Philadelphia City Council held a public budget hearing April 29 at Lincoln High School. Photo/Shannon McDonald

With the exception of one outburst from the audience early on about Philadelphia City Council members not listening closely enough to public testimony, Monday night’s city budget hearing at Lincoln High School was otherwise calm. Raised voices were saved mostly for support for those pleading with Council for better services and more funding.

The meeting, one of a handful around the city designed to bring public budget testimony to those who can’t make it to Council chambers on a weekday afternoon, was led by Council President Darrell Clarke, D-5th. He was joined by Republican Councilmen at-large Denny O’Brien and David Oh, Councilmen Bobby Henon, D-6th; and Mark Squilla, D-1st; and Councilwoman Cindy Bass, D-8th. All but Clarke are first-term council members. continue reading »

Plaques honoring the five new Hall of Fame members line a wall in Holy Family’s Education & Technology Center. Photo/Shannon McDonald

More than 200 people opted to spend a sunny Sunday indoors for what, for many, was an emotional Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

“The average Philadelphian probably doesn’t think of ‘Northeast Philadelphia’ and ‘history’ in the same sentence,” Hall of Fame project director Jack McCarthy said as he took the microphone inside Holy Family University’s Education and Technology Center.

Since 2009, that’s what the Hall of Fame ceremonies have aimed to do – get people thinking about the Northeast’s history and how its major players have impacted not just the region, but the city, and even beyond the country. Some of the 2012 inductees have had a global impact. continue reading »

Artist Scott Bickmore and his green art at 3rd Federal Bank's Woodhaven branch. Photo courtesy of 3rd Federal Bank.

3rd Federal Bank celebrated the LEED certification of its Woodhaven branch with a plaque dedication service Wednesday with the help of the Office of Sustainability.

Slideshow below. continue reading »

Standing (l to r): Estela Cajina, Kim Neubauer, Linda Lvea, Ashley Holzman-O’Brien, Arionna Hart, Tiffany Kapusta, Cassie Carrasco, Ashley Lanetti, Chelsie Gault. Kneeling (l to r): Brooke Schmanek, Veronica Zgura, Shani Chen, Katie Hagan, Laura Danila, Amanda Norton. Sitting: Maggie Sees

It has been one first after another for the students of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush.  The school, described as a “small, special admittance, comprehensive high school that focuses on the arts,” opened in September 2008.

This year, the school — under leadership from Principal Jessica Brown and Athletic Director Kevin Katz — was granted its first sports by the School District’s Office of Athletics: JV basketball (teams for boys and girls), co-ed JV track and Varsity Soccer.   The Varsity team was granted because Public League girls soccer does not have a JV program; the players could have been forced to play “an exhibition year” with all of the games counting only as scrimmages.  However, Director Jack Creighton allowed the team to play in the lowest division as a full-fledged Varsity team

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