The popular Summer Nights at the Penn Museum concert series returns Wednesday, June 20, and we’re happy to announce the opening night special for our readers. The series features live music performances from some of Philadelphia’s best live bands—offering the sounds of Creole Zydeco, Latin Jazz, Middle Eastern folk, Pre-Revolutionary Cuba, and more. Concerts are held in the Penn Museum’s outdoor Stoner Courtyard every Wednesday night from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., will run through Sept. 5.

The opening night will feature the Middle Eastern-fusion sounds of Animus,the perfect group to kick off the concert season as the museum celebrates the opening of its new Middle East Galleries. Primarily an Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Latin/American fusion ensemble, Animus also performs traditional Eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern music.  Continue Reading

Police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying three individuals responsible for stealing several video surveillance cameras from homes in the area of 4700 Osage Avenue and for a fire believed to be arson near 41st and Sansom.

The video camera theft occurred on Thursday, April 19, in the early morning hours, according to police. Then, on Saturday, May 3, around 1:25 a.m., the same suspects vandalized the side of a commercial vehicle with paint and then set it on fire on the 4100 block of Sansom Street, according to police.  Continue Reading

The Philadelphia Streets Department has announced street improvement work on some West Philadelphia streets, including the 3800 to 4600 blocks of Spruce Street, for the week of June 11. The work schedule includes temporary, full street closures and parking restrictions (weather or special events in the area may alter the resurfacing schedule).

Work will be completed in separate phases – milling and adjusting of manhole covers and resetting of utility boxes – which will take place in separate activities over the course of the week.

Temporary ‘No Parking’ signs will be posted in advance of each scheduled activity. Residents are urged to move their cars from the work sites when temporary ‘No Parking’ signs are posted, so that vehicles are not towed. If your car is towed, please contact your local Police District to determine its location (also check this earlier post about where a towed car was found).

Go here to see the list of streets where improvement work is scheduled for next week. To view the complete list of streets scheduled for improvements during the 2018 Paving Season, click here.

West Philadelphia Skills Initiative, the program that connects unemployed West Philadelphia residents with local employers, is partnering with Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Drexel University to recruit individuals for a new job training opportunity. The program participants will be trained to be Preschool Lead Teachers and Preschool Assistant Teachers.

Chesterbrook Academy Preschool is part of a national network of more than 180 private schools offering preschool through 12th grade education. This is the second cohort that the Skills Initiative is running in partnership with Chesterbrook Academy Preschool of Drexel University.  Continue Reading

Philadelphia Black Restaurant Week, a new initiative that brings a spotlight to Black-owned food establishments in the city, will be held from June 10-17, and it’s great to see some West Philly restaurants participating in the event.

The Philly Black Restaurant Week (BRW) will include special dining options at participating restaurants, plus workshops, cooking demonstrations, competitions and other events.

In West Philly, the Center for Culinary Enterprises (310 S. 48th St) will hold AROMA, a culinary panel discussion, where guests can learn strategies and tips from leading industry experts about owning a successful restaurant business. Featured panelists will include:  Continue Reading

Photo courtesy of University City District.

The first Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll this summer will be held Thursday, June 7. Businesses will be offering $1 items – from food to drinks to theatre tickets – from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The event will stretch from 43rd Street where select Clark Park farmers market vendors will be offering $1 deals, all the way to 52nd Street, where Greensgrow West will have some plants for sale for just one buck. The event will also feature live music and family entertainment along Baltimore Avenue.  Continue Reading