Ron Panepinto Jewelers 700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
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Serving Citywide Political, Labor, Legal and School Communities of Philadelphia Vol. XII. No. 34 (Issue 555)
“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”
Value 50¢
Inky, Union Battle Over Pension
August 26, 2010
House Of Umoja Leads Dads On School March
Page 2 Stack Seeks Small Games Legislation Inquirer and Daily News employees and members of Teamsters Local 628, led by President John Laigaie, call for Bob Hall, former publisher and now COO representing new owners of both papers, to meet them in front of Inky Building to explain why owners want to withdraw from employee pension contributions and reduce pensions to retirees by as much as two-thirds. Story Page 2
High Spirits! Meeting Pols Meet Our New River Belle In Oak Lane
Page 6
Charters Push For More Clout! Page 17
BOY HURTLES over fellow members of Resurrection church youth group, which performed at Mantua Community Festival last Saturday.
WANT TO MEET many of Philadelphia’s leading politicians? Then visit the Oak Lane Diner at Broad St. & 66th Avenue. Odds are great you’ll see them while taking advantage of special breakfast, lunch and dinner discount coupons. See ad Page 11.
COIUNCILMAN Frank DiCicco points to newly arrived Philadelphia Belle at Penn’s Landing. Largest vessel of its kind, it has completed 3,200-mile journey from Mississippi Delta. It will furnish daily cruises from Ben Franklin Bridge to old Navy Yard. Paddlewheeler can accommodate 1,000 guests. It was built in Mississippi in 1994. Story Page 7
11th Annual Commemorative To Organized Labor Sep. 2. Call John David, 215-755-2000 for details.
Page 2
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Page 2 The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Prison Reformers Seek A Cheaper Way Out by Tony West Prisons aren’t pretty. But they are pretty pricey. While most other Commonwealth expenditures were cut in this year’s budget, the Dept. of Corrections increased by 4%, to $1.87 billion. And even that represented penny-pinching for the DOC. In the last five years, while the overall State budget grew by 15%, from $24.3 billion to $28.0 billion, DOC’s budget ballooned by 34%, from $1.4 billion. Reining in runaway growth in prison spending, in the eyes even of an increasing number of conservatives, is a business necessity. Society must find cheaper and more-effective ways to keep criminals from offending again. State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf (R-Montgomery), the veteran chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has introduced a package of reform legislation this year that aims comprehensively to retool our approach to incarceration, by either keeping offenders out of prison as much as possible, or getting as many out as quickly as possible. One reason is money. If all his measures are enacted, estimates are they will reduce spending on prisons by $400 million – at no added risk to public safety.
Three of Greenleaf’s bills have already been passed by the Senate. In the process, they were vetted by its Appropriations Committee, which verified that collectively, they will save the State money. How much money? A lot, according to then-DOC Secretary Jeffrey Beard – $180 million is a middle-of-theroad estimate. These proposals – SB 1145, 1161 and 1275 – are now being reviewed by the House Judiciary Committee. They would develop a risk-assessment tool to help judges sort out high-risk from lowrisk offenders when it comes to sentencing, ease the release of inmates with special needs into community reentry programs toward the close of their sentences, and keep parolees from being automatically locked up for long periods of time over minor technical violations. A basic rule of thumb is cost per prisoner. This ranges (facilities vary) from $29,000 to $40,000 per inmate per year – comparable to what some universities charge students seeking a bachelor’s degree. But all prisoners are on a “scholarship” 100% paid for by the taxpayers. So when the criminal-justice system takes a step that puts 33 more people in prison for a year,
that’s an extra $1 million on the bill; when it finds nonprison solutions for 33 inmates, that takes $1 million off the bill. Alternatives to incarceration come with their own costs, of course. But they pale
GETTING SMART ON CRIME last in a series in comparison to that of fullscale imprisonment. Currently, an offender on probation costs $1,250 a year and a parolee $2,750 a year. No one argues current expenditures permit probationand-parole officers to do their job as well as we would probably like. Caseloads are staggeringly high and available service resources are stretched thin. But by the same token, it is much cheaper to beef up community-based supervision, training and treatment programs than it is to build a new prison. Four more of Greenleaf’s measures still await review by the Senate Appropriations Committee for “fiscal notes.” These are analyses of their impact on the State’s bottom line, positive or negative.
For the most part, these are the big-ticket bills that would mandate new agencies, new programs, new workers or other new services. One would enable counties to impose quick, short stays in jail for on-street offenders who are resisting compliance with substance-abuse treatment. Another would found a Safe Community Reentry Program to coordinate communitybased alternatives for offenders. A third would appropriate $50 million to staff more parole officers, set up treatment courts, and add intermediatepunishment, treatment and other reentry programs for offenders. A fourth would make more nonviolent offenders
(most inmates are nonviolent) eligible for community-based programs. New spending is involved, therefore. But Greenleaf argues it’s an investment that has been proven to work in other states – Virginia, Texas and Michigan, for example. Michigan is a good example because its population (10 million) and demographics are quite similar to Pennsylvania’s. “Michigan invested $23 million in its prisoner reentry services and has decreased its overall corrections spending by $120 million, with 3,260 fewer inmates,” argues Greenleaf. “In fact, Michigan is now housing some of Pennsylvania’s prisoners.”
COUNCILWOMAN Donna Reed Miller presents Stephen Kinsey with community award at Heath Community expo in Germantown. Kinsey collected award on behalf of State Photo by Donald Terry Rep. John Myers.
So these new, or newly enriched, programs are crucial to bringing public-safety costs under control. The choice cannot be between bulging prisons with bare-bones services, and scantily monitored parolees with bare-bones services; society can’t really afford either path. Two more of Greenleaf’s bills have been brought back to Judiciary for further work. One would authorize “drug and violence task forces” in select high-crime areas; the other would expand paid work in marketable skills for inmates to ease their reentry. Together, these measures amount to a fundamental restructuring of how we treat criminals. Serious publicsafety and economic concerns surround several of them. It’s guaranteed they will be closely and cautiously studied. Some are already in line for revision after the state’s District Attorneys complained about them. But as a tool for crime control, incarceration has lost its cutting edge. As a nation, we already imprison more people than any other nation in the world – with no apparent improvement in crime rates. We cannot keep doubling prison populations and tripling budgets indefinitely. The search for another way has begun.
Teamsters Fight Pension Cuts Sought By The Dailies
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Over 200 members of Local 628 who represent truck drivers, mechanics and janitors at the city’s two major dailies, the Inquirer and the Daily News, protested outside the Inquirer Building this
week in an effort to save the pensions of its members and retirees. Led by John P. Laigaie. president of the Local, they demanded an audience with Robert Hall, a former 30-year
employee and executive of both papers. Hall had been brought out of retirement by new owners to take over the Chief Operating Officer’s post. According to Laigaie,
“Hall retired on a good pension and now he is attempting to reduce the pensions now held by the employees. New owners are refusing to continue making contributions to the existing pension plans.”
Laigaie said, “It is ironic Hall can enjoy the pension he received, while fighting to reduce the pensions of our active employees and pensioners as well.” The Inquirer and Daily
News management is reportedly considering a “going out of business” warning, should they fail to get the unions to agree to pension cuts. Negotiations on Tuesday proved fruitless.
Umoja To Lead 1st School Day March The House of Umoja, Inc., will organize and lead Philadelphia’s participation in the 2010 National Million Fathers March under the theme “Violence Free Schools”. On Sep. 7 – the first day of the 2010-2011 academic year
for the School District of Philadelphia – fathers throughout the city will participate by escorting their children to school. The City of Philadelphia is among 600 American cities participating in the 2010 Na-
tional Million Fathers March which is facilitated by Phillip Jackson, its creator, and the founder and executive director of the Chicago-based Black Star Project. David Fattah, the coordinator for this city, said, “We
are asking all fathers in every neighborhood to escort their children on their first day going to school, to pick up a copy of their child’s academic roster and the academic calendar of events from their child’s school.”
The House of Umoja, Inc. will also conduct a march from its office at 5625 W. Master Street to the Guion S. Bluford ES, located at 5801 Media Street. Men are being asked to gather beginning at 7:00 a.m. at the House of
Umoja before marching over to the school. Individuals and organizations interested in supporting and participating should contact Fattah at (215) 473-5893 or send an email to falakafattah@aol.com.
Page 3
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The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
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Page 4 The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
State Transportation Funding A Mirage Even though a poll paid by Gov. Ed Rendell from his campaign funds reveals widespread support for transportation funding can go as high as 95% of respondents who believe the quality of transportation infrastructure matters to the state’s economy, odds are dedicated State funding for that purpose will not materialize before the General Election. Polls understand those who favor fixing up state highways do so as long as they don’t have to pay for it. Three-quarters of those polled said they would support a tax on oil company profits and closing tax loopholes for those companies. A plurality of 48% supported increasing vehicle and driver fees to the rate of inflation. A gas-tax hike, also pegged to the rate of inflation, was generally unpopular and received only 34% support. With this in mind, few are the members of the State legislature ready to tackle this issue … that is, until they return from their elec-
Councilman Wm.
Greenlee
Room 580 City Hall P. 215-686-3446/7 F. 215-686-1927
Collazzo Funder Draws Strong Crowd
MARC COLLAZZO, 2nd from left, hopes to unseat freshman State Rep. Brendan Boyle in 170th Dist. in N.E. Phila. Pumping his candidacy at his fundraiser at SmokeEaters Pub in Mayfair last night were, from left, Dave Butkowitz, Adam Lang and Dave Kralle. tion break. With Rendell leaving office, and some of the legislators losing their seats, it is possible support can be found for a funding package.
Four Applicants Vie For Last Casino License Four applicants are vying
NEXT YEAR, Lou Lozzi says, he intends to run for City Council at Large as a Republican. He is flanked here by his 5th Ward Leader Mike Cibik, left, and 27th Ward Leader Matt Wolfe.
for Pennsylvania’s final and highly coveted casino license: a group that wants to convert a Holiday Inn near Harrisburg into “RV World,” one proposing to build near Gettysburg’s historic battlefield, and the backers of a pair of megaresorts in the Poconos and Southwestern Pennsylvania boasting everything from
State Rep.
State Rep.
ROBERT C. DONATUCCI 185th District
William Keller 184th District
1809 Oregon Ave, Phila., PA 19145
215-468-1515
REPUBLICAN City Committee Chairman Vito Canuso shared passionate speculations about fall election with 29th Ward activist and columnist Adam Lang.
golf to a private airstrip. Much is at stake. Gambling revenue in t h e st at e al read y h as ex ceeded expectations,
R EP. A NGEL C RUZ DISTRICT OFFICE 2749 N. 5th St. • 215-291-5643 Staffed by
Joe Evangelista • Debbie Toro Ready to Serve you
topping $2 billion over six years, and the potential for more is cons ide re d gre a t. (Cont. Ne xt Page ) Councilman Bill
Green Room 599 City Hall P. 215.686.3420/21 F. 215.686.1930
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Shirley M. Kitchen 3rd Sen. District 1701 W. Lehigh Ave.Ste 104 • Philadelphia, PA 19132 215-227-6161 • www.senatorkitchen.com
Tartaglione 2nd Dist. 127 W. Susquehanna Ave. 1063 Bridge St. Philadelphia, PA 19122 Philadelphia, PA 19124
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Money Talks, Bull____ Walks!
pared with Specter’s machine. But don’t count out Sestak. He has his own way of campaigning and it has done well by him in his career so far.
Sestak Addresses Black Women Vets Sestak spoke at the installation ceremony for the Delaware Co. chapter of the National Congress of Black Women, congratulation its members on the establishment of the new chapter while encouraging them to take an active role in the upcoming election this fall. He then came to this city to address the WWII Black Navy Veterans of Great Lakes and the Black Navy Veterans of America Annual Reunion Convention Banquet.
Pa. Law Makes It Tough For Indies Marakay Rogers, Kat Valleley and Doug Jamison wanted to run for statewide office on the Libertarian Party ticket. They wanted to give Pennsylvania voters more choices in the election. They collected 25,033 signatures to comply with Pennsylvania’s immense ballot access requirements so their names could appear on the
ballot. That’s 23,033 more than are required for Republican and Democratic state candidates. All were challenged by the major parties. Rogers, Valleley and Jamison traveled to Harrisburg to fight the challenge. In 2004 and 2006, the courts assessed over $80,000 in fees to a candidate who lost a ballot access challenge. This year, their lawyer estimated these fees would run between $92,000 and $106,000. Using this leverage, they claim they were offered a deal – drop your efforts to be on the ballot and avoid exorbitant challenge fees, or continue to fight and face the risk of fees that could easily lead to personal bankruptcy. The potential cost of a loss was too great. After deliberation, these candidates withdrew. Though the challenge provision of the election code has been in place since 1937, it was not used to remove a statewide candidate from the November ballot until 2004. Since then, the challenge has become standard operating procedure for the old parties. Rogers, candidate for Governor, said, “This type of dealing may signal the end of third-party campaigning in Pennsylvania, except for the
GOP
(215) 468-2300 STATE REP. JOHN
RONALD G. WATERS 191st Leg. District 6027 Ludlow Street, Unit A
215-748-6712
State Rep. Cherelle
174th District 8100 Castor Ave Phila, PA 19152 T: 215-342-6204
200th Legislative District 1536 E. Wadsworth Ave. Phone: (215) 242-7300 Fax: (215) 242-7303 www.pahouse.com/Parker
LEANNA M. WASHINGTON
State Rep.
Frank Oliver 195th District 2839 W. Girard Ave. Phila. PA 19130
215-684-3738
Campaigning In 175th
REPUBLICAN candidate for 175th Legislative Dist. seat, Lou Schwartz, has been canvassing in Northern Liberties. He’s seen talking here to Jay Koh, owner of Simple Cleaners on N. 2nd Street.
DISTRICT OFFICE
1555-D Wadsworth Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19150 (215) 242-0472 Fax: (215) 753-4538 WEB SITE www.senatorwashington.com
Parkwood Shopping Center 12361 Academy Road, Phila., PA 19154, 215-281-2539 8016 Bustleton Avenue Philadelphia PA 19152 215-695-1020 Open Mon. - Fri. 9:00 AM - 5 PM
Sen.Mike Stack SERVING THE 5TH DISTRICT
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Parker
STATE SENATOR
SABATINA JR.
included on the Pennsylvania ballot has turned into a wall. We are calling on the General Assembly to tear down that wall, and allow the voters of the Commonwealth the choices they deserve.” LPP has strongly endorsed the Voters’ Choice Act, or SB 252, which was introduced by State Sen. Mike Folmer (RLebanon). The bill would equalize ballot access across all parties, not just the Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, the bill has been sitting in committee for over a year, with little indication that it will be passed before the end of the year.
Pennsylvania will start a program to help people with pre-existing health conditions purchase health insurance. The program, PA Fair Care, is accepting applications now. The monthly premium will vary depending upon the applicant's income. The program will provide coverage to as many as 5,600 people in the next three years. For more information, call toll free 1-888-767-7015 or visit www.pafaircare.com for details and an application.
State Representative
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rich or the brave. Anyone can file a challenge and then threaten to clobber their opponent with outrageous and unaffordable legal fees that started accumulating long before any actual hearing. Even for someone who does believe they have enough valid signatures after a challenge, the threat of the fees assessed is enough to force you to back out just in case you might not win.” Libertarian Party of Pennsylvania Chair Michael Robertson concluded, “The unlevel playing field that alternative-party and independent candidates face to be
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Money, money, money is making a difference in the way the public perceives the Joe Sestak and Pat Toomey race for the State’s US Senate seat. Sestak did well engaging in a bloody primary which gained him national attention and reflected a positive gain for him in the polls that immediately followed. Toomey had no bloody spring primary, allowing him to stockpile resources and build alliances. Toomey’s been able to spend some of his campaign money early. No sooner did the primary results fade from the media than Toomey aired his first commercial, which highlighted Sestak’s support for health reform, bailouts and civilian trials for foreign terrorists. The next week the melodrama of Sestak’s White House job offer garnered national attention and Toomey joined the chorus of public figures calling on Sestak to divulge who offered him what job to bow out of the Senate race against Specter. Toomey has aired six television commercials during the summer hiatus about Sestak, painting him as an extreme liberal to the left of most members of his political party. The US Chamber of Commerce aired two com-
mercials linking Sestak to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and calling him “anti-business.” Sestak decried Toomey’s ads as negative, even though they were issue attacks, not character assaults. He made the mistake of blaming Bill Clinton for the job pitch, which Clinton denied. Toomey’s campaign, during this period, has kept Sestak on the defensive. It refused to let up on Sestak for not fully living up to a personal pledge not to take campaign money from corporations that requested special Federal funding known as earmarks. It also pushed for Sestak to return campaign contributions from embattled New York Democrat Charlie Rangel. Sestak eventually did, after Rangel was charged with 13 counts of ethics violations. Toomey, a conservative on fiscal issues, is appealing to moderates and even Democrats more than Sestak is with independents and Republicans, according to recent public-opinion polls. Democrat consultant Larry Ceisler admitted Toomey has done the better job so far, making Sestak look like an extremist. Toomey’s early control is reminiscent of Sestak’s run against Specter in the spring. Political pundits all but counted Sestak out because his campaign seemed disjointed and disorganized com-
Page 5
(Cont. From Prev. Page)
Pa. Election Laws Vs. Independents
Page 6 The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Stack Presses For Local Bar Small Games
Surrounded by local tavern owners from across Pennsylvania, State Sen. Mike Stack and several Senate Democratic colleagues have announced their support for legislation that would permit small games of chance at taverns. “This is a win-win for Pennsylvania,” Stack said at a STATE SEN. Mike Stack, surrounded by tavern owners Capitol news conference. “At from across state, talks about the importance of permitting a time when we are faced with small games of chance at taverns. He is also joined by col- a gaping $1.2 billion State budget deficit and a looming league Sean Logan.
Jun. 30 deadline to balance the budget, this is a new way to raise new revenues without burdening the taxpayers with a tax increase.” SB 1301, sponsored by State Sen. Ted Erickson, and its companion bill, HB 2379, sponsored by State Reps. Eugene DePasquale and Ron Miller, would expand the Local Small Games of Chance Act to include licensed establishments like local bars and taverns. It would also would
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increase the individual prize limits for small games of chance from $500 to $1,000, and increase the weekly limits from $5,000 to $20,000, as well as allow clubs to use 50% of their proceeds for operating expenses. Thirty percent of the funds raised by taverns would go directly back to Pennsylvania. It is estimated this could generate up to $100 million in State revenue. Twenty percent of what is raised by taverns would go to charitable organizations that are designated in a business’s license application, which could generate up to $80 million for charitable causes and local organizations. An amendment has been proposed to give an additional 1% to the Pennsylvania State Police to enforce the measure
and another 1% to the Pennsylvania Dept. of Revenue for administrative costs. The tavern owners would keep the remaining 48% of the revenues they raise. The lawmakers are sending a letter to Gov. Ed Rendell to urge his support for the bills. “If we’re going to hold the line on taxes we need new revenue sources and SB 1301 is a way to do that,” said State Sen. Lisa Boscola. “We need as many resources as possible in light of fiscal challenges,” said State Sen. Vincent Hughes. “It’s about preventing cuts to the budget.” The Pennsylvania Tavern Association, Pennsylvania Fire & Emergency Services Institute and numerous Veterans of Foreign Wars posts support this legislation.
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
With a nine-year lease for a berth at Penn’s Landing, the newly christened Philadelphia Belle will be bringing a bit of the old Southern river cruising to Delaware Valley residents. Expected to rival the Philadelphia Spirit, the Belle will provide its passengers with a typical Mississippi River paddleboat. Built in Houma, Miss., in 1994, the four-decker was originally named the Mississippi Belle. It was used as a gaming boat until new owners refurbished it for $2 million to turn it into four floors designed to cater to all partygoers. It is the largest of its kind on the East Coast. Now it’s adopted Philadelphia as its home port. The owners will be hiring 100 full-time hourly, 100 seasonal employees and 25 to 50 full-time salaried employees. Tom D’Amato, vice president and general manager of the Philadelphia Belle, said,
Page 7
Largest Paddlewheeler Makes Port Its Home
EMPLOYEES of Delaware River Waterfront Corp. gather to welcome Philadelphia Belle to its berth at Penn’s Landing. “We intend to offer a ‘best of Philadelphia’ experience and ensure we make significant contributions to tourism, community building and better quality of life for years to come.” The Belle will cruise daily as far north as the Ben Franklin Bridge and as far
south as the old Navy Yard. Its classic riverboat lines, paddlewheel and authentic design details are reminiscent of the heyday of the paddlewheelers in the 1800s. The huge paddlewheeler will offer cruise-only, lunch, brunch, dinner and moonlight cruses.
PROUDLY MANAGING PENNSYLVANIAʼS INTERNATIONAL SEAPORT SINCE 1990
Philadelphia Regional Port Authority A Promising Future By Championing the Channel-Deepening Project And Substantial Port Expansion
Once Again, We Thank Gov. Ed Rendell For Giving Our Port A Great Opportunity And
John H. Estey, Esq. Chairman
James T. McDermott, Jr. Executive Director
John F. Dempsey
Deputy Executive Director Administrative Offices: 3460 N. Delaware Ave. 2nd Fl., Phila., PA 19134 (215) 426-2600 • Fax (215) 426-6800 www.philaport.com
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Robert C. Blackburn
Senior Deputy Executive Director
Page 8 The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Pennsylvania Eggs Are Safe To Eat Pennsylvania eggs, certified under a voluntary best production practices program, meet some of the nation’s highest safety standards, according to Agriculture Secretary Russell C. Redding. Under the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program, producers implement management and monitoring practices designed to reduce
the risk of Salmonella enteritidis contamination of eggs. “With a nationwide egg recall raising renewed concerns about safety, I urge consumers to seek out eggs produced in Pennsylvania,” said Redding. “By purchasing eggs produced under the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program, consumers can be assured that the eggs
meet high safety standards while supporting Pennsylvania farmers and the state’s economy.” PEQAP helps ensure basic food-safety preventative measures are used, including cleaning and disinfecting between flocks, environmental monitoring of production facilities and maintaining an acceptable biosecurity program.
Eggs must be refrigerated throughout production and distribution. In place for more than 15 years as a successful preventive measure, PEQAP was the model upon which the Federal Food & Drug Administration’s new egg rule was based. The rule, published in July, requires preventive measures during the produc-
by Michael A. Cibik, Esq. American Bankruptcy Board Certified Question: Can the bankruptcy trustee take my tax refund? Answer: A bankruptcy trustee might be able to take your income-tax refund, whether you have filed a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy case. Incometax refunds in chapter 13 are “property of the estate”, so your
Chapter 13 trustee will want to apply this money toward payment of your Chapter 13 plan. On the other hand, in Chapter 7, only the part of your income-tax refund for the time before you file the bankruptcy case is considered. Bankruptcy trustees take income-tax refunds more frequently than any other asset. You can protect your income-tax refund by claiming it to be exempt. In most cases, you’ll claim a “wild-card” exemption. Cooking chicken on the Next week’s question: Augrill, or in the oven, or in a tomatic stay: What is it? And batch of oil, poultry remains why you don’t want to lose it! the big culprit in food poisoning outbreaks.
Sheriff Green’s Important Steps to Saving Your Home Step 1: Assemble your current financial information, and call your lender.
Step 2:
Visit www.phillysheriff.com to learn more about borrowers’ rights, loss mitigation and abusive servicing practices. Contact the Sheriff’s Office at 215-686-3525 for more information
Step 3: If you feel uncomfortable handling mortgage negotiations, consult a professional housing Counselor
Step 4: Take time to carefully investigate the offers you receive to avoid becoming a fraud victim Sheriff John D. Green Philadelphia
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tion, storage and transportation of the nation’s egg supply. “Thanks to the efforts of Pennsylvania’s egg producers, the success of Pennsylvania’s egg-quality program in preventing salmonella contamination has led to national efforts to ensure consumer confidence in egg production and consumption,” said Redding. To ensure you’re using Pennsylvania-produced eggs, look for the PA Preferred logo, which is a gold checkmark in a blue keystone. PA Preferred is the Dept. of Agriculture’s branding program that helps consumers easily identify locally sourced products. PA Preferred companies can be found at www.papreferred.com. All PA Preferred eggs must be produced under Pennsylvania Egg Quality As-
MEDICAL RECORD surance program guidelines. Consumers should practice proper food safety handling practices when using eggs, including keeping eggs and food containing eggs refrigerated, never eating raw or undercooked eggs, and sanitizing hands when preparing eggs. Valued at $487.5 million, Pennsylvania’s egg industry — the fourth-largest in the nation — plays a major role in the state’s economy. Pennsylvania is home to 21.5 million hens producing 6.2 billion eggs each year. For more information about the Pennsylvania Egg Quality Assurance Program, v i s i t w w w . a g r i c u l ture.state.pa.us and search “PEQAP.”
Poultry Is Tops In Food Poisoning
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Chicken, turkey, and other poultry accounted for 17% of the food-borne illness outbreaks according to government reports. Beef and leafy vegetables were close behind, at 16% and 14%. The report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention covers outbreaks in 2007. An estimated 87 million cases of food-borne illness occur in the United States each year, including 371,000 hospitalizations and 5,700 deaths, according to an Associated Press calculation that combines a CDC formula with recent population estimates. A diarrhea-causing bacterium called Clostridium perfringens was commonly linked to poultry. A more deadly bacterium called E. coli O157:H7 was most often linked to beef. Norovirus, a common bug most often spread by food handlers, was frequently seen in leafy vegetables.
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One of the things that get talked about most when you get in a room filled with journalists of the unemployed variety is the fact no one has seemed to figure out how to effectively, and consistently, monetize the internet. It’s not for lack of trying. Philadelphia Newspapers tried to charge folks to read certain sections of Philly.com and the New York Times charged you to read the editorial pages. Both moves failed miserably, because the news business failed to take into consideration the fact if you intend to charge for something, you should do it right off the bat. When you try to do it later in the game, people aren’t going to pay for it. The Times is going to try this experiment again sometime this year. I predict it’ll fail miserably. The evidence shows monetizing the internet is tough to do, but apparently there are some bloggers here in Philly who are making a few bucks. And the City of Philadelphia is trying to separate these bloggers from their hard (and mysteriously) earned cash by charging them the City’s Business Privilege Tax. As I was reading Philly.com (for free) on Monday, I saw an article that said the City was set to charge bloggers who made money this $300 tax that is charged to businesses ranging from pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline to, well, freelance writers like me who try and ply their trade in this city. It’s a head-scratching tax. I can understand there are certain businesses like the new casinos that should pay a little bit more to do what they do here because of the wear and tear that they cause on City roads, the extra security required by (Cont. Page 10)
The summer is speeding right along, and Labor Day is right around the corner. Some people believe the summer ends on Jun. 30, 2010 because when that date arrives, July and August zip by so fast that they are gone before you can appreciate them. JUDGE GENE MAIER and his wife LANA are hosting their annual end-of-summer party at the summer home in Brigantine, N. J. The theme this year is the Eagles football team. Guests are encouraged to wear some item of the Eagles uniform. This is usually a fun affair. There is always a good turnout of the judge’s judicial friends and the food is excellent. The party is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. this weekend. The Friendly Sons of St. Patrick are celebrating the members’ Irish heritage on Sep. 15, being halfway to the Mar. 17 annual celebration of the great saint’s day. They are offering a buffet dinner with a cash bar and program. The featured speaker of the evening will be NEIL P. SHANAHAN, a retired FBI supervisory senior special gent. He spent 21 years working in Miami, Birmingham and Philadelphia. It will be at the North Hills Country Club, 99 Station Avenue, North Hills, Pa. KYLE ELLIOTT, the son of the illustrious Philadelphia lawyer JOHN ELLIOTT, is marrying LAURA BILTSTEIN. JIM McGINLEY, who is the first vice chairman of the 58th Ward, is back from an extended visit with his sister in Denver, Col. He was accompanied by his two brothers, JOHN & BERNIE, both of whom are priests. John is a member of the Order of the Oblates of St. Francis and Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua in Wilmington, Del. Jim’s sister lives and they agreed to meet in Denver. Earlier in the summer, Jim and his two brothers visited relatives in Ireland. The fourth brother, DAN, is the retired head of the Principals’ Union in the Philadelphia School District. Nephew CHRIS McGINLEY is the head of the school system in Lower Merion. STATE SEN. MIKE STACK is back from a fact-finding tour of Israel. As part of the trip, he and the group which he led received high-level briefings on the status of politics in the Middle East. Looks like BRENDAN BOYLE is in for some tough competition this General Election. His opponent MARC COLLAZZO comes from a well-respected Republican family. Collazo has been campaigning through the summer. His lawn signs are starting to appear. He has been door-to-door in 100-degree heat. (Cont. Page 18)
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Yo! Here we go again with some observations on growing older. They were sent to me by Barbara M. She says: Going out is good – coming home is better. When people say you look “great,” they add, “for your age.” When you needed the discount, you paid full price. Now you get discounts on everything: movies, hotels, airplane flights; but you’re too tired to use them. You forget names, but it’s OK, because other people forgot they even knew you. The five pounds you wanted to lose is now 15 and you have a better chance of losing your keys than the 15 pounds. You realize you’re never going to be really good at anything – especially golf. Your husband (or wife) is counting on you to remember things you don’t remember. The things you used to care to do, you no longer care to do, but you really do care that you don’t care to do them anymore. Your husband sleeps better on a lounge chair with the TV blaring than he does in bed. It’s called his “pre-sleep”. Remember when your mother said, “Wear clean underwear in case you GET in an accident”? Now you bring clean underwear in case you HAVE an accident. You used to say, “I hope my kids GET married” – now, “I hope they STAY married.” You miss the days when everything worked with just an “ON” and “OFF” switch. When Google, iPod, email, modem were unheard-of things, and a mouse was something that made you climb on a table. You use more four-letter words, like ‘”what?” – “when?” – “where?” Now that you can afford expensive jewelry, it’s not safe to wear it anywhere. Your husband has a night out with the guys. but he’s home by 9:00 p.m. ... next week it will be 8:30 p.m. You read 100 pages into a book before you realize you’ve already read it. What used to be freckles are now liver spots. Everybody whispers. Now that your husband has retired ... you’d give anything if he’d find a job. You have three sizes of clothes in your closet – two of which you will never wear but you keep them – just in case. Also, you will probably forget where you read this. But old is good in some things: old songs, old movies, wonderful memories and, best of all, old friends.
SNOOPER’S SIGHTINGS: I see HON. DAVID SHUTER, Judge of Municipal Court, along with his personal “tipstaff” JOSEPH DAUBERT. There goes our man “Big” ED DONNELLY, one of the Executives of LOCAL 30, the great ROOFERS’ UNION, and he looks as if he is still growing – whew! There goes the District Attorney, HON. SETH WILLIAMS, and he looks like he’s really busy. Someone told me he’s rushing over to the Criminal Justice Center to find out about the SGT. LIZBINSKI murder trial. The Jury decided to give these MUDERERS, not the DEATH PENALTY, but instead, LIFE in prison. It’s true, Pennsylvania does not EXECUTE any COP KILLERS. SNOOPER’S TV-NEWS FILES: Spotted our great District Attorney as he was doing a TV INTERVIEW. HON. SETH WILLIAMS once thought about being a DOCTOR, but as he admitted, “It just wasn’t for me to be.” As we all know, he became a well-known ATTORNEY instead; and today, HON. SETH WILLIAMS is our new DISTRICT ATTORNEY. HE is also, for those of you who don’t know, the PRESIDENT of the OVERBROOK CIVIC ASSOCIATION! SNOOPER “UPDATE”: The McDERMOTT FAMILY wants to personally THANK all those who came to pay their respects to “THE MATRIARCH” of the McDermott Family, MARY T. McDERMOTT. One of my associates spotted JUDGE WILLIAM MEEHAN and JUDGE BRAD MOSS, both of Municipal Court. Yes, AGNES SCANLON was there with her entire family, including PAULETTE HESS and all her family. He tells me JONATHAN IRVINE was there with his MOM, also spotted FRANK TALENT who showed up (Cont. Page 10)
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Between PHA head CARL GREENE’S issues and those of schools chief ARLENE ACKERMAN, one wonders what’s going on? It feels like greed and irresponsibility on the part of the people in charge. Although Greene’s issues are personal and Ackerman’s are in her professional life, one wonders. What gives? Greene won’t pay his mortgage, even with a salary and bonus any of us would die for, and Ackerman asking for a payout of vacation days (over and above what she’s entitled to) despite a salary and bonus that most of us will never see in our lifetime smacks of greed at the taxpayer’s expense. We are all for well-paid professionals, but based on what? Show us the criteria and report that lead to that big bonus, Arlene. Just as you say you are entitled to the bonus, we’re entitled to know what went into it! Who will take DROP and drop out of City Council, and who’ll take it and try to stick around? One constant buzz hangs over the fate of COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER. Will she stay or go? Rumor has it that her friends in politics have negotiated a deal that a local nonprofit executive would run and she step down, essentially pushing the Councilwoman and her allies aside, which is fine with them since they were never really respected within that group anyway. With the Councilwoman gone, she’s one less person to worry about keeping in lockstep, particularly since the replacement is a key part of the team. The replacement would get rid of all of the dead weight and help friends earn “dead presidents” at the same time! They eat their young in the Northwest!
Page 10 The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010 www.phillyrecord.com
(Cont. From Page 9) City police and other things. But to charge the BPT to people who may make $65 or $100 a story isn’t altogether cool. It’s even less cool when you consider there aren’t any bloggers living on what they can make with advertising on their site. Internet advertising is not even half as expensive as advertising in newspapers and is especially nowhere close to what you pay for television ads. And you want $300 and City wage taxes on my little blog? Really? So much for monetizing The Mad (political) Scientist, which is my blog…. The City is justifying this madness by saying if you make money, you’re a business. It doesn’t matter if the profit you’ve made on your blog’s advertising (most of which goes to your blog’s host by the way) is as little as $11,
you have to pay the $300 BPT, which is times what you’ve made. Apparently, you can pay $50 a year and you don’t have to pay the BPT again once you hit $300, but it’s still a lot of money if you’re using your blog to help you make a few bucks. My guess is the City is doing this because, well, we’re broke. When a City is doing rolling closures on firehouses, not replacing police officers when they retire (which could be a real problem once the casinos do open) and had even talked about closing libraries at one time, we have some financial issues that we need to work out. But I don’t know how much sense it makes to charge someone $300 to operate a blog that at best makes $11 a year. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve gotta start saving for my BPT. I am a freelance writer, you know….
(Cont. Page 10) with HOWARD JETTER, former employees of The Court ‘retired’. JOHN JOYCE was there with his wonderful WIFE and his Mother-in-law. “Big” JOE LOMBARDI showed up; he’s been a longtime friend of The McDermotts. Bye MARY; R.I.P. SNOOPER “BOO-BOO”: No Boss, this one is NOT ours; instead it actually belongs to The Daily News. Thursday’s newspaper on PAGE 8 did a marvelous piece on the death of CHARLES W. BOWSER. They included photos of a few good friends, and this is where they made a terrible “boo-boo”. The first photo, they claimed, was that of HON. AUGUSTA CLARKE, who we all knew passed away quite a few years ago. I happen to look a little closer at the photo, and it was (Cont. Page 13)
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JUDGE Jackie Frazier-Lyde was glad to hang out with the guys as community celebrated with picnic fare, pony rides and games on S. 52nd Street.
COUNSELORS and campers finish up planting trees and shrubs to covert concrete portion of McCloskey ES in Mount Airy into “Rain Garden”. John Ungar, OARC’s senior director of sustainability and education, said rain-garden project not only expands “greening” focus, but also teaches community about simple ways to be environmentally friendly.
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
UNIONIST Pete Lyde, left, came to Top Of The Line’s Stop The Violence Community Block Party in Kingsessing, organized by proprietor Derrick Hook. Lyde, whose son was murdered by robbers, made impassioned plea to remove criminals from streets.
Ogontz Grows Rain Garden
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Block Party For Peace
Labor Supports Keller
BUILDING TRADES Locals turned out to support reelection campaign of State Rep. Bill Keller at fundraiser at Union Pub. Seen here are President Pat Gillespie and retired Masons President Mike Fera.
GLAZIERS DC21 were among those attending. Seen above flanking Joe Ashdale and Harry Wllliams, seated center, are active members.
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FORMER JUDICIAL CANDIDATE Fran Shields, center, with supporters was among VIPs in attendance.
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The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
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Popular Tria wine bars get baby brother by Len Lear By the time you read this — or very soon afterwards — the team behind downtown’s successful Tria wine bars will have opened Biba at 3131 Walnut Street, a wine bar with a simple, affordable menu of light fare, including cheese, charcuterie and chocolate. Described by owner Jon Myerow as “Tria’s fun little brother,” Biba will offer a variety of wines and a selection of artisanal beers. (When I called Tria on Aug. 22, I was told that Biba “will definitely open at the end of August or the beginning of September.”) Myerow, who owns the Tria at 18th & Sansom Streets, the Tria at 12th & Spruce Streets and Tria Fermentation School, insisted that Biba will not feature WiFi, televisions,
live music, karaoke or other time-filling diversions. Instead, he wants the 32seat bar and 12-seat outdoor patio to be “a haven for social interactions.” There will be 26 wines by the glass and 10 beers, including a rotating cask selection, as well as small plates of food. The Tria formula — low square footage, small plates, lots of wines by the glass, beer, cheese, tables within a whisper of each other, outdoor dining, etc. — seems to have weathered the recession. Every time we have eaten at either Tria or just walked past them, we have seen crowds who appear to be oblivious to the fact that the economy as a whole is still in the dumpster. Greg Welsh, owner of the Chestnut Grill & Sidewalk Cafe in Chestnut Hill, gave me an explanation last week as to why places like Tria are still thriving. “Our experience
here since the recession began (in September 2008) is that people have definitely not stopped going out to restaurants. Most people are probably going out just as much as they used to, maybe a little less. But what they have done is changed what they order. If they used to order three courses, now they pass on the appetizer or the dessert. If they used to order a steak, maybe now they get chicken. If they used to get a bottle of wine, maybe now they just order a glass. “I always check our numbers very carefully, and I can tell you we have just as many customers as we did before, but the average check is definitely down. So those restaurants who take this new reality into consideration by downscaling their menu and offering lower-priced options can still survive.” Tria seems to fit Welsh’s formula. According to the 2010 Zagat Dining Guide for Philadelphia, both Tria restau-
rants have a check average of $30, which includes one glass of wine and the tip. And you might say loitering is encouraged, so the young crowd, who do not mind the loud din or the cramped quarters, can hang around and shmooze over some wine and cheese. Biba was designed by Philadelphia’s Brett Webber Architects, who have created a farmhouse-industrial atmosphere, highlighted by millwork created from a century-old Philadelphia water tower, which itself came from redwood trees that would now be 400 years old. Large picture windows will open to the patio, a glass wine-storage wall and communal seating. Biba is located in The Left Bank, an apartment complex that houses many of the healthcare workers and graduate students who work and attend the area’s hospitals and universities. Biba will be open Sunday through Thursday from 12 noon until 12 midnight, and Friday and Satur-
Len Lear day from 12 noon until 1 a.m. For more information, visit www.bibawinebar.com (as of Aug. 22, the website was not yet ready) or call (215) 9727075 (Tria) or (215) 222BIBA. Buzz about Fishtown newcomer I have not eaten there yet, but I can’t remember hearing more positive buzz about a new restaurant in a long time than I have heard about Kraftwork, which opened in May at 541 E. Girard Avenue (at Montgomery Avenue) in Fishtown. It is a serious beer
bar from Adam Ritter, owner of The Sidecar at 2201 Christian Street in the rapidly redeveloping Graduate Hospital area. I’ve heard the food (average appetizer between $7 and $15, average entree between $10 and $20) and two dozen all-draft craft beers are fine, but that the interior is even better. The design was created by Philly sculptor/artisan Andrew Jevremovic, who scoured a steelyard (Ritter’s family is in the steel and iron business in New Jersey), scavenged spare parts from factories, trucks, old buildings, etc., and placed them throughout the restaurant as a paean — and virtual gallery/museum — to the workers who built this country. Kraftwork is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, brunch on weekends and Happy Hour Monday through Friday. For more information, call (215) 739-1700 or visit www.kraftworkbar.com.
Pols Visit Mantua
ON CITYWIDE motorcade, City Council Cand i d a t e Lawrence Clark, right, chatting here with Skip Woods and Denise Price, e n j o y e d chance to meet W. Phila. voters at Mantua Family Day.
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
SNOOPER SOUTH PHILLY NEWS: What the heck is behind “THE FEDS” who ‘raided’ the offices of HON. BILL KELLER, our great STATE REPRESENTATIVE and proceeded to remove boxes and boxes of his personal records? I’m told there’s going to be a lot more coming regarding Rep. Keller, and don’t be too surprised when you get to hear about others who may be involved in this FEDERAL INVESTIGATION. Yes, they also went after Traffic Court Judge BOB MULGREW too!
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(Cont. From Page 10) that of HON. FREDERICA MASSIAH JACKSON, President Judge “emerita”. Yes, she is ALIVE &WELL! SNOOPER’S SCHOOL NEWS BUREAU: I went to Lincoln HS to check out their various SPORTS PROGRAMS, and I got quite a surprise. Coming up the steps were The Governor, HON.
EDWARD G. RENDELL, and along with him, MS. ARLENE ACKERMAN, the Superintendant of the Philadelphia School System. They came to announce the GOOD NEWS regarding the FEDERAL ACADEMIC STANDARDS under “No Child Left Behind” program. Yes, the School District’s focus on the empowerment schools really paid off; however, we still have a long way to go before all our students perform at GRADE LEVELS!
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Page 14 The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Our Opinion ... Not So Surprising
Our editorial cartoon sums up what has been happening on the local and statewide scenes politically. In essence, if you want to talk politics, you’d have to track challengers and incumbents in this November’s general election into their natural summer habitat. You’d need to find them in vacation spots, either at the Jersey or Delaware shore spots or in the Poconos or the other beautiful mountain ranges throughout Pennsylvania. Why this is so is not so surprising. One needs only to know many of the incumbent State Representatives have strong locks on their Districts. Once they get past the primary, they literally are shoo-ins to win. Many have no opposition in the General. The reasons for this are many, of which the main is the continued loyalty of voters to their candidates. Many of our General Assembly members earn that loyalty by working the year round for their constituents, serving them well at their District offices as well as by their support of legislation that will benefit the majority in their Districts. This has a drawback, though. When the local races are almost all foregone conclusions, save for maybe three House seats, voters know for sure their guy or gal will win (or lose), tamping down the need for them to turn out. This lessens the vote count on Election Day and no doubt will affect those statewide candidates running for the US Senate and Governor seats. Both parties are affected, since there are few seats seen as “swing seats” where voter turnout spells the difference.
ANOTHER OPINION
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City’s Missing Green by Faye Deckter Historic City Gardens While Philadelphia continues to move ahead in areas of the green movement such as LEED buildings, recycling, solar recycling bins, and decorated trashcollection trucks, budget cuts are hitting other portions. Additionally, some areas of Philadelphia’s “greening” continue to lag behind other localities and need improvement. Current cuts are hitting the tree-planting program hard. Philadelphia’s recommended tree cover is 40%, yet as of last year, our tree cover was about 15%. Last year, we were in the lower one-third of a sampling of major cities, according to a survey taken of internet sites and emails to cities’ treeplanting organizations. Prior to the cuts, 200 trees were
planted this summer in South Philly, for example, but according to a representative from East Passyunk Crossing Civic Association’s Greening Committee, only half of them survived. Some possible causes are the hot summer; improper watering; initial lack of viability; and shock from the balmy nursery conditions to harsh city conditions which include dog poop, trash/garbage, invasive weeds and the ubiquitous radiation from our many cell-phone towers, antennae and wireless. Stronger legislation and enforcement is needed regarding littering and our Dog Pooper Law, including outlawing use of public spaces like schools, rec centers and Kelly Drive’s Lincoln Memorial as doggie-poop parks. Despite the fact our pub-
lic park system has been grossly underfunded for years now, a 3% decrease in the parks budget has occurred. Lot maintenance is another area being hit by cuts. The result will be a proliferation of weeds around the city. While there has been some consideration of the use of grazing animals like sheep to do the job, another idea is that owners of vacant lots be required to maintain their spaces. While California has established a statewide School Gardening Program, neither Pennsylvania nor Philadelphia has a program. Representatives should attend such conferences as the recent National Children & Youth Garden Symposium. Philadelphia needs an inventory of city trees in order to manage them. We commend UC Green for tracking some West Philly trees. In contrast, Chicago already has embarked on a citywide program. At our public places like schools and rec centers, staff is not trained in how to maintain outdoor spaces and
may be hired without relevant job experience. We suggest staff be trained in the basics like proper mowing, identification and elimination of invasive plants, pruning, etc. and prior experience be considered in hiring. At schools, staff disinterested in outdoor spaces should be transferred to schools without green areas. Funders of the Arts need to become cognizant that garden design, perhaps the oldest artform on the continent, should be included on lists of the arts. Organizations like ours, Historic City Gardens, which has been in existence for 10 years now and produces unique “concept gardens” and whose goal is a community based 55-acre botanical garden at Lemon Hill and Porters House properties, should meet with the Director of Sustainability and be included in the “Green Plan”. Historic City Gardens can only hope that when the economy improves, “greening” – what “green” originally meant – will be given
Aug. 26- GLBMA Business Breakfast at Warnock Housing Development, 2862 Germantown Ave., 8-10 a.m. Members free, nonmembers $25. Pre-registration required. Mayor Michael Nutter to speak. Aug. 26- State Sen. Shirley Kitchen and State Rep. Mark Cohen host older citizens at Senior Day in Memorial Hall at St. William’s Ch., Robbins & Argyle Sts., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. For info (215) 227-6161. Aug. 28- Universal Family of Schools Celebrates “Education is a Family Affair” at Universal Daroff Campus, 5630 Vine St., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free and open to families who attend Universal Institute Charter School, Universal Daroff Charter, Universal Bluford Charter. Aug. 28- State Rep. Rosita Youngblood hosts Back to School Community Resource Fair at Burgess Ctr., rear parking lot, 200-220 W. Chelten Ave., 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Free school gifts, lunch and enter-
tainment. For info Cherise All (215) 849-6426. Aug. 28- Fundraiser for State Rep. John Taylor at Shawcrest Pointe, Wildwood, N.J., 2 p.m. Tickets $40. Aug. 29B i l l y Meehan Clambake at Cannstatter Volksfest-Verein, 9130 Academy Rd., 4-8 p.m. Great food, top entertainment. Tickets $100. For info Republican City Committee (215) 561-0650. Sep. 1- State Sen. Anthony Williams Hosts Neighborhood To Neighborhood Street Festival on Baltimore Ave. between 49th & 52nd Sts, gospel hour 11 a.m., opening program 12:30 p.m., to 8 p.m. Live acts, games, food vendors. For info (215) 4922980. Sep. 10- Fundraiser for David Oh at Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer Toddy PC, 1818 Market St., 13th fl., 6 p.m. Sep. 11- DooWop Festival hosted by Phila. Veterans Multi Service & Education Ctr. Top entertainers include Little Isidore and the Inquisitors, Cornerstone and The Chantels. Free. For info www.phillydoowopfestival.org.
WHAT BEGAN as a small get-together in Wildwood years ago by Local 98 leaders has mushroomed into a much-anticipated summer event at Keenan’s in Wildwood, drawing rank-and-file members as well as politicians and other VIPs. ENJOYING event are DC Seen here with host Business Mgr. John J. Dougherty, Jr. 47’s Rich Morawski and reare Ed McBride, John Sabatina, Sr. and State Supreme tiree Jack McCann. Court Justice Seamus McCaffery.
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
NOTICE You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the following pages, you must take action within twenty (20) days after the Complaint and notice are served, by entering a written appearance personally or by attorney and filing in writing with the court your defenses or objections to the claims set forth against you. You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgment may be entered against you by the Court without further notice for any money claimed in the Complaint or for any other claim or relief requested by the Plaintiff. You may lose money or property or other rights important to you. YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER OR CANNOT AFFORD ONE, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW. THIS OFFICE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HIRING A LAWYER. IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE A LAWYER, THIS OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT AGENCIES THAT MAY OFFER LEGAL SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS AT A REDUCED FEE OR NO FEE. PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION One Reading Center Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-238-6333
‘Down Under’ Continues To Be Strong Local 98 Tradition
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IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS PHILADELPHIA COUNTY CIVIL ACTION - LAW Term No. 100700973 NOTICE OF ACTION IN MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE CITIMORTGAGE, INC., PLAINTIFF vs. The Unknown Heirs of Lucille Martin, Deceased & YOLANDA MARTIN, Solely in Her Capacity as Heir of Lucille Martin, Deceased Mortgagors and Real Owners, Defendant(s) TO: The Unknown Heirs of Lucille Martin, Deceased MORTGAGOR AND REAL OWNER, DEFENDANT whose last known address is 1429 West Indiana Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19132. THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR AND WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT OWED TO OUR CLIENT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM YOU WILL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTING THE DEBT. You are hereby notified that Plaintiff CITIMORTGAGE, INC., has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, docketed to No. 100700973 wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 1429 West Indiana Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19132 whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Philadelphia County.
LOCAL 98’S Bob Henon, center, welcomes Marita Crawford, Lisa Deeley, John Sabatina, Sr. and Chief REGULARS included Jim Foy and Deputy Sheriff Barbara Deeley to Down Under at Bob Thompson, Jr. and Sr. Keenan’s.
LOCAL 98 chief John Dougherty checks in with his souvenir t-shirt crew: Bob Thomp- AMONG attendees were John & Brian son, Chris Owens and Jim Foy. Stevenson.
COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES, INC. Law Center North Central Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 or 215-981-3700
FORMER Local 98 President Harry Foy and Dan Pellicciotti, center, are flanked by two KIBBITZING WITH State Supreme Court Local 98 members, Frank Magee and Roger Justice Seamus McCaffery, right, are Jim Mink and Ann Foy. Bialy
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Michael T. McKeever Attorney for Plaintiff Goldbeck McCafferty & McKeever, PC Suite 5000, Mellon Independence Center 701 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532 215-627-1322
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The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
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GEORGE & WILMA Avila sample fresh Penna. peaches passed out by Food Trust Project Mgr. Katie Wich at new Norris Square farmers’ market. EXCITED by new farmers’ market, senatorial aide Gizela Burnside and her boss State Sen. Tina Tartaglione discuss with Katie Wich new possibilities for b r i n g i n g healthy, fresh food to N. Phila.
MAYOR Michael Nutter and Deputy Mayor for Health Donald Schwarz hail State Sen. Tina Tartaglione’s work in bringing farmers’ market to S. Kensington. Nutter hailed her as “one of the best Senators we have.”
Ringside With The Shadowboxer
Philadelphia Charters for Excellence, a newly formed organization of high-performing Philadelphia Charter Schools PCE, taken together, represent the second-largest school district in Pennsylvania. PCE aims to define the Philadelphia charter community in terms of academic progress and safety, among other categories, to provide a resource for parents and students interested in charters, and to clarify misperceptions and misinformation about charters. “According to the Pew study released in June, 62% of parents said they have actively considered sending their child to a charter or non-District-run school, while 42% said they did not have enough information about school choice,” said Dr. Naomi Johnson Booker, president of PCE and CEO of Global Leadership Academy. “PCE is going to remedy this situation. We are here to demystify the process for parents who desperately want options for their children’s education.” PCE members have all committed to creating a path toward academic and personal excellence for all students; innovation in teaching and learning practices; recognition of family, community and
safety as priorities; and maintaining a rigorous and transparent leadership and decision-making process. “Seventy-three percent of charters in Philadelphia are making ‘Adequate Yearly Progress’,” said Jurate Krokys, VP of PCE and CEO of Independence Charter School. “And as important, we have very high daily attendance, graduation and highschool matriculation rates. We are achieving real results
through innovation in education. There are more students on waiting lists to attend Philadelphia charters – nearly 30,000 – than there are in the entire Pittsburgh public School District.” Though Philadelphia charter schools sought expansion by 9,300 seats this year, only 1,024 were granted by the School Reform Commission. “That leaves many, many students on waiting lists for yet another year,” said Krokys.
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
Mayor Michael A. Nutter and Health Commissioner opened the Norris Square Farmers’ Market in North Philadelphia thanks to the efforts of State Sen. Tina Tartaglione, whose District Office lies directly across the street. “Access to fresh and healthy food is terribly important in our community,” she said. “The lack of nutritional alternatives contributes to serious health problems in low-income neighborhoods.” The Norris Square Farmers’ Market is one of over 15 markets across the City that now accepts Philly Food Bucks. Through Philly Food Bucks, Food Stamp beneficiaries receive $2 of free fruits and vegetables for every $5 they spend in a farmers’ market. “It’s important that all Philadelphians have access to fresh, healthy and affordable foods,” said the Mayor Nutter. “The farmers’ market opening here today is an investment in the health of the people that live and work in the Norris Square community and the local farmers who bring us fresh fruits and vegetables every day.”
Top Charter Schools Seek Clout
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Tina Lauds Farmers’ Market
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‘Z-Man’s’ Make Or Break round TKO to Cuba’s Arnaldo Mesa, crushing the North Philadelphian’s Olympic dreams. Because of the early loss, he was among the less touted of the “96 US Olympians”. He turned professional and worked his way up the rankings very slowly before he finally got the big fight. That was against Rocky Juarez, where Raheem lost to Juarez in what most believed, including SHADOWBOXER, to be a “hometown” decision. In his next big fight, he
took on Mexican legend Erik Morales and won the 2005 Ring Magazine upset of the year. The following year, he lost by split decision to Acelino Freitas for the WBO Lightweight Championship. It’s been 14 years since Raheem’s Olympic dreams ended in Atlanta, but tomorrow night, he returns to fight Roberto Valenzuela in a bout that could be just as important. Now in his 30s, a win keeps him in the mix; a loss would mean it’s probably time to consider retirement.
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At the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, Zahir “ZMan” Raheem was widely considered to be a strong favorite to win Gold for the US. The Bantamweight entered the Olympic Games with a stellar amateur career, which included an unbelievable 212-3 record. Things looked as if they were right on schedule after Raheem’s 1st-round bout, where he defeated North Korea’s Jong-Gil Oh. Then, in the second round of the games, Raheem lost by 1st-
The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
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(Cont. From Page 9) When will they ever learn? Republican Party faithful who head to their City Committee’s annual Billy Meehan Clam Bake may be greeted by fellow Party members protesting the event, due to the ongoing civil war be-
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SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA Sealed proposals will be received by the School Reform Commission at the School Administration Building located at 440 North Broad St., 3rd Floor, Office of Capital Programs, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, until 2:00 P.M., on Tuesday, September 21, 2010. A nonrefundable fee for each set of bid documents is as scheduled. The School District will only accept bids from companies that have been placed on its current Pre Qualified Contractors List as shown at psit.org. All School District Project require MBE/WBE participation as shown in the specifications. BUDGET FEE B-007 (C) of 2010/11 General Service Contract Trailer Modernization $75,000 $ 25.00 Various locations throughout the School District BUDGET FEE B-025 (C) of 2009/10 Electrical Contract Kensington HS $2,000,000 $200 Electric Service 2051 E. Cumberland Street *A pre-bid conference and site tour will be held at the project location, on September 2, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. Specifications and/or plans and contract documents may be examined and copies thereof obtained from the School Reform Commission, 440 North Broad Street, 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA 19130. Information as to contract documents, etc., may be obtained at the above address, or telephone 215-400-5225. Make checks payable to the School District of Philadelphia. The School Reform Commission reserves the right to reject any and all bids and make the awards to the best interests of the School District of Philadelphia.
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Sealed proposals will be received by the School Reform Commission at the School Administration Building located at 440 North Broad St., 3rd Floor, Office of Capital Programs, Philadelphia, PA 19130-4015, until 2:00 P.M., on Tuesday, September 14, 2010. A non-refundable fee for each set of bid documents is as scheduled. The School District will only accept bids from companies that have been placed on its current Pre Qualified Contractors List as shown at psit.org. All School District Project require MBE/WBE participation as shown in the specifications. FEE BUDGET B-045 (C) of 2009/10 Electrical Contract A. B. Anderson ES $1,400,000.00$ 200.00 Relight 1034 South 60th Street *A pre-bid conference and site tour will be held at the project location, on August 26, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. BUDGET FEE B-048 (C) of 2009/10 Electrical Contract Widener MS $350,000.00 $ 100.00 Elevator Alterations 1450 West Olney Ave. *A pre-bid conference and site tour will be held at the project location, on August 27, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. FEE BUDGET B-065 (C) of 2009/10 General Contract Samuel Fels HS $300,000.00 $ 100.00 Field/Parking lot Improve. 5500 Langdon Street *A pre-bid conference and site tour will be held at the project location, on August 25, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. Specifications and/or plans and contract documents may be examined and copies thereof obtained from the School Reform Commission, 440 North Broad Street, 3rd floor, Philadelphia, PA 19130. Information as to contract documents, etc., may be obtained at the above address, or telephone 215-400-5225. Make checks payable to the School District of Philadelphia. The School Reform Commission reserves the right to reject any and all bids and make the awards to the best interests of the School District of Philadelphia.
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Rated A+ by the Better Business Bureau. HELP WANTED DRIVER TRUCK DRIVERS WANTED! MORE HOMETIME! TOP PAY! EXCELLENT BENEFITS! NEWER EQUIPMENT! Up to $.48/mile company drivers! HEARTLAND EXPRESS 1-800-441-4953 www.heartlandexpress.com CDL drivers needed to deliver trucks from PA to surrounding area. Set your own schedule. Call 1-866-764-1601 or go to www.qualitydriveaway.com for information. CDL-A Drivers: You Deserve The Best! High Miles, Great Pay, 2011 Freightliner Cascadias! New Performance Bonus Program. $500 Sign-on for Flatbed Drivers. CDL-A, 6mo.OTR. Western Express 888-801-5295 Looking for a great Flatbed Co ?? You just found it! Grand Island Contract Car-
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The Public Record • Aug. 26, 2010
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