Philadelphia’s Share Food Program will be hosting several special food distributions in West Philly this Saturday, Oct. 31:

Frontline Dads
410 N. 34th St.
11 a.m. — 1 p.m.

New Testament Church
935 S. 53rd St.
11 a.m. — 1 p.m.

On A Mission
433 N. 64th St.
12 noon until food runs out

60th Ward Emergency Food Relief
5149 Locust St.
12 noon until food runs out

To find additional food resources, residents can access the Find Food interactive maps at www.sharefoodprogram.org/find-food.

After one-day break (no curfew on Thursday), a citywide curfew has been declared for Philadelphia again starting tonight (Oct. 30) at 9 p.m. and ending at 6 a.m. on Saturday. During this time, residents are allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, seek medical or emergency assistance, or drop off a mail-in ballot.

Heavier police presence can be seen this afternoon around 52nd Street in West Philadelphia. Also, as had been expected, the National Guard started arriving in the city today, following a few days of civil unrest as the result of the police shooting of Walter Wallace Jr. on Monday: Continue Reading

The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) has come up with alternative ways to celebrate Halloween in the neighborhood this year after the annual Tot Parade was cancelled. A neighborhood scavenger hunt is currently underway with some great prizes for those who submit correct entries. Here’s how you can participate:

The 10 letters that spell “Spruce Hill” are spread throughout Spruce Hill (see map) and all you have to do is find them! Full instructions, along with clues and a submission form are available online here, or you can print out a hard copy of the form and submit your answers in the mail slot at the Spruce Hill Center, located at 257 South 45th St.  Continue Reading

A citywide curfew has been issued for Philadelphia after the second night of protests and civil unrest following Monday’s police killing of Walter Wallace Jr. The curfew will begin tonight at 9 p.m. and will end at 6 a.m. tomorrow. During the curfew, people are allowed to leave their homes only to go to work, seek medical or emergency assistance or drop off a mail-in ballot.

Protests continued last night in West Philadelphia and some more looting and ATM explosions were reported across the city. Many stores and other businesses closed early on Tuesday and began boarding up windows. Some stores are also closing early tonight because of the curfew.

The National Guard is expected to arrive in Philadelphia on Friday, with some additional forces on Saturday, according to media reports.

A Go Fund Me page has been set up for Walter Wallace’s family, and the community has already raised over $140,000 since yesterday.

UPDATE: Protests and peaceful marches continued on Tuesday in West Philadelphia:

“When I say ‘Walter’ you say ‘Wallace’” hundreds marching peacefully down 5200 block of Pine toward 18th police district at 55th and Pine #WalterWallaceJr #blacklivesmatter pic.twitter.com/PW2jFNnYPr

— West Philly Local (@WestPhillyLocal) October 28, 2020

Earlier today, members of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia marched to the 18th police precinct after #WalterWallaceJr was shot and killed by police officers Monday night in West Philly.

Protests are continuing in the city. Follow live updates here:https://t.co/A3sFDG95qX pic.twitter.com/vA0oC9Q1eV

View this post on Instagram

A tense scene on the 5200 block of Pine St. as police attempt to keep protesters moving. #WalterWallace #blacklivesmatter #phillyprotest

A post shared by West Philly Local (@westphillylocal) on Oct 27, 2020 at 6:56pm PDT

— The Philadelphia Inquirer (@PhillyInquirer) October 27, 2020

Hundreds of people took to West Philly streets on Monday night to protest the death of a 27-year-old Black man who was shot multiple times and killed by police on the 6100 block of Locust Street shortly before 4 p.m. yesterday.

The man, later identified as Walter Wallace Jr., was reportedly holding a knife when police arrived. He was shot outside his residence in front of his mother and many other witnesses, according to reports. His family said that he was suffering from mental illness and his mother reportedly pleaded with police not to shoot him.

Following the shooting, protests and civil unrest erupted in West Philadelphia. Around 8 p.m. a crowd started gathering outside the 18th Police District headquarters near 55th and Pine. Several officers were reportedly injured in a standoff near the building.  Continue Reading

If you were planning to vote early in the Nov. 3 general election, but didn’t get a chance to apply for your mail-in or absentee ballot, you can still do it until tomorrow. The deadline for application is 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 27, and you can apply for a ballot in-person at one of the City’s satellite election offices.

There are two satellite election offices in West Philadelphia – at Alain Locke School (4550 Haverford Ave.) and at Overbrook Elementary School (Annex Trailer), 2032 N. 62nd St.. Regular hours of operation are from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.. This Tuesday, all voters in line by 5 p.m. will be served, according to the Philadelphia City Commissioners Office:  Continue Reading