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IF MY HEART COULD SING

IF MY HEART COULD SING

You know you can’t make it through this world alone.

So why don’t you teach your heart a song.

Once it learns the words, it will be your best friend,

Then teach your heart how to sing.

When you’re down and out, your heart will sing,

Those words you taught your heart to sing.

So stick out your chest and don’t be afraid because your heart knows the song you taught it to sing.

So get it together you’ll never be alone, because your heart knows it’s the only one – that knows the words to your song.

BY LENNY JAYNES

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November is Diabetes Awareness Month

As part of ShopRite’s continued commitment to providing free health and wellness services to its shoppers, the supermarket is offering a variety of free diabetes-themed educational classes, food demonstrations and store tours led by its team of over 100 in-store dietitians.

In addition, ShopRite’s team of in-store dietitians has put together some suggestions on how to make smart choices at the supermarket when managing diabetes, including:

  • Make friends with the produce section – There are countless ways to prepare fruits and vegetables so that they become a staple of your diet
  • Stay educated – Read nutrition labels and practice portion control
  • Don’t fear fruit! – Fruits contain carbohydrates but also have vitamins, minerals and fiber
  • Be adventurous – An easy way to create more healthful meals is by incorporating different kinds of whole grains, lean meats and fish into your weekly repertoire

According to the CDC, there are an estimated 30.3 million people living with diabetes in the U.S. About 84 million Americans ages 18 years or older have prediabetes. The ShopRite dietitian team offers year-round free counseling sessions to assist customers who are looking for personalized assistance in managing diabetes, or other nutrition-related concerns. Customers can find out more information about diabetes-themed events happening at a ShopRite near them by visiting shoprite.com, or stopping in the office of their local dietitian.

For a schedule of Registered Dietitian led events taking place at ShopRite at Tulip and Bridge Streets, please follow this link.

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SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS SORELY NEEDED

As of October 24, 2019, the 15th Police District had 107 school crossing guard posts, of which 21 posts were unfilled.  Among the intersections that lack a guard is Large-Wakeling, where a vehicle passes every 4 seconds on average immediately before and after the former H. R. Edmunds school is in session.  Some intersections, such as Castor-Dyre and Castor-Pratt, have been without a guard for longer than a year.  Similar situations exist in other Police districts in Philadelphia.  To fill the unfilled posts, qualified applicants are sorely needed.

A school crossing guard position offers steady, secure, part-time work with benefits.  Pay exceeds $15 per hour.  Guards work 7 to 9 a.m. and 2 to 4 p.m. when schools are open. As a civilian employee in the Police Department, a guard receives Civil Service benefits, such as paid time off (vacation and sick) and health insurance, and is eligible to earn retirement pay.

To qualify for training, an applicant for the position need not take a written test, but must undergo a physical examination, a drug test, background checks (for crime and child abuse) and a financial investigation (for money owed to the City of Philadelphia).  Application is required to be done online.

To help reduce the shortage, the Northwood Civic Association has asked the 15th Police District to request that the Police Department increase advertising of open school crossing guard positions.  Also, the Civic is encouraging residents to inform friends and neighbors of the need for qualified applicants.  Most importantly, the Civic urges interested people to apply online as follows:

  1. Go to joinphillypd.com/index.php/civilian-careers. Click on the green rectangle, which will take you to www.phila.gov/personnel.
  2. At the bottom of phila.gov/personnel, under Quick Links at the bottom of the screen, click on Login / Create Account, which will take you to phila.peopleadmin.com/user/new.
  3. On phila.peopleadmin.com/user/new, click on the dark green rectangle. Create the account.  Next, under Quick Links, click on Job Interest Notifications, which will take you to www.phila.gov/personnel/specs/JobInterestForm.html.
  4. On phila.gov/personnel/specs/JobInterestForm.html, type 6D44 in the Search rectangle, which will take you to a one-line description of Job 6D44, School Crossing Guard (B), including pay per day. Click on the 6D44 below Class Code, which will take you to https://www.phila.gov/personnel/specs/6D44.htm, where you can view a detailed job description.  Close the SCHOOL CROSSING GUARD tab at the top of the screen to return to the one-line job description.  Click on the feather pen at the right end, which will take you to https://www.phila.gov/personnel/specs/JobInterestForm.html.  Fill out and submit the Job Interest Form.  Next, under Quick Links, click on Civil Service Job Opportunities, which will take you to https://www.phila.gov/personnel/jobs/CivilServiceJobOpps.html.
  5. On https://www.phila.gov/personnel/jobs/CivilServiceJobOpps.html, click on Job Opportunities to see whether Job 6D44, School Crossing Guard (B), is listed as currently open. When an opening is announced, the City of Philadelphia will notify you via the email address that you provided on the Job Interest Form.

For questions about the hiring process, interested people are advised to call Captain’s Clerk Maureen Wharton of the 15th Police District at 215-686-3150.  Ms. Wharton is a former school crossing guard.

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I-95 Reconstruction Project Public Open House Meeting

PennDOT invites you to attend a Public Open House Meeting for the Interstate 95 Improvement Project from the Betsy Ross Bridge to Levick Street (near the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge) in Philadelphia. This project includes the rebuilding and widening of I-95, and improvements to ramps and connecting local streets. The purpose of this meeting is to present revised design plans and obtain feedback on proposed plans and design concepts. Important design changes have been made in response to public input in 2013.

The meeting will be held November 12, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at St. John Cantius Church gymnasium, located at 4415 Almond Street (parking is available in church lot on Almond Street). The Public Open House will begin at 6:00 p.m. with a brief presentation at 6:30 p.m. This will be followed by a brief Question & Answer Session and a Public Open House Plans Display with comment and feedback stations, project maps, and informational boards. The plans display will also include information on the project’s Section 4(f) uses to the public parks within the project area.

The facility is accessible by SEPTA Routes 25, J, or 73 and is also accessible for persons with disabilities. If you require special accommodations or additional information, please contact Don Gusic, at (610) 263-2627 or visit www.95revive.com.

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Frankford Civic Association September

At the Frankford Civic Association meeting on October 3rd:

  • There was discussion of the Trunk or Treats event that is being held on October 31st from 4 to 7.
  • Senator Dawkins office is doing a Halloween festival on Frankford Avenue at the Frankford Pause Park right next to Senator Dawkins office on Paul Street on October 31st from 4 until 7 PM.
  • There was discussion the new voting machines but aren’t going to be able to be doing any free demonstrations of the voting machines due to the timing of the next meeting and the date of voting.
  • Looking for new members so that everything isn’t all up to the president who’s wearing many many hats right now.
  • It was determined, during meeting, that Town Watch is going to have the meeting with the Civic Association meeting on the same day so that there will be more of a presence.
  • We’re going to be doing outreach to the community to get more interest in Town Watch and the Civic Association.

The next meeting of the Frankford Civic Association and Frankford Town Watch will be held on November 7th at 7 PM at St. Mark’s Church,  4442 Frankford Avenue.