Demolition crews knocked down the last couple of walls at the Windermere Court Apartments at 48th and Walnut Streets on Saturday. Fire devastated the building on January 10 and led to a protracted battle between residents, the building’s owners and the city. A class action lawsuit against the building’s owners, David and Sam Ginsberg, was filed in February.

There has been no announcement about plans for the half-block lot where the buildings once stood.

West Philly residents fanned out across the neighborhoods today to pick up trash, rake leaves and sticks and even clean up a stop sign or two as part of the spring cleanup activities around the city.

The West Philly Tool Library is hiring a part-time tool coordinator. The job hours are from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and occasional weekday nights.

Here are the job responsibilities (from an e-mail from the Tool Library):

• Maintaining and basic repair of tools
• Keeping the Tool Library organized and clean
• Accepting tool donations
• Checking tools in and out to members of the community
• Collecting late fees
• Performing simple bookkeeping
• Maintaining computer database that tracks tool use and member information
• Promoting the Tool Library and recruiting volunteers
• Communicating with the Steering Committee about areas for improvements

And here are the requirements:

• Basic knowledge of tools with a desire to learn more (strong knowledge of tools preferred)
• High level of organization
• Attention to detail
• Excellent communication skills
• Commitment to promoting community in West and Southwest Philly

This position pays $12.00 per hour. They are looking for someone who is committed to the project and reliable about running the Tool Library.  They hope to hire for this position as soon as possible.

Please send your cover letter and resume to the attention of Michael Froehlich at info – at – westphillytools.org or by mail to West Philly Tool Library, 4620 Woodland Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143.  Women and people of color are encouraged to apply.

A panel that includes the city controller, a state representative, educators and school reform activists will discuss a host of issues facing West Philly schools Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Calvary Center for Community and Culture (48th and Baltimore).

Sponsored by the reform organization Teacher Action Group, the issues that panelists will likely discuss include teacher layoffs, school closings, community involvement in the schools and the transition of local schools, including West Philadelphia High School, to “promise academies.”

The panelists include:

• Alan Butkovitz, City Controller
• State Representative James Roebuck, Democratic Chair of House Education Committee
• David Lapp, Staff Attorney, Education Law Center
• Dr. James H. “Torch” Lytle, University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education professor and former District administrator
• Joshua Glenn, Youth Art and Self-Empowerment Project
• Arlene Kempin, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, general vice president

Among the most controversial is the possible closing of schools that are underperforming and below capacity, including a handful of schools in West Philadelphia. Currently 70,000 seats are empty in the district’s 300 buildings. District officials have said that it will close, consolidate and relocate schools to increase school efficiency.

The Notebook last week released a document leaked from the District that shows which schools would be likely candidates for closure. In West Philadelphia this includes Charles R. Drew Elementary School (3724 Warren St.), which, according to The Notebook, has “high repair costs, a poor academic score and is only a third full.”

We were honored to be featured along with Milk and Honey Market‘s Annie Baum-Stein earlier this week on Madame Fromage, a top-shelf Philly cheese blog.

The good Madame is featuring blue cheese all this month and when asked where one might find a nice hunk of blue we first thought of Milk and Honey at 45th and Baltimore. As Madame Fromage mentions in the post, we sometimes like to pair blue cheese (and a variety of pickled things and black bread) with some icy cold vodka.

You might see Madame Fromage, who also goes by Tenaya, on any given day or night at any number of local cheese venues. She also writes a regular cheese column for Grid.

I am writing because I have been searching for my cat. Unfortunately during me moving out of my house @ 52nd and spruce st. in West Philly on February 28th. He found a hole in the wall and managed to escape behind the washer and dryer.

I have attached 4 photos of my cat and I do have Links vet records. He was neutered but did not get micro chipped. He was wearing a black flea collar at the time of his escape. He is light orange with darker orange stripes in random places. He is over 2 years old at this time. If this sounds like any cat you may have found, could you please let me know.

I appreciate any and all help!

Email:

comm-nqvmx-2272310315 – at – craigslist.org