Police are looking for two men who invaded a home in Lawncrest last night.

Reports say that around 11 p.m. Thursday, two men entered a home on the 300-block of Devereaux Avenue. A 24-year-old woman was in the back second-floor bedroom, when the two men came in wearing all black, with ski masks and guns.

The suspects tied the woman’s hands and feet, but untied her before leaving. Nothing was taken from the house, and the suspects remain at large.

Photo by Jennifer Reardon

The Heavy Hitta’s Boxing Club, located at 6000 Rising Sun Ave. in Lawncrest, had a boxing exhibition and gospel performance Tuesday night.

The newly formed boxing club was hoping to showcase its boxers and advertise its new club to the Lawncrest locals — all while supporting a good cause.

Chief Executive Officer Rick Terrell, 35, and his right-hand man, Chief Operating Officer Lonnie Haile, 42, met and started the club back in July 2009.   continue reading »

Police officers from the 2nd District talk to Lawncrest residents about crime, snow and bars.

The snow, it turns out, has its benefits. Lawncrest residents were pleased to find out that crime in the area is down 27 percent from last year, and 47 percent in just the last week. Lt. Tom Tomlinson of the 2nd Police District attributes that last figure to the several feet of snow on the ground.

Approximately 50 people attended last night’s meeting of the Lawncrest Community Association — about half the usual attendance. President Bill Dolbow attributed that to the snow, as well, and thanked those who braved the roads to be at the meeting.

The focus of the meeting was crime, snow and the relationship between the two. Mark Mroz, community relations officer for the 2nd District, was the highlighted speaker, though he brought along Tomlinson, the lieutenant for Police Service Area 2, and a sergeant from that zone as well. continue reading »

Community Relations officer Mark Mroz received a city citation at the Dec. 15, 2009 Lawncrest Community Association meeting held at St. William's School. Councilwoman Marian Tasco's administrative assistant Kathy Wersinger also received a citation.

Two popular city employees who work heavily with the Lawncrest community received citations from the City of Philadelphia Tuesday night at the Lawncrest Community Association meeting.

Kathy Wersinger, administrative assistant and de facto neighborhood liaison for Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco, and Police Officer Mark Mroz, the affable community relations officer for the 2nd District, both were honored last night inside the St. William’s School on Rising Sun Avenue. At-large Councilmen Jack Kelly and Bill Greenlee were also on hand.

“Tonight we’re honoring two people who help make Lawncrest great,” said Association President Bill Dolbow.

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A Lawncrest mother has been charged with endangering the welfare of a child and reckless endangerment after leaving her 2-year-old son home sleeping, only to have a fire break out in the home.

Juline Dupiche took one of her children to the store Saturday, and left her sleeping toddler home alone. Shortly after, neighbor Genene Davis smelled smoke and heard Dupiche’s fire alarm going off. continue reading »

A Lawncrest warehouse caught fire yesterday, bringing firefighters out to battle the two-alarm blaze.

The building, at Adams and Rising Sun avenues, caught fire just after 12:30 this afternoon. No major injuries have been reported, but investigators have not yet determined the cause.

2nd District's Captain McCarrick (far right) takes questions from Lawncrest residents.

Be involved and care about your neighbors. That’s the advice 2nd District Police Capt. Michael McCarrick gave to Lawncrest residents who are looking to protect their neighborhood.

McCarrick was the main guest at last night’s Lawncrest Community Association, which garnered more than 50 attendees and political assistants.

“We need more people from the community [at these meetings],” McCarrick said. The captain went on to say the “sense of community has been pillaged and torn apart” – a reality that he thinks can be attributed to absentee landlords who are typically less interested in community involvement. continue reading »

The Lawncrest community came together Wednesday at “The Grove” next to Lawncrest Rec Center to celebrate Veterans Day.

The event, which achieved a crowd of more than 100 people, was planned by the Lawncrest Community Association, with help from the office of Councilwoman Marian B. Tasco, the Rising Sun Lions Club and the Phil-Mont Kiwanis Club.

People who arrived passed by headstone memorials near Rising Sun Avenue, which honored World War I and World War II veterans. In the back of The Grove stood a memorial honoring both Vietnam and Korean War Vets.

Kathy Wersinger, administrative assistant to Tasco, headed the celebration. “I think it is important to thank out veterans,” she said. “The only services I know of are downtown, and so this was a good way to bring people in the community together.” continue reading »

Eryca and Kaitlyn Bradfield were seriously injured in a Lawncrest hit-and-run yesterday. Photos courtesy of Action News.

UPDATE - Police are looking for 22-year-old Shawn Timbers of the 1200-block of Alcott Street in Oxford Circle. He is considered to be a person of interest in the case. Kaitlyn, whose abdomen was rolled over by the car, has been updated to good condition, from critical.

ORIGINAL STORY – Eight-year-old twin sisters were injured in a hit-and-run accident yesterday afternoon in Lawncrest.

Eryca and Kaitlyn Bradfield were walking to a nearby store to get candy around 3:30 p.m. when they were hit around the intersection of Colgate Street and Cheltenham Avenue. One of the girls was run over. continue reading »

Election day is tomorrow, and being an off year (no mayoral or presidential candidates), voter turnout in Philadelphia is typically low. But voting is always important – especially for the offices in this election.

Tomorrow at the polls, you’ll have the chance to elect candidates for two citywide offices – District Attorney and City Controller – in addition to six judicial positions.

Some of these candidate have ties to the Northeast, while others have made the rounds at many civic association meetings.

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