Lawncrest dog owner Kris Cheung (right) takes her dog to the unofficial dog park in Lawncrest. Photo/Maryline Dossou

This is the second in a two-part series about how youth organizations interact with city and private agencies. Read Part One here.

On Apr. 25, the residents of Lawncrest assembled at a community meeting to discuss an ongoing issue affecting both the youth athletics and local dog owners. For the past three years, neighborhood athletic association’s little league team and the dog owners have been using the same baseball field at the Lawncrest Recreation Center for very different reasons.

The problem began when participation in youth sports within the athletic association started dwindling, leading to the eventual disintegration of the AA approximately 10 years ago. Since then, dog owners took to entering the gated field and letting their dogs run around. Over time, the space became an unofficial dog park.

Once the AA started back up again three years ago, dog owners were faced with having to find a new place to walk their dogs, but they continued using the field. In late 2011, the children started using the field again, causing concern among parents. Lawncrest parents Brad and Crystal El have been outspoken in their advocacy for the dog park for the safety of the children. continue reading »

Bandit signs at Oxford and Rockwell avenues in Fox Chase before Town Watch member Mike Bobby removes them. Photo/Maryline Dossou

On January 26, Councilman Curtis Jones, D-4th, formally introduced a bill that would legalize the bandit signs that residents say litter the streets and create blight in their neighborhoods. The bill was co-sponsored by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, D-3rd.

“I can’t figure it out,” Councilman Brian O’Neill, R-10th, said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to get these signs down rather than trying to legalize them. They are blight, they lower the quality of light and they lower neighborhood values.”

The term “bandit signs” refers to signs posted on telephone and utility poles offering to buy house and cars, and provide various services. According to Philadelphia City Code 10-200, these signs are illegal and owners face fines from $75 up to $300 for each sign posted.

It has become increasingly difficult for the city to keep track of who is posting the signs, making it a challenge to enforce the fines.

After years of seeing the signs around, residents have taken it upon themselves to fight the issue. continue reading »

6th District Councilman Bobby Henon in an April 2011 interview with NEast Philly. Photo/Saleem Ahmed

When asked back in October if he’d accept a city-issued car if re-elected to City Council, 10th District Councilman Brian O’Neill said he would.

“I need it more than anyone,” he said, because of the district’s distance from City Hall. He added that he’d support legislation to remove car privileges for all city employees.

O’Neill, who was re-elected, still has his car and the pool car assigned to his staff. So do Northeast incumbents 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and 9th District Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco. continue reading »

New Philadelphia Councilman-at-large Denny O'Brien and 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez

Some things won’t be changing in Philadelphia City Council. Tenth District Councilman Brian O’Neill retained his seat as a Republican despite a challenge from Democrat Bill Rubin, and O’Neill also still holds his seat as minority leader.

But other things will change. With six new members and a new president, council had some committee holes to fill as newcomers Denny O’Brien, Bobby Henon, David Oh, Cindy Bass, Mark Squilla and Kenyatta Johnson were sworn in. continue reading »

City Councilman Brian O’Neill was victorious in yesterday’s election, retaining his spot as the only Republican District representative on Council. O’Neill handily defeated Democratic challenger Bill Rubin.

The race for the Northeast’s 10th Councilmanic District was seen as one of the most competitive in Philadelphia, with O’Neill fighting to keep the seat he’s held since 1979.

Democrat Bill Rubin attempted to tie O’Neill to the controversial DROP retirement program, even though the incumbent has said he will not take advantage of it. O’Neill thinks that tactic hurt his challenger. continue reading »

It was 9:30 on election night and about 50 people were waiting for Bill Rubin in a bar that smelled like hot wings.

The Sternos were keeping the food hot at the Red Rooster Inn, and sitcoms played on the flatscreen as accommodating bartenders surfed the channels for results. Rubin was trailing with 47 percent of the vote in the 10th Councilmanic District. The Democrat was challenging incumbent Republican Brian O’Neill, who’s represented the district for 32 years. This was the first serious challenge to O’Neill in his three decades at the helm.

“Vote for my dad Bill Rubin,” read the navy and white shirts his son and daughter wore. His wife, parents, brother and sister had similar tops, while his other supporters donned their general pro-Rubin shirts over long sleeves with “push button 227″ on the back. continue reading »

Photo by Flickr user kristib2pea

It’s election day in Philadelphia and polls are open until 8 tonight. You have until then to get to your voting place and elect the candidates of your choice.

In the Northeast, 7th District Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and 9th District Councilwoman Marian Tasco are the shoe-in candidates, having defeated their challengers in the primary.

In the 6th District, Democrat Bobby Henon and Republican Sandy Stewart will face off to replace Joan Krajewski, while incumbent Republican Brian O’Neill and Democrat Bill Rubin will go head-to-head in the 10th. continue reading »

Okay, crazy time is here.

If you’re running a competitive political campaign, there comes a point in the closing days of the race, when you realize that this is, or could be really close, and any little thing could make the 100-vote difference, and somebody is putting out some scurrilous crap that could cost you this thing, which by the way you’ve been working 18 hours a day on for so long you don’t remember what clean laundry even looks like, and you’ll be damned if you’re going to let them get away with it and….lord only knows what will follow.

In the Northeast Philadelphia City Council race, incumbent Brian O’Neill’s campaign has filed complaints with the city board of elections, the city board of ethics and the District Attorney’s office about mailings that have reached voters touting the candidacy of his Democratic opponent, Bill Rubin.

You can read the O’Neill campaign’s complaint by clicking here.

O’Neill’s folks are steamed because the mailer doesn’t say who paid for it – a violation of the state election code – AND because the mailer has the wrong hours for voting on November 8th. As you can see above, it says that polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m..

You can read the rest of this blog post from Dave Davies on NewsWorks.

The re-opening of the Holme Avenue Bridge was one of the main discussion points at the October Holme Circle Civic Association meeting. Photo by Stephen Schultz.

The Holme Circle Civic Association held its annual “Meet the Candidates Night” during its monthly meeting on Wednesday at St. Jerome’s School Hall.

The local candidates in attendance were City Councilman Brian O’Neill and Democratic challenger Bill Rubin; Democratic at-large Councilman Jim Kenney represented by his aide, John DelRica; Republican candidates Denny O’Brien and Michael Untermeyer; and Republican candidate for City Commissioner Al Schmidt represented by his aide, Steven Boc. Each candidate was given five minutes to expound on their platforms culminating with questions from the 40 member audience. continue reading »

Legislation proposes red-light cameras for Woodhaven and Knights roads and Bybyerry and Woodhaven roads.

AAA-Mid Atlantic today announced its support for legislation that would bring two additional red-light cameras to the Far Northeast.

Two city bills sponsored by 10th District Councilman Brian O’Neill would add cameras to Worthington Road and Byberry Road, and Woodhaven Road and Knights Road.

“AAA Mid-Atlantic supports red light camera locations based on crash data, which is the case for these two intersections,” says a release from the agency. ” continue reading »