Susquehanna: Rain and Wind keeps people inside

In the Susquehanna neighborhood the mixture of rain and wind prevented many people from spending any time outside. People only came out if they had to, the weather was that bad.

On 13th and Auburn a playground with basketball hoops and a jungle gym was covered with rain. With the location being so wet, kids were unable to spend the day outside. The basketball courts were useless because puddles covered the blacktop. The powerful wind was also blowing the nets back and forth.

The weather is supposed to get better over the next couple days so hopefully this playground can be used like it is supposed to. The temperatures are going to be in the low 70's.

Sunny skies should fill the Susquehanna area, so the kids and adults in the area can get out and enjoy the weather. When the sun comes out and the temperature rises, people come out and are in a better mood in general. So bring on the summer – like weather.

Allegheny West: High School Students Check Out Colleges Down South

Earlier this week, when we visited the Panati Rec Center to speak with Jacques Louis, Director of Child Development for the Allegheny West Foundation and head of Panati's after-school program, we found the center empty, except for Louis and his two young sons.

Normally, the center is full of high school students who rush to Panati, located at 22nd and Clearfield Streets, right after the last bell rings. This week, however, during spring break, the students are taking a college tour, sponsored by AWF, to the South. They are set to visit several prestigious institutions, including some of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, as well as the University of Virginia, among others.

The trip, Louis believes, is important in helping the students decide on their futures and feel more comfortable moving forward. "We try to give them opportunities that they don't get elsewhere," he said. "It helps them visualize what else is out there." He mentioned that some of the kids on the trip have never even left Philadelphia.

Louis said that 90 percent of the students in his program graduate high school and go on to college. While he is proud of this, he doesn't want to take all of the credit. "I can't say it's all because of us," Louis said of the successes the kids that come through Panati have reached , "but I can say that without it, some of them do drop out, or get in trouble, or make bad decisions."

by Charlie Lange and Ben Levy

Group 31 (Allegheny/Nicetown/Tioga)

North Central: Residents Resist the Secret Shut Down of a School Basket Ball Court

Residents in North Central are left surprised and appalled at the city’s decision to sell the Dr. Tanner Duckery Public School basketball court to New Courtland senior services. The multi-million dollar company intends to use the purchased plot situated behind Duckery school located at 1501 W. Diamond Street to develop a senior citizen center.

An SRC resolution list from the city dating back to October 21, 2009 states that there is adequate authorization that declares the property as ”unused and unnecessary/Convey to the city of Philadelphia,” but real estate broker and twenty year North Central resident, Judith Robinson says that the city blind sighted community members by pushing the purchase under the radar.

“They decided to take the land undercover, no body knows about it not even the children, there was no community meeting to discuss it. I remember when I went down to a city council meeting in December thinking it was still underway when really the deal was done almost two months before.”

Outraged by the lack of community communication, Robinson and like-minded supporters hit the streets with flyers for a public neighborhood-planning meeting that took place at 6:30 pm at the Duckery school last night, where they met to discuss ways to create a cohesive blueprint for the future of the neighborhood.

Fore more information on this issue call 215-683-4670

















Naima Abdi and Tiffany Yoon, Group 33— North Central

Port Richmond: Twenty-two Years of Business

On one block of Richmond Street is J P Tees, Beach tanning salon and Sam’s water ice. To an outsider, all three businesses appear unrelated. However, any adults who grew up in Port Richmond or has ever set foot in any of the businesses is aware of the similarity.

The three businesses are owned by the Petaccio family. Of the three businesses J P Tees has been around the longest. According to Joe Petaccio III, his father, Joe Petaccio Jr., started the t-shirt company to keep him off the street. Twenty-two years later, J P Tees is still standing. With the help of a billboard overlooking I-95, J P Tees has been able to sustain its customers and make new ones.

Orders completed by J P Tees can be as small as 12 shirts or as large as 8,000 shirts. In one week, they can average 85 orders. This can be made easy by the machine used to print the shirts. The machine holds 12 shirts but places the design on each one at a time. For those large orders, the machine can complete 900 shirts in one hour. In addition to tanning and water ice, the Petaccio family also sells Christmas trees on the corner of the block, which according to Joe Petaccio III makes it a "very happening spot around Christmastime."

Karl-Lydie Jean-Baptiste and Danielle Mauro, Group 26, Port Richmond

Fairhill: Family Feel at the Corner Store

I felt a real sense of community in Fairhill after traveling there to report on the Healthy Corner Store Initiative and Philabundance food market for the Tell the Government assignment. When my partner and I arrived at the J&W Food Market on North Reese St. we were welcomed into an inviting, family atmosphere that was only slightly wary of our video equipment. Maria Gomec, the wife of the store’s owner, spoke with me about the market’s involvement in the initiative to offer local school children healthy, fresh alternatives to the calorie laden cookies and candy young people often flock to. I also watched her as she greeted each one of her customers and spoke to many as if they frequented the store on a daily basis.

She emphasized the importance of promoting nutrition to children and discussed her own small children.

“I only keep milk and water in the house,” she said. “If I have soda I keep it in the freezer because I know if the babies see it they won’t drink any water, they’ll only drink soda.”

As humorous as her concerned parent remarks seem, she brought to light an important issue that must be combated not only by overbearing mothers but also by communities and schools as well.

Ariela Rose and Steve Ciccarelli, Group 29, Fairhill

Hunting Park: A Passionate Community

Hunting Park is full of passion: people with passion. On Friday, I was able to witness an impromptu meeting with some of these people about the neighborhood. I also got a sneak peek into the politics of Philadelphia on the local level.

Catalina Hunter, a store owner on 4th and Cayuga whom all the locals call "Mom," sat in her church with her pastor, Matt Lim, and her friend, Jorge Santana. This friend also happens to be the Chief of Staff to State Representative Tony Payton. These seemingly unrelated individuals had plenty to talk about. In fact, they all willingly interrupted their busy work schedules to discuss the issues of the neighborhood together.

This is election year, and all three seated at that table knew it. They discussed the candidates at length, stating the strengths and weaknesses of each one. With obvious loyalties to specific candidates, they were respectful of one another and of their specific goals for their community.

Hunter struggles with graffiti "artists" using the side of her store as a blank canvas. Lim just started a community garden on a vacant lot next to a vacant house. He asked a kid who used to do graffiti to paint a "Do Not Dump" sign on the property. When Lim mentioned the garden, Santana made a phone call to see how much it would cost to legally purchase the property.

It was easy to see their commonality and all parties were gracious when Hunter asked if they could pray for the community together. In a neighborhood that only gets recognition for its problems, there are people who care and people who are doing something about it.

Rachel Horning, Group 28, Hunting Park

Abandoned Buildings in Strawberry Mansion

It has been several weeks that my partner and I have been walking around and talking to people in our assigned neighborhoods of Strawberry Mansion and Brewerytown and one thing that we have continued to notice in the area is the enormous amount of abandoned and falling down buildings and houses.

When we walk into our communities we notice a church that is in horrible shape and the front of the building is collapsing. We also notice that so many blocks have buildings and houses falling down, empty, abandoned, decaying and unfit to even be safe in the area.

In Philadelphia there are many abandoned houses, especially in North Philadelphia, but I cannot help but wonder why in our section of North Philadelphia there are more abandoned houses. What is the city going to do and is there anything the city can do. Also why doesn’t some one buy these houses/buildings for cheap fix them up and sell them for a profit?

Talking to residents in the area they don’t seem to mind the buildings, but would like them fix. They are an eye sore and if they can be fixed, by the city or independent people then they would be happy.

Lea Coyle and Nick Hollenstein, Group 21, Strawberry Mansion/ Brewerytown

Feltonville: "Like a Little New York City"

James Turner has walked down Loudon Street more times than he can probably recall.

That’s because he’s been a Feltonville mailman for nearly 17 years. Every once in a while he stops for a quick chat with some of the locals from the neighborhood who he’s built acquaintances with.

“They’re very good people. It’s a very exciting neighborhood, something different every day,” says Turner. “There are some nice homeowners. You have your trouble sometimes from surrounding neighborhoods, but other than that, it’s pretty nice.”

His time as a mailman has allowed him to get to know some families personally. Turner says that

he’s gotten familiar with the residents, sometimes two-generations worth. He has seen the Feltonville neighborhood go through quite a few changes.

“It has changed a lot. People have migrated. There’s a lot of different nationalities,” says Turner.

He sees Feltonville’s diversity as a smaller version of a well-known city.

“It’s like a soup bowl. Feltonville’s just like a little New York City. Every block has a little restaurant,” Turner explained. “It’s pretty nice. I can’t complain. I’m still here working.”

Turner says that once the weather gets warmer, it’ll be easy to see why he continues to work there.

“If you stay here a few days during the summer time, you’ll see what I’m talking about.”

Rebecca Hale and Patrick McCloskey, Group 22, Feltonville

Tiny Needles, Huge Benefits

Shots, Blood work & Immunizations, most people know that needles are a necessary part of healthcare. However many people may not associate tiny needles pricking the skin with healthcare. Yet acupuncture can be beneficial as alternative medical treatment. Nevertheless many insurance companies do not cover acupuncture treatment. Furthermore the high cost of treatment makes acupuncture inaccessible for most people.

Even so Philadelphians in the Cedar Park section of the city now have the chance to explain this healthcare alternative at affordable rates. Philadelphia Community Acupuncture located at 701 S. 50 St. & Baltimore Ave. offers acupuncture treatment on a per session sliding scale according to income.

Affordability is not the only unique aspect of Philadelphia Community Acupuncture. Unlike traditional acupuncture treatment in which the patient is isolated in a private room or cubicle acupuncture at PCA is social. While receiving treatment patients are in a community setting. Inside an open room with no dividers or partitions patients are situated on recliners & massage tables in a circle while getting treatment. This unconventional approach to treatment helps to foster a sense of community.

“Since we, the patients and myself, are all sharing a space during therapy we are more open to building friendships & connections, says longtime patient Autumn Genrette, I even think of my practitioner as more than just a therapist but also my friend.”

Undoubtedly this method of affordable acupuncture treatment offers many advantages to its patients aside from healthcare benefits.

Taqiya Miller, Group 35, Walnut Hill

Rain, Rain Go Away. Come Again Another Day

As the rain beats down on Hunting Park for the third straight day, people have become quite frustrated with the weather conditions.

“Its not the rain, it’s the wind that wont quit,” says Tamika Cutler while waiting for the SEPTA bus on 9^th and Lycoming Street. With her youngest daughter in tow, Cutler is on her way to pick up her oldest daughter from school and then to the grocery store.

“It is hard enough to have your kids on the bus, it’s even harder to deal with the rain and wind. I thought winter was over,” Cutler says again.

The rain also was no help to an aspiring journalist wanting to take photos outside because even with an umbrella in one hand, it makes it extremely hard to hold and capture a shot while trying to keep rain off of your brand new Cannon digital camera.

As I drove around snapping pictures from the comfort of my car, people seemed less friendly in the rain as many people wouldn’t even stop to see what I had to say. Huddled inside of a corner store, Jermaine Reynolds says, “When it’s raining, no one wants to talk to you. They want to get where they going.”

There was no stopping the rain or stopping the people moving about, they were moving with purpose and wanted to get where they were going. As for the aspiring journalist, she snapped some pictures from her car after the rain pelted her new camera. Good thing she has water coverage just in case she needs to get a new one.

Whitney Crawford, Group 28, Hunting Park

Far Northeast: "Our Size is Our Strength"

Archbishop Ryan High School, which opened on Academy Road in far Northeast Philadelphia in 1966 as two schools -- one for boys and one for girls -- and merged into a co-educational school in 1989, is now one of the biggest high schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, with an 1,800-strong student population.

"Our size is our strength," Admissions Director Pam McPeak said of the school, stating one of its mottos. She added that students attend Ryan from more than 60 parishes in and around the city, including Center City and the suburbs.

Now, as Ryan prepares to take in a portion of some 1,100 students who will be displaced in June when Northeast Catholic High School for Boys and co-ed Cardinal Dougherty High School close their doors, McPeak said what she calls the "Ryan family" looks forward to what the new students will bring to the school.

She's coined a new term -- "the blended Ryan family" -- for the "new Ryan" that the new students will create, and says administrators, teachers and students are excited for the change.

She said since the process of establishing new student organizations simply requires a group of 10 interested students and a faculty mentor, she is particularly interested to see what new ideas students bring and what new clubs may be established as a result.

Currently, the school's Web site boasts 35 student clubs, including a Beatles Club, a Future Engineers Club and a World Affairs Council.

The school also offers several sports, from mainstream athletics like football and cheerleading, to more unique programs like rugby and bowling.

Morgan Zalot and Stephen Zook, Group 20, Northeast Philadelphia

Technically Philly: Ex-Offenders and Social Networking

Re-entry into society for an ex-offender is wrought with challenges. These challenges include social and technological hurdles, according to Matty Hart, the national director for public engagement at Solutions for Progress, a public policy technology company. When an ex-offender re-enters society there are a certain amount of risks, said Hart, “If you are not resourced at the front end than you will go back to how it was before.”

An important resource to help ex-offenders is technology training. Technology training can help ex-offenders gain skills parallel to other people, according to Hart. Basic desktop skills is the minimum amount of expertise that everyone needs in the workplace. Ex-offenders can also harness social networking websites to gain an edge.

“If an employer see’s they have a LinkedIn page it shows they’re on the ball,” said Hart. However, many who don’t have access to a desktop are gaining intimate tech knowledge with their mobile phones instead, according to Hart.

A Pew study said about one third of Americans have gone online with their cell phones, and mobile phone with internet is much cheaper than a home internet connection.

“Industries have a responsibility to adapt to this different kind of technology,” said Hart. This adaptation will make it much easier for an ex-offenders re-entry into society. “Softening the impact of their community re-entry is the most important,” said Hart.

Jared Pass and Chelsea Leposa, Group 36, Technically Philly

Germantown Aims to Revitalize Its History

Germantown is considered one of the most historic cities, being home to more existing historic buildings than anywhere else in the United States. This may sound like an admirable characteristic to add to Philadelphia’s profile, except for the fact that most of these historic buildings are sitting vacant. And who wants to brag about something so great that has been so neglected?

“Germantown used to be its own city until 1854,” said Jim Foster, publisher of the Germantown Chronicle and the Mt. Airy Independent. “Now visitor’s guides avoid sending people here because it’s neglected.”

Well, the residents of Germantown want that to change, and they are starting with taking back Town Hall, located on Germantown Ave. A petition is circulating demanding that the City of Philadelphia renovate and reopen Germantown Town Hall as a regional justice and civic service center, as proposed by District Attorney Seth Williams. The need for change was the subject at a meeting held last Thursday by the Germantown Community Connection sparked a great deal of interest in many Germantown residents.

The Town Hall, which was built in 1923, appeared on the Endangered Properties List of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia in 2003 and its status remains unchanged.

“As long as you accept crumbs, you’ll get crumbs,” said Foster. “Town Hall is the perfect place to jumpstart development.”

Kristen Harding and Douglas Fischer, Group 30, Germantown

Hospital Converts to Senior Housing

Most senior citizens living in Fishtown remember St. Mary's Hospital. In fact, many were born there. The large building takes up an entire block on Palmer Street, but it is no longer a place where people go when they are sick. It now houses low-income senior citizens who've decided to stay local.

In 1855, John Neumann, the Bishop of Philadelphia at that time, founded a group of nuns called "The Third Order of St. Francis." After being active for only five short years, the nuns decided to open up a hospital. At the time, it only consisted of fifteen beds, but grew to 42 beds during the Civil War. It was named St. Mary's hospital and became famous for the first successful brain surgery.

Since then, St. Mary's Hospital has closed. However, former Democratic member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives (175th District) decided to convert what remained into a more modern and luxurious senior housing community. With her help an funds from the HUD Section 202 program, the $12 million housing project, named Neumann Senior Housing, or The Marie Lederer Senior Center, was completed in 2006. The project was granted numerous awards, such as the 2007 Historic Preservation Award.

Neumann Senior Housing is located at 1601 Palmer Street in Fishtown.

Christanna Ciabattoni and Jocelyn McArthur, Group 27, Fishtown

New Construction Brings New Life to Fairhill

The streets in Fairhill are lined with shopping centers that have been around for more than 30 years, but another is on the way.

Plaza Americana II is “coming soon”, as the sign reads. This shopping center will stand as the sister shopping center to Plaza Americana I that is located across the street at the corner of Lehigh Avenue and Somerset Avenue.

The empty lot that is the future site of Plaza Americana II doesn’t look too special now, but with time, this shopping center will bring economic and social benefits to the neighborhood.

With more variety and more excitement in the area, there is potential for less crime and more distraction for residents. There will also be opportunity for employment for those in the area. Residents already take advantage of the grocery stores, bank services, fast food places and liquor stores in place now and are extremely enthused about the new center opening.

Despite the fact that there are a lot of positive reactions to the new construction, some residents of the neighborhood were a bit hesitant when the project was first announced, especially because Congreso, an organization that provides health, education and job training services, is located right across the street.

Residents have been assured by city officials that interference will be kept at a minimum and that the benefits will outweigh any foreseen problems. All there is left to do is welcome Plaza Americana II into the neighborhood.

By Monica Sellecchia and Amanda DiPaolo, Group 19, Fairhill

Tools for Success

By Keith Aiken
Strawberry Mansion 44

The Center for Progressive Leadership(CPL) is an organization that aims to bring about change to places that are politically weak or neglected. The CPL achieves success through extensive training programs. According to the CPL, “Our programs utilize a variety of techniques, including interactive workshops, mentorship, leadership coaching, field work and peer networking and support.”













These programs are designed to increase one's ability to communicate effectively, shape management techniques, develop campaigning and fund-raising skills and facilitate the importance of strong core and moral values.











Strawberry Mansion's own Haile Johnston is the Pennsylvania State Director for the CPL's Pennsylvania office. He lives on the corner of 31rd and Montgomery Ave. Johnston took part in the 2007 CPL fellowship, which is a nine month program. Johnston says, “I believe in improvement and revitalization of communities through investment in and development of the existing resources of that community.” He has proven that his desires are obtainable when he helped to start a non-profit organization called the East Park Revalidation Alliance. As acting director, he tries to spread a message of environmental awareness and preservation.

Germantown: The Vegetarian Restaurant with a Spiritual Side

At The Nile restaurant, you will be served vegetarian eats with a side of spirituality. The sixteen-year-old business, located at 6006 Germantown Avenue, is owned by members of the Ausar Auset Society in Philadelphia.

Mensa Watkins was cutting fresh vegetables in the kitchen when we asked him about the store and the society.

"We have sort of a cult following for different dishes - like our tofu lasagna. Our cook is very eclectic and we have different items featured each day of the week. All of our dishes our totally vegan," said Watkins.

The site also offers spiritual meetings for the Ausar Auset Society. "When we have our spiritual meetings," Watkins says, "we do meditations and qi gong, which are breathing exercises. Our practice is based on an ancient Egyptian religion."

The Society is based on the Ausarian religious system, which is the oldest known to the world, documented from 3000 BC to 300 AD. It has Pan-African roots, which uses elements of ancient Egyptian religions in cosmogony and philosophy. The goal of the Society is to reunite the traditions of the founders of civilization into a spiritually empowering way of life that aims at the awakening of the Ausar principle (the Divine Self) within each individual.

"We believe your beliefs should be reinforced by your science. When you live in a city, there are certain adaption's that take place, and you end up not getting the nutrients you need, but you can do things like take vitamins to get those nutrients," said Watkins.

The Ausar Auset Society in Philadelphia has about thirty members. Classes are open to the public and online classes are also available.

By Meg Frankowski and Josh Middleton
Team 24, Germantown and Mount Airy

Ludlow: Peter Claver Catholic Worker Community Extends Hospitality to its Neighbors

If you aren’t looking specifically for the Peter Claver Catholic Worker at 430 Jefferson St. chances are you’ll miss it. But the caring, consistent presence it provides for the poor and homeless, as well as the services it offers for children and families, are an integral part of the Ludlow neighborhood.

One of the more interesting aspects of the Catholic Worker is its structure. The community has two “houses of hospitality” in which a number of individuals (often in need of more than just shelter themselves) can live rent-free, as long as they maintain steady employment and help out with the non-profit’s various charitable activities.

Catholic Worker provides an after-school program, clothing distribution and daily meal services to Ludlow residents. Proud to point out that they have never had to turn away anyone who stops by for food, volunteers say the Catholic Worker program is known to regularly distribute extra loaves of bread to disadvantaged residents throughout the neighborhood.

The Catholic Worker also offers a summer youth program focused on keeping children engaged in learning. While in the past the group has arranged a number of field trips to spots around the city, this year volunteers say they plan to stay put. They will organize a number of activities to help kids see what’s good about the local Ludlow community instead. More than anything, the volunteers agree that they want the children to be proud of where they live.

.

.

Megan Linkfield and Sandra Rollins, group 40, Ludlow

A Rising Sun in South Philadelphia

Rising Sun Baptist Church on 745 South 12th Street is full of life despite the cold and rainy weather on a Sunday afternoon. One member of the church who rarely misses a service is Deacon Andrew Brown. He has been involved with Rising Sun since 1950 when it was located on 323-325 Washington Avenue. In 1967, the church had to find a new location due to the city's plan to build a highway. The City of Philadelphia purchased a portion of the church's property, and the General Electric company bought another portion.

Brown found the new location on South 12th Street, and went to negotiate the cost with previous owners. It cost 125,000 dollars. Rising Sun could not afford the cost of the new church. The owners went down to 90,000 dollars. Brown refused the offer yet again. It was still too high. He says he took out a piece of paper, wrote down his offer and handed it over.

"God is good. The Holy Spirit is excellent... They gave me the keys and the deed. No one believes that this property cost 65,000 dollars," says Brown.

Deacon Brown is a board member of the church, and attends services approximately four days a week. He has seen the neighborhood change drastically over the years, and he hopes to be around for many more.

Stephanie Wharton and Danielle Zimmerman, Group 34, South Philadelphia

Walnut Hill: Love Poems

Amidst all the street vendors, urban cowboys and busy streets that crowd 52nd street, Walnut Hill also has something very few other neighborhoods in Philadelphia have. While most neighborhoods have beautifully painted murals depicting various people, history and stages of life, Walnut Hill boats love letters. As part of the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program, local artist Steven Powers (who also owns Shop Signs, located on 46th and Market Street) created the “Love Letter” mural series. The series, a collection of over 30 murals placed throughout West Philadelphia, expresses various forms of love through art. Some of our favorites include: “Hold Tight” (pictured above) and a Michael Jackson tribute in the form of “ABC” lettering.

Ninah Bell & Okikiola Allibalogun, Group 43, Walnut Hill

Nicetown-Tioga Library Re-Opens

After four months, the Nicetown-Tioga branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia re-opened its doors to the public a couple of weeks ago. Located at the business and transportation hub at Broad Street and Erie Avenue, the branch had to close because of a HVAC system failure.

The branch's library supervisor, Kim Robinson, said the library's return has been much anticipated. "It really sort of blew me away, because I felt like a celebrity," she said. "People would see [the library's staff] on the street and start shaking our hands and hugging us," she said. "That's what a library means to people."

"Now we're going to hope that we'll get a enough staffing," she said. With a loss of one third of the original staff due to cuts, Robinson said the Nicetown-Tioga branch has been struggling to keep its doors open.

Even with the loss in man power, Robinson said her staff is "We work as team and we do what needs to be done."

Since Robinson's arrival in 2007, the library has made some changes. The curtains that were taken down and glass frosting was put on the library's store front windows.

With grants, Robinson said the staff has been able to rid the library of fleas and beer stains as well as provide a special area, with an under the sea motif and new bookshelves, in the rear of the library for youth patrons.

With the busyness of the surrounding area, Robinson said, "Being on Broad Street, there's a challenge to serve younger patrons."

Robinson said the branch, which serves primarily teen and "tweens", is meeting this challenge by adding activities and games like Dance Dance Revolution and American Idol.

"There's a lot that can be done with the libraries that we have," she said. "Libraries get put into place and they don't really have a revenue stream to replace things as they wear."

Chesney Davis and Kristina Leon, Group 12, Allegheny/Nicetown-Tioga

Storefront Renovations Moving Slowly Underneath the El

Store-front renovations are a primary initiative in the revitalization of the Kensington business district underneath the El line, yet they still show little improvement.

Director of Neighborhood and Economic Development Andrew Frishkoff says that the Commerce Department is working in Kensington to continue improving storefronts. They partner with local organizations, such as Impact Services, to provide the appropriate funds.

Long wooden planks, orange barrels and yellow caution tape stand out front of each of the businesses undergoing these renovations. Customers and patrons walk on the primitive structures to enter the establishments.

This initiative is part of the ReStore Philadelphia Corridors program launched back in 2007 by Mayor John Street. The program allotted $21 million in streetscape investments. The storefront refurbishing is supposed to be one of the first forms of streetscape.

The ReStore Philadelphia Corridors program is effective in at least 36 neighborhoods. Kersy Azocar of the non-profit organization Finanta, which partners with the government in economic improvement efforts, identifies the storefront renovations as one of the ongoing goals.

Azocar identifies the area most affected by her organization's and ReStore's efforts-- in between Lehigh and Girard, and Front and Sixth.

The lengthy time between when this program was enacted and the current state of the storefront renovations may imply slow government involvement, or a lack of sufficient funds. ReStore’s original initiatives prove to be underway, but the process may be taking a bit longer than expected.



Kymberly Bays and Timothy Brodwater, Philadelphia Neighborhoods, Kensington.

No Swings at Mill Creek Playground

Mill Creek playground is usually booming with activity every weekday after school lets out. The playground is located at 4700 Brown Street in West Philadelphia. It is full of the typical playground staples. But, there is something missing. The swing set has no swings.

"Swings were such a big part of my childhood and I think it's a shame that the playground doesn't have any," says Madelynn Weber,42. Madelynn decided that her kids and friends needed a swing set so she had one built in her backyard.

Madelynn says, "I got the swing set built over the summer because my daughter was really upset that she couldn't fit into the infant swing set that's at the playground." Madelynn lets her kids' friends come over on the weekends so they can use the swings as well. She says that the kids use the swings all of the time and they are very popular among the children that come to her house.

Madelynn hopes that the playground will install swings one day. "There are a lot of kids that our missing out on one of the best parts of childhood because the playground doesn't have swings. They have slides, basketball courts, and a nice baseball field, but they can't get a swing set for some reasons," she says.

By Sarah Bergstein and Christian Clarke, Group 38, West Philadelphia

Saint John Neumann's Provides Opportunities for Members and Non-Members

Saint Peter The Apostle Church on 1019 North Fifth Street in Philadelphia is known for being the National Shrine of Saint John Neumann. In fact, it is most commonly known as “Saint John Neumann’s Church.” However, most do not know the affect that this Church has had on the people who regularly attend this parish.

Ellen Witsch is not a member of Saint John Neumann’s Church because it is too far away from her home, yet she has been regularly attending ever since what she describes a “mini miracle” occurred ten years ago. Witsch had been in the area and she decided to stop by Saint John Neumann’s Church for the first time because she heard that that a piece of the true Cross had been at this Church and this particular day was the last day it would be on display. After seeing the piece of the Cross, Witsch lit a candle in the Church for husband, Michael, and they uttered a prayer for him in hopes that he would quite smoking.

Michael Witsch had complained about a pain in his back the prior day. That pain turned out to be a ruptured aorta, which resulted in an aneurysm. This took place as Ellen Witsch and her children were lighting a candle in Saint John Neumann’s Church and praying for their husband and father, Michael Witsch, to quit smoking. Ellen Witsch had no idea what had been going on at the time with her husband as she was at the Church. She said according to their doctor, a ruptured aorta usually results in a fatal heart attack. Her husband made a full recovery and he gave up smoking for good.

“I am a very devout Catholic now, but I hadn’t been at the time,” says Ellen Witsch.

“Saint John Neumann Church certainly saved my family.”

By Josh Schrager and Lauren Williams
Team 32: Ludlow

Cross the Street

Stephanie Fidalgo, 18, and Jona Mendez, 24, pictured right, are cousins. They grew up together in Fairhill. Both seemed to agree that there is no shortage of violence on the streets in the area.

"If someone is walking towards you, you kind of have to cross the street," said Fidalgo. "You just never know if someone is going to jump you."

Mendez learned this lesson the hard way. A few days ago he was jumped by three teenagers while walking home from a friend's house.

"There were three kids and one pushed me, the other one tripped me, so I fell on the floor," said Mendez.

Mendez offered a possible explanation for why he was jumped.

"I guess they were just bored," he said. "They have nothing to do after school. there's nothing to go to or any other activities so they're like 'let me find my own activity."

Mendez said one way of solving this problem would be to open more recreation centers. He said the way he stayed out of trouble when he was younger was to be involved in sports.

"I did boxing, taekwondo, stuff to keep me off the streets," he said.

Fidalgo seemed to agree.

"Yeah we're involved in a lot of things, like I'm in choir," she said. "My mom made sure we were doing things after school."

By Leah Mafrica and Andrea Marr, Group 10, Fairhill

City Geared Up to Build New Bike Paths for Philadelphia Once Stimulus Money Clears

Last month Steven Buckley, Philadelphia's deputy commissioner of transportation, announced that the city would see seven new bike paths in the next two years. Roughly $23 million dollars in federal stimulus money has been designated for 108-miles of connected bicycle and pedestrian paths that will connect Philadelphia with Reading, New Hope, Cherry Hill and eventually Trenton. The paths in Philadelphia will include extensions of pre-existing trails along the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers, as well as new ones in the North East.

That's pretty good news for the city's bicycle commuters, who make an estimated 70,000 trips daily, according to The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

For more information and up to date news on bicycling in Philadelphia:

http://www.bicyclecoalition.org/

Michael Bixler & Cary Gaul, Team 15, City Agencies

Pizza Shop Owner Ready to Retire

Chris Saxonis is not a Philadelphia native.

An emigrant from Greece who arrived in the United States in 1969, Saxonis was 23 years old when he left his home country. He came in hopes of finding what his uncle had found when he traveled the Atlantic nearly a generation before, in 1912.

“He was telling stories, telling me to come over,” said Saxonis, rolling his eyes, a half grin. “It wasn’t what I expected.”

A long way from his first years in American, Saxonis now owns Chris’ Pizza, a corner pizza shop at 36th Street and Haverford Avenue.

“I got a little bit of money, and I say ‘Why not?‘,” he said. “So I bought it.”

Though he has owned the shop for 23 years, Saxonis still stands in the kitchen, apron wrapped around his waist, working with the other two women on shift. Still, he’s slowing down some and plans to retire in the next year or so. He has made time in the past, traveling between Greece and America. But, the old country beckons to him.

“I’m 64 years old,” he said. “I want to go back to my country."

Maureen Costello & Mary Coyle, Team 6, Mantua/Parkside

Fishtown Provides Permanent Home for Flower Shop

Located on the corner of Girard and Montgomery in Fishtown is Riverside Floral Designs. Owned by Edward and Barbara White the shop has been open for 20 years, and Barbara uses floral design to express her artistic skills. What attracts the White’s to Fishtown is the type of people and sense of community. The neighborhood involvement with the community makes it into the perfect place to set up a small business.

“They’re polite, they’re down to earth and easy to work with. The people bought the most, complained the least and paid upfront.” Said Barbara.

The White’s are comfortable in Fishtown and find it to be a very safe neighborhood. They attribute this mostly to the neighbor’s kindness and tendency to look out for one another. The neighbors of Fishtown care about their people and businesses.

Recently, Riverside Floral Designs placed some potted plants near their store. When some kids from the neighborhood, attempted to steal the plants people in the community stepped in by making sure the plants were returned.

“That’s Fishtown, that’s a neighborhood. That’s people looking out for each other.” White said.

Christa Vickery

Carlene Majorino

Team 8

Fishtown