A reader alerted us to some car vandalism incidents that recently took place in the area around Malcolm X. Park. Chris T. writes that two nights ago his car along with at least two other cars between 50th and 51st were “marked with black spray paint, keyed, and/or had corrosive substances poured through the rubber of the side windows.”

Chris says that he has lived on that block for a year and this is the first time he personally encountered vandalism to this extent. It looks like the cars were chosen randomly – they were not parked in a row nor were they on the same side of the street.

“I know it’s no tire-slashing and thankfully mine was not broken into, but crimes of opportunity like these are really troubling,” Chris wrote. His neighbor’s car had a window smashed out and was presumably broken into a few days ago between the 50th and 51st block of Osage Ave.

Someone left this small gift to the neighborhood in a bush near The Restaurant School on Walnut Street.

Do you live or own a business in Cedar Park? If so, your feedback is needed to help shape the future of this quickly changing neighborhood. The Cedar Park Neighbors community association has developed “The Future of Cedar Park” survey which will help them gather useful information as the Philadelphia City Planning Commission had asked community organizations to provide input on its new plan for Southwest Philadelphia and University City.

Although, it’s an exciting time for the neighborhood, with many new residents moving to Cedar Park and new businesses opening, there are also issues generated by this change, including affordability, land use, education, parking and others. This survey will help CPN figure out how to “best represent the interests of all neighbors.”

The survey can be found here. In addition to the online survey, a print version is being distributed through block captains, so feel free to pass this information along to your neighbors who do not have internet access.

As a reminder, here are the Cedar Park boundaries: Larchwood Avenue to Kingsessing Avenue and 46th Street to 52nd Street (see map below). For more information, visit www.cedarparkneighbors.org.

Reader Ashutosh found this cat near 41st and Spruce Streets. Here’s what he writes:

“We have recently found a black and white female cat on 41st and Spruce Street. She has come to our apartment and stayed there last night. Today the whole day she stayed out in the backyards of villas between 42nd and Spruce and 42nd and Locust, but this evening we again let her inside our apartment. She is a very friendly cat, and appears to know this area.”

Ashutosh would like to locate the cat’s owner or find a home for her. If you have any information about her owner or want to help, please call 215 222 0599.

This information came from a reader, Kelly:

“My friend’s porch at 50th & Pine has been graced by this super friendly male Siamese cat. He’s not neutered and looks relatively young (under a year old), but he’s also very thin and was eager to get a small meal. He’s possibly been outside for a while now. If he belongs to someone (which he probably did – you don’t see stray Siamese very often!), they can hopefully find him in that area.”

If you have any information about the owner of this cat or have questions, please email: kellymakesart@gmail.com

And the winner of Honest Tom’s venerable taco truck is … Maru Global (Facebook page), the folks who specialize in authentic Japanese street food.

Maru Global’s plans for the truck are still coming together, but it is sure to feature takoyaki – a fried dough ball typically filled with octopus, ginger, onion and other delectables – maybe some curry fries, onigiri or their famous desert balls.

Maru Global won the truck as a result of a contest Honest Tom ran earlier this month asking would-be entrepreneurs to write him and explain why they should get the truck.

The winning of the truck is the latest in a tumultuous string of recent events for Maru Global’s Chef Ryo Igarashi and his wife Nicole Igarashi, who handles the business side of the operation. They had to close their restaurant, Tokio Global, near Headhouse Square in April after Ryo underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. As he recovered they returned to the kitchen to prepare a whittled down mobile menu for events and festivals around the city.

“Honest Tom” McCusker’s 1970 step van, which he bought with credit card cash advances, will now be a key part of that mobile operation.

Congrats to Maru Global and well done to Honest Tom for paying it forward.