The Spruce Hill Zoning Committee will be meeting Thursday, Oct. 13 to take up three RCO cases, and community members are invited to participate in the meeting. Additionally, revised drawings for a proposed apartment building at 4043 Baltimore Avenue will be reviewed (this project is currently in the “talking stage” and no zoning has been applied for).

The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the cases heard will be:

• 4407 Pine Street – currently zoned for two units, application seeks four units

• 4301-4303 Baltimore Avenue – application for lot adjustment to create one lot out of two, and for a sit down restaurant in first floor and front of the 2nd floor in 4303. 4301 Baltimore Avenue is currently occupied by Clarkville bar and restaurant.

• 4323-31 Spruce Street – application for a take out restaurant (bakery).  Continue Reading

On Saturday, Oct. 15, neighbors have a chance to make a difference in the life of a child and a public school community. An adults-only party — with cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a silent auction — in support of Samuel Powel Elementary, a high-performing public school in Powelton Village, will be held at the Indigo Bleu Design & Culture Center (3870 Lancaster Ave), from 6 – 10 p.m.

Proceeds from the party will help fund essential programs at Powel including Playworks, a recess-based, community-building program that benefits 300 students at the school.

You can help (and have fun, too!) by attending or sponsoring this fantastic event. Tickets are $35 online in advance. The Guest Emcee list includes Councilwoman Helen Gym, State Rep. James Roebuck, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and Sheriff Jewell Williams.  Continue Reading

UPDATE: After publishing this post we received information that another Woodland Avenue business, Lil’ Pop Shop, located at 46th and Woodland, has also been recently tagged (see photo below). Here’s what Lil’ Pop Shop owner, Jeanne Chang, writes: “Our window on Woodland Ave was also tagged… Our cameras didn’t pick anything up, unfortunately, but it looks like the same color and writing.”

Even neophyte taggers know the ultimate rule: Don’t write over someone else’s work.

Apparently three amateurs either didn’t get that memo or didn’t care when they tagged a new YOMI mural commissioned and painted on the front of Philly Homebrew Outlet’s storefront near 47th and Woodland. The upside is that these geniuses were caught on video early Friday morning. So a little public shaming is in order.

In a YouTube video entitled “47th St Scum Vandals Taggers Caught On Camera,” two taggers are clearly seen from a couple of different angles defacing the mural.  Continue Reading

There are only two days left for Pennsylvanians to register to vote in the Nov. 8 general election. Those who haven’t registered yet can do it online or at a PennDot center through Tuesday, Oct. 11. Here are some important links:

• Register to vote online. You can also submit a completed application to your county voter registration office, either by mail or in-person. If you are mailing the application, it must be postmarked by Oct. 11.

• If you’re not sure whether you’re registered to vote you can check your voter registration status here.

• Deadline to apply for an absentee ballot is Nov. 1.

After several years’ hiatus, The Neighborhood to Neighborhood (N2N) street festival is returning to 50th and Baltimore. An all-day event, which has featured stars like Macey Gray, Chrissette Michele and Robin Thicke, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 8, 12 – 8 p.m. This year, rapper Common will be headlining the festival, which will also feature live performances by national and local recording artists, including West Philly rapper Chill Moody. There will also be free food, vendors, a 76er’s Kids Zone, and tents with community resources.

The festivities will be held from 49th to 51st Streets and from Willows to Catharine. Check out the festival schedule here.

The festival is presented by State Sen. Anthony Williams, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, and Black Women in Sport Foundation (BWSF). The event is free and open to the public.

The festival began in 1989 as a barbeque, but was halted after 2010 due to budget cuts. Check out this story by Philly.com on the festival and its history.

Black Hound Clay Studio has recently opened near 50th and Baltimore and on Saturday, Oct. 15 all are invited to a Grand Opening Party. This is an opportunity to tour the studio and have fun – play pin the handle on the mug, drink some beer and eat s’mores toasted on the studio’s firepits.

The opening celebration begins at 5 and will be held on the studio’s large patio. It will also include live music by The West Philly Foot Tappers (starts at 8 p.m.). Suggested donation is $5 per person, and children are also welcome. You can find more information and RSVP on the event’s Facebook page.

West Philly clay artist Bethany Rusen is behind the studio, which offers classes and workshops, co-working space for ceramic artists and events throughout the year. The studio occupies a part of the spacious, former warehouse building at 711 South 50th Street (the other half is occupied by The Green Tambourine music studio). For more information, visit: www.blackhoundclay.com. (Photos courtesy of Black Hound Clay Studio)