Mike "Scoats" Scotese, owner of the Grey Lodge Pub and Hop Angel Brauhaus, kicks off 2011 Philly Beer Week with the Hammer of Glory. Photo/Gina Benigno

Well-known in the Northeast, well-explored by Philadelphia’s beer drinkers, and  once recognized by Esquire as one of the best places to drink in the country, the Grey Lodge Pub has made it onto another national list.

Draft Magazine tallied up the 100 best beer bars in the country, broken down by geographic region. Philadelphia has six of the Northeast U.S. bars worth visiting, and one happens to be Mayfair’s own Grey Lodge. Owner Mike “Scoats” Scotese is a Mayfair Business Association member and also owns Fox Chase’s Hop Angel Brauhaus. continue reading »

Former 15th District Police Office Kenneth Crockett has been sentenced to probation after being convicted in October of stealing from Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

Crockett was charged in July with stealing $825 from the bar following a police investigation. The Walton Park resident and two other officers were at the bar after an unfounded burglary call nearby. The other officers were cleared. continue reading »

Sen. Mike Stack (podium) talks about the need for long-term transportation infrastructure funding. He was joined Wednesday by (left to right) Rep. Mike McGeehan; Dr. Dick Voith, the senior vice president and principal of Econsult Corp; and Craig Hoogstraten of Anderson Construction. Photo/Office of Sen. Mike Stack

“Our transportation system is falling apart right under our tires,” Pa. Sen. Mike Stack said yesterday.

He joined Pa. Rep. Mike McGeehan and transportation officials at Holmesburg Junction Station to call for  funding for Pennsylvania’s distressed transit system.

By their count, more than 1 million people used SEPTA to get around last year.  continue reading »

Meetings will be held this month at Northeast and Lincoln high schools to review the criteria for the new superintendent of the Philadelphia School District. Image/Google Maps

Two meetings have been scheduled in the Northeast this month to discuss the search for the new superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia.

Former superintendent Arlene Ackerman was bought out last year following months of internal conflict and accusations, and her second-in-command, Leroy Nunnery, was named interim superintendent. continue reading »

Shamrock Shuttle 2010 outside McNoodle's. Photo/Mayfair resident and Civic Association board member Donny Smith

It’s that time of year again. The buses, the drinking, the public urination. The revenue for Frankford Avenue’s many bars and restaurants.

“The elephant in the room,” as Mayfair Civic Association President Joe DeFelice called it at last night’s meeting. It’s all coming back in March when the trio of annual bar-hopping events returns to Mayfair.

The Mayfair, Tacony and Holmesburg civic associations have already met to discuss finding a happier medium for the bars that participate in Shamrock Shuttle and the neighbors that deal with the aftermath. continue reading »

Photo/Historic Tacony Revitalization Project

Things are progressing in Tacony, where the Community Development Corporation announced in October the creation of its Historic Tacony Revitalization Project to make improvements along Torresdale Avenue.

Earlier this month, the CDC hired Alexander Balloon as Tacony’s first full-time commercial corridor manager.

“Alex was clearly the most highly qualified applicant,” CDC board member Pete Naccarato said of Balloon.  continue reading »

Holmesburg Junction Station in December 2011. Photo/Shannon McDonald

For many who take the train every day, Holmesburg Junction is their first (and sometimes only) glimpse at the neighborhood.

The aging train station has been a focus of a joint effort by the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association and Philadelphia City Planning Commission as the pair work on neighborhood improvements under the Phila2035 plan.

But while those efforts concentrate on greening, waterway access and an overall more desirable-looking neighborhood anchor, legislators Wednesday will focus on the station’s need for funding to better serve the community. continue reading »

Laura Rubenstein and her fourth-grade classmates at Anne Frank School use Skype to chat with Astronaut Tim and learn about space. Lindsay Lazarski/NewsWorks

At first, Astronaut Tim is little more than a floating head appearing on a computer monitor.

“So, I’m here, in the International Space Station,” he says.

A class of fourth-graders at Anne Frank Elementary School in Bustleton were talking with Astronaut Tim via Skype. When he backs away from his webcam, he appears to be floating in midair, kicking his legs beneath him.

Every time, it’s a “wow” moment.

Astronaut Tim, aka Tim Belknap, is not really an astronaut, and he’s not really in space. He’s in the Tyler School of Art gallery at Temple University. The artist, who specializes in kinetic sculpture, built a mock space pod without a fourth wall. A steel armature suspends his 240-pound frame, held aloft by cables hooked into a customized harness he wears under a jumpsuit. continue reading »

Animal remains were discovered Friday (A) and a body was found Sunday (B) in two Northeast Philadelphia parks. Image/Google Maps

Police in the 8th District has a busy weekend tracking gruesome discoveries in two different parks.

Sunday, a body was found floating in the creek of Poquessing Valley Park in Parkwood. The body of the young Latino male was found around 1 p.m. off the 3500-block of Vinton Road. Authorities don’t believe the death is suspicious.  continue reading »

Calvary Christian Academy in Somerton. Image/Google Maps

Graceann Rumer has only been driving for two weeks, but compared with everyone else she rode the bus with Tuesday, she’s an old pro.

Rumer, who attends Calvary Christian Academy in Somerton, took the school bus Tuesday instead of practicing her new skills behind the wheel. But she got to drive anyway when the driver had an emergency.

continue reading »