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PHILADELPHIA
www.metro.us Monday, April 22, 2013
False alarm
Bomb threat closes Independence Visitor Center
NEWS
Advocates unfurled a blocks-long petition calling for better working standards at the airport. / RIKARD LARMA
Leaders urge PHL to share the wealth By the numbers
15,000 About 600 volunteers started planting the first wave of trees, about 15,000 this year, on 23 acres at the Flight 93 memorial in Shanksville, Pa. The spot is dedicated to the 40 passengers and crew who fought back against terrorists who hijacked control of the plane on 9/11. More than 150,000 trees are to be planted at the site.
Shut out. The city requires employees of city contractors to be paid a living wage. Many airport workers aren’t paid that amount. Thousands representing interfaith coalition POWER gathered with city officials yesterday at Deliverance Evangelistic Church to fight for living wages for employees of the Philadelphia Inter-
national Airport, where many passenger services jobs are outsourced to lowbid subcontractors. “We believe that the city of Philadelphia must stop promoting policies that favor the wealthy and start favoring the poor and disadvantaged,” Rabbi Linda Holtzman said. City Council in 2005 passed an ordinance guaranteeing a living wage for employees of city contractors, but airport concession workers have been inexplicably left out. “My oldest kid wants to go to college,” said wheelchair attendant Tara Russell,
Quoted
“City Council and the mayor have until June 30 to come to a lease agreement. Elected officials have the option to put our policies in their agreement or continue business as usual.” REV. CEAN JAMES who makes $7.25 an hour. “Right now I’m not in a position to help him meet his dreams.” A proposed contract between the city and US Airways, the airport’s largest carrier, provides for $734 million in new capital investments. POWER urged
city officials to share the wealth, mandating a first -source hiring preference, employer training fund, and minimum of $10.88 per hour in wages.
ALEX WIGGLESWORTH awigglesworth@metro.us
Closure. Parishioners hope to save Latino church from sale
Crime
A 15-year-old boy is in critical condition after he was shot in the chest yesterday in East Germantown, police said.
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Jasmine Cornejo, 2, and her mother protest at La Milagrosa. CHARLES MOSTOLLER
The community of La Milagrosa hope that awareness and funds could help save their 100-year-old Spring Garden church slated for closure. It’s allegedly is owned by a group in Spain, but the Archdiocese of Philadelphia runs it. However, some claim the diocese isn’t doing all
it could. “It’s all smoke in mirrors,” said Maria Miranda, a parishioner since 1978. “Our voice has never been taken into consideration.” Nearly 200 protested outside the church Sunday. Miguel Ortiz, organizer, called it “very emotional.” CHRISTINA PACIOLLA
Fears of a bomb at the Independence Visitor Center yesterday afternoon at Independence Mall West emptied the building for more than hour, police said. A man dressed in military fatigues pushing a cart was taken in for questioning. The site, located at Sixth and Market streets, was closed just after noon and reopened around 1:30 p.m. The bomb squad searched the building before deeming it safe, allowing patrons to return. METRO Accident
Woman, 62, hit by two cars A woman, 62, was hit by two cars early Sunday in Wynnefield and one driver ran, reports say. The woman, who was struck around midnight on City Avenue, is in stable condition at The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, reports say. The driver of the first car is at large. METRO
Counterfeit
Two play with fake money at Sands Casino Two people, who allegedly played table games at the Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem Friday night with fake $50 bills, were charged with forgery, reports say. Eduardo Sicard Martinez and Yadira Torres, both 36, worked together to try and gamble with counterfeit money, reports say. The two were charged with forgery, criminal conspiracy and theft by deception. METRO