Vision Driven Consulting (VDC), an organization supporting artists through consulting and training, has been running free professional development workshop series at The Rotunda for three years. Recently, they presented a Tax for Artists workshop and have more free workshops coming up at the historic venue at 40th and Walnut.

Intermediate Grant Writing & Funder Panel, which will feature funders from the Knight Foundation, Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance, Philadelphia Cultural Fund, and Leeway Foundation, will take place on Monday, March 11, from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. More information is available on the Facebook event page.  Continue Reading

New details are emerging about the police shooting of a 25-year-old Temple University graduate student on Wednesday evening on the 4900 block of Hazel Avenue.

Police said they were called to a home on the block to investigate a reported stabbing. Police said that the victim, identified by CBS Philly as Kaleb Belay, approached them with a “kitchen knife” and ignored warnings to drop it before one officer shot him several times.

Police found no stabbing victim.  Continue Reading

Police cars at the crime scene this morning near 49th and Catharine (Photo by Brian M. Villa)

Police say a 36-year-old man was found shot to death inside a pick-up truck on the 4900 block of Catharine Street early Thursday morning.

Officers arrived on the block at just after 3 a.m. on Thursday to find the man shot several times. He was pronounced dead on the scene. The truck was still running.

Police are reviewing footage from nearby video surveillance, but have not announced any suspects.

Three blocks north on Wednesday evening, a police officer shot a man who police say advanced on them with a knife. The man was shot four times and is in critical condition. Police were responding to a report of a stabbing in a home on the 4900 block of Hazel at about 6:30 p.m. They say a man emerged from the house with a “kitchen knife.” He ignored warnings to drop the knife and one officer shot him four times, according to a police report. No stabbing victim was found, according to reports.

An internal investigation into the shooting is underway, according to police.

After a couple of years in the making, Alrayyan Food Market has finally opened on the corner of 43rd and Sansom, on the ground floor of the new 5-story apartment building. Alrayyan features an international and Middle Eastern food market and a restaurant.

The supermarket section also sells organic and halal foods, produce, meats, baked goods, dairy and more.

The restaurant serves traditional Middle Eastern foods, such as shawarma ($7.95), kofta ($9.25-$11.95), falafels ($5.99), and lamb chops plus appetizers and salads, like hummus, Baba ghanoush, and tabouli.  Continue Reading

Police are looking for a male suspect who shot and wounded a 37-year-old man on Monday night near 52nd and Hazel. The man, who works as an attorney for Ballard Spahr, according to reports, was walking home at around 10:20 p.m. when an unknown young male ran up to him from behind and shot him in the chest when the victim was “ready to fight,” according to an interview with 6ABC.

Police believe it was an attempted robbery. The suspect fled the scene right after the shooting, according to police.

The victim was able to call the police and was taken to the hospital. He is expected to survive.  Continue Reading

“The Gables” (Photo by West Philly Local).

The University City Historical Society has applied to the city’s Historical Commission for protection of a cluster of 41 Victorian homes near Clark Park on Chester Avenue and Regent Streets.

Well-known 19th century architect Willis G. Hale designed the homes, which include the mansion known as “The Gables” (now a bed and breakfast) and nearby twins on the 4500 block of Chester Avenue and twins and row homes on both sides of the 4500 block of Regent Street. Collectively, the properties would form the “Chester-Regent Historic District.”  Continue Reading