Well-known West Philly based photographer Lori Waselchuk has spent the last couple of years hanging out with block captains, attending block parties and photographing the people that hold streets and neighborhoods together.

You can get an intimate look at the results of that work at two exhibitions that open this Friday. Block Party is an exhibition of Waselchuk’s newest work connected with her multimedia project Them That Do.

West Philly block captain Lisa Barkley (Photo by Lori Waselchuk).

For Windowishes, Waselchuk teamed up with six block captains for an installation in the storefront display windows on the west side of South 40th Street between Chestnut and Ludlow. Waselchuk and her collaborators – block leaders and captains Lisa Barkely, Mary Campbell, Carol Dubie, Freda Egnal, Elizabeth Waring, and Renée McBride-Williams – installed “a small environment in each of the bay windows inspired by their community stewardship and neighborhood histories,” according to Waselchuk.

The result is seven stand-alone exhibits that invite us into the life of a single block. For example, the children of Dubie’s block on South 46^th Street made flags for her display, “Legends of the Block.” Teens from Waring’s block of Powelton Avenue helped design and construct a four-foot tree for her display, “Our Trees.”

A whole bunch of community organizations came together for this one. Local cabinet maker and carpenter Gordon Richardson of Oberholtzer Custom Cabinetry donated labor, materials and expertise. Community organizations such as the University City Arts League and the Spruce Hill Community Association also supported the project.

So come have a look and celebrate the launch of both exhibits on Friday, Oct. 16 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the AIRSpace Gallery (4007 Chestnut St.).

Neighborhood Bike Works (NBW), a local non-profit that has been providing bike education and recreation opportunities to youth for nearly 20 years, has a new home. The organization has recently opened a new, larger community shop and bike education hub at 3939 Lancaster Ave. For many years West Philly’s NBW headquarters had been located in the basement of St. Mary’s Church on Locust Walk.

The new space’s grand opening celebration, which included community bike shop dedication, volunteer awards, and commemorative t-shirt screen printing, took place on Saturday:  Continue Reading

Here are a few reminders for Columbus Day, Monday, Oct. 12.

• Public schools, government offices and libraries are closed

• Post offices are closed, and there is no mail delivery

• SEPTA buses, trolleys and trains are operating on a regular weekday schedule

• There will be no trash or recycling pick up today. If your trash pick up day is Monday, set out your materials for Tuesday pick up. Trash collection will be one day behind schedule for the rest of the week.

A large, old Malcolm X Park tree fell on power lines and knocked out power in the area around 51st and Osage during Friday evening’s storm. Residents reported that it happened right after the storm started around 5:30 p.m. on Friday. By Saturday, when the photo above was taken, the broken power lines were fixed and power restored. There is no word on injuries.

36th and Lancaster.

The Philadelphia Historical Commission will consider proposals on Friday to add the Second Empire style twins at 43rd and Osage and the south side of the 3600 block of Lancaster Avenue, both eyed by developers, to the Register of Historic Places.

The commission’s Committee on Historic Designation recommended both properties last month and now they go before the full commission. Placement on the Historic Register stipulates that the commission “must review all proposals that require a building permit and/or that would alter the appearance of the historic resource prior to the commencement of work,” according to the commission website.

Here’s more background on both properties.

The meeting begins at 9 a.m. at 1515 Arch Street, room 18-029. Click here for the full agenda.

State Rep. James Roebuck

State Rep. James Roebuck invites West Philadelphia residents to three events he will host this fall, starting with his “Report to the People” meeting about the state budget, 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13 at the Kingsessing Recreation Center, 5100 Chester Ave. He hopes “you’ll bring your neighbors and your questions, too.”

Roebuck will also sponsor two other events this fall:

A free document-shredding event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24, at Roebuck’s district office, 4712 Baltimore Ave. This will help people to protect themselves from identity theft by safely disposing of unneeded documents that contain personal information, such as Social Security numbers, bank or credit card account numbers, credit card applications, canceled or unused checks, insurance and income tax records and pension information. Please note that digital or electronic media, such as computer discs, CDs or DVDs, will not be accepted at the event.

A veterans’ event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, at the University of the Sciences, McNeil Science and Technology Center, 4320 Woodland Ave. Representatives of federal, state and local government agencies will be available to answer questions about benefits and other veterans’ services.

For more information on any of these events, please call Roebuck’s office at 215-724-2227. For updates, check out Roebuck’s legislative Facebook page or Twitter.