Update (6/14): The cat has been found and returned to his home.

A male grey and white cat is missing from 48th and Kingsessing. He is mostly grey with some white on his chest and paws, neutered and larger than average. He answers to Brewster. He was last seen at 46th and Regent with an injured front leg.

If you’ve seen Brewster, please call Mike at 215 758 7506.

The Southwest Detectives Division encourage citizens to participate in their recently launched anti-burglary program Operation ID. Currently the program is piloting in West Philly (12th, 16th, 18th, and 19th Districts) and is coming soon to the entire city. The program has existed in other cities for decades. Here is the national site.

The program participants receive specially coded labels to tag their valuable items that the police could trace back to them in case they get stolen. Police say that thieves and burglars are “less likely to steal an item that can be positively identified and that will be difficult to sell.” The labels will also aid in locating owners of the stolen or lost property and help criminal prosecution in pursuing the case through the courts. Finally, item identification should help in recovery as stolen or lost property is more likely to be returned to the owner.

In addition to the labels, those who participate in the program receive special window stickers (pictured) to discourage burglary at your place.

OK it’s not an armed guard at your door, but every little bit of prevention is useful.

If you are interested in applying for this program, go here for more information and to download an application form or stop by your police district. NOTE: You need to be a Pennsylvania citizen to be accepted in the program.

Here is more information on the 12th, 16th, 18th and 19th District headquarters:

12th District
65th St. and Woodland Ave.
police.co_12@phila.gov
215-686-3120

16th District
39th St and Lancaster Ave.
police.co_16@phila.gov
215-686-3160

18th District
55th St and Pine St.
police.co_18@phila.gov
215-686-3180

19th District
61st St and Thompson St.
police.co_19@phila.gov
215-686-3190

This week’s featured cats are Rocco and Red. They are available for adoption through City Kitties.

Rocco and Red lost their home in a foreclosure. Their mom was desperate to find them a place where they could stay together. She contacted City Kitties and these great guys moved into foster care.

Rocco is the adventurer of the pair. He likes to be the life of the party whenever you have guests and is a frequent couch companion. Rocco is not intimidated by dogs, cats or people.

Rocco’s sister Red is a bit more shy and reserved. She likes her people, but rarely comes out to play when there are guests around. She will happily sit with people and likes quiet time. Red loves catnip, but is much less competitive in her play than her brother Rocco.

Rocco and Red are a bit of an odd couple. They will curl up on the same person, but rarely curl up with each other when there isn’t a person involved. Rocco and Red do enjoy each other’s companionship and will wrestle together with a bit of sibling rivalry.

They have been in foster care for almost six months. They are looking for home either together or separately. Rocco and Red are spayed/neutered, FIV/FeLV negative, FVRCP and rabies vaccinated, use the litterbox, and were treated for fleas and parasites as needed.

To fill out an adoption application, go here. If you have questions, please visit this page or email: arockar@gmail.com.

St. Francis de Sales is holding its Annual Fundraising Flea Market this Saturday, June 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and you can donate your items to be sold at the de Sales table. Donations will be accepted all day Friday (9 a.m. – 5 p.m.) in the de Sales School Auditorium (47th & Windsor Ave). You can bring anything except clothing and large furniture.

If you want to be a vendor at this flea market you may rent tables for $25 each. To rent a table, volunteer or get more information, call 215-222-2255.

West Philly resident Rob O’Brien passed away on June 1 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He was a long-time activist and teacher who organized a series of rallies and vigils on the Rutgers campus, where he was an instructor, in the wake of Rutgers student Tyler Clementi’s suicide. Rob died of a heart attack. He was 44.

In honor of Rob his family and friends are hosting a Pot Luck Celebration at the William Way Community Center. Please bring a dish to share with everyone. There is also a blog set up for the memorial.

The following information was submitted by Rob’s family and friends:

Rob was living at 48th and Hazel at the time of his death. He loved Dahlak, both the food and the bar. Ask anyone who’s been at the Dahlak bar in the past few months if they remember the guy with curly blue hair and all the tattoos, and you’ll probably hear from several people. He was trying to organize a community education series at Dahlak, a series of film screenings and discussions. (The first and, as it turns out, only, one of those happened on May 10th.)  He also loved Fuh Wah and knew all the staff there by name.

Robert Thomas O’Brien (born October 2, 1967) was Ph.D. Candidate at the Anthropology Department of Temple University. He was Assistant Instructor of Anthropology at Rutgers University (Jan 2007-Sept 2011), Adjunct Professor at the Department of Culture and Communications of Drexel University (Jan 2003-June 2009) and Adjunct Professor at the Department of Anthropology of Temple University (Sept. 1999-Dec. 2006).

He was the author of “Unemployment and Disposable Workers in Philadelphia: Just How Far Have the Bastards Gone?” published in 2006 in the journal Ethnos, and was the co-author, with Judith Goode, of “Whose Social Capital? How Economic Development Projects Disrupt Social Relations,” a chapter in Social Capital in the City.

Rob was a very active member of the American Anthropological Association (AAA), through the Society for the Anthropology of Work (where he was an officer of the Board), the Society for North American Anthropology, and the Committee on Labor Relations, of which he was a founding member. In 2006 he was the recipient of the Carrie Hunter-Tate Award for academic and professional service from the National Association of Student Anthropologists.

Rob was a committed, life-long activist. He spent his early 20s working for Greenpeace, first as a grassroots organizer. He later rose to the position of Co-Director. From the mid-1990s, he was involved in work, research, community service and activism around poverty, drug use and health care. He served as Executive Director and Board member of Prevention Point Philadelphia, a harm reduction/syringe exchange program. He was a co-founder of the Philadelphia County Coalition for Prison Health Care, was a member of the AIDS Treatment Activist Coalition, and was a volunteer with Catholic Worker.

Beginning in 2000, with his work with the Temple University Graduate Student’s Association – American Federation of Teachers Local #6290 – Rob became increasingly involved in academic labor issues. From 2004 to 2010, he published, along with Kerim Friedman, the blog “AAA Unite.” Through this blog he reported on the AAA’s efforts to find conference facilities in unionized venues, the boycott to Coca-Cola and its products that he helped organize, and other actions supported by the AAA Committee on Labor and other anthropology action groups.

Rob brought the same passion and commitment to his teaching, and he was very inspiring to students who pursued activism and research of their own.  At Rutgers University, Rob and his students called attention to bullying against queer youth, and organized a series of vigils and protests after the suicide of Tyler Clementi, a Rutgers student.  Rob worked intensively with upper-level undergraduates at Rutgers in classes on medical anthropology, gender and sexuality, and others; and he also supervised honors theses and independent studies. In 2011 he was the Anthropology Department nominee for the Rutgers School of Arts and Sciences Teaching Award.  In the 2010-2011 academic year he also served as a Rutgers University LGBT Liason.

At Rutgers, Rob shaped students’ thinking in critical and creative directions. Students have circulated testimonials on his email list:

“I am a former student of Rob’s and he was one of my favorite professors during undergrad,” wrote one alumnus, “His classes were part of the reason I stayed in Anthropology and much of what he said during class has stayed with me to this day.”

Another graduate summarized Rob’s impact as follows: “There is so much knowledge I have obtained because of him and so much knowledge that he helped turn into wisdom within me that I was always grateful for.”

A third student wrote: “I visited him in the hospital in the fall of 2009, and found him on his computer, trying to explain Foucault to a student via webchat. Rob went so far out of his way to help all of us, even when he was hurting terribly.”

Rob left Rutgers on a medical leave in September 2011.

Rob died of a heart attack on June 1st, 2012, at the hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. His body was donated to Science Care, and his organs to Gift of Life. He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Catherine Ann and Bob Hemmelstein, his father and step-mother, John and Carol O’Brien, his sisters, Staci Lea Bustle & Christine O’Brien Holland, and his brother, John Francis O’Brien III.

 Information contributed by Christopher Carrico, Gabriela Vargas-Cetina, Staci Bustle, David M. Hughes and Anna Melton.

Philadelphia schools are closing at 12 p.m. tomorrow due to heat and high humidity.

A School District of Philadelphia announcement reads:

“According to the National Weather Service, temperatures are expected to again soar to the upper 90’s tomorrow in Philadelphia.  The expected extreme weather coupled by the high humidity levels could create a situation in which heat illness is possible The District is taking this heat warning seriously by closing schools, which includes early childhood programs, at 12:00 p.m. tomorrow, Monday June 11, 2012. At the 12:00 p.m. dismissal time, routine transportation will occur for students.”

District-run after-school programs will also be closed. Visit www.philasd.org or call 215-400-INFO (4636) for any updates.