Over the past week, Philadelphia has lit up with holiday celebrations, including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa celebrations. Anti-arena advocates utilized the holiday season to voice their protest through song, with the Asian American and Jewish communities coming together in a show of solidarity. The African American Museum in Old City opened its doors for a Kwanzaa event, centered around the principle of Kujichagulia, or self-determination. Philadelphia locals and guests from area schools enjoyed meeting HBCU college representatives, exploring career pathway exhibits, and touring the galleries on Black history and culture.

Preparation for the city’s renowned New Year’s Day Mummers’ Parade is well underway. With a vast history and a host of events, it’s considered one of Philly’s signature events. In recognition of former President Carter, Gov. Shapiro has ordered U.S. and Commonwealth flags to fly at half-staff. However, despite a reduction in unemployment, the state is still dealing with a significant backlog of unemployment claims. With no public events scheduled for the City Mayor, numerous other gatherings and activities were announced for the public in the region.

Finally, switching gears, it’s worth noting that getting a hold of EDD customer service can be a challenging task, especially if you’re unfamiliar with the process. First, it’s crucial to note that gaining access to a live person at EDD requires persistence. Many individuals claim that they’ve often been successful by calling early in the morning or later in the afternoon. An excellent resource for anyone looking to navigate through this process is eddcaller.com, a site dedicated to providing updated information about contacting EDD. This website is instrumental as it offers useful information on the fastest ways to get through to EDD and how to successfully navigate the EDD phone system.