Before you contract a contractor…

Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett has announced that consumers can now contact the Attorney General’s Office to check on the registration status of any home improvement contractor in Pennsylvania by visiting http://www.attorneygeneral.gov/hiccon.aspx?id=4502 or by calling 1-888-520-6680. The Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, which requires all contractors who perform $5,000 or more in home improvements in a year to register with the attorney general’s office, went into effect July 1. The intent of the act is to protect consumers from unscrupulous contractors, to provide new protection for consumers who hire home improvement contractors and to authorize criminal penalties for home improvement fraud.

Checking with the Attorney General’s office to see if a contractor is registered is important for a few reasons:

• It shows that the contractor is complying with the law.
• It shows the contractor’s insurance information. 
• It shows whether or not a contractor has a criminal record or if there were any civil judgments (including bankruptcy) against them.

The new web site includes information for each registered contractor, including:

• Contact and insurance information;
• A description of the company;
• Information on any prior home improvement businesses;
• Names of anyone with an interest in the business;
• Any contractor licenses;
• Bankruptcy, criminal plea and conviction history;
• A map showing where the business is located;

Along with checking with the Attorney General’s office when choosing a home improvement contractor, consumers should also contact the Better Business Bureau, check the contractors’ references and obtain multiple estimates – the Attorney General’s office is not endorsing any particular contractor’s quality of work or honesty.

Got Compost?

Are you already composting, or interested in starting? Well, Philly Compost has embarked upon a project to create a map of all composters in the city. The map not only shows where compost is already happening, but is meant as a resource for those searching for a nearby place to deposit food scraps and other biodegradable materials. Their website also provides tips and links to online resources to help you on your way to start reducing your household waste stream. Everything you’ll need to start composting is right there at your fingertips!

If you are a LoMo composter, get on the map! Individual households in our neighborhood that have backyard composting bins or even vermiculture kits are encouraged to participate in the mapping project order to help quantify the combined effects of our efforts. Not only does compost provide soil with nutrients that can be reincorporated into your garden, but the act of composting also helps to reduce carbon and methane emissions in our region.

We are currently working on creating a LoMo community composting site that will be open to the public, but for now there is a private site in our neighborhood that is able to accept your compostable materials on a limited basis. Email lomophilly@gmail.com to make arrangements. If you are already composting and are willing and able to accept compost from other households in our neighborhood, please let us know! Drop us an email and we’ll be happy to help get the word out to other LoMo members, and be sure to get your site on the Philly Compost map.

Happy composting!

Bored and broke?

Well, lucky for you there’s a variety of fun & free events happening all over the city this summer!

The “Summer in the Neighborhood” events series takes place in public parks across the city all summer long, so grab a lawn chair and get out there! Click on the image to the left for dates and locations. Local participating parks include Dickinson Square (4th & Tasker), Gold Star Park (near 7th & Wharton), Cianfrani Park (7th & Fitzwater), and Schuylkill Banks (Schuylkill River path by Walnut Street).

And every last Sunday of the month, from 1 PM until sundown, the Passyunk Avenue Fountain (located at 11th & Passyunk/Tasker) is the place to be when area djs spin for your listening pleasure! The P’Yunk Business Improvement District says, “Bring your hula hoops, jump ropes, hackysacks, and sidewalk chalk.” Loiter ’til your heart’s content… or at least until sundown.

Don’t forget about the Philly Fun Guide’s weekly Funsaver discounts — Receive discounts to theater, music & dance performances, museum exhibits, comedy shows and sporting events. Offers are delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday and are available only to Funsavers subscribers. Click on the link above to register.

Biketopia!

We were honored to have Sarah Clark Stuart of the Greater Philadelphia Bicycle Coalition join us for our June 17 general meeting at the Fumo Library. The take home message: YOU can help create a Biketopia, right here in Philadelphia!

Here  are a few immediate ways to take action:

• Become a member of the Bicycle Coalition!
• Sign the online petition to complete the Schuylkill River Trail.
• Support the initiative to “Take Back MLK Drive,” which began in response to a near-fatal car crash involving a father and his 4-year old son who were struck by an automobile while bicycling on MLK Drive (aka West River Drive) on May 21 of this year. Sign the online letter to Mayor Nutter to express your desire to make this roadway safe for all users.
• Bike Freedom Valley on Father’s Day, or participate in any of the other annual events organized by the Bicycle Coalition, like Biketoberfest!
• Educate yourself! Get a bike map and learn the rules of the road. LoMo is looking into hosting a presentation in our neighborhood by one of the Bicycle Ambassadors. 

* Special thanks to our local Cara Cakes for sweetening up the evening with her amazing strawberry lemonade cupcakes! If you’re looking for baked delights for your next special occasion, look no further! This girl’s got skillz.

TreeVitalize returns

TOTAL NUMBER OF TREES PLANTED BY LOMO VOLUNTEERS TO DATE: 32

THE BENEFITS OF TREES: NUMEROUS! Read all about it here!

LoMo has its fourth community tree planting planned for this fall — further details TBA — and we are beginning the process of collecting applications for our spring 2010 planting. So if you are a property owner in our neighborhood, you may qualify for a free tree through the state-sponsored TreeVitalize program. You can download an application here or e-mail lomophilly@gmail.com to request that a paper copy be dropped off in your mailbox. The last day to submit your application is Monday, July 27, but don’t tarry! Get those applications in to us ASAP! You can contact us with any questions at the email address listed above or call 215-868-5972.

Hats off to the five LoMo members who recently graduated from the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society’s Tree Tenders course! This popular FREE program is a great way to educate yourself about the benefits of trees and the proper ways to plant and care for them in an urban environment. Here’s what our members had to say about the course:

I appreciate trees more because I realize they are not much different than we are– they eat, drink, breathe, compete, are territorial, bruise, heal, and get sick just like we do. They help us if we just care for them.

The Tree Tenders class was a fun, low-pressure way to learn the basics of tree planting, as well as how to care for the trees once they’re in the ground. The instructors were knowledgeable, funny, and they kept it interesting through all three sessions. Definitely worthwhile.

Missed the enrollment deadline for the spring Tree Tenders course? Lucky for you there’s another class coming up this fall! Click here for more details. We’re encouraging all members to consider enrolling in this program so that we’ll have plenty of knowledgeable residents in our midst and be well poised to make our neighborhood a more tree-friendly place. Registration is required for the Tree Tenders course, as space is limited. You can register online here or by calling 215-988-8844. When you register, be sure to indicate that you are a member of the “LoMo Tree Tender group.”

First meeting of the Bella Vista Food Co-op

Bella Vista Natural Foods in the Italian Market (formerly Molly’s Books) is in the process of transforming itself from a conventional retail space to a cooperative grocery. A meeting will be held Wednesday, June 10, 7 PM at the Palumbo Rec Center (10th & Fitzwater Sts.) to provide more information on this new undertaking and further details on how community members can be involved. Weaver’s Way Co-op general manager Glen Bergman and Alex Moss, a founding member of Praxis Consulting Group, will provide an overview. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Anyone interested in volunteering with flyering and organization prior to the meeting should contact Molly at bellavistafoodcoop@gmail.com or 215-923-3367.

Do plastic bags have a future in Philly?

UPDATE: Legislation introducing a plastic bag fee was unable to move through Council due to concerns about its affects on low-income shoppers. On June 10, Council’s Committee on the Environment voted unanimously to endorse a ban on plastic bags starting in 2011, however not enough members of Council supported the initiative when it was taken a full Council vote and the bill was voted down on June 18. 

Philadelphia isn’t the only city grappling with this issue. Cities across the world, including San Francisco, Bombay, as well as the nations of Australia, Ireland, Italy, South Africa, and Taiwan have either banned or taken action to discourage the use of the ubiquitous plastic bag, which many believe to have serious environmental consequences, as well as constitute a serious waste of environmental resources.

Trash Night Tips

Are your recyclables creating litter? Here are a few tips to keep those items in the bin overnight and off of our sidewalks, courtesy of our friends from the Queen Village Neighbors Association:

1. Squash those cans! Both plastic and aluminum cans can be compacted with either squeezing or  the trusty foot-stomp method. Not only are they less likely to blow away that way, but you’ll also be able to fit more recyclables in your bin.

2. Don’t top off! Creating a pyramid of plastics, glass and cans above the rim is a recipe for a sidewalk mess.

3. Don’t overstuff! Brown grocery store bags may be handy for setting out your paper items, but there is a definite splitting point, which often occurs on the sidewalk. And if there’s a chance of rain that night, your paper bag will turn to pulp and you’ll be left to clean up a soggy mess the next morning.

4. Put lightweight paper underneath heavier recyclables to prevent them from escaping. Those receipts and scraps of paper have a way of being taken down the block with a strong gust of wind. 

5. Use a plastic bin or pail or any kind– not thin plastic grocery bags. If you need a recycling bin, contact us at lomophilly@yahoo.com.

6. Consider the weather: On windy days, be creative in finding ways to secure paper and plastics. Putting glass bottles in a cardboard box is not ideal on a dry day and can be even worse on rainy days.

Where to find the freshest food

Our local Fountain Farmers Market, located by the singing fountain at Passyunk & Tasker and organized by the Farm to City program and East Passyunk Avenue Business District, is open for the season! You’ll find an incredible selection of fresh produce, honey and other delicious homemade goods every Wednesday from 3 to 7 PM beginning May 20 thru mid-October. Many restaurants and shops along the Avenue will offer special discounts on Farmers Market Wednesdays and remain open until 10 PM. All the more reason to stay and stroll along the Avenue! To sign up for a preview of what will be offered at each week’s Farmers Market and for special offers from participating Avenue merchants, click here.

Did you procrastinate and miss the deadline for signing up for a CSA share this year? Well, you’re in luck! Wimer’s Organics CSA, with a convenient local pick-up location near 13th & Passyunk, still has shares available. For more information, visit the Farm to City website or email ivonne@farmtocity.org.

Pedestrians and bicyclists: Your input is needed!

The Philadelphia Planning Commission is working on a plan to find ways to make it easier, safer and more appealing to walk and bike around the City. The study area includes Center City, North, South and Northwest Philadelphia. Your input is critical to help develop a plan that addresses the needs of people on foot and on bike in neighborhoods across the study area. Please click here for more information on the study and for the link to the brief survey.

And while you’re at it, visit www.zoningmatters.org and click on the survey link on the lower right side of the page to give the Philadelphia Zoning Code Commission some feedback on the current zoning code process!

EXCITING NEWS! The City of Philadelphia and the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia have teamed up to introduce a new “Bicycle Ambassador” program, which aims to make bicycling safer and more enjoyable in our fair city. For more information, visit: http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/resources/ambassadors.

Events around town

“Summer in the Neighborhood” Events Series
Presented by the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society
Featuring free events taking place at public parks across the city!

 Click on the image to the left for dates and locations.
 

 

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“Save the Fountain” Fundraiser
Tuesday, July 21 (raindate July 23)
Tickets are $25/person in advance and $30/person at the event
For more information, call (215) 336-1455.

Admission includes complimentary specialty cocktails and hors d’oeuvres from more than a dozen restaurants along East Passyunk Avenue. The event will be held outdoors, around the fountain in the plaza at the intersection of East Passyunk Avenue and Tasker Street. Tickets are available in advance at select retailers and restaurants along the Avenue, including Izumi, JimmyStyle and Paradiso, as well as at the BID office.

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Sound Fountain!
Sunday, June 28, 1-6pm and every last Sunday of the month during the summer
Free!

Come out and Play, as the fountain on P’Yunk becomes the “Sound Fountain”, every last Sunday of the month, during the warm weather months!
Area djs spin for your groovin pleasure during the daylight hours….1pm til sundown! Everyone welcome! Refreshments available, playground activities encouraged! (bring your hula hoops, jump ropes, hackysacks, sidewalk chalk, etc)

City Service Updates: Pools, Weekly Recycling, and 3-1-1

Keeping pools open provides the opportunity for friends and family to stay cool, get some exercise and have fun in a safe environment supervised by certified lifeguards. Together we can raise enough to keep 30 pools city-wide open for summer refreshment. Any amount you can give is appreciated. $10, $25, $50… every little bit helps! For more information about Mayor Nutter’s Splash & Summer Fund, click here. To donate to the fund, which is being administered by the United Way, click here.

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WEEKLY RECYCLING has arrived in our neighborhood! Continue to put out your recyclables on the same day that you would put out your trash– The only difference is that now you can do so EVERY week! To find out what your trash day is, what to recycle, or for more information about recycling in general, visit our Beautification page. To request a FREE blue recycling bin for your household, email lomophilly@yahoo.com.

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311 is the only number Philadelphians need to find out information or to access a Philadelphia City service. 311 can be reached via the telephone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year or via the walk-in centered located in Room 167 of City Hall during normal business hours. 311 is a free service available to anyone who needs to know more about Philadelphia, City services, or general information. 911 is still the number to use in case of emergency.

Show LoMo Some Love: Our first fundraiser!

We have some fabulous screen printed t-shirts for sale that are available in a variety of colors and sizes featuring LoMo’s humble mascot, the pigeon. Or express your love for LoMo and your concern for the environment by purchasing a sturdy canvas tote bag! Just $15 each! Email lomophilly@gmail.com to place your order.

Success at Southern!

Our Philly Spring Cleanup at Southern High School on Saturday, April 4, was a resounding success! What an inpiring day it was — Over 75 volunteers from across the city came out to our local high school to plant 14 trees, give a fresh coat of paint to the old wrought iron fence line that stretches from Snyder Avenue to Jackson Street and also pick up a lot of litter from school grounds and along Snyder Avenue. Mayor Michael Nutter stopped by in the afternoon to plant our last tree with us and say a few words, and we even were featured on Channel 6 News, KYW News Radio and the front page of the South Philly Review!

It takes a village to pull off an event of this size and we received a lot of help from many different people and organizations. We are incredibly grateful for all of the support we received from our local businesses! Special thanks goes out to City Pizza (Front & Snyder), Cosmi’s Bakery, Nuts About You, ShopRite, Stadium Pizza, Starbucks and Steak ‘Em Up for their generous donations, and also to City Year for coming out in force on the day of the event.  We couldn’t have done it without you! We are also thankful for the support of the 4th Police District and local Engine 49, who came out to water in the new trees at the end of the day. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the state-sponsored TreeVitalize program provided the trees, thanks to a generous donation from Feeney’s Nursery, and Mindy Maslin and Mike Hardy of the PHS Tree Tenders program provided expert guidance to our tree-planters on the day of the event. Fairmount Park delivered a big load of mulch for us and also lent us tools, as did UC Green! And last but not least, LoMo would like to send out a big THANK YOU! to the Philadelphia Streets Department, the Office of the Managing Director and the Mayor’s Office for organizing a tremendous event! We are already looking forward to participating in the 3rd Annual Philly Spring Cleanup!

Click on the thumbnails below to check out our photos from the event. 

   

 

Mo’ LoMo on Facebook

Now you can keep in touch with LoMo and meet new neighborhood folks on Facebook! Check us out at www.facebook.com/lomoca and send us a friend request. We promise we won’t give you the cold shoulder! We’ll be posting upcoming meetings and events on the calendar and we recently uploaded a bunch of historic photos from the neighborhood. Be sure to check them out!

Free upcoming events at our local library

Our local Fumo Family Library, located at 2437 S. Broad Street, always has a great program of free events that are open to the public.

COMING SOON!

Monday, July 13, 2-5 PM – LEGO Mindstorms Robotics Workshop

Build and program your very own robot! This FREE workshop for 6th through 12th graders is presented by students of the University of Pennsylvania. Space is limited, so register early by calling the Fumo Family Branch at (215) 685-1758
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Thursday, July 16, 12:45 PM – Mid-day Italian Film Festival screening of “Days and Clouds” (Giorni e nuvole, 2007, dir. Silvio Soldini)

A wealthy, sophisticated couple struggles to stay together in the midst of financial troubles. Click here to watch a film trailer.