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“I’m not a nugget!”

November 16, 2010

Diners and pedestrians at the McDonald’s at 40th and Walnut Streets felt the wrath of PETA first-hand at lunchtime today when a pink stretch Hummer limo unloaded a small chanting, dancing troupe of little people dressed as chickens (and one had a mustache) at the restaurant to protest suppliers’ treatment of chickens.

Each of the four performers chanted, “Cluck you McDonald’s, I’m not a nugget” while other protesters held up signs. One even did a robot dance to the loud music coming from a boom box sitting on the sidewalk. Similar protests have been done in New York, including one at a McDonald’s on Times Square.

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Votes in the window

November 15, 2010

The Spruce Hill Community Association recently hung the receipts for voting in their precinct in organization’s front window at 257 South 45th St. Voters in West Philadelphia went overwhelmingly for Democrats Joe Sestak and Dan Onorato for U.S. Senate and Pennsylvania governor respectively. Both men lost, of course, in the November 2 election.

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West Philly small business owner tangled in red tape

November 14, 2010

West Philadelphia business owner Debbi Ramsey and her Natural Wellness Spa were featured on FOX29 last night in a story about the red tape small businesses must go through to become a business.

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Winter sidewalks might get wider

November 14, 2010

The remnants of one of last winter’s storms on 44th St. near Spruce.

A bill is in the Philadelphia City Council that would require building owners to shovel a wider path through sidewalk snow. Bill 100752, now in the Streets and Services committee, would require a 36-inch path (versus the current 30-inch path that is the current law) within six hours of the end of the snowfall.

The bill follows one of the snowiest winters in decades – a winter so snowy that restaurants and bar owners offered drastic price cuts for those who ventured out for a pint and a burger.

Councilwoman Donna Miller is sponsoring the bill, which would presumably make it easier for wheelchairs, baby strollers and people walking by each other to get by on the sidewalks in the event of deep snow.

Here is a link to the bill.

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Meeting on recent crime surge to be held Nov. 11

November 10, 2010

The University City District and officials from the 18th Police District are holding a meeting to update residents on a recent increase in street crime in the Garden Court and Spruce Hill neighborhoods. The meeting will take place Thursday, Nov. 11 at 7:00 p.m. at the Calvary Center (48th and Baltimore) in the chapel.

Several muggings, some at gunpoint, have occurred in recent weeks. Three muggings went down within a few hours on 48th Street on October 25. A fairly detailed rundown (as detailed as one can get in 140 characters or less) is available at the Twitter feed of an 18th District police officer.  For example: Be on the lookout: tan/silver 2004 Nissan Altima pa tag:HGP3654. Used in 3 robberies tonight. Targeting 48th St. Others have occurred near 46th and Chester and the 4500 block of Regent.

It is important to report any crime to the police so they can, hopefully, devote more resources to problem areas. At the very least report them to the University City District, which can be done by e-mail, so that they can send bike patrol officers to these areas.

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South Street Bridge Opening

November 6, 2010

A jogger heads west on the new South Street Bridge.

The South Street Bridge opened Nov. 6 after two years of reconstruction, giving West Philadelphians their path back to South Philly.

Local politicos lauded themselves and developers for getting the bridge done ahead of schedule and under budget. Little mention was made that the final product comes 18 years after design work began. But, fair enough, we got our bridge back.

The bridge isn’t much to look at it – strips of galvanized steel and concrete – but it’s functional attributes are attractive.

They include (soon to be?) painted bike paths and pedestrain friendly crosswalks. Before it closed, an estimated 23,000 people per day used the bridge (by foot, pedal and motorized vehicle). Its reopening could not come soon enough for business owners on both sides of the Schuylkill. Development in Graduate Hospital or “South of South” areas are reportedly scheduled to begin soon.

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