadelphia Urban Creators, the Philadelphia Union, the Mayor’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, and others to host seven “Pop Up” events across the City. These events included a soccer clinic, a pool party, free ice skating and free musical performances. The second year of Fun Safe Philly Summer “Pop Up” events, free events in neighborhoods across the city, engaged almost 2,000 young people throughout the summer.rnrn“I was raised in South Philly, not too far from Chew Playground. I know these kids and it’s great to be a product of this community and see the faces of the kids as you give back, its priceless” said John Tabourn, Director of Group Sales and Experiences, Philadelphia Soul.rnrnDan Raudabaugh, Philadelphia Soul quarterback added, “It’s great to see the kids enjoying themselves having an opportunity to give back like this is great for our team too.”rnrnThe Fun Safe Philly Summer campaign encourages participation in the Summer Food Service Program, a U.S. Department of Agriculture federally-funded program serving breakfast, lunch and snacks to children 18 years of age and younger.rnrnFun Safe Philly Summer partnered with the Department of Parks and Recreation, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Nutritional Development Services, Philadelphia Housing Authority, Department of Public Health, and the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger and provided 3.4 million meals at 1,365 sites from June 17 through August 31, 2013.rnrnAnne Ayella, Assistant Director for Non-Governmental Programs and Community Relations at the Archdiocese of Philadelphia Nutritional Development Services (NDS) said, “NDS is always so pleased to partner with the City and others in ensuring a Fun Safe Philly Summer for the children in our care. We are grateful for the leadership of the City administration in bringing us together to provide fun activities, as well as, sharing info about the healthy summer meals for the children of our area. The brightly colored yard signs were so effective this year!”rnrn“It is vital that Philadelphia’s young people have access to fun and safe summer activities. That, coupled with access to free lunch and snack through the Summer Food Service Program, aids in year-round success, which sets children up for future successes,” said Susan Slawson, First Deputy Commissioner for Recreation.rnrn###rnrnFun Safe Philly Summer is an Office of Mayor Michael A. Nutter, city-wide, partnered initiative to provide Philadelphia youth with programming and opportunities to stay active and engaged all summer long. To find, available programming, fun, free activities and a summer meal location near you, log on to www.funsafephillysumer.com or follow FSPS on Twitter @PhillySummer.

Posted on December 3, 2013 by City of Philadelphiarn December 3, 2013– Mayor Michael A. Nutter, joined by City officials, announced the launch of PHL Tax LOOP, the Longtime Owner Occupants Program, a new Real Estate Tax relief program for eligible Philadelphia homeowners. This week, the City of Philadelphia began mailing information packets, including a pre-filled application, to 80,000 properties based on preliminary eligibility requirements. The LOOP application deadline is Wednesday, January 15, 2014.rn rn“Our new property tax system is fair and accurate for all Philadelphians – but fairer and more accurate values meant large Real Estate Tax increases for some homeowners,” said Mayor Nutter. “In the current budget, working with City Council, we set aside $20 million to help longtime homeowners by offering Real Estate Tax relief. PHL Tax LOOP is an opportunity for property owners to receive savings on their Tax Year (TY) 14 Real Estate Taxes. I want to encourage every eligible Philadelphian to apply for this important discount.”rn rnEligibility requirements for PHL Tax LOOP are as follows:rn rnThe TY14 market value of the property minus the $30,000 Homestead Exemption is triple the TY13 property value;rnThe property must be either a single-family dwelling or a multi-unit property with up to three residential units and one commercial unit;rnThe property must be the primary residence of the owner since at least July 1, 2003;rnThe property does not currently have, or ever had, a tax abatement;rnThe Real Estate Taxes for the property must be up-to-date; the owner must be current on an existing payment agreement or the owner must have applied to enter into a payment agreement;rnAnd the homeowner meets income requirements based on household size.rn rnIn order to qualify for LOOP Real Estate Tax savings, applicants must meet all eligibility requirements and apply by January 15, 2014. Once approved, homeowners enrolled in LOOP will receive the real estate taxes discount for 10 years. rn rnThe LOOP discount will vary based on property values. Approved LOOP applicants will have their TY14 Real Estate taxes calculated using the TY14 tax rate of 1.34% multiplied by three times the TY13 property value. rn rnAll applicants will be notified by a decision letter in March 2014. Due to the LOOP timeline, a new Real Estate Tax payment procedure has been outlined for LOOP applicants. Homeowners applying for LOOP should pay the discounted amount indicated on the brochure received in the information packet by the real estate tax due date, March 31, 2014 or February 28, 2014 to receive an additional 1% discount. If approved, no further action is needed. If an application is denied, the property owner must pay the balance due, the difference between the reduced amount due with the LOOP discount and the amount due without LOOP, by April 30, 2014 to avoid interest or penalties.rn rnIf a homeowner pays real estate taxes through their mortgage company, the City will notify the mortgage company of the new amount due if the LOOP application is approved.rn rnIndividuals should apply for LOOP whether or not they have received the Homestead Exemption. rn rnTY14 Real Estate Tax bills for all Philadelphia properties will be mailed on December 9, 2013. These bills will not indicate if a property is LOOP eligible.rn rnFor more information on LOOP, log onto www.phila.gov/LOOP. For questions and assistance, please call 215-686-9200. Information is available online and by phone in multiple languages.rn rnIn addition to these resources, the City of Philadelphia has created a helpful widget to determine if a property is eligible for LOOP. The “Am I Eligible?” widget is available through www.phila.gov/LOOP.