Do you live or own a business in Cedar Park? If so, your feedback is needed to help shape the future of this quickly changing neighborhood. The Cedar Park Neighbors community association has developed “The Future of Cedar Park” survey which will help them gather useful information as the Philadelphia City Planning Commission had asked community organizations to provide input on its new plan for Southwest Philadelphia and University City.

Although, it’s an exciting time for the neighborhood, with many new residents moving to Cedar Park and new businesses opening, there are also issues generated by this change, including affordability, land use, education, parking and others. This survey will help CPN figure out how to “best represent the interests of all neighbors.”

The survey can be found here. In addition to the online survey, a print version is being distributed through block captains, so feel free to pass this information along to your neighbors who do not have internet access.

As a reminder, here are the Cedar Park boundaries: Larchwood Avenue to Kingsessing Avenue and 46th Street to 52nd Street (see map below). For more information, visit www.cedarparkneighbors.org.

Reader Ashutosh found this cat near 41st and Spruce Streets. Here’s what he writes:

“We have recently found a black and white female cat on 41st and Spruce Street. She has come to our apartment and stayed there last night. Today the whole day she stayed out in the backyards of villas between 42nd and Spruce and 42nd and Locust, but this evening we again let her inside our apartment. She is a very friendly cat, and appears to know this area.”

Ashutosh would like to locate the cat’s owner or find a home for her. If you have any information about her owner or want to help, please call 215 222 0599.

This information came from a reader, Kelly:

“My friend’s porch at 50th & Pine has been graced by this super friendly male Siamese cat. He’s not neutered and looks relatively young (under a year old), but he’s also very thin and was eager to get a small meal. He’s possibly been outside for a while now. If he belongs to someone (which he probably did – you don’t see stray Siamese very often!), they can hopefully find him in that area.”

If you have any information about the owner of this cat or have questions, please email: kellymakesart@gmail.com

And the winner of Honest Tom’s venerable taco truck is … Maru Global (Facebook page), the folks who specialize in authentic Japanese street food.

Maru Global’s plans for the truck are still coming together, but it is sure to feature takoyaki – a fried dough ball typically filled with octopus, ginger, onion and other delectables – maybe some curry fries, onigiri or their famous desert balls.

Maru Global won the truck as a result of a contest Honest Tom ran earlier this month asking would-be entrepreneurs to write him and explain why they should get the truck.

The winning of the truck is the latest in a tumultuous string of recent events for Maru Global’s Chef Ryo Igarashi and his wife Nicole Igarashi, who handles the business side of the operation. They had to close their restaurant, Tokio Global, near Headhouse Square in April after Ryo underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. As he recovered they returned to the kitchen to prepare a whittled down mobile menu for events and festivals around the city.

“Honest Tom” McCusker’s 1970 step van, which he bought with credit card cash advances, will now be a key part of that mobile operation.

Congrats to Maru Global and well done to Honest Tom for paying it forward.

The 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint last September near 48th and Springfield and about two dozen other crimes will be sentenced tomorrow.

Kareem Drayton negotiated a plea deal with prosecutors in April on charges stemming from the highly publicized sexual assault and robbery of a 32-year-old teacher. Police say Drayton held a gun to the woman’s head and assaulted her as her boyfriend stood nearby. Drayton also pleaded guilty to other robberies and burglaries in the city. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow in courtroom 802 at the Criminal Justice Center (1301 Filbert St.).

Drayton’s accomplice in the robbery of the woman and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Tyshanek Presley, also negotiated a plea arrangement and will be sentenced in August, according to court records.

The sexual assault and robbery took place at about 10 p.m. as the couple returned home from a restaurant. The crime shook many residents in the neighborhood and 100 people attended a monthly police meeting days after the crime to discuss what could be done to curtail crime in the area. The crime also spurred renewed interest in neighborhood watch groups, including the 48th Street Neighborhood Town Watch.

A reader, Steve, emailed us with this information:

“There’s been a kitty hanging around my place at 45th & Springfield for a day or two now. Female, probably 2-3 years old, has all her claws. Looks pretty clean (teeth/ears/eyes), kind of dirty on her paws. Very talkative and loves people – very affectionate too!  I’m guessing she did/does belong to someone, she has a lavender/purple collar on, but has no ID.”

If you have any information about this cat’s owner, please email Steve at: theroostercoop26@yahoo.com