A patriotic lighting installation will greet the thousands of people expected to visit 30th Street Station before, during and after the four-day Democratic National Convention (July 25-28). The programmable system of color-changing LED fixtures will sweep stars and swaths of red, white and blue across the station’s 29th Street facade.

This light show is sponsored by Amtrak and the University City District and is one of several across the city to welcome DNC attendees.

The lights will be projected onto the station’s 29th Street facade from 8:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. every night through July 31.

There’s a lot of road construction going out there right now. That means the occasional closed street and detour – and lots of orange cones. This driver found out what can happen if you ignore the cones along 45th Street near Walnut, where crews are replacing pipes.

Here’s a fun and free event this weekend that the organizers are hoping will help bring the community together. Two nights of cosplay life drawing will take place on Saturday, July 23 and Sunday, July 24 at 7-10 p.m. in one of West Philly’s most well-known venues – The Rotunda (40th and Walnut). Any drawing level is welcome from beginner to maestro. You can bring your own supplies or use the ones provided by the organizers.

Two models in cosplay each night! There will be music provided by WKDU 91.7, projections, and props.

NUMiNOUS Magazine, a publication that focuses on Cosplay, will be there exhibiting on Saturday night.

The event is co-hosted by 40th Street Artist-in-Residence Program, Cosplay Life Drawing Club, and the organizers of the Philly Zine Fest.

Tips for models are appreciated but not necessary.

For more information check out: www.cosplaylifedrawingclub.tumblr.com.

Google Street View image of 4046-4048 Chestnut Street rowhomes.

The twin apartment buildings at 4046-4048 Chestnut Street, which date back to the late 19th century, were saved at least temporarily after a municipal court judge issued a ruling yesterday barring demolition until mid-October.

Court of Common Pleas Judge Linda Carpenter’s decision found the demolition permit issued in March to a developer that sought to knock the buildings down and build student housing was invalid. The stay of demolition is until October 15, according to Plan Philly.

The final decision on demolition hinges on two more decisions. The first will be a likely appeal of Carpenter’s ruling that the permit is invalid and second will be a hearing at the Philadelphia Historic Commission to determine whether the buildings should be added to Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, which would make demolition far more difficult.

The buildings were sold on March 1 to a new owner who planned to replace them with new apartment buildings aimed at students. A demolition permit was issued later that month, but an application to declare the building “historic” was made on May 16 in an effort to save the buildings.

The hearing to determine whether the rowhomes can be demolished according to their developers’ plans was held last month and resulted in the decision issued yesterday.

For more in-depth coverage of the case and a copy of Judge Carpenter’s ruling, check out the Plan Philly story.

Police have released surveillance video of a recent shooting at a donut shop at 40th and Lancaster and are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the shooter in the video. Police say an unknown male approached Fresh and Tasty Donuts at 4096 Lancaster Avenue on Sunday, July 17, at 7 a.m., and fired several shots through the glass door at the victim, a 20-year-old man, who was inside the shop. The shooter then quickly fled the area, according to police.

The victim was shot three times in the groin and was transported to Presbyterian hospital. He is expected to survive.

The suspect is described as black male, 45-50 years old, five feet eight inches tall, 180lbs, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, and armed with a handgun.  Continue Reading

A screen shot from the video for “West Philly Jawn” by Post Sun Times.

West Philly means a lot of things to a lot of people. We get a chance to see what it means to members of the band Post Sun Times in the video for their song “West Philly Jawn” posted on Tuesday.

In an interview with the Philly music magazine Jump, singer/guitarist Robin Carine noted that the band members grew up in North Jersey and that he himself has lived in West Philly since 2009.

The video includes a riff with Mike Fuller, the trolley poet, and few seconds of the world through Omar‘s eyes.  Continue Reading