Philly.com has reported that a middle-aged woman was abducted along the 5000 block of Irving Street, taken to an unidentified and sexually assaulted. Police have confirmed the report.

Police said the woman is 48 years old and was abducted at about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. She was released after the sexual assault.

View Abduction and assault in a larger map

A 22-year-old woman, identified as Zykia Sanders, was shot in the back and killed near 45th and Market streets outside of West Park Apartments early Saturday morning, police said. The victim was found on the sidewalk and transported to the hospital where she was pronounced dead at about 2:30 a.m. No arrests have been made.

Police believe that Sanders was hit by a stray bullet during an argument. Anyone with information is asked to call homicide detectives at 215-686-3334.

Source: Philly.com

Join local community groups this Saturday (Nov. 17) for Love Your Park Day and help prep neighborhood parks for the winter. Here’s how and where you can help:

• Clark Park (43rd and Chester) – Friends of Clark Park will be raking leaves, spreading mulch, weeding, and picking up trash. Meet at the green and white shed on 45th St. between Chester and Woodland Aves. at 9:00 a.m., or just stop by when you can. RSVP here.
• Malcolm X Park (51st and Pine) – Friends of Malcolm X Park (Facebook page) will be doing some cleaning, bulb-planting, and leaf-raking in the park. Tools and refreshments provided. 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more information contact Greg Cojulun at 215-748-5329.
• Barkan Park (50th and Spruce) – Barkan Park cleanup is scheduled between 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. For more information contact Mark Mendenhall at 215-476-2983.

If you know of other clean-ups, please let us know in the comments.

These two terrific kittens are looking for a home! They would make a great pair to adopt together – they keep each other endlessly entertained and exercised, but when they’ve burned off all their kitten energy, love to curl up in your lap. They are spayed/neutered, and have been dewormed and begun their first vaccinations. They are being fostered in West Philadelphia. If interested, please contact elizabeth.elzer@gmail.com.

Little Orange Boy: This little man is soooo sweet. He came down with a nasty kitty cold in the shelter, and was pretty sick for a while, but he’s all better now, and we think all the handling he got during treatments made him more attached to people. Since he is so social, we would prefer he go to a home where there are other animals, or at least where people around much of the time. He loves to curl up with us, his sister, and our dog.

Iggy: This little girl is pretty special. First, she has a pretty tortie coat that she is very fastidious about. Secondly, when she had the same kitty cold as the rest of her family, she was by far the best about medication. And finally, she is a smartypants — she used the litter box from day one, and she was the only kitten to figure out how to escape all the makeshift barriers we used to keep them in the living room – we would come home to find her curled up in the office with our dog, with the rest of her family back in the living room! We prefer that she go to a home where there are other animals, or at least where people are around much of the time.

The 48th Street Neighbors group and the University City District are inviting all neighbors to the “Welcome to the Neighborhood – Meet the Grassroots” event this Sunday, Nov. 18, from 4 to 6 p.m., at Studio 34 (4522 Baltimore Ave).

There will be an opportunity to meet some dynamic people and get information on resources and opportunities in the neighborhood. Come to this event if you want to be a part of this living, growing, and effective community. And you’re welcome to bring a friend, especially if they are new to the neighborhood.

Here’s a list of the neighborhood groups and organizations participating in the event: 48th St. Neighbors, UCD, Garden Court Community Association, Cedar Park Neighbors, Protecting Our Waters, The Children’s Community School, West Philadelphia Coalition for Neighborhood Schools, Fred Kauffman and “Heeding God’s Call” – a group dedicated to getting illegal guns off the street, Shakespeare in Clark Park, West Philly Tool Library, Camp Sojourner, Girls’ Leadership Camp, International Student Support Group, Books through Bars, A-Space, City Kitties, Curio Theater Company and others.

Also, the event will include local activist Iris Bloom leading a safety/self-defense session from 5 to 6 p.m.

Refreshments will be served. Please contact Patty Bulack at pbulack@gmail.com with any questions.

VIX Emporium, the popular everything-cool-and-artsy shop, opened its doors five years ago this month and now the shop owners, Emily and Sean Dorn, need your help to celebrate the 5th anniversary. This Saturday, Nov. 17, all are welcome to the AnniVIXary V party at the shop near 50th and Baltimore. The party runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The party will include festive refreshments, merriment and music by Philly blues legend Shakey Lyman (Facebook page), who will be playing his 1938 National steel guitar from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Shakey also played VIX’s grand opening. VIX’s own Sean Dorn will be on upright bass.

This will also be a good chance to scope out some holiday gifts. Fiber Artist Elissa Kara, the owner of Nice Things Handmade (Facebook page), will be on hand to talk about her crocheted wooly hats, which she has been making for more than a decade. Kara was the featured artist at the very first VIX holiday party back in 2007. Kara will also debut an assortment of pouches and purses in vintage fabrics. These were made from a collection of donated fabrics with wacky 1950s and 60s patterns mysteriously left on VIX’s doorstep a few years ago. A note was attached to the fabrics that read “for a deserving crafter.”