Neighbors are invited to join a walk against gun violence and vigil for gun murder victims tonight, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Cedar Park section of West Philly. There will be two walk starting points – at gun homicide sites at 1100 S. Ruby Street and at the intersection of S. 52nd and Warrington Streets. The two walks will join together at Cedar Park (50th and Baltimore) in the vigil where luminaries for all gun murders to this date in Philadelphia will be lighted. There have been over 250 murders in the city this year.

The event is organized by Heeding God’s Call, a faith-based movement to prevent gun violence, and by Neighborhood Partners to End Gun Violence as part of Peace Day Philly. For more information email: info@heedinggodscall.org or call 856-371-3038.

Officers from the 18th Police District will be visiting homes and businesses in the district tonight to share information about crime prevention.

According to the PhillyPolice Blog, officers will particularly focus on the area from Baltimore Avenue to Cedar Avenue, 57th Street to 62nd Street.

The tools they will talk about include Operation Safe I.D., which was put in place to help prevent burglaries and thefts and the department’s SafeCam project, which allows residents and businesses to register security cameras with the police department.

Pit Bulls get a bad rap. Just last week on our site there were some negative comments about them after we published a post about a young Pit Bull looking for adoption. This Sunday (Sept. 23) there is an event that will try to dispel some of these myths and discuss how to help the breed. The “Punish the Deed, not the Breed” forum, organized by PACT for Animals, will be held on the University of Pennsylvania campus from noon to 7 p.m.

The forum will include screenings of the film “Beyond the Myth” at the International House (3701 Chestnut St) at approximately 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. There will also be seminars and symposiums held at Golkin Hall in the Fitts Auditorium (entrance is on Sansom Street between 34th & 36th Streets), beginning at 12:15 p.m. and continuing until 7 p.m. Tickets are available online ($25) or at the door ($35).

For more information about the forum and the event schedule, please follow this link.

Longtime resident Fran Byers (center) during the re-opening of Clark Park last year.

A piece of advice for would-be purse snatchers: Don’t mess with the lady who organizes the meet-and-greets with the police.

Plain-clothes officers nabbed two teenage purse snatchers on bikes after they grabbed a shoulder bag from longtime resident Fran Byers near 48th and Baltimore at about 2 p.m. on Monday. That’s the same Fran Byers who organizes the monthly community meeting with officers from the University City Division of the 18th Police District. In fact, she was passing out flyers for the meeting when it happened. The teenagers rammed Fran from behind then grabbed her bag, pulling it so violently that her shoulder was dislocated, according to friends.

Fran won’t be at tonight’s meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at the usual spot in the basement of the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (801 S. 48th St.) The meetings provide an opportunity for residents to share information and concerns with police about crime and neighborhood issues.

Obama on the right, Romney on the left on 45th Street. Don’t forget to register to vote. Also, don’t forget that you will need ID, so get on that. Election day is November 6.

Don’t miss the final 2012 Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll this Thursday, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. As always, there will be tons of $1 deals from local businesses and live entertainment. Check out the map below for details.

Click to enlarge.

Related Posts:

• Photos of the Dollar Stroll
• Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll returns this Thursday
• Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll dates released