A 59-year-old man died today when he slipped under a SEPTA bus at 49th and Woodland, philly.com is reporting. The 59-year-old man was reportedly pinned under the 12 bus and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Mad at the police? Here’s a chance to have your voice heard. Neighbors are invited to attend a monthly Police Advisory Commission meeting in the 18th District on Monday, Jan. 23, at 6 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Sayre-Morris Recreation Center (59th & Spruce).

The Police Advisory Commission is the official civilian oversight agency of the City of Philadelphia for the Philadelphia Police Department, and their mission is to improve the relationship between the police department and the community.

The Commission is authorized to conduct investigations of individual citizen complaints of police misconduct, studies of police department policies, procedures or practices. Findings and recommendations made by the Commission are forwarded directly to the mayor, the city’s managing director and the police commissioner for review.

As many neighbors have been wondering, we are happy to report that Girl Scout cookie sales in West Philly started today. Everyone is welcome to place their order for cookie delivery, or stop by one of the cookie tables in the neighborhood.

There are currently over 3,000 boxes of cookies available, and they all need to be sold out. Proceeds from the sales will help get the girls traveling all over the city, and outside of it, for a wide range of adventures. Money will also go to support the local girl scouts’ service project – an earthworm & ladybug release in Clark Park to improve the ecology of West Philly.

Cookies are still only $3.50 a box!

Here’s more details on the cookie table locations and dates.

Fri Jan. 20 – Eastern Mountain Sports, 34th and Chestnut, 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Tue Jan. 24 – 30th Street El Stop (inside the stop at 30th & Market – not 30th Street Station), 3:30-7:30 p.m.
Thu Jan. 26 – 30th Street El Stop (inside the stop at 30th & Market – not 30th Street Station), 3:30-7:30 p.m.
Sat Jan. 28 – Clark Park “B” Park, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. (weather permitting)
Wed Feb. 1 – 39th and Locust Walk, 3:30-7:00 p.m. (weather permitting)
Fri Feb. 3 – Eastern Mountain Sports, 34th and Chestnut, 4:00-7:00 p.m.
Wed Feb. 8 – 39th and Locust Walk, 3:30-7:00 p.m. (weather permitting)

For more information or to order cookies please contact Amy Kwasnicki at: kwaszilla@gmail.com.

Plans for a Subway restaurant near 46th and Baltimore are in serious jeopardy. The Zoning Board of Adjustment recently rejected a takeout certificate to an out-of-town franchise owner.

The franchise owner, who proposed a Subway location at 4533 Baltimore Ave., has 30 days to appeal the decision, which was handed down on Jan. 11.

Several community members and nearby residents protested the proposed restaurant, saying the increased traffic would affect properties adjacent to the proposed location.

Wilhelmina Herbert, president of the Garden Court Community Association, recently sent a letter notifying nearby residents of the decision and praising them for speaking out against the plans.

“Without community support this would not have been possible,” she wrote in a letter dated Jan. 18. “We have shown that we can come together to ensure the safety of our children, to protect our properties, and for the overall good of our neighborhood.  Our voices have been heard!”

The Subway franchisee’s application for a takeout certificate, which is required for any restaurant, was originally approved by the Spruce Hill Community Association in a December meeting. Herbert and others, many of whom said they were never notified of that meeting, asked that the ZBA postpone a decision in December to give them time to discuss the proposal.

Many residents who commented on neighborhood e-mail lists and an earlier story here opposed the Subway because it would have been the only chain restaurant among several locally owned businesses in that area of Baltimore Avenue. But residents who lived near the proposed locations, which has been home to several short-lived businesses in recent years, insisted that their primary concern was increased traffic.

Update (6:05 p.m.): Bull Gervasi of Mariposa Food Co-op has just sent us some bad refrigeration news. There was a manufacturer error that is going to set Mariposa opening back a few weeks. They are now going to stay open at the old store for a few more weeks before closing and moving into the new one. We’ll keep you updated on this.

A few days ago Mariposa Food Co-op posted an announcement on their Facebook page that Sunday, Jan. 22 would be their last day open at the old location at 4726 Baltimore Ave. The new store was scheduled to open in the first week of February at 4824 Baltimore Avenue.

Mariposa also announced that they have just received a $5,000 check from their neighbors, the Philadelphia Federal Credit Union whose branch at 5000 Baltimore Ave. is located just a block away from the coop’s new location. The $5,000 donation from PFCU will be used to support Mariposa’s Revolving Equity Fund. This fund is used to subsidize the $200 member capital requirement, offering the benefits of co-op membership to those who cannot otherwise afford it. For more information about the program go here. To join the coop, visit this page.

Starting from today Dock Street Brewery (50th & Baltimore) is not going to accept credit or debit cards on Wednesdays, so if you are going there tonight make sure to bring enough cash. The popular neighborhood restaurant is showing support to the “Occupy” movement by taking a stand against credit card companies who charge businesses fees for processing credit or debit card payments. According to a Dock Street press release, operating on a cash-only system will allow them to keep the money in the pockets of the 99 percent.

Saving this money will allow Dock Street to give everyone a 3 percent discount on Wednesdays. Occupiers and their supporters are especially welcome to come and make a statement by leaving their credit cards at home.