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 »

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 »

Jason Dawkins and Maria Quinones-Sanchez comfort Chris Spence's family in front of the Frankford bar where he was fatally shot.

As was discussed at Thursday’s Frankford Civic Association meeting, a hearing has been set of T&T bar. Jason Dawkins, Jorge Santana and the offices of Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and Rep. Tony Payton have pushed for a ’611 action’ hearing to take action against the bar where Christopher Spence was fatally shot in February. continue reading »

Dozens of volunteers helped spruce up three Frankford parks over the weekend for Philly Spring Cleanup. The Friends of Overington Park and Frankford CDC led the efforts, with help from Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and State Rep. Tony Payton.

The Frankford Gazette has recaps of both events, which included cleaning and planting in Overington and Wilmot parks and the small park at Hedge and Orthodox streets.

Friday — Two women in their early 20s died Friday morning in a single-car crash in Somerton. Melissa Lees, 22, of the 800-block of Barlow Street; and Caitlin Hennessey, 23, died when their vehicle lost control at Byberry and Worthington Roads around 2 a.m. The 20-year-old driver of the car suffered non-life-threatening injuries and faces DUI charges. continue reading »

Shirley Phelps-Pollard holds pictures of grandson Christopher Spence during his days playing football for Frankford High School. Spence's mother, Javese Phelps-Washington, (r) says she forgives the man who fatally shot her son.

Early Saturday morning, Christopher Spence died. The 20-year-old former Frankford High School football player was shot once in the chest after a scuffle inside T&T bar at Margaret and Hawthorne streets.

His friends, family and former teammates gathered outside the bar this afternoon, which the owner has closed temporarily, to honor Spence and take action.

“They killed my boy,” Spence’s mother, Javese Phelps-Washington, sobbed over and over, standing at the corner outside the bar. Bundled in coats, hats and gloves, the crowd grew larger as more came to comfort Phelps-Washington. continue reading »

Updated 10/20/10 @ 2:30 p.m.

The shooting that left a 19-year-old in critical condition outside a former adult theater in Frankford brings to light the ever-present battle with irresponsible absentee landlords, says Councilwoman Maria Quiñones-Sánchez.

The reason so many absentee landlords are able to remain derelict in their responsibilities to maintain safe, clean and community-orientated properties, Sanchez said at Tuesday night’s Northwood Civic Association meeting, is because the city doesn’t have the man power to track them down.

“Part of the problem has always been about resources,” Sanchez said last night to nearly twenty residents in the basement of St. James Church at the corner of Castor Avenue and Pratt Street.

continue reading »

District Attorney Seth Williams addresses the Frankford Civic Association meeting Thursday, March 4, 2010 inside Frankford Hospital. Image from Frankford Gazette

District Attorney Seth Williams will assign his assistant district attorneys to specific geographic areas to increase accountability and familiarity, according to his presentation at Thursday night’s Frankford Civic Association meeting, as reported by the Frankford Gazette.

The meeting also featured a series of updates from City Councilwoman Maria Sanchez’s office, including her hesitance to support Mayor Nutter’s proposed “soda tax.”

See video of Williams and other updates from Jimmy Smiley at the Gazette.

State Rep. Tony Payton at the February Frankford Civic meeting.

It has become something of a tradition at Frankford Civic Association meetings in the past year.

The first 15 or 20 minutes of the meetings, held in a conference room on the second floor of the old Frankford Hospital, are devoted to typical zoning issues, event announcements and new community concerns. Then something changes.

The meeting becomes more of a conversation and the topic is always the same: recovery homes.

True to form, it happened again Thursday night. Only three or four residents were in attendance, outnumbered by media and legislative aides and almost doubled by the association’s executive board, but the conversation was no less lively.

continue reading »