A series of free health-minded events is scheduled in various locations around West Philadelphia from Oct. 1 through mid-November as part of “Health Awareness Season” sponsored by State Sen. Anthony H. Williams.

“A healthy lifestyle is something we can all strive toward, whether we resolve to make better food choices, exercise more or maintain regular check-ups with our physician. We don’t have to make huge changes, but even little lifestyle improvements make a major difference,” Williams said. “These events will help folks learn new forms of exercise while having fun, all for free.”

Registration is not required and there will be free giveaways at the events while supplies last. Here are the details:

– Learn what it takes to keep a body fit with a personal trainer, who will be available from 7 to 8 p.m. every Monday from Oct. 1 to Nov. 5 at Sayre Morris Recreation Center, 5835 Spruce St.

– Have fun and get the blood moving with great music and line dancing from 6 to 7 p.m. every Wednesday from Oct. 3 to Nov. 7 at SOCCA, Turner School, 5900 Baltimore Ave.

– Discover the Latin dance-inspired, calorie-burning workout Zumba from 6 to 7 p.m. every Thursday from Oct. 4 to Nov. 1 at Kingsessing Recreational Center, 4901 Kingsessing Ave.

For more information on these events, call Desaree Jones at 215-492-2980 or e-mail djones@pasenate.com.

A neighbor and West Philly Local reader, Brendan, emailed us that his apartment on the 4400 block of Baltimore Ave was broken into and robbed last week, on Thursday, Sept.  27. Brendan says that the burglar(s) got away with his wife’s new Schwinn Sporterra (2012) bike. It’s a size 52 black bike with white writing on it. They also got off with an old Playstation 2.

Brendan says that he and his wife are not very well off people by any stretch and that their apartment is mostly full of things of sentimental value. “The bike is what really broke my heart…because I just bought it for my wife this past summer after saving up and sacrificing a lot to give my wife a new bike… We’ve lived in this apartment for 7 years and have never felt insecure. We love this neighborhood and can not stand the idea that we were so brazenly violated like this in a community that we love so much,” Brendan writes.

Police suspect that juveniles might have been involved in this robbery based on what they stole and some other details.

This incident taught Brendan a couple of things about how to protect yourself in case your apartment gets burglarized – to get renter’s insurance and to write down your bike’s serial number.

Tangle Movement Arts was back with their “tinycircus” at the Go West! Craft Fest yesterday at The Woodlands cemetery. This saucy performance on the silks was a particular hit with the kids in attendance.

Photo by reader Clara Flores.

This cat was spotted in Clark Park “A” (43rd and Baltimore) on Friday afternoon and near the park,  on Saturday morning. It had a flea collar and, according to a neighbor who lives nearby, it’s been hanging around the area for the last few days.

More parklets are popping out around the University City area. Just recently, the University City District installed one on 44th Street between Spruce and Locust. A third parklet, although a little smaller (with just three tables), has emerged right next to recently opened Ramen Bar (4040 Locust Street).

Students protest school closures last year (photo courtesy of the Unionresourcecenter.com)

Residents are invited to weigh in this Saturday on the School District of Philadelphia’s cost-cutting measures that will likely include dozens of school closures.

The School Reform Commission meeting on the District’s Facilities Master Plan at West Philadelphia High School (4901 Chestnut St.) will run from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Residents will hear about the District’s plan to shutter up to 60 schools over the next few years to close a budget gap that could balloon to more than $1 billion.

Enrollment in the District has dropped 21 percent since 2003, leaving classrooms at many schools far below capacity. Enrollment in charter schools increased dramatically during that time span, taking students out of District-run facilities. In a report released last month, the Boston Consulting Group estimated that the District could close 40 to 50 schools by next year and another 15 or 20 over the next five years. District officials estimate that the closures could save as much as $35 million a year. The SRC is expected to announce next month which schools could be closed next year.

Closure decisions will be based on the condition of the school, its current capacity and the academic performance of its students.

Proposed closures will likely have a profound impact on schools in West Philly. Last year Drew Elementary near 38th and Powelton closed and its students were spread among other West Philly schools. The grade configuration at Alexander Wilson School, which the District has deemed is under-enrolled, will change from K-6 to K-5. The closure and changes have placed more pressure on other schools, including the Henry C. Lea (4700 Locust St.), Alaine Locke (4550 Haverford Ave.) and Samuel Powel (301 N. 36th St.) Schools. Enrollment issues are also a prime concern at Penn Alexander School (4209 Spruce St.).

But Saturday’s meeting is about more than just school closures. The District is also looking for resident input on a host of issues that will arise when schools start closing. Those range from getting rid of middle schools and making K-8 the only option to changing the way students are assigned to elementary schools. To record resident input at past meetings, the SRC has distributed devices that attendees click in response to a variety of questions.

For example, one question is:

“On a scale of 1 to 9, how important is it for 3rd graders to be able to walk to school?

Meeting participants can respond by pushing the appropriate button on the device. Click here for the full list of questions. Benjamin Herold from The Notebook and WHYY’s NewsWorks has a great story on the meetings earlier this week here.