Community members are invited to St. Francis de Sales Church (47th and Springfield) for a candlelight Christmas concert under the dome this Wednesday (Dec. 14). The church’s choir will preview pieces from their annual Midnight Mass carol service, and their lineup this year will showcase pieces by Vaughan-Williams, Victoria, Franck, Garau and others, as well as feature a carol sing-along.

The concert is free and open to the public, but donations are encouraged. All proceeds go toward restoration projects in the church building, which dates to 1907.

“Since the departure of the old pastor, there are a number of cultural and community events that SFDS is looking to relaunch,” writes SFDS sexton Michael Nevadomski. “Most of them are pretty Catholic, but we’re looking to start doing more regular concerts, the first of which is a candlelight Christmas concert by our very talented choir and organist on December 14.”  Continue Reading

The Philadelphia Historical Commission’s committee on historic designation will consider several West Philly properties, including two churches, during a Dec. 14 meeting. The owners of one West Philly property, on the 4000 block of Chestnut Street, is asking for its designation to be rescinded.

Designation means that a property would be placed on the Register of Historic Places and the Historical Commission would serve as the regulatory body for the property. Every alteration that requires a building permit would go before the commission.

The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. at 1515 Arch St., Room 18-029.

Here are the properties. Click on the link to see a PDF of the application.  Continue Reading

Santa Claus and Hanukkah Harry Are Coming to Town!

Mark your calendars. On Saturday, Dec. 17 from 2-4 p.m., the one and only Santa Claus is loading up his sleigh with his best friend Hanukkah Harry to serve up family photos, Santa selfies, and the world’s best Latkes to you and your family. Everyone is invited, so don’t hesitate to just stop in and take some quick selfies with the legend… no, not Elvis!

Snacks and refreshments will be provided by Philly Homebrew Outlet, but feel free to bring some of your own treats and liquid concoctions to share.

Huge Selection of Bottles and DIY Kits including Bagels & Cream Cheese, Soap, Mozzeralla, Vegetable Fermentation, Kombucha, Beer, Wine, and More!

Looking to bottle up that special Limoncello, Bitters, Cordial, Hot Sauce or whatever other delicious liquid concoction that you made for gifts? Look no further. Philly Homebrew Outlet is a one stop place for bottles, caps, corks, shrink wrap, wax, and more.

The shop also has new vegetable fermentation kits, kombucha kits, soap making kits, and more!

Philly Homebrew Outlet West is located at 1314 S. 47th Street and open Mon-Fri: 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sat-Sun: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. For more info, call us at 215.596.5408 or visit our website.

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Last week, we published information about the annual Cedar Park Neighbors Holiday Basket Drive. There are also a few opportunities to help local women and children in need this holiday season. Here’s information on some more holiday drives and donation opportunities:

Holiday Toy & Personal Care Drive at Local 44 (44th and Spruce)

Through Dec. 15

Join Local 44 once again this year in collecting toys and personal care items to benefit the residents of the People’s Emergency Center (PEC), a West Philly shelter that helps women and children battling homelessness. Bring your donations to the Bottle Shop at Local 44 any time through Thursday, Dec. 15. Click here for a list of useful personal care items accepted by PEC. NOTE: Please bring new and unwrapped items.  Continue Reading

Carol Isom

A GoFundMe page has been set up to help offset funeral expenses for Carol Isom, the woman killed when she was struck near 52nd and Locust by a car fleeing police on Nov. 29.

Carol Isom, 55, is survived by her husband of 34 years, five children, including a 19-year-old daughter in her second year at Temple University, and five grandchildren.

“My mom was everything. She was everything to everybody around here. She was like the neighborhood mom, and she did nothing but love, nothing but smile,” Brittany Isom, Carol’s daughter, told 6ABC.

Police say the pursuit began when two men in two vehicles began shooting at each other along Westminster Avenue and ended at 52nd and Locust when one of the vehicles struck the vehicle Isom was driving. She lived nearby on the 200 block of S. 53rd St. Her 56th birthday would have been on Dec. 10.

(Google Street View image).

A proposal introduced Wednesday night at the Spruce Hill zoning committee to turn what committee chair called “the single greatest nuisance property in the history of Spruce Hill” from a fraternity house into a three-unit drew skepticism from neighbors, who want the 3,100-square-foot property to go back to being a single family home.

Until recently the property at 422 S. 42nd St. (a block north of Baltimore Avenue) housed the University of the Sciences fraternity Upsilon Sigma Phi, a bane to residents on the block for decades.

New Jersey-based Vasupujya Properties bought the property for $395,000 on Sept. 1 and, according to the zoning request, hopes to renovate its maze of small rooms into three apartments. The building is legally zoned as a fraternity house and can legally accommodate up to 12 residents. The reconfiguration of the four-story building would include a bi-level, two-bedroom apartment in the basement and first floor, a one-bedroom on the second floor and a bi-level three-bedroom on the third floor.  Continue Reading