Monday, August 4th, 2008

A message from the Philadelphia Mural Arts Program:

Join us for National Night Out as we help the Ford Police Athletic League (PAL) Center prepare for the installation of a new mural! Sponsored by Target of South Philly, Philadelphia Town Watch Integrated Services, the Police Athletic League of Philadelphia, the City of Philadelphia Department of Recreation, the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, and After School Activities Partnerships (ASAP). With food and entertainment, this free event promises to be fun for the whole family. For more information please contact, Town Watch Integrated Services: Art Potts at 215.686.1454 or the Mural Arts Program: Anne Harrison, AVRP Coordinator, at 267.975.4001.

This volunteer painting event will be taking place from 5-8 pm on Tuesday, August 5 at the Target located at 6th & Snyder Ave in South Philly.  No prior experience is needed. Just come out and have a great time!

Help be a part of Philadelphia history as the Mural Arts Program continues to beautify the city through the use of public art.

Photo courtesy of Mural Arts Program

The historic building at 717 Chestnut Street in Center City, which housed the Union Trust Company bank in 1923 and until a few years ago was the Jack Kellmer Company jewelry store, is being transformed into the newest Philadelphia gem, a 400-seat steakhouse restaurant, according to an article on KYW1060.com.

Owners Ed Doherty and Terry White are opening the Union Trust Steak House at the location.

White:  “Your server’s going to ask you to cut directly into the center of that steak to make sure that it is prepared to your absolute liking and satisfaction.  Even though the steak will be perfectly seasoned, I am one of those chefs that believes in putting salt and pepper on the table, should you choose to use it.”

Many of the building’s original features are being kept, including the 65 foot high ceilings, but much will be new.

Photo source:  KYW1060.com.

The city will be hosting a party in Chinatown this Friday to celebrate the start of this year’s Olympic games, according to an article on KYW1060.com.

There will be two blocks shut down on 10th between Arch and Race Streets on Friday for the celebration.

“It was so obvious to do this in Chinatown and the Chinatown community has been great.  They’ve really embraced us and it’s a great way for them to promote the Chinese culture as well as their homeland hosting the biggest sporting event in the world, the Olympic games, ” Jessica Meyers, with the Philadelphia Sports Congress, said.

There will be games and food from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. The event is going to focus both on Olympic sports and on Chinese culture and tradition.

This is the last bit of olympic activity by the city, who had Drexel host the table tennis try-outs and itself hosted gymnastics and a U.S. bersus Puerto Rico boxing event.

Photo source:  Jim-Frizzell.com.

Philadelphia will host the first-ever U.S. Sports Film Festival this October, according to an article on KYW1060.com.

There will 50 films featured when the festival debuts here in Philadelphia, including the movie Invincible, the story of Vince Papale joining the Eagles. The festival would like to have the real Vince Papale on hand to talk to viewers after the movie.

The festival was slated to be in Lake Placid, New York, but according to Mary Hermant, the festival’s director, Philadelphia “welcomed the event with open arms.”

Hermant:  “Because Philadelphia is such a great sports city, it just convinced us that this would be the best place to put this. And we’re really excited.”

The festival will run from October 23rd through the 26th. For more information, check out the festival’s website at www.lpsportsfilmfest.com.

Photo source:  http://www.lpsportsfilmfest.com/.

Gas prices have fallen this week according to AAA Mid-Atlantic figures in an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The average price of regular unleaded in the five county Philadelphia area is now $3.93, 3 cents low than last week.

The national average has also fallen 2 cents to $3.88 and South Jersey’s average is down to $3.73.

AAA expects the national average price to drop to about $3.75 a gallon before Labor Day as long as the price of crude oil remains around or below $125 per barrel. It is currently at $124.16 per barrel.

“Although gas prices are down, AAA expects motorists will still remain cautious with fuel consumption and driving habits until prices decrease even more significantly,” Catherine L. Rossi, public and government affairs manager of AAA Mid-Atlantic, said in a statement in the Inquirer.

Photo source:  ABCNews.com.