A neighbor is looking for a permanent home for her foster dog:

“This is Champ, my foster dog. He is a one in a million kind of dog. I have tried to describe here how sweet and cute and goofy he is but you might just have to meet him to find out how special he is!

First off, he is very handsome. He has a giant smushy head and big mitten-paws and a fancy striped coat with a white ring around his neck. There is something about him that makes everyone want to meet him. It takes us forever to go on a walk because so many people want to stop and pet him. He loves the attention but he is polite and gentle. I think he has a lot of potential as a therapy dog. He walks very nicely on leash, right next to your side with a loose leash. Sometimes he wants to stop and look at things but he doesn’t yank the leash or pull ahead of you. Oh, and he is housetrained!

At home, Champ is super calm and mostly sleeps. He is an easy, low energy dog. He is a huge snuggle bug and wants to be in your lap, but he is also fine to chew on a bone or sleep in his crate. He goes into the crate for a treat and he is usually quiet even if there are people or dogs around while he’s in there. He sometimes cries for a minute but he doesn’t keep it up. He comes to work with me and is an angel there. He just plays with his toys, sleeps, or gives my co-workers a stress break. He is goofy and a little foolish and makes everyone laugh and smile when they are around him.

Champ is amazing with other big dogs. My own dog is really picky/bossy with other dogs and he does great around her. He respects corrections from other dogs and doesn’t invade their space, but he still likes to play! I have not had him around small dogs or cats so I am not sure how he feels about them!

Champ is such a pleasure to have as a foster dog. The only things that make him not completely perfect are that he is a chewer (but he responds well to a verbal correction and doesn’t guard anything that he chews, so it’s no big deal), and that he is a picky eater and sometimes needs some encouragement to eat his food. We’re still figuring out what foods he likes to eat. Those are seriously the only things I can find remotely “wrong” with him!

Champ is healthy aside from a mild case of kennel cough that he is recovering from. He is already neutered, microchipped, and fully vaccinated for the next year.

His stats:
Age: 4
Sex: Male/Neutered
Breed: To me he looks like a mix of Cane Corso, Pit Bull, and maybe American Bulldog. Who knows though!?
Weight: 74 pounds; he should gain 5-10 pounds though.
ACCT Number: A16225742
At the shelter because: He got lost and was rescued by the police and brought to ACCT!”

If you would like to meet Champ please email Natalie at davidna@vet.upenn.edu.

We are passing along information about an incident that happened to a neighbor near 48th and Hazel this week. Police advise being cautious when using your cell phone in public.

Alissa was walking down the street with her baby daughter in late afternoon and talking on her phone (an iPhone) when a man ran up to her and grabbed her phone. Alissa wasn’t able to give a detailed description because it happened too fast. Here’s what she writes:

“I just wanted to let everyone know that my iPhone was stolen from my hand (while I was talking on it) on Tuesday, 6/12 on the 4800 block of Hazel Ave at 4:45 PM. The person who took it ran up from behind me, snatched my phone from my hand and continued running very fast. I was carrying my 1 year old daughter in a carrier at the time, so I was quite upset about it. The guy didn’t hurt me or my daughter. He did knock my glasses off, but I think that was accidental since he grabbed the phone when it was up against my ear. We are OK and we filed a police report, but they don’t anticipate finding him or the phone. The police were very responsive and helpful though. They came about 2 minutes after calling 911. We tried to track the phone, but he immediately turned it off and hasn’t turned it on since. I just wanted to give everyone a warning… Please be very careful with having your cell phones out when you are walking around.”

Phone snatching is on the increase around the city.

A large Wine and Spirits Store is coming to the corner of 43rd and Chestnut, replacing an adult video store and check cashing spot.

The Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) voted 3-1 to approve the proposed store, which had drawn support from many neighborhood residents and opposition from others, mostly Muslims who live near the location or worship at a nearby mosque.

A timeline for the 5,000-square-foot store’s opening is not yet available. Renovations could begin as early as August when the check cashing establishment’s lease runs out. The video store, Risque Video, is on month-to-month lease. An initial 10-year lease for the Wine and Spirits Store has been proposed. The store will be open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and closed on Sundays, according to the proposal.

The ZBA’s decision reverses a denial of the proposal in April and follows a special hearing last week that included more public input.

The Wine and Spirits Store at 4301 Chestnut St. will be a a “premium collection” store similar to the ones near 12th and Chestnut and 19th and Chestnut, which feature a broader selection of products than other stores and do not sell small package items such as pints and half pints. This will be the first premium store in West Philadelphia.

Stipulations in the proposal include increased security around the store.

Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) and the American Dental Association are hosting “Give Kids a Smile Day” on Wednesday, June 20, when dentists across the city will be providing free dental care to Philadelphia children. PCCY has recruited two dozen dental sites that have created space for hundreds of children to receive essential oral health care services. The participating dental clinics in West Philly are Kids Smiles (two locations), Gentle Dental, and University Square Dental.

Participating dentists will provide free screenings, cleanings and sealants and some will also fill cavities.  Appointments are required.

To make an appointment for your child at the office closest to you, call PCCY at 215.563.5848 extension 32 (please do not call the dental offices directly). You will need to provide the following information: your name, your child’s name and age, a phone number where you can be reached between 9 and 5, and your zip code.

The Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral on the corner of 38th and Chestnut Streets is offering free lunches for children up to 18 years of age (21 years if disabled) in its air-conditioned main church this summer. Lunch will be served from 12 noon to 1:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays from Monday, June 18 to Thursday, August 9.

The lunches will offer children 1/3 of their nutritional requirements for the day, according to the Cathedral. There will also be simple art activities and games for kids.

The Cathedral is also looking for volunteers to assist with this program. You can work one day a week, one week, or come for several days. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Stacey Middleton at karolmel_2000@yahoo.com or Meredith Wiggins at dancingturnips@yahoo.com or 626-487-5929.

Contact the Cathedral at 215-386-0234 with any questions.

The Spruce Hill Community Association (SHCA) is appealing to the City Council to delay the implementation of the controversial property tax assessment overhaul, the Actual Value Initiative (AVI), which could help bail out the city beleaguered school district by increasing taxes on long under-valued properties. Residents in neighborhoods where property values have far outpaced the city’s valuation could see their property tax bills double, triple or even quadruple.

City Council is expected to consider AVI legislation at Thursday’s regularly scheduled meeting. The City Council has until July 1st to submit a new budget and tax rate. But the property assessments needed to implement the AVI have not been completed. That’s one of the reasons the SHCA is pressing for a delay.

In a letter sent to members today, SHCA President Ed Halligan urged the City Council to take more time to let residents prepare for what could be substantial changes to their tax bills. The extra time would also allow city assessors to do a thorough inventory and assessment of the city’s housing stock.

Several versions of the AVI have been floating around City Hall and it is unclear what the final version might look like. What does look certain is that a basic formula will hold: If your home has been assessed too low, your taxes will likely increase.

While homeowners would be hardest hit, many renters will probably not be immune from dramatic tax increases as property owners will likely look to pass on the added costs.

There are lots of resources available on the AVI and we will collect them when and if it’s passed. Meanwhile, here is a good primer on the AVI that Plan Philly put together a few weeks ago.

Below is a copy of the SHCA letter to Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell.
SHCA letter to Jannie Blackwell