Update (Apr 17): The pre-sale deadline has been extended until Friday, Apr 19 and orders can be picked up at  PIC (4205 Spruce St) during sale days on May 3 and 4.

Thursday, Apr 4: The annual Parent Infant Center (PIC) plant sale is back and better than ever! There is an enormous selection of annuals, perennials, herbs, veggies, hanging baskets, and more, all supplied by local growers, so it’s a great chance to help West Philly go greener this spring and also support PIC that has been in the neighborhood for 35 years. Every penny raised from the sale will go to the PIC Scholarship Fund, established in 1986 so that more neighborhood families could afford high-quality child care.

The success of this event depends on pre-sales that are going on right now. Orders can be placed online at picplantsale.org.

If you would like to learn more about the sale and what it supports, visit www.parentinfantcenter.org or email rcrossot@parentinfantcenter.org.

Congressman Chaka Fattah is hosting an informal meet and greet for local residents on Friday, Apr. 19, at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th & Baltimore). Rep. Fattah will share his work in Congress and provide information about how you can get assistance from his office with federal related issues, including social security, IRS, immigration, Veteran Administration, and others. Staffers will also be on site to answer your questions.

Rep. Fattah is one of the longest serving representatives, beginning his work for Pennsylvania’s 2nd Congressional District in 1995.

For more information please contact Algernong Allen III at 267-934-5551.

Coffee & Chat with Congressman Chaka Fattah
Friday, Apr. 19, 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Calvary Center for Culture and Community
815 S. 48th Street

West Philly Runners are joining running clubs around the city tomorrow (Thursday, Apr. 18) for a run to honor those impacted by the tragedy in Boston.

Anyone interested in joining the run should meet at the West Philly Runners usual starting spot at 45th and Locust at 7 p.m. The run will proceed to City Hall where runners from different clubs around the city will meet up and run for a little while together.

Runners who do not typically run as part of a group are also encouraged to join in and invite friends who might be interested.

The run is “meant to be a show of strength and unity for our community,” according to the West Philly Runners website.
 

Update (April 17, 11:36 a.m.): We have received information that the other dog, which was taken to ACCT Philly, was euthanized due to injuries suffered in the shooting.

Update (8:13 p.m.): Police responded to a report of vicious dogs. One was shot and killed on the scene, police said. The other has been taken to the animal shelter on West Hunting Park Ave.

8:00 p.m.: Police reportedly shot two dogs on 48th Street between Pine and Osage. A reader who lives across the street reported hearing two loud pops just before 7 p.m. and then saw two dogs lying on the street surrounded by several police officers.

“I heard two pops and saw the direction of where people were looking. I went to the window and saw two dogs down. One not moving and the other wounded and moving only the head area. Six cop cars were already there so it is safe to assume that they may have shot the dogs. Cops have streets blocked off. The other dog’s movements have almost stopped. Dogs have no leashes nor do I see a visible owner or owners of the dogs.”

By the time we got to the scene (around 8 p.m.) the police were gone and the street was cleared.

If you happen to walk by the Baltimore Pet Shoppe window and see a pair of cute beady eyes looking at you, don’t be surprised; the store that has always helped our feline friends find homes is now hosting adoptions of small animals. In addition to cat adoptions, Baltimore Pet Shoppe will occasionally have hamsters, guinea pigs, and rabbits available for adoption.

Currently, there are a pair of hamsters waiting to go to their new homes, so stop by the shop to meet them. Check out the Baltimore Pet Shoppe website or Facebook page for more information.

Little critters like Strawberry, a female calico guinea pig that got adopted the day she arrived, are available for adoption through ACCT Philly. You can meet them at Baltimore Pet Shoppe.

Rep. Roebuck presents Ms. Hills (center) with a citation. She is joined by granddaughter Bridgette Jones, and neighbors Joan Spellman and Angela Shomate (left to right). Shomate said: “[Rosetta] told me she was here so long because God has a plan for her and she hasn’t did it yet.”

When Rosetta Hills moved here from Georgia in 1951, Philadelphia was a flashy destination. The Eagles were coming off two straight league championships. The city hit a peak population of 2.07 million people, placing behind only New York and Chicago. A few years earlier a young man named John Coltrane made a similar journey from North Carolina to North Philly.

Ms. Hills celebrated her 100^th birthday with a warmhearted party Friday afternoon at Renaissance Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center near 47th and Chester, where she has stayed since January. She was joined by her family and friends, as well as workers and residents of the center.

Ms. Hills with granddaughter Bridgette and great granddaughter, Tavonna Jones.

“She’s 100 years old and feisty as ever,” said her granddaughter, Bridgette Jones, who traveled from North Carolina to celebrate. “She said the reason why she’s still here is because she speaks her mind and don’t hold nothing in.”

Ms. Hills received a citation from State Representative James R. Roebuck, recognizing “the momentous occasion of her 100th birthday” and contribution to “the enrichment and betterment of succeeding generations.” The Georgia native, who moved to Philadelphia with her husband to look for work, was visibly teary-eyed and seemed overwhelmed with joy. She was also presented with a decorative “Happy 100th Birthday” cake.

“I speak it. I can’t hold it,” echoed Ms. Hills, a long-time resident of South Philadelphia. “If I have something to say, I’m gonna say it and it comes from the heart.”

– Annamarya Scaccia