January 28, 2015
If you’re a Recyclebank member (you accrue points through that sticker on recycling receptacle) and you have some extra points you don’t need, why not consider donating them to a local school? Two West Philly schools have been selected to participate in Recyclebank’s 2014-2015 Green Schools Program, which supports schoolchildren and educators’ efforts on making their schools and schoolyards greener. Recyclebank will turn the donated points into cash to fund the projects.
Henry C. Lea Elementary (47th and Locust) is seeking support for their Rain Gardens project. “Lea students will be involved in the maintenance of the rain gardens and become active environmental stewards,” reads Lea’s message on the Recyclebank website. “The rain gardens will be used as focal point for environmental instruction at the school with regards to the water cycle and systems.” The rain gardens project is a part of the Greening Lea project. To read more about the project and to donate your points, go here. The school will receive $2,500 from Recyclebank if the goal is reached.
Belmont Charter School (40th and Brown) students have a chance to learn about growing plants and trees through its “Belmont Sprouts” program. The school is raising funds to build six raised beds, buy a fruit tree and several rain barrels. The funds from the Recyclebank program will help “complete the construction of our Belmont Sprouts garden and to host a special Mother’s Day Spring Planting event,” according to the project description. To read more about the project and to donate your points, go here. Belmont Charter will also receive $2,500 from Recyclebank for their project if the goal is reached.
January 27, 2015
Police are asking for the community’s help to find two people who went missing in West Philly this week.
Ashjakia Washington, 25, of the 5500 block of Chancellor Street was last seen at 5 p.m. on Jan. 22 on the 5300 block of Rising Sun Avenue.
According to police, Ashjakia is 4 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 80 pounds, with a very thin build, brown eyes, a medium brown complexion and short auburn/brown braids. She was last seen wearing light blue jeans with pink strings on sides, a black head scarf, and puffy turquoise hooded jacket.
Otero Guillermo, 69, is missing from his residence on the 4800 block of Pine Street. Otero is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 203 pounds, with brown eyes, and gray hair. He was last seen wearing a red coat with black shoulders, blue pants, and brown sandals. He is also missing a part of his finger on his right hand.
Police say Otero suffers from chronic mental illness, paranoid Schizophrenia, and diabetes.
– Mike Lyons
January 26, 2015
All public and Archdiocesan schools in Philadelphia will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 27 due to the snow storm, and all after-school activities are canceled, according to the city government and School District of Philadelphia announcements released Monday night. City offices and courts will also be closed.
UPDATE: The latest estimate for snowfall during the overnight storm is 2 to 4 inches.
Stay tuned for more weather-related announcements.
January 26, 2015
UPDATE (8:35 p.m.): Mayor Nutter’s announcement on whether schools and city offices will be closed tomorrow is coming up at around 10:00 p.m. Stay tuned. The winter storm is expected to intensify overnight, according to Accuweather.
A snow emergency has been declared in the city beginning at 6 p.m. on Monday. If you parked your car on any of the snow emergency routes, please move it before 6 p.m.. Here are snow emergency routes in West Philadelphia:
• Chestnut Street from Cobbs Creek Parkway to 20th Street
• Walnut Street from Broad Street to Cobbs Creek Parkway
• Woodland Avenue from Cobbs Creek Parkway to University Avenue
• 34th Street from University Avenue to Grays Ferry Avenue
• 38th Street from Walnut to University Avenue
• 63rd Street from City Avenue to Walnut Street
• University Avenue from 38th Street to 34th Street
• Island Avenue from Woodland Avenue to Enterprise Avenue
• Cobbs Creek Parkway from Walnut Street to Woodland Avenue
• Schuylkill Avenue from Market Street to Walnut Street
If your vehicle remains on one of these streets it will be ticketed and towed. If your car is towed, call 215-686-SNOW to find out where it was taken.
The city has also cancelled trash and recycling pick-up on Tuesday. If your trash collection day is Tuesday please keep your trash and recyclables until next Tuesday.
UPDATE (2:50 p.m.): SEPTA has announced that Market-Frankford and Broad Street Line train service will operate all night:
Here are some more snow and cold weather-related reminders:
January 26, 2015
UPDATE (1/26/2015): Monday’s SHCA Zoning Committee meeting has been cancelled due to the inclement weather. The meeting will be rescheduled for sometime in mid-February, according to Spruce Hill zoning committee chair Barry Grossbach. Stay tuned for more information.
The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) will be holding a Zoning Committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 26 to consider the widely discussed residential and commercial project at 4224 Baltimore Avenue.
As a reminder, the development team for 4224 Baltimore Avenue has applied for zoning to get the city’s approval to construct a 132-unit residential complex at the site. The project evolved from a series of neighborhood meetings and was discussed at an open meeting of Spruce Hill zoning last spring. Now that a formal application has been made, the project development team, U3 Advisors, are required to have public meetings with neighbors through community associations.
The zoning meeting will be held at the SHCA headquarters at 257 S. 45th Street, starting at 7 p.m. All interested neighbors and residents are welcome to attend.
At this meeting, you can also learn about The Fresh Grocer’s application for the right to sell beer under conditions specified in its lease agreement with the University of Pennsylvania.
January 23, 2015
Shuttle buses will replace Route 34 Trolley on Sunday, Jan. 25, due to overhead wire work, SEPTA has announced. Shuttle bus operation will begin at 2 a.m. Sunday and will continue throughout the day, until the end of service.
SEPTA has posted the following advisory for the route:
Westbound Service (towards 61st St. & Baltimore Ave.):
Customers should board Trolleys in the Tunnel and transfer to the Route 34 Shuttle Bus at 40th St. Portal for service towards 61st St. and Baltimore Ave.
Eastbound Service (towards 13th & Market Sts.):
Customers should exit the Route 34 Shuttle Bus at 40th St. Portal and transfer to Trolleys for service towards 13th & Market Sts.
Henry C. Lea Elementary (47th and Locust) is seeking support for their Rain Gardens project. “Lea students will be involved in the maintenance of the rain gardens and become active environmental stewards,” reads Lea’s message on the Recyclebank website. “The rain gardens will be used as focal point for environmental instruction at the school with regards to the water cycle and systems.” The rain gardens project is a part of the Greening Lea project. To read more about the project and to donate your points, go here. The school will receive $2,500 from Recyclebank if the goal is reached.
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