People gathered to take pictures throughout the day on Tuesday of the building burned in a fire early Monday morning at 52nd and Locust. Fearing that the building may collapse, police closed nearby streets.

Streets around the burned out building at 52nd and Locust have been closed out of fear that the building, which is sheathed in a thick layer of ice, may collapse.

Police have blocked 52nd Street between Spruce and Walnut, Locust Street near the building and some smaller side streets. The building has become somewhat of a local attraction with people filing by on the closed streets to take photos of structure and television news crews posting nearby on Tuesday.

The School Reform Commission is set to make decisions on 39 charter school applications during a special meeting scheduled for 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

This is the final step in an application process that included public testimony and comment. This is the first time in seven years that the School District of Philadelphia has considered adding charter schools to go along with the 86 brick-and-mortar charters already operating.

The proposed schools would add some 15,000 charter school seats and cost the district hundreds of millions of dollars.

Charter school opponents like the Philadelphia Coalition Advocating for Public Schools argue that the district should invest money in existing public schools.

The Philadelphia School Partnerships, a pro-charter philanthropic group that includes Drexel University president John Fry on its board, offered $25 million to the district earlier this month to help offset the costs of adding new charters and another $10 million to improve existing district schools.

Republican legislators are also pushing for new charters in the city, The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting.

A list of the proposed schools along with detailed applications are available on the district website. A dozen schools are proposed around West Philadelphia. Charter application evaluation reports are available here.

Wednesday’s meeting will likely be live streamed here.

– Mike Lyons

As snow continues falling in Philadelphia, the School District of Philadelphia has announced that all public schools and prekindergarten programs will be closed today due to inclement weather. All Archdiocesan schools are also closed. Please go here for more information on other school closings.

SEPTA announced the following service changes in the area due to cold weather and icy road conditions.

Regional Rail: All SEPTA Regional Rail lines may experience delays of up to 20 minutes due to weather conditions.

Customized Community Transportation (CCT): Service is operating with delays of up to 60 minutes due to weather conditions. Customers should call the CCT Control Center at 215-580-7720 to cancel trips if they don’t plan to ride or to inquire about pending “Same Day” trips.

Market-Frankford Line: All trains are making all station stops due to extremely cold weather. There is no A/B express service for passenger convenience.

Here are a few important Presidents Day reminders.

• City offices, public schools and libraries are closed today and will reopen on Tuesday.

• Post offices are closed, and there will be no mail delivery today.

• There will be no trash and recycling collection today. Please set out your trash on Tuesday at your regular location. Collections will be one day behind for the remainder of the week.

• SEPTA trolleys and buses are operating on a modified weekday schedule (click here for more information).

Philippe Holland

The 20-year-old pizza deliveryman who was shot several times last April by plain-clothes cops who thought he was trying to run them over near 51st and Willows in the Cedar Park neighborhood is suing the city.

The officers reportedly approached Philippe Holland, who had just finished a delivery, on the sidewalk with their guns drawn. They were searching for a suspect in an earlier shooting. Holland contends that 18th District officers Mitchell Farrell and Kevin Hanvey approached him as he was getting into his car and that he thought they were robbers. Farrell and Hanvey opened fire as he tried to drive away. Holland was struck in the head, neck and leg.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey apologized to Holland soon after the shooting. West Philly residents raised money for Holland’s medical expenses and more than 100 signed a petition asking that the results of the investigation be made public. It was hoped that the shooting might prompt more transparency in police shootings, which spiked in 2012 and prompted Ramsey to request a federal review of the department.

One result has been the posting of some information from officer-involved shootings online.

Here is what the posting on that site says about the Holland case:

PS#14-15

04/22/14 On Tuesday, April 22, 2014, at approximately 9:56 P.M., two on-duty officers in an unmarked vehicle and in civilian attire heard gunshots in the area of 51st street and Baltimore Avenue. While surveying the area, the officers observed a male walking south on 51st street toward Willows Avenue, with his hands inside his pockets. The officers identified themselves as police officers and ordered the male to stop. The offender opened and entered the front passenger door of a Ford Taurus that was parked in the 5100 block of Willows Avenue. The offender positioned himself in the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle initially in reverse, and then forward toward the officers. In response, both officers discharged their firearms, striking the offender. The offender was transported to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for treatment. There were no other injuries as a result of this incident. No weapon was recovered.

– Mike Lyons

Valentine’s Day is almost here, and many of our readers will be looking for something to do with their special someones. Check our round up of some of local happenings and events this weekend, for kids and adults alike, and please don’t forget that we have some great restaurants and bars in our area (many of them will be having Valentine’s Day specials and treats tomorrow).

We’ll start with a few reminders.

A Valentine’s Day Dance Party/Fundraiser will be held at 8 Limbs Academy (4542 Baltimore Ave, 2nd floor) on Saturday, beginning at 9 p.m. and featuring 90’s dance jams, ice cream, doughnuts, minigolf, and 8 Limbs t-shirts for sale. Atom and His Package, Everything Sux and The Ramonas will perform. Suggested donation is $5-$15. For more information visit: www.8limbsacademy.com.

If you have any Curio Theatre preview show tickets, here’s a great chance to use them. Othello officially opens at the popular neighborhood theater next Friday, but preview shows are presented this week and early next week. There are preview shows this Friday and Saturday, at 8 p.m. For more information and to buy tickets, go here. And please get there on time – there is no late seating for this production.  Continue Reading