News in the Northwest - Germantown Newspapers

Mount
Airy
Independent
June 18, 2009 • Volume 1 • Number 8
5275 Germantown Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19144 • 215-438-4000 • germantownnewspapers.com
Rec Dept:
Cap Noise at
BBall Games
by PATR IC K C OBBS
S t aff Wri t er
Last Saturday’s Opening Day for youth
basketball at the Mt. Airy Playground
sounded a little different than it has in previous years. By about 3 p.m., midway
through a conversation covering the long
fight to get the Mt. Airy Youth Basketball
Association to turn down its volume,
Andy Trackman of Sedgwick Street was
surprised to hear something new. Quiet.
He wondered aloud at what could cause it
– a sudden halt to the amplified music and
play-by-play broadcasts that he and other
neighbors have complained about for
years.
The answer was on the courts, where a
new Department of Recreation cap on Mt.
Airy court noise was playing out.
There, amid the festival of colored tents,
water ice and hundreds of parents, spectators and kids in bright jerseys, the small
group of city officials responsible for the
squelch found themselves backed up
against a stone wall by angry parents who
were demanding to be heard, loud and clear.
“They are in violation of their permit,”
explained Lisa Anne Kenny, District Four
manager for the Philadelphia Department
of Recreation. “Their permit said no
amplified sound permitted.”
“How can you hear the score of the
game? You supposed to read lips?” shouted
Sanorra Payne, who has two sons in the
league.
An extended argument broke out in
Continued on page 8
News in the
Northwest
Juneteenth ....................2
Reasonable Recipes ......3
Opinion .......................4
Letters .........................5
Community Calendar ....6
Review: Jake’s Women ...7
Police Briefs .................9
Athletes Honored.........10
Religion.................12, 13
Classifieds ..................15
Lisa Anne Kenny (at left), Recreational Department District Four manager, shows upset parents evidence that the Mt.
Airy Basketball Association has to abandon its loudspeaker system. She is pointing out a phrase in the park use permit
that reads “No use of a public address system or amplified sound.” For more, see story at left.
NXNW Promises Fine Dining, No More DJs
by PATR IC K C OBBS
S taff Writer
Take an evening stroll through the Mt. Airy business district and
you’ll see something that’s been absent for a while - an open,
pleasant stir in front of North by Northwest (NXNW) at 7165
Germantown Avenue.
Warm lighting spills through the restaurant’s chic new window
signs, and last Saturday night the hopping soul of Frank Bey and
the Swing City Blues Band washed out the open store front doors
onto the street, attracting a small crowd. Since the restaurant and live music venue re-opened under new
management a month ago that festive feel has been common. It is
part of the vision for NXNW that marks the new ownership.
“We’re excited, we’re very excited,” said Jack Kitchen, executive
director of Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC),
which now owns the business through a for-profit subsidiary partnership with well-known restaurateurs Robert and Benjamin
Bynum. “I think it’s going to be a big asset for Mt Airy.” The hope of OARC and the Bynum brothers is to restore the
restaurant to its status as one of the city’s premier live music venues, a position they say it lost in recent years when the focus
slipped to DJ music. According to Kitchen, the recent dance club
feel of the restaurant had been a drain on the neighborhood.
“When you’ve got 350 people pouring out in the middle of the
night, that’s abusive; you’ve got to manage the crowd that you
have there,” he said.
Area residents like Mary Divito clearly agreed. She lives on the
block of Mt. Airy Avenue that opens almost directly across the
street from NXNW. Prior to the new management Divito and others on the block found the combination of late night music, parking pressure and patrons who trekked loudly through the neighborhood to be a real nuisance.
“Even in the winter, if I had my windows shut I could hear,”
Divito said of the noise.
She made up a petition, signed by most on her block, asking for
remedies from the previous management. She has been known to
go down to the restaurant calling for quiet in her sleepwear when
things got too unbearable. Once she even climbed up on stage in
front of the DJ.
Now, so far, things have been a lot better.
According to Kitchen, parking pressures have eased because the
new restaurant makes sure to enforce occupancy limits of below
200, most of which can fit in the Northwest Human Services lot
behind the restaurant. And making sure to close by midnight should
have a positive affect too, he said.
According to Divito the neighborhood has noticed.
“We’re grateful,” she said.
These and many other changes fit with Robert and Benjamin
Bynum’s goal of tailoring NXNW to Mt. Airy and vicinity. The
pair has been in the restaurant business since the 1990s when it
took over Center City club and restaurant Zanzibar Blue. Now the
Bynums run Warmdaddy’s, and most recently Relish on Ogontz
Avenue, which is also a joint venture with OARC. It’s a business they learned from their father, Benjamin Bynum
Sr. He used to run places like the Cadillac Club, where the brothers would help out in their teens. The Cadillac is remembered for
once featuring important artists before they got big, artists like
Nancy Wilson, Nina Simone and Aretha Franklin.
“He’s the reason why we do what we do,” Benjamin said of their
father, who now proudly helps out with his sons’ ventures.
So with the restaurant music scene “in our blood,” as Benjamin
put it, the brothers definitely noticed when NXNW became available.
“It’s a wonderfully attractive venue,” said Robert Bynum.
Continued on page 2
Page 2
June 18, 2009
The Mt. Airy Independent
Historic Sites Join Forces for Juneteenth Celebration
by PATR IC K C OBBS
S taff Writer
On June 19, 1865 words of
freedom rang through the deepest
hamlets of the slaveholding
south. Union General Gordon
Granger landed in Galveston
Texas, and what existed only as
rumors and hopes through the
worst of the Civil War then
became true – African Americans
were no longer slaves.
It had been more than two years
since
President
Lincoln’s
Emancipation
Proclamation
became law but black Americans
in places like Texas had to wait
until the end of the war for freedom to take on any meaning.
In Galveston the announcement
by Granger led to spontaneous
celebrations which spread quickly
through the state. The day eventually became known as Juneteenth.
Every year since then celebrations
of Juneteenth, or Freedom Day or
Emancipation Day have rippled
through the country – first mostly in Texas, now nation-wide.
In Philadelphia, a city that
boasted one of the largest free
black populations pre-emancipation and in Germantown in particular, which has a long and contradictory history of both abolition-
ism and slaveholding, Juneteenth
has become something special.
“It’s gaining strength city-wide
as a celebration,” said Anne
Burnett, coordinator of Historic
Germantown.
This year Juneteenth related
events will take place at Cliveden,
the Johnson House, the Concord
Schoolhouse and Stenton on
Saturday June 20 between 1 and 5
p.m.
Outdoor tours at Cliveden,
Revolutionary War site of the
Battle of Germantown and former
home of what was once one of the
area’s largest slaveholding families, will focus on the African
American experience in that area.
So will tours of the one-room
Concord Schoolhouse at the
Upper Burying Ground on
Germantown Avenue, and the
Johnson House at the corner of
Germantown and Washington
Lane, which was an important
stop on the Underground
Railroad. At Stenton, 4601 North
18th Street there will be tours and
Juneteenth-themed storytellers.
But it isn’t just historic sites
that take holiday to heart. The
Business Association for the 6300
block of Germantown Avenue is
taking up the call to launch a
Juneteenth education campaign
At Stenton visitors can enjoy and participate in storytelling by Linda
Goss, Philadelphia’s Official Storyteller and a co-founder of The National
Association of Black Storytellers. Goss will perform from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
and will be accompanied on drums by Ed Stokes.
through themed window displays.
“As a gallery I always try to do
something that is graphic or pic-
torial,” said Loretta Tate, executive director for Lucien Crump
Gallery, which participates in
Juneteenth events every year. Because of its proximity to
Cliveden and the other historic
sites, the business association
likes to tie its Juneteenth efforts
in with plans at those locales.
This year a planned bus tour
sponsored by the NAACP fell
through so the focus on window
displays is a last- minute adjustment, according to Business
Association President Andre
Alexander, owner of A&D Family
Hair Salon.
Last year the association did a
sidewalk sale with roving New
Orleans Style jazz musicians to
mark the day. It was a visual and
audio attention getter to make
people perk up and notice.
According to Alexander, much of
the effort is still about familiarizing people with Juneteenth.
“We’re trying to get more and
more people in the community to
understand what it is,” he said.
Alexander stressed that as a holiday, Juneteenth is just as important to American cultural heritage
as any of the other more widely
known holidays. He hopes to
keep expanding that awareness
through the business association.
“Next year we’ll do it again, so
the momentum will grow and
grow,” he said.
Management Promises Fine Dining, No More DJs at NXNW
Continued from page 1
But when they moved in it
“needed a little love,” Benjamin
added.
To that end the renovation
efforts were aimed at allowing the
space to be what it wanted to be.
Some of the changes included
accentuating the original tin ceiling with a coppered tone, adding
the new frosted glass window
signs,
installing
decorative
acoustic panels that look like
stone, and re-installing six large
booths that had previously been
removed to make the dance floor
bigger. Then there is the food. With
veteran chef Al Paris, who worked
for the Bynums at Zanzibar Blue,
Kitchen described it as “off the
charts.”
“It’s going to be a fine dining
experience,” he said.
Benjamin Bynum, who is also a
chef and a graduate of the
Philadelphia Restaurant School,
explained that a big part of matching the diverse clientele of the area
has to do with making sure the
menu and the feel of the venue
fuse easily with the customers
who walk through the door.
To that end, where Warmdady’s
features traditional southern food
and Relish offers contemporary
southern, NXNW will boast what
Benjamin called “world cuisine,” a
Frank Bey and the Swing City
Blues Band performing recently
at North by Northwest.
combination of Asian, Italian and
southern influences.
Another part of that fusion is
the music. All involved insist that
the days of DJs are done at
NXNW. It will be a live music
venue featuring what Robert called
“national” acts on the weekends
and more local performers during
the week.
As far as Philadelphia music
venues go NXNW is fairly
unique, Robert said. With an
approved occupancy of 200 it is
larger than anything else the
brothers have been involved with.
This means, they say, that the
prospect of attracting top-notch
national acts is very good. Just a
few who are on tap soon include
Marion Meadows, Acoustic
Alchemy and Bettye Lavette. And to complete the experience
the brothers insist on top-quality
service. That’s one reason Stephen
Whetts’ quick, welcoming smile
will greet you at the door.
“We want everyone to let their
hair down and let us do the work,”
Whetts said of the general outlook.
There are 52 people on staff to
make sure that work gets done
right but you will still see
Benjamin, Robert, or Al Paris
take the time to visit customers at
their tables.
But as with any business there
are important details that need to
be worked out. One of them still
has to do with noise in the nearby
neighborhood,
according to
Divito.
“My concern is, when they have
the music they are keeping the
windows open,” she said.
And last Saturday night the
blues of Frank Bey were easy to
hear halfway up Divito’s block.
“The music has been very
good,” she said. “But I might want
to sit on my front porch and have
no music.”
Other neighbors have the same
concern, Divito said, but many do
not want to say anything because
they would really like to see the
new version of the restaurant succeed. She had a number of suggestions for cutting the noise but the
biggest thing she wanted was an
ongoing check-in with neighbors
to foster a positive dialog on the
subject.
This seemed like a tone the
Bynums have struck on as well.
“We want to make sure that we
are good neighbors,” Benjamin
Bynum said. “And a place people
feel proud of to go to in the neighborhood.”
The Mt. Airy Independent
June 18, 2009
Page 3
Reasonable Recipes: ‘Short Ribs Over Potato Pancakes’ Tasty on the Grill
By DA NIEL JEFFER S ON
A nd PAT O’DONNELL
In these times of fiscal uncertainty good food can be a most
comforting pastime. Many feel
they cannot afford to eat out - but
it is possible to prepare and serve
extraordinary food at home.
In these columns, Chef Pat
O’Donnell, of Germantown’s
Urban Café, 5818 Wayne Avenue,
provides tasty, nutritious recipes
and practical cooking advice, so
that one can prepare and serve
gourmet meals with a pauper’s
pocketbook right at home, with
minimal effort. In addition, Chef
Pat will answer any questions
submitted about food and cooking.
Getti ng ready to gri l l
This is Chef Pat O’Donnell. I
trust you enjoyed the first article
and were able to cook and enjoy
“Urban Grits.”
With warmer weather starting,
we’ll soon start thinking about
cranking up those grills. Among
the joys of outdoor grilling are
that it really cuts down on the
cleanup and adds flavor to the food
that you just can’t get inside. For
a lot of us, the grill is something
we might use every night of the
week. With a couple of items that
can be added to your pantry you
can make a variety of dishes with
the same main ingredient.
Fish, meat, and vegetables all
do well on the grill, but what you
put on them can make a huge difference. Some things to start
looking for at the market to add to
your pantry include spices, oils,
salad dressings, marinades, and
more. When I go to the market, I
have a tendency to check the
aisles to see if I can find something that might be on sale so I
can expand my pantry. Don’t be
afraid to buy a large size, as most
of these items have a long shelflife and will keep till the end of
summer.
If you have been to the restaurant you can tell I’m a big fan of
Cajun cooking. Most stores will
carry a good Cajun spice and this
is one of the easiest things to use
on the grill.
A lot of the markets in the area
carry a nice selection of fresh
seafood such as catfish, tuna, and
salmon. By just rubbing the spice
on the fish and cooking it on a
hot grill, you can have a great
meal in no time.
Remember that fish takes no
time to cook, so one of the techniques I use when cooking on a
hot grill is the “three turn
method.” After placing the fish on
the grill, one of the things you
want to look for is the sides of the
fish starting to pull away from
the grill. This will happen after
two to three minutes; this is
Chef Pat O’Donnell and Dan
Jefferson at the Urban Café.
when you want to turn the fish.
I like to flip the fish over, then
turn and rotate the fish 90 degrees
on the second turn. If your grill is
hot enough, this is how you get
the checkered grill marks, unless
of course your fish is covered
with blackening seasoning. If
you’re not blackening, you
should use oil or marinade, brushing the fish each time, as it adds
flavor and keeps it nice and moist.
One more flip and you’re almost
done.
Meats on the grill will take
longer depending on what you’re
cooking. One of the popular appetizers we do at the Café is boneless BBQ Short Ribs over Potato
Pancakes. This dish is easy to
make but takes some preparation
to cook.
Short Ribs are a rather inexpensive cut of meat and if they’re not
cooked right they can be quite
tough. The secret is to slow cook
them in the oven at a low temperature, until they melt like butter
in your mouth. This might be
something you can do ahead of
time in quantity and freeze. When
you’re ready to cook, you can
defrost what you need in the
morning, and cook quite quickly
that night on the grill.
The most important thing
when grilling is a hot, clean, seasoned grill. The easiest way to do
this is to go to your local hardware store and buy a good wire
brush, preferably one that’s not
too stiff. Also, pick up some
cheap white towels with which to
season the grill. When you’re
ready, start your grill with the lid
closed, and let it heat for five minutes. Scrape the grill, getting off
any particles you see. After you’re
done, dip your towel in some
olive oil and – using a pair of
long tongs- rub the grill with a
little oil until it shines. Now
you’re ready to grill!
Like most chefs I don’t follow strict recipes as cooking is an
art. You learn to be guided by
taste. The time of year can change
what you’re making, so taste as
you go, and learn to season a few
times throughout the preparation
of the dish.
S ho rt Ri bs wi th Po tato
Pancakes
For the ribs you will need:
Boneless short ribs (the amount is
up to you)
Your favorite BBQ Sauce
¼ cup espresso ground coffee
(most markets will grind coffee
for you)
¼ cup dark chili powder
2 tablespoons powdered cumin
2 tablespoons granulated garlic
2 tablespoons kosher salt
Mix together all dry ingredients.
Rub the ribs on both sides and
place in a baking dish that will
hold them.
Add enough water to cover the
bottom of the pan about a half
inch high.
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Here’s how you tell when
they’re ready. Cut a piece on the
end a little, and then try to pull it
off. If it pulls easily, it’s done. Or
you can just eat it to see if it’s
done. That’s more fun.
Discard the grease and save just
a little of the juice. Let ribs
cool.
Starting at the big end, and
working your way to the small
end, cut the ribs about an inch
thick and portion.
Now, if you made a lot, freeze
some in individual bags.
When you’re ready to grill,
place the ribs on the grill, and
cook until they start to bubble.
Add the leftover juice to your
BBQ sauce to thin a little and
brush the ribs. The ribs should
be ready when the sauce starts
to cling to the ribs.
For the pancakes you wi l l
need:
1 Cup cold leftover mashed
potatoes
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Add a little flour at a time until
it stiffens and stays together.
Form a cake about the size of a
50 cent piece and dust with
flour.
Sautee cake on medium heat in
melted butter until the cake is
golden brown on both sides.
Serve the ribs over the cakes
with a little extra BBQ sauce.
Enjoy!
I hope you enjoy the dish, but
if you’re not sure and want to try
it, don’t hesitate to come to the
Urban Café. Also, please feel free
to write me at The Urban Café,
5815 Wayne Avenue, Philadelphia
PA, 19144, or e-mail to [email protected].
Bon Appetit!
Thi s arti cl e i s a part of a
regul ar seri es presented by
Chef Pat of The Urban Café,
and Dan Jefferson, author of
Di ni ng Out i n Desperat e
Ti m es ,
a
Gui de
to
A ffordabl e Eat i ng.
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Page 4
June 18, 2009
Mt. Airy Independent
Editorial
The Mt. Airy Independent
Yesterday in the German Township …
A Day to Remember
Imagine that you had no control over the fruits of your labor, that every effort
every day that you put forth in your work – which you had no say in choosing - was for the benefit of someone else. Imagine that everything you possessed, down to your very person and those of your spouse and children, was
by law and custom somebody else’s property. Imagine that you had no rights
before the law. And imagine that this situation had existed since the day you
were born, showed every sign of continuing, and that you had no hope of
ever being a free man or woman.
If you can conceive of all that, even in imagination, you have some inkling of
how the enslaved African Americans of Galveston, Texas, felt on June 19,
1865, when Union Army General Gordon Granger and his troops arrived
there and issued General Order Number 3, which proclaimed in part: “The
people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from
the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an
absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former
masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them
becomes that between employer and hired labor.”
Galveston was far from the battlefields of the Civil War. Only rumor and
hearsay had reached those enslaved there about the progress of the war and
what it meant. On June 19, 1865, however, President Lincoln’s
Emancipation Proclamation finally was enforced in Texas, more than two
months after the surrender of the main Confederate Army at Appomattox ,
Virginia.
Spontaneous celebrations erupted among the now-free African Americans,
and spread across Texas as the news passed. The day, June 19 – Juneteenth was never forgotten there and was celebrated as an unofficial holiday in the
state for more than 100 years. Now it’s officially observed in Texas and 30
other states across the country, including our neighboring states of Delaware,
New Jersey and New York.
Perhaps the first public celebration of Juneteenth in Philadelphia was held
right here in the Northwest in 1997. As described on Page 2 of this issue, several historic sites in our area are continuing that tradition with a variety of
activities commemorating the significance of that memorable day in 1865.
Northwest Philadelphia is doing its part. Now, isn’t it time that the state does
its share? Doesn’t Juneteenth, the oldest purely African American holiday in
the country, deserve official recognition by the state of Pennsylvania?
Karl Biemuller
Editor
Mt. Airy Independent
5275 Germantown Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19144
215-438-4000 • fax: 215-754-4245
germantownnewspapers.com
Jim Foster, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Publisher
Karl Biemuller, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . .Managing Editor
Scott Alloway, [email protected] . . . . . . . . .Associate Editor
Patrick Cobbs, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Staff Reporter
Bob [email protected] . . . . . . . . . . .Advertising Director
Rachel Goodwin, [email protected] . . . .Sales Representative
Linda Slodki, [email protected] . . . . . . . . . .Sales Representative
Chris Warfield, [email protected] . . . . . .Sales Representative
Phyllis Sunberg, [email protected] . . .Classified Advertising
The Mt. Airy Independent is owned and operated by Germantown Newspapers,
Inc., and has offices at 5275 Germantown Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144. The
Mt. Airy Independent is published every Thursday and is circulated door-to-door
throughout Mt. Airy with a press run of 14,000 copies each week.
The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertising. All content ©2009
Germantown Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved.
Shown is a view of the house of J. Foster Kirk, listed in the city directory as an editor, at High and
Morton streets. It is now the Germantown Settlement Mature Adult Center. “Yesterday in the German
Township” is presented in conjunction with the Germantown Historical Society to give a look back at he
way life was once lived in Germantown, Mt. Airy and Chestnut Hill, the old “German Township.”
Opinion: The Home-Grown Face of Terrorism
by VICTORIA A. BROWNWORTH
On April 19, 1995, the immediate assumption was that
the Oklahoma City bombers were Muslim. But the terrorists who killed 168 people, including three pregnant
women and 19 children as well as injuring 850 more,
were two white Americans, Timothy McVeigh and Terry
Nichols.
Homegrown terrorists.
In April 2009, the Department of Homeland Security
declassified a report on extremist groups in the U.S. The
report, which had been commissioned by the Bush
Administration, revealed that right-wing extremism was
on the rise. On April 5, Richard Poplawski, 23, shot and killed
three police officers in Pittsburgh. He had dozens of guns
stockpiled in his home. He believed President Obama
was going to ban guns.
On May 6, Stephen Morgan shot and killed Johanna
Justin-Jinich after stalking her for two years in Boston
and Connecticut. He said she must die because she was a
Jew. Her grandparents were Holocaust survivors. He
wanted to kill other Jews. On June 2, Dr. George Tiller was murdered in his
Wichita, Kansas church, allegedly by Scott Roeder. For
years Tiller had run a clinic that specialized in providing
late-stage abortions for women with serious health issues.
On June 10, Edward T. Johns, 39, an AfricanAmerican security guard, was murdered by James Von
Brunn, 88, when Von Brunn opened fire at the Holocaust
Museum in Washington, D.C.
When we talk about terrorism in America it always has
the same face: Muslim and foreign. We envision the soulless eyes of Mohammed Atta, leader of the 9/11 attack,
staring back from the TV news.
Yet terrorist attacks on American soil – with the exception of the World Trade Center attacks in 1993 and 2001
– have been at the hands of our own citizens. Unlike the
London subway attacks in July 2005, which were perpetrated by native Brits who had become involved with
Muslim extremists, our homegrown terrorists generally
have no connection whatsoever to Islam.
McVeigh was an anti-government white supremacist
who hated blacks, Jews and gays. Roeder hated women so
passionately he would have rather seen them die than
have their lives saved by Dr. Tiller. Von Brunn was antigovernment with a hatred for blacks, Jews and immigrants.
These men and others like them are no different from
the Mohammed Attas. They believe they are fighting a
war against an evil only they perceive. They believe that
the crimes they commit are not crimes, but acts of heroism. McVeigh had no remorse for his innocent victims.
Roeder warned of other impending attacks. Von Brunn
remains in critical condition, having been shot at the
Holocaust Museum by another security guard, but he was
a Holocaust denier whose websites are filled with rantings about the destruction of America due to blacks, Jews
and immigrants.
Hate groups and hate websites like Von Brunn’s are on
the rise. So are gun sales. What’s more, the Internet provides a perfect playground for extremists to connect with
each other – loners finding other like-minded loners.
While only one of these terrorist attacks occurred in
Pennsylvania, the state is the home of more extremist
militia and white supremacist groups than many others. It
also has lax gun laws and leads the country in so-called
“straw purchases” which allow people to buy as many
guns as they want and then re-sell them to convicted
felons like Von Brunn or to militia types like Poplawski.
It’s unlikely that law enforcement officials are going to
begin profiling single white men who are loners. Nor will
Congress suddenly pass new terrorism legislation as was
done in the wake of 9/11. But these attacks prove it is
time for all Americans to become more attentive to these
acts of violence which threaten our democracy and the
equality it stands for.
Spend a morning listening to right-wing radio on
which Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Joe Scarborough,
Laura Ingraham and locals like Michael Smerconish
ratchet up the anti-government, anti-immigration, antigay, anti-woman and anti-black talk and then ask yourselves where the antidote to such discourse is.
Like most writers I am devoted to the concept of free
Continued on page 5
The Mt. Airy Independent
June 11, 2009
Page 5
Letters to the Editor
Support Free Choice Act
Guantanamo Tells Its Story
To the Editor
The National Labor Relations Act
of 1935, commonly called the
Wagner Act, outlawed anti-union
activity, but opponents have weakened its provisions, and the fines are
now so low that the law is routinely
violated. An estimated 86,000 workers were fired for trying to exercise
their legal right to organize during
the George W. Bush administration.
The Employee Free Choice Act
(EFCA) would reduce or eliminate
the Bush crimes against labor. Under
the Free Choice Act, fines would be
raised to $20,000 per violation, back
pay would be tripled when an
employee is discharged or discriminated against during an organizing
campaign, and the National Labor
Relations Board would be required
to seek a federal court injunction
when companies have been found in
violation of the law.
Seventy-three percent of the
nation and a majority in Congress
support EFCA. The bill has the support of labor, civil rights organizations and numerous church groups.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishops “firmly opposes organized
efforts to break existing unions and
prevent workers from organizing.”
Catholics for Working Families, in
one of its supporting statements, says,
“The current labor law system is bro-
To the Editor
Dear Mr. and Mrs. North
America, I know you’ve seen my
name, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba,
recently and in the last several years
where I house people you call “terrorists.” But I would guess there’s little else you really know about me.
First, my real family is the sovereign nation of Cuba. But I was
“adopted” by your country in 1903,
not that I was looking to be adopted.
You see, I was part of the “spoils”
coming out of the Spanish-American
War of 1898, when you “liberated”
Cuba and my cousins, Puerto Rico
and the Philippines, from Spain.
Lou Incognito
Mt. Airy To the Editor
Citizens who have been ignored,
written off or abused by the own government (federal, state and local) for
so long are not likely to vote.
Personally, I have often felt myself
trapped between various government
authorities and the local thugs.
Look around you. Millions of our
fellow citizens have limited to no
access to health care, go to crumbling
schools with few books, don’t have
enough to eat or any hope of getting a
only by you deciding to leave or by
mutual agreement between you and
Cuba.
Thus, under the terms of the lease
forced upon us, you, the U.S., can
continue with the present status for
as long as you like. Sounds kind of
one- sided, don’t you think?
So next time you hear my name,
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, you’ll have a
fuller understanding of who I am,
who I really belong to, and with
whom I should and want to be with.
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
(“translated”
by Lawrence H. Geller)
viable job, and are beset by sharp
buck artists of all sots and crazy people driving through their neighborhoods selling cheap guns out of their
trunks.
And what has our own government done about any of this? Raised
the sales and wage tax, conducted
secret meetings with oil companies,
and started a nice little money-making war with Iraq that got thousands
of people killed for nothing.
Thankfully, President Obama has
stated his resolve to defend everyday
Americans from “wars of choice.” For
example, we should consider declaring a truce in the “War on Drugs” and
in its place launch drug treatment
programs. Or if we, like President
Obama and his family, volunteered to
wok in a bread line food to our “own”
hungry people, we stand a good
chance of restoring ourselves.
John N. Phillips
Germantown
‘Lunch and Learn’ About Medication Questions
To the Editor
The Chestnut Hill Center for
Enrichment invites the community
to a “lunch and learning” experience on Tuesday, June 23, at the
Center’s new home – 8431
Germantown Avenue. Rebecca
Snyder Phillips, MSN, RN will be
speaking about medication management, focusing on specific drug classifications and the most up-to-date
information about over-the-counter
and prescription meds most commonly used by those of us who are
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But “liberation” was only one side
of the coin flipped by the United
States, as the Cubans, Puerto Ricans
and the Filipinos can attest to. And
here is just a sketch of what happened to Cuba and to me, in particular.
The U.S. invoked the Platt
Amendment giving your country
“the right to intervene”
In my homeland of Cuba at any
time. The U.S. also has, through the
original agreement of 1903 and the
Treaty of 1934, a perpetual lease on
all 28,000 acres of me, Guantanamo
Bay. And here’s the kicker. This
“lease” is capable of being voided
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Continued from page 4
speech. But if the Imams chanting
“death to America” in the mosques
draw our censure, then why not the
American version –the Limbaughs
and Becks?
The 21st century is rife with
extremism both here and abroad.
And extremism only ever has one
end point: the extremist demands
everyone share his point of view – or
else.
That “or else” happened on 9/11,
leaving each of us with images we’ll
never forget. But just because only
one person is murdered here, or
another there, does not mean the
Roeders and the Von Brunns are any
less terrorists than the Attas.
American terrorists should be
treated like terrorists. We must stop
pretending they are just random
lunatics. Their enablers – Limbaugh,
Beck and others – deserve to be
made the pariahs that the actions
they succor and sanction demand. In
2009 there are many types of terrorists. But the terrorists doing the most
damage to our way of life are not
strangers abroad, but Americans
who despise the freedom and diversity that is this nation’s greatest
strength. VABIAN • LILY OF FRANCE • BALI
The Home-Grown
Face of Terrorism
ken. Corporations routinely intimidate, harass, coerce and fire people
who try to organize unions – and
today’s labor law is powerless to stop
them. Every day, corporations deny
working people working people the
freedom to make their own choice
about whether to have a union.”
Even after workers successfully
form a union, “44 percent of the time
they are not able to get a contract.”
However, in an important provision,
the Employee Free Choice Act
“brings in a neutral third party to settle a contract when a company and a
newly certified union cannot agree
on a contract after three months.”
Regarding election procedure,
Catholics for Working Families says,
“The Employee Free Choice Act puts
the choice of how to form a union in
the hands of workers. Currently, corporations have that choice. If onethird of workers want to have an
NLRB election at their workplace,
they can still ask the federal government to hold an election. ‘Elections’
may sound like the most democratic
approach, but the NLRB process is
nothing like democratic elections in
our society — presidential elections,
for example — because one side has
all the power. The employer controls
the voters’ paychecks and livelihood,
has unlimited access to speak against
the union in the workplace while
restricting pro-union speech and has
the freedom to intimidate and coerce
the voters.”
Catholics for Working Families
firmly believes that Catholic social
teaching, expressed in a host of papal
encyclicals from Rerum Novarem to
Laborem Exercens, resonates with the
“spirit and letter” of EFCA.
50-and-better.
Lunch ($3 per person) will be
served at 12:15 p.m., giving participants some time to visit before the
program begins at 1 p.m. Rebecca
Phillips, RN holds a master of science degree in Nursing and is the
director of the Penn Nursing
Consultation Service.
Contact the Center for
Enrichment by 5 p.m. Monday so
that we can plan for lunch and to ask
questions about this or any other
Center programs and classes. E-mail
to [email protected] or call 215248-0180.
FRED’S MT. AIRY MOTORS
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Page 6
June 18, 2009
Community Calendar
THURS DAY 18
JAKE’S WOMEN
Stagecrafters, 8130 Germantown
Ave. 8 p.m. Final production of
Stagecrafters’ season is “Jake’s
Women,” off-beat comedic fable
by Neil Simon. June 18-20, 2527 at 8 p.m., June 21 at 2 p.m.
Tickets $15, two for $20 on
Thursdays, students with ID $13.
Info/reservations: 215-247-8881
or www.thestagecrafters.org.
S WING DANCING
Give and Take Juggling Studio,
6122 Greene St. 7-9 p.m. Series
on lindy, balboa and Charleston,
DJ dancing to jazz 9 p.m.-midnight. $5. Info: 215-668-2227.
FREES TEP DANCE
Commodore Barry Club, 6815
Emlen St. FreeStep Dance Night
at Irish Center. Info: 215-3601850 or www.freestepping.com.
WORD 4 WORD
Art Noir, 7175D Ogontz Ave. Art
Noir hosts “Word 4 Word” open
mic poetry every Thursday
evening. Info: 215-438-5366.
FRIDAY 19
MOVIES AT VIDEO
LIBRARY
Video Library, 7141 Germantown
Ave. Friday-Saturday 8 p.m.,
Sunday 7 p.m. Great movies every
week in the Little Theater at Video
Library. This week: “Amadeus.”
$6 includes popcorn. Info:
www.mtairyvideolibrary.com.
WRITING GROUP
Lovett
Library,
6945
Germantown Ave. 1:30 p.m.
Lovett Library Creative writing
group meets Fridays in June.
Info: 215-685-2095.
JAZZ AT CUBA
Cuba Restaurant and Gallery,
8609 Germantown Ave. Live
Latin jazz every Friday evening at
Cuba. Info: 215-967-1477.
The Mt. Airy Independent
Week of June 18 through June 25
S INGLES S CENE
Unitarian
Universalist
Church, 6900 Stenton Ave.
7:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Weekly program for mature
single adults. Donation $7.
Info: 215-247-2561 (press
7).
S UNDAY 21
AT EARTH BREAD
Earth Bread + Brewery,
7136 Germantown Ave.
4:30-7:30 p.m. Beer tasting and reading by author
Lynn Hoffman. 7:30 p.m.
– Philly Rhythm Kings
perform.
I
CANNOT
BE
S ILENT
Summit
Presbyterian
Church, 6757 Greene St. 7
p.m. Free showing of “I
Cannot
Be
Silent:
Testimonies
of
Walk a Crooked Mile Books welcomes the group The Flying Mangos for a free
Peacemaking,”
directed
by
concert on Wednesday June 24 from 7-9 p.m. at the Mount Airy Train Station,
Gowen Avenue and Devon Street. The band takes the audience on a tour of the Vic Compher, aoubt six of
rhythms of Latin America, New Orleans, Hawaii and the Caribbean. The band region’s most active elderly
was the People’s Choice winner at the Folk Factory in 2009 and include tunes by peacemakers. Info: 267Bob Marley, Harry Belafonte and Antonio Jobim in their repertoire. This is an out- 266-0842 e-mail viccomdoor concert so please bring a blanket or lawn chair. For questions call [email protected], or visit
0854.
www.icannotbesilent.com.
FOR S ENIORS
CHES S CLUB
BIG BLUE BEER
Chestnut Hill Center for Lovett Memorial Library, 6945 Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551
Enrichment, 8431 Germantown Germantown Ave. 2-4 p.m. Carpenter Lane, 2 p.m. “The
Ave. 10 a.m. Scrabble, noon Lovett Library Chess Club meets Short Course in Beer Reading and
bridge game, 2 p.m. short story every Saturday, all ages welcome. Beer Tasting” with local author
discussion. Info: 215-248-0180.
Info: 215685-2095.
Lynn Hoffman reading from his
new book about beer. Info: 215S ATURDAY 20
MAC ART S HOW
844-1870.
JUNETEENTH
Manayunk Art Center, 419 Green NINE S CULPTORS
Celebration of oldest African Lane (rear), Manayunk. “Within,” Woodmere Art Museum, 9201
American holiday, Juneteenth, photography by Pamela Martin Germantown Ave. “Intention:
commemorating June 19, 1865, and new work by members of Nine Philadelphia Sculptors”
when slaves in Galveston, Texas Manayunk Artists’ Co-op. exhibit features works by Warren
learned of their freedom. At Exhibit through June 28. Gallery Angle, Martha Gelardon, Warren
Northwest historic sites includ- hours Saturdays and Sundays, 10 Holzman, Paul Hubbard, Jeanne
ing Johnson House, Cliveden, a.m. – 4 p.m. Free. Info: Jaffe, Scot Kaylor, Joe Mooney,
Concord
School,
Stenton www.manayunkartcenter.org or Barry Parker, Robert Roesche.
Mansion. Info: www.freedoms- 215-482-3363.
Through August 2. Info: 215backyard.org.
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247-0476 or www.woodmereartmuseum.org.
JAZZ BRUNCH
Hibachi, Penn’s Landing, Pier
19, 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Jazz
brunch every week with
acclaimed flutist Walter Bell.
Info/reservations: 215-592-7100
or www.gotohibachi.com.
MONDAY 22
HEAR THE BELLS
First United Methodist Church of
Germantown, 6001 Germantown
Ave. 7:30 p.m. Concert of carillon music of the bells in
FUMCOG’s bell tower by
Jonathan Lehrer. Audience gathers
across the street to listen at
Wyck. Free will offering received.
Lemonade served. Info: 215-4383677.
ART AT ARTIS TA
Artista
Gallery,
7151
Germantown Ave.
6 p.m.
Exhibit of works by jewelry
artist Angela Duffin and ceramic
artist Sharon Bartmann. Through
June 27. Info: 215-248-2450 or
[email protected].
BLUE MONDAY
LaRose Catering/Social Club,
5531 Germantown Ave. 6-9 p.m.
Jazz for everyone each Monday
with Tony Williams Quartet. $8.
Info: 215-248-1718.
TUES DAY 23
TEXTURE OF TREES
Morris
Arboretum,
100
Northwestern Ave. 10 a.m. - 4
p.m. “The Texture of trees” features work of photographer
Andrea Baldeck on trees in all
their forms. Free with regular
admission. Through September.
Info: 215-247-5777 or www.morrisarboretum.org.
WEDNES DAY 24
PAS TORIUS PARK CONCERT
Pastorius Park, Lincoln Dr. and
Roanoke St. 7:30 p.m. Pastorius
Park free summer concerts. This
week: Ken Ulansey World Funk
Band.
OLDIES NIGHT
LaRose Banquet Facility, 5531
Germantown Ave. 8 p.m. - 1
a.m. Oldies Night every
Wednesday. 60s and 70s DJ
music, dancing, buffet. Adults
over 34. Proper dress required.
$5. Info: 215-844-5818.
JIM DRAGONI TRIO
Roller’s Flying Fish, 8142
Germantown Ave. Jim Dragoni
and trio perform live jazz every
Wednesday. Food, cash bar. $10.
Info: 215-247-0707.
WOODMERE
WEDNES DAYS
Woodmere Art Museum, 9201
Germantown Ave. Woodmere
remains open until 9 p.m.
Wednesdays. free. Info: 215-2470476.
The Mt. Airy Independent
June 18, 2009
Page 7
Review: ‘Jake’s Women’ a Humorous Look at a Mixed-Up Life
by JOHN S TA NC HA K
Guest Wri t er
The best part in any Neil
Simon comedy is Neil Simon’s.
Much of his work is autobiographical and whichever character
speaks for Simon in any of his
plays gets most of the good lines.
He laughs with the audience and
he laughs at himself. His famous
hit “The Odd Couple” was based
on his brother’s roommate problems following his divorce.
“Brighton Beach Memoirs” and
“Biloxi Blues” were based on his
own New York City boyhood and
his brief stint in the U.S. Army at
the end of World War II. “Chapter
Two” was based on his personal
trials following the death of his
first wife. “Jake’s Women,” his
comedy written in the early ‘90s,
goes back over some of that same
rough ground.
At the June 12 premier of
“Jake’s
Women”
at
The
Stagecrafters Theater in Chestnut
Hill, the audience got to see
Simon again use wit in his struggle with loss and marital pain.
They got to see him show off his
powers of invention too. Because
Jake, the stage stand-in for Simon
in this play, not only deals with
grief, he must also cope with a
psychiatric crisis.
The conceit is this: Jake is a
writer who conjures up visions of
his late wife Julie at age 21, and
at age 35, his daughter at age 12,
and at age 21, his sister Karen,
and his psychotherapist Edith, all
while dealing with his very real
and very present estranged wife
Maggie, and a frightened girl
friend named Sheila. First, he
writes or imagines conversations
with the illusory women. Then
they start arriving unbidden, tormenting him with snarky comments while he tries to carry on
conversations with living human
beings. In “Jake’s Women,”
Jake/Simon comes off as a very
witty, and very sick man.
For this run, Jake is played by
Jeff Ragan, a popular veteran
Stagecrafters performer. The role
was originally performed on
Broadway in 1992 by famed
“M*A*S*H” TV series lead Allan
Alda. He later played the role
again when “Jake’s Women” was
turned into a TV feature in 1996.
This fact poses something of a
challenge for Ragan who - while
he plays Jake as a slightly rumpled and ruminating man – still
puts across his lines in a way that
will remind experienced audience
members of Alda’s patented fastpaced comedic delivery. This isn’t
a bad thing. But once Alda is in
your head, this is who you hear.
Jake is very close to his sister
Karen and angrily engaged in ther-
Among those appearing in Jake’s Women are (left to right) Jeff Ragan,
Bonnie Kapenstein and Mare Mikalic. Photo by Sara Stewart
apy with the snide Edith. While
he does see both women on a regular basis, and could easily call
them up for advice, he prefers
imagining them in his apartment,
where Karen joshes him into trying new approaches to his problems, and where he bests – or
almost bests – Edith the therapist
in arguments. Every word they
say, of course, has been imagined
by him, but then Jake has serious
control issues and needs to conduct both sides of the conversation.
Karen is played by Jen Adams,
who previously played in
Simon’s “Laughter on the 23rd
Floor” at the Stagecrafters. Edith
is played by Rhonda Goldstein,
who also recently played at
Stagecrafters in “Ladies in
Retirement.” Both of them
engage in a lot of smart-aleck wit,
but Adams’ several costumes are
jokes all their own.
Jake’s daughter Mollie, imagined at age 12, is played by Nicole
Bishop, an actual sixth-grader at
St. Francis Xavier School in
Fairmount. Her function in this
play is to be the sweet and adoring
child, to be someone who unconditionally loves Jake, offering him
no advice or argument, only affection. And she does a fine job of it.
Molly at age 21, someone Jake
would like to see but who is away
at Amherst College, is played by
Meghan L. Mitzel, another talent
who also recently appeared at
Stagecrafters in “Ladies in
Retirement.” She has the more
challenging Molly role; this is the
young woman who feels cheated
of having a mother – first by
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formance is relatively brief. But
after Jake peppers her with a
series of proposals (none of them
marriage)
and
hair-brained
schemes, while one of his imagined women curls up on the couch
to make wisecracks about both
Jake and the girlfriend, she performs a fine comic flip-out and
leaves in panic.
At first thought, flipping out,
hallucinating dead wives and distant daughters, psychotherapy,
and broken marriages are not the
stuff of comedy. But Simon himself said “The way I see things,
life is both sad and funny. I can
imagine a comical situation that
is at the same time also painful. I
used to ask myself: What is a
humorous situation? Now I ask:
What is a sad situation and how
can I tell it humorously?”
“Jake’s Women” is not one of
Simon’s best-loved works, such
as “Plaza Suite” or “The Odd
Couple.” The ending is a little
thin. But it certainly demonstrates
the playwright’s principle, that he
can take a sad tale and tell it
humorously.
“Jake’s Women, ” di rected
by Davi d Fl agg, i s at The
S tagecrafters Theater, 8130
Germanto wn
Av enue.
Upcomi ng 8 p. m. performances take pl ace June 18-21,
25-27, wi th a 2 p. m. perfo rmance o n June 2 1 .
Ti ckets are $15. Thursday
eveni ng performances are 2
for $20. S tudents wi th
val i d ID get $2 off general
admi ssi on. Groups of 15 or
more are offered a reduced
rate of $12 per ti cket. The
box offi ce opens 45 mi nutes
befo re each perfo rmance.
For reservati ons cal l 215247-8881. DUBLIN
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death, next by Jake breaking up
with his second wife, a woman
who has strived to be a guide and
companion to her. She is asked to
be, by turns, loving and angry and
frustrated, and communicates all
those emotions well.
Sharla Franco plays the late
wife, Julie. She first appears on
stage as Jake remembers her at
age 21, the girl he fell in love
with. With changes of costume
and make-up, she later returns
looking as Julie did shortly before
the auto accident that killed her at
age 35. This is a demanding part,
since it provides continuity but
also asks that one come across as
bashful college senior in one
scene, and as a slightly older loving mother in the next. Franco
was believable in each incarnation
and demonstrated skill.
The cast of ladies are rounded
out by Mare Mikalic, playing the
living, second wife Maggie, and
by Bonnie Kapenstein, playing
Jake’s live girlfriend-of-themoment. Mikalic plays a striving
business woman who has grown
away from Jake; while he is content being alone in his SoHo loft
office with his writing, she’s
engaged in the work of the world
and has recently had a short
romantic fling with a co-worker.
In the first act, she asks Jake for a
six-month separation to sort herself out. Jake, meanwhile,
becomes a serial dater, hoping by
sheer dint of effort and by utilizing the business principle of volume, he will find the next Miss
Right. Kapenstein plays a woman
Jake has been dating for a few
weeks, and is discovering that her
greatest defecit in her relationship
with the writer is that she is normal. Kapenstein doesn’t appear
until the second act, and her per-
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Page 8
June 18, 2009
The Mt. Airy Independent
Rec Dept: Cap Noise at Mt. Airy Basketball Games
Continued from page 1
which Mt. Airy Basketball parents and supporters complained of
unfair
treatment
by
the
Department of Recreation. Some,
like Shirley Mull whose son
plays in three sports leagues at
the Mt. Airy Playground, thought
the sound level should be easy to
put up with when considering all
the positive aspects of the sports
programs.
Others, like John Lloyd,
believed the move to silence the
basketball PA system was a slap
in the face.
“Look how many kids are up
here playing,” he said. “They like
the music, they like hearing their
names over the sound system.
This ain’t nothing but goodness
up here, and because of these big
stone houses,” he waved his hand
toward the street where Trackman
and other unhappy neighbors live.
“They live across the street from a
playground. It’s wrong, man.”
Many of the parents, including
Mull and others, called for the
Department of Recreation to broker a discussion between the basketball association and the unhappy neighbors, others demanded to
see the permit for proof of the
alleged noise restriction. And
while that was going on, David
Fisher, board member of the basketball association, got back on
the PA system and condemned the
Department of Recreation’s
efforts to “shut us down.”
In a later comment from Terri
crowd. We like having the kids
across the street, just not the
amplification.”
Last year things got even louder than in years past, Trackman
said. And when Mt. Airy
Perhaps this was one reason the scene on
Saturday felt a little like a game of “chicken”
– neither side, apparently, wanting to swerve.
Kerwawich, program director for
the Department of Recreation and
the senior official on the scene,
she said that move by Fisher
“kind of incited the crowd.”
According to Trackman, who
moved to the area in 2003, that
summer and the summer of 2004
were easy to handle because the
league didn’t rely on a PA system
for announcing the games. But
since then the amplified noise has
been impossible to escape for two
months out of the year on
Saturdays and Sundays and most
weeknights until 9 p.m.
“Our objection with the noise
has to do with the amplified
noise,” Trackman made sure to
stress. “Not the kids, not the
whistles, not the cheers of the
Basketball refused to respond to
neighbors’ requests for quiet,
Trackman and others took their
issues to the city, receiving personal guarantees from top level
officials, according to more than
one nearby resident.
But Fisher insisted that the
league has used the PA systems
for 12 years, and that it has tried
to accommodate in that time. It
has turned down the volume when
neighbors requested but that was
never enough.
“They don’t want it turned
down, they want it off,” he said.
On top of that, unplugging the
announcement system will not
only affect the enjoyment of the
games, but it will disrupt the
order and safety of games as well,
Fisher and others said, because
much of that order is maintained
through the PA system.
The showdown on Saturday
came about as a result of changes
the Department of Recreation
made to permits the basketball
association was required to sign
before getting the league rolling
three weeks ago. All seem to
agree, this was the first time
those permits stated “no use of a
public address system or amplified sound.”
Kerwawich confirmed these
new restrictions originated from
the neighborhood complaints
about noise, and she and her colleagues were there to make sure
the new rules were observed.
“Unfortunately they didn’t follow through with that today,” she
said.
Fisher had an explanation.
“They held that permit over our
heads until we signed it,” he said.
“Sign it or else.”
And Fisher complained that
while he and other league officials
knew back in March that the PA
restrictions might be coming, the
Recreation Department never adequately addressed league concerns
about it before putting the restrictions on the permit.
Perhaps this was one reason the
A Family Tradition of Excellence
Since 1937
AL JEFFERSON
215-849-4343
scene on Saturday felt a little like
a game of “chicken” – neither
side, apparently, wanting to
swerve.
In the end it was the Recreation
Department that blinked. After
long arguments and several cellphone conversations, presumably
with her supervisors, Kerwawich
offered a temporary solution.
Keep the volume down, and no
music between games.
“We’re trying to compromise
today with the PA system,” she
said.
As for the rest of the summer,
Kerwawich indicated that she
would take everything that happened on Saturday, the league’s
concerns and all, back to
Recreation Commissioner Susan
Slawson for consideration.
But she warned: “If we come
back and that’s cranked up again,
it’s gonna blow all the credibility.”
In a later phone interview
Slawson confirmed that the
Recreation Department would
stand behind the compromise as
long as the music stays off and
volume stays down.
“We’re asking that they’re
respectful of the community
members and just turn the volume
down,” she said. “Just call the
game, cut the music.”
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!
Neigbors 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
The Mt. Airy Independent
June 18, 2009
African American Education Program
The Johnson House Historic
Site, 6306 Germantown Avenue,
will hold the Ashay Teacher
Summer Enrichment Institute
(ATSEI) at their site at the corner
of Germantown Avenue and
Washington Lane. Two weeklong
sessions will be offered, from
Monday, July 6 through Friday,
July 10 and also from Monday,
July 13 through Friday, July 17.
This summer program is designed
to encourage educators to examine
their beliefs and practices, as well
as their philosophy of education,
with a focus on African American
historical information often missing from traditional teacher educational sources. These weeklong
sessions were created and will be
taught by Professor Melodye
Micere Van Putten.
Professor Van Putten is an
international educational consultant and a graduate and Presidential
Fellow of Temple University.
For over twenty years she has
conducted teacher professional
development programs, led parent
workshops and designed programs
for children. Her work has been
recognized by the Pennsylvania
Senate
and
House
of
Representatives, the NAACP, the
National Council for Black
Studies, Time Magazine and
Bermuda’s House of Parliament.
She has presented programs for
teachers and administrators for
school districts around the country and internationally.
The five-day ATSEI curriculum
will include the following components: Teacher, Know Thy
Self; Our Intellectual Heritage,
Parts I and II; Our Cultural
Heritage; a field trip to the Lest
we Forget Slavery Museum; and
finally, Processing: What Will I
Do Differently? The program has
consistently received excellent
ratings for its content, delivery
and ability to provide participants
with a greater level of selfempowerment.
Johnson House Historic Site, a
former Underground Railroad station, is a National Historic
Landmark. Located in historic
Germantown, it served as a safe
house for escaping African slaves.
Johnson House is the only
remaining Underground Railroad
station in Philadelphia that is
intact and open to the public.
Registration is currently available for the Ashay Teacher
Summer Enrichment Institute by
contacting the Johnson House at
215-438-1768. Classes will be
held each day from 10 a.m. to
3:30 p.m. Tuition is $125 for the
week, which includes the classes,
a workbook and museum admission fees. The Johnson House is
accessible to public transportation and free parking is also available next to the site.
Circus Camp Teaches Uncommon Skills
“Circus arts is the melding of
physical fitness and performance
art,” says Shana Kennedy, director
of the Philadelphia School of
Circus Arts in Germantown.
“This is a thrilling form of recreation.”
Kennedy founded the school
last summer. It opened in June
with a bang.
In short order, 250 students
signed up for classes like trapeze,
juggling, ropes, unicycle and
equilibristics. In short order, new
classes were added like Parkour
(urban
acrobatics)
and
Gymfoolery (for very little ones,
18 months to 3 years old).
The first summer also included
a fully subscribed summer camp
for 7 to 15 year olds. Forty-five
kids attended in two three-week
sessions.
This year, the unusual camp is
doubling enrollment to 90 kids
who will be learning awesome
physical feats, transcending
boundaries, learning to rely on
themselves as well as build teams
and gain confidence.
“The camp provides a variety of
individual and team practices. We
have guest speakers and outings
to the local park. Kids this age
can try all of the professional
apparatuses we have here, from
the corde lisse (ropes) to static trapeze, tightwire and unicycles.
Each session concludes with an
informal presentation to family
and friends. The three sessions for
2009 are July 6-17, July 20-31,
and August 3-14. The registration
fee is $620 per camper for each 2week session. The following discounts are available: $50 discount
for taking a second and/or third
class session; $50 discount for a
sibling; $50 discount for students
currently
enrolled at
the
Philadelphia School of Circus
Arts.
“Circus Arts gives kids a safe,
‘extreme’ sport, while giving
them impressive new abilities and
teaching them an original form of
performing arts,” Kennedy says.
“Our staff of seasoned professionals creates a fun, non-competitive
environment, where kids feel free
to experiment with new skills.”
The school is headquartered in a
large, fully renovated former
bowling alley at 5900 Greene
Street. The building itself is
sunny, with huge windows overlooking neighboring gardens.
Entrance is just off the corner on
Rittenhouse Street, with free
parking across the street. Family
and friends are also welcome to
watch from the observation deck.
For information, call 215 849-
Page 9
Police Briefs in Mt. Airy
If you have been the victim
of a crime and would like
information or services, call
Northwest Victim S ervices,
6301 Germantown Avenue, at
215-438-4410. Their services
are free.
West Mt. Airy Neighbors
requests that all crimes committed in Mt. Airy be reported to WMAN at 215-4386022.
The following crimes were
reported in Mt. Airy from
June 8-14, 2009.
THEFT FROM AUTO,
ATTEMPTED AUTO
THEFT
June 8: 6700 block Musgrave St. vehicle trunk broken into, red
scooter taken.
June 10, 800 block E. Washington
Lane - driver’s side window and
windshield broken on 1998
Toyota, emission and inspection
stickers taken.
June 12: 600 block E. Durham St.
- driver’s license removed from
unlocked 2000 Nissan Altima.
June 14: 300 block E. Cliveden
St. - iPhone, GPS system taken
from vehicle.
S TOLEN AUTO
None reported this time period.
BURGLARY
June 8: 300 block Crest Park Rd. attempt made to kick in door of
property, door and hinges damaged.
June 12: 400 block W. Mt. Airy
Ave. - women’s white Fugi racing
bike taken from unlocked garage.
THEFT
June 9: 6700 block Emlen St. complainant said found medications missing after guests left
apartment.
June 10: 6600 block Greene St. red dirt bike taken from back yard.
June 10: 6300 block Stenton Ave.
- complainant left medications on
counter at location, were gone
when complainant returned.
June 12, 6300 block Carnation St.
- four tires removed from basement
of building, no sign forced entry.
June 14: 300 block E. Gorgas
Lane - .25 Beretta pistol and
ammunition missing from location.
ROBBERY
June 11: Sedgwick St. and
Cresheim Rd, 11:30 a.m. - while
complainant was walking, offender
stopped car, got out, pushed complainant to ground, took purse
with cash, credit and medical cards,
then fled.
AGGRAVATED AS S AULT
June 8: 300 block E. Cliveden St.,
11:55 p.m. - complainant stated
that she had previous verbal confrontation with offender. Offender
allegedly punched her, pointed gun
and made threats, complainant then
fled.
June 12: 6700 block Germantown,
7:45 p.m. - complainant stated he
had had previous verbal dispute
with offender, offender allegedly
struck complainant in hand with
metal pipe, then fled. Suspect
arrested.
Frank China, 20, of the 8400 block of Wadsworth Avenue, was
murdered on the evening of June 10 on McPherson Street near Pickering
Avenue, according to a Police Department spokesperson. Officers responding to a report of a person with a gun at 9:18 p.m. found China lying on
the ground with multiple gunshot wounds to the body. Police officers transported him to Einstein Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 9:41 p.m.
Police had no information about possible motive; there have been no
arrests in the case as yet.
1990 or email to [email protected].
A farm stand at Grumbl ethorpe, 5267 Germantown Avenue, will
be held every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will feature fresh
local vegetables, hand-cranked ice cream, plus fruits, herbs and flowers. EBT payments are accepted. Pre-orders are available. Proceeds benefit neighborhood elementary school students in the Grumblethorpe
elementary education programs. For information call 215-843-4820.
Framing
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6113 Germantown Avenue
Authorized Dealer for Charlie Bibbs
215-849-9192
4519B Wayne avenue
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5104 Germantown Avenue
Page 10
June 18, 2009
The Mt. Airy Independent
GHS Seeks to Build Spirit, Honors Student Athletes
by C HA R LES S TILL
Editorial S taff Intern
Germantown High School was
the place to be on Saturday, June
13 for a gala awards ceremony
honoring its championship athletes and coaches both past and
present.
The purpose of the event was to
“bridge the gap between the legacy of the past and now,” according
to proud alum Stephen Kinsey.
“We really need to reinstate that
spirit.”
Kinsey, who is chief of staff for
State Representative John Myers,
organized the event on behalf of
his boss, State Representative
Dwight
Evans,
City
Councilwoman Donna Reed
Miller and State Senator LeAnna
Washington, all of whom are also
former Bears. City Councilwoman Donna
Reed Miller brought to light the
school’s popularity back in her
day.
“The school back then had a
large integrated student body and
was very popular. Those who didn’t attend Central or Girls’ High
came to Germantown,” she said.
Before the awards began alums
shared old memories and students
shared their plans for the future at
the “chat and chew” in the main
lobby.
“I’m proud to be a graduate of
Germantown High,” said Shidika
Goode, a senior at Germantown.
State
Rep.
Rosita
C.
Youngblood has announced that
applications are being accepted for
the National Foundation of Women
Legislators and National Rifle
Association’s 11th annual Bill of
Rights Essay Contest.
“As president of the National
Foundation of Women Legislators,
I am pleased to announce this
scholarship opportunity for female
students looking to further their
education,” Youngblood said.
Seven female high school juniors and seniors will be awarded a
$3,000 college scholarship and
receive a trip to the 2009 NFWL
annual conference.
The theme of this year’s essay
contest is “Audacity of Change.”
To apply, contact the NFWL office
at 202-293-3040, Ext. 1006, or fill
the application out online at
www.womenlegislators.org. The
application deadline is July 17.
This year the Bears had a great showing in track and field. The team members honored Saturday were, from left, Jasmine Poulson, Matthew
Henderson, Nadyah Riddick (team manager), Melanie Morman (team
manager), Erica Smith, who qualified for the city All-Public League in the
4x100 meter relay; Randi Boothe, who placed 5th in the state tournament
at the 200 meter and qualified for All Public honors in 4x100 relay; Jasmine
Tucker, Brent West, who made All Public in the 4x100 meter relay; Daniel
Harris, Andre Brown, Shahid Bundy (front), who qualified for All-Public in
the 4X100 meter relay and will attend East Stroudsbugh University on a
full football scholarship this fall; and Johnny Richardson, who qualified for
the state tournament in shot put.
“I’m especially proud because I’m
the first girl in my family to graduate and go to college.”
Goode said she was a part of
many extra curricular activities
including volleyball, girls’ mentoring, news broadcasting and the
chess club, and that she will attend
Penn State in the fall. She hopes
to become a veterinarian.
To showcase the school’s legacy, coaches of past and present
were honored after a special
acknowledgement of Robert
Coleman, Director of Athletics.
One of the coaches honored,
Charles B. Hicks, was the first
African American coach to win the
Public
League
Football
Championship in Philadelphia,
back in 1982.
To introduce what he called the
most important part of the day –
student awards - Kinsey called for
a drum roll and the Bears’ drum
line thundered through the hall to
loud cheers. Faculty members saw this event
as a good first step to boosting
student morale. Matt Wahl, coach
of soccer and the girls’ junior varsity basketball team said, “This
event gives them another reason
to cheer for each other.”
Girls’ Softball Coach Rob
Resnick agreed, saying it would
also boost interest in sports.
One athlete who garnered loud
cheers from friends and teammates
was Shahid Bundy, who won All
Public League honors with a dazzling year in football.
“Sports took the place of having a family,” Bundy said. “My
teammates became more like
brothers to me.”
Bundy also said sports definitely helped keep him focused and
out of trouble. This fall he will
attend
East
Stroudsburg
University on a football scholarship.
Stephen Kinsey, who is passionate
about
revitalizing
Germantown High, stressed the
importance of not discarding the
school because of past difficulties.
“Let’s rebuild it,” he said.
“Bridge the gap from the past to
the present. There are many people who want to come back and
strengthen the foundation.”
Like Kinsey, Terry Ward
Filmore, a faculty member in the
Beacon Center, also saw a bright
future for the school and its students. Michelle Grace and Matthew
Henderson each sported two
awards for their efforts. Grace
made First Team All Public for first
base in girls’ softball and
Henderson made All Public for
track.
“There are a lot of hard working
students who want to succeed,”
she said. But she added it must be
a collective effort between faculty,
students and community to reach
the students who don’t show that
drive on the surface.
Overall, Kinsey was satisfied
with the ceremony. To him changing the reputation of Germantown
High from negative to positive
won’t happen overnight.
“My hope is continued progress
because we can change the viewpoint,” he said. Great Evening of Jazz a Success for Grumblethorpe
On Saturday evening, May 30, a
large crowd turned out at the
LaRose Jazz Club on Germantown
Avenue for the first-ever
Grumblethorpe Museum fundraiser, an event to help fund the museum’s education programs developed by Brandi Levine, the current
executive
director
of
the
Philadelphia Society for the
Preservation of Landmarks. The
musical event featured two world
class musicians, Terell Stafford on
trumpet and Bruce Barth on piano,
both teachers at Temple, along
with three recent Temple music
department
graduates,
Dan
Hanrahan, guitar, Justin
Sekelewski, bass, and Nick
Wright, drums. A newcomer to the
music scene here was Suzanne
Brose, vocalist, whose perform-
Volunteers Sought for Tree Planting
The Philadelphia Horticultural Society/Tree Vitalize Tree Planting
Program, coordinated in Mt. Airy by the Streetscapes Committee of
West Mt. Airy Neighbors, is accepting applications for street trees for
spring 2010 planting. The Fairmount Park Commission issues permits for each tree. Volunteers plant the trees each spring and fall.
Interested homeowners should contact Dave Tukey, project coordinator,
at 215-844-2807, e-mail [email protected], or Doris Kessler,
streetscapes Committee chai, 215-242-0651, e-mail [email protected]. Completed applications must be received by July 27.
ance was received enthusiastically.
Greeted at the door by the warm
smiles of committee membersTia
Keitt and Matthew Stiles, people
from all areas of Germantown,
Mount Airy, Chestnut Hill and
beyond came to support the program and enjoy the top level entertainment at the LaRose Jazz Club
on Germantown Avenue. A fine
quality piano was donated for the
evening by Cunningham Piano
Company. Some of the young people of
the community including Kelli
Alsop,
Reuben
Dickstein,
Antonio Gill, Chris Scott, Tiara
Sanford,and Destiny Mayes, who
are involved in Grumblethorpe’s
educational program, were honored
and presented with gift certificates
by Board Chairman George
Haitsch. These youthful volunteers
represent
some
of
Germantown’s future leaders,
being schooled in the history of
one of the country’s most significant Historic Districts as well as
in areas of entrepreneurial development.
First Rebuilt Avenue Section to Reopen
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
announced on June 16 that it will close Germantown
Avenue between Coulter Street and Church Lane in
Philadelphia on Monday, June 22, to rebuild this section of the avenue as part of a $9.2 million project to
improve over 2,000 feet of the avenue in the
Germantown section of the city. This part of the avenue
will reopen in late August.
Posted detour signs will direct Germantown Avenue
motorists to follow Seymour Street, Wayne Avenue and
Maplewood Avenue during the closure. Local access
will be maintained up to the construction area. In conjunction with the upcoming road closure relocation, PennDOT will reopen the newly rebuilt section
of Germantown Avenue between Ashmead Street and
Queen Lane, which has been closed for reconstruction
since March 30.
In late June, PennDOT also plans to close
Germantown Avenue between High Street and Walnut
Street for reconstruction. Both this section and the
stretch between Coulter Street and Church Lane are
being rebuilt during the summer to avoid impacting
access to Germantown Friends School and Germantown
High School while the schools are in session.
PennDOT began work on February 17 to reconstruct
Germantown Avenue between Ashmead Street and
Church Lane, and between East High Street and West
Walnut Lane. This improvement project consists of
building a new concrete road with new trolley tracks;
installing new granite curbing and granite block shoulders; building new sidewalks; installing new decorative
street lights and trees; and replacing old underground
water and sewer pipes. Block-by-block closures of the avenue will be in
place through late November for construction activity.
Crews also will continue to work outside the closed
sections of the avenue and motorists may encounter
traffic pattern shifts, possible lane closures and shortterm parking restrictions weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. under a $17 million project.
The Mt. Airy Independent
June 18, 2009
Page 11
Local Runners Star in Trail Classic
Mt. Airy’s Helen Cheung was
the first woman finisher in the 4th
Annual Wissahickon Trail Classic
held June 6 in Wissahickon Park.
Daryl Weaver of Lancaster County
won the race for the second year in
a row and set a new course record
with a time of 37:14 for the 10kilometer course. Cheung finished
with a time of 44:59, besting her
2008 performance by almost a
minute and a half.
447 runners completed the 10-K
course over the winding trails of
the Wissahickon Park. For many
participants, it was their first
introduction to the beauty and
physical challenge of the
Wissahickon gorge. For the event
winners, it was another run in the
park.
Now in its 4th year, the annual
10-K race is a showcase race in the
US Track and Field Association’s
off-road series, a collection of
sanctioned off-road races in the
Delaware Valley. The locals have
dubbed it the “premier” trail race in
Philadelphia, drawing top talent
from throughout Southeastern PA.
“Last year was my first time at the
Wissahickon Trail Classic,” said
Weaver. “I really liked the course
so I came back again this year.”
Cheung has run all four
Wissahickon Trail Classics, and
each year has significantly
improved her performance. Three
years ago she finished quite far
Helen Cheung, left, and Jeff Hayes, both of Mt. Airy.
back; two years ago she came in
fourth; last year she was second.
This year, she finished on top.
Since last summer she has been
hampered by a hamstring pull, and
this was the first race since the
injury where she has been able to
pull out all stops.
“I was worried about my injury
at first,” Cheung said, “but then
you end up concentrating on just
not falling, so you forget about
it.” The course is “very tough,”
she continued. “It is hills and hills
and hills. The last one up to
Andorra was really hard. It was
good to know the finish was only
a mile away.”
Jeff Hayes of Mt. Airy finished
first in the men’s 50-59 division
WMAN Zoning Approvals
On Wednesday, June 3 at 7:30
p.m., the West Mt. Airy Neighbors
Zoning Committee held its monthly public meeting at the Summit
Presbyterian Church. The WMAN
Zoning Committee enables public
input into, and makes recommendations to Philadelphia’s Zoning
Board of Adjustment regarding
applications for zoning variances
and use certificates.
The following zoning issues
were presented at the June meeting:
6782 Germantown Avenue:
Application for use permit to use
this building as an acupuncture
office, this use not permitted in C1 zoned properties. Elise Rivers,
the owner of the acupuncture practice, explained her plans and
showed the committee signatures
on a support petition. The committee voted unanimously not to
oppose the application.
580 Pelham Road (a. k. a.
333 West Upsal S treet):
Application to enclose porch to create sun room. A previous approval
by Zoning Board of Adjustment
requires additional approval for any
extension of use. Kathy Welbank,
the Executive Director of Interim
House, which owns the building,
reviewed the plans. The committee
voted unanimously not to oppose
the application.
Additionally, Stephen Anderson
was unanimously voted in as ViceChair of the Zoning Committee,
and Robert Bembry, Esq. as Second
Vice-Chair.
They join Ralph
Pinkus, Esq., the Chair of the
Zoning Committee.
The next WMAN Zoning
Committee meeting is scheduled
for Wednesday, July 8 at 7:30 p.m.
at the Summit Presbyterian
Church, 6757 Greene Street.
To receive news about the
Zoning Committee and/or other
WMAN meetings and events, sign
up for the WMAN email distribution
list
by
visiting
www.wman.net.
(10th overall) in a time of 41:15.
The trail race is organized by the
Wissahickon Wanderers Running
Club and the Wissahickon
Restoration Volunteers. Complete
results and photos, as well as more
information about the club, can be
obtained at the club web site
www.wanderersrunningclub.org.
Proceeds from the race benefit
the Wissahickon Restoration
Volunteers, a member-supported,
volunteer-driven, non-profit that
actively protects and improves the
Wissahickon Valley Park by
restoring native habitat. They
contribute thousands of volunteer
hours planting trees and shrubs
and removing invasive plant
species. Learn more about the
work of WRV at http://wissahickon.patrails.org/.
Who Says
Construction is
Only for Men?
Health Care
Forum at UU
Habitat
for
Humanity
Philadelphia’s Women Build will
be holding a series of construction
classes for women beginning
Saturday, July 11th. Classes will
be held for four consecutive
Saturdays at Habitat’s North
Philadelphia warehouse from 9:00
am until 4:00 pm and cost $295
for all four weeks. Space is limited. Students should be comfortable
standing for a couple of hours at a
time and should know that the
class takes place in an un-air conditioned section of Habitat’s building.
If you have always wanted to
become more comfortable with
hand and power tools and understand how houses are put together,
now is your chance to learn some
basic skills taught by women in a
class for women!
Skills you will learn include the
basics of hand tools, power tools,
framing, roofing, sheathing and
siding, insulation, drywall and
painting, flooring and finish carpentry. Each class includes some
lecture followed by hands-on practice. This is the kind of class where
you will get to try everything out
– you won’t just be watching the
instructor do it.
For more information and a
schedule of classes, visit
www.habitatphiladelphia.org or
call Shelly at 215-765-6000 ext.
13. Participants must be at least
18 years of age to enroll.
On Sunday, June 28, the
Unitarian Universalist Church of
the Restoration at 6900 Stenton
Avenue will hold a forum on
healthcare reform at 11 a.m. for
summer Sunday service. The
title is “Are We Ready for
Universal National Health
Coverage?”
Dr. Walter Tsou, a local
internist and former Philadelphia
Commissioner of Public Health
who has testified before
Congress and the PA legislature,
will advocate for a single payer
plan to cover all Americans.
Marc Stier is a former President
of West Mt. Airy Neighbors and
currently the Pennsylvania State
Director of Health Care For
America Now (HCAN), a
nationwide campaign for health
care reform. Stier can talk about
pending legislation in Harrisburg
and Washington. A question and
answer period will
follow.
Childcare is provided.
For questions call the church at
215-247-2561,
or
visit
www.uurestoration.us.
Imani
Creative & Performing Art
Summer Camp
5613 Green St. Philadelphia PA 19144
June 22, 2009 ~ July 31, 2009
Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Extended Hours Available
SPORTS
DRAMA
CRAFTS READ
ARTS &
ING
MATH
DANCE
MUSIC
Clean ~ Safe ~ Educational & Fun
Contact: Imani Charter School • 215-713-9240, Ext. 104
OPEN HOUSE FOR 09/10 SCHOOL YEAR
HOPE Charter High School
9th through 12th grades
SATURDAY, JULY 18th, 2009
Program starts 11:45 am
at
2116 E. Haines Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19138
• A tuition-free high school in West Oak Lane
• Student enrollment from all areas Philadelphia
• For the youth who needs extra help & small classes
• For information, 215-849-2112 ext 5112
T
• Or email [email protected]
M
HOPE CS is designed to give the underachieving high school student new hope for a bright
educational future and a career
GREENE STREET
FRIENDS SCHOOL
5511 Greene Street
OPEN
HOUSE DATES-RSVP
PhiladelPhia,
PaNEEDED
19144
Thursday, April 17, 8:45
215-438-7545TO 10:30 AM
TO 8:30 PM
GreenStreetFriendS.OrG
Monday, May 5th, 7:00
5511 GREENE STREET, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19144
215-438-7545 • GREENESTREETFRIENDS.ORG
Page 12
June 18, 2009
Big Blue Beer
On Sunday, June 21, at 2 p.m.,
Big Blue Marble Bookstore, 551
Carpenter Lane, offers “The Short
Course in Beer Reading and Beer
Tasting” sponsored by Yards’
Brewery with local Mt. Airy
author Lynn Hoffman, as a special Father’s Day event. Come
hear Lynn (also author of The
S hort Course in Wine), read from
his new book about beer. It’s for
folks who are finding out that
they can learn just as much about
beer as wine-lovers learn about
wine. Beer has become the drink
of the energy-conscious, conservation-oriented, planet-sparing
gourmet. You can raise a glass of
something delicious and still be
on the side of the angels. The
times are in beer’s favor and so is
this book. The S hort Course in
Beer is passionately in love with
the stuff. Yards’ Brewery is offering a sampling of their cask-conditioned ales for the event. For more information call 215844-1870.
‘Praise is the Cure’ Cafe at
Center in the Park
The George E.
Thorne
Development Center (GETDC)
will kick off its “Praise Is The
Cure” breast health education and
awareness campaign for 2009 with
its inaugural Praise Café. The
Praise Café, which will consist of
music, speaker and fellowship
components, will take place from
2:30-5 p.m. on Saturday, June 20
at Center in the Park, 5818
Germantown Avenue (entrance and
parking on Rittenhouse Street).
GETDC is a non-profit community based organization whose mission is to empower individuals to
control their destiny by equipping
them with the essential tools needed in the areas of education, health
care, finance and related issues.
The Praise Is The Cure campaign
is focused on bringing awareness
to the public on breast health
issues, and the support and care of
breast cancer survivors. This year,
GETDC is expanding its Praise Is
The Cure campaign by launching a
“Real Men Wear Pink” initiative,
designed to increase community
awareness by educating men to
understand breast health issues and
how to be effective advocates as a
loved one goes through the difficult journey of recovery and healing from breast cancer.
Special recognition will be
given to State Representative
Dwight Evans; Rev. Charles
Quann, pastor of Bethlehem
Baptist Church in Penllyn, PA;
Dr. Franklyn Scott, an oral surgeon; and W. Earl Thorne, a longtime volunteer. These four men
have demonstrated major support
of Praise Is The Cure by taking the
lead in educating the community
on breast health issues and providing personal support to survivors.
The annual highlight of the
Praise Is The Cure campaign is
Praise Is The Cure Weekend, a citywide celebration of breast cancer
survivors consisting of a health
fair, pamper party, gospel extravaganza and Praise Sunday. Praise Is
The Cure Weekend will take place
October 3-4, as part of Breast
Cancer Awareness Month. The
breast health awareness campaign
was created by Anita T. Conner, a
prominent accountant and 11-year
breast cancer survivor, and the nonprofit organization she founded, the
George E. Thorne Development
Center. Tickets for this event are now on
sale for $10 at the office of Anita
T. Conner and Associates, 8000
Old York Road, Elkins Park, or via
phone at 215-635-1025. For more
information, call 215-635-1025, or
go to theanitatconnerstory.com. Words Come Alive at ‘Poet-ify’
Poet-ify: Poetry to Edify, where
poets, spoken word artists, word
drafters, lyricists and others lift you
out of your comfort zone and set
you down in deep thought, is held
every other month at the
Germantown Church of the
Brethren Fellowship Hall, 6601
Germantown Avenue.
Hosted by Germantown’s
RuNett Nia Ebo, “Poet of
Purpose,” Poet-ify has been keeping poetry and spoken word growing and flowing in the Northwest
since August, 2008.
The next gathering is Sunday,
June 28 from 4-8 p.m. It will feature the musical creativity of the
MTM Jazz and Gospel Ensemble,
with open mic time also available.
Keep it real, make it plain, but
don’t bring it if it’s profane; keep it
family-friendly. Refreshments will
be served. Listeners are welcome.
Tickets are $8, $10 at the door,
$5 for students and seniors. For
information or to buy tickets call
215-495-8679 or 215-438-1809.
Dine Out, Help
Wellness CTR
From June 22 to June 28, 7
a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday – Friday
and 3-9 p.m. Saturday and
Sunday, the Maternal Wellness
Center is holding an important
fundraising event at the Trolley
Car Diner and Deli, 7619
Germantown Avenue.
As part of its Helping Hands
Week fundraising program, the
Diner will donate 15 percent of
the revenue from supporters
towards the Maternal Wellness
Center.
The Maternal Wellness Center
is designed to support, educate,
and empower women and families during their transition to parenthood. From pre-conception
through the early childrearing
years, the MWC is committed to
providing holistic services to
improve maternal and infant outcomes. Further, the Center diligently works to address specific
problems facing the Philadelphia
birthing community, specifically
dwindling access to prenatal care
and a lack of racial and ethnic
diversity among practitioners.
The Maternal Wellness Center
provides a network of perinatal
support through pre-natal and
post-partum yoga classes, massage therapy, support groups,
psychotherapy, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding counseling,
and holistic childbirth education
classes. In addition to these support and education services, the
MWC offers a free wellness
package for women of lowincome through the Healthy
Moms Initiative and has begun
providing free teen services at
Germantown High School.
Programs and services have
already seen remarkable outcomes, including successful
breastfeeding initiation and duration, more positive birth experiences, and a decrease in pre and
post-partum anxiety and depression. Further, Philadelphia
moms are finding a community
of peer support during a time
when most new mothers report
increased feelings of isolation.
Since its inception, MWC has
served over 2000 women and has
provided outreach to several area
high schools and youth groups.
Show your support by bringing
your friends and family for a delicious and fun dining experience at
Trolley Car Diner and Deli.
Contact Laura House-Kelly at
[email protected] to
request that a coupon for this
fundraiser be emailed to you or stop
by the Maternal Wellness Center at
606 Carpenter Lane and pick one
up.
For information about Trolley
Car Diner and Deli, call 215753-1500 or go to www.trolleycardiner.com.
The Mt. Airy Independent
Grants for Community Projects
The First Presbyterian Church
in Germantown has a rich history
of ministry in the community
over the last two centuries. Much
of this ministry has been possible
as we partner with other agencies
and organizations by offering
financial support for their efforts
to minister to others and benefit
the greater Germantown community.
The church is now accepting
applications for grant money to
fund programs and ministries that
are consistent with our congregation’s mission by providing direct
service to people in need (including children and youth) through
education, advocacy, housing, and
other ways that may enrich their
lives. Individuals and families are
not eligible to receive a grant,
only organizations with 501(c)3
tax status. Grants will range
from $500 to $5,000 and will be
made on a one-year basis.
Organizations which have previously received funds from The
First Presbyterian Church in
Germantown must complete an
application to be considered for
future funding.
Applications will be reviewed
by The Mission and Outreach
Committee of the church. The
deadline for receiving applications
is July 1. Grants will be awarded
for programming during the 2010
calendar year. All applicants will
be notified of the committee’s
decision regarding their request by
September 1.
To receive guidelines and procedures for making an application,
you may contact the church by email at [email protected], call
215-843-8811, fax to 215-8448141, or write to Outreach and
Mission Committee, The First
Presbyterian
Church
in
Germantown, 35 West Chelten
Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144.
Carillon Concert at FUMCOG
The First Presbyterian Church
in Germantown has a rich history
of ministry in the community
over the last two centuries. Much
of this ministry has been possible
as we partner with other agencies
and organizations by offering
financial support for their efforts
to minister to others and benefit
the greater Germantown community.
The church is now accepting
applications for grant money to
fund programs and ministries that
are consistent with our congregation’s mission by providing direct
service to people in need (including children and youth) through
education, advocacy, housing, and
other ways that may enrich their
lives. Individuals and families are
not eligible to receive a grant,
only organizations with 501(c)3
tax status. Grants will range
from $500 to $5,000 and will be
made on a one-year basis.
Organizations which have previously received funds from The
First Presbyterian Church in
Germantown must complete an
application to be considered for
future funding.
Applications will be reviewed
by The Mission and Outreach
Committee of the church. The
deadline for receiving applications
is July 1. Grants will be awarded
for programming during the 2010
calendar year. All applicants will
be notified of the committee’s
decision regarding their request by
Sept. 1.
To receive guidelines and procedures for making an application,
you may contact the church by email at [email protected], call
215-843-8811, fax to 215-8448141, or write to Outreach and
Mission Committee, The First
Presbyterian
Church
in
Germantown, 35 West Chelten
Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19144.
Camp Registration at 1st Born
United Church of the First
Born, 400 East Bringhurst Street,
is holding pre-registration for its
summer camp program, Camp
Legacy.
This year camp will be held at
Wister Playground, 4953 Baynton
Street. The program is open to
children in the Wister area ages 614.
Preregistration is being held by
phone through Friday, June 26.
You can also register Saturday,
June 27 at Wister Playground. The
first 35 children will be accepted
for this program. Camp will begin
Tuesday, July 7 through Friday,
August 14. The cost is $25 per
child. Camp includes trips.
Transportation costs are not included. There is free breakfast and
lunch. For information call the
church at 215-438-0278.
On Saturday, June 27, come out
and join the United Church of the
First Born for our Walk for Jesus.
The community youth event will
be held at Wister Playground from
12:30 – 6 p.m. Come out and
enjoy yourself. Activities include
free food, fun and games, a clothes
giveaway, free blood pressure
screenings, face painting, nail
painting and designs, literature
table, finger printing and child safety information, praise music, and
more. For information call the
church at 215-438-0278.
The Mt. Airy Independent
June 18, 2009
Former Pastor at First Presbyterian
One of the pastors instrumental
in setting up a Crisis Ministry that
has helped numerous Philadelphia
residents over the years will return
to the city this month to preach at
The First Presbyterian Church in
Germantown.
Dr. Donald Simpson will deliver
a special sermon at 10 a.m. on
Sunday, June 21, as part of the
year-long 200th Anniversary
Celebration
of The First
Presbyterian
Church
in
Germantown, 35 West Chelten
Avenue.
Dr. Simpson was senior pastor
at the church from 1989 to 2001,
when he retired and moved to
Bellingham, Washington, with his
wife, Maureen.
Under his leadership, the church
in Germantown helped launch the
Crisis Ministry, a consortium of
churches and congregations in
Philadelphia’s northwestern neighborhoods that helps people in
times of critical need. The ministry, which involves about a dozen
churches, grew out of informal
meetings among pastors to discuss
problems their churches had in
common.
It evolved into an
important branch of community
outreach, providing much-needed
assistance for many families.
Dr. Simpson also championed
the transformation of the sanctuary
at The First Presbyterian Church
in Germantown. He envisioned
closer links among choir, preacher,
and congregation, and the sanctuary
renovations achieved this by eliminating the traditional choir loft,
lowering the pulpit, and removing
pews at the front of the church to
accommodate a marble chancel and
a communion table.
Dr. Simpson is the last of three
former ministers making guest
appearances in the Germantown
pulpit during the anniversary year.
Dr. Aaron Gast preached in January
and Dr. Scottie Griffin in April.
The church’s 200th Anniversary
Celebration will continue next
month with a Summer Arts
Festival, to be held from July 31
through August 2. It will feature
arts-related
workshops
and
exhibits, as well as other entertainment.
The First Presbyterian Church
in Germantown has made a deliberate commitment to urban ministry
(just five percent of Christian congregations in the United States are
racially-integrated) and is making a
special effort to include past and
present members of its congregation as well as the entire region in
its current 200th anniversary celebrations.
Parking is available in two lots
adjacent to the church. More information on services and programs
of the church may be obtained by
calling 215-843-8811, or online at
www.fpcgermantown.org.
‘Making Art, Making Peace’ Program
Germantown
Mennonite
Historic Trust is hosting another
“Making Art, Making Peace” program on Saturday, June 27 at 10
a.m. at the historic Germantown
Mennonite Meetinghouse at 6133
Germantown Avenue. Led by Melinda Steffy , an
acclaimed local artist, participants
will reconstruct an item of their
choosing. Afterward, Christopher
Friesen, program director at
Germantown Mennonite Historic
Trust, will share stories of memory from the history of
Germantown. This program will
stimulate participants to recognize
the role that memory plays in the
interactions that we have on a daily
basis, a necessary step in peacebuilding
and reconciliation.
Participants will need to bring in
old books, letters, sheet music or
other sort of printed material —
something meaningful that they’d
be willing to “destroy” and reconNiksag Productions presents
a gospel concert featuring Zeffro
Gaskin and Family and Friends on
Saturday June 20, 3 p.m., at
Advocate St. Stephen’s United
Methodist
Church,
5213
Germantown Avenue. There will be
a free will offering. If you are looking for a good old-fashioned, footstomping and new age praise and
worship, please join us. struct. A variety of drawing materials and natural dyes/inks will be
provided for this process of transformation. The cost is $10. Call 215-8430943 for further details.
Page 13
NIM Young Adult
Meet and Greet
The Neighborhood Interfaith
Movement is seeking young
adults, ages 25-40, who consider
themselves spiritual but do not
associate with specific religious
institutions to attend a meet-andgreet session, which will take
place
at
InFusion,
7133
Germantown
Avenue,
on
Thursday, June 25, from 6-8 p.m.
This casual gathering will provide
the opportunity for these individuals to meet other young adults
from Northwest Philadelphia with
similar experiences, giving them
an outlet to discuss both spirituality and community service.
Recent surveys show that young
adults in this age range are less
likely to be members of congregations and participate in organized
religion. The percentage of people
who consider themselves to be
spiritual has risen over the past
century. In response, NIM aims to
bring this segment of the
Northwest Philadelphia community together to spur dialogue around
personal spiritual growth and service to their community.
During the two-hour meet-andgreet, the attendees will have the
opportunity to engage in discussion and learn about NIM’s mission, both in its work in
Northwest Philadelphia, as well as
in its commitment to interfaith
engagement.
Young adults between the ages
of 25-40 are welcome. Anyone
desiring more information should
contact Maggie Goddard at [email protected] or Keith
Griffin at [email protected].
They may also be reached at 215843-5600, extension 107. William Douglas Orchestra at Janes
Memorial Church June 19
The William Douglas Orchestra will present its 10th annual Night
of Instrumental Music on Friday, June 19, at 7 p.m. at Janes
Memorial United Methodist Church, 47 East Haines Street. Tickets
are $10 adults, $5 children ages 12 and under.
For more information call the church at 215-844-9564.
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Page 14
June 18, 2009
The Mt. Airy Independent
Business Services Directory
Germantown Chronicle • Mt. Airy Independent
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licensed & Insured
references
Do You Have Services
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You can download
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The Mt. Airy Independent
June 18, 2009
Business Services Directory
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GARAGE SALES/FLEA MARKET
bIRd • FlEA • SQUIRREl & ROdENT SpECIAlISTS
QUAlIFIEd TO MAKE FHA & VA CERTIFICATIONS
Call Now
REAL ESTATE
GERMANTOWN 3BR/1BATH HOUSE
Modern kitchen, rear yard,
full concrete basement.
Near transportation and shops.
$725/mo + utilities
Call: 215-421-2121
LIVE IN HISTORIC VICTORIAN CASTLE
Spacious 4rm apt., FP, HW flrs, huge
porch,1 blk to R8, Cen. AC, OSPreserved, laundry, $1150/mo
ref. req.; pets w/ref. Avail. June
Nr. Lincoln Dr. & Wayne Ave.
Call 215-469-0470
DON’T WASTE WATER!
Water only the plants that need it…
Free demo and quote
(Costs less than you might think!)
***ANDY MC CURDY***
CALL 215-438-5633 or
Email: [email protected]
Registered 3rd Generation #3922
We Deliver
Do-It-Yourself Supplies
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
With all our love, Elizabeth & Mark
GROW ORGANIC PRODUCE
IN YOUR BACKYARD
Raised beds installed
***RON KUSHNER***
Garden Consultant
Call: 484-433-8846
• 24 Hour Service / 7 Days a Week
• City Violations Corrected
• Hot Water heaters Replaced
• Drain Cleaning Specialist
• New Gas & Oil Heaters Installed
• Certifications
Save 10%
with this
coupon
SOW SEEDS OF CARING
WITH BEAUTFUL GIFT BASKETS AND
CANDY BOUQUETS!
Visit www.kreatively-you.com or
Call: 1-888-256-8445
Father’s Day & many more
gift ideas available.
HAPPY FATHER’S DAY
To all the guys at work. Gracie
215-927-3656
Free Estimates
PUPPY FOR SALE
6 MONTH OLD MALE PEEK-A-POO
Original price was $750.
Will take best offer.
Call: 215-753-9213
TO BELLA WITH MY LOVE
Can’t wait to see you! Phila. Grammy
Best Handyman Service
HDrywall
FOR SALE
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MILES!
I’m glad to have you in my life, Grammy
215-495-9336
HPainting
Classified Advertising
PERSONALS
samuel J. BaileY • geneRal ContRaCtoR• liC & insuReD
Ceilings
Independent
$10/for two lines..you write the words
no Job too small
HSpackle
Mount
Airy
Page 15
BRIGHT, SUNNY, 2ND FLOOR TRIPLEX
1BR, Porch, Yard,
Large modern eat-in Kitchen
with 10 ft. counter!
Johnson St. overlooking Cliveden Mansion
$700./mo includes heat
Call : Dr. Robinson 215-844-4953
HOUSE & GARAGE SALERS
Anyone planning house or garage sales…
Advertise with us.
We reach over 32,000 homes!
We deliver our papers, they do not sit in boxes
$15 for one paper; $20 for two
Call Sunny: 215-438-4000
Or E-mail:
[email protected]
MULTI-FAMILY YARD SALE
June 20th — 9 am to 1 pm
Raindate: June 21.
529 E. Wadsworth Ave.
Betwn. Crittenden & Anderson
Furniture, housewares & much more!
****YARD SALE ****
SATURDAY JUNE 20TH, 9AM TO 1PM
419 W. Stafford St.
Between Morris & Wissahickon
Antiques, furniture, household items
books and much more!
No Early Birds, Please!
GERMANTOWN HOUSE FOR RENT
253 W. ZERELDA AVE.
Wayne & Berkeley
$825/mo + utilities
4BR, 1.5 baths, Section 8 – OK
Franklin Investment Realty .com
Call: 215-382-2228
WEST MT. AIRY.
2 bedroom apartment w/private entrance.
Hardwood floors, refrigerator,
off-street parking
$650/a month.
Call: 267-226-0918
MOUNT AIRY
BRAND NEW GARAGE
For rent or storage – 1 car size
Call:
267-226-0918
MARTIN ELFANT, INC.
Call Jeff Elfant @ 215-844-1200
6342 Greene St.
3rd floor of Triplex
2BR, 1B, hw flrs. Very spacious!
Pet friendly, all utilities incl.!
$995.
5802 Greene St.
2nd floor of triplex
1BR, 1B w/den
hw floors, updated kitchen
$775.
366 W. Duval
1BR, 1B w/hw floors
Spacious kitchen,
Walk to train, heat included.
$650
CHILD CARE
COLLEGE STUDENT
seeking summer employment as
childcare worker/babysitter
Masterman grad, 3+ yrs. exp. @ Summit
Children’s Program in Mt. Airy
Exp. w/pre-school & after school ages
Avail. day & some evenings, wkends. Ref.
available
Call Nora: 215-844-0222
SERVICES
PICTURE FRAMING
PREOWNED
OR WE PURCHASE TO SUIT.
Call: 215-849-9192
PRE-TEEN CULTURAL WORKSHOP
FOR GIRLS—Ages 9-12; June 29 to Aug. 7
Cultural art/activities, fitness, workshops.
Individualized instruction.
Church of the Atonement, 6100 Greene St.
Call: 267-303-6000 or
215-886-0706
VIRUS REMOVAL, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
for Home or Office!
Printer and Software installs,
training, crashes, laptops
Call: 215-284-6038 or
[email protected]
Your answer for computer services & training.
NOTARY
MOBILE NOTARY SIGNING SERVICE
Licensed, Bonded, Certified
We Travel to banks, title companies,
Senior ctrs., convalescent &
Retirement homes.
Your Business or Residence!
Call: 215-548-5894 or
www.needmobilenotaryservice.com
HELP WANTED
BSW/OR RELATED DEGREE
to provide Social Services for homebound
older adults in NW Philadelphia.
Great working environment!
Full time, car necessary.
Send resume to
[email protected]
or fax to: 215-849-3195
EOE
Germantown Newspapers
5275 Germantown Avenue • Philadelphia, PA 19144 • 215.438.4000 • fax: 215.754.4245 • [email protected]
Classified Advertising Policy
Germantown Newspapers Inc. accepts classified advertising for listings including, but not limited to, Items for Sale, Cars for Sale, Real Estate for Sale, Real Estate for Rent, Help Wanted,
Situations Wanted, Services Offered and other categories.
Germantown Newspapers Inc. reserves the right to reject or revise the classification of any advertisement. It assumes no financial repsonsibility for typographical errors other than to publish a correction.
Germantown Newspapers are the Germantown Chronicle and the Mt. Airy Independent.
Page 16
June 18, 2009
The Mt. Airy Independent
ROY MALOUMIAN’S
ORIENTAL RUG EVENT
Exceptional Times call for Exceptional Savings
CLEARANCE SALE
If you have ever thought about buying an oriental rug
the time has never been more right!
up
to
65 off
%
original
prices
1000’s of exquisite oriental & vintage rugs,
priced to move for this unprecidented sale.
THIS WEEKEND ONLY
Only Maloumian’s Oriental Carpets is big enough for an event of this magnitude.
For a special preview or to shop online visit www.roysrugs.com
Hours: Saturday 9am-6pm • Sunday 12pm-5pm
MALOUMIAN ORIENTAL CARPETS
231 W. MT. PLEASANT AVE., PHILADELPHIA, PA 19119
215.247.3535 | www.roysrugs.com