PA becomes 38^th state to sanction girls wrestling  

In a unanimous vote, the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association recognized girls wrestling as an official sport.

It is the fastest-growing sport in the nation.

Participation has increased 80 percent in just one year, and more than 400 percent in the last five years.

Click here to read the full article

Transit agencies navigate strategies to eliminate operator shortages 

Like transit agencies across the country, Philadelphia’s SEPTA is facing a driver shortage.

In the past year, it has functioned with need for 144 more drivers.

Strategies to combat these employment issues include flexible scheduling, standards for greater operator safety, and partnerships to help pay for CDL courses. 

Click here to read the full article

City cleanup clears space and repurposes bicycles  

April’s Philly Spring Cleanup program involved the collection of abandoned bicycles.

Nearly 80 bicycles were tagged for 10 days to confirm their abandonment, and more than 500 were gathered overall.

They were delivered to Neighborhood Bike Works and used to educate people about repair and reuse. 

Click here to read the full article

Standardized test scores drop among students nationwide  

Prior to the pandemic, standardized test scores pointed to struggling education systems nationwide.

Reading and math scores have since declined, and many students have not reached basic proficiency on the “nation’s report card.”

The data should inform academic approaches to student recovery; American Rescue Plan funding requires that 20 percent of allocations to school systems be used for this purpose. 

Click here to read the full article

Nonprofit helps renters generate equity

The net worth of homeowners is more than 40 times greater than the net worth of renters.

The Renter Wealth Creation Fund is designed help close the gap by allowing tenants to accrue equity as they pay rent, entitling them to payouts if a given apartment building is sold.

Investments of $250,000 million will be used to purchase properties with up to 7,000 apartments and offer cash-back incentives for paying rent on time.

Click here to read the full article

Houston officials improve infrastructure for population influx 

Houston’s population is projected to gain six million residents and double in size in the next 25 years.

Infrastructure improvements, such as the expansion of roads and highways with efficiency and sustainability in mind, are needed to accommodate this change.

The METRORapid University Corridor project, for example, is a planned 25-mile rapid transit bus line.

Click here to read the full article