Category: Miscellaneous

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Officer Gary Skerski Remembered

Officer Gary Skerski was memorialized on May 8th.  The video below shows a bit of that ceremony.  We live in a time when the word hero is over used.  He was a hero in the truest sense of the word.  He was the Community Services Officer for the 15th District when he was killed 10 years ago but he was working overtime that night when he was called to investigate the report of a robbery at Pat’s Cafe.

 

Natalie Pompilio and Robert Moran of the Inquirer gave a great account of his time which you can read at this link.

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The Trumping of the Republican Party

A guest opinion from John V. Buffington

Insurgent Ignorance

There is new proof of American Exceptionalism. A candidate who has adopted the persona of an egotistical, bombastic, protectionist,  belligerent, immoral, mendacious ignoramus has reached the point of threatening the very existence of the Republican Party. Now that Donald Trump has deluded a large plurality of naive voters who have had a say in the Republican nomination process to date, his agents have assured the Republican National Committee that everything that he has said so far is a joke.

Senator Cruz, on the other hand, represents a well-established segment of the GOP. Nihilists and racists emerged from their holes as soon as it became apparent that a black man might become president. They love the idea that their candidate will never compromise. Not with Democrats, not with Republican party leadership, not with anybody who isn’t dedicated to starving the federal government, shutting down every support for anybody who isn’t rich and beating up on immigrants.

Pennsylvania Republicans who would like to go on putting up possible candidates after the inevitable debacle in November will, of course, vote for governor Kasich in the primary on April 26th. That, however, is not enough.

If you want to vote for the actual nomination of Senator Cruz in the belief that bringing government to a halt is desirable, exactly one candidate on the second congressional district ballot for convention delegate is committed to your choice.

If you think that the vote in our district in the beauty contest will go your way, one candidate for delegate has pledged to vote for whoever gets the most beauty contest votes.

If you like Trump you may want to follow the recommendation from his campaign to vote for the other five candidates, who have refused to commit to a candidate on the first ballot.

If you enjoy assigning your franchise to political bosses you will vote for that same list of political cyphers.

If you favor Governor Kasich, either because someone who has actually done stuff in office other than break furniture might work out a bit better than a crazy person, or because you think that he is the least bad choice, you will want to write in “none of the above” on the portion of the ballot pertaining to convention delegates.

If you would like to wrest your franchise from party buses, writing in “none of the above” is your best option.

Our country has recovered from worse than Trump and senator Cruz can dish out and it will do so again this time. Without Trump in the race, one of the more conventional politicians would be the clear nominee by now and would have a good shot in November. The lingering question now is whether there will be enough of a Republican presence to contest mid-term elections in 2018 or some new coalition will begin to form by then or Democrats will just walk away with nearly all of the marbles. Please make your choices on April 26th carefully.

I consider myself a recovering Republican. We Republicans fairly consistently embraced a libertarian view on social issues until Ronald Reagan, our first divorced president, drew the Evangelical Right into the party during the 1980 campaign.

If Trump and Senator Cruz succeed in destroying the Republican party as we know it, a period of Democratic party dominance will ensue, of course.

If I live long enough to see the emergence of a socially libertarian, fiscally conservative party with a realistic restorative view of international Affairs, I will Jump right In.

Author’s Note
This article is the first in the series that will continue until after the Republican National Convention and or until Trump’s dark brown pile ceases to fester on our National white sofa.
John V. Buffington

All readers are welcome to submit opinions or rebuttals.  Email gil@frankfordgazette.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Veteran of the Month Stanley Adams

Stanley Adams was born in November 1950 in Philadelphia. He was raised in a Christian family and was baptized and became a member of Second Baptist Church of Frankford.

stanleyHe attended M. Hall Staton grade school, Gillespie Junior High and Harding Junior High Schools and Frankford High School. While in school he loved outdoor sports like track and field.

Stanley joined the military in 1959 serving in the U.S. Marines. He was stationed at Parris Island, South Carolina where he completed his basic training and his tour duty and was honorably discharged.

Stanley, in civilian life, worked as a baker at a South Philly bakery. He then moved on to work at security printing company making ID plates and other types of security plates.

Stanley was also a member of a Masonic order which he is very proud of. Stanley, having military background and Masonic teaching, was a big help in becoming a Post Commander at Post 224 in the Frankford section of Northeast Philadelphia. As Commander, he became supportive of various community groups such as the Boys and Girls Club, Post 224 Drill Team, the Frankford Chargers football team, P.A.L. and others. Stanley finished his term of duty as Commander of Post 224 but still is an active member. Stanley loves traveling, fishing, bowling, going to flea markets and TV sports.

Thank you, Stanley, for your service

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Historical Society of Frankford Board Election

The Historical Society of Frankford held their Board Election one month late this year on April 12th at the monthly meeting.  Jim Young, Robert Penn, Laura Hortz-Stanton and Jerry Kolankiewicz all retained their seats.

Jim Young, President, presented his annual report of accomplishments which mainly entailed upgrading systems and structural repairs and the much needed repainting of the interior.  Details at this link.

Sara Brower, Secretary, gave the activity summary for 2015.  Read the details here.

You always meet interesting people at the HSF and this month was no exception. Michael Frechette digs privies.  He is not a professional archaeologist but does it for the love of finding interesting things.  You can read about his at this link to a story done by the Star last year.  The video below was our Periscope interview done on the spot.  Frechette is talking to the HSF about making a presentation at a future meeting.


The program was topped off with a presentation by Sara Brower on Robert Matlock who was the clerk who actually wrote by hand the Declaration of Independence.  See the video below that was done on Periscope so sorry but it is unedited but complete.