The Walnut Street West Library Children’s Chess Club is looking for volunteer chess coaches to teach children 6 years to 13 years of age. The club meets every Wednesday from 5:15-7 p.m. at the library located at 201 South 40th Street (corner of 4oth and Walnut).

You don’t have to be a chess master, just patient when working with kids.

Please contact head coach, Molly Saweikis at msaweikis@gmail.com if you are interested.

We’re passing along a Thank You note from the community association Cedar Park Neighbors (CPN), which recently hosted the annual Holiday Basket Giveaway, the event made possible with donations from the members of the community. “We had a great turn out and met our financial goal!” writes the event coordinator Michelle Lewis. And here’s the note:

On behalf of Cedar Park Neighbor’s Holiday Baskets Committee, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who helped make this year’s holiday basket drive a very successful event, to date. We could not have done it without your financial support and volunteerism. Also, a special thank you to our local businesses, community centers and churches for helping us provide this service to families in our community. See you next December!

Sincerely,

Michelle Lewis & Beverly Rouse, Cedar Park Neighbors

More information on how to join CPN is available on their website.

UPDATE (1/7/2015): If you’re on Twitter, you can report an unshoveled sidewalk to @Philly311:

@WestPhillyLocal @unshoveled I contacted @philly311 last year to report unshoveled sts. They got in touch w owners and snow got shoveled.

— Joselle (@JosellePalacios) January 7, 2015

@JosellePalacios @WestPhillyLocal @unshoveled Good morning! We are accepting shoveling reports!

— Philly311 (@philly311) January 7, 2015

(1/6/2015): Winter has finally arrived and reminded us all why we don’t like it that much. We wanted to pass along reminders about what to watch out for when temperatures drop below freezing and what to do when it snows. Stay warm and be careful as it’s slippery out there today.

City announces Code Blue

During bitter cold conditions, with temperatures near or below 20 degrees, the city issues a Code Blue weather advisory, which was announced at 6 p.m. on Monday. The Code Blue advisory triggers 24-hour outreach to homeless individuals and provides access to emergency housing network (see more here). If you see a homeless person outside and without a shelter during extremely cold conditions, you can call the Homeless Outreach Hotline at 215-232-1984.

Also a reminder to keep an eye on your pets and keep them inside when it gets too cold (or face penalties!). A new ordinance has been introduced in Philadelphia that makes it illegal to leave your dog outside during freezing (or extremely hot) temperatures. To report a dog left outdoors in severe weather call ACCT Philly at 267-385-3800 and dial 0 to speak with the dispatcher or email: fieldservices@acctphilly.org.

Winter Weather Advisory and Snow Removal

A winter weather advisory is in effect for today, and property and business owners are required to clear a path on the sidewalk within six hours of the end of the snowfall.

Residents and business owners must clear a path on sidewalk at least 36” wide within 6 hours of the end of a storm.

— Phila. Streets Dept. (@PhilaStreets) January 6, 2015

For owners of properties located on corners, the path should extend to the handicapped curb ramps to assist pedestrians and wheelchair users

— Phila. Streets Dept. (@PhilaStreets) January 6, 2015

The Philadelphia Streets Department has reminded that property owners are subject to a fine starting at $50 for not complying with this policy. To report a sidewalk that has not been cleared, call the Streets Department Customer Affairs Unit at 215-686-5560.

In case of a heavy snowfall with a large accumulation of snow, the City may declare a snow emergency. Snow emergency means that vehicles parked along the snow emergency routes must be moved to alternate parking spaces, so City crews can clear the snow along these routes.

Photo courtesy of UCD.

Here are more details on the annual Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling event at Clark Park.

The Tree-cycling event, sponsored by UC Green and University City District (UCD), will be held on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Clark Park (43rd and Chester). Christmas trees collected at the event will be turned into wood chips that will be used in neighborhood community gardens. A $10 donation per tree will go to support UC Green programs.

Also, if you have some old electronics piling up at your house, this is a great chance to get rid of them in an eco-friendly way. eForce Recycling folks will be at the park as well, so bring your old electronics along with your tree. You can drop off anything with a plug, except smoke detectors, large appliances, and projection TVs. Electronics recycling is free of charge, unless you want to bring an old CRT (cathode ray tube) TV or computer monitor. In this case it will cost $20. For more information, visit the eForce Recycling Facebook page or call 215-964-6665.

If you can’t make it to this event, please check other tree-cycling opportunities in the area.

Despite the rainy weather, more than 100 people gathered this afternoon at Calvary Center for a planned action and march showing solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement.

At Calvary Center as march gets ready. pic.twitter.com/0ayOgeKx5k

— West Philly Local (@WestPhillyLocal) January 3, 2015

While the action was going on, about 10 police vehicles were parked outside the Calvary.

About 10 police vehicles near Calvary Center as meeting/March gets underway pic.twitter.com/jTI9vQtOre

— West Philly Local (@WestPhillyLocal) January 3, 2015

After the action at the Calvary the participants poured out on the streets for the West Philly Families Solidarity March to Clark Park. This photo was taken shortly after 4 p.m.:

UPDATE (7:30 p.m.): Due to rain in forecast, the gathering and the first part of tomorrow’s event will be held at the Calvary Church (48th and Baltimore, entrance on 48th St), starting at 3 p.m. There will be a march after that, from the Calvary to Clark Park. See more details here.

Earlier: Local parents and recently formed Philly Anti-Racist Solidarity group are organizing a march this Saturday (Jan. 3) in support of the Black Lives Matter movement and against institutional and interpersonal racism.

Parents, caregivers, children, and the whole West Philly community and beyond are invited to participate in the event, which will kick off at Clark Park. “We stand for Trayvon Martin, Mike Brown, Eric Garner, John Crawford, Tamir Rice, Rekia Boyd, Renisha McBride, Aiyana Stanley Jones and so many more. We march for racial justice and for our collective humanity,” reads the event announcement on Facebook.

The gathering and a portion of the event will take place at the Clark Park bowl (43rd and Chester), starting at 3 p.m. There will be singing and chanting, and moments of making noise (a “Noise-In”) and silence in remembrance of lost lives. After Clark Park, participants will head to Baltimore Avenue for a peaceful march to Cedar Park (49th and Baltimore).

Participants are asked to bring musical instruments of all kinds and signs. In an effort to create a safe space for all participants, the organizers are asking that Saturday’s action be peaceful and non-violent. The event will take place rain or shine. For more information about the march, please visit this Facebook page.

The West Philly Families Solidarity March is coordinated with the Philly Town Hall meetings. The third in a series of meetings for community members to discuss and respond to racist police brutality as well as policies that contribute to institutional racism will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 6 at the Calvary Church (48th and Baltimore). The first meeting took place on Dec. 2 and gathered more than 400 people, according to the organizers. Approximately 500 people showed up for the second meeting on Dec. 16. More information is available here.