Vol. II No. 135 (295)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
September 8, 2011
Philadelphia Daily Record
Lots of Energy
PHILA. WAS BUZZING yesterday as a major conference opened at Convention Center for Marcellus Shale energy companies. Outside, thousands of demonstrators protested development of Marcellus natural-gas reserves by controversial hydraulic-fracturing method. Story page X.
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The Philadelphia Public Record Calendar Sep. 101st Nat’l Organizational Policy Summit at School District Bldg. Main Audit., 440 N. Broad St. to fight for additional federal and State funding, 10 a.m.-1 p.m. For info Dr. Churchville (215) 8488511 or Mr. Adams (215) 3972734.
Mario Lanza Institute & Museum will be beneficiary of 3-tenor concert featuring Viktor Antipenko, Luigi Boccia and Maurice El Zein at Settlement Music Sch., 416 Queen St., 7 p.m. Ticket $25. For info (215) 238-9691.
Sep. 1611th Ward Fish Fry at Lou & Choo’s, 21st & Hunting Pk. Ave., 5Sep. 109 p.m. Tickets $10. For info V. Billy Meehan Clambake at Tutie Edwards (215) 228-3134. Cannstatter Volksfest Verein, 9130 Academy Rd., 4-8 p.m. $100 per Sep. 16person. For info Carmella (215) Fundraiser for Bill Rubin, Democ561-0650. rat candidate for City Council 10th Sep. 10Jobs with Justice and DC 47 President Emeritus Gary Kapanowski hold Sustainer Soiree in Sir Francis Rm. at The Drake, 1512 Spruce St., 7 p.m.-12 a.m.
Dist., at Ashburner Tavern, 8400 Torresdale Ave., 5-8 p.m. Tickets $25. For info Ed McMullin (215) 510-0444.
Sep. 17Ward Leader John Sabatina hosts Fall Picnic, in conjunction with Democrat Wards 35, 53, 55, and 63 Sep. 11Phila. Firefighters Union Local 22 at Burholme Pk., Central Ave., and Penn Treaty Special Services from 1:30 p.m. $35 donation. Dist. invite all to attend unveiling of “All the Heroes of 9/11” Memo- Sep. 17rial at Local 22 Union Headquar- Autism Beef & Beer Fundraiser at EOM Club, 138 Moore St., 7-11 ters, 5th & Willow, 1 p.m. Sep. 11p.m. 50/50 raffles, silent auction. Swimming Pool Party Fundraiser Tickets $30. Call Mina Deever for GOP Traffic Court Judge can- (215) 427-1133 or email cjdedidate Lewis Harris, Jr. at 6824 ver@aol.com. Greenway Ave., 3-8 p.m. For info (215) 469-4648. Sep. 18Sep. 15Korean Folk Festival for Children Senior Fair sponsored by State at John Russell Field, 7420 Rep. Brendan F. Boyle at Klein Penrose Ave., Elkins Pk., Pa. 1-5 JCC, 1100 Jamison Ave., 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Free. For info (215) 884-8443. p.m. For info (215) 342-1700. Sep. 15President John McNesby and FOP Lodge 5 host City Council candidates at 1336 Spring Garden St., 5:30 p.m. By invitation. Sep. 15THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
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Despite Expectations Of More Terrorist Attacks, It’s Life As Usual For Most By overwhelming margins, New Yorkers and Americans in general are not allowing concerns about terrorism to control their lives, but 58% of New York City voters, 54% of New Jersey voters and 49% of voters nationwide believe “another terrorist attack in New York City, causing large numbers of lives to be lost,” is very likely or somewhat likely, according to results of three Quinnipiac University polls released today. The polls compare attitudes among New Yorkers, New Jersey residents and voters nationwide. A total of 36% of American voters are “very worried” or “somewhat worried” about another terrorist attack somewhere in the US in the next few months, the independent Quinnipiac University poll finds. This is down from 62% in an Aug. 29, 2006, survey, just before the fifth anniversary of 9/11. Despite these concerns, 78% of American voters, 76% of New Jersey voters and 70% of New York City voters say their family is going about day-to-day life as usual. “Across the nation, fears of another 9/11 have faded a lot. At Ground Zero, New Yorkers are still worried,” said Maurice Carroll, director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. “New Yorkers were the terrorist target on 9/11 and they’re more fearful – more than their New Jersey neigh25 AUGUST, 2011
bors, more than the nation as a whole – that it might happen again.” Overwhelmingly, though – if a shade less in New York City than elsewhere – it’s life as usual. Historians will consider the 9/11 attack more significant than the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, New York City voters say 45-32%. Men say 44-34% Pearl Harbor is more significant, but women point 54-23% to 9/11. Voters nationwide tip to Pearl Harbor 45-43%, with women citing 9/11 50-36% and men pointing to Pearl Harbor 5535%. In an open-ended question, allowing for any answer, 14% of American voters list New York as the US city they would most like to visit, followed by Washington at 7%. New York was at 13% in a Dec. 10, 2001, Quinnipiac University poll. New York is safer since the 9/11 attacks, 31% of American voters say, while 57% say it is about as safe and 8% say less safe. Since the attacks, 14% of voters nationwide say they are more likely to visit New York, with 15% less likely and 67% about as likely. Since 9/11, 19% of Americans are less likely to travel by plane, while 9% are more likely and 69% are about as likely. There is almost no gender gap.
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, PhD, conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio, Virginia and the nation as a public service and for research.
Marcellus Shale Conference Draws Thousands For, Against Gas Drilling Philadelphia is getting its first taste of big natural-gas business as the major players in development of the huge Marcellus Shale play attend a two-day conference, Shale Gas Insights, at the Convention Center. Gov. Tom Corbett addressed the body, as did two of his predecessors, Ed Rendell and Tom Ridge. His Lieutenant Governor, Jim Cawley, who chaired the Marcellus Shale Advisory Commission which evaluated regulations for the new drilling technology, also delivered remarks. Trooping to the affair were the leaders of most of the companies and industry bodies involved in Marcellus Shale exploitation, including J. Brett Harvey, CEO of CONSOL Energy Inc.; Christopher A. Helms, executive VP of NiSource Gas Transmission & Storage; Aubrey K. McClendon, CEO of Chesapeake Energy; John H. Pinkerton, CEO of Range Re|
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sources; Paul Smith, executive VP of Talisman Energy; and John P. Surma, CEO of United States Steel Corp. Public relations, legal and financial professionals have led panel and roundtable discussions on how to address the opportunities and challenges posed by shale development. The convention has also been an exhibition gallery showcasing the industry’s foremost companies, products and services, as well as the Innovation Expo, featuring breakthrough technologies in the natural gas industry. The Marcellus Shale Coalition, an industry group which organized the convention, promised “numerous networking opportunities” as well. Other networkers gathered by the hundreds outside the Convention
Center to protest the rapid development of the Marcellus Shale. Public-health and environmental advocates led by the groups Food & Water Watch, Protecting our Waters, United for Action and the Delaware Riverkeeper Network came together to denounce hydraulic fracturing in an event they call Shale Gas Outrage. A spirited 1,000-person march wound through Center City, shouting at the EPA to crack down on the fracking industry and concluding at Corbett’s Southeastern Pennsylvania office. The economic promise of fracking is in question following a USGS analysis that forced the US Dept. of Energy to lower its estimated reserves of gas in the Marcellus Shale by 80%. In August, New York State Attorney General Eric
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Schneiderman sent subpoenas to Range Resources, Cabot Oil & Gas, Goodrich Petroleum and Chesapeake Energy, four of the nation’s largest energy companies, to determine if they are overstating their natural-gas production. This followed a New York Times investigation, which maintained the industry is over-predicting gas forecasts. Activist crowd of 1,500 confronts Marcellus Shale industry. Numerous anti-fracking presentations have been held across Philadelphia yesterday and today in what amounts to a “shadow convention” for the other side in the Marcellus Shale debate.
Center City District Restaurant Week Begins Monday It’s that time of the year when restaurants offer marked down dinners. Under the auspices of the Center City District, the celebration continues for two weeks: Sep. 12-16 and Sep. 18-23! This fall’s Restaurant Week promises to be more exciting than ever – and green! It’s not too late to make a reservation for three-course meals for $35 in 119 restaurants and three-course lunches for just $20 in 51 of these eateries. (Prices do not include tax, alcohol and gratuity.) Beginning Monday, the first day of Restaurant Week, you’ll find more than a dozen seasonal recipes and other useful cooking information on the CCD’s website, http://www.CenterCityPhila.org.A nd there’s more! You can easily ac-
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THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
8 SEPTEMBER, 2011
cess Center City District Restaurant Week Presented by TD Bank on the go! Center City District Restaurant Week Presented by TD
Bank now has a mobile website, which makes it even easier to find a restaurant, see the menu and make reservations right from your
phone. Find it at http://m.centercityphila.org.
SEPTA Celebrates Renovated Historic Queen Lane Station SEPTA officially marked the end of an award-winning renovation project at its Queen Lane Regional Rail station with a ribbon cutting ceremony. SEPTA General Mgr. Joseph Casey, elected officials and community leaders celebrated the improvements made to the historic station, which serves SEPTA’s Chestnut Hill West Line. “Queen Lane Station has held an important place in its community for more than 125 years,” said Casey. “This renovation project has incorporated modern amenities while restoring the station’s 19thcentury character.” Queen Lane Station dates to 1885 and was designed by W. Bleddyn Powell, renowned Pennsylvania
Railroad architect and the third architect of Philadelphia’s City Hall. The 15-month improvement project at Queen Lane cost almost $4.1 million and included restoration of the existing station building’s exterior, pedestrian bridge and passenger shelters; refurbishing station-building porch; renewing platform surfaces; constructing new concrete stairs; installing new lighting, signage, landscaping, benches and trash receptacles; and resurfacing the outbound parking lot. The Queen Lane renovations, along with historical reconstruction projects completed at SEPTA’s Allen Lane, CliftonAldan, Folcroft, Morton and North
Wales Regional Rail stations, earned SEPTA a 2011 Preservation Achievement Award from the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia. “In these improvement and modernization projects we worked hard to preserve the stations’ historical integrity while updating the facilities’ technology and passenger amenities,” said Casey. “The recognition received from the Preservation Alliance is a tribute to the dedication of SEPTA’s Capital Construction Department and our contractors to ensure that, once the projects were completed, we would offer our passengers the best of the past and the future.”
City Wins 2nd Straight Technical Award Emerging from a pool of more than 20 local governments, the City of Philadelphia has been selected to receive another year of intensive technical assistance from Code for America Fellows, thanks in part to support from the John S. & James L. Knight Foundation. Based on Teach for America, the program recruits the top talent from the technology industry to 8 SEPTEMBER, 2011
give a year of service to build innovative web applications that make city governments more open, participatory and efficient. Through a competitive process, Code for America chooses cities whose proposals reflect a deep understanding of the power that technology can bring to local governments. Philadelphia was selected for the inaugural 2011 program. Its selection for a second THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
year demonstrates the deep and productive partnership between the City and Code for America. “Selection by Code for America for a second straight year is evidence that Philadelphia is at the forefront of the movement towards more open, transparent and participatory urban governance,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “We look forward to a second year of |
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collaboration with Code for America as we deploy powerful, sophisticated Internet-based social media tools that make it easier for citizens to get things done in their neighborhoods.”
CfA and Local Projects are deploying in 2011. Change By Us enables citizens to share ideas on how to strengthen their communities, and then connect with each other to turn those ideas into action.
Knight Foundation supported the 2011 engagement and will fund the 2012 project as part of its Technology for Engagement Initiative, which supports projects that help communities use technology for action.
In 2011, the Code for America fellows conducted on-the-ground research, connecting with neighborhood groups, learning about the needs of civic leaders and customizing the platform to meet the needs of Philadelphians. Throughout the year, they have met with hundreds of local leaders, both inside and outside City Hall, hosted events to generate interest in the program, and have built multiple “apps” for Philadelphia, such as tools to explore public art, track City Council meetings, find community groups and understand the impact of transportation choices.
“Code for America is empowering a greater number of citizens to participate more deeply in local issues. We’re looking forward to seeing how the fellows help bring new voices from Philadelphia’s neighborhoods to decision making in the city,” said Donna FrisbyGreenwood, Philadelphia program director for Knight Foundation, which promotes informed and engaged communities. “Philadelphia has been one of our strongest partners, both inside and outside City Hall,” said Jennifer Pahlka, founder and executive director of Code for America. “With the support of Knight Foundation, we are able to work with the city on our first multiyear engagement, and we expect that to pay dividends for the citizens of Philadelphia.” In 2012, the Code for America fellows in Philadelphia will build on top of the neighborhood project platform, Change By Us, which
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Later this year, they will launch Change by Us in the city. Deploying the application, however, is just the first step in using the tool to enhance civic innovation and participation. The 2012 fellows will analyze the ways Change By Us is being used, understand the current users - their successes, needs and goals – and further develop the platform. Development goals include recruiting new users and extending the tool’s features in response to feedback from the community of users. For example, there could be an opportunity for crowd-funding projects
THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
to facilitate their implementation, or creating a Request for Proposal wizard so community groups can collectively contract with businesses to get work done. Following a user-centric and datadriven approach, 2012 Philadelphia fellows will be helping Change By Us meet the evolving needs of the community and making it a more effective tool for civic action. Learn more here: http://codeforamerica.org/philadelphia2012. The 2012 Code for America Philadelphia fellows will begin their fellowship in January 2012, and will be spending the month of February in Philadelphia, interviewing civic leaders. Throughout the year, they will be based in San Francisco, with the other 20-25 CfA fellows, working together and collaborating, with frequent visits back to the city for research, testing and deployment. Code for America connects the talent of the tech industry with local governments to make cities more open, responsive, and efficient. Inspired in part by Teach for America, CfA recruits civic-minded, tech-savvy individuals to work with industry and governmental leaders to develop innovative applications that can be used in cities across the country. More at http://codeforamerica.org.
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