Here’s a list of Christmas services at assorted local churches. If you know of other Christmas services please email us at: editor@westphillylocal.com or post them in the comments.

Calvary Methodist Church, 48th & Baltimore

Christmas Eve: Candlelight Service of lessons and carols – 7 p.m.

Church of the Holy Apostles & Mediator, 51st & Spruce

Christmas Eve: Christmas Sacred music prelude – 6:30 p.m.; Festival of Christmas Eucharist – 7 p.m.

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, 3916 Locust Walk

Christmas Eve: The Feast of the Nativity – 7:30 p.m.
Christmas Day: 6:20 p.m.

Philadelphia Episcopal Cathedral, 38th St. between Chestnut and Market

Christmas Eve: Festival Eucharist – 5 p.m.
Christmas Day: Holy Eucharist – 10 a.m.

 

One man was killed and two others are in critical condition after a shooting at an apartment building at 4618 Chester Ave. last night.

Police say a 20-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene with a gunshot wound to the head. Two other men were taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and are in critical condition with gunshot wounds to the face and neck.

Police say they are looking for three suspects who were dressed in black and apparently forced their way into the four-story building. Police say the shootings happened in a third-floor apartment. The owner of the building would not comment on who lived in the apartment.

Police said the suspects fled eastbound on Chester Avenue in a dark vehicle.

We will pass along more details as they become available.

Anyone with information can contact Philadelphia Police at 215-686-TIPS (8477), text a tip to PPD TIP (773847) or through phillypolice.com.

The Philadelphia Recycling Office sends a reminder of importance of recycling this holiday season and urges residents to recycle their holiday gift packaging and party supplies. It is also an easy way to rack up more Philadelphia Recycling Rewards points that can be redeemed for holiday gifts and store discounts.

“The Philadelphia Streets Department and Recycling Office invites residents to recycle all of their holiday packaging this year and help divert more waste from our City’s landfills,” said Philadelphia Streets Commissioner Clarena I.W. Tolson.

A variety of holiday items or packaging can be recycled, including wrapping paper, paper and cardboard boxes, paper shopping bags and plastic packaging. Also, don’t forget to recycle year round items, such as cartons, glass bottles and aluminum cans. For a full list of recyclable materials, please visit www.philadelphiastreets.com/holidayrecycling.aspx.

The City of Philadelphia will also hold its Christmas Tree Recycling Program again this year, in which residents can drop off their trees for composting and mulching. The Streets Department will be accepting Christmas trees at sanitation convenience centers from Monday, January 7, 2013 through Saturday, January 19, 2013. Last year, nearly 22 tons of trees were collected through the program, which translates into 1,757 trees.

In addition to the Streets Department Christmas Tree Recycling Program, there are several other Christmas tree programs being offered by partner organizations. We’ll post more information about other ways to recycle your trees in West Philadelphia very soon.

Jam, a small black cat, has been missing since Tuesday, Dec. 18. She is around 9lb, with little splashes of white on her chest and tummy. She is wearing a black collar with red ladybugs on it, with a tag with her owners’ address and phone number. She is friendly but can be shy around strangers. If anyone has seen her, please contact Jessica at 267 897 1301.

Beginning this week, there will be an increased number of police and security officers on and near the University of Pennsylvania campus, according to an announcement by Provost Vincent Price and Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli. There have been a few armed robberies on and near campus in the past week, including a daytime gunpoint robbery at a food cart at 38th and Walnut on Tuesday.

“Numerous additional overtime shifts have been added and other patrols have been redeployed to higher risk areas to ensure a visible police presence that we hope will deter any criminal activity. In addition, undercover police will be monitoring any suspicious activity around campus.  We have also increased CCTV Virtual Video Patrols through our 120 Pan, Tilt, Zoom CCTV cameras on- and off-campus,” message reads.

In an effort to help schoolchildren affected by the Sandy Hook tragedy, neighbor Eva Jacobs and her daughter are collecting handmade snowflakes for the new school building where Sandy Hook kids will resume classes in January. Connecticut PTSA and parent volunteers are planning to create a winter wonderland at the school by decorating the whole building with as many unique snowflakes as possible (see announcement below). Eva is accepting snowflakes until January 3.

“[Let’s] see how many snowflakes we can get from West Philly… It’s the least we can do as a community,” says Eva. If you want to be part of this effort, please contact Eva at evamjacobs@gmail.com and she’ll let you know where to drop off your snowflakes.