Daily 12-14-10

Vol. I No. 118

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

December 14, 2010

Philadelphia

Daily Record

Simply Perfect

PENNA. BALLET’S production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is an example of what dance can do at its best. See page 7.

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Sen. Williams Named To Corbett Transition Committee iting the critical need for a bipartisan effort in the next legislative session, Gov.Elect Corbett has selected State Sen. Anthony Hardy Williams (DW.Phila.) to serve on his transition team. Williams, who was recently elected as Democratic Caucus chair, will be the only Democratic Senator on the transition team that consists of 17 transition committees. “Sen. Williams’ presence on the transition team is a great first step in ensuring that we set the tone for bipartisanship and begin to resolve the major issues that face our Commonwealth,” said Corbett.

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The committees will examine the 25 departments and agencies in State government. The committee on which Williams serves is charged with examining the Dept. of Education. Transition team members include business leaders, former legislators, lobbyists and former officials from the Ridge administration.

aisle to get things done and make him a natural selection for my transition team. He has worked closely with Sen. Jeffrey Piccola (RDauphin) and Sen. Andrew Dinniman (D-Chester) to develop the proposed Opportunity Scholarship Act, which I support.”

Williams has become the legislature’s leading advocate for school choice and school reform, which have been seen as largely Republican issues. He has also challenged the PSEA and the NAACP, both staunch supporters of the Democratic Party, for their opposition to school choice.

“I am looking forward to working with Gov.-Elect Corbett and his transition team,” said Williams. “Our efforts will establish the agenda that will create jobs, foster business growth and ensure every child in Pennsylvania has the opportunity to receive a quality education.”

The transition will be overseen by co-directors Tom Paese, a former “I share Sen. Williams’ core values Cabinet member under Republican of fiscal responsibility and accountGov. Tom Ridge, and Leslie ability to the taxpayers,” said CorGromis-Baker, director of Ridge’s bett. “These values have allowed 1998 campaign. him to consistently reach across the THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

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City Of Philadelphia’s First Solar PV System Breaks Ground he Philadelphia Water Department has broken ground on a 250 kW solar-photovoltaic system at its Southeast Water Pollution Control Plant. The project is the City of Philadelphia’s first solar installation and will help meet the Greenworks Philadelphia goal to purchase or generate 20% of electricity used in Philadelphia from alternative energy sources by 2015.

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PWD, the Mayor’s Office of Transportation and Utilities and the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability are confident that the project is paving the way for many more to follow.

“The City is pleased to be leading by example and showing Philadelphians that generating electricity from alternative energy sources is feasible and sustainable,” said WATER DEPT. photovoltaic solar-power generator will produce Deputy Mayor for Transportation & 250,000kilowatts. than an acre of currently unused ficiency and Conservation Block Utilities Rina Cutler. land. It will produce enough energy Grant from the US Dept. of Energy, “Generating solar power to use at to power 28 homes. The treatment leveraged PWD funds and technical our water-treatment facility is win- plant will use all of the solar power assistance from DOE’s Solar Amerwin,” stated Debra McCarty, Deputy generated on-site. PWD will own ica Cities program.

Commissioner of Operations for the Solar Renewable Energy CredPWD. “We reduce PWD’s energy its, and CETCO, selected through DOE has designated Philadelphia bills, which ultimately benefits our the public works bid process, is among 25 major US cities as Solar America Cities, committed to accelrate-payers.” building the project. erating the adoption of solar-energy The system at the plant will be The project is made possible by technologies. ground mounted and cover more $850,000 from the City’s Energy Ef14 DECEMBER, 2010

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Mayor Names Renyi To Head Literacy Commission ayor Michael A. Nutter appointed Dr. Judith Renyi as the new Executive Director of the Mayor’s Commission on Literacy.

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Dr. Renyi will oversee MCOL’s work with a variety of City departments, the Free Library of Philadelphia, literacy groups, community organizations, religious leaders and adult learners to support and expand literacy services and education opportunities for adults. MCOL will recommend policies, programs and services to the Free Library of Philadelphia to ensure adults are provided literacy services so they are better prepared to perform in a competitive workforce.

In addition, the MCOL will work closely with the Mayor’s Office of Civic Engagement & Volunteer Service, led by Chief Service Office Catherine Wolfgang, to implement literacy programming to compliment the Free Library of Philadelphia’s efforts.

“Philadelphia is facing a serious literacy crisis and under Dr. Renyi’s leadership, I’m confident the Commission will continue its collaborative work with the Free Library of Philadelphia to provide quality literacy and education services to our communities,” said Mayor Nutter.

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“Our regional economy can only be She received a PhD in English at the as strong as our citizens who must be University of Pennsylvania. well prepared to face the challenges Dr. Renyi served as Assistant Dean of the 21st century workforce.” for the Liberal Education Program “We want to significantly raise the at New York University and has number of Philadelphians who are served as a Fellow of the New York ready to take their place in the University Humanities Council. knowledge economy, said MCOL She served as Executive Director of Executive Director, Dr. Judith Renyi. the Philadelphia Partnership of Edu“I want to scale up the Commission’s cation, Director of Collaboratives scope, our reach and impact on liter- for Humanities and Arts Teaching, acy in Philadelphia and hope the up- President/Chief Executive Officer of coming National Summit on 21st the NEA Foundation for the ImCentury Literacy will help Philadel- provement of Education, and Senior phia take the lead in addressing this Vice President of the Academic great national cause.”

Partnerships for the American College of Education. Her salary of Siobhan Reardon, president of the $130,000 will be funded by the Free Free Library, said, “A recent UniverLibrary Foundation. sity of Pennsylvania Fels Institute of Government study found that, be- The Dept. of Labor estimates illitercause of the work of the Free Li- acy costs businesses and taxpayers brary, more than 14,000 individuals $225 billion a year through worklearned to read or taught someone place accidents, lost productivity, else to read over the past year, en- unrealized tax revenues, welfare hancing their quality of life and payments, and crime. The Philadeladding a remarkable $21.8 million phia Workforce Investment Board to the city’s economy.” estimates that by 2015, nearly 120,000 vacancies will be created in Since 2007, Dr. Renyi served as dean higher-level managerial and profesof the Schools of Graduate and Prosional jobs in the City, while by fessional Studies at Rosemont Col2030 there will be 600,000 Philadellege, overseeing the development phians lacking the skills to compete and growth of adult education, to inin the economy. clude online, in-person, and blended graduate and undergraduate degrees.

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14 DECEMBER, 2010

Blondell: Stay Warm, Children

Dec. 14Portrait presentation of Hon. Sheldon C. Jelin at City Hall, Room 653, 4 p.m. Reception following in Conversation Hall.

Dec. 18Caribbean Night Happy Hour fundraiser for Lawrence Clark for City Council at Banana’s 876 Lounge, 5500 Rising Sun Ave., 6-9 p.m. Donation $10 includes food.; donate blanket for homeless and it’s $8. Make checks to Clark4Change, P.O. Box 27154, Phila., PA 19118.

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COUNCILWOMAN Blondell Reynolds Brown celebrated her annual Warmth in Winter Holiday Drive to provide children in shelters with new hats, scarves and gloves this morning at School District. Girard Academic Music Program choir sang a concert and Eagles defensive lineman Darryl Tapp read to children who were receiving warm winter wear.

Articles of Incorporation and

Jan. 27Edward J. Lowry, founder of Phila. Veterans MultiService and Education Ctr., will be honored on retirement at Waterfall Rm. in Plumbers Local 690 Union Hall, 2791 Southampton Rd., Cocktails 6-8 p.m., followed by Tribute Program.

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Oak Lane Charter School Announces Expansion

PLANNED expansion of W. Oak Lane Charter School will anchor its growth in that community. he Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corp. is announcing the acquisition of the West Oak Lane Shopping Center and the expansion of the West Oak Lane Charter School. Jack Kitchen, president and CEO of OARC said, “This $16 million acquisition and construction project has been part of the overall economic development vision for many years. I am pleased we were able to put the financing package together for this project with Fulton Bank; it is very gratifying they understand the value and economic impact a Community Development Corporation and a Char-

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ter School can have on an entire more students and better deliver on community.” our educational model.”

The construction project is scheduled to begin by January 2011 and is expected to generate 216 temporary jobs and 15 permanent jobs. A joint venture between Shoemaker and Perryman Construction companies shall serve as the General Contractor.

“The excitement is mounting,” said Dr. Debbera Peoples-Lee, CEO of the charter school, “as the groundbreaking date quickly approaches.

Having the additional classroom space allows our school to enroll

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OARC established the West Oak Lane Charter School in 1998 as a K4 public charter school. Since then, the school has expanded to include 8th grade. It is located at 7115 Stenton Avenue in Northwest Philadelphia. The expansion is needed to allow the successful 13-year-old charter school to improve the physical environment and expand to provide educational opportunities to even more children in Northwest Philadelphia. The school currently enrolls 747 students and employs 85 teachers and staff.

14 DECEMBER, 2010

Nutcracker Performance Sets An Outstanding Standard gered, and she tries to fix her gift by tying a handkerchief around its ometimes a critic just has to head. Eventually, she protectively realize when he has little brings the nutcracker soldier with value to add. her when she goes to sleep.

by Adam Taxin

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In the case of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker, which opened at the Academy of Music on Dec. 11 and runs through Dec. 31, suffice it to say the dancers of the Pennsylvania Ballet and the music of Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky are every bit as elevating as a reasonably informed audience member is likely to expect.

Based on the story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” by German Romantic E.T.A. Hoffman, the ballet’s relatively simple storyline begins with a lavish Christmas party at the Stahlbaum home, at which young daughter Marie Stahlbaum (Maria Santangelo in the Dec. 4 opening-night performance I saw) receives a wooden nutcracker that looks like a soldier. Her jealous and mischievous brother Fritz (Lucas Tischler on Dec. 4) breaks it, Marie’s maternal instincts are trig-

14 DECEMBER, 2010

The nutcracker soldier comes to life and Marie witnesses a fantasia involving a battle with a Mouse King (André Vytopov that night) and his army, as well as a Land of Sweets presided over by the Sugarplum Fairy (Arantxa Ochoa), If one were to forget the ballet’s canonic status, one might think not only of parallels to The Wizard of Oz but also might well speculate as to what exactly Marie may was eating, drinking and who knows what else at the aforementioned party.

The Nutcracker is ideal as a “gateway ballet,” perfect for building initial enthusiasm within someone considering getting into the habit of appreciating the artform of ballet on a more-regular basis.

But the storyline in The Nutcracker is secondary. The aesthetics of this particular production are overwhelming beyond the dancing and music. The sets are sumptuous, and the costumes used are notable not only in their quality but in their variety.

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