The Cedar Park Neighbors Scholarships Fund is currently accepting applications from neighborhood students who need help paying for their college expenses. Each year, the fund awards several scholarships, ranging from $600 to $1,000, and students living within Cedar Park boundaries (see map below) are welcome to apply. Applications must be received or postmarked by June 1, 2014. To download the application, click here. For more information, email: scholarships@cedarparkneighbors.org

Neighbors have set up a fund to help with the medical expenses of Philippe Holland, the 20-year-old pizza delivery driver who was shot by police in a tragic misunderstanding near 51st and Willows on April 22.

Philippe Holland

Holland, a Community College of Philadelphia student, is recovering in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) with three gunshot wounds, including one in the face.

Holland had just finished making a delivery when two plain-clothes officers attempted to stop and question him as he was walking along a sidewalk with his hands in his pockets and his hood up. The officers were investigating a shooting that had happened in the area minutes earlier. Holland, who police believe may have thought he was being robbed, ran to his car and drove toward the officers. The officers fired at least 14 shots into the car, according to reports. Holland was struck in the face, leg and neck.

Neighbors Patty Bulack and Kate Krauss, who live near where the shooting took place, have organized the “Fund for Phil.” Krauss said she recently spoke with Holland’s family at HUP.

“We want to offer the family some tangible solidarity,” Krauss said.

Holland will survive but needs facial reconstructive surgery and “probably a lot more,” she said.

Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has visited Holland in the hospital. The shooting is still under investigation and the officers involved have been placed on desk duty.

Krauss said Holland’s mother asked her to convey to residents her hope that they keep Phillipe in their thoughts and prayers. She also hoped there could be a different way to get food to people at night other than drivers, who are often the target of violence.

There are two ways to help. You can drop a donation off at the Mariposa Food Coop at 4824 Baltimore Ave or you can go to Pay Pal, where the family has set up an account.  You will need to enter “FundforPhil – at – Gmail.com.”

A “suspicious package” report near 46th Street and Larchwood Avenue wreaked some havoc in the area on Friday. As many neighbors in the area witnessed, the discovery prompted heavy police and firefighters presence, blocked streets and even a helicopter circling in the area. “There was quite a show of force between the cops and firefighters to address it – whatever it was,” one neighbor tweeted.

According to Joe Murray of the Southwest Detectives, the cause was a “remote control that someone thought could be a bomb.”

The suspicious package was discovered Friday morning, around 10:20 a.m. After checking on it, the police gave an “all-clear” about 20 minutes later.

The annual Penn Relays started today, with the first running event held at 10 a.m. this morning at the University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field (see the full schedule here). The Penn Relays means thousands of guests on and around Penn’s campus, so we wanted to alert our readers to watch out for a lot of traffic and closed streets in the area.

33rd Street from South Street to Walnut Street will be closed for approximately one hour, on Saturday from 6 to 7 p.m., according to a traffic advisory by Penn Public Safety.

This Philadelphia institution is being held for the 120th time and will draw over 18,000 competitors from more than 60 countries to participate in 425 events. The event will be held through Saturday, April 26.

A fire that broke out in a rowhome on the 3600 block of Spring Garden Street Wednesday night displaced about 15 residents, according to reports. Smoke was reported coming from the first floor of the three-story building at 6 p.m. The fire quickly spread throughout the building, according to a report by Philly Fire News. The building was evacuated. The blaze was placed under control shortly after 7 p.m. No injuries were reported.

The American Red Cross responded to the fire to assist the displaced residents. Two people required Red Cross help. One of them spent the night at Red Cross House, according to Red Cross spokesperson Dave Schrader.

Red Paw Relief was also on the scene and helped at least two displaced pets.

On-scene of the 3600 blk of Spring Garden St w/@RedCrossPhilly & @PhillyFireDept pic.twitter.com/jCinmzmDsh

— Red Paw Relief Team (@RedPawRelief) April 24, 2014

We are responding 2 assist @RedCrossPhilly w/at least 2 displaced pets from the row home fire in the Mantua section of #philly. @CBSPhilly

— Red Paw Relief Team (@RedPawRelief) April 24, 2014

UPDATE on our Spring Garden St fire response: 2 cats missing. Fire dwelling unstable. Our vols will search again in the morning.

— Red Paw Relief Team (@RedPawRelief) April 24, 2014

Although we’re seeing a little setback with the weather, here’s some great news: University City District began re-installing “parklets” (outdoor seating platforms), throughout the neighborhood. Yesterday, the UCD installed two of them – one by the Green Line Cafe on Baltimore Ave and another one by Little Baby’s Ice Cream in Cedar Park:

Today UCD crews installed 43rd St. (@GreenLineCafe) & 49th St.(@LittleBabysIC) Parklets! Enjoy them #UCDPARKLETS pic.twitter.com/QhGG7K4Hhd

— University City (@ucdphl) April 14, 2014

Overall, five parklets will be installed in the neighborhood, all near trendy local shops, cafes and restaurants (though, like parks, they are public spaces so you don’t have to buy anything to sit in them):

Parklet by Fu-Wah Market on S. 47th St. (archived photo).

• 4040 Locust St (hosted by Ramen Bar)
• 261 S. 44th St (hosted by Honest Tom’s Tacos and Lil’ Pop Shop)
• 4239 Baltimore Ave (hosted by Green Line Cafe)
• 810 S. 47th St (hosted by Fu-Wah Market)
• 4903 Catharine St (hosted by Little Baby’s Ice Cream and Hibiscus Cafe)

The city’s first parklet was installed on 43rd Street near Green Line Cafe in the summer of 2011. Parklets, which are a wood and metal platform with tables, chairs and planter boxes, usually pop up in April and remain through October or until the cold weather sets in. Although enjoyed by many, parklets have also received some criticism, since they take up parking spots, which are hard to find in our area.