January 9: Flood watch extended | Trash collection still delayed | Gaming commissioners to hear more objections | Philly job loss report | MLK Day of Service will aid schools

The temperature may be rising, but we are not in the clear yet. Authorities extended a flash flood watch for areas along the Delaware River until 10 p.m. today. An ice jam that developed earlier this week near Trenton is to blame. When the ice breaks due to rising temperatures, it could cause flash flooding in Philadelphia, lower Bucks County, northwest Burlington County and Mercer County. 

The city is working to catch up on trash collection, which is behind schedule due to the cold temperatures this week. In some areas, trash set on the curb still hasn’t been collected. The city is encouraging residents to keep bringing their trash out as scheduled. 

The state gaming commissioners will hear additional objections to the proposed Provence casino. Two schools and a synagogue near the casino site will be able to voice their opinions, and Sugar House Casino will be able to make its argument against issuing a second casino license in Philadelphia. There are limitations however. The schools and the synagogue will only be allowed to comment on traffic and parking issues, not security, and SugarHouse will be limited to discussing the impact of a second license on the Philadelphia gambling market. 

A new Center City District report compares Philly’s job loss over the last four decades to job loss in comparable Northeastern cities, including Boston, New York and Washington D.C. While Philly has lost one in four jobs since 1970, those cities have gained jobs. The report makes several recommendations, but according to Center City District’s Paul Levy, the city must change its tax structure. Levy wants to see a shift away from taxing wages and profits and toward reliance on real estate and asset-based taxes.

This year’s Martin Luther King Day of Service will give special attention and aid to the city’s public schools. In addition to its job fair, book drive and civil-rights movement workshop, Girard College will collect and distribute donated school supplies, computers and 10,000 books. More than 125,000 volunteers are expected to participate throughout the region this year. 

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