Detective Joe Murray of PPD’s Southwest Detectives Division with his father at a recent family wedding (Photo provided by Det. Murray)

Use Twitter? Then you know Detective Joseph Murray of the Southwest Detectives Division (or at least you should).

Det. Murray, known around West Philly as “The Tweeting Cop,” began using message boards in 2006 as a way to connect with the community he serves. That social media engagement evolved into Twitter three years later, when the 33-year-old detective opened an account under the (retired) handle, @TheFuzz9143. Now tweeting under @PPDJoeMurray, Det. Murray updates West Philadelphians about crime, missing (and sometimes then found) pets, and even his favorite Pearl Jam album—while also opening the digital floor for tips and feedback—on a near-daily basis.

But Det. Murray’s community involvement doesn’t stop with the computer screen. Well aware that his position with the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD) is considered a “desk job,” the third generation police officer makes a concerted effort to also have a physical presence, whether it’s through cruising West Philly in his car, buying coffee at Green Line or Rival Brothers, popping into a few local businesses for a quick hello, or checking up on old complaints he’s received. “It’s up to me to engage people so I try to do my best,” Murray, who was promoted to detective in 2005 at 25-years-old, wrote to West Philly Local in an email.

And his efforts are noticed by the city at large. This September, Det. Murray, along with 52 other emergency responders (including Southwest colleague Lt. John Walker), received an Award of Valor from the National Liberty Museum for his valiant work nearly 14 years on the force—which includes closing the 2011 triple shooting at Lorena’s Grocery Store on the 800 block of North 50^th Street. The shooting, which resulted in the deaths of siblings Porfirio and Lina Nunez, and Porfirio’s wife Carmen—employees of Lorena’s Grocery Store—is one of Murray’s recent cases that he finds most heartbreaking among the “far too many.”

“A family from the Dominican Republic was assassinated for no reason. A robbery with nothing taken,” Det. Murray wrote to West Philly Local. “That gets my blood pressure up even typing it now. There was satisfaction when we caught the killers but that does not bring the family back.”

For Det. Murray, the cases that “help everyone involved”, though, balance the distressing ones like the 2011 triple murder. And he’s especially encouraged when he never sees a person he’s booked or their name again. “I have come across thousands of people as a detective. A lot of times I see them a few years down the line working in a restaurant or at a store. That makes you feel good to see,” he wrote.

West Philly Local had a chance to chat with Det. Murray about being honored by the National Liberty Museum, his love for West Philly, the importance of engaging the community, and—of course—donuts.

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Great news for our little neighbors and their parents – the Halloween Tot Parade, a fun annual tradition in the Spruce Hill neighborhood, is scheduled again this year, so make sure to show off your bootastic costumes and have fun with your friends and neighbors (and West Philly Local will be there too to snap some photos). Here are more details from the Spruce Hill Community Association website:

The date is Thursday, Oct. 31 (no rain date). As it has for the last several years, the parade will start gathering after 4 p.m. on 45th St. just north of Baltimore Ave. (next to Milk and Honey). The kick-off time is 4:30 p.m., when marchers, led by drummers from the Penn marching band, will go north on 45th to Larchwood Ave., down to 43rd St., and then on to the 4200 block of Osage. There the block residents will welcome them – as always – with cider and goodies and some amazing Halloween decorations. The University City District will be assisting in directing traffic around the parade route. Parents, please be alert while crossing Baltimore Ave. and other busy streets. Parking on the 4200 block of Osage will be restricted Thursday afternoon to accommodate the parade. Overnight parkers will be able to get their spots once the clean up is done and all the ghosts and goblins are safely home.

Photos by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local.

Frankie has a pronounced “M” on his forehead, which may be helpful in spotting him.

Frankie, a two-year-old male orange tabby cat adopted from the Project MEOW cat rescue, escaped out an open door on October 19. Frankie was adopted as a kitten (pictured), but is now 14 pounds. He is terribly missed by his family. He was last seen at 49th and Hazel, but could be anywhere by now.

Please contact info@projectmeow.org if you think you have found Frankie, and if at all possible keep him indoors until his family can get him. He is microchipped and very friendly.

The University Avenue Drawbridge over the Schuylkill River will be closed for maintenance work to all traffic from approximately 7:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, according to an announcement by the Philadelphia Streets Department. Motorists are advised to use alternate Schuylkill River crossings, including Gray’s Ferry Avenue to the south and the Schuylkill Expressway and South Street Bridge to the north. Since this is a short-term closure, no detours will be posted in the area.

Here’s what you should expect during this temporary closure:

Northbound traffic on University Avenue will be stopped at Gray’s Ferry Avenue. Southbound traffic will be stopped at the entrance to the westbound Schuylkill Expressway. The eastbound Schuylkill Expressway ramp will remain open – but traffic exiting on this ramp will not be permitted to travel southbound on University Avenue. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic will also be impacted by this closure.

The four-lane bridge links University Avenue in West Philly with South 34th Street in the Grays Ferry section of South Philadelphia.

Food Day is a national celebration of local food and community. It takes place on Thursday, Oct. 24 at locations around the country. Here in Philadelphia, Drexel University will host an evening of free food and a screening of the documentary, “A Place at the Table,” which explores the state of hunger in America.

The celebration is organized by a coalition of food-based organizations, including nonprofits, businesses and government agencies. There were over 3,000 events around the country in 2012.

From 12 to 2 p.m., Drexel student organizations focused on food and environmental justice will give presentations throughout the campus on topics ranging from veganism to factory farming.

The film screening will be at 6 p.m. There will also be a free meal, prepared by Drexel Culinary students, starting at 5 p.m.

“The food is FREE but we ask that students and attendees bring a food item to donate to People’s Emergency Center’s food bank as they are having difficulty filling their shelves, “ said Hayley Tintle, lead organizer of the event.

The event will take place in room 103 of Disque Hall, located between 31st and 32nd just below Market Street. For more information click here.

– Alex Vuocolo

Smak Parlour’s fashion truck on 40th Street between Locust and Spruce Streets / Photo by Mia Holley.

Over the last 10 years, pop-up shops have become a must-do trend in the fashion industry. While seasonal holiday stores—like Spirit Halloween—have already anchored themselves in this market for decades, retail and fashion tycoons like Target, Gucci, Dr. Martens, Louis Vuitton and Kate Spade have all developed pop-up shops at one point or another.

Smak Parlour, located at 219 Market Street, is no stranger to the pop-up concept. The Old City boutique founded and run by best friends Katie Lubieski and Abby Kessler has a temporary space at 126 S. 19^th Street opened through November 9th, moving to the King of Prussia mall the day after for the holiday season.

While the two 34-year-old fashion designers—who started their t-shirt line SMAK in college—are following an established trend, they’re hoping to capitalize on another budding craze already taking over Los Angeles: the fashion truck. And they’ve started here in West Philly.

“We love the idea of bringing our merchandise straight to our customers, it is the ultimate in customer service,” Lubieski and Kessler wrote to West Philly Local in an email. “It’s an emerging trend for food to go mobile, we decided why not do that for fashion too?”

Since July of this year, Lubieski and Kessler have operated their Smak Parlour mobile store on 40^th Street between Locust and Spruce Streets, serving mostly students from University of Pennsylvania and their alma mater Drexel University. Equipped with a dressing room, West Philly shoppers can peruse the truck’s array of affordably priced clothing (available up to size Large), jewelry, and accessories while on break for lunch, in between classes or during a mid-day walk. Smak Parlour’s parked on 40^th Street every Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday between 12 p.m. to 3 p.m., and occasionally visits other locations throughout the city.

But, for the fashionistas, a brick and mortar store, pop-up shops and fashion truck are just the beginning. The two women are looking to expand their brand through “whatever opportunities come our way.”

“We have a great staff and awesome, affordable merchandise. Maybe there’s a Smak Parlour store coming to West Philly down the line, who knows?!,” they wrote.

–Annamarya Scaccia