Walnut Hill: Green Line Cafe hosts "All around this World"

“Take an imaginary plane to Bulgaria” says the woman at the head of the room. “ Your fingers are wings. Get ready for take off” So the group starts encircling the half room that they have been designated. A passerby stops at the window to see this strange sight.
   The Green Line Café is currently hosting a music workshop for children age 0-8 called “All around this World: presents a music workshop with Svytanya. “These kinds of workshops happen once or twice a month” says the barista at The Green Line Café “It costs five to ten dollars on a sliding scale”.
                                          This hip coffee shop has several locations in West Philadelphia including this one at 44 th and Locust and one on 42nd and Baltimore, and 36th and Lancaster. The way the coffee shop is decorated seems entirely fitting for the kind of workshop as there are different paintings hung on the walls demonstrating artists of all caliber.
  “Recently we have been focusing on different parts of Eastern Europe like Estonia, Russia, Bulgaria, and all over the place. This week were going to be focusing on Bulgaria”.  To begin the workshop a music teacher in Walnut Hill picks up a guitar and starts playing a song reminding people of how to say hello in Russian.
“Pineapple Apple Apple” says the leader of the workshop and the rest of the group follows while banging on wooden spoons. “This is a rhythm that is important to the kind of music we are learning about today” says the music teacher. “What about Apple Apple Pear” yells a little girl from the crowd “Well we can do that too” says the teachers in between chuckles and the group switches.
 People in the half of the room that is still a coffee shop turn away from their bagels and computers to see what’s going on.

Walnut Hill: Watusi Karaoke Night

“Oh we gone give you something to write about” says Pam, the bartender at the Watusi Lounge on 46th and Walnut.  For the last month this location of Watusi has been hosting a karaoke night on Mondays that has been getting people from the neighborhood and beyond out on what have started being cold Monday nights. “People come from North Philly and Germantown to come sing with us” she says

“We start really getting people in around 11”says Pam. At this point only about 9 or ten souls have braved the freezing winds of December in Philadelphia, but those few brave enough have come to sing their hearts out.  “Last week you couldn’t even get a seat in hear and it was cold then too” she says.
 The beginning notes of Santa Baby trickle out of the stereo and a woman starts singing soulfully. This was sandwiched in between some slower RnB songs. Suddenly about four people stand around the microphone to start singing the song Secret Lovers.  Pam goes up and starts singing.

As the time passes more people make their way into the lounge. On their Karaoke nights Watusi, has drink specials with some scandalous names. This is called a “Blowjob” says the other bartender as she shows me a little shot glass with a squirt of whipped cream on top of the liquor. “Who’s gonna eat the pink pussy” says Pam. Once she gets some takers she starts mixing a drink and pours out two of  them into some plastic bowls and line them up in front of the customers. These customers proceed to slurp the drink up without using their hands. Everyone in the place seems to be very friendly with each other giving it that real community feel to it.

Walnut Hill: Gardeners Brace for Winter

On the corner of 47th and Spruce streets in Walnut Hill is a tennis court with a community garden attached to it. The facilities are managed by the Garden Court Community Association and feature more than 20 10x10 plots.

I walked by to check it out and noticed a mother and her young son braving the frigid weather to work on their garden plot. Arielle Jungworth and her husband moved to Philadelphia about two and a half years ago from Seattle, Washington. “I had a nice-sized garden back home and when we moved here, we moved to an apartment so I didn’t have the space to really do anything,” said Jungworth. She said her husband first noticed the community garden more than a year ago and signed up on the waiting list for a plot. Almost a year later, they received a call that no plots were available, but someone was willing to share a plot with them. They eagerly accepted. “We’ve grown tomatoes, basil, lettuce, herbs and kale, a lot of kale. We crammed a lot into this little area,” says Jungworth.
There is a fee of $10 a year to rent space in the garden. The money goes towards general upkeep of the facility. Volunteers also meet up a few times a year to clean up the area around the garden and they work to maintain it yea round. On this bitter day, Jungworth and her 15-month old son James, stopped by their garden to touch it up by weeding and tilling the soil. The temperature was in the low 30’s with a wind chill near 29 degrees, but nothing could stop this mom and son team from doing their work.


Kristina Leon
Walnut Hill- Group 23

City Council Meeting: Councilwoman Brown on Education

by: Maria pouchnikova and John Buckner

Yet another Philadelphia City Council meeting took place on Thursday, December 9th, 2010 in room 400 of City Hall. Commencing just after 10am, the heavy gavel of Council President Anna Verna resounded loudly throughout the room. After a brief prayer, Madam President Verna introduced and congratulated a number of organizations for benefiting the community in their specific way. Immediately following the recognitions, the council got down to business discussing the legislation and bills of the day. A few main topics came up including the installment of a 6 story billboard at the exit of the Ben Franklin Bridge and towing legislation taking power away from local towing companies. Towards the end of the meeting, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown brought attention to her minority business issue. Councilwoman Brown stated that Philadelphia "has a 57% minority community, with a school district budget of $2 Billion dollars. Councilwoman Brown pointed out that "80 percent of the student body is minorities" and the outrage of minority firms receiving "Twelve-thousand, eight-hundred and ninety dollars of a seven and a half million dollar contract. Councilwoman Brown is calling for more to be done in the area of minority aid in Philadelphia. City council will consider the issue in future meetings.

Center City: City Council faces resistance with proposed towing bill

Philadelphia City Council heard voices from the public on several issues Thursday. This is the second meeting in which the general public has been permitted to comment during the weekly meetings. Employees within the tow-truck industry voiced their concerns on a proposed towing bill that would give the Philadelphia Parking Authority more commission.

Jose` Jiral, owner of Derkas Auto on Aramingo Avenue, said the group is opposed to the bill because "it gives the parking authority the power to control the towing rotation list". He believes the bill has a hidden agenda that will ultimately force most private and small towing companies out of business.

The bill would also revise licensing and require the tow-truck companies to re-apply for a towing license. The fees to apply for a license would increase from "$75 per truck to $1000 per truck, "Jiral said. Many other workers are afraid that the bill will cause lost revenue for their companies and lay-offs will happen. "It's taking business away from small business…it's more than regulating," Jiral concludes.

After 3 workers from the industry spoke on behalf of the group, City Council President, Anna Verna informed the room that the bill would be held. The men left shortly after.

Aigner` Clevelamd

Breaking News: Extra Credit

City Council Meeting: The Towing Bill

by: Maria Pouchnikova and John Buckner

Philadelphia city council held its weekly meeting on Thursday, December 9, 2010. With the pound of the gavel on Council President Anna Verna’s lectern, the room fell silent. After an opening prayer, blessing the council and the city of Philadelphia, Madame President Anna Verna began the session with the honoring of groups that had done public service for the city. With Philadelphia’s modern government operating for the past 59 years, the presence of public opinion at council meetings has never been allowed. However, for the past two weeks, the city council has taken an unprecedented step in allowing Philadelphia taxpayers to speak their minds to the councilmen and councilwomen. One hot topic for December 9^th’s meeting was the amending of The Philadelphia Code in regards to towing. This bill gives the Philadelphia Parking Authority the power to delegate towing procedures in the city. As part of the open public forum, many tow truck operators voiced their opinions on the bill. Local Philadelphia tow truck driver, “June” said, “it’s frustrating, the city is fighting over the little guy and ruining the business for everyone in the name of punishing a few bad apples.” “June” said that “we have kids, mothers, fathers; we are taxpayers just like those council members and they are trying to take us out of business.” The towing bill is still up for discussion before the council.

Carroll Park: Extra Credit, City Council Meeting

by: Maria Pouchnikova and John Buckner

On Thursday, December 9, 2010, the weekly meeting of the Philadelphia City Council took place. Opening with a prayer, the meeting started off with some awards and recognitions of people who have done some public good. Since Philadelphia’s modern government was founded in 1951, public opinion has not been allowed at the regular council meetings. For the past two weeks, Philadelphia taxpayers have been allowed to voice their opinions on issues before the council members. One such issue was the proposed installation of a 6 story LED billboard. This billboard is to be placed facing the Ben Franklin Bridge, visible as motorists enter Philadelphia.

Many local residents came out to let the council members know they do not want the new bill-board to be put up. Mary Tracy is president of the organization “Scenic America”. He organization fights for keeping America free of billboards and other “visual clutter” to maintain the beauty of the country. Mary strongly opposed the LED billboard and said like all billboards, it will be a “weapon of mass distraction.” Mary continued that the billboard will “use as much energy as 30 homes” and that “during the day, it will use more than that. “ Despite much outcry from the public on the issue, councilman Frank DiCicco stood firm on his support for the sign.

Center City: Mayor Nutter Makes Appearance at Citizen's Planning Event.....

On Monday, December 6, 2010, the Citizen’s Planning Institute of Philadelphia hosted an awards ceremony to honor and pay tribute to the staff, committee, volunteers, teachers and students who are a part of their amazing program.

Monumental best describes the event which occurred at the Conversation Room in City Hall, located in Center City, Philadelphia. Parents and family and friends came together to watch their loved ones receive recognition for their hard and dedication to the program. Students, ranging from grades 4th to 11th, were awarded with certificates for expressing their creativity in the artwork they put together for the program. As a part of CPI’s Philadelphia2035 plan, the students were asked to create portraits depicting what each of them (students) believes their neighborhoods would look like in the next 20 years or so. Parents stood up from their seats, and cheer for their children as they went up to the front podium, one by one, to accept their awards.

“Children are precious resources for the future,” Gary Jaroub, one of the members of CPI said, during his speech.

Mayor Michael Nutter managed to stop to by for a few minutes. While standing at the podium to deliver his speech, Nutter offered a brief congratulation to the winners, and gave a little some positive input on the Philadelphia2035, and where he see the program going in the upcoming years. “….I’ll be here in 20 years,” Nutter said jokingly.

A fairly new program that is funded by the William Grant Foundation, CPI’s mission is to encourage the residents of Philadelphia to take initiative, when it comes to their neighborhoods. The Philadelphia2035 plan is a sort of like a 25-year contract that promises that the city of Philadelphia will improve in areas such as: growth and preservation, community planning, and housing.

For more information on CPI, please visit http://citizensplanninginstitute.org/ and, for details on the Philadelphia2035 Plan, visit http://citizensplanninginstitute.org/phila2035 .

Teresa Nicole Hatch (of ) Group 29

Extra Credit

Carroll Park: Random Meetings

On the same morning as we were visiting Bible Way for the first time, Maria and I were approached by a woman who actually invited us to come eat at the church. We mentioned to her that we already had plans of visiting the church and she told us she would see us there. Before we parted ways, the woman made sure to tell us her name. She said, "my name is Pearl M. Jenkins, no don't you forget that now. I write poetry, Iv'e written over 80 poems." Needless to say, after Maria and I had finished our networking at Bible Way, we ran into Pearl on our way to the car. Pearl said hi to us again but for the life of us, neither one could remember her name. She told us we were both young enough to just call her Ms. Pearl. When we finally came back to shoot our project, we found that Ms. Pearl was actually a volunteer for the Tuesday "Outreach" program at Bible Way. We ended up getting an interview with her and were able to get to know her better. We learned about the website www.allpoetry.com where you can read all of Pearl's poems.

Carroll Park: Converting Plots Into Farms

One aspect of visiting the House of Umoja that we found very profound was their idea for tackling an Urban Farming Academy. In order to fully pursue this new project, Queen Mother Falaka Fattah and her fellow employees need to make one major thing happen. Rightnow, on Frazier street, where House of Umoja owns much ofthe real estate, is onevery large empty, overgrown area of grass. Queen Mother and her head farmer Antonio Colone want to cultivate this larger area and turn it into farming plots to get a jumpstart with their Farming Academy. The House of Umoja wants to bring a change to all of Philadelphia with this program not just Carroll Park. Queen Mother and Antonio Colone feel that farming can bring aboutgreater health awareness for the city aswell as bring a sense of pride to people asthey eat something they themselves grew.

Carroll Park: Carroll Park Breakfast

One day, as Maria and I were walking through Carroll Park, something jumped out at us that we had not seen the week before. It seemed like out of nowhere a brand new breakfast diner named "Carroll Park Breakfast" had sprung up right on the west side of 52nd street. Maria and I immediately went in to talk to the owner. She wasn't there and we decided we would come back. The next time we came back, the owner was still not in. Yet again, a third time, Maria and I decided to go in and eat, since that would have been better than just coming in and asking questions. So Maria and I sat down for lunch. After talking to our waitress, we found that the owner was not in again. We felt that a new breakfast diner opening up in right on a main street in Carroll Park was a great thing. In this bad economy, a business had opened and had the ability to employ people. Since the owner was not in we couldn't really talk to any of the workers. With the opening of "Carroll Park Breakfast" the residents in the neighborhood have a new place to get a hot breakfast or lunch.

Carroll Park: Meeting with Pastor of Bible Way

Upon our second visit to Bible Way Baptist Church, we went back in search of the pastor for permission to cover the Tuesday "Outreach" program. The program starts at noon and Maria and I arrived around 10:30. The pastor was scheduled for a staff meeting and it was not looking so good to sit down and talk to him. He had never gotten back to us so we were not able to set up an interview. As we were summoned into his office, Senior Pastor Dr. Damone B. Jones Sr. greeted us and had us sit down. He then went on to explain about how a few years ago, a Temple came to do a story about the church and casted a negative image of the church on a public website where the reputation of the pastor was tarnished. He was very reluctant to allow us to cover the luncheon down stairs. He did not trust us and we had to assure him that our story was strictly about the luncheon and nothing else. After threatening to bring every lawyer and judge he knew against us if we wrote anything negative, he had his secretary photocopy our student ID's. After a little more reluctance, he finally allowed us to shoot video of the luncheon. This experience was very unexpected but we were still able to get permission to do our story. We were unable to have the pastor pose for a picture or give us an interview.

Carroll Park: Bible Way Baptist Church

In getting started on our final project, Maria and I ventured to West Philly in search of our ideas. We visited Bible Way Baptist Church to hopefully speak to the pastor and set up an interview. He was not in and we ended up having to leave a message with his secretary. We were given a small tour of the church and some volunteers introduced themselves to us. We got a little more information on what was going on for that particular day, Tuesday. We had prior knowledge of a free luncheon open to any and all that wished to come for a hot lunch. Having no equipment and no permission from the pastor to film, Maria and I ventured outside. Along the outside of the church people were beginning to congregate by the door. We both approached and asked the few people sitting there if we could ask them why there were there and get a few pictures. Out of the three or four people in front of us, only one man would talk. John Charleston is a local resident of Carroll Park and was there to enjoy a free meal. Mr. Charleston said he thought the program "helps because we have no jobs and are out of work". He thoughts on the program were positive and when asked about the future of the program he said that "because more people are out of work, more people will become involved."

Mill Creek: Covering the Brightside Academy

Our final project for this class turned out to be our most challenging. As we reported in our earlier posts, we had planned to cover the Mill Creek School. I had been in touch frequently with the director of the school, Art Friedman. He seemed relunctant, but still willing to meet with me, but due to the Thanksgiving holiday we were unable to make it work. This left us scrambling for another story; we eventually were able to reach the Brightside Academy.

The Brightside Academy is an early education daycare center, and is one of many throughout Pennsylvania, New York, and Ohio. We initially were able to get the local manager to agree to speak to us, but found out at the last minute that we needed approval from the marketing department. I spoke to Sidney Rolluck, the marketing director, who has some reservations about our project. After a number of phone calls and emails, he finally became comfortable with our story concept, and granted us permission to film. Our final hurdle came when we arrived to shoot our interviews at the arranged time which unfortunately coincided with nap-time. It was too dark to shoot video, so we had to switch to shooting in audio on the fly, but I think we managed to pull it off. Overall, I'm fairly pleased with the work that we put together. Mill Creek, Benjamin Frommer and John Jones

Germantown: 'Philadelphia: The Great Experiment'

Sam Katz and Phil Katz screened their pilot film, Philadelphia: The Great Experiment on November 30 at William Penn Charter School, 3000 School House Lane at 7 p.m. The screening was hosted in collaboration with the East Falls Community Council.

The 30 minute pilot episode "clearly shows that the Philadelphia story goes beyond 1776," Sam Katz said.

The film focuses on the period after the end of the Civil War in 1865 and up to and including the 1876 Centennial Exposition. The film is produced by Phil Katz.

The film opens with the funeral of Abraham Lincoln. The melancholy music sets the somber tone of the event. It tells how stores exhausted their supply of black bunting and how nearly 300, 000 people line the streets to see the procession of the funeral.

The film goes on to the story of the Pennsylvania Railroad, the building of city hall, the volunteer fire company, Octavius Catto, who was a black educator and civil rights activist, Caroline LeCount, the desegregation of the trolley car and many other stories.

The film uses a combination of story telling techniques including sketches, black and white photographs, movie clips, interviews by historians and personal accounts from diaries and letters.

After the screening, Sam Katz answered questions from the audience. Several attendees made positive comments about the film including one calling it "a fabulous and educational piece."

Someone asked "Why did they leave out the creation of Fairmount Park?" The reply was that they were trying to maintain a level of intensity- just the "goose bump moments."

Katz said the purpose of the film was to tell a story, do that successfully and to raise awareness.

"What we are trying to do is initiate a conversation about what we will be," Katz said.

I asked him how this project came back? He said he saw the movie on New York by Ric Burns, which last ed 14 hours. Later, he watched "Chicago: City of the Century," which was based on Donald Miller's book of the same title. Then, he wanted to see the movie on Philadelphia. He couldn't find it.

At least now, there is one. Unfortunately, it is only 30 minutes long. Ultimately, Katz said the goal is to create 7 one-hour episodes. They hope to create several eight to ten minutes of webisodes. For more information go to www.historyof philadelphia.com.

By Sue Ann Rybak and Jillian Horn

Fa1028Germantown

photo 1: Sam Katz and Phil Katz at the screening on November 30 at Penn Charter School in the Kurtz Center.

North Philadelphia: Tartaglione's District Offices Collecting Toys for Tot

For 15 consecutive years, State Sen. Christine M. Tartaglione district offices have hosted "Toys for Tots." This year is no exception. The program which started 50 years ago by the Marine Corps has distributed millions of toys to needy children. The senator made the announcement just before Thanksgiving, that both of her offices in the city will be collecting toys until December 10th.

The offices collects the toys for the Marine Corps says Carmen Sousa. Sousa, who is the Office Manager for the Susquehanna Office says, Senator Tartaglione partnered up with the Marine Corps to help with their efforts to collect toys for children. "We help the Marines collect them. They have a list compiled of families in need and they actually go around and disburse the toys according to that list" she concludes.

The box on this day was less than half full. Sousa, sounding pretty assured said "we do pretty good…usually by next week the box will be pretty full."

Constituent Service Representative, Virginia Martinez said the Susquehanna office has been very successful in collecting the toys throughout the years. "Sometimes we have two boxes full of toys" she adds. As different people come to the office daily, Martinez says that she always mentions

the "toys for tots" box and the need for people to bring in new, unwrapped toys. "I want to make sure the box is full."

Sousa says that people can drop off the toys at the Susquehanna Avenue or Bridge Street locations from nine a.m to five p.m. "It's a way for us to give back" she ends.

For more information or questions visit http://www.toysfortots.org/.

Aigner` Cleveland

Member of Group 24

Extra Credit Assignment

Walnut Hill: The Herb Nook and Wellness Center

           In an unlikely spot between a dollar store and a corner store on Spruce street is found a small herb, natural remedy store called “The Herb Nook and Wellness Center”. Buzzing your way into this hidden treasure reveals Ron Norwood’s smiling face.
“People come to me” says Norwood as he looks through his database to try and find the furthest people come for his services. “ New Jersey, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington D.C.” he says “People know I have a certain expertise in the field”.

“I opened University Herbs originally about 20 years ago on 40th and Ludlow, then moved to 31st and Larchwood, then to 36th and Lancaster where I actually ran three locations and then here.” says Norwood “In that time I have gathered about 9,500 to 10,000 contacts in my database from people who still come to support the store even though I have changed locations” he says.

Norwood also mentions that he teaches healthy living classes in the back of the store every two weeks for a couple months in the fall and a couple of months in the Spring and he happened to be teaching the last one of the season in an hour.
  “Soap does not clean you” Norwood says to a group of shocked African Americans ranging between late twenties to  mid fifties and me. “If you were to wash yourself with a conventional soap and dry yourself off you wouldn’t be able to see the dirt that was there before but if you were to take a swab, dip it in alcohol and pass it over the same spot  that had just been washed What would happen?” he asks the class “it would pick up more dirt” a couple of the students respond unconfidently. “Right because your normal bar soap only picks up the superficial layer but does not attack the dirt that gets stuck in your pores or that gets absorbed into the deeper layers of your skin the dermis and epidermis.” One woman looks as though Norwood has rocked her very foundation.

  The way that Norwood attacked the problem of being happy with the skin you’re in is from a scientific perspective delineating exactly what it is that the skin’s role in cleaning the body is. He emphasized that in the last decade a trend has started of people wanting to get their colon cleaned and more generally speaking focusing on cleaning themselves from the inside out.  By studying the teachings of a Dr. Jensen, Norwood has come to the conclusions that people should be focusing on taking care of the skin as it is the one of the most important ways the body acts to remove waste.

“Antiperspirants are demonic” says Norwood “We are supposed to perspire, it is one of the bodies ways of releasing toxins.” “In my opinion it is these products that have led to the rise in breast cancer in both women and men.” he explains.

 As the class came to a close Norwood discussed different methods that he has found to be effective in keeping his skin healthy including the Dry brush Massage and a Niacin wash.  Handouts about the science to dry brush massaging and samples of niacin were offered to the class and everyone went one there way.

Walnut Hill: Homework Not Just For Children

A group of seven men sat in chairs that formed a large circle. I can not recall a time when I have seen a group of males come together willingly to discuss personal issues, let alone sit in a circle to discuss them. But on this day that is exactly what happened. The reason for them coming together is a common connection they all have...being a father.

Ranging from 24-65 years of age, these males come to the WEST YMCA to take part in a weekly program known as the Father's Club. This program, which is specific to the West Philadelphia section of the city, focuses on providing fathers with information and tools to be a positive figure in their child's development.

On this day the fathers were discussing the homework assignment that they were given the week before. One by one the father's discussed their answers. The assignment was for each male to answer several question that touched on what they individually wanted for their children.

It was funny to notice a few father's writing their answers as another father was reading theirs. A familiar scene in most classrooms when it comes time to hand in any homework assignment. One father told the facilitator to come back to him because he wanted to change something. I chuckled to myself as I recalled several situations like that in my grade school days.

Once the session was over for the day the men said their goodbyes. A few lingered a while longer. When an YMCA employee came into the room and asked the facilitator how much longer he would be because the building was about to close for the evening, I took that as my cue to leave. Driving home I thought to myself, "what angle will I take to this session?" Then it suddenly hit me, why not write about their homework for my homework- after all, homework is not specifically designated for children.

Aigner` Cleveland & Lea Coyle

Group 24 - Walnut Hill

Singled-Out Statistics in Fairhill

Fairhill is definitely a neighborhood that has seen a lot of crime, drugs, high school dropouts and other negativity. A lot of experts like to link this type of behavior to a lack of discipline at home, especially in single parent households. However, statistics from 2009 show that most families in Fairhill do not actually fit this criteria. While single mothers do make up the majority of homes in Fairhill by 44 percent, homes with married women, or two-parent homes make up about 40 percent of Fairhill's households. Therefore, it is wrong to assume there is an overwhelming number of single parent homes in the area. It is also wrong to link the high amount of crime in Fairhill to this fact.

By Jarret Barbour and Samantha Bucher

Group 1, Fairhill

Northeast: Senator Tartaglione's Office Hosting Toys for Tots Collection Box

With the holidays just on the horizon, there are many programs throughout the city to help those who are less fortunate. At State Senator Christine Tartaglione's office on the corner of Large and Bridge Streets, they are helping to do their part with a Toys for Tots box.

Office Manager John Duffy says the box has been there for about a week and will stay until December 10th.

"We get a good amount of toys each year," Duffy said. "Most people bring in one toy but a few will bring in a bunch. We always come through for the Marines. All employees bring in at least one toy to contribute"

Tartaglione's office is asking for the community to bring new, unwrapped toys to the office. They also have a location at 127 West Susquehanna Avenue. The offices are open from nine a.m. to five p.m. At Christmas, coordinators and other social welfare groups will help distribute the toys to needy children in the community.

"We've been handling the program for about five years now and there has been positive feedback from the community." Duffy said.

Since the Toys for Tots program started more than 50 years ago, nearly 400 million toys have been collected and distributed to millions of needy children at Christmas.

For more information visit www.toysfortots.org.

By Nicole Dalrymple and Shaun Gallagher Team 3: Northeast

Technology: Potential FCC Bill Aims to Fill Broadband Gaps

The Federal Communications Commission could be proposing a bill that would further the expansion of broadband services through out the country.

The bill, as a New York Times article reports, would forbid broadband Internet service providers from blocking lawful content from its users, allowing providers to charge different rates for different levels of service to consumers.

In Philadelphia, according to the U.S. Census, 41 percent of residents reported not having access to Internet in their homes, compared to the 34 percent without access nationwide.

This lack of access in Philadelphia has been largely attributed to poverty. According to the U.S. Census, nearly 25 percent of Philadelphians live below the poverty level.

On Nov. 15, the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Austin Burke announced the launch of an interactive broadband map that would help individuals identify the availability and speed of broadband connections throughout the state.

The map, which will officially launch in February 2011, is the result of a $7.3 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Burke said it aims to identify the “gaps in service so [the state] can implement [the] statewide broadband plan and meet our access goals,” according to a press release.

Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski plans to give a speech in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday announcing the potential broadband expansion bill.

Maria Zankey and Tracy Galloway
Group 18

Port Richmond: A Memorable Jingle Bell Walk/Run

This Saturday, December 4, at 9:00 a.m., residents of Port Richmond will celebrate their fourth annual Peter J. Hanlon Memorial Jingle Bell Walk/Run. The walk/run is organized by the Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH) Division 87 and PROPAC to honor the memory of Peter Hanlon.

Despite his perfect health, Hanlon, 48, inexplicably died in June of 2007. Every year since his death, the Jingle Bell Walk/Run has been a tradition residents of Port Richmond have strived to uphold. Hanlon was a transportation manager for SEPTA as well as an officer in the AOH. His hobbies included, competing in marathons and traveling all over the United States. Hanlon was active in the Port Richmond community as a lector and member of the Parish Council at his church St. George, in Port Richmond. Since Hanlon was known for his appreciation and love for the Christmas season, community leaders celebrate Hanlon through their Jingle Bell Walk/Run.

Karen Stankiewicz, a family friend of the Hanlon’s said, “Pete’s gift to us was in knowing him and allowing us to share his love of life, family, friends, faith and the community. His death has left an unfulfilled void.”

Immediately following the race, Stankiewicz, along with other members of the Port Richmond community, will conclude the event with a pancake and sausage breakfast. Terry Lindsey-Welsh will also be accepting donations of new toys that will be displayed in the WXTU Toy Truck Parade the following Sunday morning, December 5. All the toys will benefit the Child Abuse Prevention Effort. Also, all the money raised by sponsors will be donated to the PJH Memorial Fund, which supports Port Richmond community organizations in honor of Hanlon.

“It’s just something nice to do during this time of year,” said Lindsey-Welsh. “It’s a hard time for [Hanlon’s friends and family] but through events like this, it makes the season a little more bearable and easier to get through.”

By: Chesney Davis and Ashley Huber

Center City: Building Through the Years

The Black Friday rush is over, but the holiday shopping continues and the perfect toy may just be one that is simple and educational. Legos and Lincoln Logs are just two examples of such toys that are on display at the Center for Architecture’s Constructing Play: Classic Building Toys exhibition. The exhibit explains the history of construction toys, most of which were invented over 175 years ago to be used for educational purposes in elementary schools.

“Toys are hands-on. There are a lot of people who can only learn that way.” said Jeff Stockbridge, whose first stop of the night was the car robot display.

This year’s toy exhibit was presented by the Center for Architecture, along with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Philadelphia Associates Committee, the American Institute of Architects Young Architects Forum and the General Building Contractors Association Young Constructors Committee. After two months of planning, two weeks of assembly, and over six weeks of building the One Liberty Place structure, the display kicked off with an opening reception and toy drive on November 26 at 5:30pm. The entry fee to the party was $20 or a toy donation to be contributed to the Philadelphia's Northern Home for Children. The display includes a historical journey in reverse chronological order from the 21^st Century to the early 20^th Century, documenting construction toys from K’Nex and House of Cards to Tinker Toys and Alphabet Blocks.

“The oldest toys were designed for use in the classroom, but by the 21^st century parents bought toys into the home,” explained David Bender, coordinator for the Center for Architecture.

Located at 1218 Arch Street, the Center for Architecture is home of the AIA Philadelphia is a chapter of the American Institute of Architects which represents over 1,400 members across southern Pennsylvania. The Center for Architecture works to collaborate with the architecture community as well as engage the public. The center offers lecture series, monthly film nights, book talks, professional programs and a walking tour of the city. The building includes a storefront for the AIA Bookstore and Design Center.

Bender considers that while newer toys have stricter child safety requirements, parents still buy the older and educational toys of the 20^th Century, for now.

So what’s the next building block in the construction toy world? The end of the exhibit presents Cubelets. These blocks come in a set of 20, and contain sensor, action, and operator blocks giving users the ability to create robots that move and react to various environmental stimuli. Each block has data built into it and when placed next to another block they communicate, allowing for a different outcome depending on the combination. Costing about $300, only 100 Cubelet kits, which according to Modular Robotics are not yet toys and are still being tested, are expected to be released in January 2011 intended for ages 8 and older.

The Center for Architecture’s Constructing Play: Classic Building Toys exhibition will be open until February 4 and is free admission, seven days a week. For more information visit http://www.philadelphiacfa.org/.

Keisha Frazier, Lisa Wilk Group 16

South Philadelphia: Programs Employing People

Four over forty years, Programs Employing People (PEP) have been serving the Philadelphia community. This non- profit organization was founded by a group of women who began a summer day camp for disabled children. Currently, the program has vastly grown and offers a variety of programs that provide support for people with developmental disabilities.

PEP now services over 300 people in the Philadelphia area, providing recreationally activities, educational programs and job placement services to people with mental handicaps. One of their programs include the production work center, which provides disabled adults with jobs at PEP. They are required to work 35 hours a week while being supervised by a trained employee. The goal of this particular program is to teach the worker new desired skills and techniques that they can use in all aspects of life. Their overall salary is determined by their output and production while on the job.

This is just one of the many programs offered by PEP. They also provide supporting employment, adult day programs, adult literacy and educational programs, arts and socialization programs, garden programs and camp PEP. Because 37 percent of this organization gains its funding by raising money or contributions, they hold a variety of events that raise money to support their programs. These activities include annual plant sales, flower sales and bowling fundraisers.

Since 1974 the nonprofit organization has offered manufacturing and production services as well. One of these services is the product assembly services. From kit assemblies to contract assemblies, their workers are able to do this because of their spacious work stations at PEP. Other manufacturing and production services at PEP are paper collating services, contract packaging services and document destruction services. Their facility maintenance services are also very widespread ranging from janitorial crews to window cleaning.

To provide all of these programs to the disabled, PEP’s budget is 2.9 million dollars. To help this organization with donations or volunteer work, visit their website.

By: Sheila Kane and James Rose

fa1020

Hunting Park: Community Members Keep Neighborhood Going

George Hunter sits in a circle with members of his community and begins to rattle off names.

“Papa was there, Jenny was there, Andy was there,” he says to the group.

He’s referring to a group of people who cleared a vacant lot in the community over the span of a year. However, as George speaks one thing becomes clear: the residents of the neighborhood are the heart of the community.

People like Leroy “Chuck” Fisher, founder and president of Hunting Park United are the heart of the community. It’s the passion of people like Hunter, his wife Catalina and Fisher that have helped make Hunting Park a better place.

For Fisher, the reason he and others donate countless hours to the community is not complicated.

“I live here,” he says. “It’s home.”

Andy Nolan, a community member who spearheaded the Hunting Park Community Garden is no different. Nolan donates as much of his time as possible to helping the community.

“It’s a dream,” says Nolan.

And although community members such as Hunter, Fisher and Nolan dedicate countless hours to the community they do not classify themselves as different from any other member of the neighborhood.

“There’s really not much to say [about me]," says Fisher. "[I'm] taking care of my home."

According to Matthew Lin, another Hunting Park resident, the hard work of the community has gone a long way.

“When you have homeowners who want to make a difference that brings stability to the community.”

Residents agree and for them, the future of their neighborhood is a bright one.

"It'll only get better," says Fisher.

West Oak Lane: Education under the Recovery Act

As part of the Recovery Act, $4.6 billion has been made available for Pennsylvania as of July 9 from the U.S. Department of Heath and Human Services. In total, $645.980,914 will be given to Philadelphia County. The stimulus funds will be distributed among the following areas: education, energy, environment, other infrastructure/housing, public safety, transportation infrastructure and the workforce.

(charts compliments of The Recovery Act in Pennsylvania)

Of the totally, $406,915,996 will be dedicated to education. All of the three charter schools in West Oak Lane were granted funds. West Oak Lane Charter School, housing grades K-8, will receive $547,370. Hope Charter School, housing grades 9-12, will receive $284,810. Imhotep Institute Charter High School, housing grades 9-12, will receive $387,164.

These funds will be used to expand Title I reading and math services, implement a Title I summer school or extended day program, provide intensive professional development for teachers and more.

The School District of Philadelphia as a whole will receive approximately $348,302,283. How the funds will exactly be distributed between school in the School District of Philadelphia was not determined by the official Recovery Act in Pennsylvania Web site.

However, schools outside of the School District of Philadelphia, such as the three charter schools in West Oak Lane, are receiving part of the money that was dedicated to the school district. Concerning special education, with the help of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) West Oak Lane Charter School will receive and estimated $131,395, Hope Charter School will receive an estimated $33,172 and Imhotep Institue Charter School will receive an estimated $201,199.

Samantha Krotzer and Andy Whitlatch

Germantown: Petitioners Want Town Hall to Go from Gloomy to Green

This year, much of Germantown is asking for one thing this holiday season: a redevelopment of Germantown’s Town Hall. With litter collected on the large stone steps of the historic massive building, many are petitioning to transform the crumbling figure into a modern-day LEED-certified (“green”) facility.

With bordering towns such as Mount Airy and Tioga, Germantown petitioners stress that the Town Hall will stand as the “regional center” of the neighborhood. Being said, Town Hall has been the significant architectural keystone at Haines Street and Germantown Avenue. Petitioners hope that by redeveloping the notable building, there is potential to raise the quality of life for people in the Northwest section of Philadelphia. The main prospect of Town Hall is to serve as a location for many of the city offices. Since the building is city property, it would be understandable that these offices include the District Attorney and Justice Center, State Representative Office, 8th Councilmatic District Office, WIC (Women, Infants, Children), Public Assistance, L and I (Licenses and Inspections), and even rooms for community meetings to be held.

Much of Germantown is speckled with historic buildings-- such as The Wyck House and Upsala-- that are inviting to visitors to Philadelphia. However, while driving down Germantown Avenue, many newcomers to the Germantown may wonder what the crumbling mass of history is. The crumbling and acid-worn facade brings a gloomy air to the avenue. As the Town Hall was built in 1855, the white granite columns, detailed dome roof, and sky-scraping clock display historic architecture that modern day architecture can not replicate.

As the building acted as the center of municipal offices for Northwest Philadelphia then, residents today hope that those of the area hope to renovate the building and revitalize its original purpose. The Central Germantown Council puts forward a figure from $10 to $15 million. UCI architects have studied the existing building and evaluated its present-day condition. The main concern is the decaying exterior of Town Hall, focusing on the roof. The first step would be to renovate the roof on the building, and move on to crumbling stone walls. Each wall would need to be resealed, along with replacing the windows. After the outside portion of the building would be set, the inside would need to be update entirely. UCI Architects found that the building did not meet many of today’s building codes-- which include Safety, Electrical, and Plumbing. Overall, a new HVAC and electrical system would need to be installed, along with adequate flooring.

To petition for the renovation of Germantown's Town Hall, sign the petition on-line at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/gth/signatures .

Team 10: Maria Santilli and Kali Wyrosdic

Fox Chase: MMA Academy in Unlikely Location

So, I’m walking along Oxford Avenue in Fox Chase one day, admiring the row of stores down the small neighborhood’s main street. 

There is a doughnut shop, car wash, McDonald’s, Wawa, Pizza joint, upscale restaurant, MMA Dojo, German market...wait, what was that last one?

Hm. Curious place for a Mixed Martial Arts Academy, don’t ya think?

“Actually, this place is a gold mine,” says Semper Fi MMA Academy Owner, Julio Rosario, an ex-Marine. “A friend of mine majored in business in school, and he said if you can get a place near a McDonald’s you will always have business. People are drawn to McDonald's chains and the stores around. He said they spend something like  $1 million on research to figure out where people are and if stores will work there.

“Think about it, do you ever see a closed McDonalds?”

Fair enough.

Rosario, 33, came home from his third tour in Iraq and his brother, a Philadelphia Police Officer, wanted to make sure he didn’t go back for a third. So they rented the space together and started their own business.

“It took about $20,000 to get it started,” said Rosario, who grew up in North Jersey. “We started with about four kids and now we have about 62 registered, which includes kids, teens and adults.

“The kids are my best students,” he continued. “A lot kids are being bullied and some can’t handle it and sadly some end up committing suicide. Learning these techniques gives them confidence, this gives them an opportunity to defend themselves.”

Rosario, who trains his students in MMA and jujitsu styles and also fights in matches sanctioned in Atlantic City and Philadelphia, thought about school and becoming a cop after the Marines, but loves what he’s doing now.

“I love teaching the kids,” Rosario says. “I love keeping them here and off the streets where they’re doing stuff they shouldn’t be doing.”

It’s easy to find. Just look for the bright store front with the mats and heavy-bags in the windows. Trust me. You can’t miss it.


By Tom Rowan Jr. and Gail Austin
Team 2: NE Philly

Germantown: Nostalgia Cafe Is Still Going Strong

Kris Prieto had her dreams come true on Sept. 1 when she became the owner and head chef of the space at 5815 Wayne Ave. in Germatown, which she named Nostalgia Cafe.

However, 45-year-old Prieto said that keeping that dream has been a bit hard because of fluctuating business.

"These are very hard times," she said. "I'm looking to expand beyond the neighborhood."

Prieto is not willing to give up this dream without a fight, especially because everyone who's come in the cafe after her Nov. 6 grand-opening loves her food and the atmosphere she provides.

To attract new clientele, Prieto said she was going to introduce a special for the teacher's who work at the schools in the Germantown/Mount Airy area, as well as offer to host and cater holiday parties for the local offices.

Prieto's chic blue, white and pink cafe is named after the antiques and heirlooms she used to decorate it. Antiques include her mother's childhood chair, an old tea set, old photograph frames, black and white photographs of mid-20th century celebrities and other objects from Prieto's life which provide her customers with the "feeling of homeyness and nostalgia."

Prieto said the menu selection showed she was conscious of nutrition and "respects everyone's palettes," which is why she includes non-diary and vegetarian items in brunch and dinner menu.

"I am determined to hang in there because everyone loves food, and I put love and attention to every dish," she said. "I have to have faith that will amount to something."

Group 08 Germantown/Mount Airy: Josh Fernandez and Kristen Mosbrucker