Police are looking for a man in his 40s who they say robbed J & P Seafood at 48th and Spruce on Thursday night. The robbery happened at 10:30 p.m., according to police when the suspect walked into the shop and asked for an order of shrimp. While talking to the cashier he pulled a shotgun from his jacket, pointed it at her and told her to open the register. He then leaned across the counter and took $363 from the register, according to police. After that he exited the store and fled on foot westbound on Spruce.

Police provided the following description of the suspect: black male, 40’s, light facial hair, wearing dark sunglasses, blue baseball cap, a multicolored windbreaker, blue jean capris, and armed with a shotgun.

Anyone with information about this robbery or suspect can contact Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183/3184 or call 911 immediately if you see this person.

Photo by Mike Lyons/West Philly Local

A panel of city preservation experts offered a standing-room-only crowd some strategies last night on helping to preserve historic neighborhood buildings as waves of development continue to roll across the city.

Several groups have been fighting to save historically important buildings from demolition proposed by developers looking to build housing for the young professionals and students who are largely responsible for the recent upswing in the city’s population.

“We need to stop the demolition derby,” Paul Steinke, head of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia, told an audience at the Walnut West Public Library (40th and Walnut).

The goal of Wednesday’s meeting was to provide local residents and community organizations some ways to save historic buildings, including private residences, from future demolition. Steinke and others on the panel hope the fight currently brewing over Jewelers’ Row along the 700 block of Sansom Street might garner enough attention that city officials, including politicians, might become more preservation friendly.  Continue Reading

A 23-year-old man was shot and wounded on Wednesday night when a large fight broke out on the 3900 block of Market Street, according to police (media reports say it was near 39th and Ludlow). Gunfire was heard shortly after 11 p.m. when someone fired into a crowd of people, striking the victim in the buttocks. He was transported to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center and later released after a surgery.

Police told 6ABC that a group of women got into an argument and then several men got involved in the fight. That’s when the shots were fired. Police say the shooter is a black male, approximately 25-27 year old. Police say they have some videos from the scene.

The final Nature Night of the season is taking place this Thursday (Aug. 25) at The Woodlands (40th and Woodland), and it will be a Bat Night/Moth Night double feature event since July’s Nature Night was cancelled due to rainy weather. The Nature Night will run from 6 – 10 p.m. This is a great chance to visit the cemetery grounds after dark (the gates usually close at 6 p.m.), explore the mystery surrounding bats and learn why moths are cool.

The Academy of Natural Sciences and the Sewall Lab of Temple University will be onsite providing bat and moth education, and well-known West Philly business Lil’ Pop Shop will be selling sweet treats. In addition, kids can get creative with University City Arts League. Feel free to bring a picnic!

This event is FREE and open to the public. For more information, visit: http://woodlandsphila.org/events-calendar/naturenight2016.

Is the summer already over? Penn students will be moving into their dorms this week, so the following annual Penn Move-in street closures have been scheduled for this Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday:

Wednesday, Aug. 24: Spruce Street will be closed from 34th Street to 38th Street from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Aug. 25: Spruce Street will be closed from 34th Street to 38th Street from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 27: Spruce Street will be closed from 38th Street to 40th Street from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

During the street closures, no traffic except for emergency vehicles will be allowed on the street. This also includes bicycles and public transportation. Buses will be detoured (check septa.org for more info).

As demand for housing and commercial development in parts of the city increases, historic buildings have come under threat of demolition. The University City Historical Society is holding an important public meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 24 to provide residents and community organizations with tools and information that will help them rally to preserve historic buildings.

The meeting, titled “The State of Preservation in West Philadelphia,” will include Martine Decamp of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission; Penn Professor Aaron Wunsch; Paul Steinke of the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia; and Greg Pastore, a former member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment.

Organizers hope the meeting will help people understand:  Continue Reading