Several second through sixth graders from four West Philly schools are members at the Minor Threats chess club. The kids are trying to get to the State and National championships this spring. 

The Minor Threats is a chess club based at S. Weir Mitchell Elementary school at 55th and Kingsessing and consists of 2nd-6th graders from four different schools in West and Southwest Philly. Their coach and school teacher, Jason Bui, would like to take this talented and hardworking group of youngsters to two important upcoming competitions – the State Championships in Carlisle in March and Supernationals in Nashville, Tenn. in April. But traveling to and competing at these events require some funding which the club doesn’t have. So the Minor Threats are seeking community support. A total of $5,000 is needed to take the kids to both events.

Here’s what Jason wrote in an email:

“This has been an exciting year for the chess club. The kids have worked very hard. They have attended eleven tournaments around Philadelphia so far this school year. They have won 19 individual trophies, medals, and awards. They have won 3 team trophies. Now they want to prove themselves on the state and national level. They will not be able to do that without your help.

We need $1,300 to take 13 kids and 4 parents to the State Championships in Carlisle, Penna. for two nights in March. Most of the kids will compete in both the K-6 under 800 section on Saturday and the K-9 under 1,000 section on Sunday. Last year 105 of the best K-6 chess players in the state played in these two sections. I took four fairly inexperienced students there. We missed winning a team trophy by 1 point. This year the team is much more prepared. They have been practicing and studying for months.

We need $5,000 to take 9 kids and 4 adults to Supernationals V in Nashville, Tenn. for four nights in April. Every four years the elementary, middle school, and high school national chess championships are held at one location. This event is called Supernationals. The Minor Threats will compete against hundreds of the best K-6 chess players in the country. Based on their accomplishments at local tournaments they stand a good chance to bring home some trophies and glory for the team.

Your donation will make a huge impact on the lives of inner-city youth who are eager to achieve great things through chess. A $20 donation would pay for a hotel room for one child. A $50 donation would pay the Supernationals tournament entry fee for one child. A $100 donation would cover one child’s expenses for the State Championships. A $200 donation would pay for one child’s bus ride to Nashville. A $1,000 donation would cover one child’s expenses for the Supernationals.”

If you want to help the Minor Threats club, please send cash or a check made out to S. Weir Mitchell School with “Chess Team” written on the memo line. The school’s address is: 5500 Kingsessing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143. Jason has also set up an online fundraising page. Please go here to donate.

Filmmaker and West Philly resident Angelo Leotta has recently made a film about Philadelphia. The film, which is a time lapse short, also features some scenes in West Philly. There’s something mesmerizing about it that makes you watch it again and again. Nice work, Angelo, and thanks for sharing it!

Time Lapse: Philadelphia from Angelo Leotta on Vimeo.

Michelle put white buckets on either side of the sinkhole last night.

A neighbor, Michelle R., would like to warn residents about a very hazardous sinkhole in the middle of 50th Street between Beaumont and Warrington Avenues:

“There is a huge “ditch” (that’s how the city defines a rectangular hole in the ground that develops after a utility company digs up the street and fails to fill it back in properly) in the middle of 50th Street in between Beaumont and Warrington Avenues. It is in the path of oncoming traffic in both directions, 14 inches deep on one side, and not at all visible in the dark. We put white 5 gallon buckets on either side, but who knows if they’ll last… Please watch out, this one is a car killer and potential accident causer.”

Michelle says that she also emailed the Streets Department and submitted an online maintenance request.

Photos by Vinicio Guevara.

An overnight car chase involving a silver colored vehicle fleeing from police northbound on 46th Street resulted in several smashed parked cars and two people injured inside another car at the intersection of 46th St. and Springfield Avenue. Our readers reported the car chase and sent photos around midnight. The chase started at 45th and Woodland, police said. The man injured in the crash was taken to the hospital and was undergoing surgery, NBC10 reports.

As police search for two suspects involved in the abduction of a 5-year-old girl from a West Philly elementary school earlier this month, the reward for information leading to their arrest and conviction has reached $80,000, according to the Special Victims Unit.

The girl was abducted from the Bryant Elementary school at 60th and Cedar on the morning of January 14 by a woman dressed in dark colored Muslim clothing and taken to a house in the area where she was joined by a man. The girl was held in the house overnight and found by a passerby early the next morning hiding under a slide in a playground at 69th St and Marshall Road in Upper Darby.

Police are also looking for a third “person of interest” described as a 14- to 17-year-old black female who may go by the
name of “China/Chyna”, thin build, light skinned, with long straight black hair. She was last seen wearing a hoody and tights.

Anyone with information about this case are asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department by calling 215-686-TIPS (8477), the Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251, or 911. You can also email to: tips@phillypolice.com.

– Mike Lyons

Photo by Stacey Nosek.

Two 18th District police officers were injured in a Sunday morning collision with a civilian vehicle at 49th and Chestnut Streets and were transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to police.

The accident took place at about 11:30 a.m. The police car was traveling eastbound on Chestnut and the other vehicle was traveling south on 49th Street when the collision occurred at the intersection. The police car tried to avoid the collision but struck the other vehicle and then a utility pole. The officers sustained facial cuts and had neck pain when they were transported to the hospital where they were listed in stable condition. The driver of the other car was also taken to the hospital for evaluation.

UPDATE: Many thanks to reader Stacey Nosek for sending us the photo of the crash taken while she was driving by shortly after the accident. Stacey said that she and her husband heard the crash as they were ready to leave their house.