“Across the country, Americans have watched the horrible destruction brought on by the devastating tornadoes that tore through the Oklahoma City region yesterday afternoon.  But Americans also witnessed the bravery of local first responders on the scene, of teachers protecting students and of neighbors helping neighbors as rescue efforts began.

“The thoughts and prayers of the nation’s Mayors are with all of those who were killed or injured by these tornadoes and their families.  And our thoughts and prayers are with Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis, Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett, officials of the many other affected communities across the region, and the people of the Oklahoma City area, as they struggle to recover from the damage and begin the extensive process of rebuilding their communities.

“Like the Joplin officials who have already sent a team to help rescue and recovery efforts, the nation’s Mayors stand ready to help their colleagues in the Oklahoma City area recover from this devastating tragedy.”

Demi Lovato, Ne-Yo, Grace Potter, J. Cole, Ben Taylor and Marsha Ambrosius

(PHILADELPHIA) May 9, 2013 – Once again, Philadelphia is celebrating the nation’s birthday in style by putting on “The Largest Free Concert in America,” as part of the Wawa Welcome America! festival. Today, Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced that the Philly 4th of July Jam will feature a number of top musical artists, including: The Roots, John Mayer, Jill Scott, Demi Lovato, Ne-Yo, Grace Potter and J. Cole, along with Ben Taylor and other surprise guests. An additional performance by Marsha Ambrosius will take place on July 6 during the Taste of Philadelphia.

“The City of Philadelphia is proud to welcome an incredibly talented group of musicians to our city this Fourth of July,” said Mayor Nutter. “We believe that this year’s festival will go down in history as the best yet. We know that Philadelphia is the foremost place to celebrate our nation’s birthday. With this superb lineup of talent, we have an opportunity to prove it to the world.”

Philadelphia’s own The Roots, will return as the house band for the Philly 4th of July Jam. This year’s guest artists will join The Roots on stage in a series of nonstop, electrifying performances.

John Mayer is one of few musicians to achieve both critical acclaim and popular appeal. A seven-time Grammy Award winner, Mayer has earned accolades for each album release while selling more than 20 million albums worldwide. Known as a musician who defies genre boundaries, he has collaborated with a range of artists, including Eric Clapton, B.B. King, The Rolling Stones, Jay-Z and Alicia Keys.  His most recent album—Born and Raised—is nearing platinum and he kicks off his first tour in three years on July 6 in Milwaukee, WI.

Jill Scott, a Philadelphia native and accomplished R&B songstress, has filled the airwaves with her music for more than a decade. With four studio albums and several Grammy awards, she has proven that she is here to stay. Scott has also been seen recently on HBO’s Number One Ladies Detective Agency, Lifetime’s Steel Magnolias, and numerous other film and TV projects.

After launching her career through several projects with the Disney Channel, Demi Lovato made a smooth transition into the world of Pop music before she even turned 20. With three successful albums under her belt and a fourth on the way, Lovato is a force to be reckoned with. In 2012, Demi was hired as a judge for the second season of the American version of The X Factor, and it has been confirmed that she will return for the show’s third season. “Heart Attack,” the lead single from her upcoming album, Demi, sold more than 500,000 copies and was certified Gold in just four weeks! Demi is scheduled to be released on May 14.

A Grammy Award winning singer, songwriter, composer and producer, Ne-Yo is one of the most talented artists in music today. With tracks such as “Give Me Everything” and “Let Me Love You,” Ne-Yo continues to dominate the Pop and R&B charts. When the R&B superstar isn’t recording platinum albums and Top 10 singles of his own, he lends his talents to others in the industry. For years, Ne-Yo has penned hits for Pop’s biggest stars, including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Usher and others.

When Grace Potter began performing with her band Grace Potter and the Nocturnals in 2002, they were self-producing albums and touring extensively on the festival circuit, sometimes doing more than 200 shows a year. Today, the Vermont-based band has taken its place among music industry peers, creating critically acclaimed albums and having their music featured on hit TV shows like The Voice and The X Factor. Grace’s unique voice has landed her numerous comparisons to legendary rock blues singers such as Janis Joplin.

J. Cole, the first artist to sign to Jay Z’s Roc Nation label, is one of the most successful emerging hip-hop artists in the game today.  After releasing several successful mixtapes on his own, the young rapper’s long-awaited debut album, Cole World: The Sideline Story, debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Top 200 charts, and sold more than 200,000 copies in the first week. J. Cole also received a nomination for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in 2012.

Ben Taylor, the son of legendary folk rock artists James Taylor and Carly Simon, is currently on tour promoting his album Listening – his first in four years. After self-producing his music for more than a decade, Listening is Taylor’s first album with Iris Records.

“We are excited to be back celebrating the Fourth of July in our hometown and we can’t wait to put on another great show for everyone on the Parkway this year,” said The Roots’ Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson. “These artists, who represent a variety of genres, are a perfect fit for the eclectic musical community that can be found in Philadelphia.”

This year, Wawa Welcome America! is giving festival attendees more reasons to celebrate with free events and performances extending past the Fourth of July. One of those performances will be that of Marsha Ambrosius, who will fill Penn’s Landing with the sounds of her soulful music on Saturday, July 6, followed by the Adventure Aquarium Waterfront Fireworks Spectacular. Ambrosius, who made a name for herself as a member of the duo Floetry, released her first solo album, Late Nights & Early Mornings in 2011. The album debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard R&B charts, and its second single, “Far Away,” landed her two Grammy nominations.

The 2013 festival calendar provides visitors with enticing reasons to stay in Philadelphia after the Fourth of July holiday and enjoy all that the city has to offer. Wawa Welcome America! encourages travelers to extend their vacation and continue their holiday celebrations after observing the nation’s birthday, in its birthplace.

“Wawa Welcome America! is looking forward to putting on another outstanding festival this year,” said Desiree Peterkin-Bell, City Representative and Executive Director of Welcome America, Inc. “We are determined to provide our guests with the best possible experience during this 20^th anniversary year, and we believe that the musical talent secured for this year’s festival will help us achieve just that.”

Additional details about Wawa Welcome America!’s musical performances, including local acts that will be a part of the festivities, will be available online closer to the start of the festival.

Wawa Welcome America! is a multi-day festival that celebrates America’s birthday in America’s birthplace, Philadelphia. In 2013, Welcome America, Inc. is proud to celebrate 20 years as the producer of Philadelphia’s Fourth of July festival. For more information, please visit www.welcomeamerica.com, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wawawelcomeamerica and follow us on Twitter at @July4thPhilly.

Philadelphia, April 24, 2013 –Mayor Michael A. Nutter and Philadelphia Gas Works CEO Craig White announced that J.P. Morgan Securities and Loop Capital Markets will serve as the City’s sales brokers for the potential sale of the Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW).

The firms will manage the sale process toward a potential sale on a contingency fee basis, meaning they will be paid only if the sale of PGW is completed and approved by City Council and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC).

“J.P. Morgan and Loop Capital Markets not only bring outstanding credentials to this assignment, both companies have demonstrated a strong commitment to the City of Philadelphia and PGW,” said Mayor Nutter. “In the past, J.P. Morgan and Loop Capital have participated in bond financings that have enabled the City and PGW to fund capital investments and better serve residents and businesses. As I have said from the outset, the only sale outcome acceptable to me is one that benefits taxpayers and customers.”

The process of selecting a broker involved weighing factors such as knowledge of the utility sector, mergers and acquisition experience, including successfully completing utility sales, and track records representing Philadelphia and other cities in public finance. The team of J.P. Morgan and Loop Capital stood out on all of these factors.

J.P. Morgan is a leader in municipal finance and utility transaction advisory work.  Since 2000, J.P. Morgan has advised on 15 gas utility transactions representing over $20 billion of transaction value. The company is a leading advisor in global and U.S. mergers and acquisitions. J.P. Morgan has supported small businesses throughout Pennsylvania, extending $124 million in credit to these businesses and raising more than $852 million in financing for Pennsylvania governments and non-profit organizations in 2012.

Loop Capital is a minority-owned investment banking firm and leader in public finance.  It is an active advisor on mergers and acquisitions, public private partnerships and financings for public and investor owned companies in the Infrastructure, Power, Utility, Energy sectors.  Since its inception in 1997, Loop Capital has co-senior managed or co-managed more than $6.4 billion in municipal bond financings for the City.

Both firms maintain corporate offices in Philadelphia.

“We are proud to have been selected to serve with Loop Capital as brokers for this historic transaction. We anticipate robust interest from companies wanting to buy PGW and we intend to use our knowledge, skill and experience to attract a compelling offer that meets the objectives of the City and its constituents” said Paul Dabbar, Managing Director in J.P. Morgan’s Global Mergers & Acquisitions Group, who will lead the broker team.

“Mayor Nutter has been specific about his commitment to the citizens of Philadelphia to consummate a sale only if it benefits the City. Our sales process will be designed to first maximize interest from qualified and suitable potential buyers and then to present the City with an offer that meets all objectives,” said Thomas R. Rosén and Derek McNeil, Managing Directors of Loop Capital.

Over the next several months, the brokers will identify and solicit qualified bidders, review responses from those bidders and provide analysis and guidance on the bids to the City and PGW.   Based on a preliminary analysis by its financial advisor in the transaction, Lazard, the City believes it can obtain bids well in excess of PGW’s outstanding bonds and other liabilities while reducing future risk to the City’s General Fund, bringing benefits to both taxpayers and customers.

“Finalizing the selection of a broker is another planned step in this process,” said Craig White, President and CEO of Philadelphia Gas Works. “We look forward to J. P. Morgan and Loop Capital completing their work in a timely fashion.”

Philadelphia is one of only two major cities in the U.S. that still own their gas companies. San Antonio is the other.

Founded in 1836, PGW is the nation’s largest municipally-owned gas utility, serving more than 500,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers.

Read more about the sales process at www.exploringasale.com.

“The agreement announced today by Senator Toomey and Senator Manchin is a necessary first step toward reducing gun violence, saving lives and making our communities safer.  Requiring mandatory background checks for all legal firearms transactions is just common sense.  I applaud Senator Toomey, one of Pennsylvania’s Senators, for hearing the voices of his constituents and acting on their behalf.  We must maintain this momentum as we push Congress to consider this and other measures, including limiting high-capacity magazines, stiffer penalties for straw purchasers, and specifically, Senator Feinstein’s measure to ban military-style assault weapons.  The goal is to get these laws to President Obama’s desk for his signature, and we must not relent in our determination until that moment arrives.”

“As President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, I work with mayors from both sides of the aisle to find practical solutions to the problems we face in our cities,” said Mayor Nutter.  “My colleagues and I agree that there are few resources more cost effective than America’s national service programs.  AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers are central to the fabric of Philadelphia.  Day after day, they roll up their sleeves and get to work addressing education, food insecurity, community revitalization and more.  Simply put, in these challenging economic times, their service is essential to the current and future success of our city and our nation.”

The Mayors Day of Recognition for National Service was initiated by Mayor Nutter in partnership with the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), Cities of Service, the National League of Cities, and other organizations. Mayor Nutter was instrumental in recruiting a bipartisan group of 832 mayors in all 50 states—including six in Pennsylvania—to participate in this first-ever Day of Recognition. Together, these mayors represent nearly 100 million citizens.

“It is a testament to the effectiveness of AmeriCorps and Senior Corps programs that nearly one-third of Americans will have their mayor participating in this first-ever Day of Recognition,” said Wendy Spencer, CEO of CNCS. “I want to thank Mayor Nutter and his colleagues, including Mayor Scott Smith of Mesa, Arizona, for their amazing leadership in creating what we hope will be a long, bipartisan tradition of recognizing the positive, cost-effective contributions of AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers in cities large and small across our great country.”

During the ceremony, Mayor Nutter announced the winners of the first annual City of Philadelphia ~ Mayor’s Award for Distinguished National Service.  The Mayor created this award to shine the spotlight on outstanding individuals who are currently serving among the nearly 3,000 AmeriCorps members and Senior Corps volunteers across the City.  In addition, he wanted to recognize National Service alumni whose continued commitment to service is having a significant positive impact on the city.

The Mayor’s Award for Distinguished Senior Corps Service went to Ms. Rosa Thomas.  A part of the Foster Grandparents Program since 2004, Ms. Thomas volunteers five days a week at the Reynolds Elementary School Head Start Program where she works one-on-one with children identified as needing extra guidance and support.

The Mayor’s Award for Distinguished AmeriCorps Service went to Ms. Dominique Brown-Rasley, a member serving at YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School.  As a child, Ms. Brown-Rasley spent a number of years in the foster care system and left high school before earning her degree.  She came to YouthBuild in August of last year to chart a new future for herself. Today, Ms. Brown-Rasley is as dedicated to her academic pursuits as she is to using life’s lessons to help others overcome challenging obstacles.

Finally, the Mayor chose to honor two National Service alumni for their distinguished contributions to the City of Philadelphia.  The first, recent City Year Greater Philadelphia alumni Alexander Peay, was selected for his dedication in founding ‘Rising Sons,’ a volunteer-powered non-profit that engages young men in helping Philadelphia high school students find their path to success by giving back to their communities.  The second, Wyneshia Foxworth, is a seasoned national service alumnus who most recently served as Executive Director of City Year Greater Philadelphia before transitioning to Chief Operating Officer of Communities in Schools.  While on staff at City Year, Ms. Foxworth briefly left Philadelphia to be the first City Year staff member on the ground after Hurricane Katrina.  There, she was instrumental in establishing City Year New Orleans within 100 days of the storm’s landing.

For more information, and to view a list of Outstanding Nominees in each category, please visit www.NationalServicePHL.com.

Philadelphia, April 7, 2013—Mayor Michael A. Nutter has issued the following statement on the death of Captain Michael Goodwin and the injury to Firefighter Andrew Godlinski:

“Today, we mourn the loss of Captain Michael Goodwin of the Philadelphia Fire Department and the injury to Firefighter Andrew Godlinski who tried to save him. Captain Goodwin was a leader who for 29 years put on the uniform of our respected department and risked his life on a daily basis in order to protect all of us from the ravages of fire and destruction. On Saturday, while leading his ladder company in the suppression of a raging fire, Michael Goodwin, husband, father of two, brother to three siblings, perished in the inferno.

“I ask all Philadelphians to join me in prayer for this heroic man, for his wife Kelly and their children, his mother Betty, and their extended family and for the members of the Philadelphia Fire Department who have all suffered a grievous loss. I also ask that Philadelphians communicate our great sorrow and condolences to Capt. Goodwin’s fellow officers in the finest firefighting force in America. We must never forget the grave risks that these heroic public servants take every day at a moment’s notice on behalf of us all.

“Like Capt. Goodwin, Firefighter Andrew Godlinski, a five-year veteran, fought the blazing fire and with all of his professional training risked his life in an effort to save Capt. Goodwin. Please join with me in praying for Firefighter Godlinski’s swift recovery.

“Finally, this tragedy comes just three days before the one-year anniversary of the deaths of Lt. Robert P. Neary and Firefighter Daniel Sweeney who gave their lives fighting a raging warehouse fire in Kensington. Members of the Philadelphia Fire Department are in mourning again for one of their own and recall these two fallen heroes. Our firefighters need our support and prayers, but we know that every minute of every day, they are protecting us with all their skill and heart and we thank them.”

Philadelphia, March 28, 2013 – Mayor Michael A. Nutter called on Congress to require comprehensive and enforceable background checks as part of the National Day to Demand Action at an event in North Philadelphia.  Mayors Against Illegal Guns, in conjunction with Organizing for Action, Americans for Responsible Solutions and other groups supporting background checks, organized more than 100 similar events and petition drives targeted at members of Congress while they are home during the Easter/Passover recess.  The goal is to urge representatives to support commonsense gun laws like comprehensive and enforceable background checks.

“The single most effective thing we can do to get guns out of the hands of criminals is to require comprehensive and enforceable background checks,” said Mayor Nutter.  “That means making sure that people who buy guns in private sales are checked, and the gun store that conducts the check keeps a record of the sale in case the gun is traced from a crime. Background checks are the only systematic way to stop felons, domestic abusers and people with severe mental illnesses from buying firearms. These checks are instantaneous and highly effective.”

Deputy Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said, “Background checks are already required for sales at licensed gun shops. Dealers are already required to keep a record of the sale. Why can’t we hold private sellers to the same standards? The guns they sell are no less deadly than the guns sold by licensed dealers.”

The National Day to Demand Action brought together hundreds of mayors, law enforcement officials, faith leaders, gun violence survivors and family members, and other Americans who want Congress to take immediate action to strengthen the background check system and reduce gun violence.  The day is expected to be the largest gun violence advocacy event in history and is part of the largest field campaign in U.S. history to address gun violence.

In addition to the National Day to Demand Action, the bipartisan coalition is also airing ads demanding that political leaders take action to pass commonsense gun reforms in key states during the upcoming Congressional recess, including in Pennsylvania.  Ads can be found at www.demandaction.org/recessads.

About Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Since its inception in April 2006, Mayors Against Illegal Guns has grown from 15 mayors to more than 900 mayors from across the country.  The organization has have more than 1.4 million grassroots supporters, making it the largest gun violence prevention advocacy organization in the country.  The bipartisan coalition, co-chaired by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino, has united the nation’s mayors around these common goals: protecting their communities by holding gun offenders and irresponsible gun dealers accountable; demanding access to trace data that is critical to law enforcement efforts to combat illegal gun trafficking; and working with legislators to fix gaps, weaknesses and loopholes in the law that make it far too easy for criminals and other prohibited purchasers to get guns.  Learn more at www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org.

Thursday, March 21, 7:00 p.m.

PROPAC Port Richmond on Patrol and Civic

Saint George’s Church Hall

2700 East Venango Street

Philadelphia PA 19134

During the past two years, many Philadelphia residents felt the effects of an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, tropical storms, major snow storms and devastating fires.  Do you know what emergency supplies you should have on hand for these types of emergencies?  Where will you go if you need to evacuate?  Are you familiar with the City’s evacuation routes?   Do you know how to shelter in place if there is a hazardous chemical release?  How will you stay informed during an emergency?

“The best way to be prepared for any emergency is to create a Family Emergency Plan,” said Joan Przybylowicz, external affairs deputy director for the Office of Emergency Management. “Planning for emergencies is easy, but it does take time.  Join us for this educational workshop to learn how to develop your Family Emergency Plan.”

The time to start planning for an emergency is not in the middle of one.  In an emergency, you’re either ready or you’re not.  Be ready. Make a plan. Get what you need.

To learn more about how to prepare for emergencies, visit the Office of Emergency Management’s web site at www.phila.gov/ready or call 3-1-1.  You can also follow PhilaOEM on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, You Tube and Blogspot.

“I commend the Sinking Fund Commission, which controls the investment of the Philadelphia Gas Works’ pension fund, for their adoption of the Sandy Hook Principles. In doing so, the Commission is using its economic power to send a very strong message that irresponsible corporate behavior will not be tolerated,” said Mayor Nutter. “On January 24, 2013, Philadelphia’s Pension Board took an important step when it adopted the Sandy Hook Principles, and I’m pleased that the Sinking Fund Commission voted to do the same.   I am asking all cities, states, transit systems, schools, colleges, universities, hedge fund and pension fund managers, venture capital funds, and all other organizations that hold investments with private corporations to review the Sandy Hook Principles and consider their adoption as part of your investment strategy. The power of our collective voice cannot be overstated.”

Benjamin F. Gilbert II, Board Chair of the Sinking Fund Commission, said, “Given the nature and severity of the gun violence prevention problem in our nation, the Commission thought adopting the Principles was the right thing to do. The Commission’s objective is to influence others to do what we believe is right, with the end result being an improvement in our communities.”

The Sinking Fund Commission was established by the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter to invest money and to redeem city bonds. As part of its duties, the Sinking Fund Commission administers the investments of the Philadelphia Gas Works Retirement Reserve Fund.

The Sandy Hook Principles are modeled after the Sullivan Principles, a human rights and equal opportunity code of conduct for companies, which were developed to change the apartheid regime in South Africa. A copy of the Sandy Hook Principles is attached below.

“While traffic fatalities are near historic lows and accidents involving cyclists have been halved in last decade, still every four hours a pedestrian is hit by car in Philadelphia,” said Mayor Nutter. “The economic cost of traffic accidents in Philadelphia exceeds $1 billion a year. The personal costs of traffic tragedies are incalculable. This campaign has some Philly attitude that I hope will engage everyone who sees an ad.”

Rina Cutler, Deputy Mayor for Transportation and Utilities notes, “Engineering, enforcement and education all have a role to play in improving traffic safety. Our messaging is deliberate. We need to pay special attention to pedestrians because we are all pedestrians. We need to target the most dangerous and annoying behaviors of cyclists. We need to remind drivers that city streets aren’t highways. At end of the day, this is about making sure everyone gets home safely.”

The $125,000 campaign is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation and will run through the Spring. Advertisements will appear on at least 65 busses, 50 bus shelters across the City and dozens of Broad Street Line and Market Frankford Line subways.  Sample images are attached to the release. The campaign was developed by Philadelphia based advertising and public relations firm LevLane.

“AAA is proud to support the City of Philadelphia in this crucial effort to save lives and make our highways safer for all travelers,” said Jenny M. Robinson, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s Manager of Public and Government Affairs.  “This innovative campaign clearly emphasizes that motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists must take responsibility and share the road safely. We all need to pay attention, slow down, and avoid distractions when using our highways.”

Alex Doty, Executive Director of the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia added, “When one person doesn’t follow the rules of the road, it starts a cascading effect of bad behavior that contributes to making streets unsafe for everyone. “Philadelphia has long needed a road safety education campaign and we hope it goes a long way toward convincing bicyclists along with other road users that everyone has a part to play in making Philadelphia’s streets safer for themselves and others.”

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