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Delegate_Issue 1_FINAL

A publication of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association

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THE DELEGATE NATCA'S BIENNIAL CONVENTION | APRIL 17-20, 2018 5 SPOTLIGHT: #NATCAphilly2018 EVENING EVENTS NCF Solidarity Event Closing Banquet Markets have been a part of Philadelphia's history since the city's development by William Penn in the late 17th century. When Penn's managers established the town of Philadelphia, one of their first actions was to herd the ragtag crowd of farmers, fishermen, and huntsmen, who were hawking their goods all over the bustling settlement, into an open area at the foot of what was known as High Street along the Delaware River. Soon, the so-called 'Jersey Market' (because most of the hucksters were from the neighboring state) began to expand westward in the middle of the thoroughfare that had been appropriately renamed Market Street. Not long after, open air markets fell out of favor with the general public. They were considered health hazards and nuisances. They also created obstacles for the ever-increasing streetcar traffic. Bowing to complaints of nearby residents, city fathers decreed that the street markets would have to go, and in 1859 summarily dismantled them. It was then that two main markets sprang up at 12th and Market Streets. They were known as the Farmers' Market and the Franklin Market. It would be these two markets that would become the forerunners of what is now Reading Terminal Market. In the postwar years, sweeping changes in where people lived, how they traveled, and where they shopped signaled problems for the Market's viability. The Reading Railroad's revenue declined and it had less to invest in the Market's upkeep. The roof started leaking and the building deteriorated. Compounding these challenges, new food safety regulations required farmers and merchants to invest in modern equipment. By the early 1980s the reawakening of Philadelphia's commercial center and a growing interest in artisanal food drew a new generation of shoppers to the Market. In 1989, a new convention center – adjacent to the Market – was on the drawing boards. The newly-formed Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority purchased the Reading Terminal Market from the Reading Company in 1990. The Authority secured a critical $30 million in public funding to upgrade the Market's infrastructure and freshen up the drab interior. In 1995, the Authority created a non-profit corporation to manage the Market. In the years since, this historic landmark has prospered. Today the Reading Terminal Market is one of the nation's most successful public markets with more than 75 independent small businesses that offer an array of fresh and prepared foods, lunch counters, and places to eat and shop. Registration is required for this event and wristbands must be worn to gain entry. If you have not already registered, admission at the door will be $150 for those over 21 and $40 for those under 21. ✪ Eastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but it stands in ruin today, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world's first true "penitentiary," a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of prisoners. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America's most notorious criminals, including bank robber "Slick Willie" Sutton and "Scarface" Al Capone. Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site, Inc. is a charitable nonprofit organization. The Historic Site interprets the legacy of American criminal justice reform, from the nation's founding through to the present day, within the long-abandoned cellblocks of the nation's most historic prison. The prison's innovative preservation, interpretation, and public programs aim to move visitors to engage in dialogue and deepen the national conversation about criminal justice. Registration is required for this event and wristbands must be worn to gain entry. If you have not already registered, admission at the door will be $100 for those over 21 and $25 for those under 21. ✪ eastern state penitentiary | wednesday | 7-11:00 p.m. reading terminal market | friday | 7-11:00 p.m.

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