A Glimpse of the Truth in Kensington

It was a hot day. In front of this one particular place just two blocks away from Allegany station, several people in T-shirts were gathering. About seven men seemed to be in close relationships, no one was intent to start a conversation. Holding a cigarette, they were sitting, just sitting with a blank face. They sometime squinting their eyes when the sunshine beamed into them.
The place that drew these men turned out to be Trinity Recovery Network. It is one of the 10 drug and alcohol recovery centers on Kensington Avenue. What distinguishes this center from the other is that this facility focuses on a recovery through the help of Jesus. “If it works for me, it works for everyone,” Keith, a former client and currently working as a staff member, said. He also said he was not paid for his job, but he was working towards the goal; to create and send productive members from the facility to various communities. “Christ filled the hollow instead of heroin,” Jack, a current client, said. Now he holds Bible Studies every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Anyone is warmly welcomed by the staff. Some are taken as in-patients so that they can lead better lives than the one they had on the street. The clients all expressed the incredible feelings to be clean through the hands of Jesus Christ. Also, men sitting around the center turned out to be the members of this Christian community. Then, it occurred to me, “Why did they look blank? Why do they seem lost?”
Returning to the network from the walk along the Kensington Avenue, I noticed the same group of male clients had been sitting almost whole day at the same place. I realized that it is their world and there is no where for them to go after the recovery.
If there was no place for the clients to start their new lives after they become sober, they might go back to the life where drugs control them. “Where are they supposed to go?” I thought. “What does the hope and the future mean to them?” I questioned myself. I was not able to figure out what their next step would be. If this is, what they call, destiny, the city government has to take a much more intense and in-depth action toward poverty.
Trying to detach myself as a Journalism student from the people I spoke with, I was overwhelmed by a frustration.
“Which is the real world? The world that I live in where the Internet and TV are commonplace or the world where people struggle for food and fight against drugs to lead a normal life?” I asked myself.
Reporting on Kensington truly tests my ability on how much I allow myself to get into stories.

The Logan Family Man

Lamar Salim stands in front of the pump at the Sunoco gas station on Broad and Windrim in the Logan section of Philadelphia. He looks disgusted, glaring at the prices."Oh! it's not going to stop there", he says, pointing to the price counter on the machine, "last week it cost me 50 bucks, this week it's going to be 60, and next week it's going to be 90. It's just killin' me, man." Pennsylvania is in the top ten states for travel during the Memorial Day weekend. This year's soaring gas prices prove to bruise that tradition. AAA Mid-Atlantic reported Philadelphians will contribute to over two percent of the entire states decline in travel on Memorial Day weekend. Salim agrees. "Me and Brandy [his fiance] were going to go down to Georgia to visit her little boy, but could you imagine what that would cost us? I'd have to fill up three times. I can't afford it. Now she ain't gonna see her baby boy because of all this mess."Salim drives a bread-delivery truck nearly an hour away from his home in the Croydon area of lower Bucks County. He says he needs to travel that far to work because there "aren't many jobs locally" that pay as well.Salim added, "All that traveling everyday, it's tiring, it is, and it's very expensive. But I do it for Brandy, and our baby. She's due in three months. I'm delivering all this bread, I'm going to have to start living off it if this [situation] continues.

Cheers from Brewerytown

Its not hard to see how Brewerytown lives up to statistics that describe it on paper. Labeled as impoverished, undereducated and under or unemployed, Brewerytown feels every bit as depressing as the census made it out to be. That’s how some blocks feel anyway, with their empty lots and crumbled homes. There is a sometimes awkward mix of older folks and young “artists and professionals." The newer, younger members of the Brewerytown crowd are the focus of animosity by some of the older generation, led by Al Alston, head of the African American Business and Residents Association.


In his fight against the gentrification of Brewerytown, Alston has rallied against Westrum Development Company, the company responsible for many of the new homes and rental units in the area. Currently, Alston’s AABRA is threatening to protest the opening of a new Rita’s Water Ice location in Brewerytown over the company’s response to the rape of an 11-year-old African American girl at Veteran’s Stadium in 2000. The way of life being protected by Alston and those like him was much different in this part of town some time ago.


In the 19th century, over 200 breweries called Philadelphia home. Many of those breweries set up shop in Brewerytown, hence the name. The influx of the new brewing business led to the creation of other local businesses and construction. Philadelphia lost nearly all of its industrial sector by the 20th century, and by the 1980’s, every brewery in Brewerytown was closed for good. As an unfortunate result, the section of town named after its chief economic lifeline, had suffered from the slow bleeding of industrial job loss in Philadelphia.


This left Brewerytown along with many other Philadelphia neighborhoods economically ravaged. Economic depression turned to unemployment, which led to an erosion in many other facets of community life. These conditions created the Brewerytown shown in census data today, one that sees almost one in three of its residents living below the poverty line. That census data doesn’t paint the whole picture, though. New home construction and new residents combined with the current residents and businesses can create a hopeful new dialogue on how to make Brewerytown great again. We look forward to chronicling that dialogue over the course of the semester.


Cheers,
Group 1

Eric, Steph and Andy

Group 5: To Know a Neighborhood...You Eat Their Food

As we walked off of the R7 and onto Chelten Avenue in Germantown, we did not know where to go. Alison and I were going to meet Jon who took a bus. We decided to walk and meet Jon at Germantown Avenue, one of the nation's oldest streets in the country. There is a lot to be explored on this historic 8.5 stretch of road in Philadelphia. It is a taste of America in the heart of one of its' largest cities. Along the avenue you have the hustle and bustle of lower to middle class Americans running to catch the 65 bus , to the religious history of the 54 churches on the avenue, to the feel of suburbia in Chestnut Hill.


We met Jon at the corner of Chelten and Germantown Avenue and began our day of getting a feel for our neighborhood. There are many small shops along Chelten Avenue selling everything from sneakers and human hair wigs, to the tiny food carts selling barbecue. There was the unassuming yet beautiful First Presbyterian Church and the Clarence Pickets Middle School, which was under some kind of construction. Not far from the school was a pizza place called Germantown Style Pizza. The thought of trying some pizza crossed all three of our minds and so we went in. It is a small pizza shop with no room for seating and did not sell single slices. There was a young man up front taking orders and an older woman in the back of the kitchen rolling dough. There was also a sign that does not allow for cell phone usage, which was a surprise to our group. We got our pizza and tried to find a place to eat outside, since we could not eat in the pizzeria. We went back and sat outside of Clarence Pickets Middle School and had our bite of the so-called, "Germantown Style Pizza." It was good and was our first, "taste," of Germantown.
To know a neighborhood...you eat their food. These pizza places, coffee shops and taverns are where the people who live in the neighborhood go. These are the places where ideas, hopes and struggles are shared. These are the places where we will really get to know Germantown this semester.

Market St. Truck Explosion

Truck Fire Causes Minor Panic
By Eric Horvath


A Ford Expedition caught fire and exploded at around 12:30 this afternoon outside of Staples office supply store on 10th and Market St. No one was injured as onlookers peered at the vehicle while it burned. A few of those onlookers, even more curious, tried to get closer but were quickly pushed away by representatives of the Center City District. The cause of the fire wasn't immediately known, as fire officials had yet to arrive. The Center City District officials present did not have a comment. Most of those present were confused and looking for answers.
"I don't know what happened" said passerby Annie Duffy, of South Philly. "I came off the bus and there was smoke everywhere." Another onlooker who went by the name Tarik, was more thankful than confused. "I'm just happy nobody was in the vehicle or got hurt," he said.

The "Coolest" Guy on Fifth Street

A Walk Around Olney on a Warm Spring Day
Group 10: Nicole Kelly, Keith Bellomo, Matt La Padula

Mike doesn't give out his last name, and really doesn't talk much to strangers, but he still brightens up the faces of children and even adults on hot summer days in the Logan section of Philadelphia. He walks up and down Fifth street lugging a wheeled-cart in a plain navy blue cap and a white t-shirt. He has a familiar face and a charming smile and doesn't have to let anyone know what he's up to. The residents know why he's here, and the children rushing toward him as he passes indicates he's got something good in that white box. Mike is selling Water Ice.

"You look like you could use some water ice!", Mike says, waiting for their requests. He offers standard flavors like cherry and lemon, and even goes into exotic fruit flavors, like Mango.



Fifth street hosts a great location for shops in Logan. Mom-and-Pop fast food stores, laundromats, barber shops and more line the street. A jewelry store on 5th street is Mike's main source of income. He says when it's hot out, people are going to want water ice.



"You can't beat a one or two dollars for water ice, and It's a way for me to make some extra money out here," he says.

Mike travels Fifth Street everyday selling "Jimmy's Water Ice" to locals, but he isn't the only entrepreneur of food services in this area. The busy commercial district of Logan offers a great location to sell items along the street, especially food. Another group of men set up some barbecues outside of the local grocery store and cook up chicken kebabs, which they sold for a dollar to passersby.

"Everybody needs a little extra money," they say.

Group 4- First adventure in Fairhill

“Hey you what you doing? This street not for you!” was the first thing Caesar, a long time Fairhill resident yelled to me on the corner of Second Street and Indiana. “This is not a safe neighborhood you cant trust nobody,” he said.

A first glance at Fairhill says otherwise.

The Fairhill neighborhood, located on the east side of North Philadelphia has the highest concentration of Hispanics of any neighborhood in Philadelphia. This “Centro de Oro,” or the Golden Center, is 70% Hispanic, as of 2000.

The streets in Fairhill are vibrant, and display the ethnic vibe that the neighborhood is known for. Just on Lehigh Avenue, between 10th and Front Street there are Caribbean salons, Chinese food restaurants, Dominican Barbers and Latino music stores. There is Lillian Marrero Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia and multiple schools and churches. Buildings display murals that express pride in the neighborhood. One specific mural reads, “Fairhill says up with hope.”

Down Gurney and Howard Street there is a daily flea market where vendors sell their goods from 9 a.m. to dusk. Along the block locals socialize and do business. I follow my nose down the street to a woman grilling chicken kabobs for $1.50. It is a hot day and the thin plastic awning the woman is grilling under has smoke trapped inside. More women sit behind her in lawn chairs, speaking Spanish and children are playing with dirty toys at her feet. Through the charred cloud between us I can see sweat rolling down her neck. I offer her a smile and get a scowl in return.

“Hey what you doing? This street not for you!”

Caesar’s call catches my attention, and he warns me not to wander around this neighborhood. Caesar, a long time resident of Fairhill, advised me not to talk to anyone, and not to wander.

I looked back at the babies playing with dirty toys and the sizzling kabob, and the bead of sweat on the woman’s neck and the smoke filled awning- and the electrical line full of shoes just above it.

Maybe it’s an urban legend that tennis shoes dangling on power lines mean drugs, but I took Caesar’s advice anyway and hit the road.

Safely at home and behind my laptop I Googled a few blocks that sounded familiar during my stroll around the neighborhood. I soon ran across a 2007 PW article by Steve Volk called “Top 10 Drug Corners” and found that three of the pre-mentioned corners are in Fairhill.

Gulp.

Maybe the urban legend isn’t such a legend after all.



Quick Facts:
• In Fairhill, the median monetary household income is $13,795 and 56% of households live below the poverty line.
o These numbers compare to citywide statistics that estimate household earnings at $30,746 and that 22% live below the poverty line.
• Only 26% of residents 25 years or older have a high school diploma.
• Only 1% of residents 25 years or older have a Bachelor's Degree.
• Just under 20% of the land in Fairhill is vacant.
• The median residential sale price is $21,000 as of 2007
• Is among the most violent neighborhoods in Philadelphia according to the “Violent Crimes Map in the Inquirer in 2007.

Resources:
http://citymaps.phila.gov/citymaps/default.aspx (has stats)
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/multimedia/15111656.html
http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=14558
http://cml.upenn.edu/

Kate Leshko, Daniel Lymarenko, Lauren Hard

Fairhill: "El Centro de Oro"

We fell in love with Fairhill the moment we stepped onto its colorfully decorated sidewalk. The music suddenly changed from Beyonce to the melodic rhythms of a Latin groove, causing our eardrums to dance. We walked up Fairhill’s main commercial center, “El Centro de Oro,” or “the gold center.” The lively area between Huntingdon and Allegheny Avenue on North Fifth Street was appropriately named. “El Centro de Oro” displayed a wealth of culture, even underneath the accumulating litter.

A subwoofer blaring salsa tunes drew us into Centro Musical, the largest Latin music shop in Philadelphia. We were immediately surrounded by a large selection of tapes, records, and compact disks. Centro Musical also sold Puerto Rican cuatros, a small 10-string guitar with a violin-shaped outline. Bongos, congas, maracas, timbales, and guitars lined the walls. We bought a couple tapes, and a delicious red Puerto Rican lollipop infused with sesame seeds. The sights, sounds, and flavor of this Latino community seduced us minute by minute.

An inch from the corner of Fifth and Lehigh stood an art gallery called Taller Puertorriqueño. The building was clean and stately from the front, while a colorful mural decorated the side of the gallery. The first floor was a tribute to the culture of Puerto Rico. Here, visitors had the opportunity to purchase a memento of their visit. The second floor was where Taller Puertorriqueño showed Latino-American

This exhibit featured the provocative work of Miguel Luciano, who addressed the colonial relationship between Puerto Rico and the United States of America. Colorful scenes of Ronald McDonald slaying a Mesoamerican and fictitious ads with a clear overtone of the racist nature of old timey marketing hang from the gallery's walls. There were also several paintings based on the 1930s era cans of yams that portray Puerto Ricans much like African Americans were portrayed at one point in time, like submissive slaves or servants.

A plantain plated in real platinum and an airbrushed coin-operated children's horse ride were some of the unique artwork displayed in the exhibit. The best part of the gallery was downstairs and it was a hen vending machine that dispensed eggs. Of course we had to get an egg and were both thrilled and moved to find a pin in my egg that read, “Together, we can be a people again.” Taller Puertorriqueño was a gem in the community, a portal into the literary and artistic achievements of Puerto Ricans in America.

Here's a quick video of the very noisy coin-operated ride we captured with a cell phone camera.

Sidewalk Shopping in Kensington

Cascading along the sidewalks, bordering on the streets lays pink plastic strollers, knock off t-shirts and dozens of opened shoe boxes. There are more items for sale along the curb then inside the stores they face. No, this is not a one-way mirror reflecting the interior of the stores, but the daily scene of Front Street.

These legal street businesses have their own share of customers and regulars. But, smack in the middle of Kensington, it is the unfamiliar browsers that are usually the most harmful to business.

Do not think Kensington is ill equipped for such strangers. Each store on Front Street has their own walkie talkies that each intermingle with each other to send out warnings if an unfamiliar person seems to be conducting some business of their own.

It is not a secret that Kensington is a bad neighborhood. Ever since the mid 1980’s, when Kensington flourished in industrial jobs, the manufacturing industries that provided for many in the neighborhood fled to find cheaper labor. This crippled the Kensington area and created many impoverished. The void of business created a hub for drugs, especially heroin.

Obviously, the people that sold drugs needed a place to distribute their product, and what better place then Front Street, a street that remains a center for many mom and pop stores today. This wave of drug dealings prompted those with legitimate businesses to resist these new street dealers, and they called in for back up.

Their back up came in form of a tattooed, 250-pound Hispanic security guard nicknamed Bennie. Bennie has been keeping the streets clear of the unwanted for 17 years, riding up and down Front Street on his mountain bike.

Each store owner has been extremely satisfied that their businesses are clear of those who are not legitimate. "We mostly look out for strangers," the 20 year manager of the local pawnshop claims. "We look for people we do not recognize, who just stand around the stores. They usually are people coming from other areas looking to buy or sell drugs."

It is a system that seems to be effective. In a neighborhood that had a double homicide ten days before, Front Street businesses, inside and out, continue to be productive day by day.

So, if you ever find yourself standing outside on Front Street browsing along the sidewalks, don’t be a stranger.

Group 8: Christopher Carr, Brittney Nix and Andrew Grear

Return to Kensington

It was a sunny, hot day in the city, but it was hard to tell walking along Kensington Avenue, where the Market-Frankford line hovers over the road. Glimpses of light crept out along the buildings and some business owners left their front doors wide open, probably with the hope of feeling the heat of the 80 degree day.

Though it was eleven o'clock in the morning, there were few residents walking on the streets, except for the ones that sat on their stoops and a man who was stumbling around the street and smelled strongly of liquor. In between the the local delicatessans and check cashing offices, were the multiple amounts of seedy bars, which already had customers at that point in the morning. The only facility that could outnumber the amount of bars in the area, would the many recovery centers that lines Kensington Avenue. A recovery center is a mix between a rehabilitation center and a half-way house. Some of these centers let former drug addicts, who are trying to become clean, live there if they have no where else to go but the streets. Outside of one center were a few men hanging out around a car, just talking and burning time. One man, named Tom, ended up engaging us in conversation about our reasons for being within the neighborhood. "What exactly are you guys taking pictures for?", he asked, with a tone that was inquisitive, but almost wary of our presence. Explaining our reasoning, Tom seemed to let down his guard a little and started to talk somewhat more freely. He explained to us about the recovery center we were standing in front of, and then proceeded to explain why he was there. A man who is 43 monthes clean and sober, Tom told us of how tumultuous his life has been, and how close he came to death after one night of overdosing. "When my niece and nephew came to visit me in the hospital, and told me that I needed to start helping myself, to figure out who I was, that's when it hit me. I had to turn my life around and I realized I had to do it cold turkey," said Tom.

What seems to be such a foreboding neighborhood to outsiders, Kensington seems to have a sort of vibe to it; a sort of resilient nature in some of the residents. Many exchanged greetings with us, or like Tom, did not hesitate to speak with us. Maybe it was just our luck we ran into these people, or maybe it was just because of how beautiful the day was.

Strawberry Mansion- An Introduction

The greatly named, infamous Strawberry Mansion

"What are you guys doin here?" These words were some of the first words we heard after stepping off of the bus in Strawberry Mansion. "Haha, what are you doing here?" was Robyn's quick response. After a quick laugh and a smile, we strolled along the semi-familiar, yet absolutely foreign neighborhood.

Strawberry Mansion is located east of Fairmount Park in North Philadelphia. Thirty-third Street is the boundary between the neighborhood and Fairmount Park. It has a population of about 20,000, with more than 90 percent of residents being African American. There is a sense of emptiness when you walk down the streets. Like many other parts of Philadelphia, one can easily spot a lot of vacant houses on the streets. Indeed, the neighborhood has a high vacancy rate of 30 percent.

Today, more than 40 percent of its residents live under poverty level. But it was not the case before. “Ola Mae Tan,” a resident of the neighborhood says the area used to be bustling with commerce and friendly faces. Now, she says, there are drugs and violence all throughout the neighborhood.

The neighborhood used to consist of some of the wealthiest families in Philadelphia. John Coltrane lived in a house on 33rd on the border of the park. Iman Abdul Aziz Muhammad, a leader of the Ridge Avenue Islamic Center, told us there used to be hotels, swimming pools and shops. People in the past had come to Strawberry Mansion for shopping and entertainment.

In fact, the area has a long history. Most of its buildings were built before 1939, according to the census.

On May 1, 2008, one of the oldest churches in the area, the Prince of Peace Baptist Church located at Berks and 32nd streets, was destroyed by a fire. Our group did not have the chance to talk to any of the church members, but we did get in touch with the pastor of another Baptist church nearby. We are going to use this story throughout the semester, as it was truly a tragedy to a congregation and to the neighborhood.

Walking down the street, we were greeted by friendly smiles from the older generation, but we recieved an overwhelming amount of stares from residents with a look that says “Why are you here?” Only few people actually uttered the words. It should be interesting to see how the community reacts to our presence over the next six weeks.

Group 10: The first day in Olney

Our first visit to Olney took us from the Olney subway stop down to Fifth Street. Fifth Street, the presumed business center of Olney, was badly littered and overrun with beauty shops. This particular day was Memorial Day, so only a few establishments remained open. We wandered into an open but empty church serving Spanish speakers, as well as a dry cleaners, whose Korean worker did not speak any English. We learned then and there the language barrier would be a problem in connecting with the number of Korean business owners in the area.

After minimal luck on this quiet day, we wandered into Tommy’s Place, a diner-style restaurant located at 5511 North Fifth St. A restaurant has existed in its spot for over 60 years. For the past 15 years, Nick Tentsoglides, 30, has been the owner after taking over for his father. A New Jersey native, he has lived in the neighborhood for 20 years, practically growing up across the street from the restaurant. He is a graduate of Temple University and had plans to go to medical school. However, his unsuccessful time spent as an EMT and familial responsibilities brought him back to the family business.

Over the years, Tentsoglides says he has not seen too much change in the area besides an influx of more Korean businesses along Fifth Street. He has also noticed a decrease in crime since the previous year, but still sees a problem with drugs and prostitution. Though, he preferred not to elaborate much about crime in the area, saying it is best not to talk too much. Still, Tensoglides stands up for his neighborhood. “I’m defensive when people talk about Olney,” he tells us, “They say it’s a bad area. For me, it’s not that bad.” He remarks that the people are decent, some indifferent, and everyone has a bad day sometimes—including himself.

When asked about the economic situation in Olney, Tentsoglides answers that the recession is hard on everyone: “I work seven days a week. I grind it out. Last year is the first year I raised my prices in seven years, and I’m afraid to do it again.” Tentsoglides doesn’t want to lose more customers over price increases, but as costs rise for food and other materials, he has to pass that increase down: “The price of flour raised 200 percent.” He says he is stocked up on water and rice at home just in case, but he always plans to keep the restaurant open.

So, a visit that began with a slow pace ended successfully with our first connection made with the Olney community. We hope that our further excursions bring more contacts and experiences to lead us into understanding and better our ability to report on the Olney neighborhood.

Historical Divine Lorraine: Broad Street's Beauty

Right at the beginning of our Upper North Philadelphia neighborhood, all pedestrians are greeted with the mysterious view of the Divine Lorraine Hotel. Rich with history, controversies and conspiracies, the Divine Lorraine has had many prospective interests.

The Divine Lorraine is located at Broad Street and Ridge Avenue and towers over the low rise buildings which were built in the same time period. The condition of the Divine Lorraine today is much different than it was when it was booming with residents. The construction was completed in 1894 and was originally built to be one of the most luxurious apartment buildings in the city. In the 1900s the building was fit for better use as a hotel.

In 1948, a civil rights activist and self proclaimed diety by the name of Father Divine bought the hotel for $485,000. After assigning the deed to 300 of his followers, Divine used the 246 rooms for his Peace Mission Members. He transformed an auditorium into a worship hall. Divine had a set of rules for his hotel that included no drinking, smoking, vulgarity and blasphemy among others. The International Modesty Code separated men and women, even married couples, to rooms on separate floors. Following a dress code, the men and women were to dress modestly.

The Divine Lorraine received a historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in 1994. Known as the first racially integrated hotel in Philadelphia, the Divine Lorraine was considered to be a religious utopian movement.It was also listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002, as a site significant in terms of both architectural and civil rights history.

The building was closed in 1999, and sold in 2000 by the International Peace Mission. In May 2006, the hotel was resold to a Philadelphia developer named Michael Treacy, Jr. His plans involve converting the old hotel into condominiums. Clearly, the development has been stalled since then, while the building continues to stand in its ruin, surrounded by a fence to keep passer bys wondering when this historic place will be revived.

By: Megan Kelsey, Mike Pasella and Jenna Oskowitz

Neighborhood: Upper North Philadelphia

Ridge Venture

Our second venture on Ridge Avenue warranted a more in depth look on a walking route of the neighborhood dynamic.  Block-by-block dissection offered up lots of folks sitting casually on their porches and steps, enjoying the much-improved weather.  

One of the porch-leaners enlightened us about one of the many murals we passed.  Some murals, like the one we were told about, are done in memory of people from the neighborhoods and were orchestrated by the people without any city assistance.  Other murals we saw, like the one pictured above, were done by the Philadelphia Mural Arts program and sponsored by corporations prevalent in the city.  

On our continued journey of exploration, we happened across two pockets of young men playing basketball.  After a couple of minutes of standing around watching the activities, a few of the players inquired about our purpose.

"You're not cops, are you? 'Cause we gotta ask," said one of the men who declined to be named.

To which, we chuckled, and said, "No, no.  We're students."

The equipment carried by a fellow group member may have given us away.

Walking throughout the community is a study in contrasts.  Well-kept houses, with plants, toys, pets and children were sprinkled with abandoned, run-down buildings that could use a little love and care.  The abandoned houses served as litter-pits, lacking windows that were substituted with doors, as well as stray cats patrolling.

Further along our stroll, we happened across a building that previously served as a school.  The pause in our walking caught the attention of a couple pre-pubescent boys.

"What are y'all doing?" asked one of the two gentleman.

"Just poking around, being nosey." Becky responded.

We conversed briefly with them, during which time they informed us that the area we were in was the best part of Philadelphia, and that the area was "crunk".  After declining several invitations to hang out with them later, we continued on our way.  

Further along Ridge Avenue, we ventured past Laurell Hills Cemetery and continued on into East Falls.  This section of Ridge is vastly different from the previous areas, with expensive condos and colorful restaurants, including Johnny Mananas, complete with giant red tamale.  

Stay tuned for happy hour antics from the hot tamale sponsored by group 12!

Group 13 -- An Introduction to the areas South of South Street

Group 13 includes Stephanie Curry, Ana Gottesfeld and Chrissy Reese. Our first post on the areas south of South Street includes the neighborhood between 2^nd and 10^th Streets from Washington Avenue to Bainbridge Street.

South Philadelphia is, like many other areas of Philadelphia, a place that is slowly being restored to an updated version of its latter-day glory. While this type of restoration to an area often goes hand-in-hand with gentrification of that area, the lines in South Philadelphia have been slow in pushing its residents apart. The gentrification line currently has been said to exist somewhere around Washington Avenue -- but South Philly is definitely an area that has neighborhoods full of many different races, ethnicities and cultures, while still growing in amenities and appearances.

Sacks Park (also widely known as Sacks Playground) can be found at the intersections of 4^th Street and Washington Avenue and is definitely one of the most prominent signs of this community’s growth. While this space used to be an eyesore and remnant of better times, the Latino community in the area decided that something needed to be done. As recently as summer of 2005, the National Council of La Raza and The Home Depot co-sponsored a rebuild of the park.

The large space now includes fields for local youth and teen baseball and soccer teams to practice and play on, basketball courts, as well as a fully stocked playground designed for use by younger children. Additionally, Sacks includes a community swimming pool – originally built in 1971 – which was also revamped during the summer of 2005 and now has seasonal lifeguards, which are provided by the Philadelphia Recreation Department.

Another park of note in the area is the Mario Lanza Park (named for the Philadelphian opera singer), located on Catharine Street between 2^nd and 3^rd Streets. Built in 1913, this space is now proudly kept up by the Queens Neighbors Association.

This small but beautiful park is often filled with children and teens, but some of the most frequent visitors to this park are Philly’s dogs. The park and its gardens are well maintained and is an enjoyable space for all, as long as dog owners continue to keep in accordance with Philadelphia laws of cleaning up after their pets.

Stay tuned for the next post from Group 13 where we'll further explore the neighborhoods south of South Street.

(Images photographed by Stephanie Curry.)

An afternoon in Germantown

After informing friends or relatives that my group is covering Germantown for MURL, I found the standard reply was the area is "spotty." When my group and I wandered the neighborhood this week, I got a glimpse of what everyone was talking about. It was apparent by walking around that Germantown has a rich history, but also has its share of problems. I came across a tree-lined street with a beautiful monument and a stone library only steps after passing a block of boarded up stores and abandoned buildings.



One sight I found somewhat funny was an adult video store in front of a cobblestone street. I couldn't help but imagine the people who walked those cobblestones centuries ago learning that a porn shop now sits there. Probably not what our forefathers were envisioning.



We stopped into the Friends Free Library on Germantown Avenue and spoke with a librarian stocking books. Though she has been a Germantown resident for 31 years, she was unsure of the neighborhood's issues since she likes to "keep to herself." She mentioned she was happy that her grandsons could afford to live in another town, because she thinks drugs is a problem for the neighborhood's youth. She stepped into the back and came back out Kathryn Murphy, a 30-year-old librarian who has resided in Germantown for four years.

Below is her photo, and if you look behind her, you can see the first librarian we met, keeping to herself.




Murphy also described the spottiness of the neighborhood.
"It depends on where you are," said Murphy. "Germantown is different from block to block. Some areas are all right, and the northwest section seems nice, but there are pockets."
Murphy said she feels safe riding her bike and walking home, but she doesn't travel alone at night. She also said her relationship with her neighbors make her feel comfortable.
"I live on a great block. We're close-knit, so we all know what's going on," said Murphy.



Our first trip to Germantown only scratched the surface. Now that we have a general sense of the area, we can start digging and learning more about the neighborhood.



-Group Six: Victoria Thomas, Jacquie Warren, Stanley Mitchell

The first visit to Kensington

“Drugs, drugs, and police catch, catch,” said a Spanish woman, with broken English, at a park on Kensington Avenue. She cautiously pointed to a young man on a bench and said, “That guy was just smoking pot.” Her comment undid all of my efforts to avoid having any negative assumption about this neighborhood because I had been told about its notorious reputation.

This was my first visit to the Philadelphia, inner-city community called Kensington. After only a brief visit and briefer conversations with several people, I could not avoid the truth that Kensington’s residents live in fear. This urban neighborhood suffers from the problems associated with various types of addictions: drug, alcohol and violence. A middle-aged woman, tightly holding a plastic bag filled with different bottles of medicine, shared the story of what poverty did to her. It was hard to process so much sadness on such a bright sunny day. When poverty limits every-day existence, nothing seems clear under a clear, blue sky.

“I walk, walk, the pain,” she said, elaborating that she walked too much to get to places because she had no money for transportation. She removed her left sock and showed her rough heel. “Injection, here!” she said. Now, her heels are broken, and she endures the pain every single day.

In the end, my observations and interactions left me with an impression of Kensington that I can only describe as mysterious. The whole atmosphere was strange to me. The subtle body movements and cautious gestures, the language barrier, the fear in the eyes of the people I met and the visible signs of poverty in Kensington created a feeling for which I had no comparison. Looking at my weekly Septa pass that I was easily able to purchase for this project, some strange feelings welled up and filled my heart.

Philadelphia Area New Media Association

Everyone,
I would suggest that you check out the Philadelphia Area New Media Association at http://www.panma.org. The organization includes journalists and non-journalists. But the line between news and information is changing.
Also, the Online News Association has an event on Friday, June 6, at the Inquirer building. Contact ckrewson@phillynews.com for more information.

This one-day training session will bring together leaders in their respective digital media fields to give advice, hints, and tips about how to succeed online.

Featured speakers will include:
Chet Rhodes, assistant managing editor / Breaking News Video,
washingtonpost.com
Jonathan McCarthy, assistant managing editor / cross media, Newsday
Mark Potts, founder, Backfence.com

The Associated Press will hold a session to talk to members about its digital
initiatives, including its new Iphone news browser. And we’ll split the day into
tracks that focus on skills specifically for video, reporters and entrepreneurs.

The cost for the day will be $20 per ONA members, and $30 for non-members.
Professor Harper