South Philadelphia Public Record

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA

Vol. XVI No. 10

Issue 648

March 5, 2020

“The good things we do must be made a part of the public record”

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FIGHTING BACK A HASTILY convened protest against the opening of a safe-injection site at Passyunk Avenue & McKean Street to serve opioid addicts turned into a massive public outcry that wound up forestalling the operation.

Photo by Fred Druding

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Williams Leads Stand Against Safehouse

empowerment. Supervised injection sites remain a controversial topic in Philadelphia. If we are to lead the nation in this effort, we must do all we can to ensure that information is readily available,” Williams said.

Safehouse planned to open a supervised injection site in South Philly after a federal judge ruled that the site would not break cur-

rent federal law. After vocal opposition from the community, and their original location no longer supporting operations at that site, Safehouse no longer has immediate plans to open a supervised safe injection site in the city.

“I have introduced SB 933 along with State Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Kensington) to ensure that supervised injection sites in the future cannot be opened without input from local communities and local governments. If we’ve learned anything from the events of the past week, it is that government cannot happen to the people, but with the people,” Williams said.

SB 933 would require three public-input hearings before any decisions about a supervised injection site are made, would require the proposed facility maintain trained medical professionals for their facilities and would require that the facility submit a proactive and comprehensive community safety plan developed alongside local law enforcement.

“I was appalled by Safehouse’s total disregard for

research grants by Uplifting Athletes in order to help them pursue new treatments and potential cures for many of the world’s rarest diseases.

“The Young Investigator Draft serves as a powerful celebration of research within the field of rare diseases, providing a platform to distribute research funding to up-and-coming young researchers and honoring our ‘Rare Disease Champion Team,’” says Rob Long, executive director of Uplifting Athletes. “We’re proud to have already awarded $180,000 in grants over the past two years alone and look forward to continued

success. With every new year, we discover brilliant young researchers who help us learn more about these underserved diseases.”

“CSL Behring is proud to continue sponsoring this innovative program that supports emerging science and rare disease research,” added Kevin Kovaleski, vice president, global commercial development, Transplant, CSL Behring. “The Young Investigator Draft reinforces our promise to patients by empowering researchers to focus on the rare disease community.”

Uplifting Athletes and its annual Young Investi-

M A RC H 5, 2020

STATE SEN. Anthony Williams

State Sen. Anthony H. Williams (D-S. Phila.) was joined by a number of elected officials in Philadelphia at a press conference to stand against the opening of a supervised injection site in the city without community input.

“I am proud to stand with state and local elected officials in support of transparency and community

the community and lack of transparency that precipitated its surprise announcement about the proposed South Philadelphia injection site. To be clear, I fundamentally oppose supervised injection sites in my district or anywhere

else in the Commonwealth.

However, if the federal courts decide that we must accept these sites, then I fully support the community protections that would be established by SB 933,” Tartaglione said at the press conference.

Farnese’s Statement

S

tate Sen. Larry Farnese (D-S. Phila.) released the following statement on Safehouse’s sudden decision to site a facility in South Philadelphia: “If Safehouse intends to operate their facilities the same way they conducted their siting process, we cannot allow it in South Philly and we should not allow it anywhere in Pennsylvania.

“Any ‘medical facility’ in Pennsylvania should operate on a well-constructed framework of regulation, inspection and public participation.

“Safehouse was beginning to build public support through a patient and transparent dialogue with Philadelphians before blindsiding residents with this bait-and-switch. Trust

has been lost.

“If Safehouse believes it is easier to ask forgiveness than permission, we will prove them wrong.

“I have supported the safe injection site concept as I would support any novel approach in a dire situation. My support has always been conditional on a process that nurtures public confidence not only in the siting, but also in the on-going operation of such an experimental facility.

“Operations that claim to provide a safe medical environment for clients should face at least as much state scrutiny as bars, casinos or racetracks. To allow otherwise is reckless and opens the door for bad-faith actors across the city to do the same.”

gator Draft focus on rare diseases because they are often underserved and so diverse. Rare diseases are so prevalent that 1 in 10 Americans are affected by rare diseases. That’s a higher percentage than cancer and AIDS combined. Additionally, they transcend gender, race, age, sexual orientation and socioeconomic status.

Unfortunately, due to the large variety and complexity of rare diseases, there is very little support for rare disease research, especially compared to funding for more common diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Uplifting Athletes

exists to close this significant funding gap.

Uplifting Athletes’ emphasis for the 2020 Young Investigator Draft is on building greater audience participation for the draft event on Saturday, as well as inviting more medical research-related corporate sponsorship and involvement in the event. By doing so, Uplifting Athletes believes it can help transform the way society views, engages with and supports the research that will benefit many future generations.

Please visit the Young Investigator Draft Facebook event page at bit.ly/2020YID to participate in the draft.

‘Draft’ at Lincoln Field Helps Rare Diseases

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plifting Athletes, a Philadelphia-based non-profit organization that inspires the Rare Disease Community with hope through the power of sport, will hold the third annual Young Investigator Draft, presented by CSL Behring, this Saturday, March 7, at Lincoln Financial Field.

The football theme of the Young Investigator Draft is inspired by the NFL Draft.

Instead of drafting emerging young football talent, this unique draft turns the spotlight on the next generation of promising young medical researchers who are “drafted” and awarded

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Safehouse Injects Steam into Political Scene

POLS on the STREET

BY JOE SHAHEELI ayor Jim Kenney, who walked home to a second term in November, has again united the citizens of Philadelphia – but against him.

A supervised injection site for opioid addicts was set to open very quietly in South Philadelphia with little public notice until word leaked late last week.

Public reaction was swift and fierce. By the weekend, massive crowds were pro-

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testing outside Constitution Health Plaza, which formerly was St. Agnes Hospital, at Broad & McKean Streets.

By Monday, City Councilmembers and State lawmakers were jammed into Council chambers to vow to do everything in their power to stop it. Alarmed Constitution Health officers immediately backed out of their agreement with Safehouse, the organization that has been seeking a safe injection site since last year, with the support of the mayor. But Kenney had made no effort to liaison with legislators whose districts might be affected, they charged.

The reactions of many appear elsewhere in this issue.

Leading the charge was State Sen. Anthony Williams (D-W. Phila.)., who was roundly defeated in his second challenge to Kenney in last year’s Democratic primary. He threatened to

and thorough organization.

Many in the burgeoning progressive community have been pulling for safe injection sites in the abstract. Faced with a concrete case, though, even vocal champions of that cause, like State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler (D-S. Phila.) have come out against Safehouse. Other politicos in that faction are known to support the concept but for the most part, their mouths are shut and their heads are down now.

Especially those who are looking to replace Kenney in 2023 – many of whom now sit on City Council.

Prison Census Counts Are Sued

Philadelphia may be getting some of its population back, at least on paper.

Prison inmates have long been counted as “residents” of the localities where they are incarcerat-

LEADING the charge in City Hall of legislators from many bodies against unvetted safe injection sites was State Sen. Anthony Williams.

ed. In the past few decades, that factor has ballooned in political importance along with the State prison population, which now stands at 46,000 – many of them from Philadelphia, mostly in rural counties. Although the cannot vote for the local politicians who “represent” them, they inflate the size of those rural districts and shrink the size of the city districts where they actually are from.

That’s fine with rural

lawmakers, most of them Republican. Their districts tend to be economically stagnant, with sagging populations. For many, the prison biz has been their chief growth industry, employing many of their constituents who can vote, in fact, vote for them. So census reform has gone nowhere during years of Republican control.

Now, a Philadelphian, along with minority agencies, are taking a judicial (Cont. Next Page)

Political Directory For information on advertising in The Political Directory, please call Melissa Barrett: 215-755-2000 ext 5; email: Mbarrett@phillyrecord.com

Always Hard At Work for You!

Rep.Maria P.

Donatucci D-185th District 2901 S. 19th St. Phila PA 19145 P: 215-468-1515 F: 215-952-1164

State Senator

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checkmate the mayor by reviving a bill he had introduced last year in Harrisburg to forbid a local government from opening a safe injection facility with community approval, under pain of 20 years in prison.

Sources say the bill had been languishing for lack of priority in Senate leadership. But a chance to stick a thumb in the eye of Philadelphia’s progressive mayor should appeal to the Republican majority, especially with most of their Democratic colleagues on board.

There are sound arguments to be made for safe injection sites, which can save lives in the opioid epidemic that has swept the state and nation. But the devil is in the details; and one detail is public buy-in.

That takes time. Although the need may be urgent, good government and good public health require good

Anthony Hardy Williams 8th Senatorial District

2901 ISLAND AVE. STE 100 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19153 (215) 492-2980 FAX: (215) 492-2990 ---419 CHURCH LANE YEADON, PA 19050 (610) 284-7335 FAX: (610) 284-5955 6630 LINDBERGH BLVD.

2103 SNYDER AVENUE PHILADELPHIA, PA 19145 (215) 755-9185 FAX: (215) 952-3375 ---SENATE BOX 203008 HARRISBURG, PA 17120 ROOM: 11 EAST WING (717) 787-5970 FAX: (717) 772-0574

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P: 215-849-6426

Phila PA 19148

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191st Leg. Dist.

52 S. 60th Street, Phila 19139

175TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

T: (215) 748-6712 F: (215) 748-1687 State Senator

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District Office 3503 ‘B’ St. 215-291-5643 Ready to Serve you

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215-686-3450 www.phlcouncil.com

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District Office 1538 E. Wadsworth Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19150 Phone: 215-686-3454 Fax: 215-685-9271. www.phlcouncil.com/CherelleParker

Facebook: CouncilwomanCherelleLParker Twitter: @CherelleParker9

188th Debate at Penn THE PENN Democratic Club held a debate between three of the four candidates in the 188th Legislative District, L-R, State Rep. Jim Roebuck, Rick Krajewski and Karen Dunn. A fourth, Ward Leader Gregory Benjamin, was accidentally omitted. Roebuck is a longterm incumbent; Krajewski, a Penn graduate, is a Reclaim organizer; Dunn is a long-serving legislative aide.

Roebuck Has His Day

Philly Progs, West Part Ways on Prexy

As the repercussions of Super Tuesday, along with their rapidly dwindling range of choices in the pres-

dressing the climate crisis, 5 ending endless wars and standing on the side of labor and working-class families.

“We are honored to have Representative Fiedler’s support in this race and in the fight for Pennsylvania’s working families,” said Bernie 2020 National Political Director Analilia Mejia.

“The people of Philadelphia want real change for their communities, and alongside leaders like Elizabeth, we will bring that change in 2020.”

“Bernie Sanders is the labor candidate, the climate candidate, the health care candidate,” said Fiedler. “I fight every day, as Bernie has his whole career, for people who feel dismissed and devalued by the establishment.

The next decade will determine if working class kids around the world have a future. I proudly stand with the people, with Bernie Sanders, and the multi-racial movements supporting him in (Cont. Page 15)

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A CROWD gathered at Broad & Venango Streets in N. Philadelphia to celebrate the commemoration of that block for legendary civil-rights leader Rev. Leon Sullivan. Photo by Wendell Douglas

(Cont. From Prev. Page) tack: suing the Commonwealth’s officers for drawing legislative boundaries in this way. Since a majority of State inmates are minority members, they hope to add a racial-discrimination claim to the host of other evidences of unfairness in the current practice. After all, if our inmates or their families seek help from their representatives, it will be those in Philadelphia, not upstate.

State census policy may be complicated by the U.S. Census, which actually runs the count. But the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, now dominated by democrats, may lend a sympathetic ear to the lawsuit in the end.

idential primary, continue to roil the Democratic electorate, a split is widening between Philadelphia activists and the party organizers of the Southwest.

These are two of the four bastions of the D vote in the Keystone State. A third, the Hard Coal region in the Northeast, has been steadily slipping toward Republicans. The fourth, Southeastern Pennsylvania’s newly “Democratized” suburban collar counties, have not really tipped their hand so far.

Two of Philadelphia’s fired-up newly progressive neighborhoods, Pennsport and Whitman, saw their State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler come out for Bernie Sanders before Super Tuesday, when his results in earlier primaries and in polls showed him surging.

On Monday, Fiedler announced her endorsement of U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for President. Fiedler highlighted in her endorsement Sanders’ commitment to ad-

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Sullivan Has a Way

POLS on the STREET

JAMAL BLANKS, of Independence Blue Cross, con- ROEBUCK was surrounded by some of the PFT gratulates State Rep. JimRoebuck. teachers who came to his Birthday Bash.

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STATE REP. Jim Roebuck held his annual Birthday Bash at Warmdaddy’s on Columbus Boulevard, and a number of VIPs showed up to pay tribute to him.

Seen here are, L-R, Jannie Blackwell; new colleague State Rep. Roni Green; City Commissioner Omar Sabir; Roebuck; and Jerry Jordan, recently re-elected Newly reelected PFT head Jerry Jordan was all smiles PFT president. Photos by Bonnie Squires as he helped Rep. Roebuck celebrate the occasion.

Primary Importance

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OPINION

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s everyone’s favorite fictional newscaster would say, that escalated quickly. In the span of four days, the Democratic presidential battle saw three contestants withdraw and two more fade to the point of impending exit as the long-running free-for-all has now become a two-man race.

The binary choice offered by what appears increasingly likely to be a lengthy mano-a-mano between former Vice President Joe Biden and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders

will transfix the nation for the months leading up to the Democratic National Convention this summer – and, to hear many pundits tell it, during the DNC itself as the specter of a brokered convention shakes dust off its chains.

This is all great news for Pennsylvania. Thanks to Biden’s surge in South Carolina and all of the Super Tuesday states that more closely resemble the diversity of America than the overwhelmingly white electorates of Iowa and New Hampshire, there is little doubt that Pennsylvania will be showered with affection from him and Sanders as they both vie for the commonwealth’s 153 delegates to be allotted to them in their quest for the party’s nomination.

As one of the three key swing states that will be

CITY COMMISSION Chair Lisa Deeley presented on the electoral changes set up by the new Act 77, which will be in effect in the April primary, as AFL-CIO President Pat Eiding and others listened intently.

Photo from Deeley’s Facebook page

meetings. Because saving lives.

Okay, I’m gonna say it: Is it really about saving lives, or is it about the drama?

Prevention Point and AIDS Law Project have the expertise to advocate for and organize a number of possible responses to the opioid issue. They could have raised money for outreach workers that would attempt to get addicts off the street and into treatment. They could have found ways to fund educational materials for the public at large concerning overdose prevention and first aid. They could have spoken powerfully about the need for mental health interventions among populations most vulnerable to the opioid epidemic.

Actions such as these might have saved lives.

AIDS Law Project, which is connected to a number (Cont. Next Page)

ber Katherine Gilmore Richardson host Step into College at USciences, McNeill Sci. & Tech. Ctr., 43rd & Woodland Ave., 9 a.m.1:10 p.m. For 200 8th12th-grade students. Free.

Register: sitc2020-saturdasy.eventbrite.com.

Mar. 7- State Sen. Anthony Williams hosts Birthday Party at Hilton City Line Hotel, 4200 City Ave., 7 p.m. Payable to “Williams for Senate,” P.O. Box 6313, Phila., PA 19139 For info: (267) 888-4165 or ahw4senate@gmail.com.

Mar. 9- Councilmember Mark Squilla hosts St. Patrick’s Day Fundraiser at The Plough & the Stars, 123 Chestnut St. 5:307 p.m. Contribution levels,: Gold $3,000, Silver $1,000, Bronze $500, Tickets $30. Payable to “Squilla for Council,” P.O. Box 37332, Phila., PA 19148. RSVP: Lindsey@ LPerryGroup.com.

For info: (267) 275-2120.

Mar. 10- Liberty City

Saving What Lives?

BY DAVID LYNN It’s all about saving lives.

That’s the refrain we hear constantly from Safehouse, the new nonprofit wanting to open a safe injection site in South Philadelphia. Safehouse, which received its IRS 501(c)(3) ruling on May 15, 2019, used the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania as its mailing address for its charitable application.

Jose A. Benitez, the executive director of Prevention Point, is the president and treasurer of the organization, and Ronda B. Goldfein, executive director of the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, serves as vice president and secretary. The board has three other members, one of which is former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell.

The public-relations disaster surrounding the non-opening of the safe injection site in South Phil-

adelphia has silenced the supporters of Safehouse and emboldened its critics.

Safehouse has apparently lost its lease in the South Philadelphia medical facility that was to house it. And still, we hear the same message over and over: saving lives.

Saving lives.

I’m not sure that a safe injection site will save lives.

I’ve been in recovery for more than 30 years, and if I have learned anything, it is that you don’t stop using drugs by using drugs. A safe injection site may prevent overdoses, but it will not stop the crime, violence, and heartbreak associated with addiction.

I fully support Safehouse entering the public square to debate possible responses to this public-health crisis, but Safehouse was not interested in the conversation and held no public

The News in Black & White

likely decide Nov. 3, Pennsylvania’s voters should feel the spotlight early and often as they are called upon to help decide the nation’s fate. Seeing how Biden and Sanders interact with voters in the T, whether they can draw Obama-level support among Philadelphia Democrats or if they inspire lackluster Hillary Clinton-level turnout will be crucial to determine who is best suited for the national election cage match with the current officeholder.

Of equal importance is the opportunity this affords our ability to sign up new voters. With so much attention focused on the importance of the primary – and, thus, on voting itself – the City Commissioners are no doubt dancing with joy over this chance to boost voter rolls.

MARK your CALENDAR Mar. 5- DA’s Office hosts One Stop Job & Resource Hub at Mt. Carmel Bapt.

Ch., 5732 Race St., 5-8 p.m. Employers, trauma professionals, victim services, housing and social services. For info: Jane Roh (215) 686-8711.

Mar. 5- Liberty City LGBT Democratic Cl. hosts Candidates Night at John Anderson Apts., 251 S. 13th St., 6-9 p.m. All candidates welcome. Free pizza & refreshments. For info: Wade Albert (215) 964-2708.

Mar. 7- Stepping Stone Scholars & Councilmem-

LGBT Democratic Cl. hosts Candidates Night at John Anderson Apts., 251 S. 13th St., 6-9 p.m. All candidates welcome. Free pizza & refreshments. For info: Wade Albert (215) 964-2708.

Mar. 11- State Rep. Elizabeth Fiedler & Congressman Dwight Evans host Mobile Office Hours at S. Phila.

Library, 1700 S. Broad St., 1-4 p.m. Assistance with State & federal issues, SEPTA ID processing. For info: (215) 271-9190.

Mar. 13- 57th Ward Democratic Committee hosts N.E. Philly Democrats at Cannstatter Volksfest Verein, 9130 Academy Rd., 7-11 p.m. Food, drink & music; there will be a dispensation since it’s Lent.

Tickets: $40 per person, $100 per candidate. Payable to “Friends of the 57th Ward Democrats.”

For info: (267) 773-3251.

Mar. 19- Councilmember David Oh hosts Victory (Cont. Next Page)

MARK your CALENDAR (Cont. From Prev. Page) Celebration & Fundraiser at Racquet Cl., 215 S. 16th St., 5:30-8 p.m.

Contribution levels: $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,000. Payable to “Citizens for David Oh,” 5813

Thomas Ave., Phila., PA 19143 or https://politics. raisethemoney.com/doh.

Mar. 21- Congressman Dwight Evans hosts Information Session about U.S. Service Academies at Winnet Bldg., CCP, 502 N. 17th St., 10 a.m.-12 m. For students & parents. Free.

RSVP: (215) 254-3140.

7 T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

Safehouse’s approach is an acknowledgment of the rights of the average citizen with regard to proposed safe injection sites.

David Lynn is a political analyst in Philadelphia. He writes an occasional blog, WinningCampaigns.vote, and provides free electioneering software at PAPolCM. com.

M A RC H 5, 2020

(Cont. From Prev. Page) of lawyers who know something about civil rights at the State and federal level, could have concentrated instead on dealing with the fallout due to the war on drugs. Given today’s political climate, the organization could have teamed up with the governor, attorney general, and district attorney of Philadelphia to assist with clemency proceedings, expungement petitions, and the healing of minority families broken through imprisonment and other legal actions related to minor drug-related crimes.

Although the Safehouse website boasts an intimidating legal team of 18 attorneys from firms such as DLA Piper LLP (US), there is not a shred of discussion of outreach to minority communities affected by the drug war on the Safehouse website. The word “minority” does not even appear on their website, www.safehousephilly.org.

But now that drugs are a white problem, saving

True or false, such messages will be very compelling in Facebook memes and direct mail pieces. If Trump wins Pennsylvania, Safehouse may be partly to blame.

Four more years! But it’s the saving lives thing, right?

Am I the only person in Philadelphia getting tired of the “saving lives” line?

What is missing from

www.ldc-phila-vic.org

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Safe Site

lives.

None of these actions would have been as controversial (or as pressworthy) as opening a safe injection site in a Philadelphia neighborhood. It might have been harder to raise money for such efforts among the progressive left, and the political victories achieved through other responses to the crisis might not be as splashy.

But hey, saving lives.

Through their ham-handed bungling of the now-canceled opening of the safe injection site in South Philadelphia, Safehouse may have single-handedly accomplished the near-impossible feat of breathing new life back into the moribund Philadelphia Republican City Committee. For conservatives, and many moderates in the city, Safehouse represents the political correctness and government overreach often attributed to the progressive left. GOP operatives in Philadelphia are probably busy crafting recruitment messages along the lines of “The Democrats want to put a ‘safe’ injection site in your neighborhood.

Trump wants to stop them.”

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Flower Show Preview Draws Region’s Elite

L-R WERE Councilman Derek Green; Helen Horstmann, chair of the Flower Show Preview Party; and Matt Rader, president of the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, greet guests at the entrance to “Riviera Holiday.”

JULIE CLAPP, L, joined Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon at the Flower Show Preview Party.

CONGRESSWOMAN Madeleine Dean, in green shawl, came with her husband P.J. Cunnane and friends Paulette & Chris Callas.

ADMIRING the Princess Grace Rose Garden are Jill and Jodie Kleeman.

An exact replica of Princess Grace Kelly’s gown when she married Prince Rainier of Monaco stands in the middle of thousands of roses.

MONTCO Commissioner Val Arkoosh, 2nd from L, & her husband Jeff Harbison admire the displays with friends Brett & Nick Blyshak.

SHEILA HESS, City representative; shared a moment with IBX’s Jordan Berju and Jenny Bowers.

REV. BONNIE CAMARDA of the Salvation Army, with Lorina Marshall Blake, head of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation.

MIKE & CATHY Menendez, L, (former PECO communications exec); with 19-year-sponsor of the Flower Show Tom Doll, president and CEO of Subaru of America with his wife Linda.

BERNIE PRAZENICA, president and GM of 6ABC and his wife Patty, join with the Philadelphia Zoo CEO Vik Dewan & his wife Jami. 6ABC is the media partner of the Flower Show.

LISA STEPHANO, VP of PHS, with her husband Rick Ames.

EDWARD GAHRMANN, L, and Don Del Bello work with their florist every year to create fresh flower arrangements for their hats and tuxedos.

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MAYOR JIM KENNEY and his fiancée Letty Santarelli enjoying the Philadelphia Flower Show. Photos by Bonnie Squires

Special Issue

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St. Patrick’s Day

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Publishing March 12, 2020

Deadline: Friday, March 6, 2020

Please send your ad to mbarrett@phillyrecord.com or call Melissa Barrett, 215-755-2000 Ext. 5 21 S. 11th Street, Suite 205 • Philadelphia PA 19107

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Celebrating the accomplishments of the Irish American citizens of Philadelphia

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ELEPHANT CORNER

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oughly five years ago, I was in South Philadelphia collecting signatures for a Republican running for City Council. I lost track of the number of voters I encountered who told me they switched to Democrat to vote for their native son JIM KENNEY in the Democratic primary.

Last year, I participated in another petition collection for a City Council candidate and was stunned to see how many South Philadelphians volunteered their dislike of Kenney. So I guess Kenny’s

EVERYDAY PEOPLE

BY DENISE CLAY ne of the issues that has come up during this year’s presidential election is the 1994 Crime Bill.

The bill, possibly one of the worst things to spring from former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich’s fevered mind, was a testament to mass incarceration, especially in the area of drug possession.

You see, crack cocaine was on the streets. And it was making people do really dumb things like, well, shoot each other for turf

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selection of the first safe injection site in the U.S to be in South Philadelphia was not a surprise.

Kenney’s disregard of the opinions of more than his native community on the selection of this safe injection site is appalling. Why does he think that Philadelphia should be the best place for the first safe injection site in the United States? Is he auditioning for a position in the cabinet of the alt-liberal Democrat candidate ELIZABETH WARREN (whom he endorsed)?

Kenney’s biggest problem with the siting of the safe injection location at the Constitution Medical Plaza at Broad & McKean was the lack of transparency.

Not only did he fail to ask the community for input, he did not inform them. It became public knowledge only shortly before the designated opening.

The uproar could probably be heard in China, lead-

ing to the landlord of the center pulling the contract last Thursday. This safe injection site would have been not just near a school, but also in the same building with a pre-school day care center.

We understand that he did not inform COUNCILMAN KENYATTA JOHNSON in whose district the center is located. Johnson is opposed to safe injection sites. Perhaps Kenney thought Johnson’s legal problems would cover him for not informing Johnson. However, the dividing line between Johnson’s district and sometimes Kenney ally COUNCILMAN MARK SQUILLA is Broad Street. In an interview with a local television station, Squilla said that he first heard of the site when the media contacted him to comment on the location.

Do Kenney and Safehouse (the organization pushing for a site in (Cont. Page 14)

and kill little kids going to school or walking to the store in the crossfire.

Thus, get-tough measures, the type that lead to folks having to cut school budgets to make room for prisons, were passed. And the Crime Bill was the worst.

But you don’t get to a place where you’re doing things like throwing people into jail for life for small amounts of crack and creating three-strikes laws where folks are doing life for stealing a slice of pizza without the impetus of fear.

On Monday, I saw fear live and in living color during a press conference announcing some upcoming legislation in Harrisburg to deal with the issue of opioid addiction and the use of safe injection sites.

A whole passel of elected officials, most notably State Sens. Anthony Williams and Christine Tartaglione, came to City Council’s caucus room to announce some bills designed to make these

injection sites either hard to create or impossible to create, it’s your choice.

Williams’s bill, which was actually introduced in October, would amend the Commonwealth’s Controlled Substances Act to criminalize opening any establishment that gives space or provides paraphernalia that a person can use to take drugs. Penalties would include a $2 million fine for any organization that opens a safe injection site and a 20-year prison term for an individual.

The only exception to this would be if a municipality passes an ordinance allowing safe injection sites.

Under the proposed bill, the organization would have to include a trained medical team, hold three public hearings and create a community safety plan with the police.

As I said, this bill has actually been hanging out in the Senate Judiciary Committee since it was (Cont. Page 14)

WALKING the BEAT

BY JOE SHAY STIVALA SAFE INJECTION site in South Philly should never have been proposed. Residents there can be VERY VOCAL about “next door” neighbors. Oddly, just across Broad Street, a drug-treatment center has operated quietly for years. The safe house is dead in the water….

This seems to really put U.S. Attorney McSWAIN out of the headlines. He pledged to use all options available under the law to stop it, despite a federal judge’s ruling that it can open. So has Mc

A

CITY HALL SAM

E

D RENDELL was a gifted politician in his heyday. He had the ability to promise three different people the same thing. Only one would be the beneficiary of the kept promise. But the other two would rarely hold a grudge.

He did this all the time.

Most politicians are not permitted to talk out of both sides of their mouth or exercise this type of indiscretion, but Rendell was the exception. They would give him the out, saying he didn’t mean to lie, or he believes he’s telling the truth,

Swain become a judge? He appealed the judge’s ruling.

Be CONTENT with that.

The TECH SCHOOL GRAD preference bill appears to be on hold after an 11th-hour meeting of VETS with Councilwoman Gilmore RICHARDSON. But watchful waiting is indicated for any swift move.

The bill opens the FLOODGATES for all other groups who can now bid for preference. Then the veteran preference becomes meaningless. Nothing annoys me and my vet friends more than when a non-military person says that they have known vets, since their grandfather (or any family member) was in the Army.

It does not give you understanding of military service.

Councilwoman Helen GYM has come out in support of Bernie Sanders. A wee bit too early. Can Joe BIDEN maintain his South Carolina/Super Tuesday momentum boost? If War-

ren continues to falter, promise her SECRETARY OF STATE to get out. With Tom STEYER out, I ask him to keep his money supporting a DEM nominee. The SANDERS surge shocks many; are Russians really helping? How do you sell him to half of America with Trump? Unions are not for Sanders.

SEPTA CHAIRMAN Pasquale DEON says to transfer-fee critics that plans to change it are “in our mindset.” Well, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? Get rid of that evil fee now!!

Steam is building across town for public safeguards in the new police contract.

The contract talks will be a time to measure the City Hall SPINAL COLUMN. The firing of Montgomery County top defenders is OLD HEAD thinking.

They worked for needed bail setting with a lawyer present and consideration (Cont. Page 13)

or he just wants to help everyone with everything.

So it wasn’t a surprise to see him standing in front of South Philadelphia residents promising that a safe injection site would come to their neighborhood regardless of all the thunderous opposition. He decided what the neighbors needed not what they desired. He was wrong as the safe injection site went down in flames.

The vice president of the plan announced a complete re-evaluation. But that didn’t stop Rendell. He still went public, saying they would be back and he was positive they would have a safe injection site right there in South Philly.

Why would a former governor at this point in his career fight so hard for such a controversial issue? Why would he try to roll a neighborhood? Why would he appear to show such contempt for one of the great neighborhoods of Philadelphia that supported him over the

years?

Some of these politicians have a hard time not being part of the action. They need to appear relevant or they can’t live. Many of the younger voters don’t even know who Rendell is. It’s a shame.

Even more baffling is MAYOR JIM KENNEY. He still has an upside but his disregard for the neighborhood, the community-input process is politically puzzling. Kenney knows more than anyone that the not-inmy-neighborhood mentality is steroid-strong in South Philly. Yet he still tried to force it down their throats.

He still claims they’re going to have a safe injection site in South Philly.

Key leaders in South Philly, including all of the elected officials, were unanimous in blocking the site because of the lack of a public process and community input. the political opposition is unprecedented. COUNCILMEMBERS (Cont. Page 14)

Please send your ad to mbarrett@phillyrecord.com Melissa Barrett 215-755-2000 Ext. 5 21 S. 11th Street, Suite 205, Philadelphia, PA 19107

M A RC H 5, 2020

Please join us March 19th, 2020 in our Women’s History Month Special Issue.

We will recognize the contributions of Philadelphia’s most accomplished women leaders.

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Special Issue

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

11

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

12

the WAFFLE MAN

Y

o! The unseasonably warm weather this week reminded me of an episode of the “Captain Kangaroo” program that aired in 1993. One memory he had on this

READ THE PAPER LEADERS READ: M A RC H 5, 2020

- THE PUBLIC RECORD

LABORERS’ DISTRICT COUNCIL HEALTH & SAFETY FUND 665 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19123

(215) 236-6700

www.ldc-phila-vic.org

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Alan Parham, Adminstrator

Local 57 - Esteban Vera, Jr., Business Manager Local 135 - Daniel L. Woodall, Jr.,, Business Manager Local 332 - Samuel Staten, Jr., Business Manager Local 413 - James Harper, Jr., Business Manager Laborers’ District Council - Ryan Boyer, Business Manager Building better and safer communities in Philadlephia, Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties

Do it Right, Do It Safe, Do It Union.

To:

show was his description of the Popsicle.

The Popsicle was first made in 1905 by Frank Epperson, who was 11 years old at that time. He left a stir stick made from birch wood in a mixture of powdered flavored soda and water out on the porch. The next morning, he discovered the drink had frozen to the stir stick, creating a fruit-flavored icicle, a treat he had named the Epsicle.

In 1923, Epperson introduced the Epsicle to the public at an Alameda, Cal. amusement park and they loved it. He applied for a patent in 1924 for his “frozen confectionery” called the Epsicle Ice Pop. At the insistence of his children, he later renamed it the Popsicle. It was originally available in seven flavors and marketed as a “frozen drink on a stick.”

In 1925, Epperson sold the rights to the Popsicle to the Joe Lowe Co. of New York. Good Humor, a subsidiary of Unilever, bought the rights in 1989.

Twin Popsicles (two popsicle sticks together) were

invented during the Great Depression so two could share the one Popsicle.

Fudgsicle was a variation; and it too is a registered trademark of Unilever. This frozen dessert is chocolate-flavored and creamy, with a flavor and texture somewhere between a water ice pop and ice cream.

Slow Melt Pops are newer to the Popsicle product line. The addition of a small amount of gelatin helps the pops stay frozen longer than traditional ice pops.

Pudding Pops consist of frozen creamy pudding on a stick. They were marketed by Jell-O but now appear under the Popsicle brand.

Creamsicle is a brand name, also owned by Unilever, for a frozen dessert which resembles an ice pop, with a center composed of vanilla ice cream, and an exterior layer of flavored ice all around a wooden stick.

In the United States, National Creamsicle Day is celebrated on Aug. 14 annually.

And thanks for the memory, Captain Kangaroo. So many years later, you’re still teaching me things.

“Jah” and Any and All Unknown Birth Fathers of Baby Girl Delgado

A petition has been filed asking the Court to put an end to all rights you have to your child Baby Girl Delgado, who was born on August 23, 2019 in Montgomery County, PA. The Court has set a hearing to consider ending your rights to your child. That hearing will be held in Courtroom No. 260 before Hon. C. Theodore Fritsch Jr at BUCKS County Courthouse, 100 N. Main Street, Doylestown, PA at 10:00 AM on Thursday, April 9, 2020.

You are warned that even if you fail to appear at the scheduled hearing, the hearing will go on without you and your rights to your child may be ended by the Court without your being present. You have a right to be represented at the hearing by a lawyer. You should take this paper to your lawyer at once. If you do not have a lawyer or cannot afford one, go to or telephone the office set forth below to find out where you can get legal help. You are also warned that if you fail to file either an acknowledgment of paternity or claim of paternity pursuant to 23 Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 5103, and fail to either appear at the hearing to object to the termination to your rights or file written objection to such termination with the Court prior to the hearing your rights may also be terminated under Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 2511 (a)(6) of the Adoption Act. There is an important option that may be available to you under Act 101 Pa. C.S.A. Sec. 2731 - 2742 that allows for a voluntary agreement for continuing contact or communication following an adoption. Contact immediately the Law Offices of Jay H. Ginsburg, at 527 Swede St., Norristown, PA 19401 (610-277-1999), or: Lawyer Referral Service 135 East State Street P.O. Box 300 Doylestown, PA 18901 Telephone: 215-348-9413

For Advertising Call Melissa

@215-7552000 Ext. 5

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

13 IN THE COURT OF COMMON PLEAS Philadelphia COUNTY CIVIL ACTION - LAW ACTION OF MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE Term No. 190607362 NOTICE OF ACTION IN MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A CHAMPION MORTGAGE COMPANY Plaintiff vs.

The Unknown Heirs of Adlene Hicks Deceased Mortgagor and Real Owner Defendant TO The Unknown Heirs of Adlene Hicks Deceased, MORTAGOR AND REAL OWNER, DEFENDANT whose last known address is 2313 West Turner Street Philadelphia, PA 19121.

THIS FIRM IS A DEBT COLLECTOR AND WE ARE ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT OWED TO OUR CLIENT. ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM YOU WILL BE USED FOR THE PURPOSE OF COLLECTING THE DEBT. You are hereby notified that Plaintiff NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC D/B/A CHAMPION MORTGAGE COMPANY, has filed a Mortgage Foreclosure Complaint endorsed with a notice to defend against you in the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, docketed to No. 190607362 wherein Plaintiff seeks to foreclose on the mortgage secured on your property located, 2313 West Turner Street Philadelphia, PA 19121 whereupon your property will be sold by the Sheriff of Philadelphia.

NOTICE

You have been sued in court. If you wish to defend against the claims set forth in the following pages, you must take action within twenty (20) days after the Complaint and notice are served, by entering a written appearance personally or by attorney and filing in writing with the court your defenses or objections to the claims set forth against you. You are warned that if you fail to do so the case may proceed without you and a judgment may be entered against you by the Court without further notice for any money claim in the Complaint of for any other claim or relief requested by the Plaintiff. You may lose money or property or other rights important to you.

YOU SHOULD TAKE THIS PAPER TO YOUR LAWYER AT ONCE. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A LAWYER OR CANNOT AFFORD ONE, GO TO OR TELEPHONE THE OFFICE SET FORTH BELOW. THIS OFFICE CAN PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT HIRING A LAWYER.

IF YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO HIRE A LAWYER, THIS OFFICE MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION ABOUT AGENCIES THAT MAY OFFER LEGAL SERVICES TO ELIGIBLE PERSONS AT A REDUCED FEE OR NO FEE.

M A RC H 5, 2020

of ability to pay bail. The firing is DARK AGES when shafts of light cut through the justice darkness all around MONTCO. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ward Leaders Matt MYERS (Ward 39A) and Bob DELLAVELLA, Esq. (Ward 55).

Both are tireless workers for constituents.

Federal Court ruled that the FEDS can withhold law-enforcement grants to cities to force cooperation in sanctuary cities. APPEAL this!

I did not know that Amy KURLAND has retired as City Inspector General. I think that she once was a federal prosecutor. The office grew in size (and cost) during her tenure. I remember lunch with a former IG at a Police Chiefs meeting.

He mentioned that he only needed two workers. If the IG office gets too big, I wonder if they have to look hard for cases to prove a need to exist (?). A while back, I attended a meeting of the Board of Revision workers with the IG. A worker wanted to get to the bottom of who was taking her JELLO from the office refrigerator.

MEDIA: An editorial remarked that it was time to empty Philly streets of cars.

As Ronald Reagan once told Jimmy Carter: THERE YOU GO AGAIN!! Philly streets are not Paoli.

National Newscaster David WRIGHT was reprimanded when he said, “The commercial imperative is incompatible with news.”

Spot on he is.

How about the FAKE CENSUS FORMS, reported sent out by the GOP National Committee! Elections should be a fair fight, not sneaky. Can all GOP learn this: Operate fairly – like the Philly GOP? SUFFER THE LITTLE CHILDREN: kids in great numbers suffer with ac-

tions taken by ICE. The immigration agency has become ugly and cold under Trump. Change the POTUS to cure this.

DEATH in the park. A lot of homeless guys hung out in Proprietor’s Park where I walked my dogs in 2019. I came to know John ASH, whom they called “The LT.” An LT in military talk means Lieutenant. Ash was a Vietnam vet. In Vietnam the life expectancy of an LT was a few days. ASH beat death there, but did not adjust here. He left a good life and family for drinking (beer) and homelessness. A neighbor let him stay in a shed. I had the Vets Service Center guys out there to get him benefits. If they made an appointment, he would disappear or give incorrect information. He walked my dog Louie for a few dollars.

(BEAR wanted me to walk a different direction.) Louie and John got on well. I looked for John in his plastic chair as I approached the park; once I found him in a blizzard. After part of his foot was amputated, I would get him clothes, boots from Goodwill.

Over the winter you lose contact with the park users.

His friend Andy was retired Navy. He had a home in his brother’s house where he would babysit the dogs.

He lost a reason for living when his wife passed. Both he and John drank beer or vodka from a coffee cup in the park.

In this winter of their DISCONTENT, Andy’s ashes were released into the river at Billingsport. I don’t know where Ash in buried.

It is a lesson that each day is a DIVIDEND.

ASOCIACION DE LICENCIADOS DE FILADELFIA Servicio De Referencia E Informacion Legal One Reading Center Filadelfia, PA 19107 215-238-1701 COMMUNITY LEGAL SERVICES, INC. Law Center North Central 1410 W. Erie Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 or 215-981-3700 PHILADELPHIA BAR ASSOCIATION Lawyer Referral and Information Service One Reading Center Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-238-1701 Michael T. McKeever Attorney for Plaintiff KML Law Group, P.C., PC Suite 5000, BNY Independence Center 701 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-1532 215-627-1322

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WALKING the BEAT (Cont. From Page 10)

M A RC H 5, 2020

T HE P UB L I C R E CO R D

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EVERYDAY PEOPLE (Cont. From Page 10) introduced in October. But thanks to the bonehead move that Safehouse made this past week, it looks like it’s going to get a hearing.

In case you’ve been hiding out under a rock in hopes of avoiding Super Tuesday, Safehouse, a nonprofit agency connected to former Gov. Ed Rendell, attempted to open a safe injection site without really telling neighbors about it in the Constitution Medical Plaza in South Philadelphia after a federal District Court ruling said it could.

People freaked out when they heard this because, among other things, there are two day-care centers at Constitution Medical, which eventually killed Safehouse’s lease. But be-

cause of how angry it made everyone, government had to respond, Williams said.

“Government shouldn’t happen to the people, it should happen with the people,” he said. “The process that was done here was not democratic. It’s a fundamental right of the citizens to express their opinions. This requires that the community have a say in this process.”

State Rep. Maria Donatucci said she has a companion bill in the house.

But neither of them has gone as far as Sen. Tartaglione. If she has her way, safe injection sites would be against the law in Pennsylvania. Because her senatorial district includes Kensington, the epicenter of Philadelphia’s opioid crisis, she’s heard the children she represents tell stories no child should be able to tell.

“The kids in my district

PAL in City Hall

PAL DAY was celebrated at City Hall. Students and police officers were joined together for a swearing in and shadow day under Mayor Kenney’s office. Photo by Leona Dixon

have [Post Traumatic Stress Disorder],” Tartaglione said.

“They walk past needles and have to walk over bodies on the sidewalk to get to school.

If [Kenney and Rendell] believe so strongly in safe injection sites, they should put one near their homes.”

But while the Commonwealth has done its bit, Philadelphia City Council has also weighed in, introducing an ordinance from Councilman David Oh that would lump safe injection sites into the category of “nuisance medical facilities,” meaning that there must be six months of public meetings. The only way one could be operated is if 90% of the people living within a mile of the facility approve of it.

Between the potential for mass incarceration and the citywide spot zoning, it’s hard to know where to begin, isn’t it?

Now, I get it. I’ve seen Dave the Dope Fiend Shooting dope and he’s kind of scary. And I want him to go to rehab ASAP. But I also know that forcing someone into treatment doesn’t usually take, even with the specter of the law overhead.

With all the brainpower between the State and local governments, how about we find some?

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City of Philadelphia

ELEPHANT CORNER

by RCC CHAIRWOMAN and STATE REP. MARTINA WHITE. She was joined by over 100 fellow Republicans, including our candidates for Congress, Michael Harvey (3rd District), David Torres (2nd District) and Rob Jordan (5th District). These candidates, as well as candidates for State Rep. LOUIS THOMAS MENNA (184th District), DREW MURRAY (182nd District) and AARON BASHIR (172nd District) addressed the crowd. Aside from Menna, who lives in the district where the site is located, the crowd included other South Philadelphia residents, specifically the CHAIRMAN of the Philadelphia Young Republicans ROSS WOLFE and local WARD LEADERS JOSH NOVOTNEY, BILLY LANZILOTTI and MICHAEL C BRADLEY. Ward leaders from other parts of the city came to lend their support, including BRUCE

HOYT, CARNEL L. HARLEY, MATT WOLFE, CRAIG MELIDOSIAN and DENISE FUREY as well as the 21st Ward CHAIRMAN MICHAEL J. DeNOIA. Citizens Against Safehouses and Stand UP for South Philly among other groups supported a nonpartisan rally on Sunday that attracted more than 400 people. These groups have vowed to fight safe injection sites not only in South Philadelphia but also throughout the city and the commonwealth.

We thank the police who were there ostensibly to make sure we were not unruly (we were not). As FOP PRESIDENT JOHN MCNESBY is opposed to these sites, I assume most of the rank-and-file is as well. Special thanks to WILLIAM McSWAIN, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, who vows to continue to fight these sites!

CITY HALL SAM

broken process. When such a safe injection site was floated for Kensington, STATE SEN. TINA TARTAGLIONE and COUNCILMEMBER MARIA QUIÑONES-SÁNCHEZ went on record saying not here.

The progressives love the idea. But it’s only a progressive idea if one has no understanding of addiction. It shows a lack of respect for human beings. One cannot encourage an addict to go and get high in a “safe site” and then expect them to get treatment. Maybe that is not what the site’s process would

do, but the community never got the chance to ask questions or get info. The answer to helping people in addiction is treatment.

Today’s ultra-progressives are really what used to be known as limousine liberals. They have high-minded ideas on what’s right for all of us but have never walked among us or dealt with all of the human struggles. They are too busy in their ivory towers telling us all how to live.

City Hall Sam still prefers the term liberal to that of progressive. Moderates and conservatives can have liberal streaks. Democrats have always had to work with other Democrats and Republicans to get things done but the progressives don’t want to work with anyone. They don’t even want to work with other Democrats who don’t pass the purity test.

They will probably help sink neighborhoods like South Philly if they can – and maybe the country, too.

And that’s not progress.

Even if you do call yourself a progressive.

(Cont. From Page 10) Philadelphia) think that since they are “right,” they can achieve their objective without the consideration of the people living near the site? Safehouse will point to studies that show that safe injection sites save lives.

Conversely, there are other studies that indicate that these sites enable addicts to continue to use a drug that will eventually destroy their lives. Also, there is evidence of upticks in crime near safe injection houses in Canada, which is rightfully a concern of neighbors.

Despite the cancellation of the safe injection site in South Philadelphia, opposition groups held protests outside the site last weekend. Saturday, the Philadelphia Republican City Committee held a rally led

(Cont. From Page 10) KENYATTA JOHNSON, MARK SQUILLA and DAVID OH joined up with City Council PRESIDENT DARRELL CLARKE in their opposition to the site. STATE REPS. MARIA DONATUCCI, JORDAN HARRIS and LIZ FIEDLER and STATE SENS. LARRY FARNESE and ANTHONY WILLIAMS oppose this site due to the lack of public input and a

Public Hearing Notice

PUBLIC NOTICE

The Committee on Global Opportunities & Creative/Innovative Economy of the Council of the City of Philadelphia will hold a Public Hearing on Thursday, March 12, 2020, at 1:00 PM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following items:

AT&T proposes to replace an existing 29.5’ wood utility pole with a new 39’ wood utility pole and install a top-mounted antenna at 41.3’ at 1726 Christian St, Philadelphia, PA (20191995).

Interested parties may contact Scott Horn (856809-1202) (1012 Industrial Dr., West Berlin, NJ 08091) with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties.

200175

Resolution authorizing City Council’s Committee on Global Opportunities and Creative/Innovative Economy to hold hearings regarding the Music Industry Task Force report and recommendations.

Immediately following the public hearing, a meeting of the Committee on Global Opportunities & Creative/Innovative Economy, open to the public, will be held to consider the action to be taken on the above listed items.

Copies of the foregoing items are available in the Office of the Chief Clerk of the Council, Room 402, City Hall.

Michael Decker Chief Clerk

PUBLIC NOTICE AT&T proposes to modify an existing facility on the building at 2201 Pennsylvania Ave., Philadelphia, PA (20200193).

Interested parties may contact Scott Horn (856-8091202) (1012 Industrial Dr., West Berlin, NJ 08091) with comments regarding potential effects on historic properties.

STATE REP. Danilo Burgos, L, refueled his campaign fund in Center City with supporters, among them, L-R, Linda Richardson and colleagues MalPRESENT were, L-R, attorney Mike Huff, Jean Hackcolm Kenyatta and Jared Solomon.

Photos by Wendell Douglas ney, George Matysik and Linda Richardson.

POLS on the STREET

OMAR SABIR presented certificates of service to former City Commissioners Marian Tasco and Anthony Clark.

Q

understanding BANKRUPTCY

BY MICHAEL A. CIBIK AMERICAN BANKRUPTCY BOARD CERTIFIED

uestion: What is the pre-discharge debtor education requirement in bankruptcy?

Answer: After your bankruptcy is filed, the law requires that you take a two-hour debtor-education course by phone or computer. If you do not take it, the court will not discharge your debts.

The debtor-education course is a financial-management course that will teach you strategies to stay financially stable after your

bankruptcy, including budget development, money management, and wise use of credit.

In Chapter 7 bankruptcy, the debtor education course must be done no more than 45 days after the date on which your meeting of creditors was first scheduled. In Chapter 13 bankruptcy, you must do it any time before you make your last plan payment.

Next week’s question: Can I stop my eviction by filing for bankruptcy?

(Cont. From Page 5) the struggle for justice and freedom!”

Other recent endorsements from progressive leaders in Pennsylvania include State Rep. Sara Innamorato (D-Allegheny), Philadelphia Councilmember Helen Gym (at large), 215 People’s Alliance and Reclaim Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, 12 Democratic county mahoffs across Western Pennsylvania dropped a joint endorsement of Joe Biden. Their move immediately followed the dropping out of Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said,

“We know we need to focus relentlessly on creating good jobs, growing our economy, investing in our students and our workers.

We know that Joe Biden is the candidate who gets this and can win in Southwestern Pennsylvania, and we’re all going to be working hard to make him the next president of the United States.”

He was joined by 10 Democratic commissioners from Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence and Washington and Westmoreland Counties.

Philip Harold, a political science professor and associate dean at Robert Morris University in Pittsburgh, said the endorsement is a significant move by the lo-

cal officials. Biden’s willingness to live with fracking, he said, helps him in that region.

Sims Draws Fine For Ethical Flaws

State Rep. Brian Sims (DS. Phila.) has been called out by the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission for violation of financial-reporting law in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

The commission found that he had failed to report emoluments from Amherst College and Campus Pride, an LGBTQ college movement, in his Statements of Financial Interest. He also failed to note that he was a board member and director with Campus Pride.

Sims was fined a total of $750 for three counts.

T HE S O U T H PHIL A D EL PHI A P UB L I C R E CO R D

CITY Commissioner Omar Sabir celebrated some of his predecessors in office. Joined for the occasion were, L-R, Sabir, Councilmember Derek Green, Jannie Blackwell, Chuck Finney, Marian Tasco, Register of Wills Tracey Gordon and State Rep. Jim Roebuck.

Photos by Wendell Douglas

M A RC H 5, 2020

Sabir Honors Forebears Burgos Pals Pitch in

15

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Call/text Morgan and Brian (929)3361555 or visit morganbrianadopting. com.

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Special Event & Issue

The Public Record & Sid Booker invite you to

Meet the Candidates!

M A RC H 5, 2020

Friday, March 27, 2020

Join us as we welcome the campaigns for the presidential, congressional and statewide races on the April 28 primary ballot as they meet potential constituents!

At this unique event, motivated and politically savvy voters from across Philadelphia will meet and mingle with participants like State Rep. Mary Isaacson, State Auditor General Candidates Nina Ahmad and Tracie Fountain, the Philadelphia City Commissioners Office, and others.

The event, featuring assorted beverages and light appetizers, will be held at:

The legendary Sid Booker’s Club LaPointe, 4600 North Broad Street 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Admission is complimentary for the general public.

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RSVP Here: https://tinyurl.com/pprprimary2020 For sponsorship opportunities and for candidates and consultants interested in participating:

Contact Melissa Barrett, Director of Sales, 215-755-2000, ext.5; mbarrett@phillyrecord.com