October 9: Parkway T. rex | Shutdown yields temporary visitor centers | Explaining PATCO ridership dip | 47 Philly schools get extra state help

Good morning, Streeters. Today’s cool and windy weather portends a Nor’easter headed our way.  

If you see an animatronic T. rex on the Parkway do not be alarmed. NewsWorks’ Viewfinders was on hand during his arrival outside of the Academy of Natural Sciences early yesterday morning and notes that the T. rex is heralding the Academy’s forthcoming exhibit Dinosaurs Unearthed.

Visitors keep coming to see Philadelphia’s historic sites despite the federal shutdown. To help visitors find information and tickets for the attractions that remain open, the Independence Visitors Center (currently closed) has teamed up with Historic Philadelphia, Inc to use Historic Philadelphia’s space at 6th and Chestnut as a visitor center, the Business Journal reports.

Why is PATCO ridership dropping? The Inquirer reports that the Delaware Valley Port Authority posited that lower gas prices, and shifts in employment are among the reasons why PATCO is seeing a dip in ridership. That said, DRPA notes, PATCO ridership has increased dramatically in the last 10 years and they do expect only a 1% drop.

Of the 92 public schools in Pennsylvania identified to get extra financial help from the state, nearly 50 are in Philadelphia. NewsWorks reports that the 92 “priority” public schools are those where students have especially poor reading and math scores, and the additional resources are geared at improving performance through changes to teaching methods, materials, and curricula.

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along.
Follow us on Twitter @EOTSPhilly | Like us on Facebook | Share your Philly photos in our Flickr Group