I’ve met the folks who are doing this fair and its the real deal.  It took me a while to catch on to this watershed idea but I get it now.  It’s where the water goes.  You can learn something about it and sign up for a FREE rain barrel or downspout planter.  Free cocoa and snacks, kids activities.  Fun for all.  Take a look below.

I was on vacation last week so I have two weeks worth of Frankford Links:

• 1211 Herbert Street gets listed for $195,000 [trulia]
• Holiday Thriftway gets 1 out of 5 stars [yelp]
• Violent crime down in the 15th district [NE Times]
• Housemate charged with murdering mother,son on Leiper St [nbc3]
• Fencing has been proposed to protect Overington Park’s trees [NE Times]
• Cop charged with theft from Pat’s Cafe [NE Times]
• Leandro Street Pizza House at Meadow St gets 3 out of 5 starts review [yelp]
• Kenny’s Soul Food gets a 5/5 star review, didn’t this place close down? [yelp]
• Frankford Civic approves request for DiCicco car sales to start washing em too [NE Times]
• 1204 Haworth St gets listed for $195,000 [trulia]
• Leandro’s Pizza at Sellers St gets a 5/5 review [yelp]
• Friends Hospital gets restored to Magellan Health Services network after it was able allay concerns of staffing levels [NE Times]
• Safe Routes Philly stopped by at John Marshall School to promote bicycling as a healthy, low-cost, and environmentally-friendly form of transportation and recreation

photo credit: serlingrod on flickr

Temple’s journalism students have made another visit to 19124 as Jennifer Reardon and Maria Konidaris profile the Excel Academy in it’s first year of operation on the grounds of Friends Hospital.  Camelot Schools of Pennsylvania, Excel’s operator, has been contracted by the school district to bring students that have fallen behind in other northeast Philly high schools the opportunity for them to catch up and graduate.  It received unanimous approval for its zoning variance last fall by the Northwood civic.

The last time they stopped by was for a piece on Frankford’s Main Street.

Thankfully I’ve never had to be on the grounds of Friends Hospital.  But Microsoft’s Bing Maps has bird’s eye view of the grounds and after driving by it for so many years I didn’t realize how big the grounds were or how extensive the the buildings were.  Check it out.  You’ll have to click on “Aerial” then “Bird’s eye”.

The Northwood Civic met Tuesday night to discuss the proposal by Camelot Schools of Pennsylvania to operate an Excel Academy on the grounds of Friends Hospital at 4641 Roosevelt Boulevard (map) . Camelot is seeking zoning variances to open this school year and needs the support of Northwood.

The school would be under contract to the School District of Philadelphia and similar to the one operated at present on Bustleton avenue.  It would only serve students in the Northeast.  The purpose is to help students who have fallen at least two or more grade levels behind to catch up and graduate.  It is not a disciplinary school but an accellerated program to get these kids back on track.

The Civic has been negotiating for several weeks and a vote was taken on the proposed agreement.  It was approved unanimously.