Philadelphia Daily Record

Vol. I No. 108

Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia

November 30, 2010

Philadelphia

Daily Record

A Bridge To Memory

RED, WHITE AND BLUE will be Benjamin Franklin Bridge on Dec. 7, colored to mark Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. See story page 2.

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elaware River Port Authority CEO John J. Matheussen has announced the Ben Franklin Bridge in December will have special lighting to mark the solemn observance of Pearl Harbor Day, promote the Army-Navy Football Game, and celebrate the holidays of Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s.

Football Game.

On Dec. 7, the bridge will have red, white and blue lighting to mark Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Dec. 9-12, the bridge will also have red, white and blue lighting for the annual Army-Navy

Then on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, the bridge will have the colors of the rainbow, red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple for hope in the New Year of 2011.

Gov. Rendell’s ThreeBill Veto Won’t Be Challenged

retreat before using deadly force and was included in a bill which expanded Megan’s Law requirements for sex offenders.

D

Both the leadership of the State House and the State Senate have indicated they will not be returning to the Capital in an attempt to override vetoes handed down by Gov. Ed Rendell as he is about to leave office.

Having to go through the gauntlet again next year is HB 1926 – the Castle Doctrine – which would extend legal protections to individuals who use deadly force in defense of life or property. It would eliminate the obligation for an individual to THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

During Dec. 1-6, and 8 the bridge will have blue and white lighting for Hanukkah.

Dec. 19-25 as well as Dec. 28-30, the bridge will have red and green lighting for the Christmas season.

Dec. 26 and 27, the bridge will have red, green and yellow lighting for the start of Kwanzaa.

Rendell also vetoed a bill to establish a presumption that any cancer diagnosis in a paid or volunteer firefighter was the result of firefighting activities and a county code bill which would limit the public availability of coroner records. State Sen. Christine Tartaglione promises to push the former measure through in the next session.

Major unions, including the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO and the Pennsylvania Professional Firefighters’ Union, supported the bill.

29 NOVEMBER, 2010

Be Ready For End Of Electric Rate Caps State Rep. Mike McGeehan is reminding all PECO customers when the electric rate caps expire on Jan. 1, each power consumer will have the ability to choose their own electricity supplier.

Consumers will have the option of staying with PECO or going with one of the 11 alternative electricity providers approved by the Public Utility Commission.

“I urge electric customers to educate themselves, to know the options they have, so they can get the most out of their utility dollars,” McGeehan said. “The alternative suppliers offer various discounts, bonuses and special rates for senior citizens and veterans, but it is up to the consumer to find out what provider can give them the best deal.”

McGeehan said the first step for a power consumer should be determining how much they currently pay for service, and then calculate their projected bill from PECO based on the rate of 9.92 cents per kilowatt hour starting Jan. 1.

At that point, customers should contact competitive suppliers and get information on the contract agreement and the kilowatt hour rate they offer. McGeehan empha29 NOVEMBER, 2010

sized the consumer should make certain the provider is on the list of those approved by the PUC. “Ask if it’s a fixed rate or a variable rate that can change by the hour or day,” McGeehan suggested. “Depending on how you schedule your day, such as when you use appliances the most, there could be a significant savings.”

There are other points to consider.

Does the supplier offer a budget billing plan? What is the length of the agreement? Can the supplier change the price during that time?

If so, when can it change and how are customers notified?

Is there a cancellation fee or penalty for switching suppliers?

Does the supplier offer a choice of energy sources, such as renewable energy? Will their customers get one bill, or two, based on PECO still providing the power delivery infrastructure?

Is there a bonus for signing up?

Do they guarantee special rates for seniors and veterans?

Sen. Farnese Won’t Take Pay Raise State Sen. Larry Farnese will not keep the automatic 1.7% cost-ofliving adjustment that goes into effect Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2010.

“Given today’s economy, I don’t think this is the right time for a salary increase,” said the Senator.

“Many people are out of work, retirees have gone two years without a cost-of-living increase, and Pennsylvania is facing a projected $4 billion to $5 billion budget deficit next year.”

Farnese will return the pay increase to the State Treasurer as he did in 2008. Lawmakers did not receive a cost-of-living increase last year. “I think it’s only right to return this pay raise to the taxpayers,” said Farnese.

McGeehan said electric consumers can learn more about their rights and options at the PA Power Switch website operated by the PUC at www.papowerswitch.com.

His office at 7731 Frankford Avenue can also provide assistance.

Its phone number is (215) 3339760.

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

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Digitally Connected Youth Get A Boost From Comcast Rey Ramsey, who grew up in Richard Allen Homes, founded One Economy, which runs after-school program that teaches young people in N. Phila. about broadband technologies. Now his program will be rolled out in more than 50 locations across the United States by the end of the year.

KATHLEEN SULLIVAN of Comcast welcomes her Executive VP David Cohen to podium at Honickman Center in North Central, where 43 young people are learning digitalliteracy skills, such as how to network computer labs, connect wireless access points and create video documentaries. Students then volunteer their time at various organizations in their communities, teaching them leadership skills and importance of giving back.

COUNCILMAN Darrell Clarke and Comcast’s Sheila Willard were proud to turn out for Project H.O.M.E.’s graduation ceremony at Honickman Center for Digital Connectors, program funded by a nearly $5 million commitment from Comcast and Comcast Foundation. People’s Emergency Center in W. Phila. also runs this program.

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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

29 NOVEMBER, 2010

3 Community Mtgs. Will Rethink School District’s Buildings grams such as Special Education,

he School District of

T

Philadelphia is hosting

The School District is seeking par-

Early Childhood, Career and

the last three of its first

ent and community input on its ef-

Technical Education, school size

phase public meetings to solicit

forts to ensure that school facilities

and the organization of grade lev-

input on the facilities master plan.

are maintained and configured to

els; learn about school facilities,

The first of these will be tonight.

maximize quality teaching and

and provide input on the proposed

The plan, titled “Imagine Great

learning. This is an opportunity

plan. Help determine the goals,

Schools,” is designed to align the

for parents and community mem-

outcomes and the process to

District’s facilities reforms with its

bers to learn about the District’s

achieve these goals.

instructional reforms.

plans to review academic pro-

All are invited to participate at the following locations from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Tuesday, November 30 Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts 901 S. Broad Street

Thursday, December 2 First District Plaza 3801 Market Street Tuesday, December 7 Roxborough Memorial Hospital 5800 Ridge Avenue

“Imagine Great Schools,” a key component of the District’s five-year strategic plan, Imagine 2014, will provide a roadmap for the District to review its facilities, determine necessary rightsizing adjustments and help guide where future investments need to be made. It will allow the District to focus its resources on learning environments that facilitate the improvement of student achievement and accelerate academic progress.

Faith Leaders To Attend AIDS Prayer Breakfast Sixty faith-based leaders will meet tomorrow morn-

FIGHT. The purpose will be to remember those who

ing at 8 a.m. at the Doubletree Hotel for world AIDS

died of AIDS and to encourage Faith Leaders to in-

Day Prayer Breakfast sponsored by Philadelphia

clude messages about HIV prevention in their work.

29 NOVEMBER, 2010

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

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With Our Critic Adam Taxin On ‘That Pretty Pretty’

Dec. 3Phila. FIGHT marks 20th anniversary gala at Ritz Carlton.

For ticket and other info (215) 525-8628.

Dec. 573rd Annual Rev. George Feider Memorial Communication Breakfast hosted by Millay Club alumni of Gorretti-Neumann HS, at Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing, 201 S,. Columbus Blvd., 9 a.m. Honored will be Penna. State Secretary Basil Merenda and others. Tickets $30. For info (215) 389-0925.

Dec. 8Fire Fighters Local 22 and Police FOP Lodge 5 host plaque dedication honoring 100th anniversary of largest loss of life which killed 13 firefighters, one police officer and two fire horses at Plaza Complex on 2nd St. south of Girard Ave., 11 a.m.

For info Jerry Kots (267) 5496326.

Dec. 14Portrait presentation of Hon. Sheldon C. Jelin at 4 p.m. in Room 653. Reception following in Conversation Hall.

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CHARLOTTE FORD AND CHRISTIE PARKER in Theatre Exile’s That Pretty Pretty: or, the Rape Play Theatergoers with tastes for provocative and/or experimental theater in particular may want to attend Theatre Exile’s That Pretty Pretty: or, the rape play before it

JS Heating & Air Condition Specialist.

closes its four-week run at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Old City this coming Sunday.

Written by Sheila Callaghan, a writer on the Showtime series The United States of Tara, and directed by Joe Canuso, director of and actor in many of Theatre

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215-755-2000 Fax: 215-689-4099 29 NOVEMBER, 2010

Exile’s plays, the 95-minute production evolves in unpredictable ways.

The initial scenes, taking place in a hotel room, include two veteranbut-not-yet-over-the-hill prostitutes (Charlotte Ford as more authoritative “Agnes” and Christie Parker as dimmer “Valerie”), as well as Jered McLenigan as an ill-fated “neocon” pro-life-conventioneer john. These early scenes, featuring the energetic acting that occurs throughout, plant the seeds for an overall theme of the challenge of having something stirring and original to say – in this case via blog or screenplay – in our jaded, less shockable era.

Canuso emphasizes, in the show’s program notes, the complications

29 NOVEMBER, 2010

of modern amorousness: “There was a time when relationships were a lot easier to understand.

Now we are bombarded by so many conflicting images of what it means to be a male or a female in today’s society. We are simultaneously attracted to and repulsed by provocative images.”

Theatre Exile refers to itself as “Philadelphia’s dependably unpredictable theatre company.” Given the appearances, as the show proceeds, of “Jane Fonda” (Amy Smith) and the character “Owen” (Allen Radway) in a dress, one is not inclined to argue to with that self-billing. What occurs on stage is frequently vulgar, certainly a far cry from the Christ Church activities that would have once been recognizable to one-time congre-

THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD

gants Benjamin Franklin and Betsy Ross. And at times the show almost seems as if trying to embody a Michael Savage-type straw-man parody of dubious taxpayer-viaNEA funding.

This reviewer agrees, for better or for worse, with what the show’s dramaturgist, Sally Ollove, writes in the program notes: “Sometimes That Pretty Pretty feels almost Dadist in its non sequiturs …. Just as soon as you’ve grabbed onto the thread of story, it slips away.”

Thus, when That Pretty Pretty appeared to leave many audience members confused and either disturbed or semi-numb, that apparently was the point.

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