Short Tab - Germantown Newspapers
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Short Tab - Germantown Newspapers
Northwest Independent Subscribe to the only news outlet without political oversight - See page 6 April 25, 2013 • Volume 4, Number 26 Germantown Newspapers • 6661 Germantown Ave.• Philadelphia, PA 19119 • 215-438-4000 • germantownnewspapers.com The Faces of Philadelphia Failures Mismanaging the Madness See page 3 Gosnell Case Raises Questions page 7 Like Us on Facebook. Germantown Newspapers Page 2 April 25, 2013 Germantown Newspapers MORE CHOICES SMALLER PORTIONS FEWER CALORIES AMERICA’S BEVERAGE COMPANIES ARE DELIVERING. From sodas, juices and teas to waters and sports drinks, we’re making it easier to choose what’s right for you. By introducing more low- and no-calorie beverages, we’ve reduced the average calories per serving by 23% since 1998. Our packaging now has clear calorie labels so you know exactly what you’re choosing. And in schools, we’ve replaced full-calorie soft drinks with lower-calorie and smaller-portion options. Learn more at DeliveringChoices.org Germantown Newspapers City Government: Mismanaging the Madness Philadelphia moves into free fall even faster as the days go by and Mayor Michael Nutter is the face of failure. We have reported on his defiant and arrogant approach to governance before, but the pace accelerates with each passing day. Reminiscent of oneparty power mongers of the past, Nutter takes a Huey Long approach as the “kingfish” who disregards all manner of propriety, personal and fiscal responsibility to the people, underscored regularly with a “my way or the highway” pattern. But he is losing ground even among the true believers as the train wreck on the horizon is becoming a clearer and clearer picture even to the most calloused observer. Most recent genuine outrage is how he defiantly told the mainstream and city press they could not be part of a prioritized financial summit named the Philadelphia Investor Conference and held at the Comcast Center with none other than David L. Cohen presenting the welcoming comments. Formal objections to the secrecy were filed by Bloomberg News and the Philadelphia Inquirer. Deputy Mayor/Commerce Director Alan Greenberger, Finance Director Rob Dubow and others were huckstering the city that has the lowest credit rating in the nation of major cities, and hoping that bond issuers would buy their story and promises that fall way short of fiscal soundness in the opinion of Page 3 April 25 2013 most who have reviewed it. City pension shortfalls are currently at $5 billion or 52% below what is required to balance liability obligations; thanks to years of non-payments and a state government who has helped them kick that can down the road, despite having standing oversight authority over the budget. The major questions we should all ask Sam Katz of the PICA Board is what will happen with this current budget and all the shortfalls, and will he hold the Mayor and Finance Director Rob Dubow’s feet to the fire? Arrogance abounds at the most recent hearing of the PICA State oversight board where Mayor Nutter’s Finance Director Dubow tells them that the records of the half a billion in past due real estate taxes are in such disarray that it will take a new “Collection Czar” and $45 million in additional dollars to straighten them out so they can then “begin to decide how to try and collect them”. The major ploy at hand (and likely the reason for secrecy) is that Mayor Nutter wants to sell off the profitable Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) for some quick cash, as it may be the only profitable asset the city has. In their rush to get something cobbled together to hand out to the attendees they made a $40 million dollar mistake in calculating the cost of po- Success. Continued on page 5 GetasquaredealonhearingaidsfromalicensedhearͲ ingaidspecialistinRoxboroughwhoknowsthatthe worsthearingaidistheonethatisn’tbeingworn. CapTelCapƟonedTelephone 1Ͳ4yrwarrantyandinsurance. FreediagnosƟcsandfollowͲups. 45DayTrial–NOFEEforreturns. FREEBATTERIESforoneyear. Weekend,weeknighthours. Closetohome;samedayapͲ pointmentsareoŌenavailable. INROXBOROUGHNEARANDORRA7517NewlandStreet,Phila. 215-482-2352 byappointment Good news for people who want to lose. A weight loss surgery program to help you discover a whole new – and healthier – you. If you’re 100 pounds or more overweight, we invite you to a free information session on life-changing weight loss surgery. It’s helped many people live happier, healthier lives. It may help you, too. Free Group and Personal Weight Loss Surgery Sessions For dates and locations, visit ChestnutHillHealth.com/WeightLoss, or call 215-836-5120. Reservations required. Your weight loss surgery team includes board-certified, fellowship-trained surgeons Aley Tohamy, M.D., and Sean Yuan, M.D. 8200 Flourtown Ave., Suite 2, Wyndmoor, PA 19038 215-836-5120 • 13 Armand Hammer Blvd., Suite 310, Pottstown, PA 19464 610-327-7770 Members of the Medical Staff at Chestnut Hill Hospital and Pottstown Memorial Medical Center Page 4 April 25, 2013 Germantown Newspapers Pennsylvania’s Clueless Conservatives and the Issues Grassroots Are Missing While grassroots and activist conservatives obsess about the Toomey-Manchin background check amendment, and immigration amnesty, they have missed major dynamics affecting Pennsylvania. Toomey-Manchin explicitly enhances the accuracy and completeness of background checks. Common sense conservatives support accurate and complete background checks. While distracted with the glitter of “gun control”, grassroots conservatives miss that Tom Corbett is being financed by Obama Democrat David L. Cohen, former Democratic Governor Ed Rendell’s alter ego, inextricably tied to billionaire Comcast Obama Democrats. At the recent conservative oriented Pennsylvania Leadership Conference, I was surprised to learn how few activists were aware of Tom Corbett’s “bipartisanship”. In fact, this cooperation of De- mocrat Corbett and Republican paid spokesperson for Pennsylvania hydraulic fracturing natural gas industry Ed Rendell Comcast’s pernicious political influence. The Pennsylvania Leadership Conference could have been The Pennsylvania Leadership Conference could have been called the “Incumbent Protection Conference” and talked of primaries as expensive enterprises draining resources from general election. The significance of the Gosnell abortion clinic as a failure of government regulation seems to have been missed. We also learn that abortion clinics had not been inspected for17 years starting during the liberal Ridge and Perzel Republican majority years in the 90s. should be of concern to activists and rank and file voters of both parties. Oooops... I meant Republican Corbett and Democratic Rendell – hard to tell the establishments apart. Leftist City Paper’s Daniel Denvir has written an excellent summary of P rom F lo w e r s ! Will you stand out at your prom? We create designs featuring the latest trends & colors! Y our Local F Yo Fa amiillly yF Flllo orriiis s t ffo or 100 Y Ye earrs s 7148 G Germantown ermantown A Ave. v e. • Mt. Mt. Airy Airy (215) 247-0832 ww www.rotheflorists.com w.rothefloris ts .com Sav e $10 on y our tto otal Prom flower ord er of $45 or more. Can comb ine Cors ag e & Boutto onnière ord ers to to g et this offffer. We invite invit e y you ou tto ov visit isit o our ur NEW NEW w wedding edding g gallery allery to s see ee m many any s samples amples o off o our ur C Corsages, orsages, Bouquets Bo uquet s & Bo Boutonnieres. ut onnieres. V Visit isit tthe he g gallery allery at:: ww at www.rotheweddings.com w.rrothewed d ing s .com called the “Incumbent Protection Conference” and talked of primaries as expensive enterprises draining resources from general election. The significance of the Gosnell abortion clinic as a failure of government regulation seems to have been missed. We also learn that abortion clinics had not been inspected for17 years starting during the liberal Ridge and Perzel Republican majority years in the 90s. Then we have judicial retention. The blatant and outrageous bipartisan conflict of interest that has been brought to our attention by Northampton District Attorney John Morganelli. Retention is supported by establishment insiders of both parties. In November, there is a bipartisan opportunity to REJECT RETENTION on bipartisan basis. Both Chief Justice Republican Ron Castile, tainted by his mishandling of the new Family Courthouse and Democrat Max Baer offer an opportunity to reject bipartisan establishment’s top down dictates. Sadly, it’s the Democrats who have shown how to run a primary. The Kane Murphy primary, as intense as it was, focused on the records and the result was a smashing Democratic victory for Kathleen Kane, Pennsylvania’s first Democratic Attorney General. Few conservatives seem to be aware of Republican Speaker of the House Sam Smith’s record. Sam Smith is the only Republican to vote for every one of Ed Rendell’s budgets. Sam Smith is financed by unions while talking the talk of limited government and economic freedom. The key issue of Voter ID is stalled because of inept execu- tion by both administration and the Republican General Assembly. One cannot help but think the Union Republicans have subverted the Voter ID law by incompetent roll-out to sabotage this initiative favored by grassroots conservatives. Corbett’s incompetent, political hack and Val DiGiorgio crony Carole Aichele has failed to implement Voter ID. The Halvorson Primary challenge to uber porker Bill Shuster is barely on anyone’s radar screen. Yet as the American Majority’s Madison Project and Madison Performance Index show, Bill Shuster is far, far more liberal than his district. Below the radar, there is an in place organization working for the defeat of Bill Shuster in a Republican Primary. The Establishment Republicans have already been smearing Art Halvorson. Google Madison Performance Index for more information. Liberal Harrisburg PatriotNews has done a stellar journalistic report on Pat Deon of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, SEPTA Board Chairman, and controls his own beer distributorship cartel. Pat Deon is connected closely to Union Republican Financier BucksCo Republican Gene DiGirolamo of union PAC, GoodJobsPa. Union Republicans and Beer Cartelist Pat Deon oppose liquor privatization. Pat Deon is inextricably intertwined with Republican establishment which has been selling out the grassroots and rank and file Republicans. Wendell Young IV is paid about $287,000 by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. The Unions with government connivance take taxpayer money from workers, money workers never see, and finance private Union Organizers who then lobby for bigger and more expensive government at taxpayer expense. Workers have had their freedom of choice taken from them by Unions and Government. Republican Senate Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi's unwavering ally Republican Sen. Erickson Throws Cold Water On Liquor Privatization in a talk before the Springfield Republicans Bill Lawrence (tinyurl. com/ce9uub5). BucksCo Sen. McIlhinney’s obstructionism is jeopardizing Tom Corbett’s reelection. Sen. McIlhinney is Chair of Law and Justice Committee which is holding HB 790 hostage. Team Republican needs to produce and Liquor Privatization is cornerstone of Tom Corbett’s primary campaign. Without a win on privatizes, his chances of losing a primary go up. Sen. McIlhinney is financed by BucksCo Beer Cartelist Crony Capitalist Pat Deon and the Union Republican Gene DiGirolamo Union financed network of BucksCo Union Republicans like Bernie O’Neill and Scott Petri. Rob Ciervo will like be challenging Sen. McIlhinney in a primary. The grassroots needs to mobilize against Sen. McIlhinney. This is a test of grassroots leadership. All of us. If the Crony Capitalist and union Republican entrenched incumbents win on this key vote, grassroots will lose and Tom Corbett loses grassroots support. The Clueless Conservatives seem to be unaware of the Attorney General’s ongoing investigation of LeRoy Zimmerman and the Hershey Trust Golf Course Republican investor bailout as ably written about by Bob Fernandez of the Inquirer. This is a story of financial child abuse of the most disadvantaged kids in Pennsylvania while despoiling an iconic Pennsylvania philanthropist and businessman. Primaries are the only thing incumbents fear and it is the only mechanism to make them listen. Performance Counts! Team Republican needs to produce. Now! Or the Governor gets a Primary. Bob Guzzardi Grassroots activist Free Home Improvement and Energy Workshop April 27, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mt. Airy USA, 6703 G’town Ave., Suite 200 Learn about affordable home improvement loans; low-cost doit-yourself home repairs; energy efficiency improvements; how to avoid contractor scams; energysaving ways to lower utility bills. Light lunch will be provided. This is a FREE event; however, donations to Mt. Airy, USA will be accepted and appreciated. To register, call Wandel Phillips @ 215-844-6021 x 200or go to mausahomeenergysaveeventbrite.c om. Germantown Newspapers Page 5 April 25 2013 City Government: Mismanaging the Madness Continued from page 3 lice in one area of the presentation. Despite having appointed no less than 31 special “czars” and their costly staffs to so all manner of special work since 2008, the budget cuts to essential services and functioning departments like the DA’s office have brought nothing less than outrage from Seth Williams as expounded at recent hearings. A school system in one of its many incarnations fails to educate so badly that recent statistics claim the graduation rate for city schools has fallen further to 50%, while they are $300 million short of paying their bills in the current budget. Instead of grappling with this as a major priority, the mayor allows a newly hired “axe man” to do his dirty work and hope that the backlash over closings and reassignments somehow fades away over time. Years of neglect and not one creative program despite top-heavy salaries for administrators brought us to this crises and many saw it coming, but leadership did almost nothing to avert it. City Council seems to have become energized at new levels as special hearings are held to listen to first-hand accounts of how city cutbacks have impacted public safety in many areas, not the least of which are those directly connected to the criminal justice system such as probation and parole. Five years of unsigned union contracts, many providing crucial city services, are prioritized in a Reuters financial review as the most significant shortcoming in a city with critical fiscal problems in a very recent article. Then there is the fiasco of the complete revision of the real estate taxing program, Actual Value Initiative, known as AVI, rammed through as another of the Mayor’s priorities despite informed recommendations it be done in segments over time. Instituted with less than adequate notice, a dearth of information as to its implementation and final cost multiplier, the backlash and appeals will likely cause a logjam beyond expectations. Citizens testify in hearings around the city that the Mayor’s administrations tell them: “we would explain it to you, but you are probably not able to comprehend it.” Taxpayers of this city are outraged at the whole process and are making their feelings known at the regional and City Council hearings on the budget. Among the most frequently heard comments are the long-standing tax abatements for new reconstruction and the most special of all deals; the Comcast exemption on their Taj Mahal in Center City. From the just plain ridiculous to the sublime, we have the city filing a lawsuit to try and find out how just-retired and long-term Sherriff John Green seemed to have “lost” many millions of dollars through service contracts he made with private individuals and Coupon Expires 5/23/13 Cannot Be Combined with Any Other Offer or Coupon this stuff up, and many informed types who have watched how “certain people” were exempt from paying real estate taxes for years on end, feel Sherriff Green has a permanent pass from any real investigation. It is known as: “The List.” Jim Foster Editor CA RM A N ’ S S H OE R E P A I R — OF CHESTNUT HILL — Over 50 Years of Quality service • Family owned and operated store Shoe Repair Makes Sense! It’s an easy way to conserve in these tough economic times. Authorized retailer of Alden & Birkenstock 8111 Germantown Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 215-247-7706 • Hours: 9-6 Daily • Sat. 8-1 WWW.CARMANSSHOEREPAIR.COM 2013 PHILA FLEA MARKETS All You Can Eat Buffet $5.00 Off Total Check for 4 or More Adult Dinners close friends, rather than use city departments in much of his collection process. So instead of simply using a combination of our standing oversight process and law enforcement as past administrations would have done, this is now to become a drawn out civil suit to determine if we even have the right to know. You can’t make Cheltenham Plaza 8162 Ogontz Ave. Wyncote 215-886-6696 Lunch Buffet 49 $6 10% Off Dinner Only One Coupon per Person Mon thru Sat Coupon Expires 5/23/13 Mon - Sat: L 11:30 - 3:30 D 3:30 - 9:30 M-Thur D 3:30 -10:30 Fri-Sat Sun All Day - Dinner Cannot Be Combined with Any Other Offer or Coupon Sun, April 28th – 2nd & Lombard (HeadHouse Sq) Sat, May 4th – 22nd & Fairmount (Prison) Sat, May 11th – 4th & Washington – South Philly Sat, May 18th – Main St. at Pensdale – Manayunk Sat, June 1st – 3rd & Pine Sat, June 8th – Passyunk At Morris St . – South Philly Sat, June 15th – 10th & South Sat, June 29th – Broad & Spruce (Indoors – The Kimmel Center ) Fri Evening, July 5th – 2nd & Arch (1st Friday) Fri Evening, Aug 2nd – 2nd & Arch (1st Friday) Sat, Sept 7th – 22nd & Fairmount (Prison) Sat, Sept 14th – 4th & Washington – South Philly Sat, Sept 21st – Passyunk At Morris St . – South Philly Sat, Oct 5th – 10th & South Sat, Oct 12th – 3rd & Pine Sat, Oct 26th – Main St. at Pensdale – Manayunk 8 www.PhilaFleaMarkets.org ( 215 – 625 – FLEA (3532) Page 6 April 25, 2013 In Our Opinion Points to Ponder Fattah Chief of Staff and Germantown Newspapers 2014 Election Gets an Early Start Congressman Chaka Fattah rarely takes any criticism seriously and his office never even bothers to respond to comments of politicians or journalists as he considers himself invincible and electable into eternity. Designated as the “safest seat in the U.S. Congress”, the Pennsylvania 2nd Congressional District seat that encompasses half of Philadelphia and parts of adjacent Montgomery County must be seen in a new light as Fattah’s Chief of Staff sends written barbs to the Independently registered challenger in the last election who garnered a full 1.4% of the vote, and who publishes this Northwest Philadelphia newspaper. I mentioned Congressman Fattah in a recent editorial critiquing how public money is used in this city. In the past, Fattah would have treated this situation like swatting a fly and moved on without “dignifying those remarks with a response” but dignify they did and left the door wide open to not only dignify, but amplify. The remarks of Mr. Ron Goldwyn printed in this issue not only speak for themselves, but clearly must be speaking for the congressman and others who have been the recipients of his largess through our tax dollars; something I pointed out in my recent editorial entitled “Poverty Profiteering”. Mr. Goldwyn does not refute the facts I outline, only my right to characterize them as something of concern to the voters and taxpayers. He admits right out front that Philadelphia Commercial Development Corporation (PCDC) that Fattah funded was a fiscal, economic and social failure, but fails to tell us how much money was wasted or lost and who ran that entity so far into the ground that our current Mayor had to close it down under the shadow of darkness and never speak of it again. Well known office holders ran it, and we may never know how many millions were squandered - - but maybe now that it is corroborated by the congressman’s Chief of Staff the feds may move it from the sacred burial ground where most investigations that touch elected Philadelphia Democrats are buried. I suggest readers contact U.S. Attorney Zane Memeger for a pro-active exhumation. We are told that I lumped Weaver’s Way grant funding for a specialty grocery store in Chestnut Hill in with PCDC, but I did no such thing. This was a special kind of insider funding where one of this city’s most upscale communities is falsely characterized as being economically challenged (a “food dessert” mind you) so that they can qualify for public funds. Glen Bergman, director of that non-profit cooperative said they could not have done it without the money at the grand opening. However, everyone else in upscale Chestnut Hill has to use private funds for such development. In similar manner I criticized the comments of our mayor as he announced recently he was using federal money (we can only assume it was authorized by Fattah) through his Commerce Department to fund “the blighted Mt. Airy corridor” through non-profit Mt. Airy U.S.A. The Mt. Airy business corridor is far from blighted, and if parts of it ever were, that was remedied long ago. I take serious exception to the use of these terms to qualify for money that kind of morphs into some very insider-based developments, done in a dark cave. I will repeat here that I contend that the political structure worked very hard to actually create blight in Germantown so it could channel hundreds of millions in federal dollars to Emanuel Freeman and his Germantown Settlement; where most of it was spent under the radar and outside of required compliance requirements; while every city department also sent them additional funding they knew they were not qualified to receive for at least 15-20 years. Maybe some of the same is taking place today. Inquiring minds want to know. Continued on page 15 Subscribe to the Chronicle/Independent. Guaranteed mail delivery of 26 issues – $40 Call Francine at 215-438-4000 WURD 900 AM radio has invited editor Jim Foster to join its now-regularly scheduled 90 minute drive-time journalist discussion group as a regular rotating member. Moderator Nick Taliaferro is live and taking questions from 4:30 to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Germantown Newspapers Opinions & Letters to the Editor … Calling Foul on Foster’s Editorial Editor: As an active Northwest neighbor, former journalist and recently retired press secretary for Congressman Fattah, I'm writing to call foul on the Mr. Foster's last editorial. His swipes at the work of some of our neighborhood organizations, an academic institution, and some elected officials are without fact or merit. Yes, according to reporting in local publications, PCDC has demonstrated to be an entity that failed its mission to the taxpayer and the organization's supporters. But lumping the record of PCDC in with Weaver's Way Coop, and Mt. Airy USA? NOT FAIR. Weaver's Way and Mt. Airy USA are well regarded organizations because they do great work: developing our neighborhoods, assisting families facing mortgage foreclosure, providing access to affordable fresh produce, supporting our young people through various school programs. You may not agree with their approach to fighting blight or food insecurity but that difference of opinion doesn't mean that their reputations should be im- pugned. I assume that the line about the University of Pennsylvania and federal research awards is meant to suggest that Penn doesn't deserve Mr. Fattah's advocacy. Mr. Foster is entitled to his own opinion but not his own math. To say that the school gets $1 million a week is a cute attempt to manipulate the numbers, combine unrelated research initiatives with completely different fiscal years and stages of research. Penn is a research institution working to solve medical mysteries that range from cancer to dementia. Their work and its importance to our country and the world justify federal science dollars coming to Philadelphia - especially to an institution that, according to a 2011 report by EConsult, contributes $26 million to Philadelphia’s economy EACH DAY. I'll pass on pushing back on the obvious caricature you've created of my former boss. You are correct: Congressman Fattah is popular. That's due to his unparalleled record of public service and legislative achievements. Voters, our neighbors, know this about his record which is why he received such overwhelming support – 89 percent of the votes. Give us all a little credit. Finally, a comment on our shared profession. Mr. Foster's piece is an editorial, and while editorials do not require reporting of fact, they most certainly cannot be written from another reality. Mr. Foster is a political opponent of Mr. Fattah's. In fact, much of what was written in Mr. Foster's editorial are the exact assertions and campaign rhetoric Mr. Foster asserted in last fall's election -- when his message attracted 1.4 percent of the vote. Not once is this possible bias mentioned. As editor and publisher Mr. Foster can certainly make the rules at his publication. All these folks and organizations can speak for themselves. As for my Northwest neighbors: with regard to the Germantown/Mt. Airy Papers, let the reader beware. Ron Goldwyn Germantown Connecting with Social Media Social Media Editor: Who’s getting connected with social media? That's the question more boomers and seniors are asking each other. More and more, we are realizing that boomers and seniors are starting to catch-up to the social media train, by doubling in the amount of users from 25% in 2010 to 51% in 2011 — the fastest growth rate of any generation. According Shirin Mostaghim, author of Reaching Older Demographics with Social Media, “Usage among those over the age of 65 grew 100 percent since 2009, while usage of Twitter has more than doubled among those 50 and older since 2009.” Furthermore, “Young adults continue to be the heaviest users of social media, but their growth pales in comparison with recent gains made by older users,” explains Mary Madden, Senior Research Specialist for The Pew Research Center’s survey report on Pew Research Social & Demographic Trends. Social networking allows you to link with friends, family, and colleagues all over the country – and even the world - by creating, sharing, and exchanging information and ideas in virtual com- munities and networks. It's an increasingly popular way for family members and friends to stay connected. You can discover news on your favorite celebrities or brands, and follow up about special offers and deals offered by companies and brands you like. AARP recently commissioned a survey of the 50+ population, to gather information the 50+ use of social media and found that approximately one-quarter of all those 50+ use social media websites (27%) with Facebook being by far the most popular (23%). More and more, older adults are progressively signing onto social media sites to keep in contact with friends and family, find people from their past, gather information, and partake in online discussions. The future of social media, very much, includes seniors! So, don’t miss the boat, because Baby Boomers and older citizens are the up-and-coming users of the social-media era. Candice Grevious Philadelphia AARP Volunteer Germantown Newspapers 6661 Germantown Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19119 215-438-4000 • fax: 215-754-4245 www.germantownnewspapers.com Jim Foster, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Publisher Scott Alloway, [email protected] . .Associate Editor, Production Tracie Johnson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Staff Reporter, Social Media Editor Victoria Brownworth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Contributor Pamela Bracey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Contributor Daniel Mandel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Contributor Bob Guzzardi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Contributor Jane Winters, [email protected] . . . . . . . . .Arts and Culture Editor Sales Staff Paula Moore, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sales Representative Phyllis Sunberg, [email protected] . . . . . . . .Sales Representative Francine Ferrell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Administrator The Northwest Independent is owned and operated by Germantown Newspapers, Inc., and has offices at 6661 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119. The Northwest Independent, has a press run of 17,500 copies and is circulated door-to-door throughout Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill. The Germantown Chronicle is owned and operated by Germantown Newspapers, Inc., and has offices at 6661 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19119. The Germantown Chronicle has a press run of 18,500 copies and is circulated door-to-door throughout Germantown. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising. All content ©2010 Germantown Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved. Germantown Newspapers Page 7 April 25 2013 Public Affairs & Governance Gosnell Case Raises Questions by Victoria A. Brownworth The trial of Dr. Kermit Gosnell began March 18. It took a few weeks of increasingly gruesome testimony for anti-choice activists to notice. Once they did, they asserted that no one had been reporting on the case of the illegal abortion provider in University City who was initially charged with the murders of a Bhutanese refugee and mother of four, Karnmayar Mongar, 41 and seven babies born alive during botched abortion procedures. Several national pro-choice groups, Planned Parenthood, ProChoice America and National Abortion Federation have all denounced Gosnell and his illegal, unregulated and unmonitored practice at the Women’s Medical Center at 38th and Lancaster just blocks from the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where some of his patients ended up after surgeries. Gosnell is facing the death penalty. The prosecution wrapped its case on April 19. On April 23, the day the defense case was to begin, Judge Jeffrey Minehart dropped three of the infant death charges citing lack of evidence. Minehart also acquitted Gosnell of five counts of abuse of a corpse. He gave no reason for his decision, which was vigorously protested by the prosecution. The case of Kermit Gosnell is one of the more gruesome cases I have covered. I first wrote about Gosnell and his filthy, blood-andurine splattered clinic three years ago and have written about it continually since. The meme that the case has been ignored is wrong, but it definitely hasn’t gotten the emphasis it deserves. As someone who has been writing about Gosnell for several years, here and elsewhere, I believe the case hasn’t gotten national attention because of the identity of the victims: poor women and teenagers, immigrant women like Mongar who spoke no English, and almost all women of color. Both sides of the abortion rights argument lay claim to Gosnell, but Gosnell isn’t really a story about abortion–it’s a story about a city and state that failed poor women and their health care needs for close to 20 years by letting Gosnell practice without oversight, despite repeated complaints, serious injuries to patients, rampant infections and a clinic which was, once Gosnell was arrested, filled with fetuses–in a freezer, in jars–as well as instruments that were rusted, out-dated, unsterile. Witnesses even asserted that a cat roamed freely through the operating areas. The dangers presented by Gosnell and his staff–which included a high school student from University City but not one licensed obstetrician or gynecologist (Gosnell himself is neither)–were criminal long before Gosnell’s arrest in January 2011. Pennsylvania’s Abortion Control Act stipulates that abortions after 24 weeks are illegal. But Roe v. Wade already stipulates that abortions in the second trimester be done in a medical center that is equipped to handle the dangers inherent in abortions after 12 weeks. Testimony at trial asserted that Gosnell would lie to women about the length of their gestation, even altering ultrasounds to indicate that the woman was not as far along in her pregnancy as she actually was. He charged between $1,500 and $3,000 a procedure–in cash. The grand jury report stated that Gosnell was bringing in $15,000 a day most days at the clinic. I’d describe what happened at Gosnell’s clinic, but it’s too graphic for this paper. What Gosnell did was monstrous: Women left his clinic with perforated uteruses and bowels, with STDs contracted from unsterile equipment, with drug reactions and overdoses (the high school student was given a chart by Gosnell on how much anesthetic to administer). And sometimes, with the harrowing experience of having the fetus born alive and then killed by Gosnell who cut the spinal cord. He called this "snipping" but one former staffer called it "a literal beheading." These grisly descriptions would churn the stomach of anyone with a modicum of empathy. They also bolster the anti-abortion rhetoric of anti-choice activists. But Gosnell is not representative of abortion providers. Rather he’s a throwback to an era of back-alley abortions. The Gosnell case is representative of illegal abortion and a State Health Department that ignored report after report that Gosnell was not operating within any reasonable medical or legal parameters in his clinic. Gosnell’s clinic should have been closed by the state well before anyone died. But it wasn’t. The grand jury report could not have been more succinct: A pattern of ignoring regulation of abortion providers was in place for close to 17 years, throughout the Ridge and Rendell Administrations. Arguments were made that both governors–the Republican and the Democrat–were pro-choice and thus ignored the statutes on abortion providers. Whether or not this is true–and there is limited support for this argument–what is true is that the clinic was not monitored. When it was inspected, Gosnell and his staff simply said they would fix what- in this case. It also says that reproductive rights belong to the wealthy and that for poor women, choice is most often what is foisted upon them." Restrictions on funds to Planned Parenthood, the addition of proscriptions against abortion state-by-state and the forced closing of many abortion clinics nationwide make it more and more difficult for women to access the safe and legal abortions laid out by Roe 40 years ago. ever was non-compliant. Why was that allowed? Restaurants in the city were maintained better than this clinic where women’s lives were at perpetual risk and the risk of viable babies being born was heightened because Gosnell was operating outside the legal guidelines. Kermit Gosnell began his career as a savior: he fought to help the drug-addicted in Mantua and opened a rehab clinic there. He was lauded for his community activism. When he opened the Women’s Medical Center in 1972, abortion was illegal in Pennsylvania and poor women had little recourse– New York, where it was legal, was an expensive train ride away. When did Gosnell changed from being a doctor devoted to helping the poor to an avaricious monster who charged women between $1,500 and $3,000 in cash for latestage abortions that were illegal and dangerous? His clinic operated without oversight for nearly two decades, making the state and city at the very least ethical co-conspirators in the damage done there. Five weeks of lurid, grotesque testimony has yet to explain why Gosnell changed from a physician caring for indigent and desperate women into a sociopathic monster who preyed on those same women for money. Testimony has described cries of these newborns as well as screams of women patients. When I first reported on Gosnell several years ago, the picture was sickening: Urine and blood everywhere. Fecal matter on chairs and gurneys. Unsterilized equipment. Fetuses stored in a freezer with medications. Severed feet from fetuses kept in specimen jars. Equipment was old, torn, rusted, filthy. Women sprawled on chairs waiting to expel their fetuses, often having to stay for at least 24 hours without food, water or IV fluids–dangerously unsafe. In January 2011 I wrote here, "The Gosnell case should be national news. That it is not underscores the lack of concern for the lives of poor women and women of color and their children, the victims There are myriad tragedies related to the Gosnell case, but none of them needed to happen. Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams, himself the son of an unwed mother who gave him up for adoption, was raised by his adoptive parents not far from Gosnell’s clinic. At the time of Gosnell’s arrest Williams said his only regret was that he could just charge Gosnell with the eight counts of murder for which he had actual bodies. Williams has called the Gosnell case "crimes against black, brown and yellow women." That more women didn’t die is surprising, given what went on at Gosnell’s clinic. The Gosnell case prompted revision of the standards–or lack of same–for abortion clinics in Philadelphia and elsewhere in the state, something both abortion rights activists and anti-choice activists agreed on. Pundits on both sides of the abortion debate agree that Gosnell was a monster. But Gosnell’s victims, which included the woman who died, women who nearly died (many women were taken to the hospital after complications from these illegal procedures) and babies born alive and killed, have largely become ideological props in this ghastly story. They are so much more. They may be yesterday’s victims, but they represent victims-to-be as well. Their identities as indigent, young and of color put them at risk for both unwanted pregnancies and illegal abortions. Lack of access to safe and effective birth control like the pill, IUDs or Plan B makes pregnancy more likely. Lack of access to legal abortion clinics for poor women makes late-term abortions more probable. If a woman can’t access a clinic or come up with the funds after she discovers she is pregnant, she can crest over 12 weeks into 20. According to the Guttmacher Institute, teens and women between 20 and 24 comprise two-thirds of all women seeking abortions. In addition, six out of ten women obtaining abortions already have one of more children, like Mongar. Women whose income is below the federal poverty level account for nearly half of all women obtaining abortions. African-American teens are four times more likely to have an abortion than their white peers.These statistics underscore the importance of access to safe clinics for the very demographic Gosnell was serving. Gosnell should make us all concerned, whatever our views on abortion, because Gosnell is not the only person doing this in America. We have to know that. Philadelphia is the poorest of the top-ten largest cities in the U.S., but it is not the only place with poor women seeking abortions. Everywhere there are teenagers (who comprise the largest demographic of women seeking second trimester abortions) and poor women, there will be a need for safe, legal abortions. Restrictions on funds to Planned Parenthood, the addition of proscriptions against abortion state-bystate and the forced closing of many abortion clinics nationwide make it more and more difficult for women to access the safe and legal abortions laid out by Roe 40 years ago. Women with access to money will always be able to have a safe and legal abortion within the first trimester. They will also be able to have a late-stage abortion if necessary in a hospital or surgi-center where complications are rare. (Only one percent of abortions performed in the U.S, occur after 20 weeks.) But for poor women, the situation is dire. In the last month, abortions have been radically restricted in four states. Abortion clinics have been closed. Mississippi–the state with the highest rate of teen pregnancy and infant mortality in the nation– may close its one remaining abortion clinic. As a result of the Gosnell case, Pennsylvania passed a law requiring abortion clinics to be ambulatory surgical centers. Five abortion clinics were closed immediately after the law took effect in June 2012, but two more abortion clinics have been closed due to unsafe conditions in recent weeks. Gosnell’s clinic has been called a "house of horrors" in local media as well as nationally. Trial testimony details the horrors women endured there and the ghastly reality of babies born alive and then killed. Testimony by women who suffered at Gosnell’s hands as well as former staff members and a woman whose baby was born alive and then killed has been graphic and gut-wrenching. There was no conspiracy of silence about Gosnell. There is, howContinued on page 18 Page 8 April 25, 2013 Germantown Newspapers Learning & Fun Things to Do ... St. Hubert to Host a Recycling Event St. Hubert Catholic High School to Host a FREE Anything with a Plug™ Recycling Event on May 11, 2013 for All Area Residents From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. It’s Spring! Time to de-clutter your home of obsolete and unwanted electronics. St. Hubert Catholic High School is proud to sponsor a recycling collection event on May 11, 2013 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on their premises at 7320 Enroll your child today! Space is limited in Pre-K through 8th grade. Scholarships available! Open Houses: Wednesday, May 1st 9:30-11am and Saturday, May 4th 1:30-3:30pm Torresdale Avenue in Philadelphia. Fill up your car and our trained staff will unload it while you stay in the comfort of your vehicle! This special e-waste recycling collection event is intended for items that are typically purchased during the year like toys, computers, laptops, televisions, cell phones, mobile devices and much more. “Anything with a Plug™” will be accepted and OPEN HOUSE Tuesday, May 7, 2013 3:30 pm to 6 pm Holy Cross Catholic School DePaul Catholic Summer Annex for K-8th grade students One-on-One Wilson Reading Tutoring— $10/hr Small Group Reading and Writing — $20/hr Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and ursdays from June 24 - July 26th Space is limited. Register today! Go to www.lcbiddle.com to register. 144 East Mt. Airy Avenue Philadelphia PA 19119 215-242-0414 OPEN YOUR MIND! ENTER A WORLD OF LEARNING If you are over 50, love to learn, enjoy stimulating discussions with others who are intellectually curious, as well as have fun, then look into the Academics + Arts + Athletics It’s rare to find a school that cultivates intellectual, artistic and athletic depth equally well. The combination of the three A’s — academics, arts, athletics — and the decision-making values of a Quaker education creates an experience uniquely Penn Charter. This interplay leads to strong, creative and resilient young people ready to embrace, and even create, new opportunities. FYUtXXXQFOODIBSUFSDPN TOURS Contact us for a tour of our 44-acre campus in East Falls. OPEN HOUSE A Friends School for Girls & Boys, Pre-K to Grade 12 TUESDAY April 30, 2013* | 8:30 a.m. *grades pre-K through 8 only Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Temple University Center City, Philadelphia OPEN HOUSE Thursday, May 16 One-hour information sessions 10:00 AM and 11:30 AM We offer over 50 daytime courses during our summer semester covering an array of topics such as computers, art, history, entertainment, science, philosophy, religion, languages, and so much more. Classes are taught in a no-pressure learning environment by people who are passionate about their subjects. Cost is extremely affordable. Scholarships are available upon request. For more information: 215.204.1505 or www.temple.edu/olli 1515 Market Street, 5th Floor Just above the Suburban Train Station Stop recycled…except large appliances, smoke detectors, and rear-projection TVs. All materials collected will be recycled in an environmentally friendly manner and for your security, ALL media data that are collected are destroyed. This FREE service is provided by St. Hubert Catholic High School and all material collected will be processed by eForce Compliance, the first dual certified electronic recycler in the Delaware Valley. eForce provides a full staff of professional e-waste experts to handle and transport all material collected, and in the process creates sustainable green jobs. For more information about eForce Compliance and the types of materials we accept and recycle, visit our web site at www.eforcecompliance.co m or give us a call at 215.964.6665. Germantown Republican Club to Celebrate VE Day The Germantown Republican Club will celebrate V-E Day, May 8, with dinner at Chestnut 7 restaurant, 8201 Germantown Avenue, from 7 to 9 p.m. The speaker will be Verne Rider, former veterans liaison to Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Michael Fitzpatrick. He will discuss World War II and the men and women who served overseas and on the home front. Sixty-eight years ago on May 8, the Nazis surrendered and World War II ended in Europe. President Harry Truman proclaimed, "The flags of freedom fly all over Europe." Rider retired as a senior master sergeant after 31 years and five months in the regular air force and air force reserve. He was on active duty from 1965 to 1969. He did a tour of duty in Thailand with a fighter squadron where he took care of survival equipment for pilots. After transferring to the reserves he was loadmaster for C141 cargo planes. He served in Desert Storm in 1991 and 1992, and operations in Grenada in 1983 and Panama in 1989. For information contact germantownrepublicanclub@gm ail.com Germantown Newspapers s Start Here. C onfident Learner Folk Factory Coffee House presents a concert by Magpie On Sunday, May 5, the Folk Factory Coffeehouse presents a concert by Magpie, with SheWho opening. Doors open at 7:00, and the show will start at 7:30pm. Admission is by requested donation of $11 to $35 (sliding scale), half price for no or low wage, with children under 12 admitted free. Childcare is available with advance registration; and should be requested by April 29 if possible by calling (215) 848-6246. The concert is wheelchair accessible (but the bathrooms are not yet). The Folk Factory coffeehouse is located at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration in Mount Airy, at 6900 Stenton Avenue (the corner of Stenton Avenue and Gorgas Lane). For advance tickets, directions, or further information, visit HYPERLINK http://www.folkfactory.org www.folkfactory.org or call (215) 848-6246. Terry Leonino and Greg Artzner, also known as Magpie, have been performing together for forty years. Opening for Magpie will be SheWho, a feminist a cappella group that has ranged between 8 and 10 voices, founded in 2000 by Karen Escovitz (aka Otter). The women of SheWho come from many different backgrounds, professions, and spiritualities, and we celebrate diversity through their intentional vocal community. The Folk Factory, based at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Restoration in Mount Airy, is a forum for people interested in music of all kinds and progressive social change. Regular concerts are normally around the second weekend of most months, and an Open Stage/Open Circle is held normally on the fourth Thursday of most months. To volunteer or for more information, visit www.folkfactory.org or call -215-848-6246. Free Noontime Concerts in Center City The University of the Arts and music/media retailing giant F.Y.E. have joined forces to present the University of the Arts' graduate jazz ensembles in a unique series of noontime concerts, free and open to the public. "Room 610" plays on Friday, April 26, 2013. "D' Ontace and the Wolverines" will perform on Wednesday, May 1, and "The Mashed Potatoes" play on Friday, May 3. All programs take place at 100 South Broad Street, and run from noon to 1 p.m. Information: 215-717-6321. Page 9 April 25 2013 Weekday Open House Thursday, May 9th • 9-11 a.m. Registration preferred 2025 Harts Lane, Conshohocken, PA 19428 (610) 828-1231 www.miquon.org WHAT WILL YOUR KIDS DISCOVER THIS SUMMER? Summer Camp 2013 Instructional and Recreational Swimming G Inground Pool G Pony Rides G Sports, Music, Arts & Crafts G Animal Shows G Cookouts G Educational Programs G 11 FU N, LY KL W EE K TH EM ES ! 2 Centers Meadowlane Summer Camp Ages 18 mos.-8 yrs. 616 Meetinghouse Rd., Jenkintown, PA 215-887-1222 www.meadowlanemontessori.com PLUS: Discovery PLUS: Discovery Camp at at Valley Valley Forge F orge National National Historical Historical Park! Park! Wyndmoor Summer Camp Ages 18 mos.-14 yrs. 1400 E. Willow Grove Ave., Wyndmoor, PA 215-233-0141 www.wyndmoormontessori.org www.fi.edu/discoverycamp Grades Pre-K – 8 | 215.448.1200 Page 10 April 25, 2013 Germantown Newspapers Awbury's Arbor Day: Celebrating Community, Nature, and History Awbury’s Arbor Day Celebration seeks to celebrate the intersection of trees, green spaces, and communities - a 21st-century urban spin on a 141 year old tradition. Tree-planting will occur at Awbury’s Agricultural Village, where Awbury EducaDirector Heather tion Zimmerman will be working with the Philadelphia Or- chard Project, Weavers Way Community Programs, and numerous volunteers to install fruit trees in a new Edible Forest Garden. The Edible Forest, and Awbury's new teaching kitchen, will serve as a dynamic teaching tool for learners of all ages. A “Garden Fair”, spearheaded by Awbury neighbor Germantown MyPlace (MPG), will take place at the Francis Cope House. The "Garden Fair" is a free day of fun, family-friendly activities with a focus on gardens, growing, and green MPG provides things. the only permanent housing for men with special needs in the city of Philadelphia. Through hosting the fair, Awbury and MPG staff, volun- teers and board members hope to raise awareness and community support for both organizations. Yes, there will be treeplanting at Awbury’s Arbor Day, but it’s more about the forest than the trees. We are growing and nurturing the connections, community partnerships, and shared stories that make Awbury Ar- boretum and the Germantown community a vital and vibrant landscape in Northwest Philadelphia. Saturday April 27th 10:00am - 2:00pm Garden Fair: The Francis Cope House, 1 Awbury Road, Philadelphia, PA 19138 Tree Planting: Awbury's Agricultural Village Philadelphia & PA Regional Candidates Night This is a great opportunity for you to come out and talk with Philadelphia residents about important issues concerning our region, as well as, answer questions from the audience. This is a chance for voters to learn more about you, and a chance for you to express why you are running for office. This forum will be held as follows: DATE: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 TIME: 5 p.m. PLACE: Joseph E. Coleman NW Regional Library 68 W. Chelten Avenue (at Greene Street) Philadelphia, PA 19144 Please RSVP your interest to participate in this forum by contacting Rev. Chester H. Williams - CBNC President & Founder, before Friday, May 3, 2013. You may email him at [email protected] m or call him at (215) 8498021. This forum is sponsored by the following Northwest Philadelphia Community Groups: Chew & Belfield Neighbors Club, Inc. (CBNC), Awbury Neighbors Association & Awbury Arboretum Telephone: (215) 849-8021 Email: jesus4620032004 @yahoo.com chewandbelfield.webs.com The CBNC is a 501(c)(3) and Registered Community Organization (RCO) Group Chew and Belfield Neighbors Club, Inc. 501(c )(3). Germantown Newspapers Page 11 April 25 2013 Arts & Culture in Northwest Philadelphia MAAG is having an Artists' Garage Sale, and I need you to make our event a success! This sale is on Saturday, May 11 at the Mt. Airy Art Garage from 10 am to 3 pm. Right around the corner! All proceeds will support MAAG (with additional art supplies donated to C.W. Henry School). Wouldn’t you just love to do some spring cleaning, make space, and get rid of: • Art supplies or materials you just won’t be working with anymore—brushes, tubes of paint, beads, scissors, etc. Cloth, leather, and other craft items are welcome as well. • Original artwork or reproductions just “collecting dust”— your own or other artists' work. Framed or unframed. • Artists' tools—screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, etc. • Catalogues, art books, magazines, art instruction books, etc. • Empty frames • Paper/sketchpads and construction paper, mat board, scraps. It's simple! All I’d like you to do is drop it off at MAAG, we’ll give you a tax-write-off and do the rest! So, please, on Friday, May 10th, from noon to 7 pm, drop off all your wonderful supplies. You didn't want/need them anyway. MAAG would love 'em, and we all will benefit from 'em! Hope to see you and your "stuff" on May 10!Want more info? Call 215.242.5074. The Philadelphia Urban Affairs Coalition will conduct a Financial Advancement Network (FAN) Club course in Germantown, covering topics such as budgeting, credit, financial decision making, and savings strategies. Classes will be held on Monday nights from 6-8 p.m, beginning on Monday April 22nd, at Germantown Hope Community Church, 5029 Wayne Avenue. Participants who attend all 6 sessions will receive a Citibank gift card. To sign up or for more information, please call Matthew Grewe at (215) 500-9835. Contacting Your Guardian Angel Workshop at St. Paul’s Church in Chestnut Hill Local angel channeler and wellknown angel communicator Amy Bortner Gialuco is offering a workshop, Contacting Your Guardian Angel on Sunday, May 5th from 2:00 PM to 4:30 PM at St. Pauls’s Episcopal Church( Parish Hall) , 22 E. Chestnut Hill Avenue . The cost is $35 for individuals. To register call Workshop Facilitator Amy Bortner Gialuco 215-242-0185 and leave a message. The workshop will include background on the history of angels, the angelic hierarchy and the role angels play in today’s world. Techniques will also be taught so that workshop attendees can learn how to contact their guardian angel. Bortner-Gialuco is a known authority in the field and has con- ducted innumerable workshops over the years and has been immersed in the study of the angel realm since 1987. Her journey began when she was personally contacted by the Angel Ascordia through automatic writing. For further information call: Amy Bortner Gialuco, Workshop Facilitator at 215-242-0185 or STUDY GUITAR WITH THE BEST! DAVID JOEL GUITAR STUDIO All Styles. All Levels. Former Berklee Faculty Member Masters Degree with 27 years experience. 215-831-8640 www.myphillyguitarlessons.com ³<HDUVRI9HWHULQDU\&DUH´ Live Music Thursday Nights • Brian Kors 6:30-10pm Friday Nights: Reverend Chris 6:30-10pm 8636 Germantown Ave. • 215-247-9948 PENNSYLVANIA VETERINARY SPECIALTY AND EMERGENCY ASSOCIATES 610-828-3054 EMERGENCY / CRITICAL CARE WHEN TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! 24 Hours / 7 Days a Week State of the Art Emergency and Critical Care Department Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Technicians on Staff around the Clock Overnight Treatment and Monitoring Emergency Surgery Oxygen Therapy In House Diagnostics including: Bloodwork, Ultrasound, Radiographs, CT Scan Small Companion Animal Services Veterinarian on the Premises 24/7 Pennsylvania Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Associates Hickory Veterinary Hospital 2303 Hickory Road Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462 www.hickoryvet.com 610-828-3054 Page 12 April 25, 2013 Germantown Newspapers Children’s ArtStory Camp (art and history) In these one-week collaborations at the end of the summer, campers will receive art instruc- tion at Mindy Flexer’s studio in the morning and do hands-on history activities at Grum- blethorpe Historic House in the afternoon, with a picnic lunch in between. Common themes will inspire artistic creation and intellectual exploration both in the art studio and at Grum- Intercultural Communication CERTIFIED DOCUMENT TRANSLATION INS Documents, Patents, Contracts, Academic Transcripts, etc Spanish, German, French, Indonesian, Portuguese, Russian, Haitian Creole ... All Languages 24 Hour Fax 215-438-1958 Interpretation Arbitrations, Workers Comp Hearings, Conventions, Business Meetings, etc. SI Wireless Systems and Booths • Audience Response Service Text Translation & Interpreting Services • 215-520-0031 Mailing Address: PO Box 12349, Philadelphia, PA 19119 [email protected] blethorpe. Camp is run on a one-room schoolhouse model and includes baking, cooking, textile instruction and food preservation along with art/craft instruction relating to colonial times. Campers may sign up for a whole day or for just half a day, either morning or afternoon. Sessions run from Aug. 19 – 23 (age 6 through high school) and Aug. 26 – 30 (age 8 – high school). one-week sessions, weeks of August 19 & 26, Mon. Fri, 8:30 to 4:00, $325 for full day or $175 for half a day Fiber Artist/ Public Art at Maplewood Mall On Saturday, April 27 from 2 - 6pm, Fiber artist Melissa Maddonni Haims will lead a knit/crochet/fiber out where we'll deck out Maplewood Mall. Bring needles, materials, ready made, beautiful misfit pieces, and it will be spectacular. Public art in Germantown. More info on the website imperfectgallery.com. Look under events. A Family Tradition of Excellence Since 1937 AL JEFFERSON 215-849-4343 BRICK & stoNe PoINtING Alfred Jefferson is the number one contractor for the tri-state area. If you need complete construction services for your home or business, then he is your go-to guy! Jefferson is the owner of Al Jefferson Brick & Stone Pointing, a family trade since 1937. His late father, Al Jefferson, Sr., initially taught him the business and the art of brick and stone pointing and also wood graining, which is a unique technique of transforming any door (wood or metal) into a beautiful work of art with the appearance of a wood-grained effect that is all done by hand. You have to see it to believe it! Neighbors in Mt. Airy thank him for giving their neighborhood a beautiful face lift and great curb appeal! If you ride through the streets of Mt. Airy, Germantown or West Oak Lane, you are sure to see his famous brick and stone pointing. His signs are seen all over Mt. Airy, Germantown, West Oak Lane and South Philadelphia. For more information, call 215-849-4343 and get a free estimate. You will be so glad you made the call. • Steps • Patios • Ext. & Int. Painting • Concrete Walks Also Custom Door Graining • Rough Cast Cellar Walls • Glass Block Windows Germantown Newspapers Page 13 April 25 2013 Ned Wolf Park Plant Sale When: Saturday, May 11th from 10 am to 1 pm Heavy rain date: Sunday, May 12th Where: McCallum & W. Ellet Streets, West Mt. Airy, 19119 What: Perennials for sun/shade, shrubs, trees, annuals & houseplants Who: Friends of Ned Wolf Park Why: Funds raised support maintenance and improvements at NWP The Friends of Ned Wolf Park will host their annual Plant Sale - Saturday, May 11, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. The heavy rain date is May 12. Yes, this is indeed a great opportunity to buy garden plants at excellent prices. Simultaneously, you can support this Mt. Airy community park with its handsome gardens located at the corner of W. Ellet and McCallum Streets. Cherished among local garden lovers as a garden community builder, this annual sale brings neighbors together to share their knowledge and insights along with the plants that thrive locally. Novices are surely welcomed. Thanks to the efforts of many of your neighbors in Mt. Airy and a few in Chestnut Hill, the Friends of Ned Wolf Park are gathering a great collection of plants for your shady and sunny garden beds. There will be perennials, shrubs, annuals, & some houseplants – many versatile classics along with some rare and special plants that may not be familiar. Also available for sale will be some of the unusual plants which grow handsomely in Ned Wolf Park. Proceeds from the sale will support ongoing garden maintenance and raise funds for the Terrace Wall Project. Phase I, Stair replacement, was completed in April. Phase II will replace old creosoted landscape ties with local stone to form a seating height retaining wall to support additional activities in the park. Whether or not you’ve participated or even visited the park in the past, attending the Ned Wolf Park Plant Sale is sure to excite and inspire you to make your own garden more beautiful than ever this year. For info, visit nedwolfpark.blogspot.com. To donate plants or your time for the Plant Sale, contact Eric at [email protected]. Rent Prom & Wedding Special $30 to $95 Groom FREE with Party of Five Buy Black Tux $185 Wing Collar Shirts $35 Bow Ties $8 Designers April is National Poetry Month. A 15% Discount will be honored for the month of April. Page 14 April 25, 2013 Business Services Directory Handyman Services & Remodeling Bathroom Specialist – plumbing, tile and designing Carpentry Electrical Plumbing Tile Masonry Help in solving problems in your home “Fair – Honest – Trusted” Over 25 years of experience Call Garry at 267-225-0050 Insured for your protection License # PA099113 Low or no down deposits for most projects ELECTRICIAN SMALL AD SMALL PRICES WE Do IT ALL! 215-925-0606 Senior Citizen DiSCountS MARIo BRoS. LiCenSeD & inSureD #G00848 Free Furnace with purchase of Central Air Conditioner Emergency Service Available Ask about our other services: Heating, Electrical & Plumbing Special Offer *XDUDQWHHV$OO:RUN /LFHQVHG$WWRUQH\*HQHUDO5HJLVWHUHGDQG,QVXUHG BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB +RW:DWHU+HDWHU²%RLOHUV²)XUQDFHV 0,1,63/,76<67(06 2LOWR*DVFRQYHUVLRQ²3*:5HEDWH 7D[&UHGLWV$YDLODEOH²3*:3(&25HEDWHV )LQDQFLQJ$YDLODEOH²6HQLRU&LWL]HQV'LVFRXQW BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB &200(5&,$/522)7236 'HOLYHUHGYLD&UDLQ Central Air Conditioning Systems Starting at $3250.00 FREE ESTIMATES ORTIZ HVAC 215-970-4586 Germantown Newspapers Election of New Members of the Germantown Special Services District Board of Directors by Pamela Bracey On Wednesday, April 17th, a meeting was held at State Representative Stephen Kinsey's (201st Legislative District) office to elect new members of the GSSD Board of Directors. There were approximately twenty persons present with representatives from the Commerce Department, Councilwoman Cindy Bass' office, State Representative Rosita C. Youngblood's office, business and property owners from the GSSD area and interested community persons. State Law and the ByLaws require this election. Steve Kuzmicki was designated as pro-tem Chair and Delphyne Dukes was designated as pro-tem Secretary. Also, present were Stephen Vaughn and Larry Simmons to vote on the Resolutions. Steve Kuzmicki introduced Councilwoman Bass who later chaired the meeting. What is the GSSD Board you may ask? The Special Services District (GSSD) is a locally directed municipal authority, which has been established to supplement services already provided by the City of Philadelphia. The goal of the GSSD is to create a clean, inviting, safe and well-managed district in the Central Germantown area, so the area can successfully compete as an environment in which to work, visit and shop. The specific focus of the GSSD will be upon services and activities that improve the cleanliness and physical condition of the district and improve public safety. The GSSD will work cooperatively with other community partners to revitalize the Germantown and Chelten business corridor. The boundaries of the Germantown Special Services District under the draft plan would focus on commercial properties fronting on Germantown Avenue between Coulter and High streets, Chelten between Baynton and Morris, along with Maplewood Mall, Market Square and sections of Greene Street and Wayne, Pulaski and Maplewood avenues. Councilwoman Bass thanked the old Board members for their hard work and said she will try to find places for them to work. The Steering Committee will consist of Business and Property owners. The emphasis for selection to the Board was an attempt to get individuals to represent Germantown's diversity along with property owners with the skills and qualifications needed for the tasks ahead. The Councilwoman emphasized this will be a working Board which has lots of hard work ahead. There was a period of Public comment when Allison Weiss, coordinator of the Wayne Ave Merchants Association (WAM) and member of SoLo Germantown Civic Association (Southwest Central Lower Germantown) asked if it was appropriate to say she would like to see the boundaries extended from Germantown Ave/ Wayne Junction to Johnson St. She was informed this was time for Public Comment and not appropriate. A gentleman said Vernon Park is our only open space in the Central Business District. He said Center-in-the Park has shown an interest in Vernon House (now vacant) but CIP is not sure it will address their needs. Councilwoman Bass informed those present that a GSSD New Member Board Bill along with the Budget would have to be introduced into City Council for approval for a period of five years. There will be a Public Meeting here in Germantown later this year. The Bill would be expected to be passed by City Council in late September 2013. The Germantown Special Services District proposes to fund services by an assessment on taxable properties within the District. Individual assessments will be derived my multiplying the total estimated costs of the project by a ratio of the current year assessed value of the individual property to the total current year assessed value of all taxable properties with the boundaries subject to the GSSD assessment. District assessments will be calculated annually using the most recent certified values as provided by the Philadelphia Office of Property Assessments (OPA) without reduction for any tax abatement on account of improvements granted by the City of Philadelphia, homestead exemptions or exemptions for Keystone Opportunity Zones or the like. When this formula is applied, the resulting GSSD assessment in Year One equals 12% of 2013 Real Estate taxes for properties not subject to Real Estate Tax abatements. Properties that are exempt from the payment of Real Estate taxes will not be assessed, but the GSSD will encourage tax-exempt property owners that receive and benefit from GSSD services to provide in-kind or financial contributions to the GSSD. An initial draft budget proposal anticipated billing $178,176 in assessments, and expenses including $78,913 for cleaning and maintenance, $50,000 for salary and benefits to a yet-to-be-hired district manager, and nearly $3,000 for communications and marketing. The Board of Directors consisting of property owners, business owners and residents of Central Germantown governs the District. The Board will select the officers and staff of the Germantown Special Services District. The Germantown Special Services District will have a part time District Manager who will report to the chairperson of the Board of Directors. The District Manager will be responsible for overseeing the programs outlined in the proposed plan, and for ongoing communication with merchants and property owners regarding GSSD services and activities. In addition, the District Manager will be responsible for the collection of assessments, the payment of bills and the maintenance of office records and other duties as determined by the Board of Directors. There were five Resolutions that had to be approved by the Board. Resolution Number One was to change the corporate address of the GSSD to 35 W. Chelten Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144. Resolution Number Two was to designate Steve Kuzmicki as Pro-Tem Chair and Delphyne Dukes as Pro-Tem Secretary. Steve Kuzmicki informed the group that in 2005 he was on the GSSD Board but he has not been involved since. Today he was here at the request of City officials and Councilwoman Bass. Resolution number three is the acceptance of board resignations from Marilyn Tadlock, Tracy Beers, David Alexzcyk, Brenda Stovall, Robert Emberger, Leroi Simmons, Donna Reed Miller and Anita Hamilton. Resolution number four is the nominating of new board members and when Continued on page 15 Welcome to Germantown City Hall Project Welcome to gtowncity hall.net, the future Internet home of Germantown City Hall, a joint project of Jacob Wick,Information Department, and the Think Tank that has yet to be named. This website will launch the week of May 20, 2013. In the meantime, please visit our festival page, where you can watch a video about the project and help us gather materials, funds, and volunteers. Germantown City Hall will see the temporary opening of the neglected Germantown Town Hall building, in the Philadelphia neighborhood of Germantown, as an actual space for civic engagement and debate, with a meeting/performance space, reading room/lending library, and office/copy center. These spaces will be available, free of charge, to all residents of Germantown. To get involved, or find out more, please contact [email protected] or call us at 575-446-3676.Germantown City Hall will be open from 11am - 7pm, Thursday - Sunday, from May 23rd to June 30th. Germantown City Hall was commissioned by Hidden City Philadelphia for the 2013 Hidden City Festival with the generous support of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. http://www.gtowncityhall.net/gt ownsplash.html Germantown Newspapers Business Services Directory Local chef, food writer, and longtime organic gardener Anna Herman of Mt. Airy, spoke at Valley Green Inn on April 17. This presentation was part of Friends of the Wissahickon's (FOW) popular lecture series Valley Talks, sponsored by Valley Green Bank. Herman discussed the principles of organic gardening and other sustainable gardening practices and answer questions. Shown here are Jay Goldstein, Chief Executive Officer of Valley Green Bank, Anna Herman, and FOW Executive Director Maura McCarthy. For more on FOW's upcoming events this spring, visit ww.fow.org. Roofing 30 Years in the Business Fattah Chief of Staff and Germantown Newspapers Continued from page 6 On the subject of Emanuel Freeman, close friend of Chaka Fattah (He announced federal programs from his offices), former Councilwoman Donna Reed Miller and a host of elected and appointed officials, he is now hiding in Delaware as his bankruptcy proceedings based on falsified documents wind their way through the Federal Bankruptcy Court in Center City. Ron Goldwyn takes me to task (see page 6) for my analysis of the funding that Chaka Fattah takes credit for sending to the University of Pennsylvania, but never really outlines my so-called misstatements of fact. I stand by my statement that Penn received funding from September of 2011 through August 2012 of more than $54 million, which is the equivalent of more than $1 million a week that Fattah took credit for. GSSD Election of Board Continued from page 14 their term end: Barbara Hogue, Cornelia Swinson, Dr. Francine Fulton term ending January 1, 2014; Greg Piel, Ingrid Shepard, John Churchville term ending January 1, 2015; Jong Lee, Joseph Corrigan, Joseph Martin term ending January 1, 2016; Joseph Waldo, Linda Samuel, Matt Canno term ending January 1, 2017 and Mjenzi Taylor, Rob Wheeler, Rosita Youngblood term ending January 1, 2018. Resolutions number five dissolving the current board. The existing board of GSSD will resign effective upon the appointment of any person as a new member of the board of GSSD. Votes were taken as the resolutions were read but Delphyne Dukes said a second vote on the Resolutions should be taken because Roberts Rule of Order were not followed regarding voting. A second vote was taken on each Resolution. As there was no other business on the agenda a call for Adjournment was made and seconded. Changes can and will occur in our neighborhoods when we work together and be involved in the process. Do you want change? Get involved. Page 15 April 25 2013 These statistics are from Fattah’s own press reports and are in addition to many millions to Drexel, Temple and others on a regular basis. Using federal money for qualified research is notable, but where are the priorities when Penn is one of the most wealthy universities in the nation, has the highest paid Dean in Amy Guttmann, and raises more private money than any other while the communities that surround it on all sides are by federal designation those with the largest level of deep poverty in the nation. Where are Congressman Fattah’s values when virtually no economic seed money has restarted the crumbling industrial base in North, West and Southwest Philly while he smiles and takes credit for hundreds and hundreds of millions to the elite? I guess he is just too busy with his hectic golf schedule on the Washington courses and the cocktail parties at Penn to notice the economic and social failure in the rest of his district; a district where crime and recidivism statics are among the highest in the nation, and high school graduation rates are at 50%. Mr. Goldwyn closes admonishing folks to refrain from reading my newspapers. Believe me, this is not the first attempt by a politically connected individual to restrict the ability of our paper to reach the readers. We will continue to print and distribute to the Northwest, print our online versions, and welcome any comment to what we print. In addition, I am now a frequent guest on WURD talk Radio, 900 AM covering these same subjects. Maybe the next step will be to have their FCC license revoked. Nothing like a one-party government with a Pravda-like approach to public information. Jim Foster, Editor Germantown Newspapers Independent Candidate for U.S. Congress Pa-2 in 2012 As Low as $495.00 All Types Flat Roof Shingles ELECTRICIAN SMALL AD SMALL PRICES WE Do IT ALL! 215-925-0606 Senior Citizen DiSCountS MARIo BRoS. LiCenSeD & inSureD #G00848 ELECTRICIAN LOWEST PRICES IN THE CITY • 100 A Horsepower $75 & up • Exhaust Fans $25 & up • Outlets 215-475-0413 Immediate Service BERNIE The Small Job Specialist • Painting • Cement • Electric • Roofing • Plastering • Wallpaper Reasonable Prices (215) 748-6497 Lic. #G-68410 $8 & up • Washer & Dryer Lines $12 & up • Air Cond. Lines $6 & up Prices for Repairs Only MILT (License #001804) IMMEDIATE SERVICE FHA & VA CERTIFIED 215-475-0413 Owner Visits Every Job Page 16 April 25, 2013 Business Services Directory Philadelphia Gas Heating & Air Conditioning Heater Sale $1195 Air Conditioning SALES heater checkup $80.00 Starting at $1695 Call Now 215.456.1300 FAST EMERGENCY SERVICE 6 ( 1 , 25 3 2/ , & ( ) , 5 ( ' , 6 & 28 1 7 6 $ $ 1 ' , 1 6 8 5 ( ' 3 AFFORDABLE ELECTRIC “WE DO IT ALL” RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL FAST EMERGENCY SERVICE • Breakers • Lighting • Fuse Repair • Ceiling Fans • Dryer Lines We Finance All Credit! • 100 Amp • Outlets • Doorbell Repairs • Switches CALL: 215-927-1100 B.B.B. • AArP • Senior • CHurCH • CitY & union DiSCountS We BeAt ALL eStiMAteS BY 10% • CALL uS noW! LiCenSeD & inSureD PA#0A068325 • PHiLA MASter eLeCtriCiAn LiC. #17027 Check Us out online at WWW.AFFoRDABLELECTRIC.CoM Financing Available • Free Estimates • Fully Insured Roofing Sale All Types of Roofing Siding • Windows Emergency Repairs Ask About Our 15 Year Guarantee Family Owned and Operated for Over 46 Years 215.332.6600 Free Estimates Senior Discount With Coupon New Roof Up to 400 Sq. Ft. as low as $490 Hot Coats as low as $57 Fully Insured JOsePh’s AffOrdAble PlumbiNG & heAtiNG • 24 Hour Service / 7 Days a Week • City Violations Corrected • Hot Water heaters Replaced • Drain Cleaning Specialist • New Gas & Oil Heaters Installed • Certifications Registered 3rd Generation #3922 Office: 215-673-7700 cell: 267-984-3088 Germantown Newspapers Veterans’ Views with Daniel Mandel The Doolittle Raid Today marks the 71st anniversary of The Doolittle Raid, possibly the most daring operation in all of U.S. military history. Desperate to counter-attack Japan and send shock waves through that country, the U.S. launched 16 B-25 Mitchell bombers from the deck of the carrier Hornet in the Pacific Ocean on the morning of April 18, 1942. The raid, carried out by 80 airman led by America’s already famous pioneer aviator, LieutenantColonel James H. Doolittle (1896-1993) flying16 specially modified B-25 Mitchell bombers, did much to dissipate the darkness and foreboding overhanging the Pacific war. And it was carried out by crew flying planes they knew lacked the fuel to return and who would thus have to land and seek safety in war-torn China. In the four and half months since the surprise attack upon U.S. naval and air installations at Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy’s Vice-Admiral Chuichi Nagumo’s aircraft carriers, Japan had enjoyed one success after another: the seizure of Guam; the surrender of Hong Kong and later Singapore; the destruction from the air of the British battleship Prince of Wales and the battle-cruiser Repulse; the further destruction of the British aircraft carrier Hermes and the cruisers Dorsetshire and Cornwall off Ceylon; the invasion of a brace of Pacific islands, including the Philippines and New Guinea, the bombing of Darwin in Australia’s Northern Territory and so on. Imperial Japan had appeared unstoppable. The Doolittle Raid permitted a different inference. In a day, the notion that Japan was invulnerable to attack because of its sudden, far-flung conquests and the long arm of its navy was dissolved. The U.S. Navy had demonstrated that it could penetrate to within range of metropolitan Japan and launch a squadron of medium bombers upon the imperial capital itself. The American public were heartened. With the war in the Pacific still raging, MGM produced a faithful, patriotic but non-sensationalized cinematic account of the exploit, based on Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo by the pilot of the seventh B-25 launched, Lieutenant Ted W. Lawson, with Spencer Tracy playing Doolittle and Van Johnson playing Lawson. The raid itself was unusual in concept: launching medium bombers off an aircraft carrier never designed to carry them was considered a technical impossi- bility: carriers could only accommodate smaller fighters, divebombers and torpedo bombers of no use to the task envisaged. Modifications in aircraft design, weight and method of take off had to be effected before the operation was pronounced feasible. The B-25s were to have been launched about 480 miles west of Japan to carry out the raid before flying on to friendly territory in China but, on the appointed date, the Hornet was sighted by a Japanese patrol boat still 650 miles out, necessitating an early launch of the bombers. Though none of the pilots, including Doolittle, had ever flown a B-25 off a carrier, all sixteen launched safely. All but one found their targets, all but one evaded hits from anti-aircraft fire and all but one flew on as planned to China. The sole exception was the B-25 piloted by Captain Edward J. York which, low on fuel, headed for ostensibly friendly Soviet territory, where he and his crew were interned for over a year before escaping. Operating at such extreme range, none of the planes were able to reach friendly airfields and all crews were forced to parachute. Doolittle himself came down in a rice paddy, preserving an already injured ankle from further injury. Lawson fared less well, crash-landing at Nantien and lacerating his left leg, which later required amputation. Others fared even less well: eight crew members from the sixth and sixteen planes were captured by Japanese forces. Three were executed by firing squad and the remaining five imprisoned, one of them, Robert J. Meder, dying in captivity. Today, one of the four survivors, Robert E. Hite, is among the four living veterans of the Raid to celebrate its 71st anniversary today, as is Doolittle’s own co-pilot, Colonel Richard E. Cole. Derided by Japanese propaganda as the ‘Do-nothing Raid’ – the bombers carried only 2000 pounds of bombs each and, as was to be expected, inflicted only limited damage on selected targets – Doolittle Raid actually had far-reaching consequences. Though he publicly uttered his thoughts more than once on the Raid, Doolittle was to write in depth about it in his memoirs only very late in life, so I felt a certain frisson when, still in high school, I wrote to him and received a reply which included this assessment of the importance of the raid: The morale effect of the first raid on Tokyo was much greater than the destruction caused. It gave the American public the first good news they had received and therefore had an important morale effect for us. It caused the Japanese to question their war lords who a assured the people that the homeland would never be attacked, so it had a bad morale effect on the Japanese. Indeed, Japan withdrew its carrier force from the Indian Ocean to protect the home islands and the commander of the Japanese Imperial Navy, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, felt impelled to take the fateful decision to attempt the elimination of America’s carrier forces (providentially preserved from destruction by their absence on the day from Pearl Harbor) by seizing the strategic atoll at Midway and luring them into combat. A mere six weeks later, four of Nagumo’s carriers (and, no less important, their irreplaceable pilots and technicians) were ablaze off Midway and the Imperial Japanese Navy never recovered. The Doolittle Raid rightly entered the annals and became a byword for American initiative and daring. In his farewell address to the nation in January 1989, President Ronald Reagan recalled it with these words: “We've got to teach history based not on what’s in fashion but what’s important: Why the pilgrims came here, who Jimmy Doolittle was, and what those 30 seconds over Tokyo meant.” It meant courage and a sense of patriotic duty of the highest order in a dark hour, something not lost by any means today in the U.S. armed forces but, sadly, less celebrated in the popular imagination. Today’s public celebration, part of a commemorative week held at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, not far from Eglin Field where the Doolittle Raiders trained in secrecy for the mission, will not be repeated. The four surviving Raiders have decided that there are too few of them for the public reunions to continue. Thus, the original plan – that the last two Raiders alive reunite and open the bottle of 1896 Hennessy Very Special Cognac, a gift from Doolittle, that has been awaiting them these past many years – has been shelved. Instead, today's four intend to reunite privately later this year and take that last drink together in the presence of the 76 upturned goblets, each engraved with the name of a deceased Raider. This, if we are lucky, is how heroes leave us. Daniel Mandel Germantown Newspapers Page 17 April 25 2013 State Crossword: Says Who? ACROSS 1. The final frontier? 6. It’s between generations 9. Seconds, as in food 13. Man-made stone pile 14. A try 15. Locomotive hair 16. Assistants 17. Big Island necklace 18. Twig of a willow tree 19. *”Oh, the places you’ll go!” 21. *”A house divided against itself cannot stand.” 23. Pod dweller 24. Continental currency 25. Male child 28. Bohemian, e.g. 30. Knapsack for a soldier 35. Extraterrestrials’ rides 37. Show horse type 39. “Downton Abbey,” e.g. 40. Capital of Latvia 41. Interior designer’s focus 43. Newton, e.g. 44. *”Life was a funny thing that happened to me on the way to the grave.” 46. Sign of a saint 47. U2 guitarist 48. TV variety show classic 50. Shining armor 52. Morse code signal 69. Colorado skiing destination 70. American chant 71. Viking, in the kitchen 72. Regard 73. Even, to a poet 74. Klondike river 53. A car usually has one to spare 55. Type of dance 57. Don’t dwell on it 61. *”And yet it moves” 65. Muse of love poetry 66. Bubble source? 68. Eye opener 25. *”You rang?” 26. FlambÈ 27. Motherless calf in a herd 29. Equal to side squared for a square 31. T on some tests 32. Wedding _____, pl. A Call to Support Police and Fire Dept. Members People in the Northwest Community would like to thank our Philadelphia Police Officers for their dedication and great outstanding service and the job performed in keeping us safe in our community. We don’t have to wait until something happens. Let’s do something on this day to show our appreciation. There will be a Town Hall Meeting and Chat on May 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. at 43 W. Haines Street (the 14th Police District). All are invited and welcome at this event. In addition, the community would like to thank our Philadelphia Fire fighters from Engine 9, Ladder 21 and Medical unit 10 for their dedication and great outstanding service to our community. Agai, we need not wait for something to happen. Let’s do it this way and show our appreciation. People are invited to gather at Germantown and Carpenter Lane in front of the Fire House on May 25 (Saturday) at 10 a.m. to show their support for the fire fighters. Ms. Scott Philadelphia Germantown Restoration Announces Election Results G’Town Restoration CDC/NAC congratulates the following people on winning election to the G’Town Restoration CDC/NAC Neighborhood Advisory Subcommittee; Aine Doley, Kimberly Brown, Robert Perry, Gary Miller, Andre Alexander, Mitchell Corinaldi, Andrew Lofton, Dimonique Robinson and Markeith Jordan. The G’Town Restoration CDC/NAC Neighborhood Advisory Sub-committee (NAS) sits in an advisory capacity to the G-Town Restoration CDC Board of Directors on all program activities relating to the implementation of the G’Town NAC Program and OHCD contract. The NAS shares responsibility for guiding the community toward continuous improvement. There is no funding allocated to the NAS. Service on the NAS is voluntary. During the next few months the NAS will select a chair or co-chair, determine whether to establish by-laws and identifying committees. Bylaws are not required, as the NAS is a subcommittee under the jurisdiction of the G’Town Restoration CDC/NAC Board of Directors. Operating Procedures for the NAS will be developed and adopted by the G’Town Restoration Board of Directors, with input from NAS members. The NAS members will also receive training in the following; structure purpose and role, community and parent involvement, needs assessments and planning, local demographic data development, and communicating the NAC program to community shareholders. Again, congratulations to our neighbors, and we look forward to working with them as we move forward. DOWN 1. A large number or amount 2. Batman and Robin, e.g. 3. Gives a hand 4. Do like ivy 5. Comes next 6. “Buffalo ____, won’t you come out tonight...” 7. To go gray? 8. WWI French soldier 9. Catchall abbr. 10. Assortment 11. Cambodian money 12. “____ your keep” 15. Cone shape 20. Tossed starter 22. Rub the wrong way 24. One moved from a dangerous place 33. Spanish friend 34. *”Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.” 36. Around a window 38. *”I wanted to win, even in practice.” 42. Indian restaurant yogurt staple 45. *”America loves a winner and will not tolerate a loser.” 49. Head cover 51. Pay or earnings 54. Scoundrel 56. Pilaff, to some 57. Old paint hazard 58. Gaelic 59. VHS, e.g. 60. A distinct part 61. F.B.I. operative 62. Long and thin 63. “Cogito ___ sum” 64. A sign 67. Consume Answer on page 15 5th ANNUAL FLEA MARKET & FUND RAISER SPONSORED BY THE SPONSORED B YT HE JEWELS OF ISLAM TO B TO BENEFIT ENEFIT PROGRAM PROGRAM SATURDAY, S ATURDAY, MAY MAY 4 4,, 2 2013 013 8:00AM 5:00PM 8 :0 0 A M – 5 :0 0 P M MASJIDULLAH, M ASJIDULLAH, INC. IN C . 7700 7 700 O OGONTZ G O N TZ A AVENUE V EN U E P H IL A D E L P H IA , P A. 1 9150 PHILADELPHIA, PA. 19150 VENDOR SPACE SPACE $ 2 0 .0 0 VENDOR $20.00 SPACE A ND T ABLE $ 25.00 2 5 .0 0 SPACE AND TABLE PAYM ENT D UE B YA P R IL 3 0, 2013 NO NO R EFUNDS PAYMENT DUE BY APRIL 30, REFUNDS N OF OOD W IL L B E SOLD SOLD B YV ENDORS NO FOOD WILL BE BY VENDORS F OOD A ND B EVERAGES W IL L B ES OLD B Y FOOD AND BEVERAGES WILL BE SOLD BY M ASJIDULLAH, INC. IN C . MASJIDULLAH, FOOD FO O D S SALES A LES W WILL ILL BEGIN B E G IN A AT T1 12:00NOON 2 :0 0 N O O N RAIN DATE DATE MAY MAY 5, 5, 2013 RAIN FOR M ORE INFORMATION IN F O R M A T IO N C ONTACT FOR MORE CONTACT SISTER LATIFAH L A T IF A H E LAHI ((215) 215) 276-8538 276-8538 SISTER ELAHI Page 18 April 25, 2013 Gosnell Case Raises Questions Continued from page 7 ever, a conspiracy of silence about his many victims. Abortion may be legal in the U.S., but it is increasingly unavailable to young women and poor women. For these women, their only recourse is glorified backalley abortionists like Gosnell whose avarice allows them to prey on the most vulnerable, with no concern for women’s lives. Roe v. Wade was written in such a way as to protect both the woman under all circumstances and a viable baby under extreme circumstances. Clinics like Gosnell’s ignore the law and put lives at risk. Women should not have to risk their lives or their future ability to have children because the national political debate over abortion has influenced local law enforcement. Gosnell’s clinic should have been regulated and inspected. Because it wasn’t–regardless of the reason–at least five human beings are dead and likely more. In addition, hundreds of women have been injured and traumatized. States have a responsibility to all women to both uphold the law and see that those performing abortions are following the letter of that law–which includes running a safe and clean clinic replete with the basic tools to save a life, if necessary. What happened to women at Gosnell’s clinic was a crime. What Gosnell is alleged to have done makes him not a doctor performing abortions, but a serial murderer using his medical license as a weapon to reap financial gain. But if restrictions on access to contraception, Plan B and first-trimester abortions continues, more scenarios like the Gosnell clinic can be expected. And women will remain at risk and likely die. Follow me on Twitter @VABVOX Germantown Newspapers Classified Advertising Go Green Real Estate William Kitsch HVAC 700 W. Walnut Lane Large 1br, 1bth, w/w carpets, updated windows laundry on site, close to park, off street parking $750/mth+g/e M.E. INC www.elfantre.com 215-844-1200 Straight Forward Solutions for Energy Efficiency Call Bill 215-673-2800 (c) Real Estate Furnished Rooms Clean & quiet, no drugs private entrance Call 267-988-5890 Rooms Available for Rent Utilities included, $400 Monthly (shared kitchen ) Available Now!!!! 215-520-7752 One Bedroom Apartment Basement Level Full Bathroom, Walk-in Closet Nice Backyard $575/month Call: 267-226-0918 Nice Town Area Rooms for Rent $350-$400 / Monthly Access to Kitchen, Recently Renovated ! 215-390-0104 Help Wanted Mt Airy Day Saturday May 4 11 am to 5 pm (Raindate: Sunday, May 5) 6400 Block Germantown Ave (at Cliveden of the Nationatl Trust) Presented by East and West Mt Airy Neighbors Entertainment Food Childrens Games Pony Rides Zoo on Wheels Vendors Face Painting Moon Bounce Special thanks to our Sponsors Cliveden of the National Trust Philadelphia Federal Credit Union Electrical Wizardry Chestnut Hill Hospital Mt Airy Animal Hospital The Miquon School Valley Green Bank Metro PCS Edward Jones Investments Bowman Properties Weavers Way Co-op There is still time to volunteer and service hours are available for students that still need them. Information: [email protected] • call 215.287.7056 Visit our website – mtairyday.org Reliance Home Care, located in Ardmore Pa. is seeking experienced C.N.A.’s to join our team. We are seeking individuals who are looking for hourly positions as well as live-in positions, which are highly desired. Individuals who are drivers with their own vehicles are also highly desired. Must have clean criminal background. Please call Heather Jennings for information on positions available at 610-896-6030 Auction Ming Self Storage will be holding a public auction to satisfy an owner’s lien by competitive bidding on April 26 2013 @11 am on the following units: A115 Annette Jordan A057 Shana Simon B2072 Kelly Reeves B2117 Nakisha Clark A082 Clifton Echols A031 Michele Kumarroy A047 William Tanner A076 Edgar Shaw Payments must be made in cash. We reserve the right to refuse any and all bids. 4663 Stenton Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-848-0719 Office. Want to Buy I BUY HOUSES; I PAY CASH Any Condition Private, Professional, Personal Services. Call Brennan Properties 215-990-4137 One Bedroom Apartment Basement Level Full Bathroom, Walk-in Closet Nice Backyard $575/month Call: 267-226-0918 262 E Cliveden Open 1br, 1bth, w/w carpets, very sunny laundry on site, off street parking gas included! $675.00/mth+elec M.E. INC www.elfantre.com 215-844-1200 Garden Style Apartment Complex in Mt. Airy. Nice 1 & 2 Bedrooms Utilities included except for electric. Leave message for Court Rentals. 215-842-2500 Antiques OLD FURNITURE & ANTIQUES (Also: paintings, crafts, coins, gold, oriental rugs, dolls, pottery, clocks & jewelry) We Buy The Unusual! Call Tyler’s at 215-920-7310 (cell) or 215-844-9272 (store) Help Wanted Stylist Wanted W/ book 65/35 split (5833 Rising Sun Ave) We are currently looking for stylist /w books. We are looking for experienced, motivated professionals who understand the concept of teamwork. If interested, please contact Nikki at 215-941-2260 for more information. Best time to Contact Wednesday afternoon - Sunday evening. Texts are okay, too. Hair Stylist & Barber needed, must be licensed! Call for Interview. Germantown location. 215 -778-9219 Self Improvement Lose inches, results in 45 minutes. Do it yourself with Body Wrap. Tighten... Tone and Firm ... Reduce Cellulite. Purchase kit or become a distributor. All natural product. Contact Cindy 215-906-8040 http://inchbyinchwraps.myitworks.com [email protected] CHAMPAGNE'S RESTAURANT Needs Experienced Cooks Only. Apply in person after 4:00 p.m. 21 E. Chelten Avenue 215-849-7366 Germantown Newspapers Germantown Newspapers Mission Statement Germantown Newspapers, Inc. is proud to be part of - and to partner with - the diverse residents and neighborhoods of Northwest Philadelphia. A free and independent press is vital to the wellbeing of these communities; we will report the news of Northwest Philadelphia accurately, fairly, and comprehensively, and serve as a voice for all residents of the area. We are beholden to no special interest and have no partisan agenda. All viewpoints will be welcome in our newspapers, both printed and online. Northwest residents are invited to send announcements, letters, news to [email protected]. April 25 2013 Page 19 Things are tight and beauty costs..... e National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, Inc. but the results are magical... NCBA /SCSEP IS LOOKING FOR SECURITY GUARDS Exclusive’s 1st and Every Time! touch-up ..............................$45.00 full weave (sew in) ...$100.00 & up cap weave.............................$65.00 shampoo&curl.....................$23.00 shampoo wrap &curl..........$28.00 shampoo mold &curl..........$40.00 shampoo cut&curl ..............$45.00 Exclusive Hair Designers 7050 N.Broad St. Philadelphia Pa.19126 Walk-ins are welcome! With this ad only! 215-549-4957 Saturday, May 11 • 11 a.m. Chestnut Grill, 8229Germantown Avenue Call 800-433-5466 to register Complimentary lunch provided Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) Requirements • Age Requirement 55 and older • High School Diploma or Equivalent • Previous Security Guard Experience A Plus • Reliable and Dependable candidates with strong work ethic and great customer service skills • Must pass Background and Drug Test Call us today (215-765-4030) Gloria Hailey, Program Coordinator NCBA/SCSEP 1415 N. Broad Street, Suite 221 • Philadelphia, PA 19122 215.765.4030 Office • 215.765.4250 FAX Celebrating 40 Years of Service- 1970-2010 e National Caucus and Center on Black Aged, Inc. Improving the quality of life for elderly African Americans and low income minorities Page 20 April 25, 2013 Germantown Newspapers Got Damage? WE GET YOU PAID! IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THESE TYPES OF DAMAGES: • Roof Leaks • Plumbing Leaks • Water Damage • Smoke Damage • Toilet Leak • Fire Call Today for FREE Home Inspection No Recovery – No Fee 19 Y ears in Bus ines s 1-800-933-4459 • 215-233-3211 • www.gotso.net T.S.O. ADJUSTMENT SERVICE Public Adjusters We are a member of the Better Business Bureau with an A + rating.
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