This beautiful photo of spring in West Philly was submitted by neighbor Ben Feldman.

Send us your photo of the neighborhood at: editor@westphillylocal.com. Please include your name and photo title or caption.

 
Detective Joe Murray, aka “The Fuzz,” is back on Twitter, only this time with a much less catchy handle.

As of about 4 p.m. yesterday Murray is now @ppdjoemurray, a much more official name that reflects the Philadelphia Police Department’s endorsement of his social media stardom. In fact, Murray will be helping out others in the department to use Twitter more effectively.

Murray received dozens of tweets welcoming him back within the first few hours that he was online. Those who followed him before will automatically be switched over to the new account.

An online petition started by West Philly resident Amara Rockar earlier this month drew attention around the city and likely factored into getting Murray back online.

The only question that remains is … Can we still call him “The Fuzz?”

Jazz great Wynton Marsalis was in West Philly yesterday to do some teaching at St. Francis de Sales school near 47th and Springfield as part of the Play On!, Philly program.

Marsalis told advanced trumpet players who performed at the school yesterday morning that the musician’s job is to tell stories that people can’t see.

“Music is the art of the invisible,” he said.

Marsalis also advised students at the school to fine-tune their listening habits and to look beyond music for artistic inspiration.

“I want you to look at the work of (painter) Henri Matisse,” he told one trumpeter who had just finished playing. “See how he uses contrast in his work. Because that’s what you want to do with this piece.”

This has been a big week for Play On!, Philly, the after-school music program begun at St. Francis de Sales that aims to bring classical music training to kids at schools across the city. Earlier this week it was reported that a Bala Cynwyd couple had donated $1 million to the organization.

Randi Fair submitted this pretty cool neighborhood photo also featuring her son Brooks.

Send your photo of the neighborhood at: editor@westphillylocal.com

West Philly puppeteer Beth Nixon and her Ramshackle Enterprises have been creating puppets, organizing puppet and clown shows and participating in parades and pageants in the city for more than a decade. Don’t miss her Retrospectacular show opening tomorrow (Thu, April 5) from 6-9 p.m. at the AIR Gallery at 4007 Chestnut Street.

At the show you can read and fondle relics from Beth’s first Philly performance at the 2000 post RNC Puppet Uprising to this winter’s collaboration with Sarah Lowry in the creation of “Below and Beyond.” Puppets, masks, suitcase theaters, illustrations and cardboard constructions will be on display and almost everything will be for sale! Also enjoy snacks, door prizes, and favorite songs from puppet shows of old performed by Beth and Morgan FP Andrews (beginning at 7:30 p.m.).

If you can’t make it to the opening, you can stop by at the closing event on April 26 (6-9 p.m.). Free flying grandparent puppets will go to the first 15 guests who come to each event.

Gallery hours include the first three Fridays in April from 4-7 p.m. or by appointment (215-779-8553).

It’s not only kids who will get a chance to have fun this Easter. Older folks are invited to hit the streets of Philadelphia in a city-wide Easter egg hunt organized by World Cafe Live. The event will be held on Saturday, April 7.

Here’s how it works: Twelve plastic Easter eggs will be laid at various locations throughout the city, each containing a pair of tickets to select upcoming performances. Beginning at Noon, World Cafe Live will Facebook and tweet clues and riddles that lead to each egg (make sure to “Like” World Cafe Live’s page on Facebook and follow @worldcafelive on Twitter).

If you find an egg, claim it on Facebook or @reply WCL on Twitter so other hunters can move onto the next clue.

Twelve eggs will be filled with a pair of one of the following performances:

Railroad Earth on Friday, April 13
Railroad Earth on Saturday, April 14
Amy Ray (of Indigo Girls) on Tuesday, April 17
Green River Ordinance on Sunday, April 27
Sam Sparro on Monday, April 23
Bowling For Soup on Wednesday, April 25
Brendan Benson with Young Hines on Thursday, May 3
ALO on Friday, May 11
William Beckett (formerly of The Academy Is…) on Monday, May 14
Ruder Than You on Saturday, May 26
Rhett Miller on Tuesday, June 5
Matthew Sweet (on Girlfriend Tour) on Friday, June 8

Sounds like fun, so grab your running shoes, your friends and your phone (or a map). For more details, check out the event’s Facebook page.