October 7: Voter registration | USS Olympia plan | Parkway named Great Street | PATCO numbers drop | City closes demolition | West Philly to get Federal Donuts

Hello Eyes! Hope you had a good weekend!

Today is the last day to register to vote in the upcoming November 5 election. Most of the ballot focuses on the election of judges, school board members and municipal officials across the state. One statewide race will determine an open seat on the state Superior Court, and two justices on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court are seeking additional 10-year terms in yes-or-no “retention” votes. 

For years the USS Olympia has been languishing across the street from Ikea as potential stewards try to figure out a way to finance and restore the hulk. A relatively new option has come to the forefront – permanently dry-docking Olympia at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. This option would keep the ship in Philadelphia, save millions of dollars in structural repairs and ensure no further deterioration. 

The American Planning Association has named the Benjamin Franklin Parkway one of 10 Great Streets in the U.S. for 2013. The Parkway’s museums, its design and Philadelphia’s commitment to invest in the improvement in the space helped earn the Parkway a spot on the list and a mention as a “cultural mecca.” By 2014, a total of $23 million will have been invested in improvements on the parkway. 

PATCO’s commuter rail ridership is down after a decade of growth. The Inquirer questions if the decline is related to the “escalator failures and train delays that have plagued the railroad and angered customers in recent months.” 

City officials shutdown the demolition of a two-story North Philadelphia rowhouse on Saturday after neighbors complained of unsafe conditions and authorities found neither the owner nor the contractor had permits, The Inquirer reports. Department of Licenses & Inspections crews were supposed to finish the demolition work Sunday. 

Federal Donuts has its sights set on West Philly. The friend chicken and donut shop will open its third location on Penn’s campus at 3428 Sansom Street. 

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