UPDATE (8/6/2015): Good news for the Walnut Street West Library staff and customers: the AC system has been repaired, and the library is set to re-open on Friday, Aug. 7. Check out the library’s Facebook page for more information.

8/4/2015: Here’s some bad news from the Walnut Street West branch of the Free Library (40th and Walnut). Thanks to some issues with the branch’s heating and cooling system, the library will be closed “until further notice,” according to the Facebook page for the branch.

“We do not have any information at this time regarding when the branch will reopen,” the page reads. “Without the necessary repairs, our building will stay closed until such a time as the interior temperature falls into the 70-degree range.”

Details are still being worked out for picking up holds placed at the branch, and any fines caused by the closure will be waived, the post continued.

Former Transition To Independent Living Center building at 4534-36 Spruce St (archived photo).

The new owners of the former Transition To Independent Living Center building at the corner of 46th and Spruce streets will be at the Spruce Hill Community Association’s zoning meeting on Thursday, Aug. 6, to hear what neighborhood residents want to see developed at the site.

The building went up for sale again in June after its owner, Mission First, didn’t receive enough funding for the development of an affordable housing project at the site. The new owners have not been identified yet.

The meeting will take place at SHCA’s office at 257 S. 45th St., beginning at 6:30 p.m., and the 4534-36 site will be discussed first (for approximately 30 minutes).

Other development projects to be discussed at the meeting include:

– Ronald McDonald House expansion plans. (7 p.m.)

– Jubilee School (4211 Chester Avenue) – Erection of a mobile trailer at the rear of the lot for expanded educational activities. (7:15 p.m.)

– 4249 Walnut–Construction of a two-story addition in the rear of an existing three-story structure. (7:30 p.m.)

The annual Center City Trolley Tunnel maintenance and construction project (SEPTA Trolley Tunnel Blitz) is scheduled for July 31 – Aug. 17, 2015, which means there will be no trolley service in the tunnel during this period. Trolley Routes 10, 11, 13, 34 and 36 will not operate in the tunnel from 10 p.m. on Friday, July 31 through 4 a.m. on Monday, Aug. 17 while SEPTA crews complete a variety of power, track and station improvement projects.

During the 16-day tunnel closure, passengers can use the Market-Frankford Line from 40th Street station to travel to and from Center City. All trolleys will be diverted to 40th and Market Streets where passengers can switch to subway service at no additional cost.

During the Blitz, SEPTA crews will replace almost 7,500 feet (more than one mile) of track on the westbound side of the tunnel between 22nd Street Station and the 40th Street Portal.

Shanika Mason in police custody on Wednesday. Screen shot from CBS3 video.

Police say a woman surrendered this morning in connection with the hit-and-run collision in April that killed a 4-year-old boy.

The black Ford Edge that police believe struck Abdul Wilson near the corner of 57th and Florence was recovered the following day, April 15, in a parking lot under Love Park in Center City, according to reports. Since then, the owner of the vehicle has apparently been negotiating with police through an attorney to turn herself in, which she did this morning.

CBS Philly is reporting that the woman is 27-year-old Shanika Mason of Sharon Hill. According to police, Mason works as a dietary aide in Haverford. Police could not confirm if charges have been filed. We will keep you posted.

Due to dangerous weather conditions in the region forecasted for today with the temperatures in the mid-90’s and high humidity, Philadelphia Health Commissioner James Buehler has issued an excessive heat warning for Philadelphia beginning at noon. The ‘Heatline’ (215-765-9040) will be in operation from noon through midnight.

Just like on July 19, when the summer’s first heat warning was issued, the City will activate summer heat programs, including enhanced daytime outreach for the homeless. The authorities also encourage the public to check on older friends, relatives, and neighbors.

In a heat wave, the majority of the victims are older people and those with pre-existing medical conditions, so health officials urge the public to visit older friends, relatives and neighbors to ensure that air conditioners or fans are working, and homes are adequately ventilated. Other groups at risk in the extreme heat include people with chronic medical conditions, pregnant women, small children, those who work in a high heat environment and persons engaged in strenuous physical activity.  Continue Reading

Here’s a round up of some of the latest news coming out of the area.

St. Francis de Sales School (Photo from greatphillyschools.org).

• Cool things are happening at St. Francis de Sales, the local Catholic school. The school recently received a $13,000 grant from the nonprofit faith-based Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia to help fund its Science and Arts Innovative Learning on the River (SAILOR) program. The program provides real-world, hands-on engineering experience to participating students who visit the Delaware river, build boats and learn how to operate them. The program has inspired many St. Francis de Sales students to pursue an education in engineering, according to The Philadelphia Tribune. By the way, the school’s highly-acclaimed after-school music program, Play On Philly!, has also been featured in the news many times.

Photo from Phillysoapbox.org.

• Have you checked out The Soapbox yet? Philadelphia City Paper has recently published a nice feature on the West Philly-based independent publishing center. Co-founders Mary Tasillo and Charlene Kwon opened the space at 741 S. 51st St in 2011 to be used as a community studio for book arts and zine-making. Now, in addition to the studio, which is free to use for their members, The Soapbox also hosts a variety of workshops and houses a vast collection of zines (about 1,500!), over 500 of which have been cataloged. In other independent publishing news, the annual Philly Zine Fest will take place at The Rotunda (40th and Walnut) on Aug. 30.  Continue Reading