Upper Holmesburg residents study Holy Family University's early plans for the redevelopment of Liddonfield. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Of the 20 proposals awaiting consideration from the Philadelphia Housing Authority, the one from Holy Family University for the redevelopment of Liddonfield has the support of the Upper Holmesburg community.

If it wasn’t the speeches from Sr. Francesca Onley of HFU, 6th District Councilman Bobby Henon, developer John Parsons, Upper Holmesburg Civic Association President Stan Cywynski or UHCA board member Paul DeFinis, it was the applause and cheers from the 50-plus residents in attendance that proved the neighborhood is ready for a change.

Planning for Liddonfield’s future began early last year when the UHCA started working with the Philadelphia City Planning Commission to revitalize the neighborhood according to Philadelphia2035 goals.

“We were very practiced in our process, and that just may be our saving grace,” DeFinis said of his hopes that the effort Upper Holmesburg has made will be enough for the PHA.

With the help of politicians at the city, state and federal levels; a petition 4,000 signatures long; and support from the Holmesburg, Holme Circle, East Torresdale, Tacony and Morrell Park civic associations; the UHCA now waits to hear if the PHA will enter an agreement with Holy Family.

If that’s the case, John Parsons of BSI Construction (Island Green Country Club), outlined what he stressed are conceptual plans his development company has for the Liddonfield property at Torresdale Avenue and Megargee Street. continue reading »

Father Judge cheerleaders at the Jan. 7 basketball game against West Catholic High School. Photo/Bill Achuff

The above photo was shot during Friday’s Father Judge basketball game against West Catholic, with cheerleaders from St. Hubert’s High School.

Are you in the photo? Add your name to it in the comments section below.

Philadelphia Health Department officials believe they’ve found the source of the eye irritation at Father Judge High School that sent cheerleading competition attendees to the hospital earlier this month.

“Based on our current data, the Health Department believes that the defective metal halide bulb exposed persons at the cheerleading competition to UV (ultraviolet) light,” reads a letter the department sent Wednesday to competition attendees. continue reading »

Father Judge had a hazmat situation earlier this week. Which means mainstream media just discovered the school and tried to figure out what neighborhood it’s in.

That’d be Holmesburg. You know, where there are Holmesburg flags flying from telephone poles.

Kudos to our reader Mark Hanna, who spotted Fox29′s ridiculous error. The large media outlets jumped all over this story (were they there Thanksgiving week when Judge students helped break ground on a renovation project at Ramp playground?) Maybe spending some time in Holmesburg outside of the hazmat situation and methadone clinic might help. continue reading »

The Archdiocese has announced Father Judge High School will remain closed for an additional day after a skin and eye irritant was found in the building. High school administrators say the building has been deemed safe, but will remain closed Wednesday for additional environmental safety tests. continue reading »

Father Judge High School will remain closed Tuesday as health officials further explore the irritant in the school that affected the eyes and skin of cheerleaders and spectators at a Sunday event.

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia sent the notice out early Monday evening:

“Father Judge High School will be closed on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 due to the situation that led some attendees at Sunday’s cheerleading competition at the school to seek medical attention for eye and skin irritations. continue reading »

Father Judge athletes join Director of Institutional Advancement Brian Patrick King and President Fr. Joe Campellone for the groundbreaking ceremony at Ramp Playground. Photo by Michelle Alton.

The rain couldn’t keep Father Judge administrators, city officials and students athletes away from Ramp Playground Wednesday.

As the city slid into the holiday break, the group celebrated the ground breaking of the Ramp Playground Renovation Project across the street from the school’s doors. By spring, Ramp will have two new synthetic turf fields, dual energy efficient lighting, exterior & interior fencing, sod/seed for non-turf areas, a walkway for fans/players between fields and scoreboards at each field. continue reading »

Louis McKee. Photo by G.E. Reutter

Poet and educator Louis McKee passed away Nov. 21  at the age of 60, (1951-2011) after a long illness.

McKee taught English at Father Judge High School for three decades. Thousands of students passed through his class room, a right of passage at Judge. Many of those students followed in his footsteps, becoming teachers themselves.

Robert Burns, an English teacher at Central High School was one such student. Burns remembered the influence of McKee: continue reading »

Maggie's Cafe, Chickie's & Pete's, The Dining Car and Lipkin's Bakery were among the vendors at the 2011 Taste of Northeast Philly.

Though Saturday’s annual Taste of Northeast Philly event boasted fewer vendors than usual, the crowd was as lively as ever.

Staples like Chickie’s and Pete’s, The Dining Car and Three Monkeys Cafe dished out customers’ favorites in Father Judge High School’s cafeteria alongside first-timers like DNH Caterers and Lipkin’s bakery, while Northeast residents carried armfuls of loaded plates to their tables to chat and watch the Flyers on flatscreen TVs.

continue reading »

Michael Susten, far right, and dancers from Xhale Dance Company warmed up before practice.

The annual Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe brings thousands of performing artists from around the world to the city to showcase their acts and talents. For some, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience and for others, it is a yearly affair. Many of the artists are from Philadelphia and two, in particular, are from the Northeast.

Michael Susten, a director and dance instructor at Xhale Dance Company, is from Rhawnhurst. His middle-class upbringing meant he did not have the means to participate in other activities.

“I went to a local dance studio…and dance was our whole life,” Susten said. continue reading »