UPDATE (3:00 p.m.): All public schools, early childhood and after school programs will be closed Wednesday, Jan. 22, the School District of Philadelphia announced this afternoon.

All School District of Philadelphia schools and early childhood programs had early dismissal today (Tuesday, Jan 21) due to the severe weather forecast. Students were dismissed at 12:30 p.m.

Weather people are predicting between 7 inches and a foot of snow from this thing. The snow keeps falling and the temperatures are expected to drop below 10 overnight.

Clockwise from top left: Quique Sinesi, Pino Forastiere, Michael Dawes, and Brian Gore. Photo via Brian Gore’s Facebook page.

A group of guitar virtuosos from four countries is coming this Sunday, Jan. 19 to Crossroads Music at the Calvary Center (48th & Baltimore) to take part in the International Guitar Night, a North America’s premier mobile guitar festival. The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are still available. The festival has featured some of the best performing guitar composers from around the world since 1995.

Here’s who’s coming to perform in West Philly: Pino Forastiere (Italy), Mike Dawes (England), Quique Sinesi (Argentina) and Brian Gore (California). Each year Gore, the festival founder, invites a new cast of acoustic guitar players to join him for special evenings of solos, duets and quartets. Participating musicians relish the chance to express reverence for one another, and to collaborate rather than compete with one another. Since the beginning, audiences nationwide have cherished “the friendly informal ambiance” of the performances. So, now you can enjoy it too. More information and tickets are available here.

Also, check out this video of Pino Forastiere:

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is approaching and we have we compiled a list of events and service opportunities in our area on Monday, Jan. 20. We hope you can find an hour or two to participate in some of the events or projects listed below. If you know of more events or service opportunities, please post them in the comments. Also, go to http://www.mlkdayofservice.org/ to find more volunteer projects in your area.

8:00 a.m.-1 p.m. – Girard College (2101 South College Ave) – Philadelphia Futures will host free college readiness workshops for middle and high school students and parents. The five different workshops will be geared toward the various stages of the college-going process, and will be led by the Philadelphia Futures staff. Students and parents are encouraged to capitalize on their day off of school and work and participate in a workshop that will help to put them (or their child) on the path to college. The workshops are open to all Philadelphia residents. You can reserve your workshop seat by signing-up at www.mlkdaycollegeworkshops.eventbrite.com.

9:00 a.m. – Various Day of Service opportunities are available through Repair the World Philadelphia. Sign up until midnight on Friday, Jan. 17 to take part in such projects as beautification and cleanup of the Martha Washington School (766 N. 44th St) or building mobile libraries to be placed in various public locations around West Philadelphia. For more information and to sign up, go here.

9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. – MLK Day of Service at Bartram’s Garden (54th Street and Lindbergh Blvd) – Volunteers are needed to clear brush, vines, and invasive species to open up the wooded trail, which runs along the adjacent stretch of the Schuylkill River, for pedestrians. Lunch and a free t-shirt will be provided for volunteers (while supplies last.) To pre-register, email: tgreenberg@bartramsgarden.org

10:00 a.m. – Bible Way Baptist Church (52nd & Master) hosts a Commemorative Worship Celebration. The service will begin promptly at 10:00 a.m. and conclude around noon. As part of the celebration, the MLK Community Service Award will be presented to previously chosen individuals who have served in this community to ensure a better life.

10:00 a.m.; 3:30 p.m. – Join community activist Rev. Paul “Earthquake” Moore for the Annual MLK Day of Service. The day will kickoff at 10:00 a.m. with restoration and clean-up at New Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church, 7001 Woodland Ave. At 3:30 p.m. there will be a re-enactment march starting at 65th St. & Woodland Ave. After the march, Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have A Dream speech will be recited by Rev. Paul “Earthquake” Moore at New Fellowship Missionary Baptist Church. Assistance is needed with the re-enactment march. Visit http://paulearthquakemoore.com/ for more information.

11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Martin Luther King Sharing the Heritage Celebration at the African American Museum (AAMP), 701 Arch Street. Free admission. Celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, donate food for the ChAAMPs Against Hunger Philabundance Food Drive, engage in hands-on service projects, explore exhibits, watch great performances and more! For more information, click here. Hip Hop Fundamentals will also be performing their show “Civil Rights Movements: The power of youth engagement through the eyes of Dr. King.” They will begin the family-friendly show at noon.

All day – More than 250 students, staff and volunteers from YouthBuild Philadelphia Charter School, an innovative alternative education program offering a second chance for former high school dropouts, ages 18-21, will repaint classrooms, hallways and community spaces at Thomas G. Morton Elementary School in Southwest Philadelphia (2501 S. 63rd Street) to honor the life, legacy, and service of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Morton Elementary, a K-5 school that serves 800 students, has not been repainted in several years. Volunteers from YouthBuild Philly will spend the morning of January 20 painting engaging and meaningful murals throughout the school to make the space a brighter and friendlier learning environment. The mural project will give special attention to the classrooms that house special education and autism support programs.

Editor’s Note: This is the latest in the series of vignettes of local block captains drawn from Them That Do, a multimedia documentary project and community blog by West Philly-based award-winning photographer Lori Waselchuk. Make sure to go to Them That Do for more photos, videos and other information and updates.

Jeff Lutzner has 23 years experience as the block captain of 4900 Cedar Avenue in Philadelphia. Photo by Lori Waselchuk

A few years back block captain Jeff Lutzer and others on the 4900 block of Cedar Avenue had an idea to get the city to fill more than 30 potholes on their street. For a year he tried unsuccessfully to get the street repaired. Then he and his neighbors resorted to protest in the spirit of guerrilla gardeners. On a citywide cleanup day, they filled the potholes with potting soil and planted palettes of marigold and impatience flowers into them.

“They were only there for a day,” says Lutzner, but with the help of coverage in the University City Review, the flowers bore fruit. It took a few months, but the city eventually paved over the potholes.

Humor and persistence are useful qualities for any block captain. Lutzner, who has been in the post for 23 years, has needed plenty of humor and persistence. It’s been smooth sailing, but he would consider handing over the title to the next generation.

If you live on the 4900 block of Cedar Avenue and are interested, Lutzner could share how his laid-back approach helped him reduce the number of hours he spends on block duties. He concentrates on the basics: cleanups and safety.

If the potential candidate has a family, he or she might want to reinstate annual block parties. “When we moved here, we had lots of kids,” Lutzner says. As a father of two, Lutzner organized block parties and street games and remembers a street full of children.

Lately, though, there isn’t much interest in jumping castles. The block’s demographics have changed. “The challenge now is staying connected to the ever-changing tenants in rental units.”

Working from home is a plus for a block captain aspirant. Lutzner runs his business, Caoba Doors, from home, so he has kept an eye on things without too much effort.  He is also visible and available. “When there is a major issue, people come to me,” he says.

A green thumb wouldn’t hurt either, just in case the city gets behind in filling potholes again.

–Lori Waselchuk

Lil’ Pop Shop on 44th St near Spruce is hosting a pop-up cookie shop starting Saturday, Jan. 18. (Photo by Amy Kwasnicki).

Great news for Girl Scout cookie fans: The annual sale that supports local Girl Scout troops, Junior troop 91143, Brownie 93273, and Daisy 91569, starts Thursday, Jan. 16 and will go on until Sunday, Jan. 26. There will be several opportunities and table locations to choose from in the neighborhood. Here’s the schedule:

Thursday, Jan. 16 & Friday, Jan. 17

3:45-6:15 p.m. – on Locust Walk in front of St. Mary’s Church (40th & Locust)

3:45-6:30 p.m. – in front of Eastern Mountain Sports, the corner of 34th and Chestnut Streets

Saturday, Jan. 18

10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – Clark Park “B” Park, on 43rd near corner of Chester Avenue

10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – “Pop-up Cookie Shop” in the Lil’ Pop Shop store, 265 S 44th St, between Locust and Spruce

Sunday, Jan. 19

10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – “Pop-up Cookie Shop” in the Lil’ Pop Shop store

Tuesday, Jan. 21

3:30-7:30 p.m. – SEPTA El Station, between 30th and 31st Streets on Market

Wednesday, Jan. 22

3:45-6:15 p.m. – on Locust Walk in front of St. Mary’s Church

Thursday, Jan. 23

3:45-6:30 p.m. – in front of Eastern Mountain Sports

Saturday, Jan. 25

10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. – Clark Park “B” Park (43rd & Chester)

10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – “Pop-up Cookie Shop” in the Lil’ Pop Shop store

Sunday, Jan. 26

10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. – “Pop-up Cookie Shop” in the Lil’ Pop Shop store

For more information e-mail Amy Kwasnicki at: kwaszilla@gmail.com.

Garden Court Community Association (GCCA) is holding a zoning meeting this Thursday (Jan. 16) about a new building proposed for 5027 Spruce Street. Community members are invited to attend the meeting to learn more about the project and to provide their input. The proposed building is a multi-family, four story apartment building, which will be nearly identical to the four story building at 5038 Spruce (see images below).

The public forum to discuss the proposed construction will take place at 6 p.m. in the Vineyard Community Church (corner of 51st and Sansom Streets).

Those who would like to attend the meeting but can’t make it are invited to contact GCCA’s Zoning Chair, Mariya Khandros, via email (mariya.khandros@gmail.com) with any questions or concerns.

A multi-family four story apartment building is being proposed at 5027 Spruce Street.

Four story building at 5038 Spruce Street (Source: Google).