Police are looking for a driver of a black SUV who hit a 3-year-old boy Friday night at 53rd and Chestnut, CBS Philly is reporting.

The hit-and-run accident happened at about 10:30 p.m. Police say that the boy’s mother was getting out of her car when her son darted out of it and was hit by an unknown vehicle. The child was in critical condition but has since been upgraded to stable. Police are checking nearby surveillance cameras. Anyone with information should call police at 215-686-TIPS.

Peoplehood Parade returns to West Philly streets and Clark Park this Sunday. Archived photo / West Philly Local.

Local parks will host some great community events on Sunday, Nov. 3.

The Spiral Q Theater is bringing its giant puppets back for the annual Peoplehood Parade that will kick off at 1 p.m. near the Paul Robeson House (4951 Walnut St.). The parade will proceed to Clark Park (45th and Chester Ave.) where it will be followed by a pageant at 2:15 p.m. Here’s some more information from the event’s Facebook page:

Join in the Parade!
Individuals, families and friends – all are welcome!
Come to the Paul Robeson House at noon to get a spot in the parade.
Bring your own puppet, costume, fancy parade outfit, your art and/or your heart and jump into the action or join in a Spiral Q section.

The parade organizers are also looking for volunteers who can provide help to seniors from the Renaissance nursing home who would like to join the parade and the action at Clark Park. Volunteers are asked to come to the home between 12:30 and 1 p.m. and bring the seniors in wheelchairs outside to wait for the parade, join the parade as it passes, and then stick with them until about 3 p.m. and bring them back to the home. The nursing home is located at 4712 Chester Avenue, which is a few blocks from Clark Park. If you would like to volunteer please contact Liza Goodell at community@spiralq.org.

Also this Sunday, Vineyard Community Church is inviting community members to a free “Fall Festival” for children in Malcolm X Park (51st and Pine). The event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. and will feature fall themed arts and crafts, games, and activities.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our 3rd Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest and submitted their entries. Each year we are blown away by the creativity of our pumpkin-carving neighbors. This year we received many amazing entries again. It’s worth mentioning that this year, more neighbors focused on Philadelphia related topics, including serious ones like school closings.

So judge for yourself: check out the pumpkin photos below (click to enlarge) and then vote for your favorite. The Readers’ Choice winner will get the grand prize. West Philly Local will select winners in the following categories: Funniest, Scariest, Best Philly-themed, and Kids. The voting will close at midnight on Sunday, Nov. 3. We’ll post the results on Monday, Nov. 4.

Voting has ended.

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As budget cuts slash deeper and deeper into the city’s public schools, teachers and principals need to get more creative in looking for resources to help students. Parents and community residents are a great place to start.

That’s why parents and community members are invited to the Henry C. Lea School (47th and Locust) on Monday for a community forum hosted by principal Sonya Harrison. The roundtable discussion will focus on the question, “How can all adults work together to improve student success at the Lea School?”

Two sessions of the forum will be held Monday. The first is 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and breakfast will be provided. The later session runs from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and dinner and homework help are provided.

RSVP is required. To register, go to the office at the Lea School or call 215-898-1112 or email PPCE@gse.upenn.edu.

Head over to the West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools website for more Lea-related news.

A whole host of goblins, ghosts and other creatures large and small turned out yesterday for the Halloween Parade through the Spruce Hill neighborhood. The annual tradition began near 45th and Baltimore and concluded on the finely decorated 4200 block of Osage Ave, (“Little Osage”). We could go on about the costumes, but it’s easier just to show you. Check out the photos below.

(Photos by Mike Lyons / West Philly Local)

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