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Archive | November, 2016

Woman dies after being struck by vehicle fleeing police at 52nd and Locust (updated)

November 30, 2016

UPDATE: The woman who was struck by the car fleeing police near 52nd and Locust has died, according to NBC 10. She was inside one of the vehicles struck by the suspects. The victim was identified as 55-year-old Carol Isom who lived on the 200 block of S. 53rd Street. She was the driver of a Kia Soul and was traveling east on Locust Street when her car was struck by a dark gray Nissan Maxima driven by one of the suspects.

Police say an unidentified driver sped away from police and hit the unnamed woman at about 7:30 p.m. She was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and was listed in critical condition, according to NBC10.

Philly.com is reporting that police pursued two suspects after a gun was fired near 48th and Westminster. The crash included three other vehicles. Both men were arrested.

 

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High-stakes power games and a West Philly dive bar: World premiere of Antagonyms at Curio this week

November 30, 2016

antagonymsIt’s not often you get to see a play’s world premiere. Here’s your chance with the debut of Antagonyms, which opens at the Curio Theatre Company on Friday, Dec. 2.

Written by playwright, actor and Curio member Rachel Gluck, Antagonyms tells the story of four young Philadelphians.

“In Antagonyms, four twenty-somethings wrestle with their sense of self and their relationship to each other as they find themselves at each other’s throats and in each other’s beds. Contemporary millennial anxieties fuel a stylized high-stakes power game, creating a world in which old Hollywood glamour mingles with the sticky floor of a West Philly dive bar,” said Gluck.

antagonymsartwork

Artwork by Elizabeth Gallagher.

An antagonym is a word with two opposite meanings, such as “bound.” One could be on the move, “bound” to Center City for example. Or “bound,” as in tied up, unable to move.

The performance is directed by Jack Tamburri, and the cast includes Alee Spadoni, Alexander Scott Rioh, Andrew Carroll and Colleen Hughes.

This production has mature content and not recommended for children and there are themes related to sexual violence.

You can catch a preview performance tonight and Thursday night. Antagonyms runs on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 17. All performances begin at 8 p.m.

For tickets visit the Curio Theatre Company website or call 215-525-1350.

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$45,000 reward for information in hit-and-run that killed 8-year-old West Philly girl (updated)

November 29, 2016

fatal-hit-run

Police believe this vehicle struck and killed an 8-year-old West Philly girl, Jayanna Powell on November 18. (Photo from Philly Police Blog)

UPDATE (Nov. 30, 8:30 p.m.) NBC10 is reporting that a 24-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the hit and run. Police located the vehicle they believe was involved in the crash at an automotive repair shop in Fraser, a town in Chester County along Route 30 about 25 miles outside the city. 

After a week and a half since the hit-and-run that left a West Philly girl dead, police are still searching for the driver who struck the child while she was crossing 63rd St. near Lansdowne Avenue in Overbrook and fled the scene. A total of $45,000 is now being offered for information leading to the arrest of the suspect and their conviction.

jayannapowell

 Jayanna Powell

The crash happened at about 3:15 p.m. on November 18 when 8-year-old Jayanna Powell was walking home from school with her siblings. The little girl was found unconscious on the street and was transported to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia where she was pronounced dead at 3:35 p.m., according to police.

The vehicle is believed to be a silver 2009-2016 Nissan Maxima or Altima. The vehicle should have damage to one of the front headlights as well as damage to the front grill area.

The Mayor’s Office is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the driver, and the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 is offering $15,000. In addition, the girl’s uncle is offering a $20,000 reward to anyone with information about the driver, according to Philly.com.

Anyone with information on the identity of the driver or the whereabouts of the vehicle, is asked to contact Accident Investigation District at 215-685-3180 / 3181 or call 911.

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Support local nonprofits on #GivingTuesday

November 29, 2016

On #GivingTuesday, we would like to remind folks that there are dozens of great nonprofits in West Philly that need our support. On our Civic Life page, you can find information about West Philly-based nonprofits. Please consider donating to your neighborhood organization today.

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Groundbreaking for 40th Street trolley portal remodel, including restaurant, next week

November 28, 2016

Portal 2

An artist’s rendering of the Trolley Car Station restaurant from plans presented last spring to the Spruce Hill Community Association zoning committee.

Developers will soon break ground on a project that should transform the barren patch of concrete at the 40th Street trolley terminal into a landscaped public space complete with a 125-seat restaurant.

University City District officials promise it will be a more navigable public space for pedestrians. Complete with moveable tables and chairs, enough racks to accommodate 48 bikes and “vegetation everywhere,” the project was well received during public meetings and breezed through zoning approval last spring.

The centerpiece of the project will be the Trolley Car Station restaurant, a two-story restaurant that will be built in the grassy area bordering the portal along Baltimore Avenue. A company owned by real estate developer Ken Weinstein, which runs the Trolley Car Diner in Mount Airy, will operate the restaurant.  Continue Reading

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Take a (free) ride on Winter Express Shoppers’ Trolley (W.E.S.T.) this Saturday

November 28, 2016

shopperstrolley

The Baltimore Avenue and Lancaster Avenue Business Associations are teaming up again to provide a unique holiday shopping experience for neighborhood residents next month. The Winter Express Shoppers’ Trolley (W.E.S.T.), connecting two of the busiest West Philly streets and commercial corridors – Baltimore Avenue and Lancaster Avenue – will return on Saturday, Dec. 3.

From noon till 5 p.m. this free trolley will travel along both avenues, stopping along the way at designated shopping and dining destinations. Businesses will welcome riders with specials, promotions and giveaways, as wells as with some delicious treats.  Continue Reading

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