Vol. II No. 142 (302)
Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia
September 19, 2011
Philadelphia Daily Record
Archie’s Gone
SHORTLY AFTER departure of controversial School District Superintendent Dr. Arlene Ackerman comes this news: School Reform Commission Chairman Robert L. Archie is stepping down. Story page 3.
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Sep. 20Republican S. Jersey Coalition hosts candidates forum Sep. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at N.E. Sheraton, 9461 Roosevelt Blvd. Confirmed candidates include Karen Brown for Mayor, Al Schmidt for City Commissioner and David Oh for Council at Large. Free for members and $20 for “e-team and nonmembers”. For info (610) 667-1263. Sep. 22-24 Ch. of Epiphany of Our Lord annual Italian Festival 5 p.m. on Thursday and Friday and 9 a.m. on Saturday. Pasta Dinner reservations needed for Thursday Night pasta dinner. Call Mina (267) 240-1992. Sep. 22Fundraiser for Council candidate Al Taubenberger at SmokeEaters Pub, Frankford & Sheffield Aves., 7-10 p.m. Live music with the Scattered Marbles, dinner buffet, beer and wine. $40/person, $75/couple. For info Lou (267) 505-2182 or feinberg08@aol.com. Sep. 25Vendemmia Wine & Food Festival, Girard Park, 21st & Porter Sts., 2-7 p.m. supporting Students of Italian heritage in S. Phila. For info www.vendemmifoundation.org. Sep. 26Spirit of Life Award Reception hosted by Tri State Labor & Mgmt. Council honor AFL-CIO President Richard W. Bloomingdale and Edward J. Radetich, Jr., CPA and Kyler Award honoree Penna. AFT President Ted Kirsch at Hyatt Regency at Penn’s Landing, Columbus Blvd. & Dock St., 6-9 p.m. Sep. 27Score Philadelphia, Counselors to Small Business, host free technology seminar to help small business THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
grow at Penna. Convention Ctr., 13th & Arch. Seating limited, complimentary lunch. 8:00 a.m.-4:15 pm. For details and to register www.scorephila.org. Sep. 28Democratic Ward 39B Fundraiser at EOM Club, Front & Moore Sts., 5:30-8 p.m. Tickets $50. For info Matt Myers (215) 467-4643. Sep. 30Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco hosts “Party for the People” at H&H Banquet Hall, 2036 E. Haines St., (Haines & Limekiln Pk.), 8 a.m.-12 p.m. $35 in advance. Seating limited. BYOB cabaret style. For tickets (215) 4373294, ext. 209. Oct. 1 Fishtown Neighbors Association hosts RiverCity Festival at Penn Treaty Pk., Delaware & Columbia Aves., 12-5 p.m. Family fun. Oct. 2St. Nicholas Ch. Italian Festival on 1700 block S. 9th St., 12-5 p.m., with Procession of Saints from St. Nicholas Tolentine Ch. at 12:30 p.m. Family event. Admission free. Italian food, entertainment, games. Oct. 7Mayfair Civic Ass’n hosts Autistic Endeavors Beef & Beer at Cannstatter Volksfest Verein, 9130 Academy Rd, 7 p.m.-12 a.m. Tickets $30. For info Barbara (215) 360-1569. Oct. 9World Premier of modern opera “Adea” by Pennsylvania composer Cynthia Cozette at Lutheran Ch. of the Holy Communion, 2110 Chestnut St., 3 p.m., followed by reception. Free-will offering will be collected. For info (215) 567-3668. 19 SEPTEMBER, 2011
School Reform Commission Chair Resigns Philadelphia School Reform Commission Chairman Robert L. Archie Jr. has resigned effective immediately, he said in a statement released this morning. “Now that schools have opened successfully, a budget has been adopted for the fiscal year and an acting superintendent has been appointed, I have determined that I should conclude my service on the School Reform Commission,” Archie said in the statement. “The Mayor should have the opportunity to carry out his educational programs and objectives with a new group of appointees to the Commission. Accordingly, I am resigning as Chairman and as a member of the School Reform Commission, a very distinguished and hard workingbody of volunteers, effective immediately.” Archie has led the commission for nearly two and a half years. His departure follows the resignation of
Superintendent Arlene C. Ackerman last month and signals a totally new leadership for the 151,000-student school district. “Over the last several months, I have had multiple conversations with Mayor Michael Nutter and members of his Administration on issues related to the School District of Philadelphia. Indeed, during my entire tenure, I have tried to work closely and collaboratively with the Mayor and his staff in achieving the best educational program for the children of the Philadelphia Public Schools,” Archie said. “The Mayor and I have also had recent conversations involving the future management structure of the public-school system.” “Upon being chosen to serve on the School Reform Commission, my goal was to work for the children and families of Philadelphia for two years. I have served as Commissioner and Chairman for al-
most two and one half years. Now that schools have opened successfully, a budget has been adopted for the fiscal year and an acting superintendent has been appointed, I have determined that I should conclude my service on the School Reform Commission. The Mayor should have the opportunity to carry out his educational programs and objectives with a new group of appointees to the Commission.” Archie added he was “extremely proud of our many achievements, including the creation of the Imagine 2014 strategic plan, the integration of traditional public schools with charter programs, the progressive teacher contracts, and the revised expulsion process. I am satisfied that I have given the best service of which I am capable to the citizens of Philadelphia. At all times, I have acted in their sole interest and it has been a privilege and an honor to do so.”
FEMA Opens Office In Philadelphia For Flood Victims A Disaster Recovery Center opened in Philadelphia this morning. It is located at the Packard Building, 111 S. 15th Street. Today’s hours will be 1-7 p.m. Starting tomorrow, it will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. You may call the Federal Emergency Management Agency at 1 (800) 621-FEMA (3362) to register 25 AUGUST, 2011
for disaster assistance. If you filed an application for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency for property damaged by the recent storms, expect a call from a FEMA inspector. FEMA and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency are sending inspectors into federally declared disaster areas as THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
soon as possible. An inspector should visit your home within a few days after you apply. When the inspectors arrive, they will be wearing an official FEMA photo identification badge. You will be asked to verify information you gave when you registered. This is the only information you will be asked to confirm. |
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A person who is 18 or older and lived in the household before the disaster must be present for the appointment. A determination will be delayed if you miss your appointment and have to reschedule. Inspectors will go over the structure and contents; this will take less than an hour to complete. The inspector will file a report of the damage. He or she will not determine your eligibility for a grant. You will receive a follow-up let-
ter within 10 days of the inspector’s visit with a determination. Applicants who are eligible for assistance will receive a check or an electronic funds transfer. Applicants may receive a low-interest disaster loan application in the mail from the US Small Business Administration. The loan does not have to be accepted. However, completing an SBA application may open the door to other types of assistance. You can also apply for FEMA as-
sistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov; the screens will prompt you through the registration process. You can also apply by web enabled mobile device at m.fema.gov. For those who use 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 1 (800) 621-3362. Operators will assist you seven days a week between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Fattah Addresses STEM Education Convocation At Drexel PHILADELPHIA PA — Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA-02), the leading House Democratic appropriator for the National Science
Foundation and congressional tional convocation on STEM eduleader for Science, Technology, En- cation best-practices at Drexel Unigineering and Mathematics versity this morning. (STEM) education, addressed a na“STEM Smart Science: Lessons Learned from Successful Schools” convened at the Edmond D. LIVE AUCTIONS EVERY WEDNESDAY AT 5PM (Preview 3PM) Bossone Research Center, 31st & LIVE AUCTIONS EVERY SATURDAY AT 11AM (Preview 9AM) Market Streets, in the Mitchell AuLIVE INTERNET AUCTION EVERY SATURDAY AT 4PM AT: ditorium.
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The Convocation, sponsored by the National Science Foundation in conjunction with Fattah’s office and Drexel, is showcasing the new NSF report on STEM education and K12 best practices for an audience of educators and national leaders in the field. The Conference will feature more than 30 interactive exhibits showing the latest innovations supporting science education.
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19 SEPTEMBER, 2011
Philabundance Is ‘Harvester Of Hope’
BILL CLARK, president and executive director of Philabundance, stands with Mayor Michael Nutter during the Harvester of Hope Award Ceremony. Mayor proclaimed September Hunger Action Month.
Mayor Wraps Up Education Week During the first week of the 20112012 school year, Mayor Michael A. Nutter held events throughout the City with students, parents, educators, returning students and stakeholders emphasizing the importance of education. The Mayor participated in the first day of school festivities, read to a Kindergarten class, encouraged adults returning to college, toured a college with students and was trained as a graduation coach. During the week, the Mayor reinforced the goals set 19 SEPTEMBER, 2011
by his Administration to increase the high school graduation rate to 80% by 2015 and to double the percentage of residents with a fouryear degree to 36% by 2018. “Education is the key to ensuring Philadelphians have a high quality of life,” said the Mayor. “Education impacts so many aspects of our lives—health, finances, family, crime—that it is important that we encourage young people, as well as returning students, to succeed in school and continue on to college. THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD
We must be innovative and vigilant regarding ways to improve our educational system and to ensure our children are afforded every opportunity to learn.” Chief Education Officer Lori Shorr added, “The ambitious goals the Mayor has set for this City around education can’t be met by only traditional school-day interventions. This year, for Education Week, we tried to highlight the significant work that is happening in the community around increasing |
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educational outcomes in Philadelphia for both youth and adults.” Among other activities, the Mayor, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ronald Tomalis and interim Superintendent Dr. Leroy Nunery participated in the bell-ringing ceremony with the School District of to mark the first day of classes. This event was held at West Philadelphia HS, which also marked the official opening of the new highschool building. The Comcast Corp. announced its Internet Essentials program, which makes low-cost internet services
available to families with children enrolled in the National School Lunch Program. This program complements the City’s Freedom Rings Partnership creating 77 public computer centers throughout the city. The Mayor visited a classroom of adult learners participating in a program made possible by a partnership between Harcum College, Institute of Leadership Education Advancement and Development and Calvary Baptist Church. He also read to a kindergarten class and addressed the student body at St. Martin de Porres School, a parochial
school located in North Philadelphia. The Mayor’s Commission on Literacy launched a new workforce-literacy initiative on International Literacy Day. The Mayor also announced the 2011-2012 Graduation Coach anchor agencies. The Graduation Coach Campaign is an initiative to empower adults to help young people earn a high-school diploma and to succeed in college. Nutter and his wife were also trained as graduation coaches.
Hofman Brings Celebrity Coroner Cyril Wecht To Town A reception in honor of Montgomery Co. Coroner Walter I. Hofman, MD, a board-certified forensic pathologist, will be held on Wednesday, Sep 21 from noon to 2 p.m., at Montgomery, McCracken, Walker & Rhoads, LLP, The Justice Roberts Room, 123 S. Broad Street. Guest speaker will be Cyril Wecht, MD, JD, the nationally recognized forensic pathologist, who appears frequently on national television. Dr. DR. CYRIL WECHT Wecht is a friend and former cologists, the American Society of league of Dr. Hofman. Clinical Pathologists, and the NaDr. Wecht received his MD de- tional Association of Medical Exgree from the University of Pitts- aminers. Dr. Wecht is a Charter burgh and his JD degree from the Diplomate of the American Board University of Maryland. He is cer- of Disaster Medicine and has served tified by the American Board of as Vice Chairman of that Board. He Pathology in anatomic, clinical and is also a Charter Diplomate of the forensic pathology. He is a Fellow American Board of Legal Medicine of the College of American Pathol- and has served as Chairman of that 6|
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Board. Dr. Wecht was formerly the chairman of the Dept. of Pathology and president of the Medical Staff at St. Francis Central Hospital in Pittsburgh. He is actively involved as a medical-legal and forensic science consultant, author, and lecturer. He served as the elected Coroner of Allegheny Co. for a total of 20 years. Dr. Wecht is a clinical professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health; an adjunct professor at Duquesne University School of Law, Pharmacy, and Health Sciences; distinguished professor of anatomy and pathology at Carlow University; professor of law at Aristotle University School of Law; and chairman of the Advisory 19 SEPTEMBER, 2011
Board of the Cyril H. Wecht Institute of Forensic Science and Law at Duquesne University School of Law. He has served as president of the American College of Legal Medicine and the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, and also as chairman of both the Board of Trustees of the American Board of Legal Medicine and the American College of Legal Medicine Foundation. Dr. Wecht is the author or co-author of 530 professional publications; an editorial board member of 16 national and international medical-legal and forensic scientific publications; an editor or co-editor of 44 books, including a five-volume set Forensic Sciences (Matthew Bender), and two threevolume sets Handling Soft Tissue Injury Cases and Preparing and Winning Medical-Negligence Cases. Dr. Wecht has organized and conducted postgraduate medical-legal seminars in more than 50 countries throughout the world in his capacity as director of the Pittsburgh Institute of Legal Medicine. He has personally performed approximately 16,000 autopsies, and has supervised, reviewed, or been consulted on approximately 36,000 additional
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several post-mortem examinations, involvement in his books, Cause of including several cases in foreign Death, Grave Secrets, Who Killed countries. JonBenét Ramsey?, Mortal Evidence, Tales from the Morgue, and Dr. Wecht has testified in more A Question of Murder. than 1,000 civil, criminal, and workers compensation cases in state Dr. Wecht has received numerous and federal courts in more than 30 awards and honors from various states. He has also conducted post- professional, community, and govmortem examinations and has testi- ernmental organizations, including fied in several foreign countries. the County Detectives Association of Pennsylvania, the Deputy SherDr. Wecht has appeared as a freiffs’ Association of Pennsylvania, quent guest on numerous national Vectors, the New York Society of TV and radio shows, discussing Forensic Sciences, the American various medicolegal and forensic College of Legal Medicine, Nascientific subjects, including medtional Junior Chamber of Comical malpractice; alcohol and drug merce, the American Legion, and abuse; the assassinations of Presithe Pittsburgh Shriners. He has been dent John F. Kennedy, Senator invited as a distinguished professor Robert F. Kennedy, and Reverend to lecture in several foreign counMartin Luther King; the death of tries and is an Honorary Life MemElvis Presley; the San Sheppard ber of the National Academies of case; the O.J. Simpson case; the Legal Medicine of France, Spain, JonBenét Ramsey case; the Diallo Belgium, Yugoslavia, Mexico, Cocase, the Chandra Levy death inveslumbia, and Brazil. tigation; Jayson Williams; and the Laci Peterson homicide. These Dr. Wecht has lectured at numercases, as well as those involving ous law, medical, and other graduMary Jo Kopechne, Sunny von ate schools; at many colleges and Bulow, Jean Harris, Dr. Jeffery Mc- universities; and numerous profesDonald, the Waco Branch Davidian sional organizations and governfire, Vincent Foster, O.J. Simpson, mental agencies, including Harvard Scott Peterson, Anna Nicole Smith, Law School, Yale Medical School, Daniel Smith, and many others, are the FBI Academy, and the Medical discussed from the perspective of Division of the CIA. Dr. Wecht’s personal professional
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