Young raising awareness for human trafficking in PA
State Rep. Regina Young hosted a news conference at the Philadelphia International Airport to discuss the need to train hotel and service industry workers to combat human trafficking and her legislation to provide that training.
Young is working to combat the growing problem of sex and human trafficking by partnering with the restaurant and lodging industry to implement required awareness training for hotel employees.
Due to their anonymous and low-risk nature, hotels and motels are often prime locations used for exploitation. To that end, hotel associates are uniquely situated to identify and report suspicious activity.
Young’s legislation (H.B. 2455 ) would require hotel and motel associates be trained to understand what human trafficking is, how to identify it, and what steps to take if suspected trafficking is taking place.
“Human trafficking is an evil practice that happens across the country, and Pennsylvania is not immune from it,” Young said. “Hotel and service-industry workers tend to be particularly at risk of being victims. With the Philadelphia Airport located in my district, the issue is especially pervasive here. Making sure hotel and motel associates are trained to understand what human trafficking is can be a crucial step in protecting these workers from human trafficking.”
As recently as 2021, the National Human Trafficking Hotline identified 192 cases of human trafficking in Pennsylvania, of which 315 victims were involved.
Queen Village resident on No Name Pops Board of Directors
Queen Village resident Aronté Bennett was named vice president of the Board of Directors of local music company the No Name Pops. Bennett is an Associate Professor of Marketing and the Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at Villanova University’s School of Business. She specializes in consumer behavior and marketplace access, and actively participates in local charities, including The Junior League of Philadelphia and the Fund for the Water Works. Bennett holds a Ph.D. from New York University.
Learn about scholarship program
Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia, a K-8th grade scholarship program, will hold a school fair to connect families with CSFP’s network of partner schools, program ambassadors and staff on Saturday, Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Community College of Philadelphia, Bonnell Building, 1700 Spring Garden St.
Parents will learn how to apply for scholarships.
Free school supplies will be given away, and there will be a prize raffle.
RSVP at https://www.csfphiladelphia.org/school-fair/ ••
Little Flower online auction
Little Flower High School has an online auction going until Nov. 12. In all, there are 100 prizes in a variety of categories. Bidding is open at LittleFlowerHighSchool.org, under the Alumnae Upcoming Events tab. A direct link is at https://new.biddingowl.com/item/dinner-at-union?AuctionItemId=7216adb1-de98-4276-87e5-dbd728240b48&QueryAuctionId=df2ea0e4-d408-4920-aad1-02a651569769&QueryCategory=+All&fbclid=IwY2xjawGDEHdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHck5yL8jTemXWZ4_iIFBuXdkOvtqNOoufcwtSBE3dHVwo5iWrvxH6PBlcw_aem_bYj1TSU6BVATkjTN3nOlUw ••
Entertainment at Parx
Parx Casino is offering the following upcoming entertainment:
Nov. 9: Air Supply
Nov. 21: Aaron Lewis
Nov. 23: Steve Trevino
Dec. 7: Kathleen Madigan ••
VFW looking for members
Bustleton-Somerton/CTR1 Michael J. Strange VFW Post 6617 meets on the third Wednesday of every month at American Legion Post 810, 9151 Old Newtown Road.
Meetings start at 7:30 p.m.
If you are a military veteran who served in a designated combat zone, you are eligible to join the VFW.
Call Commander Israel Wolmark at 215-725-0630 if you would like to join the post. ••
Apply for scholarship
Children’s Scholarship Fund Philadelphia opened its 2025-26 application season. CSFP will award 2,000 new scholarships to eligible students this year, while continuing to support prior recipients.
These need-based, K-8th grade scholarships are available for Philadelphia families interested in sending their students to more than 150 tuition-based schools throughout the city. The updated tier award amounts will total $1,250, $2,500 and $3,350, reflecting incremental updates to the previous tiered amounts. All CSFP students receive scholarships through eighth grade. CSFP scholarships are awarded through a random lottery and are available for up to three children per family per year.
Apply by Nov. 15 to be entered into a December lottery.
CSFP previously released a report detailing evidence that the fund’s students outperform their public school peers in both math and reading on standardized tests.Families can apply at www.csfphiladelphia.org/apply. ••
