We would like to make the following correction:

The abduction and rape of a woman Monday which ended with her being abandoned in Fairmount Park, began in Juniata — not Lawncrest, as we originally reported. continue reading »

Northeast residents listen as the Philadelphia City Planning Commission's Michael Thompson explains the proposed zoning code rewrite. Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Neighborhoods.

At a 10th City Council District open house for the Philadelphia Zoning Code Commission, Northeast Philadelphia residents thought certain aspects of the code rewrite would negatively affect their neighborhoods, while other parts would be beneficial. Northeast residents were especially unhappy that the reform discussed legalizing the practice of converting single-family homes into duplexes or triplexes, often with rental units. This is known as accessory dwellings and is a common phenomenon in neighborhoods like Fox Chase, Bustleton and Somerton.

Pat Cantwell, the treasurer of the Somerton Civic Association, was especially irritated by the proliferation of accessory dwellings on her blocks. “The conversion of houses into apartments, and duplexes into triplexes affects parking, which is already bad in our neighborhood,” said Cantwell. The president of her civic association, Domenic Ragucci, elaborated by saying accessory dwellings in basements is a serious problem in Somerton.

You can read the rest of the story on Philadelphia Neighborhoods or PlanPhilly.

Q: I made a good offer, only 5 percent lower than asking, on a house in Lawndale. My agent told me the sellers got another offer and their agent asked if we wanted to make our offer better before they make their decision. I asked him how we know for sure there is a better offer and he said, “We don’t.” They want me to make a higher offer without actually seeing the other offer. How can I find out if there is really another offer?

A. One way to find out if there is a better offer is not do anything. Then if you lose the house to another buyer you will know there was a better offer. Obviously this choice is not a good one if you really want the house. If the sellers chose not to disclose the terms of the other offer you can’t force them. Of course they want to play one offer off of the other, especially if neither are full-price offers. continue reading »

UPDATE — CORRECTION

A 28-year-old Lawncrest woman was found partially naked yesterday afternoon in Fairmount Park, following an abduction she says took place the night before.

The woman told police she was taken by a man Monday night near her house, was driven to an unknown house where she was raped, and then taken to Belmont Plateau Tuesday afternoon. continue reading »

The team ambushes Tony D’Aulerio in the base paths after he drives home the winning run for the Blue Sox in their extra-inning championship effort. Photo by Tom Rowan.

Eighteen active Philadelphia Police Officers are huddled together in front of the dugout at LaSalle High School’s state-of-the-art Ward Field on a humid Sunday afternoon in August. Most of the players are hunched over with their hands on their knees and listening intently as their manager below them, resting on one knee in the dirt, looks up at his team with his circular-framed eye glasses and reminds them that they were good enough to reach the championship game, and are good enough to win it.

Meet the Philadelphia Police Blue Sox: an amateur baseball team composed entirely of Philly’s finest, ranging in age from 22 to 50. The team is preparing to take the field against the Cherry Hill Phillies in the championship game of an 18-and-older, New Jersey-based, independent baseball league for working class heroes with a hobby. A league full of weekend warriors.

“Where’s Cappy?” The Team Manager Bill Stephan, celebrating his 30th year as a cop, asks while scanning the players faces. From the back of the group, along the protective fence on the dugouts rim, a wide man with a sweat-stain halo forming around the crown of his cap speaks clearly, slowly and in a low tone.

“Same things he just said,” Joe Gillespie, 42, the ace starting pitcher begins. “Make this guy throw pitches… lay off the umpires… you know, just stay in the game. The whole game. No clowning around, no talking in here about work. We have the rest of the afternoon to talk about that. We can hit this guy, we proved it last time we played them. Let’s just give it everything.”

“Nine innings, 27 outs,” added PAL officer and three-hole hitter Tony D’Aulerio, 50, clapping his hands together.

“Let’s go play hard fellas,” Timmy Stephan, 24, says with black war paint outlining his high cheekbones.

“Alright guys,” the skipper regains the group’s attention with a direct tone, then lowers it. “We dedicate this year to all the fallen cops, OK? Dedicate the playoffs to everybody, OK? We play this game for them…do it for yourselves, and do it for them…Let’s get it in.”

Both players and coaches, in their matching gray and blue uniforms, all join hands at the middle of the huddle.

“Listen to me, and repeat after me, OK?”

Repeating after the skipper, the team shouts in unison.

“SKERSKI! CASSIDY! MCDONALD! NAZARIO! LICZBINSKI! SIMPSON! PAWLOWSKI! HEROES!”

continue reading »

A Frankford SSD Detail Team keeps the 4600-block of Frankford Avenue clean. Photo provided by FSSD.

From the Frankford SSD:

The Frankford Special Services District has deployed a “Detail Team,” a new beautification program for the Frankford Avenue Business Corridor. The team will be responsible for a range of tasks, including graffiti removal, pressure washing the sidewalks, sweeping litter and planting flowers.

The Detail Team has been trained to identify small details along the Corridor that most would overlook, for instance a 2-inch sticker on a stop sign, or a graffiti tag on a parking meter. Rather than reporting every small detail to various city agencies, the Detail Team will take action itself, providing quicker and more scrupulous service to the Business Corridor. continue reading »

A 22-year-old man died overnight following a double shooting in Frankford. continue reading »

UPDATE (Sept. 27 12:10 p.m.) — The error has been fixed, but not noted. We’re told by a staffer the mistake ran early this morning online, but was corrected before going to print.

And then the Philadelphia Inquirer called Frankford Avenue “Frankfort.”

“…at Frankfort and Lehigh Avenues…”

We’ll leave it at that. continue reading »

This was a conversation I had with a friend when I first got to college in New Jersey six years ago:

Me: “Oh, I grew up in a row home in Philadelphia.”
Friend: “A row home? Is that like an apartment or a condo or something?”
Me: “No, you know, a row home. Where all of the houses on the street are connected. Sometimes a house will share a walkway or a driveway with another house.”
Friend: (blank stare) “You mean a townhouse?”
Me: “I don’t know what that is.” continue reading »

A Fels High School student died Thursday as the result of a shooting for which he may not have been the intended target.

Ahmad Dotson, 16, was shot in the chest around 9 p.m. Thursday on the 900-block of Anchor Street near Summerdale Avenue. The high school junior was on his way to meet his twin brother when a shooter described as a high school-aged male, opened fire. continue reading »