A West Philly resident, Laura, is seeking a new home for her lovely cat Billie. Due to personal circumstances, Laura can’t keep Billie.

“She’s staying with a friend now, but she can’t stay there indefinitely,” Laura wrote in an email.

Billie is about a year and a half old, very sweet and energetic. She likes playing around and cuddling in equal parts. She’s still pretty kitteny, but she is filling out nicely and has a beautiful coat and no special needs. “She can still have some spazz times where she zooms around and zips up the stairs, so she probably isn’t right for someone looking for a mellow sleepy cat (she does sleep a lot though), but she’d be just right for someone looking for a sweet and spunky kitty,” Laura writes.

Billie is fixed and up to date on her shots.

Laura can provide a litter box, a carrier, and a plethora of toys for her cat. Billie needs a long-term home, and may or may not get along with other cats. She might do well with a cat similar in age or who has not been in the house long, but probably won’t do well with a long-standing and territorial cat.

Laura can be reached at this email address: lj.brubaker[at]gmail.com

UPDATE: We’ve just learned of another fundraiser for a family displaced by the fire. They’re currently in a temporary housing and need some funding for a new apartment, clothing, and furniture. Here’s a GoFundMe page to help Marlon and Lulu.

The four-story Westover apartment building at 4730 Pine Street, which was damaged by a fire on Friday, Dec. 19, has been closed for repairs for at least six months, according to building resident Ruth Morgan.

“Everyone is looking for a place to live now,” Morgan posted this morning on our Facebook page.

This afternoon, we spoke to a policeman who was patrolling outside the building, and he confirmed that the section of the Westover Apartments where the fire broke out is now closed. Two adjacent sections of The Westover apartment complex, at 4720 and 4740 Pine St, were not damaged by the fire and are occupied. The Westover Apartments are managed by Campus Apartments.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, according to the Fire Marshal’s office.

An online fundraising campaign has been going on for two of the building’s residents, who lost all of their belongings in the fire.

Dr. Helen Giles-Gee (photo via usciences.edu).

The University of the Sciences announced today that the school’s president, Helen Giles-Gee, will step down at the end of the year.

“As this year comes to a close, I continue to be proud of the many contributions made by the faculty, staff, and students at USciences and believe that the university moves strongly forward,” Giles-Gee said in a statement. “At this time and after serious reflection, I have decided to leave University of the Sciences. I am honored to have served as president and will hold this University dear in my heart.”

Her resignation becomes effective on Dec. 31.

Giles-Gee is USciences’ first female and first African American president. She came to USciences from Keene State College in New Hampshire where she served as president from 2005 through 2012. She earned a bachelor of arts in psychobiology, a master of science in science education, and a Ph.D. in measurement, evaluation, and techniques of experimental research from the University of Pennsylvania.

USciences board of trustees chairman Marvin Samson will serve as interim president.

Here are some news briefs from around West Philadelphia.

VA Hospital to be renamed

Photo via philadelphia.va.gov.

The Philadelphia’s Veterans Administration Hospital (3900 Woodland Ave) will be renamed in memory of Michael J. Crescenz, a Philadelphian who served in the Vietnam War. He was 19 when he was killed in action. President Obama signed a bill, sponsored by Rep. Chaka Fattah and Sen. Pat Toomey, to rename the hospital last week.  Continue Reading

UPDATE (10:15 p.m.): Unfortunately, we received another armed robbery report. A 24-year-old woman was robbed at knife point near 50th and Baltimore Sunday night, at around 8:30 p.m. The woman was walking home when an unknown man approached her from behind and demanded her purse. He was armed with a knife, according to police. He took the purse and ran away west on Baltimore Ave.

EARLIER: Police are searching for three armed men who robbed a 27-year-old woman at gunpoint Saturday night near 45th and Pine Streets. The robbery took place around 9:50 p.m. The men approached the woman, pushed her into a driveway, and pointed a handgun at her head, according to police.

The alleged robbers took the woman’s wallet and phone and ran off, according to police. She was not physically injured. The description of the suspects is not yet available.

Reader David Brown sent us photos of yesterday’s fire at The Westover apartment building near 47th and Pine Streets. Read more about the fire here.

Continue Reading