Community members who would like to contribute a few dollars to defray the funeral costs for 7-year-old Jabriel O’Connor, the boy who died Saturday after being found unconscious in a Cobbs Creek pool, are asked to stop by Cafe Renata (4305 Locust St) this afternoon and tomorrow morning.

West Philly Local will set up a table outside the cafe to accept cash contributions that will be passed along to Jabriel’s mother, Aisha Watson, who lives at an emergency shelter for homeless families run by the program Families Forward Philadelphia near the corner of Walnut and Melville Streets in the Spruce Hill section of West Philly.

Gloria Guard, who runs Families Forward, said Aisha is “hanging there.”

“She is in the process of making arrangements,” Guard said. “I think she would really appreciate it. Be sure to write down that you are neighbors.”

Collections will be taken from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. today and 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday). Any contribution would help. There will also be a card to sign and you can pass along your own note to Aisha if you like. If it’s raining, the table will be inside.

All of the money collected will go directly to help with Aisha’s expenses.

West Philly Local reader Alexandra reports that two bikes were stolen from her porch on the 5000 block of Cedar Ave on Friday night (between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.). She wanted to alert West Philly residents about it and hopes they will be on the lookout for the bikes.

“I am hoping that people will bring their fancy bikes inside and not leave them on porches like we did,” she wrote in an email. A police report was filed about these missing bikes – if someone sees them they can call the police, or call Alex directly at 301 502 4820.

Here’s the description of the bikes:

– A handmade mountain bike – metallic orange paint, a little dinged up. Women’s small-medium sized frame. Large black bike seat, new-ish tires. This bike has lots of sentimental value to its owner because her brother made it for her from scratch.

– One year-old KHS 2011 Urban Xcape medium frame women’s bike. Black. There was no bike seat because it had recently been stolen off the bike at another location.

Architect Cecil Baker discusses a proposed building plan for 4224 Baltimore Avenue at the previous community meeting on June 18, 2013. (Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local)

The third and final community meeting on the widely publicized and discussed residential development project at 4224 Baltimore Avenue is scheduled for this Wednesday, July 24. Residents are invited to meet with the development team from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at the International House (37th and Chestnut, 2nd floor).

Architectural plans based on input from the previous sessions will be unveiled and residents will get a chance to learn about next steps in the development process. A couple of different designs were discussed during the last meeting. The land owners have provisional permission to build a 92-unit residential building on the site, which is across the street from Clark Park. Community input could help shape the project’s final design, which could include underground parking and ground-floor commercial space.

Community members were asked to provide their input on the project website and in a series of public meetings. Wednesday’s meeting is another opportunity to view and comment on the project.

We are very sorry to report that a West Philly boy died on Saturday, two days after he was pulled from a swimming pool at Cobbs Creek Recreation Center (210 S. 63rd St.).

A lifeguard found 7-year-old Jabriel O’Connor underwater and unresponsive at about 1 p.m. Thursday. The lifeguard administered CPR and the boy was rushed to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, where he was placed on life support. Four lifeguards were watching the pool.

Jabriel was at the public pool with a camp group of about 25 children and four counselors. Jabriel lived near the corner of Walnut and Melville Streets in the Spruce Hill section in an emergency shelter for homeless families, according to neighbors.

Mayor Michael Nutter issued a statement yesterday concerning the boy’s death:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jabriel’s parents, family, friends, and all of the young people present at the Cobb’s Creek Recreation Center on Thursday as they grieve.  The City will continue to provide support services to Jabriel’s family, the camp staff, City employees and community members affected by this tragedy. It is my hope that they can find strength and comfort from the support of their loved ones and the entire Philadelphia community at this difficult time.”

A neighbor wrote in an e-mail that Jabriel lived nearby.

“This child is our neighbor at Melville and Walnut. So, so sad. Other kids from his house witnessed his drowning, just awful. Don’t know if anything can be done on a community level to help  his mom/family, but thought I would e-mail you just in case.”

We have contacted the agency that sponsored the camp for information about how community members could help Jabriel’s family. We’ll post any information we receive back.

This cat was found lying on the edge of the Clark Park bowl on Thursday, July 18. She was severely lethargic and dehydrated, according to a neighbor, Bethany, who found her. The cat is now in Bethany’s house and is doing better after a little air conditioning, food, and water (see photo). She is not microchipped, and looks like she has been outside for a while, but doesn’t look like a stray  – she is very friendly.

If you recognize this cat as a stray or someone’s pet please contact Bethany at: bethany.lucas@gmail.com. If the owner is not found, Bethany says that she will not be able to keep her in her home, so if anyone is interested of taking care of her please let Bethany know.

The late Mott Green / Photo by Karen Kirchhoff.

When Mott Green founded the Grenada Chocolate Company Cooperative in 1999, it was his mission to not only make the “best chocolate in the world,” but also do so ethically and sustainably — “Tree to Bar,” as he put it.

The award-winning dark chocolate made by the small Hermitage, Grenada-based company is organic, produced by solar-power machinery built by Green’s hands. The operation is also a worker-owned coop, in business with small local cocoa farmers and as many as 50 factory workers, and offering employee shareholding and fair wages. It’s an ethical, sustainable model wholly in line with Green’s overarching personality the Washington-born, New York-raised activist dropped out of the University of Pennsylvania in the late 1980s because he didn’t want to surrender to the confines of regular society. He spent much of his 20s squatting around West Philly and dedicating his time to homeless activism.

The work that Green, who died suddenly on June 1st at the age of 47 while working at his factory, committed his life to is also the subject of the 2012 documentary, Nothing Like Chocolate. Directed by Kum-Kum Bhavnani and narrated by Susan Sarandon, the film tells the stories of Green and Nelice Stewart, an independent cocoa farmer in Grenada, and how the Caribbean island “has become home to this revolutionary venture”—an organic, ethical chocolate made in a country where chocolate productions is often a “dirty industry,” said Bull Gervasi, produce & facilities manager of Mariposa Food Co-op, which was one of the first in Philadelphia to sell Green’s chocolate bars 10 years ago. Grenada Chocolate Company is sold online and in stores across Europe and the States, with a flagship store recently opened in the Caribbean country.  Continue Reading