West Catholic Preparatory High School (45th and Chestnut) recently received a $5 million gift, according to reports.

The benefactor is Leonard Mazur, a 1963 alumnus of West Philadelphia Catholic High School for Boys, which merged with West Philadelphia Catholic Girls High School in 1989 to form West Philadelphia Catholic High School.

The money, which Mazur donated with his wife, Helen, will support the school’s strategic plan which focuses on academics and students.

A native of Southwest Philadelphia, Mazur is the CEO of Citius Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Maynard, Mass., according to a report by Philly.com. He’s also a member of the School’s board.

The 100-year-old school was in danger of closing in 2012 due to lack of funding, but was saved in 2013 with a $1 million donation. It also changed its name to West Catholic Preparatory High School. Since then, the school has been trying to remain financially self-sufficient, increase enrollment numbers and improve the quality of education. The school has also seen several changes in leadership over the past few years.

Last month, the school’s Board of Trustees in partnership with the Office of Catholic Education of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, officially began the search for the new president. Current President, Brother Richard Kestler, has announced his resignation effective June 30, 2016.

A 28-year-old man was assaulted and robbed of his phone, cash and his engraved wedding ring while walking near 48th and Hazel at about 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday.

Police say three young males in dark hoodies approached the man to ask the time. One of the males then brandished a black handgun and struck the victim, knocking him to the ground. The suspects, described as black males between 17 and 20 years old, took the victim’s phone, a wallet with $4 and various cards, a gym bag with headphones and sneakers, and his platinum wedding ring with the inscription “like madness” on it. They fled on foot westbound on Hazel Avenue toward 49th Street, according to police.

The victim was treated for lacerations at Presbyterian Hospital and released.

We recently caught up with Jimmy McMillan and Nick Less, co-owners of Philly Homebrew Outlet, while they shopped for a new truck for their growing business, which includes a recently opened West Philly location at 47th and Woodland.

McMillan and Less used to shop for home-brew supplies in the late 1990s in South Philadelphia at Barry’s Homebrew Outlet. The owners decided to sell after 15 years in business, and McMillan and Less jumped at the chance to go from customers to owners. They moved the business to South Kensington and continued to develop a sizable fan base in West Philly after five years through internet sales and occasional visitors from the other end of the El.

So they decided to open a second location.

“That was the first place we saw. The price was great, the location was great and we liked being next to the West Philly Tool library because we have a D.I.Y. customer base,” said McMillan.

Being a neighbor to the University of the Sciences and its Brewing Science Certificate program can’t hurt business either.

At any given day, the new location sells more than 45 different varieties of hops, over 45 different varieties of yeast and some 40 different types of barley or grain. There’s also a brewing facility to host home-brew club members who need space to brew. In addition to brewing supplies, the shop also carries a variety of winemaking and cheesemaking supplies along with kombucha, kefir and yogurt kits.

“The session IPA kits are one of our best sellers,” McMillan said. “It’s a low alcohol IPA beer where you can drink three or four of them without worrying about falling down the stairs.” 

They also offer free classes and clinics on making everything from beer to wine to cheese every Tuesday at 6 p.m. and every Saturday at 3 p.m. that guide you through the process and give you recommendations.

A class schedule and business hours can be found on their website: www.phillyhomebrew.com

– Rana Fayez (Photos courtesy of Philly Homebrew Outlet)

A 31-year-old man was shot multiple times and killed Wednesday night near 52nd and Pine, according to police. The shooting happened at around 11 p.m. after the victim parked his car at 52nd and Pine. Just as he got out of the car he was approached by an unknown male who opened fire at close range.

The victim was shot at least six times in his back and legs, according to police. He was taken to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center where he died shortly after.

Police said that the victim appeared to be the intended target of the shooter.

UPDATE: Police have identified the victim as 31-year-old Maurice Adside. He lived less than a block away from where he was shot. Police also detained a suspect, a 23-year-old man, who was seen fleeing the scene on foot.

Construction has finally begun on the five-story mixed-use residential project on the southeast corner of 43rd and Sansom Streets.

The plans to build the 31-unit apartment building on the vacant lot near the Bravo Advanced Care Center were presented in early 2013 and approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment then. However, it took nearly three years for the construction to begin. The permit to construct the building’s foundation and ground floor, which will include two commercial spaces, was obtained in November 2015, according to the City’s Office of Licenses and Inspections.

Future work will include modular residential construction on the 2nd – 5th floor, according to L & I.

The project, which is being built “by right” and did not require community input, will also include 10 off-street parking spaces and a bike rack.

The building will occupy 121-133 S. 43rd St., and most of the 31 apartments will be between 600 and 750 square feet.

Photo from Parentinfantcenter.org

The Parent Infant Center and Spruce Hill community have lost a long-time resident and leader. Cindy Roberts, a former PIC parent and in the recent years, their Executive Director, passed away on February 10th after a year-long battle with cancer. She was 62.

A tribute to Roberts posted on the PIC website reads that even in the face of illness, she “continued to show her grace, never-ending generosity, and wonderfully quick wit.”

Roberts and her family moved to West Philly in 1985 and enrolled their two-year-old daughter at PIC. She was a “part of PIC’s culture for more than 30 years — first as a parent, then as a Board member, and finally as an administrator and Executive Director,” according to PIC’s tribute.

Cindy Roberts serving dessert at Charles Dickens’ Birthday Party in Clark Park in February 2013. (Photo from Friendsofclarkpark.org)

Roberts served as PIC’s Executive Director from 2007 to 2012. She led the expansion of the center and worked on the increase of access to quality pre-kindergarten to at-risk children and families. During her PIC leadership years, she was also behind the development of the innovative outdoor learning space, “Magic Circle.”

Roberts was also a fixture in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. She served as president of the Spruce Hill Community Association and of the Friends of Clark Park. According to Philly.com, Roberts, along with her husband Daniel R. Biddle, “was a tireless civic worker and the driving force behind the revival of Clark Park, just a few blocks from the couple’s home.”

A Memorial Service for Cindy Roberts will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Arch Street Friends Meetinghouse, 320 Arch Street. The family asks that donations in her memory be made to fund pre-K slots for disadvantaged children at the Parent Infant Center, 4205 Locust Street.