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.

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.