A recent post on the West Philly Local forum led us to think about the most effective way of reporting ongoing crime to the police. A forum poster wrote:

“I have seen an increase in drug dealing at 49th and Baltimore, right by and along side of New Third World. I was offered Drugs on several occasions, and felt very uncomfortable. This had occurred today in the afternoon and last week, & wondered if anyone had the same experience, or what to do about it! I am becoming increasingly uncomfortable in my own neighborhood!”

Map image from Phillypolice.com.

One suggestion on our Facebook page where we shared the above post was to attend the monthly meeting of the police 18th District at the Calvary Church (4700 Baltimore Ave.), where a police lieutenant listens to citizen complaints and tips (the next one is Thursday, July 17 at 6 p.m.). But another reader rightly pointed out that the 18th District is divided into three “police service areas (PSAs),” and that the corner where the alleged drug dealing was taking place was just over the western edge of PSA 3, which has its community meeting at the Calvary Center. The northern border of PSA 3 (and all of the PSAs in the 18th) is Market Street. The eastern and southern border of PSA 3 is the Schuylkill River. Correction: The southern border of both PSA 1 and 2 is Baltimore Avenue and 57th Street divides them. 49th Street divides PSA 2 and PSA 3.

The neighborhoods south of Baltimore are in the 12th District. The Powelton and Mantua neighborhoods are served by the 16th.

Confused? How about it. We’re trying to get more information about the meetings at the other PSAs in the 18th. We’ll update when we get more info.

One way to alert police to ongoing problems is to e-mail the PSA commanders. Their e-mail addresses are here. For crimes in progress, 911 is still the way to go. A police officer we talked to said maybe the best way to get some action on a complaint is to call your police district, ask for a supervisor and request that a complaint be placed on the roll call. That will alert oncoming shifts of the problem each day for three days.

As for the drug problem at 49th and Baltimore, the cop we talked to said he would get the complaint on the roll call.

A neighbor found a very friendly grey and white cat a few days ago on her porch at 49th and Chester. The cat is declawed on his front paws and looks to be neutered.

He is pretty big and has two different colored eyes – one green and one mottled brown, which may be due to an injury. He’s very thin but was clearly once someone’s pet. He is mostly grey with dark grey stripes, a spotted white belly and white muzzle.

The neighbor is concerned that the cat may not survive outdoors without claws.

If you have any information about this cat, please contact Katie at kdericks at gmail dot com

Photo courtesy University City District.

Are you ready for University City Dining Days? The popular annual 10-day event when you can enjoy dinner at a number of local restaurants for pre-fixed prices, returns this Thursday, July 17. Participating restaurants are now accepting reservations.

Through July 27, 27 University City area restaurants will participate in this year’s “3 courses, 3 prices” promotion, from craft beer bars to celebrity chef restaurants to cozy BYOBs, featuring traditional and international cuisine. The participating restaurants offer a pre-fixe three-course dinner specials for $15, $25 or $35. This is a great chance to visit your favorite local restaurant or try a new one without taking a big bite out of your wallet.  Continue Reading

Talking Headz’s new location at 4922 Baltimore Ave. (Facebook photo)

If you are heading to Talking Headz for a haircut, a trim or coloring, please take notice that the neighborhood hair salon with the motto “Rad Hair for Rad People” has recently moved a little further west on Baltimore. As of July 5, 2014, Talking Headz is operating in the heart of Cedar Park – at 4922 Baltimore Ave.

The salon first opened in 2011 in a small space at 4714 Baltimore Ave and quickly gained popularity for its friendly staff, awesome vibe, and reasonable prices (check out recent Yelp reviews and an older review by a neighbor and blogger West Philly Mama).

The new space seems great and has much more room. They have eight chairs now in comparison to just three at the old location and new staff was hired to keep up with the expansion. The salon has also added an extra day of operation. It is now open Monday through Sunday during the following hours: Monday 12 – 6 p.m., Tuesday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Wednesday 12 – 8 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sunday 12 – 5 p.m.

According to their website, the Talking Headz people can cut your hair “ranging anywhere from classic to wild.” The place is also kid-friendly (we can confirm) and they even have a kids play area. By the way, kids haircuts start at just $16. Prices for adult haircuts range from $21-$36 depending on the length of your hair. Walk-ins are welcome but not always available, so appointments are recommended. You can make an appointment by calling 215-729-2028.

For more information about Talking Headz, their services and pricing, visit their website.
 

UPDATE 2: Water came back on around 4:10 p.m., according to neighbors.

UPDATE: We spoke to the PWD workers on-site at around 2:40 p.m. and they said that the water main break should be repaired by 4 p.m.

City Water Department crews have responded this morning to a water main break on Osage Ave between 49th and 50th Streets. A number of households in the area lost water service due to the break. Neighbors reported that there was no water at their homes as early as 6 a.m. We’ll keep you posted when we have more information.

Photo by West Philly Local reader Daniel Chen.

Two cops rescued people from an overnight fire in the Mantua section. The fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday on the first floor of a three-story standalone house on the 3900 block of Aspen Street, according to various reports. Two 16th district police officers, one of them a former firefighter, helped two people escape the flames. Reportedly, a firefighter sustained a minor injury in the fire.

Audio is available from the Fire Department call from the scene (below), presented by PhillyFireFeed.com (the address on the audio is wrong). 6ABC has a video from the scene.