Mayor Michael Nutter (hat) meets Heavy Hitta's boxing coach Lonnie Haile at the 2011 Philly Spring Cleanup on Rising Sun Avenue. Also pictured on left are clean-up organizers Kathy Wersinger of 9th District Councilwoman Marian Tasco's office and Matt Taubenberger of the Rising Sun Avenue Business Association. Photo/Ian Romano

The countdown is on for the fifth annual Philly Spring Cleanup, and residents can now register to volunteer for projects in their neighborhood.

“Thousands of volunteers, hundreds of projects and millions of pounds of trash and recycling have been collected over the last four years,” Mayor Michael Nutter said in his announcement yesterday in Kensington. “We’ve accomplished a lot, but I know we can do better this year.” continue reading »

The Interfaith Hospitality Network of Philadelphia is based in the Northwest, but Executive Director Rachel Falkove hopes it can soon better meet the needs of the growing number of Northeast Philadelphians seeking its services.

Falkove was at Tuesday’s Lawncrest Community Association to explain the network. She was invited by Rev. Ben Krey of Lawncrest’s Prince of Peace Lutheran Church.

“We are not a shelter,” Falkove said. “We are a program.” But shelter is one of the services the network provides to its members. In short, congregations join together to provide a mobile network of shelter, meals and other social services to families in need. The families spend short periods of time in each congregation as they work toward getting back on their feet. continue reading »

ICEdot has arrived in Philadelphia

It’s as simple as a sticker on your car or the window of your house. The yellow sticker and accompanying brochure hold your family members’ names, emergency contact information and other personal details to assist first responders in an emergency.

The In Case of Emergency system is a free service now offered in Philadelphia that residents can register with online. continue reading »

Friday – Police are investigating the circumstances that led to a Wissinoming man being fatally stabbed inside his home. The 50-year-old was found dead around 11:30 Friday night on the 6200-block of Cottage Street. No further details have been released.

Saturday – A three-car crash left three people injured Saturday nigh in Lawncrest. continue reading »

Phil Grutmacher reviews Lawncrest's top zoning issues at the January Community Association meeting. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Last night’s Lawncrest Community Association meeting began with a word about burglaries from 2nd District Community Relations Officer Mark Mroz, ended with a $49 50/50 ticket and was interrupted by  a birthday cake for dedicated LCA member Peg Kramer.

But the meat of the meeting was zoning. With no guest speaker plan, President Bill Dolbow breezed right through the agenda and let Phil Grutzmacher take the mic to discuss zoning. Five proposals were reviewed, but the first is a site that’s been a thorn in the LCA’s side for months. continue reading »

The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will get the small screen treatment next month, and don’t be surprised if the Northeast makes an appearance.

National Geographic’s WILD channel will debut its “Philly Undercover” series Jan. 7, but tickets for a special screening Jan. 5 are on sale now.

The six-part series will go undercover with the PSPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement officers as they investigate and break up cases of animal hoarding, dog fighting and cockfighting. continue reading »

A dozen sick and dead cats were removed from a Lawndale home Tuesday night.

PSPCA officers raided a home near Lawndale Avenue and Levick Street where a couple had been keeping several cats and neighbors became concerned about the smell of feces and trash.

Some of the cats were dead and most of the living ones were sick.

Manny Citron of the Philadelphia Managing Director's Office

Things were going well at the Lawncrest Community Association meeting until Manny Citron laid out the boundaries for the city’s new PhillyRising target: LawncrestRising will comprise Tabor Avenue to Godfrey Avenue to Hasbrook Avenue to Comly Street.

More like CrescentvilleRising, if you ask the association members.

Citron is the assistant managing director for the City of Philadelphia and oversees the Northeast branch of the PhillyRising initiative, which began in Frankford.

Citron spoke for 10 minutes at Tuesday’s Lawncrest Community Association meeting before taking questions from residents, who were mostly from Lawndale. continue reading »

L to R: Jeanette Newman with son Jordan, St. William's fifth grade teacher Kathy Mcdonald, and Summer and Kenny Rivera at the annual Grove Cleanup in Lawncrest. Photo by Stephen Schultz

With Lawncrest’s Veterans Day ceremony scheduled for Friday morning, residents took to the Grove this past Saturday to beautify the area around the rec center and library.

The annual Grove Cleanup brought volunteers out on a bright, sunny day to rake leaves and pick up trash in the are off of Rising Sun Avenue. continue reading »

Munchie's Breakfast & Lunch in Lawncrest will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 31.

What used to be the Lawncrest Diner is now Munchie’s Breakfast & Lunch in Lawncrest, and the next generation of the Rising Sun Avenue diner will celebrate its grand opening Monday.

Owner Bob Convery promised Lawncrest residents fresh food, a family atmosphere and friendly, courteous service when he, brother-in-law and co-owner Mark Zawierucha, and chef Carlos Medina addressed the Lawncrest Community Association last week.

Convery, of Wissinoming took over the old diner about a month ago, and Munchie’s has been open with limited hours and a small menu since then. Come Monday, the Munchie’s menu will expand. continue reading »