George Patrick Weiser fishes in the river with his uncle, Robert Weiser. Photo/Michelle Alton

See the slideshow below from the park, with photos taken by Bill Achuff and Michelle Alton.

If you didn’t know about Pleasant Hill Park, you probably wouldn’t be able to find it.

Tucked behind busy State Road, Torresdale’s waterfront park might be one of the city’s best-kept secrets. But navigate your way beyond the factories and prison and the police academy, and you’ll find a bustling green space on the Delaware River filled with boaters, picnickers and fishermen.  continue reading »

Champ at his dog school graduation in June 2011. He’s missing in Somerton.

Champ has gone missing in Somerton. He was last seen by his owners around Loesche School/Gifford Playground on Tomlinson Road near Bustleton Avenue, but has not returned home since running away. If you’ve seen champ, please leave a comment below or email info [AT] neastphilly [DOT] com with the subject line: Champ.

Calling all Catholic school alumni: Philadelphia magazine is inviting former Catholic school students to share photos from their school days.

The request follows an article from the May issue by Michael Callahan, a magazine staffer and 1977 graduate of Resurrection of Lord School in Rhawnhurst. continue reading »

A suspect was taken into custody Saturday after PSPCA humane law enforcement officers broke up a suspected dog fighting operation in Lawncrest.

Officers recovered five dogs from 326 Van Kirk St. from the homeowner, who reports indicated has previously been cited for mistreating animals. continue reading »

Photo/eForce Compliance

Old computers, broken air conditioners, outdated TVs — any and all electronics will be collected at a May 11 e-cycle event that will benefit St. Hubert High School.

The public can drop off their old appliances for free curbside at the school’s Ditman Street entrance (between Cottman and Bleigh avenues). continue reading »

Short dumping in industrial areas of Holmesburg and Tacony has community leaders worried about quality of life issues and fires. Photo/Steven Mitchell

This is the second in a two-part series about quality of life issues in Tacony and Holmesburg, and the neighborhoods’ approach to growing stronger together. You can read the first part here.

Short dumping is a problem all over Philadelphia, and in some Northeast neighborhoods, the issue is weighing down the community.

Short dumping is the illegal act of disposing trash and debris on a street or vacant lot. Industrial areas — like those along Torresdale Avenue and State Road in Holmesburg and Tacony — tend to be dark at night, which allows for people to come and dump their trash and other items in this area.

The railroad tracks at James Street and Bleigh Avenue is a particular hotspot for short dumping. There, you’ll see trash and other debris, as well as abandoned tires. continue reading »

Tacony business owner Mark Whited is part of the community effort to revitalize the Torresdale Avenue business corridor. Photo/Raymond Boyd

This is the first in a two-part series about quality of life issues in Tacony and Holmesburg, and the neighborhoods’ approach to growing stronger together.

With similar missions but different approaches, Tacony and Holmesburg are seeking a better future for their residents. Tacony is taking a business-first approach, while Holmesburg is looking to take advantage of its history.

Both neighborhoods understand that they must work in collaboration to make their goals a reality as they try to stand as pillars of Northeast Philadelphia. continue reading »

The Philadelphia District Attorney’s office has filed charges against a Castor Gardens man for lying about a home invasion and the circumstances of his wife’s death.

Judith Hartdegen, 74, died Monday in the couple’s home on the 6700-block of Castor Avenue. Her husband Lou, 75, who suffered injuries, told police they couple had been victims of a home invasion perpetrated by a neighbor.

Police announced Tuesday that Lou Hartdegen had later confessed to killing his wife during an argument. Hartdegen is charged with murder, possession of an instrument of crime, abuse of a corpse, false reports, unsworn falsifying and aggravated indecent assault. He is being held without bail.

Surveillance footage courtesy of the Philadelphia Police Department

Two determined burglars are sought for the May 5 break-in at Delaire Pharmacy in Torresdale [map].

Surveillance cameras witnessed the men’s attempt to break into the pharmacy’s back door, and their successful attempt to ge through the front door around 10:30 p.m. Once inside, one suspect disabled the alarm and took pills, while the other remained in the car. The two fled when they heard via a police scanner that officers were on the way. continue reading »

“Imagining Frankford” muralist Cesar Viveros shows the technics of painting a mural. Photo/Tiffany Goforth

Picture a neighborhood, revitalized and colorful. Picture a neighborhood that highlights its past, while looking toward the future. And picture a neighborhood that makes use of its barren landscapes as canvases.

For Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez, D-7th, this image of a revitalized and bustling neighborhood was at the forefront of a project she helped to initiate a few years ago. Imagining Frankford, a two-year project consisting of a collection of murals along the Frankford Avenue corridor, was a vision to help inform the residents of Frankford about the neighborhood’s past.

Imagining Frankford is a collaborative project between the Frankford community and the city’s Mural Arts Program. And as Netanel Portier said, Sanchez wanted to bring the Mural Arts Program to the Frankford corridor as a part of the other corridor revitalization initiatives in the neighborhood. continue reading »