A crew from University City District is installing a “parklet” on 44th Street in front of Honest Tom’s Tacos and Lil’ Pop Shop. This is the second parklet in the University City area. The first parklet was installed last summer at the corner of 43rd and Baltimore in front of Green Line Cafe and returned this summer.

A parklet gives people a chance to sit and enjoy life in a space previously used by parked cars. The parklet at 43rd and Baltimore was removed last November, but this year UCD is exploring options to keep parklets warm during the cold months, Naked Philly reports.

Lucy, a brindle pitbull/boxer mix, is missing from 47th and Chester Avenue. According to flyers distributed in the neighborhood, she is a service dog and is pregnant. Please call 267-242-0664 with any information.

iPRAXIS, a nonprofit located in the University City Science Center, is currently recruiting volunteer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) experts to work at their partner middle schools. Volunteers expose students to the STEM disciplines and increase their excitement for, and understanding of, science.

Different types of volunteering opportunities are available, including science fair presenters and project mentors and afterschool mentors. Mentoring begins as early as September 14 and the schools located in West Philadelphia are Belmont Charter at 4030 Brown Street, Martha Washington at 44th and Aspen, and Lea at 47th and Locust.

iPRAXIS volunteers range from students from the region’s universities to PGW engineers to CEO’s and leading surgeons. Click here to learn more about iPRAXIS and its impact over the years.

If you are interested in volunteering with iPRAXIS, please visit www.ipraxis.org and fill out a registration form. If you have questions, please call Meagan Hopkins-Doerr, Program Director at 215-966-6253 or email: Meagan@ipraxis.org.

Update (8 p.m.): Rafy’s dad contacted us in the evening with great news – Rafy was found. We have removed the missing person flyer from this post.

Rafael de Luna III is was asking for public help in locating his son, Rafy de Luna IV. Rafy lives on the 1200 Block of S. 46th Street and went missing on Sunday. He was last seen around noon.

The de Luna family own Guacamole Mex-Grill restaurant at 46th and Woodland and Rafy would often work the register at the restaurant with his uncle. Rafael de Luna III said that many of their patrons would recognize him.

Two Salt and Pepper Deli workers, a 44-year-old man and a 41-year-old man, were attacked Sunday night at about 1 a.m. near their home on the 1100 block of S. 47th Street, according to police. The men had just finished working and were walking home to their apartment building when three males wearing all dark clothing stopped them as they entered the building. One of the attackers was armed with a machete while another male was armed with a handgun.

The attackers forced the victims into the apartment where one of the victims lives. The third robber handcuffed both victims when they got inside the apartment. The attackers took $800 from the 44-year-old man (his pay from work) and his Apple Macbook Laptop. After the robbers finished searching the apartment, they uncuffed both of the victims and fled. There were no injuries reported. All three suspects were wearing black masks and gloves.

CBS reports that one of the victims is Narom Uon, a cook at the Salt and Pepper Deli and his two daughters, a 10-year-old and a 13-year-old were witnesses to the home invasion. Reportedly, they were told to sit in the living room while the robbers were searching their apartment. Uon was interviewed on the local CBS station.

Dylan Moore, a neighbor and an amateur photographer, has dozens of great photos from last week’s Dollar Stroll. Here are a few of them. To see more photos, please visit Dylan’s Flickr page.