Don’t miss this chance to get rid of your old batteries, paints, glue, cleaners, moth balls and other hazardous stuff. The Streets Department is organizing a Household Hazardous Waste Drop-off event this Saturday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the 1st District Highway Yard at 4800 Parkside Avenue (see the map below).

Not sure what qualifies for hazardous waste? Check product labels for any of these key words: TOXIC (pesticides, antifreeze, etc.), FLAMMABLE (gasoline, paint thinner), CORROSIVE (acids, drain cleaner), and REACTIVE (chlorine bleach, pool cleaner). NOTE: Oil-based paints are okay to bring, but Latex paint is not hazardous. Go to this page for the full list of hazardous materials accepted at this drop-off.

You can also bring your old computers and monitors because they contain potentially hazardous elements when disposed of in the trash.

For more information, call 215-686-5560 or visit: www.philadelphiastreets.com.

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The 48th Street Neighbors group is organizing their first Porch Hop this Saturday, May 19, from 4 – 7 p.m. and everyone is invited. Nine porches both north and south of Baltimore Avenue along 47th and 48th streets are participating in this event and it’s a great opportunity to meet, greet and hang out with your neighbors. Stop by one porch and then hop over to another.

The 48th Street Neighbors is a community group that has been meeting since September with the goal of making the neighborhood more vibrant and less vulnerable. Laura Crandall, one of the group members and Porch Hop organizer, said that this event will help bring people in the neighborhood together to build community. The group is hoping to continue organizing social events throughout the summer. They have also been taking neighborhood strolls in the evening and hosting monthly potluck meetings.

Everyone is welcome to come to the Porch Hop, but especially folks from Spruce Street down to Kingsessing which are within a few blocks from the most northerly and southerly porches hosting this event.

Drinks and snacks will be provided at each porch and you are encouraged (but not required) to bring drinks (alcoholic or not) and/or snacks to the first porch you visit. All of the details, including addresses are included in the flyer below.

You can RSVP and invite your friends on the event’s Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/events/405856216103211/

Reader Jessica found this dog this afternoon on 49th Street between Baltimore and Warrington. He is incredibly sweet and friendly and from his behavior it can be assumed that he has a family somewhere in West Philly.

If you recognize this dog, please contact Jessica at: jessicaeagan@gmail.com

Now we know what’s happening in the empty space adjacent to Manakeesh Cafe Bakery at 45th and Walnut. The Bliss Juices and Ice Cream bar is scheduled to open this summer, according to manager Abd Ghazzawi.

Manakeesh has fairly quickly become an anchor neighborhood business. It opened in January 2011 after months of renovation on the old bank building. Folks in the neighborhood had been speculating for some time on what Manakeesh would do with the other half of its building.

The exact opening date of Bliss has not been set, but Ghazzawi says it will probably be in early July. In addition to ice cream and freshly squeezed juices, the menu will include Lebanese fruit cocktails, breakfast items like crepes and waffles, Granita, and a few other things. Stay tuned for more information on the opening.

The 2012 Philadelphia Open Studio Tours will take place in October and local artists and studios are welcome to participate. Registration is open until June 1.

Launched in 2000, POST is the largest tour of artist studios and creative work spaces in the region. Eighteen West Philly artists participated in last year’s event (see more here) and we hear that many have already gotten on the list of this year’s tours. If you are not one of them, you still have a chance to do it. Please visit this page for more information and to register.

The 2012 Tour dates for venues West of Broad Street are October 6-7.

A reader alerted us about flyers like the one above recently posted by police in the area surrounding 51st and Catharine Streets. The flyer says that on April 25, 2012, at around 6:48 a.m. a 17 year-old female was walking to school when she observed a young man sitting on the steps of a residence located at 644 S. 51st Street. The man stood up, grabbed the girl from behind holding a knife to her neck and dragged her to the rear of the alleyway where he began to cut and rip her clothing. The girl began to struggle and was able to break free and run home.

The attacker was last seen running between the 5100 blocks of Catharine and Walton Streets. He is described as a 20-year-old African American male, dark skin, 5’9″, medium build and clean shaven. He was wearing a black hooded jacket and brown Timberland boots.

Anyone with information is asked to call Special Victims Unit at 215-685-3251/3252.