A weekly feature of the Kenney Administration, #PhillyMayorThisWeek returns for its first 2017 edition recapping five moments over the past week you might’ve missed.

This week, the Mayor visited a PHLpreK partner, the PPD announced crime was at its lowest level in decades, the opioid task force met for the first time, the City received a $2.8 million grant for protected bike lanes and other transit initiatives, and the first #AskKenney of 2017 took place.

1. Mayor Kenney visited Children’s Playhouse, one of PHLpreK’s partners.

The City-funded initiative PHLpreK, a program made possible thanks to the Philadelphia Beverage Tax, launched this month, and Mayor Kenney celebrated the program’s start with a visit to Children’s Playhouse. PHLpreK is a key priority of Mayor Jim Kenney’s Administration.

PHLpreK: Children's Playhouse Visit

Yesterday, I had the chance to visit with kids who are a part of our first class of #PHLpreK. We’ve brightened our city’s future by giving these kids a better chance to meet their full potential.

Posted by Mayor Jim Kenney on Wednesday, January 11, 2017

2. The Philadelphia Police announced that crime in Philadelphia has dropped to its lowest level since 1979.

After analyzing numbers from 2016, the Philadelphia Police Department announced that crime was at its lowest level in decades. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Chris Palmer reported on the good news, observing “There were fewer violent crimes than in any other year since 1979, the fewest number of property crimes since 1971, and the fewest number of robberies since 1969.” Upon hearing the news, Mayor Kenney offered his gratitude to Commissioner Richard Ross “and all the men and women in the PPD who serve our city!”

3. Mayor Kenney attended the first meeting of the newly created task force charged with combating the opioid crisis.

Calling the nationwide opioid crisis a “significant social and public health challenge requiring a comprehensive, citywide approach,” Mayor Kenney announced formation of the City’s opioid task force in November 2016. This week, he attended the group’s first meeting. The task force will meet semi-monthly for three months to develop a comprehensive and coordinated plan to reduce opioid abuse, dependence, and overdose in Philadelphia; the group will present its findings with recommendations to the Mayor within 90 days.

Philadelphia Police Department Commissioner Richard Ross looks on as Mayor Kenney speaks at the first meeting of the City’s opioid task force. (Photo by Samantha Madera.)

4. The City was awarded a $2.8 million grant for projects that will improve mobility and enhance pedestrian, bicyclist, and motorist safety.

Governor Tom Wolf and state Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards announced that Philadelphia would receive $2.8 million for four projects: expanding Indego, the City’s municipal bike share program; developing the Kensington & Tacony Trail between Magee Avenue and Princeton Avenue; improving street safety and stormwater retention at 53rd and Baltimore Avenue; and, funding for protected bike lanes. “We truly appreciate such generous state support for these vital initiatives,” the Mayor said. “Our goals of ensuring safer streets and healthy transportation options for all Philadelphians will be greatly enhanced by this funding.”

5. The Mayor answered questions in the first #AskKenney Twitter chat of 2017.

A monthly event, the #AskKenney Twitter chat had its first 2017 edition this week. Topics ranged from the Philadelphia Beverage Tax to immigration policy — someone even asked which progressive icon the Mayor most admired. (It’s John Lewis.) The Mayor ended the chat with a call to action for folks to volunteer for the upcoming Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, January 16.

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