The story about neighborhood cat Clark Kent, the nearly dead feline rescued by our reader James last week, has touched a lot of people in West Philly and beyond. City Kitties and the staff at The Cat Doctor, which fought for the cat’s life, received donations from 40 U.S. states and countries like Australia, Germany, Ireland, France, Spain, Israel, England, Netherlands, Singapore, Canada, and Russia.

We also were informed that designer Jen Roder created a special “Clark Kent” button (pictured) which you can buy for only $5. All proceeds from the button sale are going to support other cats and kittens in need.

Reader Max expresses his concern about some young men riding motorcycles/dirt bikes too dangerously on the neighborhood streets. Here’s what he writes:

“I am a resident of West Philly and am writing to bring an issue in the open since I feel like I am not the only person concerned about this. There are groups of young men riding dirt bikes all around the neighborhoods (Baltimore to Market, 48th to 56th and beyond).

These people are riding very dangerously, they often run red lights, they run on one wheel, they are disturbingly loud, they ride with no helmet (so when they get injured who is paying for their hospital bills?). I see them often, too often, missing accidents by a hair, being this close to injuring by-passers. What worries me is that I have seen them riding past police cars and NOTHING was done by the police.

Is this more than what it seems? Is this an organized group or some kind of gang practice? I don’t know. I’ve tried to call 911 but they pass by quickly, so any 911 call is ineffective. What can be done about it? Are other residents concerned as well? Is it reasonable to expect a more prompt response from law enforcement?”

The Rotunda (4014 Walnut Street) is hosting Go West! Craft Fest’s Holiday show this Saturday, Dec. 3 from 11:00 a.m. – 5 p.m. Forty artisans will present their handmade creations, including unique, affordable jewelry and ornaments, art originals and reproductions, ceramics, and cozy hand-stitched woolens. There will also be an opportunity to buy children’s toys and clothes, soaps, candles and special holiday gifts for those you love. Everything is made locally.

For the entire list of crafty vendors and their profiles go to: gowestcraftfest.blogspot.com.

Reader Susan would like to thank everyone who helped her find temporary foster homes for her cats after a devastating house fire in September. Two of her cats still need temporary foster care. Here’s what Susan wrote us in an email:

“A couple of months ago, some friends had posted a note for me on West Philly Local after we suffered a terrible house fire over at Springfield and St. Bernard. It was a call for help placing my cats who had survived the fire (sadly, we lost a third recently due to complications from the event) in temporary foster homes. The response was wonderful: I managed to place 8 cats in 8 separate foster homes: a minor miracle for anyone who has ever tried to find foster homes for animals. It was a huge relief for me, amid all the chaos and grief and stress surrounding the fire and the ensuing issues.

Needless to say, our house is nowhere near on the schedule for reconstruction originally given to us by the contractors (wrangling with the insurance and mortgage companies mostly to blame). As a result, I am now faced with needing to find new foster homes for two cats within the next week or so (of course, our house is nowhere near the completion date that the contractors originally gave us), and was wondering if you might know of any folks who would be willing to take a cat in for something like 4-6 weeks.

Habib, a 13-year-old neutered fat “creamsicle” cat (I call him that because he is orange and white), is very funny, friendly, and talkative, and his current foster parents love him, but have obligations to be away come mid-December and cannot continue to care for him. Martini is an orange tabby, neutered, about 6 years old, but FeLV positive. He has NEVER exhibited any signs of illness (he was minutes away from euthanasia as a tiny kitten in the ER at the Penn Vet Hospital, where I worked, when I whisked him home), so he appears to be a carrier of the virus, but it would be best for him to be in a home without other cats, or perhaps other cats who also have tested positive. Currently, he is sequestered in one room in a neighbor’s house (due to other resident cats), and cries a lot, and is very lonely. It breaks my heart. He is a true people cat and seems very depressed without human companionship.”

To contact Susan please email: susaniris[at]msn.com or call 215-435-5273.

 
The AIDS Library of Philadelphia, the Institute of Contemporary Art at the University of Pennsylvania and West Philly Local collaborated to revive this image from the early days of AIDS cultural activism. In recognition of World AIDS Day, the over 25 million people who have died from AIDS, and the 30,000 Philadelphians living with HIV, we encourage you to get tested today.

2012 marks the 25^th Anniversary of the AIDS Library – the only lending library devoted to HIV/AIDS in the United States. A part of Philadelphia FIGHT and located at 1233 Locust Street, more information about the AIDS Library and HIV testing can be found at www.fight.org.

Free screenings of Untitled, a 60-minute film on the history of the AIDS Crisis, will be held at the ICA from 11 a.m – 5 p.m., every hour on the hour, throughout the day today. The ICA is located at 118 South 36^th Street.  For more information, visit www.icaphila.org.

Here’s another opportunity to shop local for the holidays. The University City Arts League (4226 Spruce Street) is opening its annual Holiday Craft Show and Sale on Friday, Dec. 2.

Over 30 artists and crafts people will be selling their work, including jewelry, hand-painted silk scarves, pottery, hand-made gift cards, small paintings and prints. All work is hand-made and reasonably priced.

The artisans at the Arts League Crafts Show include Kelly Ann Mifflin (jewelry, pictured), Ken Beidler, Priscilla Sepe, Art Cohen, Dave (Fatman) Fowler (pottery), and Aubrey Levinthal (paintings).

The show is running December 2 through December 15 with the following hours: Dec. 2 & 3: 6 – 9 p.m., daily hours: 3 – 9 p.m., weekend hours: noon – 6 p.m.

60 percent of the proceeds will go to the artists and the remainder to support community arts programs provided by the Arts League.