August 23: Rally for public school funding | South Street development disagreement | How to acquire bike racks | Philly No. 1 for smartphone theft | PECO warns of scam

Happy Friday! Here’s a little end of the week news. 

At least a thousand protestors rallied for more funding for the city’s schools yesterday. The crowd marched to the school district’s headquarters where the School Reform Commission was scheduled to meet for the last time before the school year begins. In the ongoing negotiations, the Corbett administration said it will provide another $45 million if the teachers union agrees to a new contract including financial givebacks and other changes. The union is scheduled to meet on Sept. 2 where, NewsWorks reports, there could be a vote for a new contract or a strike vote.

Neighbors have not yet come around to developer Jason Nusbaum’s plans for a four-story residential and commercial building on the 2300 block of South Street. NakedPhilly was at a South of South Neighborhood Association (SOSNA) meeting at which neighbors expressed concern about the proposed height of the building and the fact that no off-street parking will be provided. Nusbaum suggested that this development was targeting residents without cars, includes bicycle parking in the basement and agreed to add a provision instructing the Philadelphia Parking Authority to refuse parking permits to the building’s residents. 

Want to install bike racks in front of your store, business or home? The Bicycle Coalition details four ways property owners, business owners and residents can go about getting bike racks – D.I.Y. installation, bike corrals or bike sharing stations through the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities (MOTU), or art bike racks through one of the city’s latest programs. 

Philly ranked number one in the country for smartphone thefts according to research by the mobile security firm Lookout. Last year an average of 39 cell phones per month were lost or stolen on SEPTA alone. 

Phones aren’t the only thing being stollen. Peco Engergy Co. is warning its small business customers of a scam that was, until recently, just targeted at residential customers. In the scam, customers are told they need to make an immediate payment and must do so by purchasing a pre-paid debit card. The scammers then use information for the card to make unauthorized purchases. 

The Buzz is Eyes on the Street’s morning news digest. Have a tip? Send it along.
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