East Passyunk B.I.D Future In The Balance
RESTAURATEUR Mario Pisano, center, stood among fellow E. Passyunk business owners at his Colombo’s Restaurant, Tuesday to debate results of EPA BID – and weigh whether, and how, it should be kept going.
Vol. III No. 19 (Issue 83)
Winemakers Dinner The fruits of many winemakers’ labor will be showcased at Vendemmia’s Award Dinner. The Vendemmia Foundation invites you to their award banquet, Tuesday, May 12, at Da Vinci’s Restaurant, 1533 S. 11th Street. The dinner is $50, and it’s a BYOW. Dinner starts at 7 p.m. For more information, call Theresa at (215) 465-8810. New PAC Hosts There is a new PAC in town! Well, actually the group consists of some wise old minds, and some bright new progressive heads. The point is the new South Philadelphia PAC (Cont. Page 2)
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Supporters and detractors of the E. Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District met at Colombo’s Restaurant for a tense discussion of the future of the BID, which is up for a 10-year renewal this month. As the result of a City Council vote Apr. 8, opponents of the BID have until May 23 to persuade a majority of its 275 property-owners (or their total assessed valuation) to ask it be terminated instead. Roughly 10% have already done so according to Ed Kirlin, an agent for one of them. While many business owners have
“Reporting South Philadelphia the way it deserves”
praised the BID for improving the cleanliness of the Avenue and attracting lively new enterprises to it, others complain its assessments are too high (a 20% surcharge on their existing real-estate tax) for the services rendered. Some say street-cleaning is spotty at best, while the promotions EPABID runs benefit the stylish new restaurants it has inspired – but not retailers or service shops along the Avenue. Terry Sher, a shoe merchant and member activist with EPABID, said (Cont. Page 39)
Value 50¢
May 7, 2009
South Philly Unites To End the Violence “Stop It Now” Demand Residents by R. George Linton Over 100 Grays Ferry residents want an end to the senseless violence in their neighborhood. A passionate group of neighbors joined local politicians and elected officials to create dialogue to try and stop the violence. Local lawmakers and politicians led by State Sen. Anthony H. Williams, as well as State Reps. Kenyatta Johnson and Babette Josephs, and Council President Anna Verna listened to the upset residents. Community activists and police officers from the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Police Dists. attended the community meeting at the Miracle Temple of Christ Church. The primary goal of the meeting, according to Williams, was to address rising gun violence in t h e
Tasting the Best!
South Philly Kid Does... ‘48 Convention First In a Series by Harold Rosenthal So the South Philly kid tried to break into the Democratic National Convention. It was Philadelphia, Convention Hall, 1948. Three times they stopped him. So he went to a local tappy to watch Alban Barkley delivering the Key Note address on a round black-andwhite TV. I told you it was 1948. Everyone but the kid was boozing. He was 17. So this woman said, “Kid, you’re the only one interested in the Convention. Everyone else is boozing. I’m an alternate delegate who left the Hall. It’s not air-conditioned. It’s hot and sweaty and boring. I know where the parties are. That’s it for me.” So she gave the kid her credentials – a 3x5 card and a red, white and blue ribbon and brass medallion to hang around his neck. It made him feel he won WWII all by himself. And he was in. The kid, never been West of the Schuylkill, was now an Alternate Delegate from Minnesota. The Convention was hot and sweaty and exiting. The never-beforeelected President Harry Truman liked the word, incumbent. He said he’d run and be a winner. The delegates were stuck with the incumbent. They thought he’d run and be a loser. So there was Strum Thurmond versus the Brotherhood Plank. It said whites and Blacks were equal. Strum said if it was adopted, he’d be the candidate of the Dixiecrats, take the ‘solid South,’ then all Democratic, and blow out any chance of that Missouri piano player staying in the White House. So we Minnesotans caucused with our delegate who was on the Credentials Committee. He was proposing a loyalty oath. To be seated at the Convention, each delegate would have to take an oath to support whoever became the Party nominees. So one of us Minnesotans said, “Mr. Mayor,” he was the Mayor of (Cont. Page 2)
Ron Panepinto Jewelers SCANNICCHIO’ S restaurant was one of may local eateries showcasing their culinary delights at The “Taste of South Philadelphia” fundraiser for Bishop Neumann Goretti HS at Citizens Bank Ball Park, Monday. Photo by Lee Buchanan See page 39 for more pics.
700 Sansom St. 215-923-1980
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