Ron Panepinto Jewelers 700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
www.PanepintoJewelers.com We Buy Gold & Diamonds
Vol. II No. 38 (Issue 50)
“Reporting South Philadelphia the way it deserves”
Value 50¢
September 18, 2008
Columbus Day Parade Alive and Well St. Padre Pio Leads
Community Events Summer’s end sees the start of South Philadelphia’s best community festivals, as Annunciation Church kicks things off this weekend with St. Padre Pio Festival. At 6 p.m. the Annunciation Church, 10th & Dickinson Streets, begins its weekend gala. The festivities run through Sunday evening. You’ll enjoy the beer tasting, dancing and other fun at this fundraiser. Then, a week later, the 3rd annual Italian Festival at Epiphany of Our Lord School, 13th & Jackson Streets, will take place. There will be delicious food, games of chance, children’s activities and games, as well as street vendors. Live music will be performed by DJ King (Cont. Page 2)
Notwithstanding rumors to the contrary, the annual Philadelphia Columbus Day Parade will be held on Sunday, Oct. 12. Making that announcement were City Council President Anna C. Verna and State Sen. Vincent J. Fumo, co-chairs of the 51year-old parade, and Parade Marshal Cavaliere Severino Verna. The parade is the highlight of festivities commemorating explorer Christopher Columbus. It was reported the Parade might face a cancellation due to the fact a State grant had not come through. However, when the word got out, donations began coming in to make up the shortfall, according to Verna. “Everyone is proud to be an Italian on Columbus Day,” said the President. “What would Columbus Day be without the Parade?” Her husband the Cavaliere has marshaled the parade from its inception, insuring its orderly and entertaining progress down S. Broad Street. Daily media stories reported the Columbus Day Parade was facing the ax due to loss of State funding, threatening a unique Philadelphia tradition that began in 1957. It has been literally the kickoff of the fall campaign for both Republican and Democratic City and State elected officials and candidates, who all march at the head of the parade after convening at JNA Catering School at (Cont. Page 2)
Spice Up Your Life ...Page 17
Friendly Port ...Page 10 …Grand Marshal at this year’s Columbus Day Parade is actress Connie Stevens.
Stop Trashing Broad Street! Belfast Boxers Greeted Meet The Bidens ...Page 20
IN AN ATTEMPT to clamp down on people who drop their personal trash in public trash cans along S. Broad Street, the City has started to send more teams out to check litter bins. Here, Streets Dept. officers check bags and find letters with addresses of residents who are using the boxes as personal dumping grounds. Officers said violations will be sent to addresses of people who leave their mail and trash in public boxes. The fine is $300!
BOXERS FROM Holy Family Club in Belfast, Northern Ireland and the Harrowgate Boxing Club join special guests and dignitaries to give Irish club a South Philly-style welcome party thrown at the Joe Howlett, Jr. Saints New Year’s Brigade sports club, Front & Jackson Streets, Tuesday. by R. George Linton the Pond this week to take on the HarA group of amateur boxers from North- rowgate Boxing Club tonight. ern Ireland were given a South Philly-style However, before tonight’s bell rings, welcome as they arrived in town for their the fighters were hosted at a welcome fight night in Wildwood, N.J. party at the Joe Howlett, Jr.’s Saints New The young fighters from the Holy Year’s Brigade, Front & Jackson Streets. Family Boxing Club in Belfast crossed (Cont. Page 2)
Waffleman ....Page 7