This is the second in a three-part series covering the 6th District Council race. You can read Part 1 here.

UPDATE: On April 18, Mayor Michael Nutter and outgoing 6th District Councilwoman Joan Krajewski endorsed Bednarek.

As the City Council primary elections creep closer and closer, candidates for the Northeast’s 6th District are in full campaign mode.

For the first time in more than 30 years, Joan Krajewski will not be continuing her reign as the voice of the 6th District of Philadelphia, leaving her seat open to a new leader of the district.

Krajewski, who is known as the “Queen of Constituent Service,” flirted with retirement a few years ago. In 2007, she retired for 24 hours after she was re-elected, in order to collect her $297,466 DROP retirement payment. She returned the next day to begin her eighth term.

This time; however, she is serious about retiring.

As Krajewski finishes up her final months in office, three new candidates have been busy walking through neighborhoods, speaking to residents and expressing their ideas of change for the community. The three candidates for the 6th District position are Bobby Henon, Sandy Stewart and Marty Bednarek continue reading »

Ian Litwin of the City Planning Commission (far right) addresses the Holmesburg Civic Association at the April 2011 meeting.

Two of the three candidates for the 6th District City Council seat went to last night’s Holmesburg Civic Association meeting to address neighborhood and district-wide concerns and answer questions from residents.

Republican candidate Sandy Stewart and Democratic candidate Marty Bednarek each addressed the members before taking turns answering questions. Democratic candidate Bobby Henon was not in attendance.

DROP was a hot topic, but a question about term limits drew the most discussion from the roughly 20 people at the meeting. continue reading »

Turnout was high for the Mayfair Civic Association's "meet the candidates" night for the 6th Council District.

This piece is the first of three covering the 6th District Council race.

With the City Council primary elections right around the corner, candidates for Philadelphia’s 6th District seat waited their turn to speak to residents of Mayfair at Tuesday night’s civic association meeting in the John Perzel Community Center.

“What a fun experience for me! Finally got to put some faces with the names of people who are following me on Facebook,” said Sandy Stewart, the Republican candidate for the 6th District seat in City Council.

Philadelphia’s 6th District seat is up for grabs, as long-time Democratic Councilwoman Joan Krajewski decided to retire after this term. Krajewski has held her position since 1979 and the race to succeed her is heating up, as the primary elections will be held Tuesday, May 17. continue reading »

The people of Philadelphia’s Tacony neighborhood have started a movement to honor “Goople.”

Joseph C. “Goople” McCloskey (1920-1990), was one of the original Philadelphia Police Athletic League officers, dating back to the formation of the organization in 1947, and ran PAL programs in that ancient neighborhood for 37 years. Thousands of youngsters benefited from his tutelage and many still talk fondly of “The Goop,” each with an illustrative story. His likeness is included in a mural at Tulip and Longshore Streets, along with Tacony’s best-known figure, industrialist Henry Disston. continue reading »

(L to R) Jane Golden, Executive Director of the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program; Councilwoman Joan Krajewski; John Byrne, MARC President; State Sen. Mike Stack; Mick Hartey, MARC Secretary; and State Rep. Mick McGeehan. Photo provided by MARC.

The Major Artery Revitalization Committee along side State Rep. Michael McGeehan (D-173), State Sen. Mike Stack (D-5) and City Councilwoman Joan Krajewski (D-6), dedicated its latest mural to beautify the neighborhood in East Torresdale.

The mural, located on the train station at Grant Avenue and James Street, depicts the old train station with the message “Welcome to East Torresdale.” continue reading »

Frankford Arsenal will be home to a 500,000-square foot shopping center.

When the Frankford Arsenal reopened in 1984, neighborhood groups insisted the compound’s history — dating back to the War of 1812 — be preserved.

Now with plans for a 500,000-square foot shopping center, developers insist the Arsenal’s historical structures will remain intact. continue reading »

Mock-ups for the proposed duplexes at 2976-80 Welsh Rd.

“I will carry that message back,” is the answer most Holme Circle residents heard Wednesday night as they voiced concerns over the future of the Stokes house.

The house — a notable farmhouse among a sea of twins at 2976-80 Welsh Rd. — faces a questionable future as the owners, the Stokes family, prepare to move on.

Though the house dates back to the 19th Century, the Stokes family has owned the house for the last 70 years. But with the family spreading out and the cost of upkeep increasing, Samuel “Buzz” Stokes has plans to sell. And Holme Circle residents have plans to protect their neighborhood. continue reading »

Councilwoman Krajewski (l) reviews the wall of her fellow inductees for the inaugural Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame. Photo by Christopher Wink for NEast Philly.

The Northeast gets called a lot of things: suburban, Republican, behind-the-times — and those are just the subtle insults.

But what people in other parts of the city — and even people from the Northeast — don’t realize, is that our region is as important, historic and evolved as the rest of Philadelphia. And if you need proof, look no further than the Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame.

In the video below, City Councilwoman Joan Krawjewski, one of last year’s inductees, talks about the Northeast.

continue reading »

Councilwoman Krajewski (l) reviews the wall of her fellow inductees for the inaugural Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame. Photo by Christopher Wink for NEast Philly.

The Northeast gets called a lot of things: suburban, Republican, behind-the-times — and those are just the subtle insults.

But what people in other parts of the city — and even people from the Northeast — don’t realize, is that our region is as important, historic and evolved as the rest of Philadelphia. And if you need proof, look no further than the Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame.

In the video below, City Councilwoman Joan Krawjewski, one of last year’s inductees, talks about the Northeast.

continue reading »

Councilwoman Krajewski (l) reviews the wall of her fellow inductees for the inaugural Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame. Photo by Christopher Wink for NEast Philly.

The Northeast gets called a lot of things: suburban, Republican, behind-the-times — and those are just the subtle insults.

But what people in other parts of the city — and even people from the Northeast — don’t realize, is that our region is as important, historic and evolved as the rest of Philadelphia. And if you need proof, look no further than the Northeast Philadelphia Hall of Fame.

In the video below, City Councilwoman Joan Krawjewski, one of last year’s inductees, talks about the Northeast.

continue reading »