Pr 895 s

SOUTH PHILADELPHIA

Vol. Xll No. 12

Issue 499

March 23, 2017

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

PhiladelphiaPublicRecord

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PhillyRecord

PhillyRecord.com

POLICE I.D. BILL STRIKES SPARKS P.3

CHANGING HISTORY FOR THE HOMELESS

THE BETHESDA PROJECT TEAM THAT GIVES ITS ALL TO HELPING THE HOMELESS OFF THE STREETS STARTS WITH THE LIKES OF CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER KATHY MECK AND CEO TINA PAGOTTO. THE PUBLIC RECORD SALUTES THEIR EFFORTS IN HONOR OF WOMEN’S HISTORY AND SOCIAL WORK MONTH. SEE STORY P. 2. PHOTO BY ELDON GRAHAM

D.A. RACE HEATS UP SEE P. 6

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

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BETHESDA PROJECT WORKS TO HOUSE HOMELESS

BY ELDON GRAHAM OMELESSNESS has plagued Philadelphia for more years than anyone would care to count, engendering a panoply of efforts to counter it. One of the more effective efforts to do so is led by the Bethesda Project, a social-service nonprofit that provides emergency shelter, housing and supportive services to thousands of homeless individuals in the city of Philadelphia. As a part of Women’s History Month and Social Workers Month, here is an in-depth look at what the project does.

Headquartered at 1630 South Street, the Bethesda Project operates 13 sites throughout the city, including five in South Philadelphia. The organization is led by CEO Tina Pagotto.

Although she is new to the position, Pagotto has been part of the Bethesda family for over 10 years.

Through her leadership, the organization can provide housing to thousands across Philadelphia. The process of housing goes through a priorities committee, which consists of five staff members. They strategically plan the cases in most need of housing.

Pagotto explains, “We’re targeting the people who are most vulnerable, so people who have been on the streets for long periods of

H

time and typically have disabilities accompanying that homelessness. That can either be mental health, substance addiction or a serious medical condition. What we strive to do is prioritize the people with the most vulnerabilities because we view them as the most at risk for dying on the streets if they don’t come in.”

In 1979, Bethesda Project started out as an organization to house homeless women in Philadelphia.

Over time, it evolved into helping homeless men as well. Currently, it houses both men and women in various shelters and houses; its most-recent initiatives have focused on housing for at-risk women.

This past winter, the organization opened its first women’s emergency respite in partnership with The Welcome Church and Trinity Memorial Church.

Known simply as The Well, it is a winter-only facility that houses 12 women in South Philadelphia. It is also known as “Women of the Well.” The Well is currently up and running but is scheduled shut down in early May. Bethesda Project is in the process of trying to open the Well as a permanent housing site for the women who now stay there. There is hope the women will be able to move in permanent-

ly in either May or June.

There are four types of housing programs: emergency shelter, which runs in conjunction with the City of Philadelphia; entry-level programs; church shelters; and permanent housing.

As Pagotto describes them, “The entry-level programs are emergency and transitional in nature, but without a specific end time. So it’s not like you can only be here for three months and you’ve got to go. We base it on the type of needs that they have, a type of housing that will be appropriate for them.”

Bethesda works to match a person’s needs to the appropriate accommodations but sometimes it takes a long time to process.

In regard to permanent housing, tenants have all the rights an ordinary tenant would have in any other apartment building. For example, they have a lease. If they follow the terms of the lease, there’s no time limit for them to leave.

To help the tenants and occupants with their settlement, Bethesda has case managers ready to assist them at a moment’s notice.

They create individualized goals for each resident during their stay. These include managing income, connecting them to needed support systems in the neighborhood or finding a

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HAPPY B’DAY AYAH

THE DOUGLAS and Lomax families came together in a big way to celebrate the first birthday of their youngest member, Ayah.

support group.

The case managers operate out of an office within the individual homes, so they are right on site for any support the tenant may need.

For Pagotto, this work is a mission as well as a job. “Sometimes you have a passion and you pursue that passion for your career and, sometimes, through your career, you find your passion,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be involved in nonprofit work; I knew I wanted to be a social worker.

The commitment to people experiencing homelessness wasn’t something I had really thought about before finding Bethesda Project.

Now, it’s something I think about all the time and I am fully committed to working to ending homelessness for the people that we serve.”

Kathy Meck is a career nonprofit professional who works closely with Pagotto as Bethesda Project’s chief development officer.

“The Bethesda Project mission is to find and care for the abandoned poor, to be family for those who have none,” Meck said. “I was really fortunate to have a small but very supportive family. I don’t know where I would be without them. The majority of our clients don’t have that same support system that I was so fortunate to have.”

But there is hope. Pagotto loves “seeing people’s lives change. You can literally see a physical difference. You can see them start to find enjoyment and you can see them pursue their passions again. You see them make friendships. It’s so satisfying,” she said.

Meck hopes the public will understand what the struggles of an individual homeless person are like.

“A lot of people feel like if you bring them in off the street and you give them

somewhere to live and you get them in employment, they have a job that’s going to solve all these issues of homelessness. It’s so much more complex than that,” she said. “A job is not always the solution that is going to get someone out homelessness. We feel a lot of pressure from the public and from our funders to try to get back on that sort of trajectory, where they think they know how to solve this big issue it’s a simple as that. I think sometimes we forget these are human beings and individuals who have dealt with a lot of trauma and mistrust. It takes a while to heal from this.”

Pagotto said, “There’s a way for everyone to be involved at a level they’re comfortable with.” Giving as much or little of your time or effort as you can afford can make a difference.

Pagotto has been seeing an increase in panhandling on the streets. “And there’s some backlash against that,” she noted. “People don’t want to see people begging for money, they don’t want to see homelessness on the front steps, they don’t want to have their ability to run a business affected.” All legitimate concerns, she avers.

About half of the money funded to the organization is government support through a combination of federal, state and local branches. Foundations and religious support also make up the funds.

On April 20, the Bethesda Project is hosting its annual “Gala & Auction” at the Diamond Club at Citizens Bank Park, co-hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies.

This is the first year they will be doing a fully online auction, rather than a silent auction, in hopes of raising $200,000. This new digital platform will give people a chance to bid if they cannot make it to the event.

Copyright @2017 City & State PA LLC Local 779-C

izens, specifically people of color, and our police forces at a time when police-community relations are too often strained,” Harris said.

“Hiding the name of a police officer involved in a potentially deadly encounter is not the way to improve trust between law enforcement and communities that have historically been marginalized by those in power.”

State Rep. Donna Bullock (D-N. Phila.), vice chairwoman of the PLBC, said, “Transparency is a goal we strive for at all levels of government. Police departments perform a highly skilled and dangerous job for the people, but they also should remain accountable to the people.

I believe those ideas are not mutually exclusive and that acknowledging this will help build better relations among communities and departments.”

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This report is courtesy of Larry Levin, Coldwell Banker Preferred. Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract. Copyright © 2014

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

The same legislation passed the House and Senate in the last term, but was vetoed by Gov. Tom Wolf.

“As we’ve seen across the country, shootings involving police officers have become so politically charged that the officers’ lives and their families can be endangered even if the use of force was justified,” White said. “HB 27 offers a way to protect our police until the facts of the case in question come out. I want to protect the good officers from being tried in public, while making sure those who break the law are tried in court.”

State Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Phila.), chairman of the Pennsylvania Legislative Black Caucus, said the PLBC is disappointed at the return of the police secrecy bill and is calling for Gov. Tom Wolf to veto it again.

“This bill would further erode the trust between cit-

M A RC H 2 3, 2017

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EGISLATION sponsored by State Rep. Martina White (R-Northeast) to protect police officers and their families when the officer is involved in a discharge of his or her firearm or other use of force has passed the House and now is on its way to a Senate committee.

“This bill has the necessary balance between the right for our police officers to have due process and the public’s need for transparency,” White said.

Under HB 27, the name and identifying information of the law-enforcement officer may not be released by a public official before the investigation is complete or before 30 days after the incident has occurred, whichever comes first. The bill is supported by the Philadelphia-based Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 and the state FOP.

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PROTECT POLICE I.D. PASSES HOUSE; BLACK LEGISLATORS BLAST RETURN

WRITE-INS MADE DIFFERENCE

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POLS on the STREET

BY JOE SHAHEELI HILADELPHIA District Attorney R. Seth Williams may have reminded voters in Pennsylvania’s 197th House District his office’s Election Fraud Task Force would be another agency checking out prob-

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lems during Tuesday’s special elections. What made his unit so effective was the fact the Task Force’s hotline was staffed by Spanish-speaking detectives, as were especially assigned assistant district attorneys. They were kept busy.

And so was he, as election day unfolded, for reasons unrelated to the election.

We wish him well during this ordeal, especially as he discovers, as have other politicos before him, his many friends will have suddenly been reduced to a few.

To his credit, he knew a bit in advance he was to be indicted, but did his job this special-election day. He had

A STRONG lineup of backers came to the office of Ward Leader Emilio Vázquez, C, in Kensington to kick off his write-in campaign for the 197th Legislative District. Photos by Wendell Douglas

warned, “Every election, no matter how small or large, citywide or just one district, is important. The Election Fraud Task Force will be ready on Tuesday. If you see voter fraud or a crime being committed, you should immediately call the Election Fraud Task Force so we can help ensure fairness at the polls.”

Representative

Vanessa Lowery Brown 190th Legislative District

RETURN IS POSSIBLE

M A RC H 2 3, 2017

State Rep.

William Keller 184th District 1531 S. 2nd Street

1435 N. 52nd St. Phila. PA 19131 (215) 879-6615

Always Hard At Work for You! State Senator

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The 197th voters for the most part have Spanish as their home language, with English coming in second.

Despite the fact voters found only one name on the ballot when they closed the curtain, write-in stamps or paste-ons were literally in many of their hands and they had just received instructions on how to use them.

Of course, this led to a lot of (Cont. Page 5)

JUDICIAL candidate Rania Major was one of many supporters who turned out to support Emilio Vázquez’ DCC-supported write-in campaign for the 197th Legislative Dist.

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

215-271-9190

State Rep. Jason

STATE REP. Vanessa Lowery Brown listens to Lt. Gov. Mike Stack as he speaks at a “Pathways to Pardon” town hall which was held at Drexel University’s Nesbit Hall. Photo by Robert Mendelsohn

City Commissioner

Dawkins

Lisa M.

District Office: 4915 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19124 (215) 744-7901 M. – Th.: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

F.: 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Room 132 City Hall

Deeley Philadelphia PA 19107

215-686-3460

State Rep.

Councilman

Mark

Joanna E.

McClinton

Squilla

191st Leg. Dist.

6027 Ludlow St. Unit A Phila., PA 19139

1st District City Hall Room 332

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

215-686-3458/59

Represintative

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

Boyle

198th District 310 W. Chelten Ave.

172nd Dist.

7420 Frankford Ave. Phila., PA 19136

Phila PA 19148

P: 215-849-6426

215-331-2600 State Rep.

John

Donna

(R) 177th Dist.

4725 Richmond St. Phila., PA 19137

195th Leg. Dist.

2835 W. Girard Ave Phila, PA 19130

215-744-2600

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

Room 506 City Hall P. 215-686-3446/7 F. 215-686-1927

Kevin J.

Youngblood

Taylor

Donatucci

Greenlee

State Rep.

Rep. Rosita

State Rep.

Rep.Maria P.

Councilman Wm.

Bullock T: (215) 684-3738 F: (215) 235-4629

City Councilwoman Cherelle L. Parker 9th District City Hall, Room 577, Philadelphia, PA 19107

215-686-3454 or 3455

www.phlcouncil.com/CherelleParker Facebook: CouncilwomanCherelleLParker Twitter: @CherelleParker9

ference, considering Little’s low vote total. He did thank his organization, saying, “We knew we faced an uphill battle, having only 5% of the district registered Republican, but we came to fight and forced the Dems to run a real race and spend money and resources in seat that they should not have had to spend a dime to defend. I am proud of Lucinda Little and all those that helped in the campaign.

“Some other positives that came out of this race,” DeFelice added. “We identified new committee people, made some new alliances, received the endorsement of the Firefighters and even the Inquirer.”

It was obvious the Philadelphia Democratic Party, under the leadership congressman Bob Brady continues to serve its constituents on the best possible level, and that is “local”. The ward Leaders and the committee people proved it.

(Cont. Page 6)

VOTE TUESDAY, MAY 16TH Elect

Judge Vincent N.

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

(Cont. From Page 4) contention. But that was to be expected.

Williams’ task force, created in 2014, was kept busy responding to the usual allegations of illegal voting, candidate write-in issues, refusal of election boards to recognize poll-watcher certificates, intimidation and illegal electioneering.

In the meantime, on Special Election day in the 197th, Cheri Honkala had an army of paid workers outside every polling place, all wearing black t-shirts with white lettering. She out-postered everyone in the district. She raised and spent over $90,000 in this campaign.

Republican Lucinda Little won the machine vote for the 197th Dist. in that race.

But it is obvious her 198 votes paled in comparison to the 2,483 write in votes generated by Cheri Honka-

la, Emilio Vázquez and several others who indicated they would launch write-in candidacies.

Though the official count of the write-ins begins on Friday, we believe, from what we have seen that day, we are correct when we made our prediction last week Vázquez will be the winner and will have topped that count decisively. The Democratic ward leaders in the district proved their worth as did their committee people. They knew their voters; their voters knew and listened to them.

So our loyal readers need not wait until tomorrow to know the result. If it isn’t Vázquez, I’ll have to jump out the window of our offices, and that is an 11-story fall.

It’s doubtful there will be challenges, since Philadelphia Republican Party Chairman Joe DeFelice’s charges of cases of voter fraud during election day don’t make enough of a dif-

M A RC H 2 3, 2017

POLS on the STREET

Melchiorre

Experienced Qualified Fair & Compassionate A Judge who deeply cares about Philadelphia VOTE FOR JUDGE MELCHIORRE MAY 16TH, 2017

www.judgemelchiorre.com Paid For by The Committee to Elect Vince Melchiorre Judge, Stephen C. DeAngelo, CPA Treasurer

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JUDGE - COURT OF COMMON PLEAS

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M A RC H 2 3, 2017

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

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POLS on the STREET NEGRÍN BECOMES THE D.A. TARGET DA Democratic candidate Joe Khan knows former Managing Dir. Rich Negrín needs to be his target since

Negrín drew number one in the balloting draw while Khan pulled second.

So he quickly issued the following statement in response to reporting in the Philadelphia Inquirer about mismanagement of the Mayor’s Fund while Negrín was managing director and served on the fund’s board: “Rich Negrín needs to ex-

plain what he knew about the fleecing of tax dollars and mismanagement of the Mayor’s Fund while he served on its board, and why he didn’t take stronger action to address the clearly improper actions of the former city representative whom Negrín was responsible for overseeing. ‘No comment’ is not an acceptable answer for a

candidate seeking to be the city’s top law-enforcement official. As a former federal prosecutor who has taken on major city corruption cases, this raises questions for me about how seriously Negrín will be in fighting corruption when he apparently turned a blind eye in the last administration.”

Negrín, in the meantime,

has picked up the coveted endorsement of this city’s Lodge 5 of the Fraternal Order of Police. In January, prior to incumbent DA Seth Williams’ announcement that he would not seek re-election, FOP Lodge 5 President John McNesby purchased a billboard that read: “Help Wanted, New Philadelphia District Attorney.”

“With Rich Negrín, the search is over,” McNesby said last week.

Kicking back was another Democratic contender, Larry Krasner, who drew the fifth ballot position in the field of seven. He said, “The FOP endorsed Donald Trump, so of course they endorsed Rich Negrín. As they say on Sesame Street, two of these things belong together.” Krasner, a civil-rights attorney, touts himself as the most-progressive DA candidate among the

seven contenders.

“Anyone running for district attorney who fails to grasp that the job requires bringing people together to work collaboratively to solve longstanding challenges simply is not qualified for the job,” Negrín’s camp wrote in an email. “We can’t build a safer, stronger city without the input of community leaders and law enforcement. Rich gets that, and that’s why there was such a diverse group of law-enforcement groups supporting him today.”

Negrín has also received nods from Philadelphia’s Guardian Civic League, which represents the city’s African American police officers, as well as the Spanish American Law Enforcement Association, an advocacy group for Latino officers.

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, which represents 14,000 active and retired law-enforcement officials, has been notoriously resistant to certain police-reform proposals, including President Barack Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force and former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey’s attempts at greater transparency in officer-involved shootings.

Expected to stay in the race for Democratic DA are Michael Untermeyer, a former city and state prosecutor, who drew third; former First Deputy District Attorney Tariq El-Shabazz; Krasner; and former Municipal Court Judge Teresa Carr Deni, who was first out in declaring her candidacy.

She has a huge following.

(Cont. Page 8)

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CHOOSE YOUR JUDGES

MARK your CALENDAR Mar. 23- State Rep. Curtis Thomas hosts Career & Technical Opportunity Conference at Berean Presbyterian Ch., 2101 N. Broad St., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Community colleges and technical institutes discuss jobs for people aged 18-34.

For info: (215) 560-3261.

Mar. 23- State Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald hosts Town Ha. Mtg. at Simons Rec Ctr., 7200 Woolston Ave., 6-8 p.m. For info: (215) 549-0220.

Mar. 23- State Rep. Isabella Fitzgerald hosts Public Mtg. on Stop-&-Go Issues at Oak La. Library, 11 a.m. For info: (215) 549-0220.

Mar. 23- Green Party of Phila. holds Membership Mtg. at Shissler Rec, 1800 Blair St., 7 p.m. Free and open to the public. For info: (215) 843-4256 or gpop@gpop.org.

Mar. 23- State Rep. Pam DeLissio hosts Town Ha. Mtg. at Mifflin ES Aud., 3624 Conrad St., 7 p.m. Focus on legislative process. For info: (717) 787-7895.

Mar. 24- State Rep. Curtis Thomas hosts Career & Technical Opportunity Conference at Berean Presbyterian Ch., 2101 N. Broad St., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Community colleges and technical institutes discuss jobs for people aged 1834. (215) 560-3261.

Mar. 24- DA candidate Larry Krasner is hosted “Party4Justice” at Voyeur Nightclub, 1221 St. James St., 5 p.m.

Mar. 24- DA candidate Larry Krasner is hosted Fundraiser Bash at Maas Bldg., 1325 N. Randolph St., 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Live acts. Free food, wine & beer. Admission $20.

Mar. 24- Tribute to Warrior Sisters honors Pam and Ramona Africa and Monica Moorehead at Church of the Advocate, 1810 W. Diamond St., 6-9 p.m. Tickets

$15. For info: 484-343-2172.

Mar. 27- Judicial candidate Marissa Brumbach is hosted Fundraiser at Maggiano’s Little Italy, 1201 Filbert St., 5:30-8 p.m.

Complimentary drinks & buffet.

Contribution levels: Guest $50, Bronze $100, Silver $250, Gold $500, Platinum $1,000.

For info: (267) 918-1626.

Mar. 28- State Rep. Joanna McClinton hosts Entrepreneurship Seminar at Ezekiel Bapt.

Ch., 5701 Grays Ave., 6-8 p.m.

Helpful small-business tools.

For info: (215) 748-6712.

Mar. 29- Nonprofit Fundraiser for 290 Pennsylvanians killed in Iraq and Afghanistan Memorial is hosted at Law Offices of Bochetto & Lentz, 1524 Locust St., 5-7:30 p.m. For info: Judge Pat Dugan (215) 669-3509.

Mar. 29- Women for Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown hosts Ruby Red Reception at Enterprise Business Ctr. 4545 Market St., 5:30-7:30 p.m. For info: Taylor (267) 671-7208 or blondellonline@gmail.com.

Mar. 30- Councilman Bill Greenlee celebrates Birthday at Plays & Players Theater, 1714 Delancey Pl., 5:30 p.m. Tickets

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$200, Friends $500, Supporters $1,000. RSVP: John Brady (267) 432 4254.

Mar. 30- State Sen. Larry Farnese hosts cocktail reception at Globar, 13th & Walnut Sts., 5:30-7 p.m. Contribution levels $1,000, $500, $250, $75. Payable to “Friends of Larry Farnese.” RSVP: Taylor Daukaus (267) 671-7208 or farnese2016@gmail.com.

Mar. 30- DA candidate Beth Grossman is hosted Fundraiser at Linda A. Kerns, LLC, 1420 Locust St., Su. 220, 5:30-7 p.m. Donations $100. RSVP: Shannon Oscar shannon@bethgrossman4da.com.

Mar. 30- State Rep. Stephen Kinsey hosts “State of the State” town hall mtg. at St. Mark’s Lutheran Ch., 6344 N. Broad St., 6-8 p.m. Reps from state and city agencies for questions. For info: 215) 849-6592.

Mar. 31- 60th Ward Democratic Committee hosts Beef & Beer Fundraiser at Steve’s Sports Lounge, 5300 Market St., 5:309:30 p.m. Candidates $35, Others $25.

Apr. 4- 23rd Ward Democratic Committee hosts Fundraiser at

Harmonia Cl., 2404 Orthodox St. (Orthodox & Aramingo Ave.), 6-9 p.m. $35 per person, $100 per candidate. Checks payable to “23rd Democratic Ward.”

Apr. 4- Barbershop Talk Human Family Day is hosted at City Hall, Mayor’s Reception Rm. 202. RSVP

by March 29: (215) 879-9935.

Apr. 5- Phila. Jewish Labor Committee hosts Bobbi Willig Labor Seder at Temple Beth Zion-Beth Israel, 300 S. 18th St., 7 p.m. Suggested cover $25.

No one turned away for lack of funds. RSVP: Michael Hersch (215) 668-5454.

Apr. 6- Self Help Movement, Lt. Gov. Michael Stack and State Sen. John Sabatina, Jr. host “Pathways to Pardons” Event, 6:30 at Plumbers’ Local 690 Ha., 2791 Southampton Rd., 6-8 p.m.

Apr. 9- All-Star Labor Classic is held at Phila. U., 4100 Henry Ave., 10:30 a.m. 10 young basketball stars who each scored 1,000+ points in high school.

Benefits cerebral palsy.

Apr. 15- United Block Captains hosts Investiture for all block captains at Drexel U., Bossone Bldg., 32nd & Market Sts., 12-3 (Cont. Page 22)

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I

N PENNSYLVANIA, citizens are expected to choose the men and women who sit on the bench by electing them.

Some like this fact, others don’t. But it is a duty every voter should accept.

Judicial candidates cannot take positions on points of law. But there are many other ways to judge them.

It is possible to learn about a candidate’s life story and particular legal career.

in some cases life-or-death decisions. There are 3 vacancies on Municipal Court.

This body handles less-serious felonies, misdemeanors, petty-claims disputes and traffic cases (except you won’t think they’re less serious if it’s your case).

It’s important that there be judges who seem to be your sort of person and represent your particular interests. But it is also important to have balance on the bench. We need judges who are experts in procedure and administration; experts in prosecution as in defense; experts in criminal, civil and family law; beacons of justice and exemplars of compassion.

Do your job between now and the May 16 primary election, citizens. Then go to the polls and make 13 informed choices for judge.

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OPINION

There are many different paths to follow in law, and they inevitably shape a person’s knowledge base and inclinations.

It is possible to learn about the institutional support that rallies behind a candidate. Do the people who like a candidate represent or believe in some of the things you value? That tells you something.

It is possible to meet candidates in person if you attend some of the many Candidates Night” events sponsored around the city by ward leaders, other community organizations and specialized political groups.

You are entitled to form your own opinions after hearing them speak.

There are 10 vacancies on Common Pleas Court.

This body handles weightier criminal and civil cases –

DOWD-BURTON IN CHARGE

COLLEGE FUND UNMASKED

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FORMER Deputy Dir. of Commerce and Exec. Dir. of the Phila.

Office of Economic Opportunity Angela Dowd-Burton has succeeded Geri Swift as president of Women’s Business Development Center and Women’s Business Enterprise Council. Photo by Martin Regusters, Leaping Lion Photography

MAYOR Jim Kenney, R, joined, from L, United Negro College Fund VP Fred Mitchell and his wife Emily, UNCF Phila. area Dir. Greg Lyles and his wife Claude at the Mayors’ Masked Ball fundraiser at the Convention Center. Photo by Martin Regusters, Leaping Lion Photography

M A RC H 2 3, 2017

38TH WARD JAMS

POLS on the STREET THE 38TH WARD Dems threw their party at Wissahickon Brewery.

L-R, on drums were 14th Ward Leader Arthur Green, judicial candidate Marissa Brumbach, 38th Ward Leader host Mark Green, and judicial candidates George Twardy and Shanese Johnson. Photo by Wendell Douglas

(Cont. From Page 13) Those who want to get a first-hand, close-up look at the candidates are invited to attend a scheduled twohour debate tonight, from 7 to 9 p.m., at Springside Chestnut Hill Academy, 8000 Cherokee Street. Expected are all seven of the announced Democratic candidates as well as the Republican candidate Beth Grossman.

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GOP STATEWIDE SLATE IS READY

Pennsylvania GOP leadership is united behind its slate of statewide judicial candidates. So declare Chairman Val DiGiorgio, PAGOP Vice Chair Bernie Comfort, Senate President Pro Tempore Joe Scarnati, Senate Majority Jake Corman, Speaker of the House Mike Turzai and Majority Leader Dave Reed.

Their 2017 Republican-endorsed judicial candidates (Cont Page 13)

Larry Krasner … decarceration man.

progressive civil-rights attorney and right-wing billionaires have in common.

“What we are really talking about is over-incarceration. We are talking about the fact that there are too many people in jail and we continue to put people in jail at a rate that is far too high. We are the most incarcerated nation in the world: five percent of the world’s population and 25% of the inmates in the world. In Philly, the cradle of freedom itself, we find that people are being held in State Road (prison facilities) four times as long as they are held in other major cities.”

One of the ways Krasner would reduce the numbers of people behind bars is through bail reform, another hot-button topic among the candidates.

His approach involves implementing what he calls “sweat bail” to replace cash bail when possible for those who can’t afford to secure their release in legal tender.

“The notion is that you can be poor, but as long

as you are going to show up in court and you pay your debt to society when you get out, by reporting to a grass-roots organization or to a mental health center – if that’s what you need – that is a viable form of bail,” he elucidated of the system, which is currently in use in Washington, D.C. “It’s far more constructive than what we have now. The beauty of the system is that it allows you to see whether or not the people who have relatively non-serious offense are getting back on the right track – before you put a felony conviction on their back.”

Krasner is also a proponent of declination – the rate at which the District Attorney’s Office declines to prosecute cases, which he said hovers around 1% in Philadelphia, as compared to 15-20% in other jurisdictions in the state.

“I can tell you from practicing in other counties and other states: There are a lot of jurisdictions where they don’t arrest and charge after

more progressive attorneys know that the district attorney has their back and the policy is going to change.”

Like others in the race, Krasner seems to relish the opportunity to battle the Trump administration in court on known flashpoints like sanctuary city legislation and civil asset forfeiture, as well as lesser-known challenges, like threats to the region resulting from defunding the Environmental Protection Agency – something he emphasized would be just one of the areas of concern he would be prepared to defend. “It could mean that when you have a president who guts the EPA, that you have a district attorney who will engage in pollution prosecution,” he said.

Change and confrontation, and an oft-stated willingness to speak truth to power have led this perpetual outsider to this inflection point in both his and the city’s trajectory.

“For 30 years, I have been going in the right direction, arguing against mass incarceration, standing up for the rights of individuals, for constitutional rights,” he said.

“And for 30 years, I have watched the DA’s office and, essentially the other candidates, go in the opposite direction.

All of a sudden, it turns out that everyone in the race is a progressive!

They may have spent their entire careers going in the opposite way, but now they all believe in free speech, in process. And they all know that over-incarceration is wrong, as is cash bail.

All I can say is, I’m glad I was so persuasive.”

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the initial police encounter,” he said. “They do interviews, they compile information – there is a careful look at the case to see if it is even worth pursuing, as opposed to dealing with it in other ways.

There are, frankly, many cases in Philadelphia that are unworthy of prosecution because the offenses are so minor they are not worth the investment of resources. There are also a lot of cases where the investigation is wholly inadequate.”

This imbalance – and, to his mind – waste of time, resources and people is due in no small part to a corrosive culture of competition at the DAO, which he refers to as much the same as when he started there in 1987.

The prevailing work environment at the DAO, he asserted, “largely disregards its ethical obligation to seek justice in favor of a hyper-competitive attitude, almost a sports mentality where the goal is to find the heaviest charge possible, to bring that and to get the highest conviction possible. Once you have that, then it’s to get the highest sentence possible. And that is how you make your bones for the supervisors: because you were able to turn this case into something that looks really serious. That has nothing to do with seeking justice.”

To change that culture, and to improve the morale of a staff that has had to deal with a cavalcade of demoralizing news about Williams, culminating in his indictment on Tuesday, Krasner said he would start out by letting “younger, more-sensible attorneys and the older,

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1987. Among his clients: protesters arrested at the 2000 Republican National Convention and the 2016 Democratic National Convention, as well as Black Lives Matters activists and former Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy in a nightclub brawl last year.

One of Krasner’s most high-profile positions – his vocal stance against the death penalty – was established even earlier than law school.

“I ended up on a death-penalty jury right out of college,” he recalled in an interview. “They didn’t know what they were getting. My experience on that jury had a lot to do with my views on the death penalty.

When they asked me what my position was, I was 22; I thought it should be reserved only for things like the assassination of a president.”

In law school, he read extensively about the subject, initially as research for a moot court on the death penalty for juveniles, which cemented his opposition to the practice. “The more I read, the more apparent it became that it was terrible social policy – and also terribly immoral,” he said.

While a district attorney can’t abolish the death penalty, Krasner is eager to use the post to tackle a host of other justice system issues, including tackling exploding prison populations through decarceration.

“Decarceration is a funny word,” he said. “Progressives love the word and conservatives are scared of it – unless you happen to be the Koch brothers, who are in favor of it as well” – likely the only thing the

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BY GREG SALISBURY N A DISTRICT attorney’s race notable for the striking number of similarities between the candidates looking to succeed Seth Williams as Philadelphia’s top elected law-enforcement official, Larry Krasner stands out if for no other reason than that he is the only candidate to compare himself to former Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

Granted, he did so only as a way to explain his relatively late entry into the Democratic primary – he joined the fray in February, two days before Williams announced he wouldn’t be running for re-election, and just three months before the May 16 primary.

“There was another candidate whom, if she entered the race, I would have supported: Keir Bradford-Grey,” Philadelphia’s chief public defender, he explained. “Bernie said the same thing about Elizabeth Warren. He tried to get her to run and she wouldn’t. I didn’t try to get Keir to run, but if she had, I would have been happy to stay out.”

Whether due to his entry or to a sea change in attitudes and focus groups, there has been a noticeable progressive shift to the race – something Krasner believes plays to his strength as a civil-rights and criminal-defense lawyer with three decades’ experience on the other side of the bar.

The St. Louis native – his family moved to Philadelphia when he was eight years old – has burnished his defender’s reputation since graduating from Stanford Law School in

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EVANS IN MONTCO

CONGRESSMAN Dwight Evans was invited by the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners to meet with constituents. More than 150 people showed up at the Merion Tribute House to hear from Evans and to ask questions. Seen here are, L-R, Commissioners George Manos, Scott Zelov, Evans, Dan Bernheim and Josh Grimes.

Photo by Bonnie Squires

DAUPHIN FOR CEISLER

“I am grateful to Chair- 13 woman Rogette Harris and the entire Democratic Committee in Dauphin for their strong vote of confidence in our campaign” said Judge Ceisler.

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(Cont. From Page 8) are: for Supreme Court, Justice Sallie Mundy (Tioga County); for Superior Court, Judge Emil Giordano (Northampton County), Judge Wade Kagarise (Blair County), Judge Paula Patrick (Philadelphia County) and District Attorney Craig Stedman (Lancaster County); and for Commonwealth Court, Judge Christine Fizzano Cannon (Delaware County) and Paul Lalley (Allegheny County).

Judge Ellen Ceisler added Dauphin County to her growing list of county committee endorsements in her campaign for a seat on the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.

AN HEIRLOOM

ACTING Supervisor of Elections fort City Commissioners displays Horn and Hardart coffee can, from which over 50 years ago, candidates pulled their ballot positions from numbered balls. Lucky winner in DA’s race for top ballot position was Richard Negrin.

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STATE REP. Morgan Cephas convened a public meeting at Shepard Rec Center to discuss liquor-law enforcement in her W. Philly community. Stop-and-go activity is a recurrent concern in many parts of W. Phila., as elsewhere in the city, and Wynnefield and surrounding communities wish to regain control of their streets. L-R, Matthew Perks, assistant counsel, State Police; Clarence Dupree, assistant DA, Narcotics Division; Frank Spera, squad leader, Liquor Control Enforcement; Beth E. Finn, Women Rally; Jeffrey Lawrence, assistant director, Bureau of Liquor License Control. Photo by Wendell Douglas

POLS on the STREET

An unendorsed Republican, Mary Murray of Allegheny County, is also on the ballot for Superior Court.

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ELEPHANT CORNER

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HILADELPHIA politics has made national news owing to the ineptitude or arrogance (probably some of the former and a lot of the latter) of the Democrats in State House Dist. 197. Only Republican nominee LUCINDA LITTLE was on the ballot in the 197th Dist. in the special election on March 21.

The 197th seat is open because former STATE REP. LESLIE ACOSTA pleaded guilty in 2016 to embezzlement. She and everyone knew this was hanging over

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EVERYDAY PEOPLE

BY DENISE CLAY ECAUSE family issues have mandated that I stay in New Jersey at the moment, I’ve been at the mercy of perhaps the worst mass-transit system in the country: New Jersey Transit.

The only bus that leaves from my house (and when I say ‘my house’, I actually mean two miles away from my house going one-way), goes into the direction of Philadelphia every two hours. And if you don’t have exact change or a pre-purchased ticket, especially in

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her head, but she ran again and was re-elected. She waited until just before the January legislative session to resign, when she knew her colleagues in the State House would have removed her from office.

Acosta followed another convicted felon, former STATE REP. JOSÉ MIRANDA, in that seat. With the backing of Miranda, the district’s ward leaders selected FREDERICK RAMÍREZ, president of Pan American Mental Health Clinics, as their candidate.

Either the ward leaders did not know or did not care that Ramírez does not live in the house he owns in the district. He splits his time between his girlfriend’s and daughter’s homes outside of the district.

In the hearing that removed Ramírez from the ballot, he admitted to not living in his home. He also noted his daughter and girlfriend would not live in the

neighborhood and defended their attitude towards the district as it is “not Chestnut Hill.” The people in the district for years elected two crooks to represent them. Now their ward leaders think they deserve a representative who does not think they are good enough to live around his family.

The Democrats found another candidate. But Commonwealth Court JUDGE ANNE COVEY rejected their request to put Philadelphia Parking Authority employee EMILIO VÁZQUEZ on the ballot because their nomination was past the deadline.

The Democrats accused her of a making a cursory and political opinion. Covey’s opinion was 70 pages.

The final blow to the Democrats was the refusal of the City Commissioners to issue watcher certificates to Vázquez supporters. Watcher certificates are issued on behalf of candidates – (Cont. Page 19)

the morning, expect one of two things: a bad attitude from the bus driver or a threat of being left behind at the stop because they don’t want to break your $10 or $20.

The closest PATCO train, which is much more efficient, requires a $25 Uber or Lyft ride from my house because when a plan was put together to expand the service and bring it closer, it was met by some serious NIMBYs. (For those of you who don’t know what that means, that’s “Not In My Back Yard” protestors.)

The last bus leaving Philadelphia to go to my house leaves at 7:30 p.m. from the Greyhound Bus Terminal.

While it’s always on time from the Greyhound station, it’s a crapshoot at my Jersey bus stop.

And for the privilege of taking this most-inefficient system of mass transit and dealing with the often-crabby folks you have to deal with along the way, I get to

pay $19.50 (if I leave from my house) or $12.40 (if I take the bus to the Camden Transportation Center and catch PATCO there) round trip.

So while I can understand that the news that SEPTA is about to hike its fares beginning July 1 has probably made a lot of people mad — it could be worse. You could have to pay New Jersey Transit prices for service that makes you want to slap somebody.

SEPTA announced the fare hikes, the first since 2013, on St. Patrick’s Day, which shows how savvy the transit authority’s media folks are. If you’re going to announce a fare hike, doing it when most of your riders are roaring drunk insulates you from the backlash.

If you have been following the travails of SEPTA, the only thing that should really surprise you about the rate hike is, well, nothing.

The transit authority (Cont. Page 20)

WALKING the BEAT

BY JOE SHAY STIVALA HE SODA-TAX FOES chant on. They expect a revenue shortfall – but reported revenues are a wee short of target. They expect the public to rise up; but life is TOO BUSY. They are out there - like corpses as you scan your daily panorama. Their store owner complained of lost sales revenue and, at the same time, opened a new superstore INSIDE Philadelphia (?). The same company has announced on Facebook

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CITY HALL SAM

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LTHOUGH it was only a month ago that Philadelphia DISTRICT ATTORNEY SETH WILLIAMS announced he wouldn’t run for re-election, the anticipated indictment from federal authorities seemed to come early. Williams was indicted on 21 counts, many of them related to alleged bribes from businessman MUHAMED N. ALI. It’s a big fall for a personally likable and intelligent elected official.

Philadelphia MAYOR JIM KENNEY wasted no time

they are investigating new supermarket concepts, including one which is in a high-rise building stories above ground. The word is that supermarkets may create an aisle of drinks NOT SUBJECT to the Soda Tax. It could be BORING. Our US Sen. TOOMEY holding a Town Hall meeting? Seems like it ain’t gonna happen. He did hold a Taking your Questions on TV. The pressure on him did not abate. State Rep. Scott Perry did hold a Town Hall – filled to capacity – but you needed PHOTO I.D. to get in.

I tried to send an email to an out-of-state congressman utilizing the format provided on their website. The site told me I was “NOT VALIDATED.” Huh? I phoned the local office of that congressman to find out why I was not validated. They DID not know the answer. I then called the Washington office and found the reason was that I am not a registered

voter in that district. So outof-district persons may no longer communicate with an elected official? The electronic age increasingly isolates or places people into groups – kind of like in the book: Brave New World.

President TRUMP has often described The New York Times as “FAILING.” And the word was that they WERE failing. Now The Economist reports The Times benefited from a “TRUMP BUMP.” Last year, it signed up more than a half million digital subscribers (276,000 in the fourth quarter) for 3M total. The Washington Post reports a bump, as does TV news.

PARKING AUTHORITY: I am TIRED of reading about Vince Fenerty’s retirement benefits. When you retire, you get a PACKAGE OF BENEFITS requiring JUST ONE article. And the new Parking Authority Chief hired a friend of the (Cont. Page 19)

in calling Williams “deeply shameful.” And many are now calling for the DA to resign immediately. CHS thinks it will happen soon.

It remains to be seen if Williams can be somehow covered by his legal representation if he remains in office. But the heat will likely become unbearable should Williams try to stay until the end of his term.

Former MAYOR MICHAEL NUTTER went into an absolute rage when CONTROLLER ALAN BUTKOVITZ charged Nutter’s appointees had misspent city funds.

Nutter launched into a personal attack, declaring Butkovitz was “an unhappy man” who needed to get a life.

However, the facts turned out to verify Butkovitz’ version as DESIREE PETERKIN BELL was chastised by city authorities and The Inquirer for spending $52,000 of city funds while providing zero receipts and zero reasons.

Nutter reacted by criticizing the city official who re-

vealed the irregularities. It’s much easier to be unaccountable when one is an elected mayor. But in this case, Nutter seems to have lost his grip or perspective on reality.

Nutter acted like DONALD TRUMP by denying reality. He hopes the longer he denies the facts, the more wrong becomes right.

So far, Butkovitz has not tried to rub it in anybody’s face. But this is a fresh story and there is plenty of time for him to say, “I told you so.”

City Hall Sam has heard through the grapevine that Northeast state representatives engaged in fisticuffs at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Philadelphia. Later, the same representatives had words on the floor of the House of Representatives.

One of them took a video of a conversation the other was having regarding holding up a bill in the House. The video was forwarded to JOHN McNESBY, the head of Local 5 of the FOP. Reportedly (Cont. Page 19)

GOV. TOM WOLF visited Center in the Park in Germantown to make an urgent appeal to keep the Affordable Care Act On the podium were, L-R, Council President Darrell Clarke, Center in the Park Dir. Len Harris, Wolf and State Sen. Sharif Street. Photo by Wendell Douglas

ST. PAT’S DONE RIGHT

GREEN PACKS ESTIA COU NC ILMAN Derek Green drew an impressive turnout from the business community as well as a bevy of judicial candidates to his Estia fundraiser.

JUDGE Jimmy Lynn started off St. Patrick’s Day as usual with a lavish full Irish breakfast; performances of musicians, singers and dancers; and lots of high-powered schmoozing.

L-R, REAR, Councilman Derek Green and Judge Dwayne Woodruff from Pittsburgh, who is running for Penna. Supreme Court; front, Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and Judge Carolyn Nichols, running for Superior Court.

IRISH for the day at The Plough & The Stars in Old City were, L-R, Chelsea Dellavella, Kate Carr, affable host Judge Jimmy Lynn and Ward Leader Bob Dellavella.

HOSTING BLOCK CAPTS SWEARING-IN of block captains from Councilman Curtis Jones, Jr.’s 4th Dist. and elsewhere took place at St. Joseph’s University.

This annual event gives block captains key contacts, connections and informational resources.

Greeting them were, L-R, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, State Sen. Sharif Street, State Rep. Morgan Cephas, Capt. Joseph Bologna, Jones and DA candidate Tariq El-Shabazz. Photos

by Wendell Douglas

ATTORNEY David Conroy, R, who turned in petitions for a 1st Dist. seat, also linked up with Councilman Green.

HANGING out at Estia were, L-R, John Macoretta, who drew a good ballot position for Common Pleas Court; Councilman Derek Green; and Ward Leader Dan Muroff.

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LYNN, L, was joined by Teamsters leader Danny Grace and many other notables.

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ANOTHER Phila. judge running for an appellate seat, this one on Commonwealth Court, Ellen Ceisler, was pleased to greet C ou ncil ma n Derek Green.

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WOLF HAILS A.C.A.

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POLICE GRADS

P O L I C E Commiss i o n e r Richard Ross gave a rousing and insightful speech to the Class of 379 of the Phila.

Police Dept. at g r ad uat ion held at Temple University. Photos by Leona Dixon

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THE CLASS OF 379, Phila.’s newest police officers, take the oath pledging to protect and serve the City with their utmost ability during the ceremonial graduation for the Phila. police officers, Temple University police officers and Phila. Housing Dept. police officers.

STAMPS TO GO

SHOWING their write-in stamps being given to voters for Cheri Honkala in the 197th Special Election this past Tuesday were her supporters.

61ST WARD ROUNDUP

MUSICAL MOVE 61ST WARD Leader Pete Lyde, L, hosted a successful ward party at the Platinum Grill in N.W. Phila. Candidates like Judge Vincent Melchiorre came from all over the city to pay court. Photos by Wendell Douglas

JOINING incumbent Congressman Dwight Evans, C, were judicial candidates, L-R, Chris McCabe, Lucretia A MAJOR turnout of candidates gathered at the iconic Clemons, Judge Vincent Melchiorre and Rania Major.

N.W. eatery to meet local activists.

COUNCILMAN David Oh, 7th from R, convened the first meeting of the new Task Force on the Phila. Music Industry at City Hall last week.

Comprised of 15 persons representing a broad spectrum of the music business, it will develop a strategy to reestablish the city as a center of the world music industry. Photo by Wendell Douglas

MINIMUM WAGE

FEDERALISTS MEET

N.J. US ATTORNEY William E. Fitzpatrick announced the indictment of DA Seth Williams on 23 counts at the federal courthouse Tuesday, surrounded by numerous agents from the FBI and ICE. Photo by Wendell Douglas

ADVOCATING an increased minimum wage at a public meeting at the Trolley Car Diner in East Falls were, L-R, diner owner Ken Weinstein, advocate Ben Waxman and Councilman Allan Domb. Photo by Wendell Douglas

Gathered at The Federalist Society were, among others, L-R, Thomas Ellis, Gretchen Wishart, and Darren Smith, to hear an address by Hon. Jim Cawley. Photo by Wendell Douglas

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WILLIAMS INDICTED

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LITTLE G.O.P. FUNDRAISING

STATE REP candidate Lucinda Little’s team threw a funder at GOP HQ in Mayfair. L-R, Campaign Mgr. Ross Feinberg, Lit- NO SODA TAX! is a hot topic these days, and one Lutle and State Rep. Martina White. Photos by Wendell Douglas cinda Little hopes will catapult her into office.

UNITED Republicans 4th Ward Leader Jeff Little, Joe DeFelice, Annie Havey, 51st Ward Leader Andy Gentsch, Little, 1st Ward Leader Dom L-R at the party were Daphne Goggins, Lucinda Chiavaroli, 37th Ward Leader Ross Feinberg, Little, State Rep. Martina White and Republic 56th Ward Leader Mark Wuller and 57th Ward City Committee Chair Joe DeFelice.

Leader Brian McCann

CANDIDATES waiting to appear before the Democratic Party Policy Committee included those who pulled good ballot positions in the City Commissioner’s Office. They enjoy a few moments to savor that moment with mentors.

John Macoretta, Esq. chats with Rondal Couser, Leader of Ward 22, while Marissa Brumbach, Esq. chats with Dan Grace, President of Local #830 Teamsters. Photoas by Joe Stivala

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INTERVIEWING PRIMARY CANDIDATES

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JIM De Berardinelli, Esq. is upbeat with mentor DEMOCRATIC Policy Committee, led by Party Chairman Robert Brady, interviewed candidates for DisWillie Jordan, Leader of Ward 44. trict Attorney, City Controller, and 48 Common Pleas candidates as well as seekers for seats in Municipal Court.

Linda Kerns hero of the Philly GOP

so doing, the outnumbered and under-resourced city Republicans stuck their thumb in the mighty Democratic City Committee’s eye – and pulled off a coup almost unheard of in election law.

The problem lies with what it means to “reside.”

“It’s very difficult to prove that someone isn’t living somewhere. Case law is very loose,” Kerns noted. “People’s lives are complicated.

They can have multiple residences. And he had supposedly been living there for 20 years.”

But sharp, patient sleuthing on RCC’s part came up

collected signed affidavits from them. All were subpoenaed for the Commonwealth Court hearing; two of them appeared.

Bonin tried to shake their testimony but without success. One reported the porch light and upstairs bedroom light were always left on, but people rarely went to the house and never stayed long.

Bonin challenged their ability to watch the street all the time.

But Ilbania Cruz retorted, “My bed is right smack dab in the window. I sit on my bed and I can see everybody walking up and down, going in and out the houses.

“But you’re not staring all the time?” Bonin asked.

“Oh, yes, I am staring because I was shot, so I stare at everything,” Cruz said. “I pay attention to a lot, the way people look, their height, everything. You know, ever since I got shot, that’s like – it’s like a phobia of mine that I have to pay attention to everything.”

Meanwhile, Kerns had been combing through all sorts of records. At the hearing, Ramírez testified that he spent four or five nights a week at his Annsbury Street house. He spent Saturday nights with his teenage

daughter in Roxborough – the girl was afraid to come to Feltonville – and occasionally visited his girlfriend in Bristol, he said.

But PECO records going back to January 2015 showed Ramírez was consuming up to 17 times more electricity in Roxborough than in Feltonville, often month after month. Water Revenue Bureau records showed impossibly low water usage at his Annsbury Street address as well.

Republican sleuths also found a neighbor in Bristol who recognized Ramírez.

“The Bristol guy said sure, [Ramírez] leaves from here every morning,” Kerns related. In a blog post, Ramírez had called himself a Bristol resident.

The kicker: a seven-yearold article in a Bristol newspaper describing Ramírez’ charity relief expedition to Haiti in the wake of its devastating earthquake. At one point, the report described Ramírez as “at home in Bristol for two weeks.”

Covey took her time to decide against Ramírez. But her 50-page opinion left no room for doubt or for appeal.

With Ramírez stricken, the Democratic City Committee rushed to substitute Ward

Leader Emilio Vázquez’ name on the ballot; but his paperwork was turned in to the Dept. of State one day too late. DCC appealed this decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Kerns put in an all-nighter to write her brief.

“The statute only allows a party to replace a candidate on a ballot if he withdraws or dies,” Kerns explained.

But that was not the case.”

The court ruled against the Democrats, leaving only Republican Lucinda Little on the ballot.

Although official election results have not yet been published, it is unlikely the Republicans’ victory in court was enough to score a victory for Little in the polls.

In a way, the unquestioned winner of this bizarre election was the diligent effectiveness of Kerns and her team in the arcane thickets of election law.

“I am horrified at what these Democrats did here,” said Kerns. “I hope this is a lesson to them. I may only be one person but I’m not going away. I would like to see the voters elect a Republican on her merits.”

The winner won’t be declared until Friday by the City Commissioner’s office.

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with evidence that carried the day in a historic courtroom victory.

The GOP was undoubtedly helped by leaks from within the fractious Democrats of the Greater Kensington Latino community which dominates that diverse district.

Ramírez had defeated rivals to win the party nomination.

The RCC was tipped off. But they made the most of it.

RCC Deputy Exec. Dir. Annie Havey combed the 400 block of Annsbury interviewing neighbors. Kerns launched a meticulous record search.

And all of this was done at high speed, for election law unfolds at a dizzying speed.

More than once, Kerns said, she was forced to bang out a filing literally overnight.

Her counterpart, Adam Bonin, who was arguing for the Democrats, was under the same pressure.

But Bonin had reason to relax: Challenges based on candidates’ residency are seldom tried and never won … until now.

The Republicans did their homework. Havey went door-knocking to see if anyone knew if Ramireze lived in 440 Annsbury. No one said yes; four people said no. Havey, who is a notary,

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HOW LINDA KERNS CLEARED THE BALLOT

BY TONY WEST T MAY HAVE been the fact Freddy Ramírez couldn’t explain if he was 59 or 69 years old that won Linda Kerns’ case for her.

The endorsed Democratic candidate for the 197th Legislative Dist. had submitted reams of official documents – tax returns, bank statements, security clearances, magazine subscriptions, driver’s licenses – to document that he lived at 440 W. Annsbury Street, a Feltonville rowhome around the corner from one of the treatment centers that Ramírez, a clinical social worker, owns.

But Kerns, who is deputy counsel for the Republican City Committee, noticed some documents said he was born in 1947, others in 1957.

And under cross-examination, the candidate produced a jumble of incoherent explanations. They cannot have impressed Commonwealth Court Judge Anne Covey, who was hearing Kerns’ challenge to Ramírez’s petition charging he did not live in the 197th, where he said he did.

Judge Covey threw Ramírez off the ballot on March 3, a decision upheld by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court last week. In

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CITY HALL SAM

(Cont. From Page 14) McNesby called the state rep and gave him hell. Such action has been known as “spying,” or ratting out a colleague in violation of all decent standards of protocol and honor. A spokesman for the state rep who was the subject of the spying sent out a tweet accusing the spyee of ghost voting. Sam wishes we could all get along.

Five Democrats are vying to replace LESLIE ACOSTA as state representative.

Their only problem is the only candidate on the ballot is a Republican. Democrats fouled up the process of circulating petitions to get on the ballot. Nonetheless, all five believe they have a good shot at winning because there are so few Republicans in the district.

City of Philadelphia Public Hearing Notice The Committee of the Whole of the Council of the City of Philadelphia will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, March 28, 2017, at 10:00 AM, in Room 400, City Hall, to hear testimony on the following items: 170195

An Ordinance to adopt a Capital Program for the six Fiscal Years 2018-2023 inclusive.

170196

An Ordinance to adopt a Fiscal 2018 Capital Budget.

170197

An Ordinance adopting the Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2018.

170213

Resolution providing for the approval by the Council of the City of Philadelphia of a Revised Five Year Financial Plan for the City of Philadelphia covering Fiscal Years 2018 through 2022, and incorporating proposed changes with respect to Fiscal Year 2017, which is to be submitted by the Mayor to the Pennsylvania Intergovernmental Cooperation Authority (the “Authority”) pursuant to the Intergovernmental Cooperation Agreement, authorized by an ordinance of this Council approved by the Mayor on January 3, 1992 (Bill No. 1563-A), by and between the City and the Authority.

Immediately following the public hearing, a meeting of the Committee of the Whole, 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

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NO SNOW DAY HERE!

with US SEN. PAT TOOMEY as guest speaker at the Hyatt at the Bellevue.

NOT LETTING the snow get in the way of getting work done, Councilman David Oh and Commissioner Al Schmidt were happy to be at City Hall the morning after the recent snow storm, even as other city workers – like other Philadelphians – stayed home.

WALKING THE BEAT

(Cont. From Page 14) family. WOW! At least it was only for $48k a year, unlike the many $100k jobs that go unreported. And the writer who is trying hard for us to contact the PPA board members – I think he attaches too much importance to himself or his task.

There is no DIVINE RIGHT to do this for us.

Yet it is a start – since reporters, to me, seem SCARED to investigate the Parking Authority. They still avoid the dreaded parking hearings (BAA) on Filbert Street??

I was happy to read Ethics questioned in the case of a NUTTER staffer and nonprofit. The last administration was painted as pure as the driven snow. Maybe SLUSH was there after all?

The Fraternal Order of

Police (FOP) endorsed Rich NEGRÍN for DA. It was not a difficult decision if you harken back to a time when Mayor NUTTER did not resolve contracts with the Firefighters LOCAL 22 and District Council 33. The FOP reached an easy and SWIFT ACCORD with Managing Dir. Negrín. Is it true that many cops vote Republican?

COURTS: I read an article on a court case. Quotes from the prosecutors exceeded space given to defense remarks. More coverage of the prosecution will continue, unless reporters keep BALANCE in mind. Will they?... An article on Landlord-Tenant matters seems to zero in on Landlords having lawyers while poor tenants do not. That court allows you to try to resolve your issues with the landlord. You may feel you are under pressure to do so. If you are unhappy

with this, SAY SO. And wait for the JUDGE TO DECIDE. Teresa Carr DENI, the only woman candidate for DA, got the endorsements of LOCAL 1199C Hospital Workers, and The Operating Engineers LOCAL 690!

The story about an innocent man LANGUISHING in jail for 17 months is stuff the DA CAMPAIGN could be made of. The defendant accused by a man who sought a better sentencing deal in his own case, is no better than the slithering confidential informant malarkey. Sloppy investigation, taking the word of only one witness, not questioning a possible accomplice - are all blamed. A CREAKY schedule of court hearings from arraignment is also part of it. But it also could point to STATISTIC-DRIVEN prosecutions.

The next DA has to tell us he/she will END this LONG NIGHT.

IN RE: Adoption of Baby Girl Gold, minor female child (DOB: 9-19-2016), No. 2017A0019, Orphans Court, Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, PA. TO: Unknown Birthfather / “Shane”: A Petition has been filed asking the Court to put an end to all rights you have to minor female child born 9-19-2016 in Abington, PA. The Court has set a hearing to consider ending parental rights, if any, to the child. That hearing will be held in Ctrm 14 at the Montgomery County Courthouse, One Montgomery Plaza, 4th Floor, Norristown, PA on April 6, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. Your presence is required at the hearing. You are warned if you fail to appear at the scheduled hearing, the hearing will go on without you and your rights to the child, if any, 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. Montgomery County Lawyer Referral Service, 100 West Airy Street, PO Box 268, Norristown, PA 19404 Phone: 610-279-9660. Law Offices of Deborah E. Spivack, Attorney for Adoptions From The Heart, PO Box 56182, Philadelphia, PA 19130 (215763-5550). BY THE COURT - THE HON. LOIS E. MURPHY

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(Cont. From Page 14) and the Democrats did not have a candidate on the ballot. I guess they think only Republicans have to play by the rules.

Election-day turnout appeared to be lower than expected for most of the day.

Vázquez ran a write-in campaign that, from what I could see, was better organized than I expected. Green Party candidate CHERI HONKALA also was running a writein campaign as she also was denied a spot on the ballot after her nomination petitions were submitted a day past the deadline.

There was a little bit of morning drama as the Honkala’s campaign signs and literature were being removed from outside polling places as none of the pieces had the election-law-required language as to who paid for the political materi-

als. Honkala is not a novice to politics. She should have known that the “paid for” disclosure is required.

Republicans came out to help Little. While it was not the show of force we saw in STATE REP MARTINA WHITE’S 2015 special election with over 300 volunteers, Little had well over 100 helpers. As the district is 85% Democrat, 10% independent (or other) and only 5% Republican, Little’s election was still a challenge.

Rescheduled because of a snow day, the reception for Republican candidate for district attorney BETH GROSSMAN originally set for last week will be held at the law offices of Linda Kerns, 1420 Locust Street, at 5:30 p.m. on March 30. The special guest and Grossman’s campaign chairwoman will be SANDRA SCHULZ NEWMAN, former Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice.

Tonight there will be a Commonwealth Club event

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ELEPHANT CORNER

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NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND FORECLOSURE SALE - WHEREAS, on February 13, 1999, a certain mortgage was executed

by Vivian L. Motley, as mortgagor in favor of Fidelity Bond and Mortgage Co. d/b/a Phoenix as mortgagee and was recorded in Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County in Mortgage Book JTD 1851 Page 238 (“Mortgage”); and WHEREAS, the Mortgage encumbers property located at 1141 East Upsal Street Philadelphia, PA 19150, parcel number 502312000 / 152N13-107 (“Property”); and WHEREAS, the Property was owned by Vivian L. Motley by virtue of deed dated August 27, 1970 and recorded August 31, 1970 in Book PLMCS 69 Page 179; and WHEREAS, Vivian L. Motley died on April 1, 2014 and Letters of Administration were granted to Andrea Petrocelli-Fields on November 6, 2014 by the Register of Wills of Philadelphia County; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage is now owned by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“Secretary”), pursuant to an assignment recorded on December 8, 2009 in Philadelphia Document Number 52154176, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; and WHEREAS, a default has been made in the covenants and conditions of the Mortgage (paragraph 9 (a)(i)), as Vivian L. Motley died on April 1, 2014, and that upon the death the entire principal balance becomes due and owing, and that no payment was made, and remains wholly unpaid as of the date of this Notice; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of November 30, 2016 is $95,133.76 plus interest, costs and other charges through the sale date; and WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the Secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the Mortgage to be immediately due and payable; NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, l2 U.S.C. 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR Part 29, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded on September 29, 2011 in Misc. Instrument Number 52395684, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, notice is hereby given that on April 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Entrance of Philadelphia City Hall located at Broad Street and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon erected. SITUATE in the 50th Ward of the City of Philadelphia, described according to a Survey and Plan thereof made by Joseph P. Delany, Esquire, Surveyor and Regulator of the 5th District dated December 20, 1948 as follows, to wit: BEGINNING at a point on the Northwesterly side of Upsal Street (80 feet wide) at the distance of 605 feet 8-5/8 inches measured Northeastwardly from the Northeasterly side of Lowber Avenue (70 feet wide, THENCE extending North 50 degrees 40 minutes 23 seconds West 104 feet 8-7/8 inches to a point in the center line of a certain 15 feet wide driveway extending from Woolston Avenue Southwestwardly and communicating with another certain 15 feet wide driveway extending Southwestwardly into the said Lowber Avenue, THENCE extending North 39 degrees 19 minutes, 37 seconds East along the center line of the first above mentioned 15 feet wide driveway 30 feet 5-1/2 inches to a point, THENCE extending South 50 degrees 40 minutes 23 seconds East partly through the center of the party wall 105 feet 1-1/2 inches to a point on the Northwesterly side of Upsal Street aforesaid; THENCE extending South 40 degrees 3 minutes 11 seconds West along the said side of Upsal Street 30 feet 5-1/2 inches to the first mentioned point and place of beginning. BEING known as No. 1141 E. Upsal Street. TOGETHER with the free and common use, right, liberty and privilege of the aforesaid driveways as and for driveways, passageways and watercourses at all times hereafter forever in common with the owners, tenants and occupiers of the other lots of ground bounding thereon and entitled to the use thereof.

BEING known as Parcel: 502312000/152N13-107. The sale will be held on April 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Entrance of Philadelphia City Hall located at Broad Street and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will bid $95,133.76 plus interest, costs and other charges through the sale date. Ten percent (10%) of the highest bid is the deposit required at the sale. The amount that must be paid to HUD by the mortgagors or someone acting on their behalf so that the sale may be stayed is the total delinquent amount of $95,133.76 as of November 30, 2016, plus all other amounts that would be due under the mortgage agreement if payments under the mortgage had not been accelerated, advertising costs and postage expenses incurred in giving notice, mileage by the most reasonable road distance for posting notices and for the Foreclosure Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure prior to reinstatement. There will be no proration of taxes, rents or other income or liabilities, except that the purchaser will pay, at or before closing, his prorata share of any real estate taxes that have been paid by the Secretary to the date of the foreclosure sale. When making their bid, all bidders, except the Secretary, must submit a deposit totaling ten percent 10% of the Secretary’s bid as set forth above in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. Each oral bid need not be accompanied by a deposit. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of ten (10%) percent must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within thirty (30) days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like the bid deposits, must be delivered in the form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the high bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveyance fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery of the remainder of the payment and all other costs associated with the transfer of title. At the conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them.

The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extensions will be for fifteen (15) days, and a fee will be charged in the amount of $150.00 for each fifteen (15) day extension requested. The extension fee shall be paid in the form of a certified or cashier’s check made payable to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. If the high bidder closes the sale prior to the expiration of any extension period, the unused portion of the extension fee shall be applied toward the amount due. If the high bidder is unable to close the sale within the required period, or within any extensions of time granted by the Secretary, the high bidder’s deposit will be forfeited, and the Commissioner may, at the direction of the HUD Field Office Representative, offer the Property to the second highest bidder for an amount equal to the highest price offered by that bidder. There is no right of redemption, or right of possession based upon a right of redemption, in the mortgagor or others subsequent to a foreclosure completed pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the Foreclosure Commissioner will issue a Deed to the purchaser(s) upon receipt of the entire purchase price in accordance with the terms of the sale as provided herein.

EVERYDAY PEOPLE (Cont. From Page 14) is implementing the new SEPTA Key payment service, which allows you to put anywhere from $10 to $250 on a card that you can use for single rides or to buy trans passes with. This will eventually make the token that we’ve all come to know and love obsolete.

Also, SEPTA settled a strike with Transport Workers Union 234 that threatened to make Philadelphia’s already-abysmal voter turnout even worse because it coincided with election day.

You don’t think TWU Local 234 President Wil-

lie Brown told the workers under his leadership to stand down out of the goodness of their hearts, do you? Folks have to pay for that.

To pay for those and other things (like, maybe, some regional rail cars or Market-Frankford Elevated Train cars that aren’t full of cracks), prices are going up. Tokens are going to be $2.50 apiece. Weekly trans passes are going up to $25.50. Monthly passes are going from $91 to $96. You’re gonna have to put a few more pennies together to get around.

If you want to weigh in on this, SEPTA will begin having public hearings in the various counties it services on April 19. Philadelphia’s hearing is scheduled for Monday, April 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at SEPTA headquarters, 1234 Market Street.

But keep in mind, it could be worse. You could be at the mercy of New Jersey Transit.

They are also placed on graves at the cemetery instead of flowers. Palm weaving has been a tradition in South Philadelphia for generations but it is a dying art. There are not enough young hands to take up this beautiful art form.

There are many more 21 customs and more rites associated with the Easter season. But as long as we celebrate this season sincerely – in our own way and with our own customs – Easter will always be hailed as a beautiful time of the year.

NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND FORECLOSURE SALE - WHEREAS, on May 10, 2004, a certain mortgage was executed

by Elizabeth Watkins, as mortgagor in favor of Seattle Mortgage Company as mortgagee and was recorded in Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County in Mortgage Document Number 50933521 (“Mortgage”); and WHEREAS, the Mortgage encumbers property located at 553 East Locust Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19144, parcel number (“Property”); and WHEREAS, the Property was owned by Elizabeth Watkins by virtue of deed dated February 21, 1989 and recorded April 11, 1989 in Book FHS 1327; Page 312; and WHEREAS, Elizabeth Watkins died on January 13, 2012 intestate and is survived by her heirs-at-law, Crystal Henderson and Melvin Williams; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage is now owned by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“Secretary”), pursuant to an assignment recorded on 1/22/2010 in Document Number 52169436, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; and WHEREAS, a default has been made in the covenants and conditions of the Mortgage (paragraph 9 (a)(i)), as Elizabeth Watkins died on January 13, 2012, and that upon the death the entire principal balance becomes due and owing, and that no payment was made, and remains wholly unpaid as of the date of this Notice; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of November 1, 2016 is $149,288.81 plus interest, costs and other charges through the sale date; and WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the Secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the Mortgage to be immediately due and payable; NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, l2 U.S.C. 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR Part 29, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded on September 29, 2011 in Misc. Document Number: 52395684, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, notice is hereby given that on April 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Entrance of Philadelphia City Hall located at Broad Street and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground with the messauage or tenement thereon erected. SITUATE On the Northwest side of Locust Avenue at the distance of fifty-five feet three and seven-eighths inches Southwestward from the Southwest side of Musgrave Street in the 12th (formerly part of the 22nd) Ward of the City of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania. CONTAINING in front of or breadth on the said Locust Avenue 27 feet six inches and extending of that width in length or depth Northwestwardly between parallel lines at right angles to said Locust Avenue on the Northeasterly line thereof one hundred thirteen feet ten and one-half of an inch and on the Southwesterly line thereof one hundred thirteen feet ten and one-fourth inches. Being No. 553 Locust Avenue. Being parcel No. 122071500, 53N15-32. The sale will be held on April 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Entrance of Philadelphia City Hall located at Broad Street and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will bid $149,288.81 plus interest, costs and other charges through the sale date. Ten percent (10%) of the highest bid is the deposit required at the sale. The amount that must be paid to HUD by the mortgagors or someone acting on their behalf so that the sale may be stayed is the total delinquent amount of $149,288.81 as of November 1, 2016, plus all other amounts that would be due under the mortgage agreement if payments under the mortgage had not been accelerated, advertising costs and postage expenses incurred in giving notice, mileage by the most reasonable road distance for posting notices and for the Foreclosure Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure prior to reinstatement. There will be no proration of taxes, rents or other income or liabilities, except that the purchaser will pay, at or before closing, his prorata share of any real estate taxes that have been paid by the Secretary to the date of the foreclosure sale. When making their bid, all bidders, except the Secretary, must submit a deposit totaling ten percent 10% of the Secretary’s bid as set forth above in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. Each oral bid need not be accompanied by a deposit. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of ten (10%) percent must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within thirty (30) days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like the bid deposits, must be delivered in the form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the high bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveyance fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery of the remainder of the payment and all other costs associated with the transfer of title. At the conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them. The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extensions will be for fifteen (15) days, and a fee will be charged in the amount of $150.00 for each fifteen (15) day extension requested. The extension fee shall be paid in the form of a certified or cashier’s check made payable to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. If the high bidder closes the sale prior to the expiration of any extension period, the unused portion of the extension fee shall be applied toward the amount due. If the high bidder is unable to close the sale within the required period, or within any extensions of time granted by the Secretary, the high bidder’s deposit will be forfeited, and the Commissioner may, at the direction of the HUD Field Office Representative, offer the Property to the second highest bidder for an amount equal to the highest price offered by that bidder.

There is no right of redemption, or right of possession based upon a right of redemption, in the mortgagor or others subsequent to a foreclosure completed pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the Foreclosure Commissioner will issue a Deed to the purchaser(s) upon receipt of the entire purchase price in accordance with the terms of the sale as provided herein.

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patterns and formations were woven using individual palm fronds. Beautiful hearts, flowers and crosses magically appear as the weavers magically transform the palm fronds into works of art, used for door and mantle decorations.

M A RC H 2 3, 2017

Y

O! HERE we go again with some customs I learned in my youth that are associated with the Easter season. Some of these customs stem from pagan rituals; others are from religious celebrations.

For Example: Lent – when the Easter season starts on Ash Wednesday. It is a time that ashes from the burned palms of last Easter season are applied to the foreheads of the faithful as an outward expression of their faith.

They also call to mind our own mortality as it is written, “... ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”

The Thursday before Good Friday is called Holy Thursday, Maundy Thursday and Green Thursday.

On that day in Europe, green foods are served, such as herb soup, kale, spinach and salad greens; Eggs are colored and highly decorated on that day and carried all day – for luck. Alms are given to the poor and the pope washes the feet of 13 of his associates.

In Spain, the archbishop washes the feet of 13 poor, elderly people who then join in a religious feast. At midnight in the Slavic countries of Europe, the rural men go to a nearby stream or river to wash themselves. This represents the cleansing of the spirit.

Good Friday has other customs. Long ago, people did not wash clothes on Good Friday. They believed the laundry would be stained with blood-like spots. Blacksmiths would not nail horseshoes. Gyp-

has a religious connotation as symbol of the innocent.

Palms are a Christian tradition relating to the crowds carrying palms that greeted Christ on his arrival at Jerusalem. This Easter tradition is elaborated upon by weaving the palms. Intricate

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the WAFFLE MAN

sies would not wash their hands on Good Friday as a remembrance of Pontius Pilate’s hand-washing denial of Christ.

Farmers, in order to obtain luck, would plant parsley, peas, beans and fruit trees.

If it rained on that day, it was supposed to be a curative for eye troubles; they caught and kept some of the rainwater to wash out the eyes.

Anyone who died on Good Friday was envied, for it was said they went straight to heaven as the good thief did on that fateful Good Friday.

In England, eating of hot cross buns warded off bad luck. A custom started in 1361 at St Alban’s Abbey of giving hot cross buns to the poor, which was supposed to improve their luck.

Pilgrimages were started and completed to Rome during Holy Week, ending with services at St Peter’s basilica. Others went to Israel to walk in the same places that Jesus walked.

In Romania, on the evening before Easter, churchgoers carried lighted candles home from midnight mass. The young people of the household then gazed into mirrors by that candlelight to try to see into the future.

Easter Sunday is a time to dress up in new clothes, as all of nature will soon be clothed in spring foliage and new growth.

Many foods are eaten during Easter, including different types of Easter bread, decorated pastries, pork and lamb. Ham is traditional in the United States, stemming from the English custom of a ham dinner at Easter established in the days of William the Conqueror.

The pig is a symbol of prosperity in many countries and was appropriate for representing the bounty of Easter. Pork dishes are very popular in America. Lamb dishes are favored for Easter dinner in many European countries. The lamb also

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MARK your CALENDAR

(Cont. From Page 7) p.m. First 10-0 receive Key to the City! Must bring official card. RSVP by Apr. 7: (215) 309-5754.

Apr. 15- Ducky Birts Foundation hosts Awards at 1st Dist. Plaza, 3801 Market St., 12 noon.

Apr. 15- Philly Jewish La-

bor hosts Seder at Temple Beth Zion, 300 S. 18th St., 7 p.m. Donations $25.

Apr. 26- Phila. Democratic Progressive Committee

NOTICE OF DEFAULT AND FORECLOSURE SALE - WHEREAS, on June 17, 2010, a certain mortgage was executed by Gladys G. Green, as mortgagor in favor of Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems Inc. as nominee for Generation Mortgage Company as mortgagee and was recorded in Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County in Mortgage Document Number 52232825 (“Mortgage”); and WHEREAS, the Mortgage encumbers property located at 3013 North Sydenham Street Philadelphia, PA 19132, parcel number 111178200 / 38N1-284(“Property”); and WHEREAS, the Property is owned

by Gladys G. Green and Coolidge Green by virtue of deed dated May 17, 1955 and recorded May 24, 1955 in Book: CAB 22; Page: 44; and WHEREAS, Coolidge Green died on August 19, 1998. By operation of law title vested solely in Gladys G. Green; and WHEREAS, the Mortgage is now owned by the Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“Secretary”), pursuant to an assignment recorded on March 9, 2016 in Document Number 53032294, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; and WHEREAS, a default has been made in the covenants and conditions of the Mortgage (paragraph 9 (b)(i)), as the Property ceases to be the principal residence of the Mortgagor; and WHEREAS, the entire amount delinquent as of October 24, 2016 is $65,079.60 plus interest, costs and other charges through the sale date; and WHEREAS, by virtue of this default, the Secretary has declared the entire amount of the indebtedness secured by the Mortgage to be immediately due and payable; NOW THEREFORE, pursuant to powers vested in me by the Single Family Mortgage Foreclosure Act of 1994, l2 U.S.C. 3751 et seq., by 24 CFR Part 29, and by the Secretary’s designation of me as Foreclosure Commissioner, recorded on September 29, 2011 in Misc. Document Number: 52395684, in the Office of the Recorder of Deeds of Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, notice is hereby given that on April 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Entrance of Philadelphia City Hall located at Broad Street and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.

ALL THAT CERTAIN lot or piece of ground with the buildings and improvements thereon erected, SITUATE on the Easterly side of Sydenham Street at the distance of one hundred feet Northwardly from the Northerly side of Indiana Avenue, in the 11th (formerly part of the Thirty-eighth) Ward of the City of Philadelphia. CONTAINING in front or breadth on the said Sydenham Street fifteen feet and extending between lines parallel with the said Indiana Avenue Eastward seventy-eight feet two inches to a certain five feet wide alley leading Northwardly into Clearfield Street and communicating at its Southernmost and with a certain other four feet wide alley leading Eastwardly into Fifteenth Street and Westwardly into Sydenham Street.

Being known as and numbered 3013 North Sydenham Street. TOGETHER with the free and common use, right, liberty and privilege of the above mentioned alleys as and for passageways and watercourses at all times hereafter, forever. Being known as parcel: 111178200 / 38N1-284. Being known as property: 3013 North Sydenham Street Philadelphia, PA 19132. The sale will be held on April 5, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at the Southeast Entrance of Philadelphia City Hall located at Broad Street and Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development will bid $65,079.60 plus interest, costs and other charges through the sale date. Ten percent (10%) of the highest bid is the deposit required at the sale. The amount that must be paid to HUD by the mortgagors or someone acting on their behalf so that the sale may be stayed is the total delinquent amount of $65,079.60 as of October 24, 2016, plus all other amounts that would be due under the mortgage agreement if payments under the mortgage had not been accelerated, advertising costs and postage expenses incurred in giving notice, mileage by the most reasonable road distance for posting notices and for the Foreclosure Commissioner’s attendance at the sale, reasonable and customary costs incurred for title and lien record searches, the necessary out-of-pocket costs incurred by the Foreclosure Commissioner for recording documents, a commission for the Foreclosure Commissioner, and all other costs incurred in connection with the foreclosure prior to reinstatement. There will be no proration of taxes, rents or other income or liabilities, except that the purchaser will pay, at or before closing, his prorata share of any real estate taxes that have been paid by the Secretary to the date of the foreclosure sale. When making their bid, all bidders, except the Secretary, must submit a deposit totaling ten percent 10% of the Secretary’s bid as set forth above in the form of a certified check or cashier’s check made out to the Secretary of HUD. Each oral bid need not be accompanied by a deposit. If the successful bid is oral, a deposit of ten (10%) percent must be presented before the bidding is closed. The deposit is nonrefundable. The remainder of the purchase price must be delivered within thirty (30) days of the sale or at such other time as the Secretary may determine for good cause shown, time being of the essence. This amount, like the bid deposits, must be delivered in the form of a certified or cashier’s check. If the Secretary is the high bidder, he need not pay the bid amount in cash. The successful bidder will pay all conveyance fees, all real estate and other taxes that are due on or after the delivery of the remainder of the payment and all other costs associated with the transfer of title. At the conclusion of the sale, the deposits of the unsuccessful bidders will be returned to them. The Secretary may grant an extension of time within which to deliver the remainder of the payment. All extensions will be for fifteen (15) days, and a fee will be charged in the amount of $150.00 for each fifteen (15) day extension requested. The extension fee shall be paid in the form of a certified or cashier’s check made payable to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. If the high bidder closes the sale prior to the expiration of any extension period, the unused portion of the extension fee shall be applied toward the amount due. If the high bidder is unable to close the sale within the required period, or within any extensions of time granted by the Secretary, the high bidder’s deposit will be forfeited, and the Commissioner may, at the direction of the HUD Field Office Representative, offer the Property to the second highest bidder for an amount equal to the highest price offered by that bidder.

There is no right of redemption, or right of possession based upon a right of redemption, in the mortgagor or others subsequent to a foreclosure completed pursuant to the Act. Therefore, the Foreclosure Commissioner will issue a Deed to the purchaser(s) upon receipt of the entire purchase price in accordance with the terms of the sale as provided herein.

hosts K5DCN Candidates Night at Kingsessing Free Lib., 1201 S. 51st St., 6-8 p.m.

Apr. 26- Councilman Mark Squilla hosts NFL Draft Party at Prime Stache Restaurant, 220 Sr. Broad St., 6-9 p.m.

Special guests, signed Eagles gear. Hail Mary Pass $2,500, Touchdown $1,000, Field Goal $500, General Admission $100. Payable to “Squilla for Council,” P.O. Box 37332, Phila., PA 19148. RSVP: Brittany@ lperrygroup.com.

For info: (215) 893-4281.

Apr. 27- Committee to Reelect Rep. John Taylor hosts annual Historical Site Cigar & Wine Tasting at Colonial Dames of Phila., 1630 Latimer St., 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets $250. Sponsorships available.

Apr. 29- Sky Community Partners hosts 5K Pt. Breeze Walk & Run at Wharton Sq. Pk., 2300 Wharton Ave., Registration 7:30 a.m., ceremony 8:15 a.m. Join many civic leaders. For info: info@skycommunitypartners.com.

Apr. 29- United Voices for Phila. hosts DA Candidates Forum at CCP, 1700 Spring Garden St., 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Apr. 29- DA Candidates Forum is held at CCP, 1600 Spring Garden St., 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Apr. 29- Grands as Parents host Skating Party at Carmen Skating Rink, 3226 Germantown Ave., 4 p.m.

Apr. 29- Congressman Dwight Evans hosts Birthday party Pre-Election Fundraiser at Hilton City Li. Hot., 4200 City Ave., VIP Reception7:30-8:30 p.m., Party 8:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m. Patrons $70, Supporters $100, Friends $250, Sponsors $1,000, Hosts $2,500. For info: Mary Kate (215) 242-3213.

Apr. 30- Crisis Intervention Network Reunion Committee hosts Trip

to Nat’l Mus. of African American History & Culture, Washington, D.C. Bus leaves Progress Plaza 10 a.m. Tickets $48. For info: Mike Reed (215) 796-5499.

May 4- Self Help Movement hosts Reception at Knowlton Mansion, 80012 Verree Rd., 6-10 p.m. Honoring Pa. National Guard’s 28th Div., 56th Brig. and Gary Tennis, former Secretary Dept. of Drug & Alcohol Programs.

For info: (215) 992-6710.

May 14- Reunion Committee hosts Mother’s Day Trip to Resorts Hotel & Casino, lv. Progress Plaza, Broad & Oxford Sts., 3:30 p.m. Video bus, long-stemmed rose for all mothers, champagne toast en route. Tickets $30. For info: Mike Reed (215) 796-5499.

Jun. 11-12Indigenous Muslim Sisters hosts Nat’l Reunion at Int’l Ho., 3701 Chestnut St. Tickets $50. For info and tickets: Aisha (443) 851-9212, Saeedah (215) 8281969, Majeedah (215) 778-2748, Ayesha (979) 319-2983.

Jun. 12- CATCH hosts Golf Classic at Old York Rd. C.C., 801 Tennis Ave., Spring House, Pa., 8 a.m.

Registration & Breakfast, 10 a.m. Shotgun, 3.p.

19th Hole Anniversary Celebration & Awards.

Proceeds benefit CATCH Community Scholarship Fund. For info: (215) 735-7435.

Jun. 18- Reunion Committee hosts Father’s Day Trip to Nat’l Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, D.C., lv. Progress Plaza 8:15 a.m. Video bus, MLK Memorial, complimentary museum passes, stop at Baltimore Harbor, gift for all fathers. Tickets $50.

Payable to “Crisis Intervention Network, Inc.,” P.O. Box 9449, Phila., PA 19139. For info: Mike Reed (215) 796-5499.

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