Zora checking out a playground in Manyunk. (Photo from ZoraPlays.com).

Last April we wrote about a West Philly girl, Zora, and her dad Michael Froehlich’s awesome project, Zora Plays (“Zora plays and we all get a lesson on West Philly playgrounds“). Michael and his daughter, now 3, visited 31 West Philly playgrounds every day last January and documented them all – they made playground equipment photos, sketches and maps and posted them on their website (zoraplays.com).

We have to admit that we haven’t followed this project for a while and were amazed to learn that Zora has recently completed her West Philly playground quest and even started venturing outside of the area. As of today, Zora and Michael have visited and documented 89 playgrounds in West Philly and beyond (here’s a direct link to the map of the playgrounds).

What can we say? Keep playing, Zora!

The Minor Threats with their State Championship trophies.

About a month and a half ago we wrote about a local chess club, The Minor Threats, comprised of 2nd-6th graders from four schools in West and Southwest Philly. The kids and their coach, Jason Bui, have been facing the challenge of  raising $5,000 this spring to travel to and compete at the state and national chess championships.

The club was able to raise enough money to make it to the state championships in Carlisle, Penn., in March and did great there! The team picked up a total of seven trophies (three team trophies and four individual ones). More donations are needed for the team’s expenses at the SuperNationals in Nashville, Tenn., next month (about $2,500), but, luckily, a potential donor has offered to match all of the donations that go to the club’s GoFundMe project this week up to $1,000. This is a great opportunity to help the young players and make their dream of competing at the national level come true.

To donate, please follow this link: www.gofundme.com/Minor-Threats-Chess-Club

A man who was reportedly released on parole was shot in both legs at around 6:30 p.m. last night on the 4900 block of Catharine Street, about 20 feet from the Cedar Park playground.

Police showed up soon after shooting was reported, but couldn’t find any victims. Later they found the 32-year-old man at Temple University hospital where he had been dropped off, according to GunCrisis.org. The victim is listed in stable condition. A house near where the man was shot has been associated with criminal activity, according to a neighbor. Apparently, it was a shootout between two people.

GunCrisis.org reports that the shooting was one of at least a half-dozen across the city last night.

Some residents near the corner of St. Bernard and Springfield are reporting that they heard between four and six gunshots and screaming just before 3 a.m. this morning outside of the African Cultural Center, which has been criticized in the past for late-night parties. They witnessed a lot of people running away from the center’s entrance, towards their cars to leave. Several police cars later arrived. At this point it’s not known if any arrests were made or if anyone was injured.

Several residents worked last year to bring attention to late-night events at the cultural center, which in recent years has been rented out by the owners for cover-charge events that typically run into the early morning hours. The problem is that the center, which also occasionally hosts wedding receptions and other events, is in a residential area.

– Mike Lyons

A late-night robbery spree this week led to two arrests, according to police. Three robberies – at 46th and Chester, 45th and Larchwood, and 42nd and Osage – happened within 15-20 minutes from one another, beginning around 11:55 p.m. on Tuesday, March 12 and going into early Wednesday. The Osage and Larchwood Avenue robberies were at a gunpoint, said Joseph Murray of the Southwest Detectives (@PPDJoeMurray).

That same night, the 18th district police arrested two suspects they believe were involved in these incidents. One of the arrested men is suspected in the Chester and Osage Avenue robberies.

Here’s a chance to learn a lot about the quality soil – especially if you plan to grow something in it. The Soil Kitchen will be open in Clark Park this Saturday and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. Urban soil is often full of contaminants like mercury, cadmium and lead, so if you want to have it tested and see if it’s safe to use, bring a plastic bag of dried and homogenized soil (with as few stones as possible). The University of Pennsylvania Department of Earth and Environmental Science’s mobile lab will be on site to do the soil testing. The results will be provided for free and can be location-anonymous. You can also learn strategies for dealing with gardening on contaminated soil at this event.

NOTE: if it rains tomorrow, the event will be held at the lobby of Hill College House at the University of Pennsylvania (3333 Walnut St).

For more information visit the Soil Kitchen 2013 website. And here are soil sampling instructions… in comic strip form:

Mariposa celebrates a year in its new home next week.

Our friends over at Mariposa Food Co-op have had a fantastic year since they moved to their new location at 4824 Baltimore Ave last spring and to mark the first anniversary of the move the store is planning a full week of celebration that begins this Saturday, March 16 (March 17 is the actual anniversary).

Here are some things that the store is planning and inviting residents to check out:

– In-store product sampling and special sales all week

– PARTY on Sunday, March 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. There will be food, entertainment, raffles, and fundraising for a food justice and anti-racism library.

– Mariposa is also recruiting new members. If you are a member, each time you refer a new member your name will be entered in a drawing at the anniversary party on Sunday. Prizes include gift baskets, food and health and beauty products.

The inside of the new Mariposa location back when was all still just an idea.

It has already been a year since Mariposa opened at the new location. Here’s a quick look at how it got there:

• When it was all just a dream.
• A peak inside before renovations began.
• Mayor Michael Nutter stops by to celebrate before the renovations officially get under way.
• A video that gives sneak peak inside the store in March, a couple of days before the grand opening.