Vol. II No. 94 (254)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
July 6, 2011
Philadelphia Daily Record
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The Philadelphia Public Record Calendar Jul. 10Benefit for Women Veterans hosted by Cathy Santos at Mom’s Kitchen Table Garden Courtyard, 2317 Ridge Ave., 4-9 p. m. For info Cathy Santos (215) 834-4228. Jul. 15Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell celebrates her birthday with 14th annual Celebration and Health Fair for Homeless on City Hall’s Dilworth Plaza, 12 m.-3 p.m. Jul. 15Councilman Curtis Jones celebrates his birthday with White Linen Party at Centennial Café, 4700 States Dr., Fairmount Pk., 8-11 p.m. Donation $50. For info (267) 912-1420 or email SamanthaJoyWilliams@gmail.com Jul. 19Fundraiser for Council candidate David Oh at McGillin’s Ale House, 1310 Drury St., 6-8. Free buffet, open bar. Contribution $50. Cash or money
order. No Corporate checks. Jul. 23Brady Bunch get-together at Keenan’s at 113 Old New Jersey Av., North Wildwood, N.J., 4-8 p.m. Tickets $35. For info Tommy (215) 423-9027 or Charlie (215) 241-7804. Aug. 18Stu Bykofsky’s 21st Candidates Comedy Night at Finnigan’s Wake, 3rd & Spring Garden Sts., 7:30 p.m. Tickets $75. Order by calling Variety (215) 735-0803. Aug. 27Fundraiser for Joe McCloskey Memorial Fund at Quaker City Yacht Club, 7101 N. Delaware Ave., 3-7 p.m. Soda, beer, food, music, door prizes. Tickets $25. For info Michael Sullivan (856) 461-7720 or John L. Sullivan (215) 332-4873 or www.goople27thpal.com.
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2011-2012 budget are achieved.” That authority will include the ability to establish or modify eligibility and assistance categories, establish or revise provider payUS Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) announced the designation ment rates, fee schedules and qualifications, and auof the Arch Street Friends Meeting House in Philadel- thorize providers to condition the delivery of care or phia as a national historic landmark by the US Dept. of services on the payment of any copayments. the Interior. However, the federal government does establish limits “With its new designation as a national historic land- to what can be done related on fees or conditions permark, the Arch Street Friends Meeting House will con- taining to the various federally-funded welfare protinue to preserve and showcase Philadelphia’s rich grams operated by the State, including Medicaid. history and connect people to our cultural heritage,” Opponents criticized the amount of authority the bill said the Senator. will give the department, and argued it still will not help The Arch Street Friends Meeting House is the largest DPW find the expected savings. Quaker Meeting House in the country. It was built by noted Federal period architect and author Owen Biddle “What this department is asking to be done is unprecedented, they should not have that power to just be able and has been in continuous use since 1805. to change [regulations] because they think they can get National historic landmarks receive a designation letter, to $400 million in savings, which, by now, they should plaque and technical preservation advice from the Na- know they can’t,” said State Sen. Shirley Kitchen (Dtional Park Service. N. Phila.), who is also minority chair of the Senate Public Health & Welfare Committee.
Casey Announces New National Historic Landmark
Law Gives Governor Unilateral Power For More Cuts
Gov. Tom Corbett has signed into law a new code that will give the Dept. of Public Welfare unprecedented authority over the next year to make changes in benefits, eligibility and provider payments with little required legislative oversight or public comment. The goal of the new code is to give wide latitude to the Administration to find the more than $400 million in savings mandated by the 2011-12 State budget. Most of the savings are expected to come from a second round of funding reductions in social and health services in the budget approved for the Commonwealth last week, although the Corbett Administration hopes to uncover “waste, abuse and fraud” to find some of the savings.
The legislation also restricts the Department from entering into any new contracts for consulting or professional services unless the Department doesn’t have enough staff or existing staff lacks the requisite expertise. If the Department lacks enough staff, contracting for additional help will only be allowed if it would be more cost efficient to contract for the service than to hire new staff. Additional provisions seek to ensure that a currently available system to cross-check applicant eligibility information is used by all County assistance office personnel during the application process. It would also require that applicants for assistance receive the benefits to which they are eligible in their County of permanent residence.
These provisions will also impose mandatory random The new law provides “expedited rulemaking authordrug testing for welfare recipients convicted of drugity” for DPW Secretary Gary Alexander for one year related felonies and allow the Department to make “to ensure the savings indicated in the State fiscal year 13 JUNE, 2011
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changes to its Special Allowances Program, including a reduction of annual and lifetime limits for this program by up to 25%. The program currently expends nearly $20 million in State funds to provide supportive assistance to welfare recipients attempting to transition off of public assistance and into a job. The assistance can take the form of clothing, testing fees, union dues or professional fees, books and supplies – including tools – and limited transportation costs. A 2006-07 audit conducted by Auditor General Jack Wagner, and a 2009 follow-up audit, both reported the monitoring controls over all the special allowances payments were “materially weak,” opening the door for potential fraud, waste and abuse.
for inmates in County correctional institutions would be contributed by the inmate’s County of residence.
Johnson Co-Sponsors Tenant Protection Bill State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson (D-S. Phila.) is co-sponsoring a bill that would protect renters if their landlords face foreclosure on the rental property. Johnson said the legislation would require landlords to provide a certified copy of foreclosure notices to all tenants of a property under the threat of foreclosure at least 60 days prior to the termination date specified in the notification.
In addition, this bill protects month-to-month and The bill also grants the Department the ability to alter week-to-week tenants by requiring landlords to provide the benefits offered by the state’s current Medical As- them with certified documentation 30 days prior to the sistance dental and pharmacy services packages. Those termination date. changes, which will likely involve reductions in current benefit levels, will only apply to recipients age 21 or “Without proper notice, tenants are then forced to reolder, with special needs and nursing-home patients ex- move their personal property and relocate to a new residence in a rush at the time of foreclosure,” Johnson empted. said. “This experience can be extremely devastating for And while it won’t necessarily reduce the State’s wel- individuals and families.” fare spending, the bill contains a provision to add correctional-facility inmates to the Commonwealth’s Stack, McGeehan: Relief Sewer Medical Assistance population. Inmates of County or Along State Rd. Is Nearly Done State correctional facilities who meet current medicalassistance eligibility requirements would be deemed el- State Sen. Mike Stack and State Rep. Mike McGeehan igible for medical-assistance benefits in order to draw (both D-Northeast) announced the current relief sewer down federal matching funds. Eligible inmates must re- project along State Road is 80% complete and the ceive their care outside the correctional facility at a Philadelphia Water Dept. expects the project to be completed by the end of the year. medical facility. This policy change would help to reduce the Dept. of Correction’s budget. Instead of paying for 100% of an inmate’s medical care, the cost of care of an inmate enrolled in the Medical Assistance program would be split between the State and the federal government.
“This work is not an easy undertaking, but despite the difficult labor, a harsh winter and unusually wet spring, the water department assures the community that project is well under way and the end is in sight,” Stack said. “Rep. McGeehan and I ask for the community’s continued patience as this project continues.”
County governments would also see significant savings, splitting their costs with the federal government. “I appreciate the water department and the contractor’s The State share of the costs of Medical Assistance care 4|
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efforts to ensure that this project is completed in a timely manner so that the residents and motorists living nearby are only temporarily inconvenienced,” McGeehan said. “Once the project is complete, we will all be able to appreciate cleaner waterways and fewer incidents of flooding.”
Friends Of Wissahickon Cut Erosion in Wissahickon Valley
PWD is constructing a parallel relief sewer under State Road from Ashburner Street to Fitler Street to minimize effects of sewer overflows from the existing Poquessing Interceptor Sewer System and preserve the water quality of the Poquessing Creek. The Friends of the Wissahickon is making substantial The JPC Group, Inc. of Philadelphia is PWD’s general progress on the Wissahickon Stormwater Mitigation contractor for the project. and Sediment Reduction Project, a two-year project in partnership with the Natural Resources staff of FairCurrently, a new water main is being installed under mount Park, which will reduce sediment, improve James and Fitler Streets and relocating the last section water quality, protect drinking water sources, and reof existing sewer piping under State Road between store critical wildlife habitat. Arendell and Linden Streets. The water-main replacement is slated for completion in late July, and the sewer This summer, FOW is working on four severe erosion sites on the west side of the Wissahickon gorge: Bluewill be completed by early September. bell Meadow Pavilion; Historic RittenhouseTown; By early August, all work on the relief sewer will be Kitchens Lane White Trail; and Kitchen’s Lane Gully. completed, with the exception of the two terminal All the sites carry substantial stormwater volume and chambers, located at Fitler Street and State Road and sedimentation into the Wissahickon Creek, damaging at Ashburner Street and State Road. Landscape restora- the riparian and upland habitats in the watershed, and include stormwater gullies and degraded trail corridors. tion will be completed in the fall. All four projects include any necessary trail repair. Additionally, workers are constructing sanitary and The Friends of the Wissahickon, founded in 1924, is a storm sewers along Arendell Street from State Road to nonprofit organization dedicated to maintaining the James Street to alleviate ongoing flooding problems in Wissahickon Valley. FOW works in partnership with the area. Philadelphia Parks and Recreation to restore historical The Water Dept., working in conjunction with the structures throughout the park, eliminate invasive plant Delaware River City Corp. on their Greenway Trail species, monitor watershed management issues, and reproject, has modified paving restoration plans to pro- store trails throughout the park system with its Sustainvide for relocation of the east curb line of State Road, able Trails Initiative. FOW’s work protects the between Pennypack Street and Linden Avenue to in- Wissahickon watershed and preserves the natural and clude a fence, hydrant and storm-inlet relocations, to historical features of this spectacular urban wilderness for future generations. For more information, visit prepare the site for future trail construction. www.fow.org. 6 JULY, 2011
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Lawyers, Judges Honored By Pa. Bar Association For Assisting The Poor
notions that drove it, several Black aviators established the National Airmen Association of America to increase the number of African American aviators.
The Pennsylvania Bar Association Legal Services to the Public Committee has presented awards to lawyers deserving special recognition for voluntary efforts to provide free and reduced-fee legal representation to low-income Pennsylvanians. The committee presented Attorney Pro Bono Awards to individual lawyers and to law firms for noteworthy pro bono efforts.
In 1939, Dale White and Chauncey Spencer piloted an aircraft from Chicago to Washington, D.C. to gather support for the inclusion of African Americans in the Army Air Corps. That same year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Civilian Pilot Training Program in anticipation of the inevitable conflict. The Tuskegee Institute in Alabama was one of six Black colleges the military chose to provide flight instruction to African American civilians. Amid continual debate whether Blacks should be enlisted, in 1940 President Roosevelt directed the Army to train Black pilots and qualified black officers.
The committee also presented a Judges Award to a Pennsylvania jurist for improving civil legal aid, the Civil Legal Aid Attorney of the Year Award to a lawyer demonstrating outstanding commitment to providing legal services for the needy, and the Pro Bono Partner Award to a non-attorney who supports legal services to Seventy years ago on Jul. 19, the Army Air Corps prothe needy. The award winners included two Philadelgram at Tuskegee commenced as the first class of 13 phia legal leaders. African American aviation cadets began military flight Cheryl Jacobs, Cheryl Jacobs Law Group PC, received training. These men and their Tuskegee colleagues the Attorney Pro Bono Award – for providing more would go down in history as decorated war heroes and than 500 volunteer hours to Philadelphia VIP’s Resi- the driving force behind President Harry S. Truman’s dential Mortgage Foreclosure Diversion Program, Executive Order in 1948 that ended segregation in the which assists low-income homeowners who cannot af- military. ford the services of legal professionals to help save Tuskegee Airmen: 70 Years of Aviation History chrontheir homes from foreclosure proceedings. icles the proud and inspiring story of the Tuskegee AirChief Justice Ronald D. Castille, Supreme Court of men through 50 black and white images in an exhibit Pennsylvania: Judges Award – for calling upon all unveiled on Jun. 30 at Philadelphia International AirPennsylvania lawyers to provide pro bono services, for port. Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Deputy Mayor, Transadvancing the improvement of legal services for the portation and Utilities Rina Cutler, Airport CEO Mark poor and for supporting the innovative loan forgiveness Gale, City Representative and Wawa Welcome America! Director Melanie Johnson and several of the program benefiting legal-aid lawyers. Tuskegee Airmen helped dedicate the new exhibit in Airport Exhibit Celebrates Terminal A-East, post-security as part of the City’s ofTuskegee Airmen’s Historic ficial Wawa Welcome America! festivities. The exhibit Legacy will be on display until June 2012. In the pre-World War II United States, the military, like “The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is an important one most of the country, was segregated and African-Amer- in our nation’s history and it is very fitting that this exicans were barred from becoming military pilots. In an hibit is dedicated as an official part of the City’s Wawa effort to change this unjust policy and the preconceived Welcome America! festivities that are in full swing as 6|
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we celebrate our nation’s birthday right here in Air Force Generals, President George W. Bush saluting Philadelphia,” Nutter said. the Airmen as they are awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 2007, and President Bill Clinton Through the historic photos in the exhibit, one can see pinning Four Star General Benjamin O. Davis, who in the first class of 13 cadets and get a glimpse into their 1942 became one of the first African- Americans to training as military pilots and learn of their accomplishqualify as a military pilot in any branch of the armed ments as war heroes. The Tuskegee legacy is apparent forces. in the form of official portraits of African-American
One ‘Gone With The Wind’ Star Lingers In Our Memory
LESS ENDURING than Scarlett O’Hara, Phila.’s tony Boyd Theatre, where Gone With The Wind premiered, no longer brings Hollywood dreams to town. by Adam Taxin It has been just over 72½ years since the highly-anticipated first run of Gone With The Wind arrived at local movie palaces such as Center City’s Art Deco-style Boyd Theater (1908 Chestnut Street) and the English Renaissance-interiored Media Theatre (which still exists, but as a professional live theater) in the Delaware Co. seat. Less than three decades afterward, just about all the actors and actresses playing the epic film’s main characters had passed away, having not been blessed with long lives: 6 JULY, 2011
STACEY ALBERT of City Controller/’s Office organized a tribute to Olivia de Havilland in honor of actress’s 95th birthday. Vivien Leigh, who played protagonist central Scarlett O’Hara, passed away in July 1967 from tuberculosis at the age of 53. The life of Clark Gable (Rhett Butler) was claimed in November 1960, when he was 59, by a coronary thrombosis, ten days after he had suffered a severe heart attack. In June 1943, the life of Leslie Howard (Ashley Wilkes) was cut short at 50, when, while he was involved in propaganda and possibly intelligence work for his native Britain during World War II, his plane was shot down by the Nazi Germans. Hattie McDaniel (Mammy), who won an Oscar (the first Black to do so and the only Black to do so until 1963) for Best Supporting Actress, died of breast cancer at 57 in 1952.
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However, there is one notable exception: Olivia de Havilland, whose character Melanie Hamilton Wilkes, ironically enough, loses her life at a tragically young age. This past Friday marked 95 years since the actress was born. In quick summary, de Havilland was born in Tokyo, Japan to a father with an overseas patent-law practice and an actress mother. Both she and her sister, Joan Fontaine (Rebecca, Suspicion, The Constant Nymph, Ivanhoe) were among the 1930s’ leading motion picture actresses. De Havilland’s film debut was 1935’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. She is probably best known for her role in 1939’s Gone With The Wind and 1938’s The Adventures Of Robin Hood, in which she played Maid Marian. Although losing the 1939 Best Supporting Actress Oscar, for which she was nominated, to McDaniel, de Havilland eventually won two Best Actress Oscars, for her roles as Miss Josephine “Jody” Harris in 1946’s To Each His Own and as Catherine Sloper in 1949’s The Heiress. Married twice and the mother of two children, de Havilland has resided in Paris since the 1950s.
push myself.” According to Kuhn: “Last October, my wife and I were in Paris to celebrate our 25th anniversary. And we were at Olivia’s house. We were to have cocktails with her. But something got snafued, and we didn’t have the opportunity. But we were at her house, and it was still quite a thrill. Her staff had forgotten to tell her earlier in the day that I was going to be there. She did say, however, that if I were available the next morning, that we would meet for brunch. But, unfortunately, that was when I had to leave.” Kuhn states: “She’s a wonderful lady, and she’s in great shape. She’s coming out to California in September. Her daughter is getting married, and she’s going to be at the wedding. I’m hoping and I’m praying, that [Turner Classic Movies host] Robert Osborne can arrange a meeting for us.”
Kuhn also notes de Havilland’s concern about Stalinist atrocities and her resistance to efforts of the international Communist movement to infiltrate Hollywood. Mickey Kuhn, who, in Gone With The Wind, played de He states, “It’s nice to know that she was one of those Havilland’s character’s son Beau Wilkes as a seven- in Hollywood who saw through the Communist plot.” year-old, has been communicating with de Havilland in recent years via letters and notes. He offers this as- This past Thursday night, Stacey Albert, an audit mansessment of her: “She’s a lovely lady. She’s just the ager for the City of Philadelphia’s Office of the Controller, hosted a get-together – featuring viewings of epitome of class. And she’s a delight to talk to.” The Adventures Of Robin Hood and Gone With The However, Kuhn shares a detail that may be surprising Wind – for friends in honor of de Havilland’s 95th birthabout his interaction on the set with de Havilland: “I day. Albert relates personally to the role of Melanie have to be honest with you. I never met Olivia when I Wilkes. was working. Can you believe that? When [her character] was dying, she was behind closed doors, and that “Olivia almost always played the shy character [note: de Havilland was displeased, as her career developed, was just a fake wall. I never met her.” by what she felt was typecasting], never getting the In fact, Kuhn “never had the opportunity to meet her spotlight. That’s like most of us as we live our lives ... until her 90th birthday. They had a 90th birthday party in the shadow of a sister, brother or other family memfor her out in Hollywood, and I was invited. I just bers. Almost the only major role of hers in which she briefly met her because those Hollywood types wanted didn’t play this kind of character was in The Adventures to dominate her. Being the gentleman that I am, I didn’t Of Robin Hood. 8|
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“That’s why I relate. My late sister Alison, who loved to view their favorite film of all time. AcknowledgeGone With The Wind, was like Vivien Leigh’s Scarlett, ments are made on the stage of the Strand [Theatre in and I guess I’m in some ways like Melanie.” Marietta], and then an introduction of Robert Osborne. He steps on stage to a lone spotlight, and following the Albert adds: “Robin Hood was one of my favorite necessary acknowledgments, pauses and says, ‘Ladies movies growing up. Maid Marian was beautiful, and and gentlemen, Miss Olivia de Havilland’.” the most honorable swashbuckler was in love with her. Who could ask for more?” Sutherland continues: “In the dimly lit theatre, one of the most-recognizable voices known to Hollywood beLeigh Mills, the webmaster of vivien-leigh.com, notes gins to resonate through the beautiful walls of the the relationship between the movie’s two most promi- Strand as Miss de Havilland acknowledges actress Ann nent actresses: “Olivia de Havilland and Vivien Leigh Rutherford [Carreen O’Hara] along with ‘three of her were comrades during the tiresome, stressful filming of sons’ [Kuhn, Patrick Curtis [who played Beau as a todGone With The Wind, and they kept in touch after the dler] and Greg Geise [who played both infant Beau and film wrapped. De Havilland has only the kindest words infant Bonnie Blue Butler]. Then she introduces Gone when remembering Vivien, calling her exquisite, ele- With The Wind, and the audience erupts in thundering gant, and composed. Yet these qualities, I think, per- applause. It was one of the most memorable evenings fectly describe Miss de Havilland herself.” for Gone With The Wind fans I’ve encountered, and this wonderful gracious lady made it all possible. She is, in Connie Sutherland, director of the Marietta Gone With a word, splendid.” The Wind Museum in Marietta, Ga., reflects on her own interaction with de Havilland: “In 2009, the mu- And Sutherland concludes with a hint for de Havilland seum hosted its grandest event to date, a ‘70th Anniver- which is much less subtle than anything Melanie sary Re-Premiere’ weekend. While de Havilland was Hamilton Wilkes would have typically said: “Our munot able to come in from Paris to attend the event, she seum would never be the same – actually, I would never was gracious enough to provide an audio recording cen- be the same – should she ever agree to grace us with an tered around the event, to introduce the weekend’s appearance.” screening of Gone With The Wind. At that time, she had only done such things for the Academy of Motion Pic- - - - - - - - - - - - - ture Arts & Sciences. A version of this story was published last Friday in the As Sutherland describes: “Imagine, if you will, 500 writer’s Philadelphia Jewish Culture Examiner column fans who have enjoyed a weekend of all things Gone on examiner.com. With The Wind and who have settled in for an evening
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