As you may know, actor Kevin Bacon’s father, Edmund Bacon, was born in West Philadelphia and was a renowned architect and Philadelphia city planner. Kevin and his brother, well-known musician Michael Bacon, are encouraging both students and professionals to be part of the 2016 Better Philadelphia Challenge with a chance to win $5,000. The annual urban design competition was founded in 2006 in memory of Ed Bacon.

The 2016 competition focuses on the Mantua/Belmont section of West Philadelphia, which was designated as a “Promise Zone” by President Obama.

“As part of this neighborhood’s development, what physical design interventions could encourage healthy and active lifestyles, thereby improving public health among residents?” reads the competition announcement.  Continue Reading

On Friday, Aug. 14, families are invite to celebrate Back to School Education Day (E! Day), which will be held at the School of the Future (4021 Parkside Ave.). The event, hosted by the School District of Philadelphia, will include on-site student registration, information sessions, free book bags and other giveaways, and educational games. School District officers will be there to answer questions about transportation, lunch programs, uniforms, and many other things. The event will take place from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. More information is available on the School District website.

Just a reminder that the 2015-16 school year for grades 1-12 at Philadelphia public schools begins on Tuesday, Sept. 8.

Branford Marsalis Jazz Quartet (from left: Joey Calderazzo (piano), Eric Revis (bass), Branford Marsalis (saxophone), and Justin Faulkner (drums)).

Internationally acclaimed jazz musicians will be guests at the 2nd annual Community Unity Music Festival at Clark Park (43rd and Chester). Saxophone legend Branford Marsalis and his band, The Branford Marsalis Jazz Quartet, will again headline the festival, which will be held on Saturday, Aug. 15, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. This year’s festival, which promotes nonviolence and unity in the Philadelphia community, is called “A Day to Remember.” In addition to live music performances, the festival program includes inspirational speeches from city and state dignitaries, food, games and other activities for kids.

The festival is organized with the help of Justin Faulkner, the drummer of the Marsalis Quartet, who grew up in West Philadelphia. One of the main goals of the festival is to show young community members that “creativity enriches the soul” (the festival’s motto is “Put down the guns and pick up an instrument”). To help local artistic youth, the festival organizers created “The Each One Teach One” coalition, which gives scholarships to five deserving students for private music lessons with one of the festival’s partners, the Clef Club for Jazz and the Performing Arts.

For more information about the Community Unity Music Festival and people behind it, click here.

UPDATE (8/13/2015): The shooting stemmed from an argument over a missing dirt bike between the victim, a 23-year-old man who was visiting his girlfriend in the area, and unknown males on the block, according to a police report. After the argument, the man reportedly left and returned with other males who pulled out guns and started shooting at the men the victim was arguing with. The victim was shot in the shoulder and was taken to the hospital where he was listed in stable condition, according to police.

(8/12/2015): Police are investigating a shooting that took place on the 5100 block of Catharine St. around 5 p.m. on Wednesday. Police say the shooting was from two different guns. A total of 17 shots were fired. One person, an unidentified man, was wounded. His wounds are not life-threatening, according to police. The investigation continues.

New apartment building on S. 45th St. (Photo West Philly Local)

Those who often walk down 45th Street must have noticed new construction between Locust and Spruce streets. The “by right” project – meaning it doesn’t need variances or local approval – started in late spring at 245 S. 45th St. and is progressing quickly. The four-story apartment building has been carefully inserted between old West Philly row homes. It is taller than the adjacent houses. As was reported last fall, the new 15-unit building is owned by Glasberg Properties, which owns other – mostly student housing – projects in the city. We hear that these will be market rate apartments, priced at about $2000/month.

Naked Philly has some more details and photos of the building here.

Police have arrested three people, two females and one male, in connection with the robbery and assault that took place on Sunday, Aug. 2 at a SEPTA bus stop at 48th and Larchwood. As was reported earlier, a 46-year-old woman was waiting for a bus shortly after 9 a.m. when another unknown woman approached her, grabbed her purse and cut her arm with a box cutter, according to a police report. She then fled in a black 2014 Volkswagen Jetta, which police said was an Enterprise rental car operated by an unknown male.

Two days later, on Aug. 4, police spotted the same car and the male and female suspects in the Wynnefield neighborhood. After searching the male suspect, police found a black and yellow box cutter razor, which matched the description of the weapon used in the Aug. 2 robbery and attack. Police also searched the car and the suspects’ residence located in Wynnefield and found several receipts from purchases made with the victim’s credit cards after the robbery. Three suspects, 35-year-old Maryam Spain, 47-year-old Marvin Saunders, and a third, unidentified female who police say was using the stolen credit cards, were arrested on Monday, Aug. 10.