Last month we reported that Penn Book Center, one of the oldest independent bookstores in the area, will close its doors at the end of this month. But here’s some good news: the store owners, Ashley Montague and Michael Row, have recently reached an agreement with their landlord, the University of Pennsylvania, that will allow them to stay open through the end of August. During this time, the owners will try to work out a new business plan that would hopefully allow the store to stay open and prosper in the future.

After the news of the store imminent closing broke, Montague and Row received a lot of support from community members. Over 5,000 people signed an online petition generated by Penn’s English Department asking the university to help save the store from closing. Many folks even offered business ideas which the owners say they are excited to explore.  Continue Reading

Friday night jazz is returning to Cedar Park next week, with free outdoor performances by the area’s finest jazz musicians and bands. The annual series, presented by Cedar Park Neighbors and sponsored by local businesses and individual donations from neighborhood residents, kicks off Friday, June 7, at 49th and Baltimore.

Shows will take place every Friday from 6-8 p.m. (weather permitting) in June and July, plus an additional “rain date” performance on August 2nd.

Here’s this year’s schedule:

June 7: Rich Tucker & The Universal Music Koncept
June 14: Weez The People Collective
June 21: Rayburn Wright’s Jazz Lab  Continue Reading

University City District has released dates and more details for their signature summer events.

The Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll will return on Thursday, June 6 and Thursday, Sept. 12, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. This popular event showcases local businesses with a chance to try their signature items and offerings – for just $1! The event also provides an opportunity for new businesses to introduce themselves to the community. As the event has grown over the years, more community vendors have joined it. UCD is now also offering smaller vendors an opportunity to sell food and merchandise at the event after they obtain a permit through the Philadelphia Health Department. Read more about participating vendors for the June 6th Dollar Stroll here. Continue Reading

Newly-elected State Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell will host her first Community Town Hall since being sworn in.

Residents are invited this Thursday, May 30, to Mt. Carmel Baptist Church (5732 Race St.) to have an open discussion on some key topics, including the 2019-20 state budget, reduction of violence and poverty.

“I look forward to engaging my constituents on ways to create a safe and economically viable community throughout my district,” Johnson-Harrell said in a statement. “Before being elected to office, I was on the frontlines of community activism, with a mission to empower my community. Now as a state legislator, still in the forefront of improving my community, I feel like my goals to better my community has been made all the more possible.”

The community town hall is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Street improvement work will take place in West Philadelphia during the week of May 27th in the areas covered by the 16th and 19th Police Department – including portions of Vine Street, Aspen Street, Malvern Avenue, Wynnefield Avenue and some other areas. The work schedule includes temporary full street closures and parking restrictions. The work will be completed in separate phases – milling, adjusting of manhole covers, and resetting of utility boxes – which will take place in separate activities over the course of the week.  Continue Reading

On Saturday, June 1, the Activities for Community Education in Science (ACES) outreach program at the University of Pennsylvania, is inviting students in grades 3rd-8th to perform a diverse and exciting line-up of experiments. Each student will have an opportunity to perform and discuss several different experiments in small groups, engaging in science demonstrations with other attendees.

Experiments will include:

• Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
• Balloon-Powered Cars
• Colorful Chemistry
• Gold Nanoparticles
• Separating Dyes with Electricity
• Marshmallow Spaghetti Towers  Continue Reading