Here’s a list of jobs and volunteer opportunities currently available for West Philadelphia residents. If you know of more job opportunities in West Philadelphia, please email editor@westphillylocal.com.

• The West Philadelphia Skills Initiative (WPSI) is recruiting West Philadelphians with laboratory experience for training and job opportunities as Laboratory Technicians. This is a great opportunity to grow careers within a top-ranked organization offering competitive pay and great benefits. The application deadline is January 22, 2016. You can apply online, or print and mail/fax the program application to WPSI. Click here for more and information and to apply.

• Source For Teachers is hiring K-12 substitute teachers and other full-time support staff to work in the School District of Philadelphia for the 2015/16 school year and beyond. The following positions are currently available: Substitute Teacher, Classroom Assistant, Food Service Preparation, Schools Secretary, School Counselor, Part-Time Aide. Interested individuals will have access to a variety of in-person and online training workshops. For more information and to apply, visit: https://www.source4teachers.com/.  Continue Reading

As promised, here are more details about the upcoming Christmas Tree and Electronics Recycling Day, organized by the University City District and UC Green. You can get rid of your tree in an environmentally friendly way by bringing it to Clark Park (43rd and Chester) on Saturday, Jan. 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Recycled trees will be turned into wood chips to be used in local parks and community gardens, so please also bring a $10 donation along with your tree. Also enjoy free roasted marshmallows and hot chocolate while you’re watching your tree getting chipped.

This event is also a great chance to recycle old or unwanted household electronics. eForce Recycling, Philadelphia’s first certified Responsible Recycler will be at the park from 10 a.m – 2 p.m. accepting electronics from residents and small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Please note that smoke detectors, large appliances (like washers and dryers and refrigerators), and projection TVs will not be accepted. There will be a $20 charge to dispose of CRT (tube) TVs and computer monitors.

For more Christmas tree recycling opportunities in the city, check out this post.

SEPTA El Station at 60th and Market (Google Street View image).

It was a violent end to 2015 in West Philadelphia, with reports of multiple shootings, many of which were fatal, in the past few weeks. Unfortunately, more shootings have already been reported in the new year. A 35-year-old man was shot multiple times and critically wounded on early Sunday afternoon outside of the SEPTA El station at 60th and Market, bringing the total number of people shot in the same area since Christmas to three, according to police.

Officer Joe Murray of the Southwest Detectives Division, known to many local residents as “the tweeting cop,” says it’s a major problem. He took to social media last night to raise awareness and to call for more police presence in the area, which is a busy El stop, a business area, and “the biggest drug block in SW division.”

@poseidonguy1 everyday. Put one there every single day. That’s how it was when I was a cop out there and there wasn’t an issue.

— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) January 3, 2016

According to Murray, whose tweeting efforts were featured today on Philadelphia Magazine’s website, violence in the area can be reduced only through a joint cooperation among police, residents and business owners.

@phillymag @joelmmathis Challenging everyone to step up. Us, business owners, residents, media. You name it. We all want violence reduced.

— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) January 4, 2016

If you want more information or want to make your voice heard, the next community meeting with 18th District police officers (PSA 1) will take place on Thursday, Jan. 7, at Christian Compassion Hall at 6130 Cedar Ave. The meeting begins at 6 p.m. Please bring your questions and concerns. If you have questions, please email or call 18th District: police.co_18@phila.gov, 215-686-3180.

UPDATE (1/13/2016): There will be an emergency meeting at the Bryant School at 60th and Cedar on Thursday, Jan. 14, 6 p.m. to discuss the recent spike in violent crimes in the area.

Here’s a sampling of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day events and happenings in West Philly and Center City. Also, a reminder that subway trains will be running all night tonight to accommodate New Year’s Eve travelers. Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve Fireworks

Philadelphia will ring in 2016 not once but twice with New Year’s Eve fireworks on the Delaware River waterfront (Penn’s Landing). The first show starts at 6 p.m., and the second one is at midnight. If you can’t make it to Penn’s Landing, check out this Visit Philly guide to the best spots to watch the fireworks and ring in the New Year.

New Year’s Eve Yoga

Studio 34 is hosting the annual New Year’s Eve Yoga and Mochi event from 8 – 10 p.m. This is a fun and inspiring all-levels yoga workshop led by Studio 34 teacher Morgan Andrews. After class, mochi (sweet chewy rice cakes) will be served. Admission for this class is sliding scale, $10-$20. Click here for more information. Also, you can try some hot yoga for free at Bikram Yoga West Philly (4145 Chestnut St), just bring a screenshot of this ad. Bikram Yoga is holding classes today until 4:30 p.m., and there will be one class on New Year’s Day, at 11 a.m. Here’s the schedule for this week.  Continue Reading

Here’s a list of assorted local businesses and their holiday hours. We’ll update the list as more information becomes available.

Coffee shops, restaurants

• Coffee Market (45th and Pine): Thursday (Dec. 24), Saturday (Dec. 26), Sunday (Dec. 27): 7 a.m. – 2 p.m.; Friday (Dec. 25): 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

• Green Line Cafe (45th and Locust): Thursday (Dec. 24): 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Friday (Dec. 25): Closed; Dec. 27 – Jan. 1: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. (43rd and Baltimore): 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. until Saturday, Jan. 2.

• Honest Tom’s Taco Shop (44th and Spruce): Closed Dec. 24, 25, 26, 27 and Dec. 31, Jan. 1, 2, 3.

• Renata’s Kitchen (46th and Baltimore): Thursday (Dec. 24) & Friday (Dec. 25): Closed; Open for the rest of the week and New Year’s (serving New Year’s Day brunch!).

• Rx The Farmacy (45th and Spruce): Closed until Thursday, Dec. 31.

Grocery, liquor stores

• Mariposa Food Co-op (49th and Baltimore): Thursday, Dec. 24: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Friday, Dec. 25: Closed; Saturday, Dec. 26: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Friday, Jan. 1: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

• Supreme Shop ‘n Bag (43rd and Walnut): Dec. 24 & Dec. 31: 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Dec. 25 & Jan. 1: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.

• The Fresh Grocer (40th and Walnut): Open 24 hours

• Fine Wine & Good Spirits (43rd and Chestnut, 49th and Baltimore): Dec. 24: 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; Dec. 25 & Jan. 1: Closed; Open regular hours on Dec. 31.

To accommodate New Year’s Eve travel, SEPTA will operate enhanced late-evening schedules on the Market-Frankford and Broad Street lines and Regional Rail (a special customer guide is available online). A number of bus detours will also be in effect on New Year’s Day to accommodate the Mummers Parade.

Thursday, Dec. 31:

• Extra trains will operate on the Broad Street and Market Frankford Lines starting at 7:05 p.m. for travel to the fireworks at Penn’s Landing.
• Broad Street and Market Frankford Line trains will operate overnight service Dec. 31 into Jan 1.
• The Market Street/Convention Center entrance to Jefferson Station will remain open until 2 a.m. to accommodate customers returning from New Year’s Eve fireworks.  Continue Reading