On August 3rd 1965, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at 40th and Lancaster during a Freedom Now Rally in front of a crowd of 10,000 people. The Peace March ended there in 2018 with speeches from community leaders. (Photo courtesy of People’s Emergency Center).

Beginning this weekend, local universities and other non-profit organizations will be hosting many events, for adults and children alike, and volunteer projects in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Most of the events are happening on the Martin Luther King Day of Service on Monday, Jan. 21.

Here are some of these events; more events in the area from now through Monday can be found at this link. Continue Reading

Last month, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell halted a vote in City Council on the sale of the former Provident Mutual Life Insurance building to local real estate developer Iron Stone, who had proposed to convert the site at 46th and Market into a public health campus. This Thursday, Jan. 17, Iron Stone representatives will talk about the future of the site at a zoning meeting organized by the Walnut Hill Community Association.

Community members are invited to attend the meeting and voice their opinions.

The meeting will take place at the Enterprise Center (4548 Market St), beginning at 6 p.m.

The girl scout cookie season is here! Starting Thursday, Jan. 17, local girl scout troops (Junior 91143, Brownie 93273, and Daisy 91569) will be selling cookies Monday through Friday, 4-6 p.m. for a couple of weeks (or until they run out) at the following locations:

• 34th & Walnut
• Locust Street between 43rd and 42nd (between Penn Alexander School and the Parent Infant Center)

Boxes are $4 each, except $5 for gluten-free cookies. Large amounts can be delivered. Please email: ucalgirlscouts@gmail.com if you have questions and to place your order.

Cedar Park residents are welcome to stop by VIX Emporium (50th and Baltimore), which will also be selling girl scouts cookies beginning this Thursday. Check out the store hours here.

In the past few years, girl scout cookies were also available for sale at The Fresh Grocer at 40th and Walnut. We’ll keep you posted about more locations.

Unemployed West Philly residents are invited to participate in a job training program with University City District’s West Philadelphia Skills Initiative.

The nationally-recognized program is partnering with Brightview Landscapes to offer positions as landscape crew members. Goal-oriented and motivated individuals who have experience working in landscaping, labor, outdoor work, and related fields are welcome to apply for the program.

Program participants will receive a generous, performance-based stipend and an opportunity to interview for open positions in the area. Over 90 percent of program graduates find employment.  Continue Reading

Two armed robberies have been reported in the University City area in the past few days, according to a crime alert issued by University City District’s Division of Public Safety. One robbery took place around 7:40 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 4 on the 4600 block of Ludlow, and the second occurred on Sunday, Jan. 6 at 9:30 p.m. on Farragut near Walnut Street. In both cases, iPhones were taken from pedestrians walking at night.

Both UCD Public Safety Ambassadors and Philadelphia Police will have an increased presence in the area, according to the report.  Continue Reading

Bowsers is available for adoption.

Project MEOW, the West Philly-based cat rescue organization, has many cats and kittens available for adoption.

This month’s spotlight cat is Bowsers, a rambunctious black kitty with a big personality. Bowsers entered Project Meow’s world voluntarily, when he followed one of our volunteers home one night in September. Because of the sheer volume of cats in need of being spayed and neutered, Project MEOW TNRs (Trap-Neuter-Return) many of the strays they find, and releases them back to where found.

He was not happy in his trap while we initially took care of him and had his vet work done, but since he has been with his foster mom, he has put on weight and his coat has become healthy and sleek, and he’s much happier.  Continue Reading