The media has been following closely the story of the 15th District Police Officer charged with stealing money from a safe at Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

Since the city’s three TV news networks have no idea what Northwood is or where it might be, they’ve mostly stuck with calling the Arrott Street and Castor Avenue intersection Frankford [re: Action News and CBS3]. We’ll accept that, given the close ties between the two neighborhoods, and debate about whether Northwood is really just a part of Frankford. continue reading »

Officer Kenneth Crockett

15th District Police Officer Kenneth Crockett has been charged with theft and receiving stolen property in connection with an incident Tuesday morning at Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

Crockett, who lives in Walton Park, has been charged with stealing $825 from Pat’s after he and two other officers stopped at the bar following an unfounded call at a nearby auto detailing shop. The two other officers have been cleared. continue reading »

A woman in her 60s died early yesterday morning following a fire in Northwood home.

Firefighters arrived at the home on the 4600-block of Horrocks Street just before 4 a.m. Thursday, and medics rushed the woman to Temple University Hospital where she later died. continue reading »

Internal affairs is investigating three police officers in connection with an attempted theft at Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

According to reports, two officers responded to a break-in report early Tuesday morning at an auto-detailing shop in Pat’s at Castor Avenue and Arrott Street. After determining the call unfounded, the officers went to Pat’s for a drink, and were joined by a third office who was not wearing a uniform. continue reading »

Saturday: Northwood residents called police Saturday night when they spotted a suspicious van around Haworth and Rutland streets. Inside the van was a child, who’d been lured there by a registered sex offender. Robert Alvarez, a 44-year-old New York resident, was arrested and charged with sexual assault. continue reading »

The Northwood Civic Association announced yesterday an upcoming zoning meeting for Northwood Academy Charter School.

Northwood Academy, at 4621 Castor Avenue, is looking to construct a new building. The meeting will be held in the school Monday, June 28 at 6 p.m.

District Attorney Seth Williams at the June Northwood Civic Association meeting.

Seth Williams says he doesn’t always wear his seat belt while driving.  Philadelphia’s District Attorney also says he was recently caught by a red-light ticket camera.

Lessons for enforcing driving in a town whose DA has broken a law or two can be implemented citywide. So Williams told 30 residents at Tuesday’s Northwood Civic Association meeting in the basement of St. James Church.

“It’s not the severity of punishment that changes behavior,” he said. “It’s the certainty of punishment.”

It was one of four hallmarks he gave for his developing administration, before taking questions from a community that has characterized itself in a quality-of-life war against blight and crime.

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A Northwood boy was taken to the hospital last night after riding his bike into the back of a SEPTA bus.

The boy, 7, was riding along the 4600-block of Naples Street near Orthodox Street when he rode into the back of the bus. He was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children around 7 p.m. for minor injuries.

The Frankford Gazette is reporting a fire in Northwood that’s claimed two homes on the 900-block of Foulkrod Street. Details to come.

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

Friends Hospital updated on its recovery-oriented inpatient psychiatric care unit last night. The unit at the Northwood facility opened in January. Its goal is for each patient to leave with a new, self-written life plan. The life plan will be different than normal in that it will incorporate continued therapy with each individual’s interests, support systems, hobbies, strengths, community connections, and aspirations. It focuses on positive psychology based on hopes and dreams, not just symptoms, medication, and counseling appointments.

Keep reading for news on program cuts from Mayor Nutter, an advanced math class and more. continue reading »