Qidere “LGP Qua” Johnson, a rising hip-hop artist known for his viral freestyles and community activism, died on Mother’s Day at Temple University Hospital. He was 30.
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**Philadelphia City Council Renames Streets to Honor LGP Qua**
Philadelphia’s City Council voted unanimously on Thursday to rename the 900 block of West Clearfield Street as “Voice of the Youth” and the block of North 9th Street between Clearfield Street and Indiana Avenue as “LGP Qua Way.”
This renaming serves as a permanent memorial for rapper LGP Qua, whose real name was Qidere Johnson, 30, who was fatally shot on Mother’s Day.
Councilmember Jeffery Young, representing the 5th District, spoke on youth violence during his floor speech and released a statement following the shooting of a Dobbins High student at 15th Street and Lehigh Avenue on Wednesday.
“This week alone, our city has been shaken by mass amounts of gun violence,” the statement said. “But for an incident like this to take place within our School Safe Corridors is especially concerning. These corridors are designed to protect young people as they travel to and from school, and we must make them stronger.”
“That is why I remain committed to putting our resources toward solutions that work — community safety partnerships, youth support programs, and investments that address the root causes of violence,” the statement added. “Our children deserve to walk to school without fear, and I will continue to fight for that reality in the 5th District and across Philadelphia.”
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**Possible Changes in Waste Disposal Policies**
City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, representing the 3rd District, introduced legislation on Thursday aimed at prohibiting the city from contracting with companies that burn collected trash and recycling.
Gauthier said the move would help reduce pollution-related illnesses in Philadelphia and other predominantly minority cities, such as Chester in Delaware County.
The bill, known as the Stop Trashing Our Air Act, would require the city to seek new waste management companies once the current contracts expire next year.
According to Gauthier, 37% of Philadelphia’s trash is currently burned, with approximately one-third of it sent to the Reworld trash incinerator in Chester—the largest incinerator in the country. This facility burns about 3,500 tons of trash and industrial waste daily.
Gauthier described the incinerator as “the region’s largest air polluter” and a significant contributor to asthma and other health problems residents face due to poor air quality.
“I’m introducing the Stop Trashing Our Air Act to end the City of Philadelphia’s role in perpetuating environmental racism through trash incineration,” Gauthier said in a press release. “The city’s work to build a safer, cleaner, and greener Philly shouldn’t come at the cost of making our neighbors sicker, dirtier, and less safe. That’s not brotherly love. Everyone deserves to breathe clean, trash-free air.”
The city plans to release a request for proposals (RFP) for upcoming waste management contracts later this year. Although Gauthier did not outline specific alternatives to burning trash, a spokesperson from her office noted that burning trash and landfilling the remnants “is 2.3 times worse for the planet and our health than if we had just landfilled the unburned trash.”
The proposed bill will be referred to committee for further review.
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**Community Demands Updates on Carousel House Repairs**
Residents turned out in large numbers for public comment to demand updates on repairs to the Carousel House on Ridge Avenue, a city-owned facility featuring a recreation center popular with people living with disabilities. The center has been closed since March 2020.
Plans to renovate the facility have been delayed, with a proposal expected next year and reopening pushed back to 2028.
Those who spoke during the session expressed concerns that the nearby Gustine Recreation Center is crowded and does not adequately serve the community needs that Carousel House was originally designed to address.
Councilmember Curtis Jones Jr., whose district includes the Carousel House, informed attendees that costs for the renovation, funded by the Rebuild program, have risen from $12 million to $40 million.
“Let me assure you: when I make a promise, I keep it,” Jones said. “We’re gonna rebuild Carousel House.”
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**A Note on Employment Challenges for Black Youth**
Has job hunting as a Black Gen Zer come with more halts and frustrations than expected? You’re not alone. Unemployment rates for Black/African American youth in Philadelphia remain higher than those for other racial and age groups.
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