Center City: Protest Holiday Violation

Last Tuesday, Project Rise Up, an independent organization, protested the violation of the national holiday of Martin Luther King Jr. Day by federal officials. The protest claimed that several times, federal judges held court on the holiday, what they called a violation of federal rule 56-c. The small organization, started by average citizens, is based in Georgia but has now extended its ranks to most of the country. THe group held a silent yet visually emphatic protest, with the members dressed in orange prison jumpsuits with duct tape over their mouths. Some members posed as prison guards and also stayed silent, echoing the non-violent ideals of Dr. King Jr. The group protested early in the morning and would hold a candlelight vigil at 7 that night in Love Park. The group will also hold a peaceful march in Washington D.C. on August 27th, commemorating the original march on Washington of 1963. The march is part of the group’s MLK Awareness month, an initiative meant to further promote awareness of Dr. King’s legacy and ideals through peaceful demonstrations and captivating visual protests. The group hopes to accomplish their goals through increased citizen involvement and community education on the subject matter.

For more information, visit: http://www.projectriseup.com/

By Brader Jimenez and Rodrigo Torrejon
Group 1, Fairhill

Fairhill: Dignity Transforms Exhibit Opens

Taller Puertorriqueno, the Fairhill based arts organization, is sponsoring an exhibit entitled "Dignity Transforms" starting June 25th and ending July 25th. The exhibit features local Puerto Rican artists Betsy Casanas and Pedro Ospina, founders of the Semilla Arts Initiative. The Semilla Arts Initiative uses art to rehabilitate and revitalize faltering communities and Casanas spoke of the importance of doing so.
"Little by little, things change. One day a mailbox gets painted, the next a wall made out of recycled garbage is built."
The exhibit focuses on the neighborhood and the people living in it and their struggle to live and live happily in the face of poverty and crime. The exhibit is a multimedia exposition with photography, industrial sculpture, video, and other mixed medium. The exhibit is located at the Lorenzo Homar Gallery, above the book store that Taller Puertorriqueno runs. The environment is friendly as are the people and both artists encouraged any and all to stop by.

For more information, visit: http://taller.osiris.analogmethod.com/A/Lorenzo-Homar-Gallery/Current-Exhibits.aspx


By Rodrigo Torrejon and Brader Jimenez
Group 1:Fairhill

Nicetown-Tioga: A Saturday Block Party Provides Food, Fun to 'Town Within A City Block'

Phillip Simmons, 58, has lived on the 2100 block of Erie Avenue for the last 55 years. This past Saturday he and his wife, Wilhelmena, hosted the annual neighborhood block party, which has been going on for the last nine years.

"This year, we're doing two," Simmons said. "This one came as a surprise."

The 12-hour-long party included all the necessary elements: food, music, neighbors, drinks, food and more food.

"My wife is a wonderful cook," Simmons said, "and when I say wonderful, I mean marvelous."

Simmons said the next one will be even better and has plans to acquire some inflatable games for the kids on the block. And while Simmons has no blood relation to any of the children who were in attendance at Saturday's block party, he said, "Every kid you see out there calls me 'grandpop.'"

"They're good kids," he said, adding that the row of houses makes up a sort of "town within a city block."

"In my opinion, it's one of the very best — no noise, no aggravation, no nothing," he said. "No nonsense."

"Every house on this block, I've been in. I can tell you what every house looks like," Simmons added.

"We take care of each other."

By: Chelsea Calhoun and Sarah Shafer
Group 12: Allegheny/Tioga/Nicetown

Ludlow Councilman Weighs in After Boy Scout Jury Decision

Darrell Clarke, councilman of the 5th District, was disappointed after a federal jury sided with the Boy Scouts in a controversy that has lasted nearly seven years, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The jury came to the decision after two days of deliberation that "Philadelphia violated the Boy Scouts' First Amendment rights by using the organization's anti-gay policy as a reason to evict them from their city-owned offices near Logan Square," according to the Inquirer.

Clarke introduced a bill to permit the eviction and terminate the lease by which the council was allowed the use of the building "in perpetuity," in 2007, according to City Paper. The bill was introduced because of the Boy Scouts' policy to not allow homosexuals to be members.

Clarke said in response to the decision that, "If in fact you have a policy that does not comply with the city's anti-discrimination policy, then you should not be allowed to be in a city-owned facility, period," on Wednesday, according to the Inquirer.

The end of the trial, however, does not mean the end of the debate. An ordinance does allow the city to evict the Boy Scouts' without giving any reason, and City Solicitor Shelley Smith said "We will be exploring our options."

Christina Paone
Elizabeth Harrington
Group 16, Ludlow

Fresh Fruit in Hunting Park

Yin Keo, owner of a local fruit truck in Hunting Park, has worked there everyday from nine in the morning until seven thirty at night for about four years. She lives in the Philadelphia area, and has recently had her business moved from the area near Cecil B Moore and Broad Streets to the cross section of Hunting Park Avenue and Broad Street. The business was forced out of the original area because there were newer and bigger shops opening in a complex called Avenue North. 

Yin and her son work at the Hunting Park fruit truck together and are stationed right outside of a Walgreens, where customers come in and out ready for a fresh cup of cold fruit on a hot day. The only things around the area are commercial businesses such as this Walgreens, and a McDonald's, so the fruit truck gives the corner a more authentic and homier feel, and provides refreshing fruit. The hot summer days that have come upon us recently have made Yin's truck a popular point of interest.
 
Although Yin gets a lot of traffic at her fruit truck, with the Walgreens nearby, bus stops, and the subway, she ultimately prefers her original location. 

"There were students that would be around and they were so nice— very sweet. Also, my house is much closer to there,” Yin said. 

Strawberry Mansion: Lessons Learned

My most recent assignment for MURL has taught me several valuable lessons. The assignment concerned a woman in North Philadelphia who was being tormented by tenants who paid her no rent and ruined her home by stealing the copper from the walls, effectively destroying her plumbing and electrical systems.

During the videotaping of the interior of the home, the tenants who stayed in the house were angered by our presence in their personal space. These men had been drinking 40 ounce beers all day, the homeowner explained, making them prone to shouting and fits of violence. The homeowner said quietly that we should quickly move the filming to the upper floors of the home to avoid further conflict. The audio of the homeowner from the during the first floor tour was unusable do it the lavaliere microphone picking up all the insults and expletives hurled by the tenants on the porch. Move quickly and take note of what the interviewee said so she can repeat it when we arrived at the more secure and quiet second floor. First lesson learned.

My wife, Kelly, accompanied me this day to help out with moving the equipment and taking notes to use later when writing the article. Feeling that we had left our troubles on the first floor, we began an interview upstairs where I used the notes taken by my wife as guide to what we may have missed during the profanity-laden porch and first floor fiasco.

Moving to the rear of the home we came upon a room that was unremarkable save the cardboard beer container holding cat food and a pile of neatly arranged, but rotting chicken wings. To get a pan shot without the cardboard box, I made my way to the center of the peeling hardwood floors and kicked the box to the side. A cloud of what I thought to be dust quickly rose and then fell. Nothing out of the ordinary given the condition of the house, but the dust would turn out to be much more than I could have ever anticipated.

Kelly then excused herself from the back room so that she could take some more pictures. This confused me being that I was acutely aware that we had photographed the entire building and this room was to be our last stop. To save the embarrassment of the homeowner, Kelly had taken to another room to try and rid herself of the fleas were now biting her ankles and calfs. That innocuous dust could I had kicked up earlier was in fact a cloud of bloodsucking, itch-inducing parasites. That's right, we have fleas, or had fleas to be more accurate. Did I mention that the day we were filming was our 1 year wedding anniversary? Second lesson learned.

If anyone has ever had fleas, you understand the anxiety associated with having them. First and foremost, once you know there are fleas in your home, you cannot stop itching. Most of the itching is psychosomatic, but the very idea of the bugs being present causes fits of scratching. Second, if you have fleas on your clothes they are most likely in your house, on your pets, in your bed and in my case, all over my car and very unhappy wife.

I began by profusely apologizing which worked for a while, but once she had 2 dozen bites amassed on one leg apologizing lost its staying power. No matter the amount of times you say "I am so sorry" nothing can replace unblemished calves and ankles right as summer shorts and sandal season rolls around. Third lesson learned.

Thus began the task of fogging the house, fogging the cars, bathing the dog and washing every stitch of fabric in the house in hot water. Also, they do not make foggers for your car, so I purchased the smallest available size made for apartments. How could replacing an apartment's square footage with that of a Honda Civic go wrong? My car was undrivable for 5 days and still retains the sickly sweet smell of the mist today. Fourth lesson learned.

Our dog, a recently adopted hound mix, was covered by the end of the night. When you thought you picked the last one off, you find 4 more to take its place and the itching starts all over again. The dog would scratch all night and the jingle of her collar would wake you every fifteen or so minutes. Remove dog's collar before heading to your flea-infested bed. Fifth lesson learned.

Here's bit of background about myself to help put this whole situation in context. I grew up without a father for most of my life. After my father's death in 1982, my mother spoiled her children. Trips to Europe, private all-boys high school, lacrosse practices and piano lessons were standard. This is not to say that I am or was a spoiled rich brat, but I had never gone without.

If you had told me 8 years ago that I would be in a modern day flop house in Strawberry Mansion getting fleas, I would have laughed in your face. But there I stood, wife in tow, and fleas feasting on our flesh.

While smoking a cigarette before bed that night, I reflected on the day and jotted down a few ideas on my ever-present notepad. These are the final lessons I have learned that aren't quippy or witty, but lessons I will take with me in my career and, more importantly, my life.

1. "We left the shoot feeling like we had angered her drunken tenants and left her to clean up the mess. Kelly says the feeling is akin to kicking a hornets' nest and running away, only to leave your invalid friend to deal with the ramifications of your rash decisions." Looking back on it now, I feel that covering her story has done more good than if she had no exposure at all. Sometimes you have to divorce yourself from the story so you can keep living without a crushing sense of guilt.

2. "I feel blessed for being the opportunity to leave my comfort zone and learn. The more nervous I felt, the more I had to learn to relax." This was crucial when dealing with the drunken tenants.

3. "There are people out there who struggle harder than I ever have or probably will on a daily basis." Never was I more reminded of this than when we returned home after videotaping that day. Our nicely decorated, air conditioned apartment proves as solace for us, yet there are those among us who have nothing like this. It's one thing to see a documentary on homelessness, another to see its devastation first hand and take home a thousand biting reminders with you.

4. "If people complain that MURL is too hard and too demanding, they are right." I feel that it is only through the struggle and stress that we, as students, are forced to find the will to dig deeper and make a story that is comprehensive and, ultimately, rewarding for both the author and reader/viewer.

By Thomas Dougherty, Group 3, Strawberry Mansion

North Central: Eating Organic in North Philadelphia

“I was Vegetarian for over a year, but I guess I broke it because I missed meat.” Said Krista Infante, 25. However, today Krista is at Mugshots Coffee House on Fairmount Avenue ordering a Vegan BLT sandwich.

“I really try to stay away from meat, but I don’t want to completely restrict myself either.” Said Infante.

For many vegetarians and health conscious individuals, the freedom of the choice is one thing that they lack when going out to eat. As a resident of North Philadelphia, Infante is surrounded by fast food chains and corner shops that sell nothing but junk food and cigarettes.

“I try to buy organic and local food, but it seems the healthier something is the more expensive it can be, but it’s worth it. I feel sluggish and don’t have as much energy when I eat whatever I want so I’d rather spend the extra money and eat what makes me feel good.” Said Infante.

Infante is part of a movement that seems to be taking a lot of Urban areas by storm. Like many other young urbanites, she supports organic farming, and humane meat consumption, which means eating meat that is free range and fed a natural healthy diet, instead of commercial meat that you find in many supermarkets that is full of antibiotics and preservatives.

“I decided that if I were going to eat meat, it’s going to be meat that was raised properly and will do more good for me than harm.” Said Infante.

Kayla Murphy, James Schlucter, Mike Mastrangelo

North Central Philadelphia

Northeast Philadelphia: Green 2015 Meets in John M. Perzel Community Center

The Green 2015 Movement, a collaborative effort led by Philadelphia’s Department of Parks of Recreation with the help of Greenworks Philadelphia, had its fifth of six meetings to engage the city’s communities about the program in the John M. Perzel Community Center in Mayfair. Through grants from the William Penn Foundation and Lenfest Foundation, Green 2015 has received help from PennPraxis, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and the Penn Project for Civic Engagement.

According to Patrick Morgan, an employee of Philadelphia’s Department of Parks and Recreation, the movement is focused on meeting Mayor Nutter’s goal of creating 500 acres of public green space by 2015. However, they have no intention of stopping there.

“This is the tip of the iceberg,” says Morgan. “We could get 500 acres right now, but the meat of this is how we optimize it.”

Morgan says that because Philadelphia is already a global competitor in city-wide public green space, the focus shouldn’t be on simply creating pretty parks. It’s about creating a green infrastructure that will improve health, resource management and property values, according to Morgan.

Fortunately, the people of the Northeast have done more than place blame on city government, according to Morgan.

“The Northeast has agreed on the importance of green, public open space,” says Morgan. “I think in the Northeast you don’t see people pointing the finger, but asking for resources to do the work themselves.”

Morgan says that this series of meetings was to get feedback from the city’s various communities that will serve as input for the movement’s final action plan. According to Morgan, Green 2015 will reconvene this fall with the blue print for how to implement this green infrastructure based on the feedback they’ve received through the past six meetings.

If the Northeast’s involvement in this past Monday’s meeting is any indication, this neighborhood will not only have a lot to say but a good deal to contribute.

By Joe Osborne and Lauren Gordon, Group 2, Northeast Philadelphia

South Philadelphia: Marijuana Leniency Begins

The residents of Philadelphia had a reason to light up on June 8. After many rallies held throughout the city to legalize marijuana, charges for possession of the drug had become more lenient. This means that if any person is caught with an ounce or less of marijuana, all they have to do is pay a $200 fine and take a class. Any record of the incident will be wiped away.

Deputy District Attorney Ed McCann was the man who came up with this policy. His reasoning is that there are too many marijuana cases a year taking up court space. McCann could not be reached for comment.

Although some see this as a step in the right direction for the city, others don’t think it’s not enough. "I would love for somebody to do the proper research and come up with a rational reason for why a certain practice that I'm doing in regard to my ingestion of pot,” said Dallas John Slieker, a citizen of Philadelphia. “I would love for them to teach me a healthier way to do it.”

Slieker believes that marijuana should be legalized as a whole. He thinks that the classes are silly because although your record is wiped clean, the classes will send the message that marijuana is bad. Instead, he thinks that the classes should teach another lesson. "Tell me the healthiest way to get this thing into me, but don't tell me that my decision of wanting to put this thing into me is wrong,” he explained.

The new law is the first step for Philadelphia. It is possible that there are more to come.

By Megan Douress and Emily Tenenbaum, Group 18, Spot News

West Philadelphia: MOVEin in a new Direction

The controversial Philadelphia MOVE organization has been through several phases since its creation back in the 70s. After it's 1978 shootout at headquarters located at 33rd and Pearl Streets, MOVE relocated to far West Philadelphia on 62nd Osage. After a Philadelphia Police Department bombing that forced MOVE members out of the 6221 Osage Avenue headquarters, a bombing that resulted in a fire ravaging through 60 homes in the neighborhood killing 6 adults and five children, headquarters are now located at 45th and Kingsessing Avenue.

Headquarters today are in a quiet Victorian home in West Philadelphia just up the street from Clark Park, where MOVE members such as Ramona and Carlos Africa still work to gain justice for the MOVE 9, members of the organization that have been incarcerated since the shootout in the 70s.

It is interesting to see the place gated up with a simple fence and a small padlock. The property is quiet, serene even, with two large dogs that seem well kept and well behaved. MOVE is not a dead issue in Philadelphia, and in the year of the 25th anniversary of the 1985 bombing on Osage, MOVE will be remembered. There's a lot of history in their organization, you just have to be willing to look for it.

By Tara Moore and Jessica Arnold, Group 7, Mantua/Parkside

City Hall: Making Money as a Street Performer

While walking around the city of Philadelphia, one thing that is hard to miss is the ubiquity of street musicians performing all around, playing a variety of instruments ranging from guitars, saxophones and makeshift drums made out of paint buckets, pots and pans. Most of the time these musicians will have a instrument case or a bucket set out to accept donations, but after passing the same musicians on the street week after week, I had to wonder if these musicians were making any money. Nick Pehlert, a guitarist from Cherry Hill, New Jersey, started coming to Philadelphia during the week to try and earn some money. So far his efforts have been unsuccessful.

“Most of the time I don’t make much money,” said Pehlert in-between songs. “I usually make enough for the train ride back, maybe a little more.”

He has a cardboard sign that he sets up near his guitar, but it is not asking for money, instead promoting his skills as a guitarist versed in hip-hop and heavy rock, looking for someone to play with. He performs primarily at City Hall, although he also performs on South Street and Walnut Street sometimes at night.

“I have a hot hand right now,” explained Pehlert. “I figured I might as well try and make some money, and maybe find some people to play with in the process.”

By Manuel Agurto and Michele Welk

Group 20, City Hall

West Philadelphia: The Second Mile

The Second Mile thrift store is divided into 3 locations along 45th street between Walnut and Locust. The smallest of the 3 locations is full of home décor and housewares items. One of the other parts sells only furniture, such as dressers, vintage looking chairs and couches. The third and largest part of the chain is full of clothing for men, women and children.

This isn't a typical thrift shop, where those spring cleaning dump their unwanted items. The Second Mile is a thrift store “recycling things to redeem people.” The store's website describes the place as somewhere “For those marginalized by society, struggling to recover from addictions, abuse or crime it is a 'hand up, not a handout,' a second chance at life and a job in a faith based, structured and supportive environment.” During our visit, we were unable to talk to anyone working in the store about the goal and mission of the establishment. However, based on what we saw, as well as the information on their website, it's easy to see the Second Mile is not only a haven for thrifty shoppers in West Philadelphia, but also a place of rest for those struggling in life.

Group su1015westphilly

By Ashley Myers and Kimberly Wood

Germantown: Fast and Inexpensive Fills the Stomach

Throughout Germantown, along some the busiest of streets there are several businesses of one genre: fast food.

Not only is there an overwhelming abundance of corporate fast food restaurants such as the ever-popular McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Dunkin Donuts, but there plenty of smaller and privately owned fast food joints as well.

One of the most popular privately owned types of restaurant in the Germantown neighborhood is the Philly cheese steak and hoagie shop.

There is no doubt about it that these type of food are far from nutritious in any way, however these steak, meat and cheese sandwiches accompanied by their usual potato chip and french fry companions are very filing to the empty stomach and the ingredients and labor costs are low enough to provide this type of food to the neighborhood for very cheap and affordable prices.

Although these are not the only privately owned restaurants in the Germantown area, one can’t help but notice the obvious surplus of fast food providers in the neighborhood.

By Leighanne Heron and Diana Holtz
Group 6, Germantown

Fishtown: Urban Farm Is Not an Oxymoron

In an area just at the border of Fishtown, fondly referred to by locals and employees as “Port Fishington,” lies an urban anomaly: Greensgrow Farms. Among newly constructed shopping centers lies this one-square-city-block farm that feels like a lush, rural escape from the bustle around it. A huge green sign marks the entrance to the sprawling farm, which welcomes visitors with views of elaborate container gardens and tiny citrus trees.

Inside, the farm is divided into two sections. To the left are flower nurseries, blossoming with hibiscuses and other exotic plants ready for customers to take home. Greenhouses are filled with rows of flowers and various pots to plant them in. In one greenhouse, rainbows of flowers overflowing from baskets hang overhead.

The right side of the farm is dedicated to food. Particularly locally grown fruits and vegetables. “People have heard of organic and all, but they also don’t realize how important it is to buy local food, too,” says Erik Kintzel, the farm’s food manager. Among the typical strawberries and herbs are about 20 varieties of tomatoes, including heirloom tomatoes generally only found in upscale restaurants. Thursdays, this area of the farm is busting with Farmers Market customers, who stop by to browse the selection of freshly picked vegetables, as well as selections from other local establishments. One woman fries up fresh pierogi samples, while another vendor displays crusty loaves of bread.

Greensgrow Famrs is an escape from the bustle of the three neighborhoods that meet at its location. It offers something for everyone, from boxwood topiaries to locally grown sour cherries to sizzling potato-and-chive pierogies, in the midst of an urban environment.

By Ashley Zeserman and Jillian Atkinson, Group 09, Fishtown

Germantown: Local Vitamin Shop a Neighborhood Institution

A wooden sign that reads “Maplewood Nutrition and Dietary Food Shop” hangs from a building in Maplewood Mall, protruding from the rest of the shops and telling passersby what they can expect to find inside. That is, the same thing they’ve been selling for nearly 50 years-- healthy options in the heart of Germantown.

“We started because my husband was interested in [healthy] food, back when it was not really popular, and we had an idea that this was the food of the future,” says shop owner Charlotte Ciment, a business-minded woman who knows the value of nutrition. “It has lasted almost 50 years, because people are more interested in what they put in their body now, and like [they say] ‘you are what you eat.’”

The shop is split into two units, both accessible from a shared step. One sells mostly vitamins, the rows of shelves overflowing with bottles of every nutrient imaginable. The other shop carries food items and has a large refrigerator with a variety of beverages.

The dual-room setup is a change from the original arrangement, in which only one side was used, but a lot can change in half a century. The shop actually predates Maplewood Mall, which opened about 25 years ago, but the location has never been a problem.

“We are a neighborhood store,” Ciment says. “We’re a little hidden from the main population, but they find us.”

Find out more about the Maplewood Nutrition and Dietary Food Shop, along with some of Germantown’s other healthy options, in next week’s group 11 feature.


By Jessica Lynn Argondizza, Kyle Bagenstose and Darla Synnestvedt
Group 11, Germantown

Port Richmond: The Polish American String Band Entertains

The Polish American String Band attracts crowds when they perform at Campbell Square Park. Children and adults dance to the band’s infectious tunes.

The majority of its members are Polish, even though it is no longer a requirement to be a part of the band. The group is made up of volunteers from all ages.

“I’m still playing the accordion, but being 75 I can’t carry it up Broad Street anymore,” says Frank Foidl, who has been performing with the band for over 60 years. “So they gave me a symbol. And when I can’t do that anymore, I’ll hold the banner. I’ll do anything, as long as I can wear my shirt.”

The shirt Foidl is talking about is the group’s red polo that has “Polish American String Band” stitched in white thread on the front left side.

The Polish American String Band has finished in first place 11 times in the Mummers Parade throughout the group’s 77-year history. The band also preformed at a Papal audience during the 20th Papal anniversary of Pope John Paul II. However, even with the band’s many awards and accolades, it still makes time for the community that has always supported them.

“We’re heavily tied into the neighborhood,” says Walter J. Wojcik, the Publicity Director and saxophonist for the Polish American String Band. “We appreciate all the help they give us.”

By Samantha Richcrick and Nicole Saylor, Group 8, Port Richmond

Kensington: The Lost Bar

If there is one thing you’ll be sure to find throughout Kensington, it’s a bar. Among them all is one that calls itself “The Lost Bar.”

Atlantis was opened 5 years ago and since then has continued to serve the residents of the neighborhood the best it can along with the older, more well-known bars in the area.

“You can’t swing a dead cat without hitting a bar in this neighborhood,” says Fritz, bartender of Atlantis. “We try to keep it a little different here compared to other places, though.”

Those differences are what can attract someone towards Atlantis before other bars. Over the bar, a huge fish tank is mounted on the wall, supported by the various selections of beer in their refrigerator, and along the walls hangs photos and paintings from various local artists of the neighborhood.

“We get them by word of mouth, really,” Fritz says. “We usually put new stuff up every month, or as often as we can.”

Bars in Kensington vary in terms of selling food: some do, some don’t. Atlantis is one of those that do not, however unlike many other places that don’t sell food, it has deemed itself to be a B.Y.O.F – or Bring Your Own Food – type of place. If you are having a drink here and get hungry, you can order food and have it delivered right to the bar, and even eat it at the bar itself or a table.

“We have everything: oregano, salt and pepper, forks, napkins…but no, no food,” says Fritz.

Atlantis is a place that is starting to attract a younger audience, and with it and the small coffee shops blooming in the area, Kensington is slowly becoming a great place for young adults to live and hang out.

By Catharine Raynor and Matt Price

Group 17, Kensington

Southwest Philadelphia: Breakfast, Lunch and Boot Camp

Beneath a unisex hair salon rests an unlikely establishment in Southwest Philadelphia: the Philly Breakfast House.

"We want to give [the residents] the downtown experience," LaRaine Henry, one of the owners, said.

Many residents don't have the opportunity or don't bother to go into the city, so the owners wanted to bring the downtown experience to them, Henry added.

Philly Breakfast House is decked out with an urban theme, complete with tiled walls and high-top tables, giving the feel of a downtown, 60s-themed restaurant.

The establishment also offers a unique food selection, featuring breakfast and lunch items that can be tailored to diabetic appetites, Henry said.

Such special foods include wheat pancakes and beef or turkey bacon, rather than pork for those who cannot, or wish not to eat pork, she added.

We had the opportunity to try the short stack pancakes with the beef bacon as well an egg, bacon, cheese and jelly breakfast sandwich on white bread.

Henry assured us that the beef bacon tasted almost exactly the same as pork bacon.

"You can't even tell the difference," she said.

Henry, who was also our server, provided us with friendly service and eagerly told us more about the restaurant.

Philly Breakfast House, located at 5355 Woodland Ave., has been open for approximately four and half years.

The owners, LaRaine Henry and Larry Washington, also make it a point to help out the community in any way they can. Not only do they offer catering services, but they provide classes on healthy cooking and have conducted a program called Grill Sergeant Kitchen Boot Kamp, Henry said.

Washington, "Chef Larry," heads the boot camp, teaching younger children how to cook as well as teaches the fundamentals of hospitality.

"Food is the common denominator all over the world that can bring us together," he said.

Washington realizes that not every child is going to get to go to college, so he uses this knowledge to steer them in the direction of hospitality jobs, he added.

In Philadelphia, the two main industries are health care and hospitality, hospitality coming in second, Washington said.

As we left the small restaurant, Henry and Washington wished us well and asked us to return. With such a satisfying breakfast, we sure would.

Closed on Mondays, Philly Breakfast House is open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.- 3 p.m, and serves breakfast all day.

By Amanda Fries
Daly Gonzalez
Team 5: Southwest

South Philadelphia: A Community of Green Thumbs

Southwark/ Queen Village Community Garden, located on the 300 block of Christian Street, is a unique horticultural space that's been growing for over 30 years.

As someone who grew up in a rural area outside of Philadelphia, I am used to cornfields, cows and family gardens. Since I moved to Philadelphia four years ago, I've noticed a number of community gardens in different neighborhoods in the city. So far, SWQV Community Garden takes the cake.

Its size is quite impressive--it's over 18,000 square feet, which is almost half an acre of land. There are over 60 garden plots in the space and every week more than 80 gardeners each spend at least five hours a week tending to their plot.

"You'll always find someone here. I come in the morning, when it's cool, but a lot of people come after they're finished with work," said Julia Schuyler, a gardener for seven years.

If you're able to convince a member to let you inside, the view is magnificent. In addition to the individual plots, there's a gazebo and small picnic area that are used as common areas, two fruit orchards, a grape arbor, nine flower and herb beds, and four vegetable plots used solely for the purpose of donating the produce for the local "Share the Harvest" program.

If you're in the neighborhood and looking for a refreshing oasis amongst the concrete, stop on over to 3rd and Christian and check out the community garden.

By Emily Clymer

Team 14: South Philadelphia

Ludlow: Free Library helps ensure children's safety after school

Last year, the Pennsylvania State Senate was unable to pass their budget, which resulted in many of Philadelphia's libraries being shut down. However, despite the monetary issues, one library is still standing and holds the safety of many children after school.

The Ramonita G. De Rodrigues Library at 600 W. Girard Avenue in Ludlow is a safe place for children to rely on after school hours. A teacher at Young Scholar's Charter School, Paul Thallner, says that their school offers many after school programs to ensure the safety of students who have nowhere to go. Although he was unsure how many students actually visited the library after school, he was satisfied with the placement of the library only a block away. "If you walk out of here and go towards Girard it's a very unsafe place for students to be walking," says Thallner, "if you go East, you're heading right towards Northern Liberties."

Another school that uses the library as a safe haven is Walter D. Palmer Leadership Learning Partner's Charter School. With their close proximity to the library, one can see many students heading their way over to the library during dismissal time. The Ramonita G. De Rodrigues Library is still open and free for anyone to visit, and their pleasant staff is more than willing to assist every individual.

Christina Paone and Elizabeth Harrington, su1016ludlow

Ludlow: Suspect Arrested for O'Donnell Murder

Donte Johnson, 18, was arrested and charged for the rape and murder of Sabina Rose O'Donnell Wednesday, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.

"We're 100 percent positive we have the right individual," said Homicide Capt. James Clark. Sources say that the confrontation started after Johnson began following O'Donnell home in effort to steal her bicycle.

After arriving at her home on 4th Street and Girard in Ludlow, O'Donnell "put up a slight struggle" and then was beaten, raped and strangled.

The community has been living in fear and in anger since the murder, said a neighbor, according to the Daily News. A candlelight vigil was held the night following O'Donnell's slaying.

A surveillance video was the break in the case, which shows a man biking in the opposite direction of O'Donnell but then turning around to follow her.

By Elizabeth Harrington, su1016ludlow

North Central: A Gem on Judson Street

You would never find it if you weren't looking for it.

Nestled inside the Honickman Learning Center and Comcast Technology Labs at 1396 Judson Street there's no signs that this place even exists. But that's all beginning to change as the Community Partnership School is making a name for itself in the north central Philadelphia area.

For the past three years the school, which is made up of pre-k to fourth grade students, has prospered under President Eric Jones. Jones, who has experience with independent schools having attended one himself, knows how important it is to provide young people with a solid foundation.

"We have about 75 kids right now," Jones said. "Next year we are adding a fifth grade wing and we'll have about 90 students. We have a seven to one faculty to student ratio, and we believe it's important for the kids to succeed by having such individual attention."

While the space is small, Jones sees a bigger future for the school, regardless of the fact that it is mainly funded by donors, rather than tuition payments.

"Eventually we would like to branch out and develop into a successful grade school and middle school," Jones said. "Of course the process will be slow and we will eventually need a bigger space, but the future is bright."

Mike Mastrangelo
North Central Philadelphia
Group 22

North Central: Community Seeks Serenity in Garden

On the 2900 block of Harper Street, a community of people have taken justice into their own hands and created a community where they work together to keep their street safe. Harper street is filled with an array of individuals, but one in particular has become one of Harper's newest residents, and one if it's biggest cheerleaders.

Rebecca Perkins, 25, is one of the members of the community watch program of Harper street that uses a bare bones approach to stop criminals from invading their homes, and make their North Philadelphia community their own.

"One of our biggest accomplishments was getting the community garden." said Rebecca.

She was one of several Harper residents who applied for the grant from the City of Philadelphia to clean up what was once a littered, empty lot, into a beautiful community gathering place filled with colorful flowers.

"It took a lot for use to push them into getting the garden, but we're all glad it's here now and we intend to keep it clean and nice. There is even a patio that you can sit on and hang out down there, it kind of makes you feel like you're not in the city anymore." said Perkins.

Kayla Murphy

North Central

Group 22

Parkside: Their Future Awaits Them

Philadelphia’s School of the Future in Parkside held its first graduation ceremony since it opened in 2006 on June 15, 2010.

A place where the students, or “learners” as Principal Rosalind Chivis refers to them, receive preparation for the real world with courses designed to push them to solutions, the School of the Future sits perched on a rolling hill at the bottom of Parkside Avenue in Philadelphia, with the Philadelphia Zoo around the corner and several cultural institutes in its backyard.

There were plenty newsworthy events happening when we got there. A new school was in the midst of what looked like a truly high-life commencement ceremony followed by a reception with food and beverages for the families and learners.The school had 100 percent of its graduating class receive letters of acceptance for a higher learning institution or trade school. And, a Microsoft venture felt the success of an attempt to reform public education through innovation and technology.

In a sea of red caps and gowns, and family members dressed-to-impress, the corner of 40th Street and Parkside Avenue was the place to be for the first half of the day. Microsoft’s experimental partnership with the Philadelphia School District finally felt like a success.

There were plenty of stories happening when we got there. And we can’t wait to share some of them with you.

By Tara Moore and Jessica Arnold, Team 7, Mantua/Parkside

Center City: A Parade of Pride

Center City Washington Square West was the place to be over the weekend. This past Sunday, June 13 Philly Pride held its “Pride Parade”. The event starting at 13th and Locust, meant a day for people of all sexual orientations to come out, enjoy the day and appreciate each other for who they are and what they are.

Dozens of brightly colored, decorated vehicles driving along Locust with lots of people dancing. At times, the parade stopped for clubs, organizations or just a large group of people to dance in unison numbers or by themselves. The vehicles tried their best not to overlap the different genres of music blasting and potentially ruining other numbers, yet, somehow the different tunes seemed to flow together.

People seemed to flock to the site and cheer from all different walks of life as the cars and trucks drove by. As parade attendee Amethyst C. Rose put it, “we’re all standing here in one town together supporting each other, Gay or not”, explaining the atmosphere of the parade and what it means.

Despite the fact that a continued ban against Gay men being able to donate blood had just taken place a day before, spirits remained high.


Emily Tenenbaum & Megan Douress, Group 18, Spot News

Fishtown: Strange Book Sightings

UFO sightings and alien abductions are not exactly commonplace events. Many rationalize suspected alien sightings by claiming they were merely fictitious claims. Others would give you a a scientific explanation for these sightings but if you told someone at Germ Bookstore and Gallery in Fishtown, they just might believe you.

The independent bookstore specializes in all things extraterrestrial. Named for an ideas ability to germinate, as well as a bacterias ability to be both positive and negative, to either save lives or destroy them. Germ doesn’t carry your typical commercial reads. Although Germ seems to specialize in all things other worldly, don’t expect to find any copies of the Twilight Saga here, and don’t even think about looking for the new Elizabeth Gilbert novel.

The sedate bookshop, with dull gray carpeting and a surprising ability to remain dark despite the brilliant sunshine outside, Germs’ interior seek to conjure as much mystery as the books on it’s shelves. Carrying books that seek to intrigue, mystify and often, educate, the books range from alien abduction experiences and divination to the benefits of war, Germ is truly a unique shop in Fishtown.

By Jillian Atkinson and Ashley Zeserman, Group 09, Fishtown

Image courtesy of Germ Books and Gallery

Germantown: Urban Cafe Manager Pat O'Donnell Serves Food with a Side of Humor

John Patrick O’Donnell, otherwise known as ‘Chef Pat,’ has been a chef in the Philadelphia area for over 25 years. Luckily for Germantown, O’Donnell has spent the last five of those years managing the Urban Cafe at 5815 Wayne Ave. Much like the that establishment, there’s an entertaining story behind O’Donnell.

O’Donnell says he first got the idea of being a chef from watching an episode of Three’s Company when he was just finishing high school. “I saw Jack Tripper making pasta from flour on Three’s Company and I was like ‘that’s kind of cool, I could do that [for a living.]’”

From there, O’Donnell pursued his desire to making a living as a chef through an apprenticeship in a supermarket making $4 an hour, from which he was fired for getting a second job, from which he was also fired for deciding to pursue a degree in restaurant management. “They told me it was a full-time commitment, and that I should just go to school and get an education.”
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O’Donnell proceeded to take his lumps while working his way up, but says the dirty jobs paid off when he learned valuable skills like how to work fast and store fish. O’Donnell knew he had arrived when he became chef at the River Deck in Manayunk, a position that left O’Donnell with plenty of pocket cash.

“I made lots of money-- driving real nice cars, living in real nice places.” O’ Donnell recalls. However, it was not a permanent lifestyle, and O’Donnell began to grow new ambitions. “About five years ago I started to hear my Dad’s words coming out of my mouth to other people,” he jokes.

Around that time, O’Donnell was approached by an associate who had an idea to open up
an upscale cafe where a minimal amount of food was served. However, there were a number of issues in the way.

“I came in and looked at it… and the place looked like a dump… there was pretty much just the stove,” O’Donnell says, adding that he didn’t think his associate had a good business plan. “He didn’t know what he was doing. I said to him ‘why would you want to sell something for six bucks when you’ve got customers who would buy something that’s $15.”

That, and O’Donnell wasn’t used to not being in charge. “I wasn’t used to not being the boss, I’ve been the boss for twenty years… I said, ‘this is what I think will work, a tiny little BYOB that emphasizes a coffee house menu.’”

Thus, the idea behind the Urban Cafe was created, and five years later the business is still going strong, although O’Donnell admits the economy has taken its toll. “One day it’s like ‘we’re having a great day today, everyone’s here,’ and then the next days it’s like ‘OK… there’s nobody in the restaurant.’ In a recession, what do you do? You start saving your money. Where don’t you go? Out to eat.”

By Jessica Lynn Argondizza, Kyle Bagenstose, and Darla Synnestvedt
Group 11, Germantown

Tioga: Father-Son Duo Spends Summer Days Selling Fresh Fruits & Veggies

Yong Kim and his father sit on the concrete slab outside the building that rests at the corner of Erie Avenue and Carlisle Street, but unlike most of the others who sit on the corner, Kim and his father aren’t waiting for SEPTA’s

Route 53 or 56 bus – they’re selling fresh fruits and vegetables to local buyers.

Taking a drag from his cigarette, Kim says he and his father, who have been operating the stand for about a year, live in Cheltenham with the rest of their family. "But we spend our time here," they add. And when the father-son duo says time, the pair means 13 hours for at least five days a week. They open up shop at about 5:30 a.m., Kim says, and usually stay until 6:30 p.m.

Their stand stocks its baskets with nearly every fruit under the sun – quite literally in the sweltering heat that Tuesday afternoon brings – including everything from mangos, watermelon and pineapple to apples, oranges and bananas. But they don’t limit the stand's contents to fresh fruits. They carry a handful of different types of vegetables, including cucumbers and tomatoes, as well as bags of roasted, salted peanuts still in the shell. Plus, most items are priced at $1 or less.

To top it all off, for visitors who catch him at just the right time, Mr. Kim may just throw in a perfectly ripened peach or two, on the house.

By: Chelsea Calhoun and Sarah Shafer

Group 12: Nicetown/Tioga/Allegheny

Sports: A Skating Paradise

After a long hike from the Pattison Avenue train stop in South Philadelphia into the depths of FDR Park, I came across a massive skate park which stretched about a football field long. It was under a bridge, sprinkled with graffiti, and yet a beautiful site to see. I'm not a skateboarder by any means, in fact the only skateboard I owned, I broke in half while attempting a trick called an ollie. It was amazing to see these so called amateur skateboarders ride along the walls and glide along the rails with ease and put my attempted ollie to shame.

Then there was the culture aspect of this skating paradise. Everybody knew each others name, after an impressive trick skaters would bang their boards against the concrete in appreciation and it seemed as if age was not important to anyone in this culture. Even style was part of the culture. I'd never seen so many graphic tees in one place outside of an episode of "The Jersey Shore." Even though I wasn't skating I thoroughly enjoyed sharing a few laughs with the skaters, watching them perform and listening to the sound of wheels on concrete. One skater Willy Akers expressed with me how he felt about the skate park.

"This is pretty much my favorite place to be in the city," said Akers. "I love this place."

Maybe someday when I finally land an ollie I'll make my way back to the park and join the culture myself.

By Jeff McMenamin and Ari Charlestein

Port Richmond: Summer Fun at the Library

The Richmond Branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia knows the importance of reading, which is why its summer programs are sure to make a splash. “Make a Splash” is the theme of this year’s children’s program series, which features reading exercises and arts and crafts all summer long.

This summer will be children’s librarian Peggy Pompey’s first time running the program at the Richmond Branch and she is very excited. “Children’s librarianship is my first love,” she says. “My favorite part is doing story time and just seeing children be excited about books and learning.”

This summer’s set of programs will include pirate stories, games and water activities. There will also be a “Make a Splash with Spongebob” day with stories, crafts and prizes. “Most kids like Spongebob,” says Pompey. In July, the library will also get a visit from the Franklin Institute’s traveling show, Hot and Cold. The show lets children explore states of matter by watching balloons shrink, bubbles freeze and balls shatter.

There will even be a movie night, where guests can watch Finding Nemo while enjoying snacks and prizes. Among the prizes that the kids can win are sticky snakes, lizards, beach balls and passes for Dunkin Donuts. The Richmond Branch was also promised baseball tickets to either give as prizes or raffle out.

By Nicole Saylor and Samantha Richcrick, Group 8, Port Richmond

Kensington: A Mission to Keep the Blocks Clean

For the past 3 years, Clayton Chandler has worked with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia’s Catholic Social Services as a part of their community development program to clean up the streets of Kensington. This program works to provide street cleaning and garden organization on Lehigh Avenue, as well as Kensington Avenue and Front Street.

Monday through Friday, Clayton and other members and volunteers clean up these streets, removing trash and other waste from sidewalks and corners. The area they clean is known as the “triangle”, which consists of the 2600 block of Lehigh Avenue, down Kensington Avenue and into the 2400 and 2600 blocks of Front Street.

“When I started, I was picking up about 100 needles a day from the streets. Since we’ve been doing what we’re doing, I now pick up probably 50 needles a day,” Clayton says.“We stay within the triangle right now. I wish we could do more but we stay within the mapped area for now."

This clean up program hits different streets each day, and two of those days are spend in residential blocks that sit off of Lehigh and Kensington Avenue.

Mary Zagar Brown, the Corridor Development Manager for Catholic Social Services, says this program not only cleans up the streets, but also offers to assists in the creation of green space, open space and families interested in homeownership.

“A lot of people are concerned with the amount of rental space there is in the area, and they want an opportunity to work with the diocese and the city in owning the houses and creating more space for their families.”

CSS also works with businesses in the area by supplying flyers to residence so they can become aware of a particular business. This is used to supply Kensington with more economic and financial growth

A City Tradition: Swimming at Swann Fountain

Although Philadelphia’s pools won’t open until June 19^th, many people have found a different way to enjoy the water in the city, and not by opening fire hydrants. Located in the center of Logan Circle in front of the Franklin Institute, Swann Memorial Fountain is a popular destination for Philadelphia locals and tourists alike to cool off in the water. Although it isn’t deep enough to swim in, people can walk through it and get soaked by one of the many water jets, or simply dip their feet in while sitting on the side. Although it was a city tradition, there was an attempt to ban swimming in the fountain in 2006, and there was a security guard standing watch constantly until the ban began to dwindle in 2009. On hot days the fountain usually will draw dozens of people, young and old, not only to enjoy the water, but it’s beauty as well. Morta Agustas, a tourist from Lithuania, visited the fountain with her family to see the sculpture of the statutes representing the area’s major rivers, the Schuylkill, the Wissahickon, and the Delaware.

“My cousin told me I had to visit the fountain,” Agustas said. “It’s really very beautiful.”

SU1020 City Hall

Manuel Agurto & Michele Welk