Vinny Vegan aka Gangster Vegan.

In the early spring, a neighborhood café, Café Renata caught fire and was forced to relocate from the corner of 43rd and Locust. The space remained vacant for some months, but Vincent DePaul (Vinny Vegan aka Gangster Vegan, or Vinny Blanco to his childhood friends) of Gangster Vegan Organics has plans on changing that.

“I didn’t choose the location, it chose me. God sent me over there,” he said.

He named the business Gangster Vegan Organics because those were all terms that defined him. “Growing up, I was obsessed with that lifestyle. I wanted to redefine gangster, helping people reverse diseases like diabetes. That’s gangster. For me, gangster used to be going out to the club every night, spending money. But that’s not gangster.”

Photo from Gangster Vegan Organics Facebook page.

Currently DePaul has one Gangster Vegan Organics location in Norristown, which offers gluten-free, vegan and organic grab ‘n go food options. After considering plans to expand and scouting some potential locations for another store in Phoenixville and West Chester, he decided to go back to a familiar block in West Philadelphia. “I burst into tears when I first came around the building, you know exactly when it’s meant to be… I lived in West Philly when I was 19; I worked at Koch’s Deli for a year.”

He recounted his life events that led up to opening his first location in Norristown, right before he moved back from Los Angeles after becoming 12 years removed from his hometown. When the economy hit, his nine year old t-shirt business went bankrupt and he became homeless. He recalled a moment when he was hungry and had “hit rock bottom” and was given a cup of fresh pressed organic juice, which inspired him to go vegan and lead a healthier lifestyle.

According to DePaul, the new Gangster Vegan Organics will be opening in March. DePaul is interested in hiring a full staff (10-25 employees) for the location, preferably local to the neighborhood and with an interest or knowledge about the organic vegan lifestyle. The West Philly location will be a full-service restaurant with cooked and raw organic gluten-free offerings, seating up to 100 people.

– Rana Fayez

Check out this video of Vinny making watermelon juice:

1:35 p.m.: Surveillance video from the station showed that a man, who is believed to have been in his 40’s or 50’s, died after jumping in front of the train as it pulled into the station, according to SEPTA.

12:35 p.m.: We’re very sad to report that the person who was struck by an El train at 56th Street Station has died. Emergency crews are still working to remove the body from the tracks. It is not clear yet whether the person fell or jumped onto the tracks.

12:20 p.m.: A person is trapped beneath an El train at 56th and Market, according to reports. Medics are on the scene. The person was struck by the train around noon, according to SEPTA. There is no word yet on their condition.

#CBS3BREAKING: Person Trapped Beneath El Train In West Philadelphia: https://t.co/lD9dVpIqYF pic.twitter.com/3YFoV8K0LQ

— CBS Philly (@CBSPhilly) November 3, 2015

Shuttle buses are operating between 52nd Street Station and 69th Street Terminal. Delays are expected.

West Philly Local readers who live near 49th and Larchwood reported problems with their water last night, including low pressure, cloudiness and odor. As of this morning, the water seemed less cloudy, but there was still a mineral smell to it, according to residents. We contacted the Philadelphia Water Department, and it turned they are doing some water main work in the area, which “could cause some cloudiness.” They said that tap water in the area is safe to use and drink, but the taste/odor complaints should be called in, if possible. The PWD customer info line is: 215-685-6300.

PWD provided these tips for residents on what to do after street repairs have been made:

Don’t forget to vote today. The slate of offices up for grabs include mayor, city council and, perhaps most important and least predictable this time around, seats on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Check on your voter registration status here and find your polling place here. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Registered voters who are in line at 8 p.m. will be allowed to vote.

All 17 seats on the City Council will be on the ballot. Some 14 candidates are running for at-large seats. Here’s a rundown from the Committee of Seventy. Jannie Blackwell is running unopposed for the 3rd District seat. As usual, the mayor’s race was likely decided in the primary.

The election for three seats on state’s Supreme Court has drawn a lot of interest among criminal justice activists, who see it as a test of the state’s commitment to easing mass incarceration and sentencing reforms. Here’s a rundown of the candidates for Supreme Court from the Committee of Seventy.

Some long-anticipated accessibility improvements are finally coming to SEPTA’s 40th Street Market Frankford Line Station. Today, SEPTA, with state and city elected officials, disability advocates and West Philadelphia community and business leaders broke ground on the 40th St Station ADA Accessibility Project, which will include the installation of two elevators on the northwest and southeast corners of 40th and Market Streets. In addition to the two new elevators, the $7.4 million construction project includes four new head house entrances and overall station improvements.

“In addition to the accessibility enhancements, all users will benefit from the improvements to be made at this station,” according to SEPTA general manager Jeffrey D. Knueppel, who participated in the groundbreaking ceremony.  Continue Reading

The woman who police feared was abducted on Halloween night at the Sunoco station at 52nd and Spruce, was found safe. Police had asked for the public’s assistance in locating the woman after she was seen dragged into a minivan by an unknown man around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. Police say that the woman was involved in a domestic matter and was not injured.