NEast Links: Bringing you additional Northeast news

A Northwood man has been arrested for the March shooting deaths of two North Philadelphia teenagers. Thirty-one-year-old Christopher Lloyd Butler of the 1300-block of Filmore Street is one of two suspects charged with murder [Action News].

An early morning fire in Torresdale Tuesday appears to be intentional. Authorities believe a man set fire to his car on the 3500-block of Primrose Street around 1:30 a.m. after a domestic dispute. The fire spread to the home and caused significant damage [CBS3]. continue reading »

Neighbors around the 4700-block of Griscom Street between Arrott and Foulkrod say they're worried about drug sales. Image/Google Maps

A long discussion on the issue of drug sales on the 4700- block of Griscom Street involved what can be done to bring it back to a livable environment.

As discussed at Thursday’s Frankford Civic Association meeting, there are several vacant properties which have become home to squatters which are part of the problem.  Vacant buildings are attractive for stashing drugs. Neighbors say drug sales are rampant all day long with numerous out of state cars making stops long enough to complete their transactions.

Residents are encouraged to go to the May 22 PSA1 meeting to meet with the police directly about this issue.

Read the rest of the meeting recap from the Frankford Gazette here.

Philadelphia’s City Council members will be in Northeast Philadelphia tonight for a public hearing on the city’s budget.

The doors of St. William’s parish hall, 6234 Rising Sun Ave., will be open to the public, and residents are encouraged to give their public testimony.

“Please come and show your interest,” Councilwoman Marian Tasco, D-9th, encouraged attendees of the March Lawncrest Community Association meeting. Though held in Lawncrest, residents and business owners from all over the city are invited to the meeting – the only neighborhood budget hearing scheduled in the Northeast.

Ground was broken yesterday at a new tactical training facility at the Philadelphia Police Academy at 8501 State Rd. in Upper Holmesburg.

The new building will combine the department’s SWAT, bomb squad and K-9 units and will be used by other nearby law enforcement departments. continue reading »

Comly Elementary School students got a peek at their new outdoor classroom Thursday. Photo/Office of Rep. Brendan Boyle

Pa. Rep. Brendan Boyle, D-170th, in partnership with Tidy Cats, was at Comly Elementary School in Somerton with Principal Michelle Byruch, students and teachers to unveil Comly’s outdoor classroom.

“Outdoor classrooms provide an opportunity for teachers to engage their students in ways that are not possible within the walls of a traditional classroom,” Boyle said. continue reading »

Philadelphia’s City Council members will be in Northeast Philadelphia next week for a public hearing on the city’s budget.

The doors of St. William’s parish hall, 6234 Rising Sun Ave., will be open to the public, and residents are encouraged to give their public testimony.

“Please come and show your interest,” Tasco encouraged attendees of the March Lawncrest Community Association meeting. LCA meetings typically draw 80 to 100 impassioned residents, many of whom Tasco has been working with on specific neighborhood improvement projects. The meeting will be open to the general public and starts at 6 p.m. continue reading »

St. Hubert's High School students were honored Thursday in City Council. NewsWorks Photo/Micah Mahjoubian

There were two reasons why City Council honored Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls at a Thursday session attended by students, teachers, officials and supporters.

For one, the Torresdale Avenue mainstay is celebrating its 70th anniversary of educating students.  The other: How it fought to be able to celebrate a 71st.

Sixth District Councilman Bobby Henon, who sponsored the resolution, noted that the Archdiocese had slated the school for closing in early January.

It took a 51-day fundraising-and-rallying push to raise the $1.3 million and unquantifiable spirit needed to stave off padlocks.

Read the rest of this story from our partners at NewsWorks.

St. Hubert's High School students were honored Thursday in City Council. NewsWorks Photo/Micah Mahjoubian

There were two reasons why City Council honored Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls at a Thursday session attended by students, teachers, officials and supporters.

For one, the Torresdale Avenue mainstay is celebrating its 70th anniversary of educating students.  The other: How it fought to be able to celebrate a 71st.

Sixth District Councilman Bobby Henon, who sponsored the resolution, noted that the Archdiocese had slated the school for closing in early January.

It took a 51-day fundraising-and-rallying push to raise the $1.3 million and unquantifiable spirit needed to stave off padlocks.

Read the rest of this story from our partners at NewsWorks.

From Left: Instructor Chandi Queen from the People's Emergency Center's digital inclusion program, student Frank Cutler, State Rep. Tony Payton, Rasheem Jennings, William Brown and front row, Ethel Dawson and Karen Lee. Photo/Technically Philly

From basic computer skills to social networking and Internet usage, five Frankford residents got a crash course last week during the Frankford CDC’s three-day computer literacy certification program.

Hosted with the help of Pa. Rep. Tony Payton, D-179th, the event was one of about 80 organized for the annual Philly Tech Week. Residents were invited to sign up for the free workshop and use the CDC’s new computer lab to enhance their computer skills. It was the only Northeast Philadelphia event part of Philly Tech Week. continue reading »

From Left: Instructor Chandi Queen from the People's Emergency Center's digital inclusion program, student Frank Cutler, State Rep. Tony Payton, Rasheem Jennings, William Brown and front row, Ethel Dawson and Karen Lee. Photo/Technically Philly

From basic computer skills to social networking and Internet usage, five Frankford residents got a crash course last week during the Frankford CDC’s three-day computer literacy certification program.

Hosted with the help of Pa. Rep. Tony Payton, D-179th, the event was one of about 80 organized for the annual Philly Tech Week. Residents were invited to sign up for the free workshop and use the CDC’s new computer lab to enhance their computer skills. It was the only Northeast Philadelphia event part of Philly Tech Week. continue reading »