This is late notice, but we wanted to pass along news that the newly formed Cobbs Creek Neighborhood Association will meet for the first time this Friday at 7 p.m. at West Phillie Produce at 18 S. 62nd Street. Cobbs Creek Neighbors is working on community projects and events west of 52nd Street and south of Market. Here’s their Facebook post about the meeting:

“Hello friends and neighbors! We are very happy to announce that this Friday [Oct. 16] we will be having our first EVER meeting of the newly (finally!) formed, Cobbs Creek Neighbors Association. West Phillie Produce has kindly offered their upstairs space to us at 62nd and Ludlow (just a block or two from the 63rd St. El stop), and if we’re lucky we might also get to hear some live music by the Black Fridays house band. Here’s your chance to get involved and meet some like-minded neighbors. Please come out!”

Each fall the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours (POST) provide a unique opportunity to meet local artists and learn more about their work. Artists who live and work west of the Schuylkill will open their homes and studios for POST tours this weekend (Oct. 17 & 18), and everyone is welcome to visit them. There will be exhibitions and special demonstrations.

Here are this year’s participating studios and artists:

University City Arts League
4226 Spruce Street
Open all day Saturday and Sunday
Artists: Marie Alarcon – The opening reception for her Scientism, Divination, and the State exhibit will be held on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Cedar Works
4919 Pentridge Street
Artists:
Deena Ball – Demonstration of unique textured watercolor process – 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17.
Ken Beidler – Demonstration of how to make a pitcher – Saturday afternoon between 2:30-3:00 p.m.
Melinda Steffy – Translating music into abstract color patterns
Stefani Threet – Colorful handbuilt functional pottery by Threet Ceramics

40th Street AIR
4007 and 4013 Chestnut Street
Artists:
Jeane Cohen – Artist Books and Portrait Oil Paintings
Lori Waselchuk – BLOCK PARTY! A multimedia exhibit about community, neighbors, and friends
Erin Bernard
Dre Grigorpol
Quinha Faria
Genesis Crespo  Continue Reading

Dear West Philly Local readers,

We’re happy to announce our 5th Annual Pumpkin Carving Contest. Starting today (Oct 15) and through October 31, we’re accepting snapshots of your carved pumpkins at: contest@westphillylocal.com (one entry per person). As always, we’ll have some awesome prizes from local businesses.

Winners will be selected in the following categories:

• Scariest
• Funniest
• Kids (12 and under)
• Best Philly-themed
• Readers’ Choice (grand prize)

The entry deadline is 6 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Visit the Pumpkin Carving Contest page for more details on how to submit your entry. Happy carving!

Samuel Powel School (photo from greatphillyschools.org).

Great news for a small Powelton Village elementary school students, parents and staff. According to a recently released 2013-2014 Philadelphia school progress report, which measured school performance throughout the year across various dimensions, such as student progress, achievement and school climate, Samuel Powel is ranked the second best elementary school in the district. Anne Frank elementary located in Northeast Philadelphia is the leader among the city’s 61 K-4 schools. Powel School, which is located near 36th and Pearl streets and is led by principal Kimberly Ellerbee, enrolls about 260 students. Check out a recent piece about the school on Philly.com.

As concerns K-8 schools, here are the rankings of some West Philly schools (there are 126 K-8 schools in Philadelphia): Penn Alexander School (43rd and Locust) – 6th; Alain Locke (4550 Haverford Ave.) – 88th; Henry C. Lea (4700 Locust St.) – 70th; Samuel B. Huey (5200 Pine St.) – 97th. The city leader in this category is Folks Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School located at 1023 Callowhill St.

To download the reports, visit the Philadelphia School District website.

This is a reminder that monthly community meetings with the 18th Police District officers will take place on Thursday, Oct. 15, at 6 p.m. Residents are invited to bring their questions and concerns about crime in their area. There are three units in the 18th Police District, and each unit has its own meeting scheduled:

• Lt. Brian McBride of the University City Division of the 18th Police District and representatives of University City District will meet with community members at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th and Baltimore).
• The community meeting for the PSA 2 area residents (see map) will be held at the 18th Police District headquarters at 5510 Pine St.
• Lt. Sean Cobette will meet with residents of the PSA 1 area at the Christian Compassion Hall located at 6130 Cedar Ave.  Continue Reading

                   Jasmine Wright

The handyman accused of killing 27-year-old Jasmine Wright in her apartment near 50th and Locust has been held for trial.

James Harris, 56, faces murder and rape charges in the death of Wright, who had recently graduated from a Drexel University graduate program. She had been raped and strangled, according to police. Her body was found on July 15, about 24 hours after she was murdered.

Harris worked in the building but was fired about a week earlier, according to reports. Police say he still had a set of keys to the building, and his fingerprints and DNA were found on the scene.

Harris had 31 prior arrests, police said, including sexual assaults. He was also convicted in 1982 for the murder of his own father. He had been in custody since July 19, when he was detained on suspicion of robbery and trespassing for re-entering the building.