Laura Rubenstein and her fourth-grade classmates at Anne Frank School use Skype to chat with Astronaut Tim and learn about space. Lindsay Lazarski/NewsWorks

At first, Astronaut Tim is little more than a floating head appearing on a computer monitor.

“So, I’m here, in the International Space Station,” he says.

A class of fourth-graders at Anne Frank Elementary School in Bustleton were talking with Astronaut Tim via Skype. When he backs away from his webcam, he appears to be floating in midair, kicking his legs beneath him.

Every time, it’s a “wow” moment.

Astronaut Tim, aka Tim Belknap, is not really an astronaut, and he’s not really in space. He’s in the Tyler School of Art gallery at Temple University. The artist, who specializes in kinetic sculpture, built a mock space pod without a fourth wall. A steel armature suspends his 240-pound frame, held aloft by cables hooked into a customized harness he wears under a jumpsuit. continue reading »

Klein JCC's Lisa Sandler accepts a citation from Seth Kaplan, chief of staff for Rep. Kevin Boyle. Photo/Klein JCC

Brothers Brendan, D-170th, and Kevin Boyle, D-172nd, have had a busy week in the Pennsylvania House. Amid the daily goings-on, they separately recognized a deceased Navy SEAL and a local meal delivery program.

Monday, Brendan Boyle authored a resolution that was passed by the House to honor fallen Navy SEAL Michael Strange. Strange, a Northeast resident, died in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan in August.

“[Strange] was a dedicated and valiant soldier who remains one of the City of Philadelphia’s hometown heroes,” Boyle said.  continue reading »

Capt. Joseph Zaffino of the 7th Police District issued a burglary notice Wednesday for residents on the 9800-block of Cowden Street and surrounding blocks in Bustleton.

“Be advised that there was a burglary on the 9800-block of Cowden Street during this past weekend. From talking to a witness, there was a 6-foot tall, white male — dark, short leather jacket, a hoodie sweat jacket, with the hoodie over his head — seen in the area just prior to the burglary.

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Norman and Colleen Millan help to fill the pantry at the Klein JCC in Bustleton in October 2010. Photo by Tom Rowan Jr.

Walmart is spending 12 days giving away money to nonprofits around the nation. Of the 12 organizations sharing the $120,000 in funding announced Thursday, two are based in Philadelphia (and happen to be the only two in the state to receive funding in the 11th day of giveaways), and one of them is in our own backyard.

Klein JCC of Bustleton was awarded $10,000 in Walmart’s “12 Days of Giving” Facebook campaign. Nonprofits that provide food, shelter, clothes, financial aid and a welcoming environment to their communities applied for the $10,000 grants, which were then reviewed by a Walmart Foundation panel.

“Klein JCC is proud to be one of only 12 agencies chosen to receive the Walmart 12 Days of Giving Award,” the organization’s CEO and President Andrew Krug said. continue reading »

Q: The buyers of my home in Bustleton were supposed to make settlement today; however, their mortgage company says they cannot do it until Friday. I took off today and I can’t take another day off to do this. I am worried that it’s not going to happen at all. Is there a way to make them do it today?

A: The seller in every real estate transaction hopes to make it to settlement on the day promised, and that the mortgage company and the buyers have been submitting the paperwork necessary to close the loan on time. But sometimes, and with some buyers or lenders, it just doesn’t work out that way. continue reading »

Authorities are still looking for the driver who hit a pedestrian last night in Bustleton.

A woman was struck by a car around 5 p.m. on the 9900-block of Bustleton Avenue near Norwalk Road, and the driver took off. The woman is expected to recover, but a description of the car that hit her hasn’t been released.

A woman and child were taken to the hospital Thursday afternoon when their SUV crashed through the Maternity BVM school building in Bustleton.

Around 3:30 p.m., after school had let out for the day, the female driver lost control of the vehicle, which can be seen here penetrating a wall. It’s not clear what caused the crash, but the injuries appeared to be minor.

The FBI and police in the 7th District are searching for two men wanted for a Bustleton bank robbery in August. The suspects are believed to be the same two who robbed a Flourtown bank four days later.

On Aug. 20, the armed suspects demanded money from a teller at the TD Bank branch at 9996 Haldeman Ave. The teller cooperated and the suspects fled.

They are described as follows: continue reading »

Capt. Joseph Zaffino of the 7th District issued a burglary alert yesterday in response to an uptick in certain parts of the district:

“7th District residents be alert for a number of burglaries occurring in a concentrated area our of district.

The blocks include the 9200-block of Old Bustleton Avenue, 1900 Nester Place, 9100 Bickley Street and 9200 Masland Street. continue reading »

Kathy Fagan teaches literacy to non-native English speakers at Bustleton Library. Photo by Kirsten Stamn.

“Alright class, now which of these has food and which of these has actions?”

Kathy Fagan pointed to two words on the chalkboard in front of her: “ingredients” and “instructions”. For that day’s lesson, her small class of eight students discussed the concept of a recipe in their makeshift classroom in the basement of the Bustleton Library. In front of her was a table with an assortment of food-related items, ranging from olive oil to spices to dishes, objects to be used for a hands-on cooking demo at the end of class.

As a volunteer teacher working with The Center for Literacy, the nation’s largest nonprofit community-based literacy program, she has helped non-English speakers with their language barriers for about four years.

Read the rest of this story on our partner site, Philadelphia Neighborhoods.