The first Drexel University professor to take advantage of the school’s new Home Purchase Assistance Program, which entices faculty and staff to live near the school with a $15,000 forgivable loan to cover mortgage costs, cut the ribbon (literally) with his family on their front porch last week.

History professor George Ciccariello-Maher and his wife bought the house on the 300 block of N. 41st St. and Drexel celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the front porch on May 12. They also have a young child.

“Being first was a big deal since it meant taking a risk,” Drexel’s student newspaper The Triangle quoted Ciccariello-Maher as saying.

The boundaries for Drexel’s homebuying program are Mantua Avenue to the north and Chestnut Street to the south and from 31st Street to 42nd. Other schools in West Philly, including St. Joseph’s and the University of Pennsylvania operate similar programs.

Drexel President John Fry announced the program during a speech last October in which he laid out in broad strokes the University’s plan to help fix the “continued deterioration” of the bordering neighborhoods of Powelton Village and Mantua.

Fry oversaw similar measures at Penn, including the formation of the University City District, while serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer in the late 90s.

If you have been piling up yucky stuff – anything from old cellphones and computers to cleaning solvents – somewhere in a closet, now is the time to get rid of it.

The Philadelphia Streets Department is conducting a household hazardous waste drop-off today at 4800 Parkside Ave. (take a left off northbound Belmont Ave. onto Parkside) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Summary list of items accepted (full list here):
Computers, TV’s and cellphones
Paint and Paint Related Materials (NOTE: Latex paint is not hazardous.)
Flammable Materials
Lawn and Garden Project and Outdoor Products
Fluorescent Light Tubes (transport in original box if possible) and
Compact Fluorescent Lights (CFL)
Kitchen, Bathroom Products and Cleaning Solvents
Household Batteries (NOTE: Household batteries size D, C, AA, AAA and 9
volt are not considered hazardous.)
Automotive Products

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Several people are reporting that they have been approached by a woman (maybe more than one) saying she had been a victim of domestic abuse and asking for train or bus fare to a shelter. When people have helped it became clear that the woman just wanted the money. These incidents have occurred over several months.

West Philly resident Kyle Cassidy wrote on the UCNeighbors listserv today:

I was on a neighbor’s porch last night when a young woman approached us saying that her boyfriend had just beaten her up and she needed to get to a domestic violence shelter but the nearest one was in XYZ and she needed cab & train fare. The neighbor is a social worker and was sure there was some place closer. With your help we rapidly found a nearby shelter, the neighbor called and found a bed available on 13th and arch — put the young woman on the phone with intake and she proceeded to have a bizarre one way conversation along the lines of “you’re closed? the only shelter you know if is in XYZ? That’s so far away. I’ll see if I can get cab and train fare.” Neighbor spoke to intake again who denied telling the young woman this at which point she walked away.

Since that posting several people have reported similar experiences. Obviously, the tricky part of this one is that no one wants to turn someone away who really needs help. No one has reported that this woman (women) has become combative or violent, so calling the police probably is not the answer. Below are some numbers that might be helpful if this happens to you. They are for local shelters, complaint hotlines, the UC Ambassadors, etc., who could help a person if they are legit. Thanks to resident Theresa Tsai for the following info:

• Abuse Assistance Unit
34 South 11th Street, Room 242
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-686-3512

• Women Against Abuse Hotline  
215-386-7777 (24 hours)
(shelter request made through them)

• Women Against Abuse Legal center
215-686-7082

• Women in Transition Hotline                              
215-751-1111 (24 hours)

• Southwest Domestic Abuse Unit-West & Southwest Division (12th, 18th,16th,19th
Police Districts)
5510 Pine S. Street
215-686-3182

• UC Ambassadors
215-898-WALK (9255)

This is the Mac Daddy of West Philly porch sales. Actually, it’s more of a warehouse sale. The organization Penn Moves is once again collecting all of the stuff departing Penn students would otherwise leave behind – on the sidewalk or in the dump – and selling it for charity.

OK sure, so there might be too many mouse pads and God knows how many pairs of Uggs, but there could always be a hidden gem behind that tiny little refrigerator.

This year the sale will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on June 4 at a warehouse Penn owns at 3401 Grey’s Ferry Ave (see map below). You can get in for a sneak peak at 8 a.m. for $5.

Goodwill Industries International Inc. will handle the sorting and transportation of the myriad items students donate, which range from cocktail dresses to cocktail sauce and coffee makers to coffee tables. One striking image at last year’s sale at the Class of 1923 Arena was a wall of microwaves.

All the proceeds from the sale go to Goodwill. Last year that was $22,000.

Penn Moves will collect items through May 18 near college houses and through May 31 at Sansom Place  (3600 Chestnut St.)

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Penn’s student move-out began Saturday and will continue through May 18. The key days to keep in mind are Tuesday and Wednesday, May 10 and 11, when Spruce Street will be closed between 34th and 38th Streets from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Penn Public Safety says that authorized vehicles (parents etc.) will be allowed to access Spruce Street at 38th and must exit Spruce at 34th.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia reminded us that bikes will have access down Spruce on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Don’t forget about the Parent Infant Center plant sale today from… well, now until 3 p.m. If you ordered ahead of time, you can pick up your plants. If you didn’t order ahead, browsing possibilities still exist.

The sale is at the church at 42nd and Spruce.