Editor’s Note: This post was submitted by Project MEOW, the West Philly-based volunteer-run cat rescue organization.

This year’s sudden onset of cold weather means it’s time to start bundling up! As you brace for winter, don’t forget the outdoor cats in your community! On cold nights and during inclement weather, shelters for colonies of outdoor cats can make a world of difference to them. Building a shelter for the outdoor cats in your neighborhood has many advantages. Aside from keeping your community cats warm and safe from predators and the cold, it will keep them from burrowing into places they shouldn’t be in order to survive.

Shelters can be built with inexpensive materials such as scrap wood, used dog houses, or plastic totes. The key elements to an effective shelter are insulation and accessibility.  Continue Reading

Neighborhood Time Exchange, the West Philadelphia artist residency program located in West Powelton, is seeking artists for their 2019 residencies. Two residencies will be available next year: February-June 2019 and July-November 2019.

Artists in residency will get free studio space at 4017 Lancaster Avenue, a monthly stipend and basic tools and supplies. In return, Time Exchange will ask artists to give back to the community through working on civic projects suggested by residents and community-based organizations. Artists are also expected to organize open houses, exhibitions, and other events that will help establish a connection with the community.  Continue Reading

Don’t forget to head to the polls this Tuesday, Nov. 6 to vote in the midterm elections. All registered voters in Pennsylvania can participate in the election and will be able to choose their candidates for Governor, Lt. Governor, U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, State Senate (even-numbered districts), and the State House of Representatives.

Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Click here to find your polling place.

Here are races of interest for West Philly residents:  Continue Reading

This fall, residents can again participate in the City’s Leaf Recycling program, which begins Monday, Nov. 5. The program is provided by the Streets Department and helps the City keep leaves out of the landfill. Here’s how you can participate in the program, which will run until Saturday, Dec. 15:

Bagged leaf drop-off will be offered city-wide on Saturdays (with the exception of Nov. 24) at 23 designated locations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the duration of the program. Bagged leaves set out for pickup will be collected as trash. Leaf drop-off locations in West Philadelphia are the following:  Continue Reading

A lot of little (and not-so-little) ghosts, ghouls and goblins paraded up Osage Avenue in the Spruce Hill section of West Philly yesterday for the annual Halloween Tot Parade.

As usual, the parade culminated with a party on Little Osage Avenue. Thanks to the folks on Little Osage for the hospitality. Check out more photos and a video below. Here are some photos from Tot Parades in years past.  Continue Reading

The 2018-2019 school year for Philadelphia public schools began on August 27th, about a week earlier than in the previous several years. Do you think it was a good decision? Currently, the School District of Philadelphia is preparing the academic calendar for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years and is asking for feedback from families and staff that will help guide the District’s decision making when finalizing the new calendar.

The short four-question survey asks readers to rank, in order of importance, the various factors that come into play when deciding when to start and end school, how religious holidays and professional development are accounted for, testing dates and other concerns for both students and educators.

The survey will be available to the public until November 6. Anyone interested in participating can find it here.

The new calendar is expected to be finalized be the end of December.