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Police say two men, ages 20-30, robbed another man at gunpoint near 45th and Pine Streets at around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The victim was coming home from work and was standing outside his apartment building at 315 S 45th Street looking for his keys when he heard someone running up behind him. He turned to see what was going on and saw a man pointing a black semi-automatic handgun at him. The attacker said: “Give me all your stuff!” The victim handed his belongings (a cell phone, $200, a backpack and wallet containing his ID, credit cards and a Kindle) to the second attacker, according to police.

After taking his belongings both males ran off westbound on Pine Street. The victim was not injured. No arrests have been made.

A group of community members helped clean up and beautify Barkan Park at 50th and Spruce on Saturday. Mark Mendenhall of Garden Court Community Association sends word that the next clean up and Spring Planting at Barkan Park will be held on Saturday, May 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. For more information, call (215) 476-2983.

Four people, including two children, died in an early-morning fire that broke out in a rowhome at 5250 Chancellor Street. The children, 2 and 4 years old, died at Children’s Hospital where they were transported with severe burns. The other victims are the children’s mother, 23-year-old Rishya Jenkins and grandfather, Seneca McClendon, 75, a retired postal worker known as Mr. Chuck, Philly.com reports.

The fire was reported about 4:42 a.m. and declared under control at 5:23 a.m. Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said “firefighters found nothing to indicate there were working smoke detectors in the rowhouse.” The fire apparently broke out on the first floor and its cause is under investigation.
 

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Saturday was an amazing day around the City. Tons of folks were out for Philly Spring Clean-up. It was also a great day at Woodlands Cemetery for the Go West! Craft Fest, which was a Cedar Park staple until new regulations on events in public parks prompted a change of plans this year. But Go West! didn’t skip a beat. The Woodlands turned out to be a great spot. Tangle Movement Arts and the Tiny Circus were on the grounds. Give and Take Jugglers were on the scene. Sour Mash (Facebook page) played a set. And a bunch of artists and artisans were selling their wares. Check out the slideshow below.

The primary campaign for West Philly’s 188th House District between incumbent James Roebuck and newcomer Fatimah Muhammad has drawn attention around the city and even the state because of the influence of school voucher proponents – and their money – into the race.

West Philly residents will have a chance to hear the candidates tonight at the Kingsessing Rec Center (5100 Chester Ave. Enter on 50th Street) from 6-9 p.m. Roebuck and Muhammad have confirmed their attendance at tonight’s event.

Muhammad’s campaign has made a visible impact in West Philly, with signs and billboards featuring her portrait in a Photoshopped style that closely resembles posters featuring President Barack Obama during the 2008 campaign. Her campaign has also been linked to a series of postcards mailed to many West Philly residents that blame Roebuck, the ranking Democrat on the House Education Committee, for limiting school choice for students. One postcard even blames him for the cap at Penn Alexander School.

Many residents have spoken out against the postcards on several neighborhood listservs and message boards.One person even vowed to make a contribution to the Roebuck campaign for each postcard she received.

Roebuck is opposed to vouchers, which would provide tax dollars for students to attend private and parochial schools. The opponents of vouchers argue that they would undermine the funding and enrollment at public schools, while proponents, including Gov. Tom Corbett, say they would provide students with a better choice of schools.

Muhammad, a Penn alum who has been the associate director of Penn’s Greenfield Intercultural Center, will undoubtedly face questions this evening about her position on vouchers.