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Next week in Frankford

  • Budget Workshop to gather citizen input for the City of Philadelphia’s 2010 budget process
    When-Thu, February 12, 6:00pm – 9:30pm
    Where-St. Dominic’s School, 8510 Frankford Ave (map)
    Description-All workshops begin with registration at 6:00 pm. Registration is vital to the process of dividing participants into evenly sized, diverse working groups. The program will run from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.
  • Saint Valentine’s Day Family Dinner
    When-Sat, February 14, 6pm – 8pm
    Where-Frankford Memorial United Methodist Church, 1300 Dyre Street Philadelphia, PA 19124 (map)
    Description-Frankford Memorial United Methodist Church will be holding a Saint Valentine’s Day Family Dinner on Saturday, February 14th, 2009. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm. and there is one seating only. Singles, Couples, and Groups are welcome! Tickets are $15.00 for adults and $10.00 for children 10 and under. For tickets please call the Church Office at (215) 288-9800 by February 10th. Sorry, no tickets sold at the door. For more information and the menu see our web site at www.FrankfordMemorial.org.
  • NORTHEAST CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL open house
    When-Sun, February 15, 10am – 12pm
    Where-1842 Torresdale Avenue (map)
    Description-Open House on Sunday, February 15, 2009 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 NOON. Please take this opportunity to experience our campus, and meet with our students, faculty, administration, alumni, activities moderators and athletic coaches. Any questions, please contact Terri Barrett at 215-831-123, ext. 217.
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Devon Theater for the Performing Arts

Our friends in Mayfair have managed to turn a run down porno theater into a performing arts showcase.  They deserve our support and encouragement.

Come take center stage and be part of the fun as the Devon Theater opens its doors on March 28th with the hit musical comedy, “Nunsense!”

Nunsense begins when the Little Sisters of Hoboken discover that their cook, Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidentally poisoned 52 of the sisters, and they are in dire need of funds for the burials. The sisters decide that the best way to raise the money is to put on a variety show, so they take over the school auditorium, which is currently set up for the eighth grade production of “Grease.” Here we meet Reverend Mother Regina, a former circus performer; Sister Mary Hubert, the Mistress of Novices; a streetwise nun from Brooklyn named Sister Robert Anne; Sister Mary Leo, a novice who is a wannabe ballerina; and the delightfully wacky Sister Mary Amnesia, the nun who lost her memory when a crucifix fell on her head. Featuring star turns, tap and ballet dancing, an audience quiz, and comic surprises, this show has become an international phenomenon. With more than 5000 productions worldwide, it has been translated into 21 languages.

Performance Dates/Times/Tickets

Performance Dates: Thursday – Saturday Nights + Saturday & Sunday Matinees:
3/28/09 – 4/19/09

Thursday Nights: 7:00 PM Curtain Time

Friday & Saturday Nights: 8:00 PM Curtain Time

Saturday & Sunday Matinees: 2:00 PM Curtain Time

Prices: $25.00 Matinee / $35.00 Evening / $30.00 Group & Devon Theater Members

To Purchase Tickets: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.devontheater.org or call 215-338-6300.

Devon Theater for the Performing Arts
6333 Frankford Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19135-3033
215-338-6300 office
215-338-6302 fax
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.devontheater.org

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Frankford Civic Association Meeting

The Frankford Civic held their monthly meeting tonight with 36 people in attendance.  Some routine zoning business came up first with approvals for

  • Paintarama over on Torresdale Avenue needs some indoor parking due to vandalism
  • A family day care on Harrison Street to expand to serve 12 children
  • The Independent Electrical Contractors Association for the operation of a training center in the 1600 block of Foulkrod Street.
  • Operation of a rotisserie chicken store for take out and with seating to eat in on Frankford Avenue near Margaret Street.

The electricians presence was greated with applause and welcome to the community.

img_2005A property owner made a presentation to convert a 3 story single home into a triplex.  That issue was set for further study.  The owner of a property on Frankford Avenue near Church Street is looking to open a business and wants to work with the civic to try to find a good use for the building.  The owner of the property on Frankford Avenue seeking to add 2 apartments to the first floor thereby reducing the size of the retail space was not present.

Upcoming events are the mayor’s budget information meeting at St. Dominick’s on 2/12.  The 15th district captain’s town hall meeting at St. Joachim’s on 2/17 and an informational meeting on the new 311 phone system at Tacony Baptist on 2/18.

img_2006Several representatives from groups serving the rehab community attended the meeting for the first time.  There were discussions of the need for the services they provide and it was generally agreed that yes they are needed.  The big question is why are so many of them needed in Frankford.  Many people spoke on the quality of the services they provide and how that is the real source of the problem.

On that issue, we beg to differ.  If every one of the various drug rehab services was the top in its field, it would still mean that Frankford was over full of A+ drug rehab services.

We are closed now.  We are full.  Those that remain in Frankford will have to be good or they will go and those that go do not need to be replaced.
Although there were some strong positions taken, the meeting was civil and fairly amiable considering the depth of feeling on both sides the the fence.  It ran a bit late which is unusual for the Civic.

We’ll be posting something tomorrow on the issue of the old Frankford Day nursery building being used for another drug rehab residence.

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We Are Saturated

A town hall meeting was held in Frankford Tuesday night at St. Joachims in the parish hall.  You will find many opinions from those in attendance at to the success of the meeting.  Some folks were at the meeting with the belief that it was to discuss the conversion of the old Frankford Day Nursery into another half way house.  This was not the case and that misunderstanding should fall on the organizers of the meeting.

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The meeting appeared to have been hastily organized but that impression may have come from incorrect or little information available before hand.  However the outcome of the meeting was an acknowledgment by councilperson Maria Quinonez-Sanchez that yes Frankford has a serious problem and it is going to take some work to fix it.

Sounds like a commitment to me.  There is no magic wand that will solve the kind of problem we have in Frankford.  The decision to actually adddress it will do for me. Drugs are a part of modern life and several folks at the meeting spoke out that we are not against the services being offered to the poor souls hooked on drugs.  We are opposed to being the main location for all these services.  That has to end.

Next we need to enforce the existing laws and regulations to shut down those services that are not run properly.  And finally we have to go after those flop houses that exploit these folks, take their money and do nothing for them. They are sucking the sould out of the community and deserve to be run out of town.

How can you help?  Report every flop house you know to the councilperson’s office and let them find out if they are licensed.  215-686-3448 or 3449.

Now thanks to Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Tony Payton.  Also, as I was listening to the tape tonight I think I heard that a representative from Senator Specter’s office was in attendance.  If so, thanks Arlen.  If I missed anybody, let me know pols.

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Counselwoman Guarantees Little in Town Hall Meeting, Comes Through With Snack Table

Town Hall Treats

Regular readers will know that I was more than a little miffed when Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez bailed on the Friends of Overington Park’s Tree Planting, leaving me hungry for the cookies and orange juice she promised.  But boy did she come through at last night’s town hall meeting.  She promised better interaction with city agencies, a more streamlined communication with our civic associations, and attentiveness when residents bring problem properties to her attention.  But she guaranteed tastiness coming through with that spread.  If she never does another thing for Frankford(or ever starts), her heroics calling in the snack foods will long be remembered.