The Spirit of the Riverwards - February 1, 2017 by The Spirit

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WEEK FEBRUARY 1, 2017 VOL. 14 NO. 05

LOCAL POLITICS State Rep. O’Brien named Democratic Chairman of Urban Affairs Committee. 7

SENTENCING Judge sends message on behalf of community with century-long sentences for Harrowgate gunmen. 8

RABBLE ROUSERS Local Mummers deserve credit for their inclusivity and risk taking. 11

BALDSPOT Spirit's own weekly games and comics. 10

arlier this month, a giant sinkhole engulfed two SUVs and destroyed a water main and gas lines, leaving several residents on the 2300 block of E. Boston St. without heat and running water. The dilemma was nothing new to the neighborhood and the surrounding communities. In August 2015, a smaller but still considerable sinkhole opened up at the intersection of Tulip and Huntingdon Streets. Two popped up in the span of a week back in December 2013 in Northern Liberties on the 900 block of N. Randolph Street. In order to understand why sinkholes continue to be an issue in our coverage area and throughout the city, Spirit News consulted city records and

interviewed officials and residents. The problem is complex, which is indicative of the more than 3,000 miles of pipes carrying water and sewage under Philadelphia’s streets every day. The Beginnings Two of the city’s many sewer systems, the Cohocksink and Gunner’s Run, border the Fishtown area and roughly run through parts of NorthContinued on Page 4.

ACCU-REGGIE Seven day forecast for the Riverwards. 3

COMMUNITY CALENDAR Local events, meetings and more. 12-13

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he histories of Fishtown and the Circle of Hope Church (2007 Frankford Ave.), like the histories of art and religion, seem inextricably bound. Walk into a major museum such as the Philadelphia Museum of Art and one likely won’t have much trouble finding art pieces that were commissioned by a church. Eventually, as art began to be bought and sold more and more by private collectors, the relationship between art and religion became a bit more tenuous, and at times even hostile. Therein lies the intrigue of Fishtown’s Circle of Hope congregation and its gallery. Most censorship of art has happened on moral grounds with

overt reference to traditional Anglo-Christian beliefs, while artists have responded in kind with biting criticism of their own. Despite the strained relationship between art and religion, the Circle of Hope’s gallery has every First Friday booked this year — and they have had it booked since last year. So what was it about the Circle of Hope that allowed this trend to be bucked? Attending one of their First Friday events seemed to be a good way to find out. In speaking with members of the congregation, while everyone was symContinued on Page 6.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 THE

local lens BY THOM NICKELS

ome people say that the political polarization in the country is worse now than it’s been since the American Civil War. Some even predict that the country is on the verge of another civil war. That seems a bit of a stretch, although it is true that during the Vietnam War many protesters believed that the antiwar movement was the second American Revolution. But what if the current unrest in the country does lead to a second American Civil War? How would that play out in the modern era? Granted, there wouldn’t be battles like those that were fought in Gettysburg or Vicksburg, but it’s very conceivable that each side would come up with their own flag design. Signs and symbols, after all, are important. The president’s people might construct an orange flag, which would stand in stark contrast to the flag of the Resistance: a pair of big, furry pussy ears fixed to a raised fist. The first shot of the new civil war will not be fired at Fort Sumter, but will ring out during one of the many demonstrations being held throughout the nation. Lulled into a false sense of security by the relative liberality and “ease” of the Obama years, the Resistance will have little sense of limits when it comes to protesting President Trump and the GOP, which they will happily refer to as the “Grab Our Pussies” Party. The false sense that former President Obama’s policies would last forever will mislead those in the Resistance to believe that a slap on the wrist or squirts of pepper spray will be the highest price to pay for blocking highways and traffic at rush hour. They will have forgotten about history, namely the May 4, 1970 killing of Kent State antiwar student protesters by the National Guard. The Resistance will be taken by surprise when, after months of engaging in property destruction, government building invasions and street mayhem, President Trump declares Martial Law. The Resistance’s worst fears will materialize, but only because they worked to push the protest limits into the stratosphere. One might compare this “every action has a reaction” mindset to the closing of Cione Field to the general public because of the irresponsible habits of a few dog walkers who don’t clean up after their animals. The Resistance will have created a self-fulfilling prophecy. Like Mary Shelley, who penned the novel “Frankenstein”, they will have created Dictator Trump. The Resistance will pretend to be scandalized at the turn of events, but down deep they will be happy because life for them has no purpose if one cannot resist. Driven underground, the Resistance will form collective huddles in basements and community centers. Formerly benign groups like Nuns on the Bus will be renamed Nuns with Guns and the streets of the city will become like an armed camp. At night, armies of pussy-eared feminist soldiers and their Lone Ranger masked male counterparts will scurry from one back alley to another in defiance of the new curfew laws. Federal agents will catch many of the curfew breakers, remove their knitted hats and then put the ears on the top of stakes that will line major thoroughfares. Citizens not involved in the new civil war will stay put in their houses after sundown, where they will load up on popcorn and NetFlix. These people will be called the Middles because they admire some things about President Trump although they cannot buy into his entire agenda. The Middles will support some Resistance ideas, although they will continue to take issue with abortion or those who dress up their two-year-old girls as walking vaginas and encourage them to scream at Trump supporters. The Middles will call for peace and compromise, but the nation will have become so polarized that the Middles will be seen as even greater enemies than the enemy that each side is supposed to hate. Violent skirmishes in the streets of the city will be common, and gunshots, homemade explosives and screams will become sounds we’ll grow all too accustomed to. These will be intensely dark times for the nation, and es-

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pecially for Philadelphia, which will see brother against brother, mother against son, and neighbor against neighbor. The agreed-upon boundaries of civil tolerance will disappear. There will be no discussion, no dialogue. Speakers with an “incorrect” point of view will be dragged from podiums, hogtied and gagged. It will make the humble beginnings of political discord and intolerance on Facebook, when friend “unfriended” friend, seem like innocent child’s play. Philadelphia, because of its prime reputation as a major Resistance city, will become a nerve center in the new civil war, even under the new martial law. Mayor Kenney will lead the charge, continuing to defy a federal ban on sanctuary cities to the bitter end, even as the stoppage of federal funds from Washington hurls the city into dire poverty and forces many public schools to close. The mayor will ask citizens to accept the suffering as a sacrifice for the noble ideals of the Resistance. Many will come to see him as the American version of Joan of Arc and join in chants like, “Death is better than capitulation.” Indeed for some it will be death because many will not even be able to afford a block of Velveeta cheese. The end of federal funding will spiral outward and affect all areas of city life. Outdoor restaurants and cafes will close sidewalk service and theaters will close or choose not to offer frivolous plays about millennials in love or esoteric stories that have ties to quantum physics. Every play will have a Resistance theme. Civil War, after all, is serious business! Ideological frenzy will be the order of the day. The Resistance will demand the resignation of President Trump and demand that “reality” return to the way it was under President Obama. The Orange Brigade, on the other hand, will be just as immovable, having long ago repealed Obamacare without replacing it with anything except a promise to come up with something better “very soon.” But even President Trump, with all of his mighty executive orders, will not be able to slay three giants — the American Medical Association, Big Pharma and the insurance industry — when it comes to implementing a sensible health care program for all Americans. Without national health insurance and with the new Congress’ dismantling of many programs for the poor, like Medicaid, long-standing institutions like Health Care Six on Girard Avenue will close its doors. The poor will now have no medical care, even in hospital emergency rooms where it was once possible to apply as a charity case patient. Those who cannot pay for hospital treatment upfront on a credit card, with a check or with cash will be sent back into the streets or to their homes to die. The lovely, free Obama phone will disappear from view. Methadone clinics will disappear or be taken over by

THOM NICKELS IS A PHILADELPHIA BASED AUTHOR, JOURNALIST, POET, FILM CRITIC & FEATURE WRITER FOR SPIRIT NEWS.

for-profit companies that will demand hours of work in exchange for counseling and treatment. Social Security will not be affected for those already retired, but the scale of future benefits will be radically marked down for millennials so that by the time they retire the benefits will be down to almost nothing. Conversely, there will be plenty of jobs. Factories will make a reappearance so that if a new hire doesn’t like one job they can quit and literally walk down the street to another factory and be hired on the spot. America will be a mixed bag of opportunities and devastation. The new Civil War will be long and protracted. It will mostly be a war of banishment and shunning more than a violent conventional war. In the end, it will be the Middles who will work to negotiate a peace treaty. They will find a way to get both sides to sit down and talk and come up with a comprehensive Middle Way to Restore the Nation. Ideological fanatics on both extremes will fight this but in the end they will lose. The nation, exhausted by strife and unrest, will finally realize that the extreme ideologues on the Right and the Left have to go. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 S E V E N D AY F O R E C A S T F O R T H E R I V E R WA R D S

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ell, we finally got colder, but the month of January was nearly six degrees above average. Sheesh, that is some crazy blow torch weather! But the cold has returned, which means we are back in the running for a snowstorm, even if the overall pattern still supports warm and rainy weather followed by a cold and dry period. February is setting up to be a bit colder than normal, so we will see how long the true cold air lasts and along with it, our chances for snow. As a huge fan of snow, I’ve hated this pattern! But to all our warm-loving readers, this has been the winter for you!

This week, we have a chance for light snow on Sunday. This storm looks weaker and weaker, but I will keep an eye on it to see if it resurges on us. It looks like a 1-2 inch event now at best. The storm set to start next week on Monday and Tuesday looks much larger, but it looks more wet than white. On a positive note, you may have noticed the days are getting longer. Yes, spring is not far away! Wednesday starts off the forecast period with seasonal temperatures. It will be cool, but not cold as temperatures top out in the mid-40s. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are all cold days with temperatures in the 30s by day and 20s by night. No ma-

jor storms are able to develop over the region and bring us snow, just a cold breeze and flurry here and there. Sunday features more clouds and the threat of a snow event. This looks like a period of light snow that could drop an inch. Just enough to remind us it’s still winter. Monday will be continued cool behind the storm but the Arctic air begins to ease. A storm approaches the area on Tuesday, but the details are still cloudy (no pun intended!) Check the daily updates throughout the week on Twitter!). This storm has the chance of producing snow for the region but could just as easily be rain. If the past is any indication of the future — it’s gonna rain, folks! •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017

Continued from Page 1. ern Liberties and Kensington respectively. Both are natural streams and tributaries to the Delaware River that had sewer systems constructed around them in the mid-19th century, according to city records. Records and Inquirer articles indicated that the Cohocksink broke several times in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In November 1888, a horse was almost swallowed by a sinkhole on Germantown Avenue near Second Street, when “by a great effort the driver and several pedestrians managed to pull the animal on solid ground,” the Inquirer reported. The city acknowledged the sewer’s fragility a few years later. “The wonder is not that it broke sometimes, but that it was possible to keep it from breaking all the time,” the city’s 1890 Bureau of Surveys Annual Report stated. City records showed that both Cohocksink and Gunner’s Run were extended during the 1890s and onward, costing the city thousands of dollars. Adam Levine, historical consultant for the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD), also maintains a website, PhillyH2O, dedicated to documenting the history of the city’s water department and the sewer network that runs underneath, which was mostly streams in the early to mid 19th century. Levine said these early problems were not constrained to Fishtown and the surrounding neighborhoods, adding the sewer technology and work was not as efficient as it is today. “They were building them out of brick. They were probably not using the right mortar,” he said. “If they were being inspected, maybe they weren’t being inspected properly.” The Cohocksink was a prime example of this, continuing to break into the 1910s and onward. City officials eventually admitted its breaks were starting to become more hazardous. “Rebuilding [the Cohocksink] is imperative to prevent damage to property and life,” the 1913 Bureau of Surveys Annual Report stated. The Great Depression to WWII and Beyond Although breaks were occurring across the city before the late 1920s and 1930s, the city still was able to repair broken sewers. Levine said the Great Depression caused a decrease in tax revenue, leading to less funding for the Water Department. “There’s less that you can do, as far as building new sewers, maintaining old sewers, things like that,” he said. Philadelphia did ultimately recover from the Depression, through the New Deal and the Works Progress administration, he added. City records indicated that the city had allocated $18 million to water improvements, which were halted in the late 1930s by World War II. Levine said metal and sewer materials were rationed for the war effort, and records also indicated that city government was urging residents to

Sinkhole at 2300 E. Boston Street./Steve Bohnel

Water supply intakes in relation to sewerage system outlets of the City of Philadelphia. 1920. Of the hundreds of sewer outlets on this map, most were dumping raw sewage directly into the rivers and streams. The exceptions were those north of the Fairmount Dam, some along Frankford and Cobbs creeks, and some in Northeast Philadelphia, within tidal reach of the Torresdale Filters. conserve water. The Inquirer reported in October 1941 that the Federal Security Administration investigated sewer issues in Philadelphia. Four years later, mayor Bernard Samuel approved a commission to look into these issues, along with the $18 million that was allocated before World War II. Samuel declared in a press release about the commission that two of the city’s greatest needs were additional sources of water supply and cleaning up the bordering streams to that supply. “I think it was very easy to the mayor in favor of infrastructure after World War II,” Levine said about Samuel’s actions. “There was finally money to be spent on infrastructure and the federal government was actually supporting some of the big projects in Philadelphia.” After some of these projects had started, the Philadelphia Water Department, formerly under larger structures within city organization, formed in 1952 after the Philadelphia Home Rule Charter was enacted. According to a 1970 report from the PWD, more than 800 miles of sewers were built from 1946-1970. Current Water Department information indicates that most of the city’s 400 miles of large transmission water mains were built from 1854-1954. Joanne Dahme, a spokeswoman with PWD, believes the city is effectively managing an old, vast system.

“Our break rate per 100 miles is less than other comparable cities,” she said. “We can always be doing better … but right now, we do feel like we have a good handle of it.” Looking at Issues Today In recent years, residents have navigated through losing water and gas because of massive sinkholes opening up in the streets near their properties. Paul Marowski, who lives on the 1300 block of E. Susquehanna Avenue, documented sinkholes in the area in 2015. He said he started keeping track while he walked around, and pointed to puddles in the street that could possibly become larger issues. Marowski, 70, said he has reached out to city officials several times about the issue, but believes more people need to be passionate about improving infrastructure. “I think it’s a lot of rubber stamping,” he said of trying to make city officials aware of the problem. “If it’s more people speaking up, then things might get done.” Other residents acknowledge a common issue: the city’s old infrastructure. Jonathan Pooler, 31, lives on the 2500 block of Tulip Street, right near the aforementioned sinkhole at Tulip and Huntingdon Streets in August 2015. He was first notified about the sinkhole when his wife texted him, as she was concerned about losing water and gas. Although Pooler questioned the durability of the water mains — the Water Department says the average age of them is about 70 years old — he believes the issue isn’t central to Philadelphia. “I think the infrastructure issue isn’t just Philadelphia,” he said. “It’s an infrastructure thing nationwide.” Micah Hanson, 41 lives on the 2600 block of Tulip. Neither he nor Pooler lost water or gas, but some neighbors did for about a week, they said. Despite the damage of the sinkhole, Hanson believes prevention is key because of their unpredictability. “You can’t see a sinkhole around the corner,” he said. Hanson also commended the city for its stormwater management technique, whether it be through pervious pavement or more greenery. “They realize digging up the entire city isn’t going to happen,” he said of trying to replace the city’s infrastructure underground. Some, however, wouldn’t mind if the city tore the street apart in order to update old mains and sewers. One of Continued on Page 5.

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 Continued from Page 4. those is Nelson Devalle, 57, who lives on the 900 block of N. Randolph Street in Northern Liberties. Back in December 2013, in the span of a week, two sinkholes developed near the same spot on the block, causing residents to lose water for up to a week. Devalle believes prior work on repaving the street led to a dip in one of the curbs, and then the sinkholes. “Holy cow, we’re sinking!” Devalle exclaimed when he saw the first hole. Devalle, like Marowski, has reached out to city government multiple times. “It just got to a point … where it just got tough to keep track of,” he said of contacting the city about the problem. The most recent incident on Boston Street in Olde Richmond left many residents without water or gas for about a week. About three weeks after it had opened up, the hole was patched up, and lines were repaired, but the road still needed to be paved. Andrew Fearon, 42, lives on the 2400 block of Tulip, right around the corner from the sinkhole. He said he heard a loud bang the day the sinkhole swallowed two SUVs. Besides the immediate damage, Fearon fears these sinkholes could cause structural damages to nearby properties. He does, however, think the city’s water mains and sewers have held up fairly well. “We live in an old city, and the fact it’s lasted this long is a testament to the city,” he said. “We can’t thus complain about the water system, but I think it’s necessary to address some of these problems … we have to come up with a cohesive plan to the landscape and older infrastructure systems.” How the Department Responds/Looking Ahead In order to deal with the amount of sinkholes, the city has implemented a Green City, Clean Waters program to help collect and manage stormwater runoff. Dahme said the city decided to use this approach because of its eco-friendliness and cost, versus digging up sections of streets entirely. “We’re going through the green approach,” she said. “[Digging up the streets] can be really disruptive and pretty expensive.” According to Dahme, in order to deal with the city’s aging infrastructure, the water department replaces about 28 miles of water mains a year. Most of the sections in Fishtown, Port Richmond, Northern Liberties and their surrounding neighborhoods are on a combined sewer and water system, Dahme said. Because of this, the department is actively looking for green stormwater alternatives, she added. When streets do open up, there could be a plethora of service lines underneath, ranging from electric, water, gas and sewer lines. There may even be older infrastructure not even in use. Dahme said every one of those utility service units should be knowledgeable about what’s under ground. “Every utility [unit] should know where its mains and pipes are,” she said. “It’s not to say there isn’t a surprise here or there, but we do [service] about 200 blocks a year.” She admits, however, that sinkholes like the one on Boston Street can be difficult to handle. “When a whole street collapses … that’s catastrophic and something you can’t really plan for,” she said. Residents said a main concern could be structural damage to properties, given an occurrence like Boston Street’s. Dahme said while the department aims to not have those problems, most sinkholes happen in the street, solely affecting utility lines. Ultimately, prevention is key. If a resident sees something, Dahme encourages them to call 3-1-1 or PWD’s hotline at 215-685-6300. Levine also urged residents to understand the age of the city’s water and sewage system, and that the city continues to combat the issue. “No city planner was perfect,” he said. “The city infrastructure was always developing, and continues to develop.” •

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This stream map was created by the Philadelphia Water Department using data gathered from a variety of sources, to educate the public about the fate of many of the city's streams. This maps shows streams that once ran on the surface in Philadelphia./PWD via PhillyH2O.com

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017

Continued from Page 1. pathetic to the functions of art and artists, when asked about the connection between art and their personal religious beliefs, their responses were often hesitant, perhaps even suspicious. Some members that agreed to talk over email never responded when asked to describe that relationship. It was understandable — of course, a secular stranger asking a religious person to articulate specific aspects of their faith may provoke anxiety. Joshua Grace is the pastor of the Fishtown chapter of the Circle of Hope. Since a pastor’s main function is to translate feelings of faith into words, he seemed like the right person to talk to. Grace’s appearance is not that of a stereotypical pastor — his arms are covered in tattoos, and he is dressed casually in stark, bright high-tops. His appearance hints that his faith must have a great deal of nuance to it. “The simplest thing is Jesus is the creator,” Grace said, “and creativity isn’t just artistic expression; it’s also problem solving, it’s resiliency, it’s how people cope in a changing neighborhood. I think a part of it is trying to get at: ‘What is the point of art?’ There’s the expressive element, but in the end it comes down to humanity, to get in touch with something inside of ourselves and also outside of ourselves. When the impression is made on you, something happens internally.” Grace explains that since art is such a strong common denominator for people of all world views, if space for creativity is provided, there is opportunity for unlike groups to come together. For Grace, it is important to not turn the gallery into a cliquey space, so he encourages artists of all ages and skill levels to show their work. “You have serious artists, an up-and-coming person, five college graduates who are trying to get a job or something and they’re not going to make money off art for a while. There are just people that are creative around here and maybe don’t have their portfolio together and maybe don’t know how to get into galleries in the city or something,” Grace said. While many of the artists that have art hanging in the gallery have been adults, getting children’s art hanging in the gallery is important to Grace as well. To facilitate this, the Circle of Hope collaborates with H.A. Brown Elementary, where the art teachers help pick out student art to hang in the gallery. Grace says when kids see their

artwork hanging up in an actual gallery, the validation is “a powerful thing.” The Circle of Hope has also worked with the Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture, a group that focuses on promoting cross-cultural understanding of Arab culture through special programs, hosting a youth drumming recital at the gallery. Apprehension from non-believers is not lost on Grace due to the ways in which the Christian Church has carried itself throughout history. Despite this skepticism, Grace hopes that the most common aspects of humanity will bind us. “Even just for some people to know that churches are nice is a revelation,” Grace said. “Institutionally, for

reasons I understand, there are connotations that [the church] doesn’t want you touching its stuff. They exist to be this sequestered little group. Like they’re eternally good and everyone else is toast or something like that.” Grace rejects this, however, and believes what binds all people is simple. “And you know, we’re all trying to work out this life thing together,” Grace said. On February 3rd and 4th, the Circle of Hope is celebrating the art of Join us for Brian Jerome with their First Friday exhibit “Eremophobia”. You can keep up with the Circle of Hope’s gallery events at the gallery’s facebook page: https:// www.facebook.com/circleofhopegallery/. •

Circle of Hope (2007 Frankford Ave.)/Patrick Clark

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 WRITTEN BY JAMES RENNIE

Local Politics

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t the start of 2017, it was announced that State Rep. Mike O’Brien, D-Phila., will serve as Democratic chairman of the House Urban Affairs Committee for the 2017-18 legislative session. He is the first chairman from the 175th Legislative District in more than 30 years. The 175th Legislative District covers the areas in Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Kensington. “[It’s] humbling and exhilarating. Every step along the way should bring that rush and excitement of getting into it,” Rep. O’Brien told Spirit News upon being named the new chairman of the Urban Affairs Committee. “I will be working to advance legislation to help Philadelphia and Pennsylvania’s other cities. I appreciate the Democratic leadership entrusting me with this important position.” Rep. O’Brien is the incumbent state representative for the 175th District, having first been elected to the General Assembly in 2006. On January 3, 2017, Rep. O’Brien was again sworn into the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, unopposed for the 2017-2018 legislative term. The Urban Affairs Committee oversees bills pertaining to the general governance of Pennsylvania’s cities and most-populated counties, and the operations of housing and redevelopment agencies, municipal authorities — and common-interest ownership communities such as condominiums, real estate cooperatives and planned communities. Additionally, the committee handles legislation related to manufactured housing and economic and community development. “The committee establishes a link between the state and the cities. For instance, when the commercial areas fell upon hard times and businesses were closing, the state initiated a program called Main Street. The municipality and state targeted an area and brought in the resources needed to revitalize it,” Rep. O’Brien told Spirit News. Rep. O’Brien plans to continue the positive work of the Urban Affairs Committee and build on the previous successes that the committee has delivered in the past. The committee has a long history of working to develop measures to eradicate blight and stimulate the commercial and residential revitalization of the state’s older communities. “The economy has been very good to the district over the years. Not so long ago we were dealing with drug houses and nuisance bars. Now those properties are selling for

PA State Rep. Michael O'Brien

half a million dollars. But we still have portions of the district that need a hand up. I was able to facilitate a project to build low- and moderate-cost housing. I will continue with my passion for urban greening,” Rep. O’Brien said. Along with being chairman of the Urban Affairs Committee, Rep. O’Brien still holds the responsibility of being the 175th District representative, having many issues he wants to address in the coming legislative session. According to www.pahouse.com, Rep. O’Brien’s main priorities for the 2017-2018 legislative session include raising the state’s minimum wage, restoring more education funding, building the legislature’s support for opioid addiction treatment and protecting Pennsylvania’s air and water from environmental hazards while supporting clean energy developments. “An issue that plays an important role on the state and local level is clean and potable water,” Rep. O’Brien told Spirit News.

While the new position as chairman of the Urban Affairs Committee will bring with it challenges, as an experienced state politician, Rep. O’Brien has a solid agenda with strong policies aimed at benefitting and facilitating the progress of urban areas such as Northern Liberties, Fishtown and Kensington in order for them to thrive. Rep. O’Brien also serves as the vice chair of the State Government Committee and sits on the Consumer Affairs Education and Health and Policy committees as well as the Select Committee on Ethics. Prior to his election to the House, O’Brien served as chief of staff to his predecessor in the 175th District, Rep. Marie Lederer, for 12 years. He lives in Fishtown with his wife, Rita, a Philadelphia schoolteacher. They are the parents of two grown children. •

Happy Birthday! GEORGE LUDWIG, JANUARY 19TH

eorge Ludwig (center) and a few of his 1973 championship hockey players on Coach George’s 80th birthday celebration at the Starboard Side Tavern. George was born on January 19, 1937. George led the Fishtown Canadiens hockey team in the early 70s, coaching up his ragtag gang of roller hockey goons to a Stanley Cup Championship at McVeigh Playground in 1972. When asked who his best player throughout the years was, George was quick to acknowledge many of the players on his teams, especially Tough Tony who “used to fight all the time.” Spirit News asked if local resident Dan Dugan was the best to ever to play in Fishtown, but George laughed and said, “No, he was a sissy!” George and his family want to thank to everyone who made it out for his birthday last week. Iit was a great celebration. “They were all great kids on the team,” George said. •

(Left to right) Dan Dugan, Tony Bartelle, George Ludwig, Ed Emberger, Denny Dugan, John Gallagher

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 W R I T T E N B Y B O B S T E WA R T

“Domestic Terrorism”

J U D G E S E N D S M E S S A G E O N B E H A L F O F C O M M U N I T Y W I T H C E N T U RY- L O N G S E N T E N C E S

magine a day in court on which the judge has to throw one convict’s fiancée out of the courtroom for making faces before kicking the other’s father out for letting his cell phone ring out loud. Then, after the judge offers the defendants one final opportunity to ask for clemency, one convict denies his guilt and throws about half a dozen people under the bus as being drug dealers while the other has nothing to say for himself. This is not an episode of your favorite courtroom drama — Judge Judy wouldn’t touch this case with a 10-foot pole. This all happened during the sentencing hearing of a botched hit that resulted in seven people being shot two summers ago in Harrowgate. But the chaos of the legal proceedings paled in comparison to what happened on June 22, 2015. That afternoon, on the 700 block of E. Hilton St., a small street on the edge of the neighborhood, two men, Dennis Tindal and Keith Warren, stormed up the block with a pistol-grip equipped 12-gauge shotgun and began firing. While the men targeted by the shooters were hit, so were a handful of innocent bystanders, including two children and their mother, who were cooling off in an inflatable pool on that 90-degree day. Fortunately for the seven victims, the only thing these two perpetrators did worse than handle their sentencing hearings is aim: All seven people survived. The crime scene, which included a deflated pool with water running down the street, was so horrific that even the grizzled Crime Scene Unit officers, the folks that see a couple hundred dead bodies each year, were taken aback. The unit pitched in and bought a new pool for the family. But even a new pool can’t take back the terror and pain they endured that hot summer day. Assistant District Attorney David Osborne pointed out that, given the time of day the incident occurred, the block’s residents were lucky that “only seven people got hit. It could have been triple” that number. Warren did all of the shooting, but he did it under orders from Tindal, who supplied the weapon. The reason for the shooting? Tindal got a beating for disrespecting a woman on the block earlier that day and ran away. Exposed as being weak and scared, he needed to regain his respect by eliminating the man who beat him. Warren picked up Tindal and convinced him to brandish the firearm and pull the trigger. The shooting occurred at around 2:30PM that day. Osborne couldn’t find words to express his true feelings about Tindal, so he settled for “one of the worst human beings I’ve ever had the [displeasure] of being in contact with.” At the sentencing, Warren carried himself the way you’d expect a grown man who spent 95 percent of his adult life in prison to carry himself: slouched, quiet, and defiant. The few times he spoke were in a whisper, like when a big tough guy orders a Malibu Bay Breeze at a sports bar. His father, who had been ejected earlier due to his ringing phone, was invited back in by the judge to speak for his son, but he’d already left the building. That must’ve been an important call. Tindal carried himself exactly like a guy who can’t handle his own battles. In his 15-minute dissertation, he confessed to just about every crime except his own. If he would’ve gone 20 minutes he’d have confessed to the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, but still denied he had anything to do with his own shotgun shooting the guy who cold-cocked him a few hours earlier. If the judge had any inkling of giving a light sentence of, say, 40 years or so, he probably changed his mind about four words in. While the victims were not ready to talk, members of the community came to give impact statements. Leaders of the Harrowgate Civic Association and the 24th PDAC testified. The most passionate of them was Bill Summers, who

runs the Town Watch Services program for East Division, but more aptly describes himself as an “agent for change.” He pointed to his efforts and those of others to rebuild the community. Osborne asked him how violence like this affects what he’s trying to do in these neighborhoods. “For real, for real, it makes it really, really hard,” Summers said. “One of the biggest things is loss of hope, that things seem to perpetuate themselves. [They see bad things] and they say, ‘Bill, what’s it all for?’ ‘We still got people dying.’ PPD Officers stand by caution tape blocking off the 700 block of E. Hilton Street following a shooting incident that occured on June 22, 2015./Max Pulcini

They hear about this and they feel like, ‘We’re doomed.’” Judge Daniel McCaffery labeled the crime as “Domestic Terrorism… designed to send a message to the good folks of Kensington,” he said. “So let me send a message to you,” he said as he sentenced Tindal to a total of 105 to 210 years in prison. “It’s safe to say your one-man crime wave is over.” McCaffery told Warren that since he liked to follow Tindal’s orders in the shooting, “now you can follow him to jail.” Warren got 100 to 200 years in prison. •

The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017

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The Spirit of the Riverwards â&#x20AC;&#x201C; February 1, 2017

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 WRITTEN BY PTAH GABRIE

Rabble Rousers

LOCAL MUMMERS DESERVE CREDIT FOR THEIR INCLUSIVITY AND RISK TAKING

he Mummers Parade is one of Philadelphia’s oldest and most flamboyant traditions. It’s almost tribal mentality, as brigades bring in the new year with a howl-at-the-moon-type of experience that many cultures across the globe do in different forms, at different times of the year. Sadly, our beloved folk tradition has garnered negative publicity in recent years, causing some people to wonder if our own customs have been overtaken by fear-mongering and intolerance. Spirit News was surprised to see one of our own local groups singled out by Daily News columnist Stu Bykofsky (aka Byko), who described the Kensington-based Rabble Rousers performance as “...the most tasteless thing I have seen in 40 years of parade watching.” In case you missed the Rabble Rouser’s skit, their float was a giant toilet. In front of it sat a “book of excuses”. As the performance reached its climax, and with all of the TV cameras rolling, the toilet’s lid opened up to reveal a young woman dressed in a costume resembling a poop emoji. The performance was no doubt a reflection of the belief that some Mummers aren’t willing to address inclusivity issues within the annual parade. While strides have been made to include brigades of all genders, colors and neighborhoods, there are some who still question the parade’s sensitivity to people who aren’t white men from South Philadelphia. Whatever the Rabble Rousers’ intent was, Byko was offended, and for someone who consistently writes about offense being part of what the Mummers Parade is, we were surprised. In his post-Mummers column in 2013, Byko writes:

sex discrimination, then when they see the back of me I got the discrimination of what it feels like to be black as well,” Blue said. “I had bottles thrown at me. I had death threats. I thought I was going to get shot.” I began thinking about some of the more offensive things I’ve witnessed in the parade. Joey Vento’s “Aliens of an Illegal Kind” sits near the top of that list. Thinking back on past Mummers Parades, watching a guy selling Confederate flags 20 miles north of the Mason-Dixon line, piles of beer cans and people urinating on trees like dogs also comes to mind. According to Greg Labold, a member of the Rabble Rousers, their intention this year was not to offend, but instead to shine light on the parade itself. “There has been, over the course of many years, a lack of response to racist, homophobic bigotry expressed through the parade. A lot of times it’s almost ignored and rewarded,” Labold said. “We were trying to make a voice about getting everyone to be responsible for protecting everyone’s rights, so they can feel like they can be a part of this parade and a part of this city.” The Rabble Rousers were formed in North Philly as an offshoot of the Vaudevillains, which Labold says were also a very progressive brigade. After members of the South Philly-based club wanted to have a club in their own backyard, a decision was made to found the Rabble Rousers as an inclusive, East Kensington-based brigade. “There was enough people from the North Philly area that decided they wanted a more local faction,” Labold said. Both clubs have always had a progressive vibe to their skits. Last year, the Rabble Rousers’ skit played on Comcast and the net neutrality debate. According to Labold, that skit was ironically (or intentionally?) subject to television censorship. "Somehow, depicting Indians in call centers or Native Following last year’s statement, Labold says the group exAmericans in buckskin is racist. Same with Eskimos pected backlash this year, especially after another article (OK, Inuit) in igloos. Or women in polka skirts. Or male that ran prior to the parade explaining the group’s toilet hillbillies in overalls. Or Turks in turbans. Or Hasidic bowl intentions for the 2017 parade. Despite this, Labold Jews in long, black coats. They've all been featured in was surprised to hear Bykofsky say it was the most offenthe parade." sive skit he had seen in 40 years. “We wanted to make a statement that this parade needs If you're offended, here's a buck. Try to buy a sense of to clean its act up,” Labold said. “We think it’s wrong that humor, or an ounce of sense. some of these skits are allowed to be broadcast on TV and Then, in a column that ran November 2016, Byko was rewarded. It’s shitty when a skit takes someone’s culture very vocal about the sensitivity training Mummers were and exploits it for entertainment values. It’s not respectgiven due to the Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner performance that ful or tasteful. It’s mocking and that’s not what makes it was widely criticized as being in poor taste. He wrote: fun for those people.” Labold says that he and his fellow Rabble Rousers want“If the goal is an offense-free parade, it will fail. ed to highlight the parade’s deficiencies in hopes that it becomes more inclusive. “It seems like [Byko] didn’t One reason: The bar for ‘offense’ these days is low- think anything was wrong with the parade because he’s ered more often than a cemetery flag, as we can see in never been offended by anything in the parade. It can be ‘trigger warnings’ to ‘protect’ college students from offensive to someone when another person doesn’t take unpleasant ideas. There is no way to eliminate every- their problems and feelings seriously. That’s the point. It thing that ‘may’ cause offense.” may feel offensive to [Byko] because they are challenged to actually take a look at themselves and realize there’s On January 1, 2017 Rabble Rouser member Courtney some things everyone can work on.” Blue left the Riverwards to join her fellow Mummers wear- Labold added: “[Byko] wasn’t there on the route with us ing a shirt that read “Black Lives Matter” bedazzled across seeing little kids smile, waving to the crowd and getting the back. “It was probably one of the bravest things I’ve people to climb on the toilet and get their picture taken done, though I wasn’t anticipating it,” Blue said. with the poop. I don’t know where he was, but he wasn’t According to Blue, she was subject to verbal abuse and there with us.” harassment for being a woman and for the statement on According to Labold, the parade’s TV announcers didn’t her shirt. “They see me walking as a woman, and it’s like explain to those watching from home why the Rabble Rousers felt the need to parade a giant toilet down Broad St. “I love that we [satirized] the parade itself and the state of it,” Blue said. As a response, the Rabble Rousers are looking to establish a post-Mummers party in North Philly in an effort to bring the party to neighborhoods who may not want to be a part of 2nd Street. “We don’t want to be involved in what’s going on on 2nd Street anymore. We want to bring it back to North Philly,” Labold said. “We did so much in our neighborhood to make this happen. We’re trying to be Mummers, but we can’t change the whole parade to suit our vision of what we think would be a better, positive, unifying experience. Rather than try to change Two Street, let’s bring it back to Kensington and start our own positive afterparty.” This year, the Philadelphia Brewing Company and the Lost Bar allowed the Rabble Rousers to perform in their parking lot following the parade. Joined by members of the West Philadelphia Orchestra, Rabble Rousers danced and sang with the local crowd. The pop-up performance was a hit. “This community is eager for it,” Blue said. “Maybe next year, maybe years to come we can march on the street, like Emily Wren Photography/emilywren.com from Johnny Brenda’s to the rock wall.”

Emily Wren Photography/emilywren.com We’re a month into the Mummers off-season and if you are a talented (and tolerant) citizen wondering how you can make the parade more inclusive, you might want to look into joining one of the clubs that calls the Riverwards home. Groups like the Duffy String Band and the Polish American String Band have deep roots in our community. Spirit News recently spoke with Jen Amato of the Duffy String Band, which has called North Philly their home since 1945. They’re currently located on Cedar Street in Fishtown and promote an inclusive mission statement for the parade. The Duffy String Band was formerly the Fireman String Band until the band was purchased by George Duffy on March 5, 1945. He changed the name, and though the band was sold, Duffy’s name has remained. “We’re all like a big family,” Amato said. “We’re very welcoming to anyone that comes in our doors.” According to Amato, the Duffy String Band is focused on inclusivity as a means to keep the Mummers' tradition alive. The band has multicultural members, women and LGBT individuals in their brigade. Two of their women members, Cheryl Crowe and Peg Rullo, have even been voted into the Mummer Hall of Fame by their peers. Mummer bands like Duffy are breaking the mold of a historically male-driven culture. “I can’t speak for the the other divisions, but the string bands in general take this hobby very seriously. We put a lot of work and time into it, and we aren’t willing to do something that would mess all that up,” Amato said. “We don’t want to offend anybody. We have gay people, we have people of different races, we’re very welcoming. It doesn’t matter to us what you are or what you do.” Amato believes their club is somewhat under the radar since most people associate the Mummers with South Philly. “We kind of feel like a lot of people don’t know we’re here,” Amato said. “There’s a lot of talented musicians in the area. There’s a lot of young people that moved into the area. We are trying to get the word out… Come on in. Stop by, see if you like us.” According to Amato, you can simply walk up to their clubhouse at 2230 Cedar Street and see how they operate. On March 1st, the Duffy String Band will have an open house and hopes to get people to be a part of their Mummers tradition. “It’s that initial step that people have to get over. We’re not going to make you feel out of place,” Amato said. “We want more people in our club, and I think that most people will find that once they step their foot in the door, they’re going to like being there, and they’re going to like being a part of the group. Come and check us out. We’re a very friendly group.” Amato hopes to change the notion that mumming is a white man’s hobby. “For the most part Mummers are not racist or sexist. It’s unfortunate that something like that happens. It’s a shame that all of us get a bad rap because of what one person did,” Amato said. “I’m hoping we get people coming into our club that maybe back in the 1950s wouldn’t be allowed.” •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017

COMMUNITY

CALENDAR N E W S @ S P I R I T N E W S . O R G • 1 4 2 8 E . S U S Q U E H A N N A AV E • 2 1 5 . 4 2 3 . 6 2 4 6

m eet ing s Wednesday, February 1, 7PM PROPAC MEETING AGENDA 24th District Cpt. Daniel O’Connor and Community Relations Officer Tina Willis will lead this meeting to deliver 24th District crime stats and updates at the Columbia Social Club (3529 Almond St.) For more information email portrichmondtownwatch@ gmail.com. Thursday, February 2, 6-9PM NETWORKING EVENT Fishtown Area Business Association invites you to mingle at their first social with members and supports of the local business community at Saint Benjamin Brewing Company (1710 N. 5th St.) Ticket includes a free drink, and light fare will be provided. Members must RSVP for their free ticket, which includes +1 guest. Non-member tickets are $5. To RSVP please visit februarysocial.splashthat.com, and for more information contact fishtownABA@gmail.com. Tuesday, February 7, 7PM FISHTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION ZONING ANNOUNCEMENT This meeting will be geared towards the future of 812 E. Thompson St. and 2650 E. Norris St. This zoning announcement will take place at Fishtown Rec Center (1202 E. Montgomery Ave.), and all Fishtown residents and business owners are eligible to vote with proof of residence/ business ownership. For more information contact Ryan Welch at 215-922-6600 x 193.

NKCDC OPEN OFFICE HOURS NKCDC is hosting open office hours in the 19134 zip code at two locations. They will be at the Firm Hope Baptist Church on Tulip and Auburn Streets every second Wednesday of the month from 4-7PM. They will assist you with signing up for benefits like SNAP, connecting to housing counselors for any housing needs, rent and property tax rebates, food referrals, health insurance and safety or quality of life issues in your community. For further information contact Tess at tdonie@NKCDC.org or 215-427-0350 x 139. AL-ANON AT HOLY NAME CHURCH HALL Meetings are held every Monday night from 7-8PM at Holy Name Church Hall at 701 Gaul Street. Anything shared at a meeting stays there and everyone is welcome to attend. Al-Anon meetings are free, anonymous and confidential. NETWORKING MEETINGS Philadelphia Mastermind Group – Every Friday, 8-9:30AM, B2B Networking at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) HAPCO/DIG/GPAR – 2nd Thursday of the Month, 12:001:30PM. Lunch & Learn, real estate meetup at the Greater Philadelphia Association of realtors (341 North Delaware Avenue, Suite 200) DIG/HAPCO – 3rd Wednesday of the Month, 6:30-8:30PM. Philly Riverwards Sub-Group, Diversified Investors Groups meet up at Front Street Café (1253 N Front St.) For more information contact Joe Scorese 215-290-5108 or jscorese@firstrust.com.

events

EKNA MONTHLY MEETINGS East Kensington Neighbors Association (EKNA) meets at 6:30PM on the third Monday of the month at Philadelphia Brewing Company (2440 Frankford Ave.) Topics will include: Committee Updates, including Zoning and Development; Committee Meeting Time. Not able to make our meeting in person but interested in joining via livestream? Email info@ekna.org for more information!

Thursday, February 2, 7PM PUB THEOLOGY Explore the intersection of faith and life hosted by two local pastors from Fishtown at Lloyd (529 E. Girard Ave.) All walks of life are welcomed at this monthly gathering to discuss related topics. For more information visit Pub Theology: Fishtown on Facebook.

FNA MONTHLY MEETINGS Fishtown Neighbors Association (FNA) meets at 7PM on the third Wednesday of each month at Fishtown Rec Center, 1202 East Montgomery Avenue.

Saturday, February 4, noon ANNUAL GENERAL THADDEUS KOSCIUSZKO TRIBUTE CEREMONY The Polish American Congress, Eastern PA District, in conjunction with the Polish American Cultural Center Museum, extends an invitation to everyone to attend the Annual General Thaddeus Kosciuszko Tribute Ceremony, honoring American Revolutionary War Hero and designer of the fortifications at West Point, the site Of America’s Military Academy. This year the public ceremony, which will take Place at the Kosciuszko House, 3rd and Pine Streets in historic Philadelphia, on Saturday, February 4, 2017, at noon, will mark the 271st Anniversary of Kosciuszko’s birth and the 200th Anniversary of his death. Immediately following the Tribute Ceremony there will be a luncheon in the Polish American Cultural Center Museum, 308 Walnut Street in historic Philadelphia. For additional information or luncheon reservations, call Theresa Romanowski at 215-739-3408 or 215-813-2780.

HCA MONTHLY MEETINGS Harrowgate Civic Association (HCA) usually meets at 6:30PM on the first Thursday of each month at Heitzman Recreation Center, 3631 Amber Street. However, this month's meeting is on ORCA MONTHLY MEETINGS Old Richmond Civic Association (ORCA) meets at 7:30PM on the fourth Tuesday of each month at Cione Rec Center, 2600 Aramingo Avenue. PROPAC MONTHLY MEETINGS Port Richmond on Patrol and Civic (PROPAC) meets at 7PM on the first Wednesday of each month at Columbia Social Club, 3529 Almond Street. Next meeting: February 1. SNBL MONTHLY MEETINGS Somerset Neighbors for Better Living (SNBL) meets at 6:30PM on the first Monday of each month. This month's meeting is on Monday, January 9. Meetings alternate between two locations. This month's meeting is at Rock Ministries, 2755 Kensington Avenue. The February 6 meeting is at Firm Hope Baptist Church, 2313 East Auburn Street.

Saturday, February 4, 2-4PM ST. LAURENTIUS SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE St. Laurentius School is hosting an open house for current and prospective families. Come meet our amazing teachers and tour the classrooms and facilities. Members of our Student Council and other 8th graders will be on hand to give tours. Each classroom will feature student work, and parents will have the opportunity to speak with teachers one on one. Principal Mrs. Elaine McKnight will be there

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to personally greet everyone. Can't make it to the Open House? - Individual tours of the school are also available by appointment. Call 215.423.8834 or visit www.stlaurentius.org for more information." Saturday, February 4, 3-6PM ST. PETER'S SCHOOL 7TH GRADE STUDENT ARTISTS RECEPTION In honor of Black History Month, the Resource Exchange (1701 N 2nd St) is featuring work inspired by African artwork, created by 7th grade students of St. Peter’s School. Marie Darling, their teacher and Director of the Arts at the school, took the students to The Philadelphia Museum of Art to see Creative Africa, an exhibit of African art that included Kente Cloth textiles and artifacts from the Penn Museum. Their beautiful work, printed on reclaimed fabrics sourced from The Resource Exchange, will be on display in our gallery throughout February. Join us for an Artist Reception February 4th to celebrate their work! Website here: https://www.facebook.com/ events/1728985764009927/

Sunday, February 12, 1-5PM WINTERFEST IN NORTHERN LIBERTIES Time to get your tickets for this great party hosted by NLNA at North Bowl (909 N 2nd St.) Buy tickets in advance at nlna.org. Adult $15 (advance), $20. at the door. Seniors and Kids 13-17 $10. Kids 12 and under are free. Tickets are also available at the Community Center (700 N 3rd St) M-F 10AM-1PM and W 6-9PM. Bring the family for great food, drinks, raffles and bowling. Our amazing neighborhood establishments have donated generously to make this bash our best fundraiser. Join the fun and help us celebrate. Sunday, February 19, After 11AM Mass BREAKFAST FOR DEACON JACK BOYLE Join the Holy Name of Jesus Parish in celebration of Deacon John Boyle’s Retirement in the church hall (701 Gaul St.) Tickets cost $10 each and will be sold after all masses. For more information contact Mary at 267-266-6910. Sunday, February 19, 2PM, Doors 1PM MYSTERY BINGO The Port Richmond Tigers present Mystery Bingo at St. George’s Hall (Salmon and Venango Streets.) Prizes include designer handbags, American Girl Dolls, home goods, electronics and more. Two prizes will be awarded each bingo round. Lunch and snacks will be provided. Tickets are $30. For tickets or more information call Tom Mack at 215-2758838. Friday, February 24th, 6:45PM PALLET PAINT NIGHT Yes you can create beautiful, fun artwork! Join us on Friday, February 24th to create a Masterpiece! BYOB & BYOSnacks, (Coffee, tea, water & dessert served). Tickets are $40. Space is very limited so reserve your spot ASAP! Doors at St. Laurentius Gym will open at 6:15 Instruction starts at 6:45. For tickets call 215-423-8834 or email dgriffith@stlaurentius.org Wednesday, March 1, 7PM DUFFY STRING BAND OPEN HOUSE Fishtown’s Duffy String Band invites you to “Be a Part of Something Great.” These mummers are holding their annual open house at their clubhouse (2230 Cedar St.) For more information visit Duffy String Band’s Facebook. Thursday, March 2, 830-11AM

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 READ ACROSS AMERICA DAY Adaire Elementary School wants you to celebrate the value of reading with students and their peers nationwide to celebrate the 16th Annual National Education Association’s Read Across America Day. Adaire Home and School looking for community members to read to classes. If you’re interested in participating in the event, please email your name and organization to Tuesday Chalmers by Feb. 25 at adairehomeandschool@gmail.com Thursdays, March 2, 11AM-Noon FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTIONS TIME CHANGE St. Michael’s Church (Trenton Ave. and Cumberland St.) will hold their weekly Food Pantry Distributions during morning hours only. The church will continue to service zones 19125 and 19134. For more information contact coordinator Pat Walder at 215425-6190 or St. Michael’s at 215-423-0782. Thursday, March 23, 3:30PM 16TH ANNUAL FISHTOWN MARCH MADNESS ACADEMIC COMPETITION Cheer on local students with neighbors and Fishtown Neighbors Association as they use their smarts to advance in the Final Four and Championship rounds for the 16th Annual Fishtown March Madness Academic Competition at Shissler Rec Center. Sponsored by Penn Treaty Special Services District, a celebration to honor Fishtown Teachers and Educators of the year and Joseph and a group that has been working with Fishtown-area youth will be held as well. For more information and to volunteer contact A.J. at ajthomson7@gmail.com. Third Mondays LOST PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBER SUPPORT GROUP December’s meeting will be December 12th at Cione Rec Center (Aramingo and Lehigh Ave.). For anyone who is suffering the loss of a loved one, a friend, whoever, is welcome. 3rd and 4th Tuesday of Every Month, 6:30PM-8:30PM WOMEN’S SELF DEFENSE CLASSES Fishtown Recreation Center is hosting a Women’s Self Defense class 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM on the 3rd and 4th Tuesdays of each month for $10 per class starting 11/15/16. You can register in person at the Rec on weekdays 2:00 PM to 9:00 PM or on Saturdays 9:00 PM to 12:00 noon. Tuesdays in February, 7-9:30PM PUBLETTERS AT THE STANDARD TAP Stop typing that Facebook message, and come to the Standard Tap (2nd and Popular Streets) with your best handwriting. Publetters is offering a workshop upstairs at the Tap on writing the personal letter. Stationery, postcards, stamps, and pens will be provided. At the end of this free workshop, a walk, or stumble, will be made down to the US Postal Service mailbox to send the letters crafted that night.

For more information visit publetters.com and Standard Tap’s Facebook. Mondays and Thursdays, 7:30PM CATHOLIC TALK SERIES Join St. Michael’s Parish (1445 N. 2nd St.) for their new series of talks to learn more about or deepen their Catholic faith. The talks are open to both youth and adults, and free babysitting services will be provided. For more information visit the parish website or call the rectory at 215-739-2358. Last Tuesday of every month, 7PM SPIRITUAL INQUEERY A safe space to explore and study the intersection of faith and sexuality for LGBTQIA+ Christians and Inquirers. Come share, listen, learn, and find community support in navigating the trials and tribulations of this life. We meet on the last Tuesday of every month at 1542 E. Montgomery Ave. Wednesdays, 6PM YOGA AT TOWEY REC Roots2Rise will hold yoga classes at Towey Rec (1829 N. Howard St.). Cost is $5 per class. Participants must bring a mat For more info, visit roots2rise.com Wednesdays, 6 to 7PM WEDNESDAY EVENING CLEAN-UPS IN EAST KENSINGTON At Huntingdon Emerald (Huntingdon & Emerald) and Arcadia Commons (Kern Street, Mid-Block). Join us each Wednesday evening for clean ups at two of our beloved neighborhood parks! Help keep our green spaces beautiful by supporting Arcadia Commons. Monthly board meetings, open to the public, take place on the third Thursday of each month at 2614 Amber Street. Wednesdays, 7PM ST. ANNE’S CHURCH CHOIR St. Anne’s Church Choir is back with a new director, April Anderson, and assistant director, Rich Burns. We’ll be rehearsing on Wednesday evenings at 7PM at St. Anne’s Church (Lehigh and Memphis). 2nd Fridays, 7:15PM MOTHERHEART KIRTAN Welcoming everyone in the neighborhood to take part in MotherHeart Kirtan. Kirtan is the recitation of spiritual ideas through songs of devotion. Style is call and response singing of mantra and sounds. It is an easy, safe environment to experience group, harmony, healing, and community. Kirtan can be peaceful, uplifting, and ecstatic. MotherHeart Studio (2359 E Susquehanna Ave.) Donation only.

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PENN TREATY SPECIAL SERVICES DISTRICT TO AWARD OVER $42,000 IN GRANTS AND SPONSORSHIPS AT THE FEBRUARY 2017 MEETING The Penn Treaty Special Services District (Penn Treaty SSD) is proud to announce Grants and Sponsorships to the following recipients: Sister Cities GirlChoir – $25,000 to support the Saturday GirlChoir program held at the First Presbyterian Church of Kensington. Sister Cities Girlchoir (SCG) empowers girls by building resilience, leadership, mastery and connection through a comprehensive choral training academy that invests in the unique potential of adolescent girls to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty and transform their communities. The program is research-based, and although a music program is an uncommon girl empowerment tool, SCG is modeled on the powerful impact that investments in the lives of girls make for a city block, a neighborhood, a city....for the world. Contact: Alysia Lee at alysia.sistrcities@gmail.com Friends of Adaire — $3,500 to support their Spring Benefit Concert led by Andrew Lipke, of Get The Led Out on May 18, 2017. Parents, educators, and community members whose mission is to enrich the education of Alexander Adaire’s K–8 school students by providing additional resources and support. Contact: Kate Hughes at fullerhughes@gmail.com CEIBA – $3,500 — to support free tax preparation, financial literacy, and health insurance counseling for low to moderate income families. Ceiba promotes the economic development and financial inclusion of Philadelphia's Latino community through collaborations and advocacy aimed at ensuring their access to quality housing. Contact: Will Gonzalez at will.gonzalez@ceibaphiladelphia. org The Halide Project – $3,500 to support Of Metal and Light, a free educational photography exhibit of contemporary chemistry-based practices at the Gravy Studio Gallery in March 2017. The Halide Project was created in 2015 to promote the continued practice and appreciation of traditional and alternative photographic processes. Founded in Philadelphia but maintaining a global outlook, prospective programming includes photographic exhibits, workshops, community workspace(s), and an artist residency focusing on film and alternative process photography. Contact: Alexandra Orgera at alex@thehalideproject.org Ibrahim Youth Scholars — $3,150 to support S.T.E.M., Cancer and Epilepsy Awareness workshops at the Northern Liberties Recreation Center for high school aged children. IYS seeks to educate our youth on how to look at education outside the box while showing the importance of volunteering in the community. Contact: Eritrea Abdul-hadi at treahadi@outlook.com St. Peter the Apostle School — $3,500 to support the costs of this year’s eighth grade class trip and yearbook. St. Peter the Apostle School has proudly served the children of Northern Liberties and Fishtown since 1848! Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade students are educated in a close-knit community that combines academic excellence with traditional Catholic values. Our core curriculum integrates intellectual, cultural, spiritual, and physical elements as we strive to realize the potential of each child. Contact: Sister Rose Federici at rmf616@aol.com The awards will be presented at the February 15, 2017 meeting. The Penn Treaty SSD, incorporated in 2009, is a 501(c) (3) community-based organization that works to enhance the quality of life for residents of the immediate neighborhoods surrounding SugarHouse Casino—including Fishtown, South Kensington, Old Richmond and Northern Liberties. Funding — which to date has totaled more than $3.7 million — is provided by SugarHouse Casino through an annual donation. Allocation of funds is determined exclusively by the Penn Treaty SSD Board through a grant request form and a review process. For more information on the Penn Treaty Special Services District, or to apply for a grant, visit www.penntreatyssd. com •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 COMMUNITY

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We reserve the right to edit, refuse or classify any advertisement. Advertising is a privilege which must be protected against misuse. All classified advertisements subject to pre-payment. It is the responsibility of the advertiser to check the advertisements each time it is published. No responsibility is assumed by the newspaper for errors. Errors will be rectified by reinsertion in the following issue only.

215.423.6246 The deadline is Friday at 5pm for display ads, and Monday at 12pm for classifieds. All advertisements must be paid for in advance.

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Is there something going on that’s a little funky in your neighborhood? Anything you want us to look into? Have something juicy you want to leak? Know of something fun or interesting going on that you think we should know about? We rely on sources like you for news that effects our neighborhoods. No tip is a bad tip. Drop us a line at news@spiritnews.org.

The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017

YOUNG SCHOLARS CHARTER SCHOOL- REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Page 15

CORRECTION TO LAST WEEK’S ISSUE

INTERNET AND VOICE Young Scholars Charter School has released RFPs for Internet Access and Voice services. Details are within the posted RFPs. Respondents must have an E-rate SPIN number and abide by the RFP directions. Complete responses must be received by 10:00 AM EST. on February 10, 2017. To review the RFPs or MTM services pricing quote requests, visit www.intelafunds.net, select “E-Rate”, “Bid Opportunities” and select the RFP/service quote requests documents posted for this school.

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In last week’s issue of The Spirit of the Riverwards, an early draft of our cover story, “Irreconcilable Differences” was printed instead of the final draft. The final draft was posted to our website and can be read in its entirety there. For any other questions, or if you need help finding the final version of the story, feel free to reach out to our office. •

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The Spirit of the Riverwards – February 1, 2017 WRITTEN BY SHARON ISABEL CURLEY

Spirit Astrology YOUR DOSE OF HYPERLOCAL SPIRITUAL ADVICE

Aries: I hope you’re with me when I say that I cannot believe the recent works of our president. I was so saddened to hear about the denial of families entering our country. I know this Aries gal named Lauren. She is one of these types who doesn’t need to think before she speaks (to a fault? Who’s to say?) and she has helped me in so many ways. In 2007, I wrote her an email asking what the percent chance was that she would (spend her own money to) fly out to Arizona, where I was living, and spend a good five days driving back to Philly with me. In two days, I was picking her up from the airport and, within a few days, we were on our way back to Philly. It was an amazing time. Seems like a good time to drop what you think is important to you and think what’s important for those around you. This could change the life of one person, or an entire nation. Taurus: I know this guy named Chris Kleinberg. I grew up with him and I guarantee my challenges in life are now made easier by our past relationship. Chris never made me feel like I couldn’t do something I thought I couldn’t. As a matter of fact, he challenged me to do it and do it right. With bets. But that’s another story. Taurus, if you’re feeling a little under the weather with whatever it is you’re doing — STOP. Remember your capabilities and carry on. Challenge yourself. Let someone hand you a saw and cut wood. Feel capable and do it. This is your year to thrive. Take a walk on trash night and remember our community is a little different. Find some fancy new-to-you rug, even if it’s drenched in rain and know what you can carry it home. Put it on your bike and try. Don’t just feel like Maximus the Gladiator, but BE Maximus the Gladiator. Dress to impress, Taurus. You got this. Gemini: The theme in this week’s Astrology is recognizing some people I know for something I like about them. My reasoning for this involves feeling proud of people I know lately. I am proud of the stands people everywhere are taking for what they believe in and I hope this all pays off in the end. However, this is also a good time to recognize what we have. I happen to recognize a great community of people around me, who I find to be do-gooders not just now, but always. Gemini, you are a leader in your own right and this is something you always recognize within yourself. I urge you to humble yourself a bit and stand with your community. Give shout-outs to those around you who you believe in. We all got feet down below our knees, so we ought to come together. Cancer: A Port Richmond native and dear friend of mine, Anthony Smyrski (of Megawords and Random Embassy), is a doer. Like most Cancers, he just can’t stop doing. He wants to do all the time, it’s almost hard for me to keep up with him. With nearly 20 years of friendship, he calls me out on bailing or not wanting to hang (but he is always doing something cool) with the wildest and best ball-busting words. Cancer, you are going to do what you want to do, no matter what. Maybe you have the greatest ideas of this, involving your favorite friends (and I am happy to be one of his), but don’t let this sway you. He never does. Instead, he tells me what a good time he had without me. Cancer, you’re quite an individual. Nothing stands in your way. If something is feeling like it does lately, let it go and come back to it. You will somehow always have something you want. Leo: MSG, known otherwise as Monosodium Glutamate (or to the laymen, “My, So Good!”), is known by the FDA to be not only safe to eat, but also a non-issue. Yet, we pretend it’s some sort of magical sleep-aid, like Tryptophan. Tryptophan is known to be what makes one sleepy after consuming Thanksgiving dinner. It’s funny to single out Tryptophan for our food comas and disregard the endless carbs we eat with those meals. Leo, my prideful friend, if you don’t check your facts, you could be causing drowsiness. Don’t just stick with what you know, or what you think you know, be sure to know what you know, you know? Virgo: Procrastination isn’t always a bad thing, so long as whatever you’re putting off gets done in the end. Sometimes we lack inspiration or motivation to do something, even if it is something we love. We are heading into the second month of 2017 and you may be feeling under-accomplished already. The perfect little person you strive to be may be feeling like naps or walks or chores are more enjoyable than what you ought to be doing instead. This may have you feeling guilty, as your need to be in control of what you’re doing, and lately that’s not been your deal. Don’t worry, Virgo. Sometimes recharging is more important than going, going, going. You don’t need to feel like you’re wasting your time, but see this as shedding your skin. When you’ve rested and recharged, what will come will be more than you expected. Libra: A recent trip to Circle Thrift had me drooling over this little white table. It was so perfectly built, strong and clean. Somehow it was only selling for a mere $20. I wanted it so badly, yet I don’t have a place for a table right now and $20 is a lot to me these days. This put me in a daydream that took me everywhere I wanted to be. I was in a room painted how I like it, filled with plants that I chose to bring into some home that I had, and there was that little white table in all its glory. I suppose some call it meditation or visualization, but I call it daydreaming and it’s a happy place for me. If you’re struggling to find your happy place, Libra, go ahead and give daydreaming a try. Close your eyes and have everything you want. I hear the more you do this, the easier it is to achieve these things. Good luck to you. Scorpio: In last week’s issue of Spirit News, Baldspot comic creator, Gregory Labold, threw in a little dash of awesome by writing a comic including yours truly and my Astrology. I barely know him at all, but I do know his wild, artistic presence throughout the Fishtown community and beyond. I was so excited and privileged to see he thought enough of me, as a newly named Fishtown community member, to add me into his art. Scorpio, you are always thriving, as it’s your nature. People look at the Scorpio and think they’d like to be more like you. Why not incorporate them? You love what others do, so why not throw

them a piece of yourself? You’re likely to feel guilty if someone does this for you, so go the other route. Find someone who inspires you, and figure a way to let them know! Sagittarius: Sometimes you need to feel inspired, even after your project is done. My friend and local “doesn’t give a shit what you think” extraordinaire, Joey Sweeney, wrote an awesome article about a solo show I had in July. He is quoted as saying, “I have known Sharon Isabel Curley for many years, and during that entire run, she has always been and remained to be one of the most peaced-out, follow-your-muse type of people I know.” Joey has been more than a supporter of my art (see my sketch of Kellyanne Conway for his amazing article on Philebrity.com), but also someone who has always needed help when I need money. From house-and-dog-sitting for him for many years, to getting a chance to contribute to his online publication, he has always reached out at the perfect time. Sagittarius, don’t always waits for people to reach out to you. This is your time to follow Joey’s lead and reach out to someone else. Your payoff will benefit you both. Capricorn: I like the sort of days where I can look out of one window to see a blue sky and out of another window, all I see is grey. Sometimes we tend to feel like this: partly cloudy. If this is you lately, I suggest staring out of your sunny window a little bit longer. In fact, go ahead and cover up the cloudy window altogether. This is not to avoid what’s hovering heavily over you, but to allow yourself a little freedom from it. If work has you stressed — or a project, a relationship, whatever it may be — don’t let it hover over you right now. Get out into the sunny sky and be who you are, enjoy what makes you feel good. If it’s true that we ever deserve anything, than this is your time to deserve a little you time surrounded by your own sunny sky. Aquarius: It’s our time to shine, my fellow Aquarians! Celebrating ourselves or having others celebrate our existence is something we very much enjoy. Don’t pretend like you don’t like this, but seek it. Take a few compliments, some kind words and well wishes, and let yourself be the person you want to be, if at least for the day that is yours. Feel the love that you crave. Stretch out your days with your favorite people. Let someone know your birthday is coming (or that it’s just passed) and guilt-trip people into hanging out with you. We are not a shameful breed and we take pride in this secretly all year. However, this is a time we don’t have to feel bad at all about wanting attention. Happy birthday, buddies. Whenever yours is or was, I hope it’s a good year for us! Pisces: I lived in a small shotgun apartment in Tucson for a few years. The weather was normally warm and sunny, so I often kept my back door open, as it posed as a window (of which there were otherwise only two). The desert winds would blow the dirt from the outside into my kitchen. I would sweep it out, and it would blow back in. I’d sweep it out again, and it would blow back in again. This was a repetitive chore I did almost daily. It never occurred to me to be in any way annoying. I actually sort of enjoyed this task. Perhaps you’re feeling a little bit like you can’t keep the dirt out? Maybe you don’t feel like constantly sweeping it out of your back door. You have the option of closing the door, but then you miss out on natural light and a delightful breeze. Whatever the dirt you’re trying to keep out of your life is, Pisces, I predict it’s not that bad. Just don’t let it get to you, and keep it in control in whatever way you need to. You will benefit from this dirt somehow. •

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