Philadelphia Public Record

Vol. III No. 7 (377)

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

January 13, 2012

Philadelphia Daily Record

One-Stop Job Shop

STATE REP. Michelle Brownlee launches Employment Center, Website at her office in N. Phila. See story page 4

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Calendar Jan.12“Men Only” Mtg. at Dobbins HS, 22nd & Lehigh Ave., 6 p.m. to address crime in neighborhoods. For info Irvin Shannon hvcorder@hotmail.com.

Jan. 12State Rep. Pam DeLissio hosts town hall meeting at Society Hall, Simpson Hse., 2101 Belmont Ave., 7 p.m. For info (215) 482-8726 or (215) 879-8533.

Jan. 18Port Richmond W. Community Action Network meeting at Trinity Presbyterian Ch., Frankford Ave. & Cambria St., 7-9 p.m.

Guest: L&I Commissioner Fran Burns. For info Jason McDermott (267) 650-6168.

Jan. 20ACE Women’s Forum presents Professional Women’s Roundtable Political Forum, “From Your House to the White House”, on political impacts on business, at ACE USA, 436 Walnut St., 5th fl., 8-10 a.m. Continental breakfast. For info Leigh Ann Campbell (267) 287-8497) o r leighann@seamlesseventsinc.co m. Register by Jan. 17.

Jan. 20State Rep. John Sabatina, Jr., holds Shrimp Night fundraiser at Harmonia Club, Aramingo

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Ave. & Orthodox St., Jan. 20, 711 p.m. $35 donation includes draft beer and shrimp. For info Scott (267) 984-7312.

Jan. 21State Rep. W. Curtis Thomas hosts Weatherization & Energy Workshop at New Pathways for Women, Germantown Ave. & & Cumberland St., 10 a.m. Participating agencies include Energy Coordinating Agency of Phila., Phila. Corp. for Aging, PGW, PECO and Public Utilities Commission.

Feb. 9Steve Aldrich of IBEW Local 269 invites all to reception in honor of State Rep. Tina Davis at Bailey’s Bar & Grille, 6922 Bristol Emilie Rd., Levittown, Pa. Host $1,000, Patron $500, Friend. $250, Supporter, $50.

RSVP Seth Skversky (215) 5501186.

Feb. 10Fundraiser for cancer survivor Vicki Cummings at SmokeEaters Pub, 7681 Frankford Ave., 7-10 a.m. Donation $35. If you cannot make event, donation to “Friends of Vicki Cummings” c/o The Lucas Family, 3128 Cottman Ave, Phila., PA 19149.

For info Friendsofvickicummings@yahoo.com.

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Protestors Ask EPA Head To Fix Fracking Pollution

ACADEMY OF NATURAL SCIENCES was unusual site of political protest this morning. Opponents of fracking called on US Environmental Protection Agency’s Administrator Lisa Jackson, who was inside addressing a conference, to remedy well-water contamination in Dimock, Susquehanna Co. by a natural-gas driller, Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. Under Gov. Tom Corbett’s Administration, Penna. Dept. of Environmental Protection freed Cabot of duty to provide safe water to those whose wells were poisoned. On Tuesday, Natural Resources Defense Council wrote to Jackson urging EPA either to order Cabot to deliver safe water to victims, or to have her own agency provide safe water itself.

Feds Aim To Fast-Track Environmental Studies For NE High-Speed Rail Today, the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the US Dept. of Transportation announced a pilot project aimed at expediting the environmental reviews for high-speed passenger

rail service in the Northeast Corridor through an innovative and more-efficient process.

Through this pilot project, CEQ and DOT will work with stakeholders to identify efficiencies to

speed the environmental review process that will inform selection of service types and station locations for high-speed rail in the Northeast Corridor. The pilot will engage federal, state and local

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD governments and the public in the environmental-review process earlier to set benchmarks that maintain rigorous environmental protections and save time and costs by avoiding conflicts and delays in the later steps of rail-project development.

omy depends on,” said Nancy Sutley, chair of the Council on Environmental Quality. “This pilot project will ensure a collaborative environmental review process for quicker, better-informed decisions for the Northeast Corridor highspeed rail project.”

“The Northeast Corridor is the busiest rail corridor in the US,” said US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “Our planned improvements will lead to more jobs, a stronger rail system and a stronger economy. By bringing all involved parties to the table earlier in the process, we will do the job better and finish it sooner.”

To promote transparency and public input, DOT will post and track project timelines and progress on the Federal Infrastructure Projects Dashboard at www.performance.gov, which launched in November 2011 to track high impact, job-creating infrastructure projects for expedited review.

The Northeast Corridor high-speed rail planning project is the fourth project selected by CEQ under its National Environmental Policy Act Pilot program, which focuses on identifying and promoting more efficient ways to do effective environmental reviews that can be replicated. CEQ will use efficiencies identified for the high-speed rail project to develop best practices for environmental reviews across the federal government.

“The National Environmental Policy Act provides essential protections for American communities and the natural resources our econ-

The Transportation Rapid Response Team, a Federal interagency group also launched in November 2011 to speed Federal

BrownleeUnveils One-Stop-Job Center

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reviews of transportation projects, will help coordinate the highspeed rail planning process to ensure quick resolution of any interagency conflicts.

State Rep. Michelle Brownlee (DN. Phila.) has launched her Employment Center and Employment Center Website which provides a one-stop-shop of information for those seeking employment opportunities in the Philadelphia region.

“My staff and I have been working on this initiative for several months, and I am excited to bring this material to my constituents,” Brownlee said.

The Employment Center in Brownlee’s constituent-service office is now available by appointment for constituent use in job search and job preparation. Appointments can be made by calling 215-684-3738. Brownlee’s staff will be available to assist those using the Employment Center.

“Dedicating a computer and space

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD in my office to assist constituents with their job search is very important to me,” Brownlee said. “I want those that do not have Internet access to have access to the plethora of information the Employment Center site will provide.”

The website can be accessed via a link on Brownlee’s website (www.pahouse.com/Brownlee) and is accessible from any device with internet access. The Employment Center site contains links to job opportunities, including some of the Philadelphia area’s top employers. The site includes resources that can help constituents prepare for the work force, and obtain information on job training and transportation services.

Boyle Seeks Reelection Democratic State Rep. Kevin J. Boyle (D-Northeast) is running for reelection. Boyle, a Fox Chase resident, was sworn into office last January after the November 2010 General Election.

In announcing his reelection bid, Boyle said, “despite being in office only a year, I promised and delivered on many of my 2010 campaign issues. The Fox Chase Cancer Center is here to stay and not moving and just announced a promising merger with Temple University; the Mayfair Community Center is alive and well; the City of Philadelphia has announced the creation of a blight court to combat negligent landlords and my office has serviced nearly 10,000 constituents looking for help in this challenging economy.”

Garden streets.

Boyle commented on goals for the future, “many serious threats still face our local communities. Locally, there are not enough highperforming schools for our children especially in light of recent Catholic-school closings. I will also keep up the fight against the proposed methadone clinic for Frankford Avenue. In Harrisburg, I will continue to campaign for the passage of my legislation that imposes more stringent reporting requirements on witnesses of sexual abuse which I introduced in response to the events related to the Penn State/Jerry Sandusky case.”

In promoting this legislation, Boyle appeared on CNN’s “Anderson Cooper 360”, the NBC “National Nightly News” and Fox 29.

First Lady Loves Our Art First Lady Susan Corbett visited several murals created by Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program yesterday afternoon “Philadelphia’s Mural Arts Program has transformed the exterior of buildings into beautiful works of art,” said Mrs. Corbett. “This program is a true treasure for the city, giving inner city artists a canvas for their talents and allowing them to transform their neighborhoods through the beauty of art.”

Mrs. Corbett began her tour at City Hall and continued in North Philadelphia, seeing a total of 18 murals. The tour included one of the city’s most iconic murals, “Common Threads,” located at the corner of Broad & Spring

Mrs. Corbett is the chair of the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts.

She has combined her lifelong passion for the arts with her concern for at-risk youth in Pennsylvania.

“Arts programs can help at-risk children by giving them a positive outlet for self-expression and a safe environment to explore other cultures and ideas,” said Mrs. Corbett. “The Mural Arts Program is a perfect example of how the arts can be used as a platform to explore important social issues while changing the landscape of the city for everyone to enjoy.”

The Philadelphia Mural Arts Program began in 1984 as a way to stop the city’s graffiti crisis by providing young graffiti artists a constructive outlet for their energy and talent. The mural program now serves 1,000 young people each year, allowing them to develop their artistic skills throughout Philadelphia’s neighborhoods.

“The Mural Arts Program is honored that Mrs. Corbett, with her tireless efforts to advocate for the arts in our state, is interested in our works of community public art,” said Jane Golden, program director. “We are grateful she is giving us the opportunity to shed more light on the work of our artists, young people, and staff who use art to create social change.”

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

Coffee With Cindy Today, Cindy Bass, Councilwoman for the 8th Dist., begins holding “Coffee with the Councilwoman” throughout the district in order to speak directly with constituents as she, and her staff, actively work to open a district office.

The first Coffee with the Councilwoman will be held this afternoon, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.. These events will be held regularly, and will rotate days, times, and locations throughout the district.

Very much like holding “office hours,” Coffee with the Council-

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woman will be an opportunity for local residents to spend time talking to Councilwoman Bass in their local coffee shop, diner, or restaurant.

“At this time in our city — and in our nation—citizens feel disconnected from their elected officials,” said Bass. “My peers and I were elected, in part, to change that culture and mentality and we plan to do so.”

Bass added, “We aren’t waiting to open a district office in order to physically be in the community; the people can’t wait.”

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“For some people, getting to City Hall from the Northwest is a hardship,” said Bass. “We need to make government more accessible to the people who put us here. I am excited at the prospect of getting out and meeting the people I represent in City Hall and working to get results for them.”

A constituent service liaison from her office will accompany Councilwoman Bass to each “Coffee with the Councilwoman” to ensure quick and efficient handling of issues.