West Philadelphia’s People’s Emergency Center is holding a school supply drive for current and new children who come to PEC throughout the school year. The following donations are accepted: school uniforms, children’s shoes and other clothing, school supplies, gift cards or monetary contributions. All donations are needed by September 5, 2013, delivered to 3902 Spring Garden Street. See the flyer below for more details.

For any additional information, please contact Meredith Pollock at: mpollock@pec-cares.org or 267-777-5829.

Here’s a rare chance to celebrate Japanese culture and learn a few traditional dances in the neighborhood: the Japanese festival of O-bon, or just Bon, is coming to Clark Park at 43rd and Baltimore on Sunday, Aug. 25. O-bon is a celebration that honors the spirits of the dead and is usually held over three days. This is the time when the Japanese visit and clean the graves of their ancestors and place floating lanterns on the water to symbolize the return of the spirits to the otherworld.

O-bon has been celebrated in Japan for more than 500 years and traditionally includes a dance, known as Bon Odori, or Bon Dance. The Bon dance is performed to welcome the spirits of the dead. It varies from region to region in Japan, but it is intended for group participation and is easy to learn (check out video below), so everyone is welcome to learn it this Sunday.

The O-bon festival will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. and is absolutely free and open to the public. For more information about O-bon and Sunday’s event, visit: http://phillyobon.org/.

UPDATE (Fri, Aug 23, 3:50 p.m.): Police said that one person shot and wounded three people last night in Kingsessing, near S. Saint Bernard and Greenway. All three victims are in critical but stable condition. All three are young men, in their early 20’s. The shooting was a result of a fight over a comment made to a woman, according to police. The shooting was in retaliation for the comment and was not drug-related as it was reported earlier. The investigation continues.

Earlier: At least two men were shot Thursday night in the Kingsessing area, police confirmed. West Philly Local readers reported gunfire near S. Saint Bernard and Greenway shortly after 7 p.m. Both men are reportedly wounded. A police source said that the shootings may have been drug-related.

Penn Museum is thinking of developing new programs for teens, but first they want to hear from neighborhood teens and parents. The museum is currently conducting a review and asking that teens and parents participate in one, or both, of the following ways:

• Complete a survey (see links below) and return it to the museum (by email to pennmuseumteenprograms@gmail.com or by physically dropping them off at the museum entrance, 3260 South Street) by August 30.
• Participate in a focus group and discuss what you have appreciated about the Penn Museum in the past and how you would like them to focus their energy as they move into teen programming.

The two remaining times for focus groups (both teen and adult) are:

Sunday, Aug 25, 3:00-4:00 p.m. (in Group Dining)
Monday Aug 26, 6:00-7:00 p.m. (in Group Dining)

Teen Survey

Parent Survey

A West Philly Local reader, who asked us not to use her name, was robbed last night and wanted to alert other neighbors about the incident that happened around 3 a.m. at her place near 49th and Walnut. The reader has recently moved to the area.

She says that the burglar, described as a tall dark skinned man wearing a black muscle t-shirt, jeans and black sneakers with orange soles, appeared in her kitchen (she lives in a row house) and took cash and a bag where her roommate kept all of her money and cards in. The burglar reportedly climbed through the kitchen window. He threw the contents of the bag, including credit cards, behind the U-Haul center at 48th and Chestnut, the reader writes. A good Samaritan found it with a receipt with her roommate’s number on it and returned it. The reader and her roommate reported the incident to the police. The burglar wasn’t armed and no one was injured.

The reader says that her friend was also staying at her place last night and witnessed the burglary. She writes:

“It was weird because [the burglar] actually told our friend “Hi” and took our money in front of her and walked out of the back door. We didn’t find out until this morning because she thought he might be a friend of ours. We just moved to the state and don’t know many people…”

We received emails from readers asking about the shooting/robbery that happened on Sunday, Aug 18, shortly before 4 p.m. near 46th and Springfield. The victim, a male, was shot in the shoulder during a robbery and was taken to the hospital where he was listed in critical condition, but is doing better now. The suspect fled the scene on foot, according to police reports.

The robbery was not random and the victim and the shooter may know each other, according to police. “There is not a maniacal serial robber out there robbing and shooting random people,” Joe Murray of the Southwest Police Detectives said in an email. No more details are available at this time as the investigation continues.