A neighbor, Nancy, wrote us to describe a run-in she had very early Saturday morning. We wanted to pass it along just to keep folks alert. We have edited it for length.

I was sleeping and at 2 a.m. someone was repeatedly “buzzing” my front door. I live at 4702 Hazel, first floor. There are three apartment units in my building and 4 people who lived in the building.

There was a man standing at my door — tall, large (not overweight, but not a small person), black, wearing dark clothes and a dark baseball cap, in his thirties, no facial hair and no glasses. He did not seem intoxicated or insane. I did not open the main doors to the building and I only spoke to him through the glass.

He was holding a little piece of paper which he was acting like he was reading. He spoke very low so it was almost impossible for me to hear him. I could see the paper had just a couple scribbles or numbers on them. He said he was looking for “Lewis” (which is my name, and also on my mailbox in the vestibule). He told me my neighbors upstairs were in the hospital. It was very hard to communicate because of his low talking and mumbling. He said he was a tow-truck driver and he was dropping off their keys to a “Lewis.” It took awhile for the red flags to go off.

I think he was talking low so I would open the door in order to hear him. He wanted me to open the door for the keys (I never saw any keys, nor a tow truck…in fact there was no car running in the street or anything…he was clearly on foot).  He constantly referred to his little piece of paper, saying “Lewis.” Finally my boyfriend woke up and came out and said “who are you and why are you here?” and then we told him he had the wrong address and he left. We were both really frightened. It was all very suspicious. But if I had opened the door I do believe something really bad would have happened.

I called the police to let them know, but regrettably I did not have them come to my building for a report. I was very worried that he would try it down the road to someone else and someone would be hurt. I feel stupid for even engaging with him as long as I did, but I also feel very lucky. I am aware that there have been a string of robberies/muggings in my neighborhood and this guy had a lot of “tricks” so I want people to know and not fall for it and not get hurt.

Thanks for listening. And, by the way, none of my neighbors are in the hospital … they are all fine.

Thanks again and be careful. Don’t answer your door and always keep your door locked, especially if you have slacked off lately.

The School Reform Commission is scheduled to vote tonight on a provisional budget that would eliminate full-day kindergarten, many school programs and thousands of School District of Philadelphia jobs.

The meeting will begin at 5 p.m. at the auditorium of the School District Education Center, 2nd floor, 440 N. Broad Street. Although the deadline for signing up to speak at the meeting has passed, it is open to the public.

A summary of the proposed budget is available here.

The budget is provisional and could be revised if funding is made available either at the city or state level.

West Philly resident Lene and her fiancee, AJ, were victims in a hit-and-run accident at 2:30 a.m. Saturday night near 51st and Pine. Lene e-mailed us with this information:

Last night [Sat, May 29] at about 2:30 a.m., my fiancee heard a big crash outside. He ran
outside to find our car pushed up on the curb, my scooter, and his
motorcycle tipped over into another person’s car. Behind our car was the
bumper and headlight of a golden 2005 Buick Lacrosse. There was also a lot
of water as if the radiator was blown.

AJ and our neighbor a few doors down, who came running out after he heard
the crash, could see the car a few blocks down on 51st towards Market, it
had stalled and the driver was trying to get it started again. AJ called the
police, who told him to wait by the car. No police showed up in the 10
minute timeframe until the driver got the Buick going again. The car made a
left turn onto Market or Chestnut. AJ spent several hours combing the
streets looking for the car, as he expected that it would not get very far
in that condition, but he was not able to find the car.

We were hoping that people could contact AJ on 215-260-3232 or
theelordwolve  [at] yahoo.com if they come across a golden 2005 Buick Lacrosse
missing part of the front bumper, flat tire, and possibly a busted radiator.
We would love to get the registration information as our car just came back
from the body shop on Tuesday.

The full surveillance video of two young men who forced a man at gunpoint to withdraw money from an ATM machine and buy them cigarettes and cigars has been made available.

As we reported earlier, the two men approached the victim at 4717 Cedar Ave. at about 1 a.m. on May 24, pointed a handgun at him and demanded cash. They took the man’s cell phone and walked him to the Sunoco at 45th and Baltimore Ave. and ordered him to withdraw money from his account. All three left the store, but returned a few minutes later to buy items with the man’s debit card.

Both transactions are clearly visible on the full video below.

The men led the victim to 46th Street, made him lay on the sidewalk and then fled. Police believe the two suspects may be linked to other robberies in the area, including one a few minutes after this one.

Anyone with information should contact the Southwest Detective Division at 215-686-3183/3185.

Clark Park’s farmer’s market runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. On the way to or from the park, check out a special lemonade stand near the corner of 45th and Chester.

Proceeds from the “LEAmonade” stand go toward the purchase of air conditioners for the Henry Lea School’s kindergarten classrooms (47th and Locust). The West Philly Coalition for Neighborhood Schools and the Lea Home and School Association are working up plans for a passive cooling system (trees and such) but in the meantime are raising money to keep the kindergartners cool.

The tea, coffee and light fare spot Unitea (265 S. 44th St.), stayed in business for just under a year, closing in late March. It opened with pretty solid reviews, particularly of its tea selection. It had a pretty good location nearby Tampopo and Local 44.

That section of 44th will likely get another foot traffic boost when (Honest) Tom McCusker opens his taco shop in August next door at 261 S. 44th (By the way, we heard what definitely sounded like construction noise coming from that little building today, so that project is underway).

Unitea’s windows are now papered over, which we hope means a new tenant is in the works. Their closing got us thinking … Has that part of West Philly hit its capacity for cafes/coffee shops? Within a few blocks you have Green Line, Cafe Clave and Earth Cup. What would you like to see in that spot on 44th? Just curious.