Like helping clean up a park, organize a block party or attend a civic meeting, the holiday shopping season can offer a chance for community engagement. Where you shop and what you buy matters.

Here are five reasons we hope you will buy local during the holidays (and the rest of the year too for that matter):

1. An estimated 68 cents of every dollar spent locally goes back into the community. So you get to help feed this virtuous circle of convivial commerce. That makes you awesome in our book.

2. Local non-profits receive an estimated 250 percent more assistance from local businesses than they do from national chains. When was the last time Applebee’s offered to cater a University City Arts League event? That’s what we thought.

3. You can find high-quality, locally made items. For example, VIX Emporium sells locally made nail polish with West Philly themed colors like “Kingsessing Crimson.” You think you’re going to find that at Target? No mam.

Locally made West Philly nail polish at @vixemporium Baltimore Ave burgundy, Fiume fuscia, The Gold Standard pic.twitter.com/61EfpBLAOH

— West Philly Local (@WestPhillyLocal) November 4, 2014

4. Small business owners are our neighbors and friends. Typically, they’re in the neighborhood for the long haul. Among other things, that means we can yell at them if they don’t shovel the snow in front of their shop.

5. Locally owned small businesses don’t need much to operate so they are better for the environment. They don’t tax the infrastructure or gobble up tons of land. Local businesses are usually located along a public transportation route, they often have bike racks and they very rarely have big parking lots.

For those reasons and a ton of others we are doing our best to promote local businesses this holiday season. Pleas check out our annual “Buy Local for the Holidays” campaign page to see what our partners – local shops, restaurants, arts, and other organizations – have to offer this holiday season.

Public hearings on proposed charter schools in West Philly are set for Dec. 11 at the School District of Philadelphia’s headquarters at 440 N. Broad St.

The School District of Philadelphia received over a dozen applications from charter schools interested in opening new schools in West Philadelphia. The next step in the application process is the presentation and review of the applications at public hearings, which have been scheduled to start next Thursday.

The hearings will include a 15-minute presentation by the applicant followed by public comments, according to The Notebook. A second round of hearings will reportedly begin in January and will include evaluations from the District.

Here’s the list of the applicants, the zip codes where schools are proposed, and the schedule of the public meetings:  Continue Reading

UPDATE (11/30/2014, 5:15 p.m.): Kalis Adams, a 14-year-old boy who went missing from his home at 62nd and Carpenter on Friday, has been found and is in good condition, according to police.

Kalis Adams 14yrs old, located safe & in good condition. Thank you for the assistance in finding this young man. pic.twitter.com/4cEvq515GY

— Philadelphia Police (@PhillyPolice) November 30, 2014

Kalis Adams (Photo from Philly Police Blog)

(11/29/2014): Police are asking for the public’s help locating a 14-year-old boy, Kalis Adams. Kalis was last seen at his residence on the 6200 block of Carpenter Street at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 28.

Kalis is described as 4’10”, 93 lbs, with a thin build, brown eyes, dark brown complexion, and black short hair. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, blue sweatpants, and blue/black Nike sneakers.

Kalis is autistic and also has ADHD. He is known to frequent the YMCA at 51st and Chestnut.

Anyone with information on Kalis’ whereabouts is asked to contact Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183 / 3184 or call 911.

This piece of street art appeared over the weekend on the vacant building at 46th and Spruce, which used to be a popular spot for paste-up artists. The building is in the process of being sold to a non-profit for low-income housing and so earlier graffiti was removed. Hopefully this will stay up a while.

UPDATE (5 p.m.): Police confirmed that the man found on the street in the Cedar Park section this morning was shot to death. Police say the shooting likely happened between 6 and 6:30 a.m.

Earlier: A man was found dead this morning on the sidewalk along the 5100 block of Webster Street with a possible gunshot wound to the neck.

Police say the African American male was between 50 and 60 years old. No other details are available at this time as the investigation continues.

Stuff the turkey, mash the potatoes, pour the gravy and sleep in because Black Friday is not the time to shop this holiday season. Instead, spend some holiday savings during Small Business Saturday! Buying local and supporting local business is a great way to give the community a boost.

West Philly is home to many great bookstores, including Bindlestiff Books (4530 Baltimore Ave), and Penn Book Center (130 S. 34th St), which is holding an Indies First event on Saturday, Nov. 29. Local authors are volunteering for a campaign spearheaded by Sherman Alexie (The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian) to support independent bookstores. Authors Anna Badkhen, Joan DeJean and Ken Kalfus will be helping all attendees pick out the perfect holiday reads for family and friends. Don’t miss out on this special opportunity to get advice from extraordinary authors.

From left to right: Anna Badkhen, Joan DeJean, and Ken Kalfus. (Photo courtesy Penn Book Center)

Badkhen, a West Philly based writer, is recommending “Citizen,” Claudia Rankins’ new book-length poem on racism and how our government deals with it as a way to sort through the recent events in Ferguson, Mo.

So, remember to attend Penn Book Center’s Indies First Small Business Saturday event on November 29th, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and as part of the Small Business Saturday package Penn Book Center will be offering a two for one Holiday Sale on titles from the Everyman’s Library and a selection of cookbooks! Mulled wine, hot cider, and holiday treats will be served as well.

– Andrew Foronda

EDITOR’S NOTE: Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to kick off your holiday shopping and support local businesses. Many of them will have special events and offers on Nov. 29, including businesses like Baltimore Pet Shoppe, VIX Emporium and others. Please check this page for more information.