July 24, 2015
Jasmine Wright
Police have charged a 56-year-old handyman in the murder of West Philly resident and Drexel University graduate Jasmine Wright.
Police allege that James Harris, who police say has an extensive arrest record, sexually assaulted and strangled Wright, 27, in her apartment near 50th and Locust. Her body was found on July 15, about 24 hours after the murder.
Harris worked in the building but was fired about a week earlier, according to reports. Police say he still had a set of keys to the building and that his fingerprints and DNA were found on the scene.
Wright, who received her master’s degree at Drexel University’s School of Public Health a few weeks ago, was found beaten and strangled last Thursday afternoon in a bedroom of her third floor apartment after her father had tried to reach her by phone and finally asked the property manager to check on her.
Originally from New York City, Wright received her bachelor’s degree at Pennsylvania State University. She had lived in West Philly for about two years while she was attending Drexel’s graduate program. Her neighbors described her as a quiet and sweet girl, who mostly kept to herself. Her friends remember her as a funny and caring woman.
Harris had 31 prior arrests, police said, including sexual assaults. He was also convicted in 1982 for the murder of his own father. He had been in custody since July 19, when he was detained on suspicion of robbery and trespassing for re-entering the building.
July 24, 2015
Mixed People band will perform this Saturday at 40th and Walnut.
The 40th Street Summer Festival which includes dazzling acts ranging from jugglers and fire dancers to puppets and percussions, kicks off at 5 p.m. this Saturday (July 25) in the green space behind the Walnut West Library near 40th and Walnut.
The festival will also feature live music from Mixed People, Red Cedar Strings (Facebook page) and Au Jus, and entertainment and activities for the whole family.
Later on Saturday the University Lutheran Church (3637 Chestnut St.) will host the Joe Hill Roadshow, a tour commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of International Workers of the World activist and songwriter Joe Hill. Hill, who was executed in 1915, had a long-lasting influence on radical organizing in the country. The tribute concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and includes music from Magpie, Charlie King, George Mann and special guest John Braxton. Tickets for this show are also available at Bindlestiff Books at 4530 Baltimore Ave.
For more upcoming events, please visit our Events Calendar.
July 17, 2015
So folks seem to be going bananas about the new parklet – the biggest one yet – that the University City District has installed outside of the new building on 40th Street across from The Fresh Grocer at 125 S. 40th. That’s the boxy building with Hai Street Kitchen, Zesto Pizza and Grill, Jake’s Sandwich Board and Dunkin Donuts. It’s 60 feet long – the parklet that is – and the usual 6 feet wide.
This big ole parklet spans the length of the building and has caught the eye of folks around the Twittersphere. Here is everything you need to know about the new parklet:
Plan Philly claims it’s the “largest parklet on Earth”:
NewsWorks (A WHYY jawn) calls it a “Super-parklet”:
Curbed Philly has a video of it being put together:
And the Philadelphia Business Journal called it a “magnet for social activity”:
July 16, 2015
About 35 years ago Roger Harman and a partner opened a small café in a former laundromat at 47th and Chester. They named it The Gold Standard. A few years later they renamed it The Palladium and moved it to Penn’s Arts, Research and Culture House (ARCH) on Locust Walk where it operated for 20 years.
Then, Harman teamed up with Vince Whittacre to open Abbraccio, an Italian restaurant at 47th and Warrington (where the Vietnam Café is now). That closed, but six years ago they were back in business at 48th and Baltimore with a name that saluted the old days, opening The Gold Standard Café, the ever-pleasant coffee shop/restaurant/outdoor bistro that quickly became an institution along that section of Baltimore Avenue.
Now it’s on the market.
“We’re getting tired,” said Harman.
He couldn’t provide too many details on the effort to sell the restaurant, but said that its future will be a lot more clear in a week or two. We’ll keep you posted.
– Mike Lyons
July 14, 2015
Vickson Korlewala in the office of his company, Empower Liberia. Photo by Charles Mostoller/Metro
Metro reporter Sam Newhouse contacted us this morning to share his story about Liberian immigrant Vickson Korlewala, 58, a chemist and entrepreneur who lives near 55th and Market and who was wrongly arrested last year on robbery charges.
Korlewala and his wife Lorpu spent weeks in jail until charges were finally dropped. Both were arrested based on surveillance footage that shows a man who is clearly not Korlewala. He opens up to Newhouse about the experience.
“When I realized that it was not a joke, that I was in jail, it was the most fearful thing that ever happened to me in my life. Because it was wrong,” Korlewala said. “I’ve never been arrested in my life. I could see my whole future just went blank.”
Read the rest of Newhouse’s story here.
July 9, 2015
2014 Cedar Park Neighbors scholarship recipients. (Photo courtesy CPN)
Tomorrow evening is a good chance to catch some outdoor jazz at Cedar Park (49th and Baltimore) and congratulate a hard-working group of neighborhood young people who are heading off to college.
Gretchen Elise and Friends is scheduled to take the stage at 6 p.m. as part of the Summer Live Jazz Fridays in Cedar Park series. In between sets, folks from the community group Cedar Park Neighbors will announce the recipients of college scholarships from the Gary Bronson Memorial Scholarship Fund. Each year Cedar Park Neighbors award scholarships to students in the neighborhood.
As always, the concerts are free and open to everyone.
Upcoming concerts in the Jazz Fridays series include:
• July 10th – Gretchen Elise and Friends
• July 17th – Dahi Divine and Friends
• July 24th – Broke and Blue Band
• July 31st – Side by Soul
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