Photo from woodlandsphila.org

Last month, when West Philly Local shared details about The Woodlands’ community survey, many of our readers took to the comments section to air grievances about off-leash dogs running around the site. The general consensus is that off-leash dogs are dangerous to visitors, as well as other animals on the site.

In response, Erica Maust, The Woodlands’ program & communications coordinator, reached out both in the comment section and directly to West Philly Local to remind the community of The Woodlands’ strict no off-leash dogs policy, as well as promote its Dog Walker membership. Maust confirmed that off-leash dogs as a major concern for the grounds, and that concern was reflected in “an overwhelming number of [survey] responses from neighbors and community members.”

According to Maust, off-leash dogs are “never permitted, or welcome, at The Woodlands,” both by city law and management policy, no exceptions. All dogs passing through its gates must be leashed, and if they are not, Maust said, Woodlands staff will ask the owner to leash their dog. If they’re a repeat offender, they’re asked to leave the grounds.

“No one should feel unsafe or uncomfortable when visiting the grave of a loved one, enjoying an afternoon walk, or teaching their children to ride a bike,” she told West Philly Local. “Not everyone likes or feels comfortable around dogs, and we want all of our visitors to feel as though The Woodlands is a safe place to visit.”

But, she noted, The Woodlands employs a small staff on the 54-acre site, which makes fully enforcing its policy difficult. So The Woodlands also rely on members visiting the grounds to help implement or make other visitors aware of its leash policy when a staff member may not be present, Maust said.

In an effort to raise awareness about the policy and ways members could help, Maust said The Woodlands’ created a Dog Walker membership, good for one person and their dog(s). The benefits of this membership level, which costs $75, include invites to members-only events and Doggy “Yappy Hours”, discounted ticket pricing, occasional exclusive after-dark access to the grounds, and one “I LOVE THE WOOFLANDS” dog leash.

“The dog-walking community is an especially important membership group to us, because so many people who live nearby rely on access to The Woodlands to walk their dogs daily. We recognize this, and we love that we can allow neighbors to walk their dogs at The Woodlands,” she said. “We also hope that these neighbors and their pets recognize that The Woodlands is an incredible resource that’s right in their backyard, and will use the space respectfully.”

The Dog Walker membership also includes access to the Dog of the Month program, in which visitors can submit a photo of their dog on the grounds via social media using the hashtag #wooflands. The social media campaign “has helped us raise awareness for our leash policy for all of our visitors and our followers on social media, and we hope it will lead to fewer problems and incidents with off-leash dogs at The Woodlands,” Maust said.

–Annamarya Scaccia

Through June 15, the West Philadelphia YMCA is accepting donations of everyday necessities for local infants and newborns. YMCA is teaming up with Youth Services Inc. in this effort to help our little neighbors. The basic necessities include:

• Diapers
• Socks
• Rattles
• Bottles
• Onesies
• Receiving blankets
• Pacifiers
• T-shirts

These items can be dropped off at the designated box in the Y’s lobby. For more information, please contact Shalann K. Graves at 215-476-2700 X 2017.

The West Philadelphia YMCA is located at 5120 Chestnut Street.

Tomorrow’s election has some pretty serious implications for the state, city and maybe even your neighborhood. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

First thing’s first. Where do you vote? Here ‘s a handy tool that will help you find your polling place if it’s your first time voting at your present address. Speaking of first timers, when you get to that polling place they will ask for identification if it’s your first time voting there. This is NOT an implementation of the controversial Voter ID law we have heard so much about. This is standard operating procedure.

Not sure if you are registered? You can check here.

Here is a list of all of the races tomorrow. You can also download a sample ballot there.

The big statewide race, of course, is the election of the Democratic challenger to Governor Tom Corbett. The Committee of 70 has a great recap of the candidates’ views on a number of issues – from school funding to the legalization of marijuana – at Guv Race 101.

As well known, for most elections in Philadelphia, where Democrats outnumber Republicans 6 to 1, the primary is all that matters. Locally, a race to keep an eye on is the 188th Legislative District, which includes University City, Spruce Hill, Walnut Hill and Cedar Park and some of Kingsessing and Cobbs Creek. Longtime incumbent State Rep. James Roebuck faces a stiff challenge from local businessman and community organizer Algernong Allen.

West Philly-based journalist Patrick Kerkstra predicted this morning on Twitter that this will be one to watch.

My sleeper race 4 tomorrow is in 188th. Where well-liked incumbent Jim Roebuck faces challenge from entrepreneur/activist Algernong Allen.

— Patrick Kerkstra (@pkerkstra) May 19, 2014

Another West Philly resident on the ballot is Matt Wolfe, the Spruce Hill attorney and Republican who is running for the at-Large City Council seat left vacant when Councilman Bill Green agreed to head the School Reform Commission. He faces State Rep. Ed Neilson, a Democrat and heavy favorite, and marijuana legalization activist Nikki Allen Poe (Facebook page).

Also of note are a couple of ballot questions. One is on the so-called “resign to run” rule, which requires city officeholders to resign to run for another city office. For example, Mayor Michael Nutter was forced to resign his City Council seat to run for mayor.

Opponents of the rule, which became part of the City’s charter in 1951, say it has lead to a stagnant political landscape. The election watchdog group Committee of 70 is in favor of scrapping the rule. Voters struck down a similar referendum question in 2007.

Another question will ask voters whether the city’s minimum wage of $10.88 for city contractors should apply to sub-contractors. Supporters of the ballot measure have focused mainly on the Philadelphia International Airport, where some of the estimated 3,000 sub-contracted workers make as little as $7 an hour with no benefits. (Full disclosure: Supporters of this measure paid for an advertisement on West Philly Local in support of the measure.)

Ahead of Tuesday’s election, Nutter signed an executive order last week raising the minimum wage for sub-contractors.

So, despite it being an off election year, there is still plenty at stake. So get out to the polls and make it happen.

–Mike Lyons

Residents, community activists and even beat cops are hoping the recent tragic shooting of an unarmed pizza delivery driver in the Cedar Park neighborhood will fast-track the Philadelphia Police Department’s (PPD) efforts to become more transparent.

The shooting of Philippe Holland on April 22 near 51st and Willows by two plain-clothes police officers came during a Department of Justice review of “officer-involved shootings” in the city that will likely lead to recommendations for a public review of “officer involved shootings.”

Philippe Holland

Residents attending the monthly meeting with neighborhood police last night in the Calvary Center at 48th and Baltimore had questions about the shooting, in which Holland was critically injured after police shot 14 times at the car he was driving. Holland was shot in the head, neck and leg. Patty Bullack with the 48th Street Neighbors group read aloud a letter signed by about 130 community members asking the police to make public the findings of an ongoing investigation of the shooting.

Lt. Brian McBride, commanding officer of the PPD’s University City substation, said he was unable to disclose any details of the investigation, but hopes its findings will eventually become public.

“I can’t say anything about the case, but I can say that they’re looking at a lot of things about what happened that night,” McBride said.

Unlike departments in other big cities, Philadelphia’s famously secretive police department has never been compelled to publicly discuss officer-involved shootings in the past.

But McBride said that the department has made significant strides toward transparency under the leadership of Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, who became the top cop in 2008. One of Ramsey’s initiatives has been the posting of some details of officer-involved shootings online, which began last year. The posts do not include any details about the outcomes of formal investigations of the shootings.

Philadelphia’s police department doesn’t reveal those details. Yet.

“We have nothing to hide but it seems like we do because we’re stuck in an archaic way of doing things in Philadelphia,” said McBride, who added that he expects Ramsey to make the investigation into the shooting of Philippe Holland public. McBride said that many cops want details made public because “99 percent, probably more, of [police-involved shootings] are justified.”

But there are serious doubts, at least among members of the public, that the shooting of Holland was justified. Holland had finished his last delivery of the night and was walking back to his car when the officers approached him during the investigation of a recent shooting in the area. Holland, who may have believed he was being robbed, ran to his car and drove toward the officers. They opened fire. Holland, who was in critical condition for several days, is currently recovering at a hospital in Newark, New Jersey.

Kelvyn Anderson, a Cedar Park resident and executive director of the city’s Police Advisory Commission, said at last night’s meeting that the commission is pushing for a “public reckoning” of officer-involved shootings, which would include a public discussion of investigations.

“We think that is what is needed here,” he said. “We hope this will lead to some significant changes in the way we deal with things like this in the city.”

The Justice Department released findings of a similar investigation in Las Vegas in 2012 that recommended the release of several key documents any time the police investigated an officer-involved shooting. The same Justice Department official who led that investigation is currently reviewing procedures in Philadelphia.

There will likely be further discussion about the shooting at the Police Advisory Commission monthly meeting on Monday, May 19th at the Sweet Union Baptist Church, 1536 N. 59th Street (near 59th and Lansdowne) beginning at 6:30 p.m.

–Mike Lyons

UPDATE (5/16/14): The spring picnic in Cedar Park has been cancelled due to rain.

The “Love Your Park” week is coming to an end, but there are a couple of events left that we think you might love. Two great traditions started last year at Cedar Park and Clark Park. This weekend, both events are back and organizers are inviting community members to spend some quality time with their neighbors and friends, enjoy live music and try some food and drinks from local restaurants and breweries.

Friday, May 16

Spring Picnic in Cedar Park (49th & Baltimore)

The 2nd annual Picnic in Cedar Park will take place this Friday, from 6:00-8:00 p.m., so come out and say hello to your neighbors. BYO blanket and picnic or pick up a “picnic special” from one of participating local businesses: Gold Standard Café, Dock Street, Mariposa, Hibiscus Café, Taco Angeleno, and more! The event is organized by Cedar Park Neighbors. Check out the event’s Facebook page for more information.

Saturday, May 17

Party in Clark Park (43rd & Baltimore)

Also in its second year is the Party in Clark Park, which includes food trucks, live music, $1,000 in raffle prizes from local businesses, games for all ages and a Dock Street beer garden.  The party runs from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. and admission is free. The food trucks on hand will include Foolish Waffles and Dapper Dog and the entertainment will include Disco Hootenanny (about 6 p.m.), Flat Mary Road, and Nicole Gauthier’s Temple University Dancers.

New and renewing members of the Friends of Clark Park get a free beer at the beer garden. The party will go down rain or shine, organizers say.

Renaissance Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center’s resident Fannie Mae Ausby with State Rep. James Roebuck (left), State Rep. candidate Algernong Allen, Renaissance staff and family at her 107th birthday party.

Renaissance Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, which is located near S. 47th and Chester, recently had a great celebration. One of its residents, Fannie Mae Ausby, turned 107 years old! On May 9, Ms. Ausby’s friends at Renaissance hosted an all-star gala in her honor, featuring music by local performer Jimmy Wells. Guests included members of the Ausby family, the staff and residents of Renaissance, Roger Harman of the Gold Standard Café, political candidate and community organizer Algernong Allen, and the 188th District’s State Representative James R. Roebuck.

Roebuck presented Ms. Ausby a citation from the State Capital. She also received a letter recognizing her birthday from Philadelphia City Mayor Michael Nutter.

When asked about how she felt to be going on to 107 she replied “Live right, eat right, love God and he loves you right back.”

Happy Birthday Ms. Ausby!

State Rep. James Roebuck presenting Ms. Ausby with a citation from the State Capital. (Photos courtesy of Renaissance).