Jim Roebuck speaking at a local event in 2012 (Photo West Philly Local)

We are sad to report that James R. “Jim” Roebuck, the former state representative from West Philadelphia, has passed away. He was 79.

Roebuck served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 188th District, which comprises many West Philadelphia and Southwest Philadelphia neighborhoods, from University City to Cobbs Creek and Kingsessing, from 1985 to 2020.

Roebuck was born in Philadelphia in 1945 and graduated from Central High School in 1963. He received his Bachelor’s degree from Virginia Union University and Ph.D. from the University of Virginia. He worked as an assistant professor of history at Drexel University from 1977 to 1984.

Roebuck won a special election on May 21, 1985 to represent the 188th District in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. He was then reelected 17 more times and served as state representative for the district for 35 years until he lost the primary election to the current office holder, Rep. Rick Krajewski, in 2020.

Roebuck was a longtime chairman of the House Education Committee and fought for full and fair funding for public education.

“Representative Jim Roebuck was a good man with a deep and unfailing commitment to public education, to his constituents, and to the city and commonwealth at large,” Philadelphia Federation of Teachers President, Jerry T. Jordan said in a statement.

Roebuck was a longtime Spruce Hill neighborhood resident and was an active member of his community for many years.

cinéSPEAK, a local independent cinema that celebrated its 10th anniversary last year, is returning next week with its outdoor film screening series, Under the Stars at Clark Park.

The popular event kicks off Friday, May 24 in the park’s “Bowl” located near 43rd and Chester. The weekly program, which runs every Friday through June 14, features independent films from around the world, local DJs, food trucks and more. All events are free and open to the public.

At the opening night on May 24, cinéSPEAK and community partner, Free Library of Philadelphia, will present screening of Butterfly in the Sky (2022) and The ABCs of Book Banning (2023). The evening will kick off at 6:30 p.m. with a Drag Storytime, followed by DJ Mariyama⁠ at 7 p.m. Film screenings begin at 9 p.m.

Rain dates for this year’s series are on Saturdays – May 25, June 1, June 8 and June 15.

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Two popular outdoor “do-it-yourself” music festivals are returning to Philadelphia next month. Both of these events are free and give a chance to local musicians to showcase their talent.

The 2024 West Philly Porchfest will be Saturday, June 8 from 12-6 p.m. Dozens of porch owners have already signed up to host solo artists and groups/bands performing in various genres, including folk, jazz, rock, rap, R&B and even opera music. Shows are usually divided into three groups depending on their location – from 12-2 p.m., 2-4 p.m. and 4-6 p.m. All shows are free and anyone can host or play a show. For more details, go to: https://westphillyporchfest.com.

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A portion of Spruce Street will be closed on Tuesday, May 14 and Wednesday, May 15 as part of the annual Penn student move out. On these days, Spruce Street will be closed to vehicular traffic between 34th-40th Streets from 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

Bicyclists will also have to get off their bikes and walk through the closure area.

SEPTA buses that use Spruce Street will be on detour during the move-out. Check septa.org for more info.

In addition, here’s some useful info on how students who live off-campus can donate unwanted items, including furniture, this month:

• Resurrection Church (42nd and Pine) is accepting donations of clothing, kitchen, small furniture, non-perishable food and other items on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. through May 25. Donations should go to the Pine St. side of the building through the patio door. The full list of acceptable donations is available here.

• A Curbside Donation Drive, organized by Penn for Refugee Empowerment and the Philadelphia Furniture Bank, will take place on Saturday, May 18 between 40th and 43rd, Baltimore and Chestnut. Participants should fill out this form to request furniture pick-up. For more details, visit the Penn Sustainability website.

The annual Spruce Hill May Fair, organized by Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA), returns this Saturday (May 11) to Clark Park from 12-6 p.m. The popular community event features children’s games, including the popular petting zoo, scores of vendors and community service information tables, food trucks, and more.

There will also be a full day of music and entertainment from some local musicians, including:

• Paulette Branson & Mixed People
• Willy Wonka presented by Penn Alexander Musical Cast
• Kelvin Cochrane and the South Philly All Stars
• Steady State

Also, the University City Garden Club will hold an outdoor plant sale at the Fair. It will offer a variety of veggies, herbs, and annual and perennial flowers and flower baskets.

Thanks to the generosity of local businesses, SHCA have some amazing raffle items to give away this year. Stop by the Spruce Hill booth this Saturday to purchase your tickets. Tickets are $5 for a book of six tickets, or $1 per ticket.

Over 100 people have been displaced after a fire at Terrace Apartments on the 4900 block of Spruce Street that broke out on Sunday afternoon. The fire was reported in one of the apartments at around 4:30 p.m. Emergency crews arrived at the scene and evacuated over 100 residents from the building. Some residents struggled to get out of the building due to its being filled with smoke and heat, according to reports.

The fire was placed under control around 5:45 p.m. on Sunday and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

The displaced residents were offered services at a nearby Beulah Baptist Church, located at 5001 Spruce, and Christy Recreation Center at 728 South 55th St.

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