West Philly Girl Scout Juniors and Cadettes are selling Girl Scout Cookies today in front of the Lil’ Pop Shop at 265 S. 44th Street starting at noon. The Lil’ Pop Shop is closed for the month of January but will reopen for business on Feb. 2. Stock up on Thin Mints while you can!

For general information on how the Girl Scouts use cookie proceeds, click here.

– Jen

Great news for café lovers. The space on the 4300 block of Locust Street that used to house Café Clave will soon be reborn. Its new name, fittingly, is Café Renata (“reborn” in Latin).

The café will begin a soft opening next week and have an opening celebration on Friday (more on that next week). Co-owners Kate Steenstra and Yasser Aiq, both West Philly residents, will run the show. Café Renata will serve a wide selection of coffee along with a wide selection of food, including Mediterranean, South American and American fare with “a little more emphasis on breakfast,” said Aiq. Another welcome addition will be a rotating selection of soups. Down the road Steenstra and Aiq hope to add brunch.

Stay tuned for more from Café Renata.

Yasser Aiq and Kate Steenstra.

It’s tax preparation time again and starting today, Jan. 25 and through April 15, 2013, 11 free tax sites will be open throughout Philadelphia, managed by The Campaign for Working Families. The sites are offering e-filing and direct deposit services for families that earned less than $51,000 and individuals who earned less than $20,000 last year.

Here’s a list of free tax sites in West and Southwest Philadelphia:

Ebenezer Temple Church
5649 Christian St. (Near Baltimore Ave.)
Hours:Mon. and Tues. 3:30pm – 6:30pm
Sat. 9am – 3pm

Mt. Pisgah Church
428 N. 41st St (near Spring Garden)
Hours: Mon. 2-7pm
Sat. 9am – 3pm

Dornsife
3509 Spring Garden St
Hours: Wed. 4-7:30pm, Fri. 1-5pm
Sat. 10am – 3pm

Before coming to the tax site please review here what to bring.

In addition, 80 KEYSPOTS in Philadelphia are providing free tax filing services for families and individuals with incomes below $57,000. They will provide you with a computer, high-speed internet access and assist you using MyFreeTaxes.com/phillykeyspots. To find a location go to phillykeyspots.org or you can file your taxes from your computer at MyFreeTaxes.com/philly.

Miki, the woman who sustained serious burns and injuries after she jumped out of the 2nd floor window during Wednesday morning house fire on the 4600 block of Larchwood Avenue, is in stable condition, according to her friends. Miki sustained burns on 20-25 percent of her body. She is currently on a breathing machine, but she is “moving in the right direction,” a friend said.

“Miki will make it. She will pull through,” said Dina, a close friend of Miki. Many thanks to neighbor Lynn Major for keeping us updated on Miki’s condition.

The cause of the fire that broke out in the wee hours on Wednesday is still under investigation, according to the Fire Marshal’s office.

Many neighbors have been asking how they can help businesses and employees affected by the Christmas Eve fire near 49th and Baltimore and its aftermath. The fire destroyed Elena’s Soul Lounge and its demolition in the following days damaged two adjacent, popular business storefronts – Gary’s Nails and Cedar Park Cafe. On Friday, January 25, Cedar Park Neighbors and the Baltimore Avenue Business Association (Facebook page) are inviting everyone who wants to support these businesses to a community event held from 7-10 p.m. at The Cedar Works, the new community-oriented work and meeting space located at 4919 Pentridge Avenue. Donations for the affected businesses will be accepted at the door.

The event will include music and food & drink from local businesses. It’s also a great chance to meet and socialize with your neighbors and friends.

Here’s a Facebook page for the event where you can confirm if you’re coming: https://www.facebook.com/events/310834425703338/.

Also, if you are available to volunteer that night setting up or staffing the door, please email Michael Froehlich at: michaelrfroehlich@gmail.com.

UPDATE: Those who would like to donate to the businesses and employees affected by the Baltimore Avenue fire you can do so until Wednesday, Jan. 30 by going to the “Donate” section of the Cedar Park Neighbors website: http://www.cedarparkneighbors.org/join-cpn-donate/general-donation/ (indicate in the comments section that this is for the “Baltimore Avenue fire fund”).

Haile Gerima, a renowned Ethiopian filmmaker and a leading member of the L.A. Rebellion film movement, will stop by West Philly to host the Philadelphia premiere of his film Teza at International House tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 25) and to teach a Master Class on Saturday at Scribe Video Center. Both events are part of Scribe’s Producer’s Forum Series, which brings distinguished independent filmmakers to present their work. Teza is also presented in conjunction with the nationally touring film series, L.A. Rebellion: Creating a New Black Cinema, which has been running at International House this month.

Teza examines the displacement of African intellectuals and has achieved widespread popularity. It won numerous awards at festivals and screenings around the globe, including the Special Jury Prize and Best Screenplay award at the 2008 Venice International Film Festival.

Here’s more details on both events.

Teza (2008, Ethiopia/ Germany/France, 140 min) with director Haile Gerima
Friday, Jan. 25, 8:00 p.m.
International House, 3701 Chestnut St
Tickets: $10, $8 students/seniors, $5 Scribe members, Free for students, faculty, and staff of the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University

Master Class with Haile Gerima
Saturday, Jan. 26, 2:00-4:00 p.m.
Scribe Video Center, 4212 Chestnut St, 3rd Floor
Registration: $25, $15 for Scribe members
Tickets: $25, $15 for Scribe members