Four West Philly High school students were arrested Friday, Nov. 30 for package thefts on the 4200 block of Spruce Street, according to police. Two students are 16 and two are 14. It was the first arrest for all of them.

Plainclothes officers saw six teens go onto the porches and check boxes between 43rd and 42nd streets on Spruce early Friday afternoon. When they stole one package the officers attempted to grab them but the teens ran and four of them were caught near 42nd and Chester. Two teens were able to get away.

Package thefts have been on the rise in the area in the last few weeks as is typical for the holiday season, so residents are advised to apply caution and report any suspicious behavior.

Spark, an award-winning national nonprofit that provides professional 10-week apprenticeships for at-risk 7th and 8th graders to “spark” their engagement in school, is partnering with three West Philly schools – Lea, Mastery Shoemaker, and McMichael – to serve approximately 60 7th and 8th grade students. The programming starts in late February 2013, and currently, Spark is seeking mentors – local businesses and organizations in West Philadelphia and Center City.

Jim Schroder, the Program Launch Director and a West Philly resident, is particularly hopeful to recruit mentors from the West Philly community. “One of the things I love most about Spark is the bridges it creates for professional adults to work with at-risk students in a specific and relational way. I think our neighborhood in particular has a ton of professionals who really care about the community but who often don’t have a natural way to productively support a struggling student, especially a way of doing it that’s so integrated with what someone is already good at and passionate about,” Schroder said in an email.

Here’s how mentoring works:

Over the course of an eight-week session, students meet with their mentors once a week for two hours and work on a project for a culminating Discovery Night graduation ceremony held at the end of the program. A mentor does not have to have previous experience working with youth. Training and support before and throughout the apprenticeship will be provided.

Spark Philadelphia is seeking to recruit 60 mentors by January 1. After that, mentors are expected to attend preparatory events, such as an orientation to get to know Spark and a match day to get acquainted with their student.

For more information about the program, visit www.sparkprogram.org. If you’re interested in mentoring or have questions, call: 267-519-4591 or email: philadelphia@sparkprogram.org

A new bike corral was installed this week in front of Mariposa Food Co-op, near the intersection of 49th St. and Baltimore Ave, accommodating a dozen or more bikes. (Photo courtesy Bicycle Coalition).

Many neighbors have been asking about ways to donate various items to help victims of Hurricane Sandy. Thanks to a neighbor, Cindy, we learned about a brand new (only about a week old!) Philly Hub for Occupy Sandy NJ, where Cindy volunteers and where you can drop off your donations. The Hub is located at 2nd and Spring Garden and is currently accepting the following donations:

ITEMS NEEDED
Safety Equipment/Muck out Gear
tarps, pry bars, heavy-duty garbage bags
OSHA N95/N92 facemasks
waterproof boots, work gloves
hazmat suitsor heavy-duty overalls
waterproof plastic bins
headlamps, flashlights, batteries

Construction Equipment
drywall, floorboards, Lumber
joints, insulation, wiring

Appliances
hot water heaters
refrigerators, stoves (gas or electric)
newer model personal computers
electric wheelchairs
generators

NOT NEEDED
Clothes (except socks, underwear, heavy winter coats)
Food (except baby food, pet food & bottled water)
Toys

In addition to accepting donations, the Occupy Sandy NJ Hub also has the capability (through the wonders of the internet) to dispatch skilled workers and volunteers to areas where they are needed. Usually they would come to the Hub, find out where they are needed, and transportation would be provided.

“Saturdays will be designated as Workday Saturdays, and we hope to have a van going to different shore points. Our Food Committee will be making bagged lunches, which will be provided for both the volunteers and the people they serve,” says Cindy.

PHILLY HUB FOR OCCUPY SANDY NJ
Philadelphia – Main Distribution Hub – Occupy Sandy NJ
Transport Workers Union Local 234
500 N. 2nd St. Philadelphia, PA 19123
Now open: M-S, 9-5
609-318-4271
Website: http://www.OccupySandyNJ.org/

As the number of package deliveries increases before and during holidays, so does package theft. A neighbor sent this information and a warning to fellow West Philly residents to be extra careful receiving packages, especially during the holiday season.

“Today I got a call from a friendly stranger who happened to be waiting in a car across the street from my apartment to give a friend a ride. He saw four teens walking down the 4600 block of Spruce, doing what looked like checking porches for packages. When they got to my porch, they saw a package, opened it, and the friendly neighbor got out of his car to stop them, at which point they ran away with half of the contents of the box. Since my buzzer doesn’t work, my phone number is on my front door, which is how he managed to contact me. I came home and filed a police report.”

King is loyal, royal, and available for adoption! And if his ridiculously adorable ears aren’t reason enough to take King home with you today, here’s a little more information about Philadelphia’s very own monarch!

King is about 1-2 years old, and came to the shelter when his owner could no longer care for him. It’s all good, though – King’s a glass is half full kind of guy, and he’s making the best of the circumstances he’s found himself in. Goofy and fun, King loves to run around in the play yard at the shelter, do his zoomies, and chase after his favorite toys (tennis balls and tug toys can keep him entertained for hours!). King’s not selfish, either – he’ll always bring his toys over to you so you can share in the big fun.

King’s always up for a leisurely stroll in the park, and with an Easy Walk harness turning him into a perfect gentleman, you can both enjoy your walk. King knows basic commands, such as “sit”, and “touch”, and since he’s highly food/reward motivated, it’ll be easy as pie to teach him even more.

Have another dog in the house? Great! King loves other dogs, although he can sometimes get soooo excited to play, that he can forget his manners (he’s pushy). So if you have a playful, tolerant resident dog, King may just be the perfect fit for your family. Got cats? Well, cats are a little more complicated – King interacts with cats the same way he likes to play with dogs, so he may be a bit too much for most cats. While he could probably live with cats with some very slow intros, King would probably do best in a cat free home.

Interested in learning more about King? Please email his Pen Pal (a volunteer who’s working with King to prepare him for life outside of the shelter – she knows him best!), she’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. Her email address is: sherilynnmarie@hotmail.com

A small kennel is not fit for a King – come make your home King’s castle today!