Phil Grutmacher reviews Lawncrest's top zoning issues at the January Community Association meeting. Photo/Shannon McDonald

Last night’s Lawncrest Community Association meeting began with a word about burglaries from 2nd District Community Relations Officer Mark Mroz, ended with a $49 50/50 ticket and was interrupted by  a birthday cake for dedicated LCA member Peg Kramer.

But the meat of the meeting was zoning. With no guest speaker plan, President Bill Dolbow breezed right through the agenda and let Phil Grutzmacher take the mic to discuss zoning. Five proposals were reviewed, but the first is a site that’s been a thorn in the LCA’s side for months. continue reading »

The Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will get the small screen treatment next month, and don’t be surprised if the Northeast makes an appearance.

National Geographic’s WILD channel will debut its “Philly Undercover” series Jan. 7, but tickets for a special screening Jan. 5 are on sale now.

The six-part series will go undercover with the PSPCA’s Humane Law Enforcement officers as they investigate and break up cases of animal hoarding, dog fighting and cockfighting. continue reading »

A dozen sick and dead cats were removed from a Lawndale home Tuesday night.

PSPCA officers raided a home near Lawndale Avenue and Levick Street where a couple had been keeping several cats and neighbors became concerned about the smell of feces and trash.

Some of the cats were dead and most of the living ones were sick.

Manny Citron of the Philadelphia Managing Director's Office

Things were going well at the Lawncrest Community Association meeting until Manny Citron laid out the boundaries for the city’s new PhillyRising target: LawncrestRising will comprise Tabor Avenue to Godfrey Avenue to Hasbrook Avenue to Comly Street.

More like CrescentvilleRising, if you ask the association members.

Citron is the assistant managing director for the City of Philadelphia and oversees the Northeast branch of the PhillyRising initiative, which began in Frankford.

Citron spoke for 10 minutes at Tuesday’s Lawncrest Community Association meeting before taking questions from residents, who were mostly from Lawndale. continue reading »

L to R: Jeanette Newman with son Jordan, St. William's fifth grade teacher Kathy Mcdonald, and Summer and Kenny Rivera at the annual Grove Cleanup in Lawncrest. Photo by Stephen Schultz

With Lawncrest’s Veterans Day ceremony scheduled for Friday morning, residents took to the Grove this past Saturday to beautify the area around the rec center and library.

The annual Grove Cleanup brought volunteers out on a bright, sunny day to rake leaves and pick up trash in the are off of Rising Sun Avenue. continue reading »

Munchie's Breakfast & Lunch in Lawncrest will celebrate its grand opening Oct. 31.

What used to be the Lawncrest Diner is now Munchie’s Breakfast & Lunch in Lawncrest, and the next generation of the Rising Sun Avenue diner will celebrate its grand opening Monday.

Owner Bob Convery promised Lawncrest residents fresh food, a family atmosphere and friendly, courteous service when he, brother-in-law and co-owner Mark Zawierucha, and chef Carlos Medina addressed the Lawncrest Community Association last week.

Convery, of Wissinoming took over the old diner about a month ago, and Munchie’s has been open with limited hours and a small menu since then. Come Monday, the Munchie’s menu will expand. continue reading »

Marcus Rieker, third generation owner of Reiker's Prime Meats in Fox Chase. Photo by G. E. Reutter

Rieker’s Prime Meats has been a staple of Fox Chase since moving to 7979 Oxford Ave. from Lawncrest in 1972.

Rieker’s specializes in handmade luncheon meats and sausages on site. In addition, Rieker’s offers premade meals like chicken parmesean, stuffed peppers, black forest pork and chicken, Bavarian stuffed chicken, rouladen and other specialties that are popular with seniors, families and singles throughout the community.

The store is also well stocked with salads, premade soups, pierogi and spaetzle, as well as imported candies, cookies, condiments and other items from Germany. The store offers holiday meal packages that must be ordered well in advance of the holidays. continue reading »

Director Joe Laub of The Actors Group of Fox Chase

Joe Laub has been enchanted with the theater since watching a Broadway show at the age of five.

He followed with a theater workshop at 13, and again when attending Wilkes College, where he minored in theater and performed in college productions. Sixteen years ago Laub met with other actors and actresses in his Lawndale home and they founded The Actors Group.

After one production at Lawncrest Rec Center, Laub met with the late John Curry at the Fox Chase Rec Center and TAG found a permanent home in Fox Chase.

“John Curry gave me a chance to do theater at the rec,” Laub said. “He was a great inspiration and always supported our theater projects.” continue reading »

It’s rare a mainstream news outlet can find Castor Gardens. Summerdale, Oxford Circle and Lawncrest often get the Castor Gardens label. Or simply, ‘Castor,’ whatever that’s supposed to mean.

When a body was found inside a car on the 800-block of Unruh Avenue, Philadelphia’s mainstream media rushed to report on it. Most came out without embarrassment. continue reading »

Photo courtesy of the City of Philadelphia

Rec Centers in Tacony, Lawncrest and Fox Chase will stay open later on weekends through the summer as part of Mayor Michael Nutter’s response to the acts of youth violence in and around Center City.

Nutter announced his plan to quell the violence yesterday, which also includes increased police patrols, an earlier curfew in some parts of the city and harsher penalties for teens and their parents caught violating the new regulations. continue reading »