Click to visit a larger version of the photo, taken by Joe Kaczmarek.

We knew Hurricane Irene would have an impact on the Northeast, only now are we started to get a better sense of what that impact was.

Above, photographer Joe Kaczmarek takes a shot of Northeast resident Hugh Owens, who just had his truck crushed at Solly and Castor. Find all of his work here, including a flooded Roosevelt Boulevard during Saturday night.

Sadly, though Owens was uninjured, as we reported this morning, a few people weren’t as lucky.

If you have photos, send them to info [at] neastphilly [dot] com, or use our Facebook or Twitter pages.

Below, we share some reader submitted videos and photos of Irene’s path.

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About a dozen protesters gathered Sunday outside St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church Sunday to oppose a zoning variance. Photo by Maureen Greene.

St. Thomas Syro Malabar Catholic Church at 608 Welsh Rd. has requested a zoning variance to allow them to rent their building to Tacony Academy Charter School for no less than two years.  There would be 150 kindergarten and first grade students housed there.  Since the School District does not bus kindergarteners, this would cause extreme traffic delays on a dangerous and congested stretch of Welsh Road.

Congregants packed a Greater Bustleton Civic League meeting to force the vote in their favor.  The Pastor admitted that they were looking for money for the mortgage and had only the hope of a flashing yellow light to potentially slow down traffic as any attempt to address the extreme safety concerns of the neighbors, some of whom have had relatives and friends injured or killed along that stretch of road.  The need for left hand turns into the narrow and nearly hidden driveway will create a major hazard. continue reading »

Champ had a big week. He recently graduated PetSmart’s dog school, and he’s looking pretty happy about it. Here’s hoping his diploma is edible.

If you can’t get enough pets, be sure to check out our Pet of the Week series. You can send us your own birthday, wedding and pet announcements and photos to info AT neastphilly DOT com.

-Photo submitted by Seth Kaplan

Snow looking stately in Tacony, by Lou Iatarola

Enjoy more reader photos of the most recent snowfall in our slideshow, including shots by Tacony historian Lou Iatarola and Bucks County’s Gail Elias.

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Marsden Street near Devereaux Avenue, by Melissa Mersereau Sanchez

Reader Melissa Mersereau Sanchez sent us these snow photos from her neighborhood. You can email yours to info AT neastphilly.com or upload them to Facebook.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

With Pennypack Park’s summer concert series in full swing, Northeast native Mike LeCompt played week three last Wednesday. Check out our calendar for the upcoming shows.

Thanks to Mayfair resident Donny Smith for the photos. You can see them all in this slideshow.

Photo by Donny Smith

We received several dozen photos of the chaos at Frankford and Cottman Monday night in honor of the Flyers entrance into the Stanley Cup playoff. As promised, we’re not running any of the suggestive ones, but check out our slideshow to see the nearly 50 shots from the celebration. continue reading »

Hundreds of people packed Frankford Avenue May 15 for the May Fair. Photo by Donny Smith.

UPDATE (May 24, 1:40 p.m.) — New photos added to slideshow.

NEast Philly reader and proud Mayfair resident Donny Smith took some great photos at last weekend’s Fallen Heroes Run/May Fair/Community Day.

Hundreds of people came out, and more than $10,000 was raised for the Mayfair Memorial Playground and Hero Thrill Show. You can see all of Donny’s photos in this slideshow.

Mayfair resident Mike Ennis designed the logo for the Second Annual 5k Fall Heroes Run, which will honor a firefighter John Redmond.

From the Mayfair Business Association:

The Mayfair Business Association is excited to announce its Third Annual May Fair festival along Frankford Avenue and its Second Annual Mayfair Fallen Heroes Run.

MBA President Mike “Scoats” Scotese, owner of the Grey Lodge, is excited to announce a new wrinkle to this year’s May Fair with the incorporation of the 15th Police District’s Advisory Council’s Community Day at the triangle at Cottman and Frankford avenues, as well as the addition of multiple live bands and acoustic acts along the Avenue.

Scotese said: “I am proud that the PDAC has joined our efforts and we will have an abundance going on at the triangle, as well as along Frankford Avenue.  The Fallen Heroes Run has become our lead-off event and we are excited to have the strong cooperation of Fire Fighters Union Local 22.  This May Fair Day is increasingly becoming the premier family fun day in Mayfair” continue reading »

Standing (l to r): Estela Cajina, Kim Neubauer, Linda Lvea, Ashley Holzman-O’Brien, Arionna Hart, Tiffany Kapusta, Cassie Carrasco, Ashley Lanetti, Chelsie Gault. Kneeling (l to r): Brooke Schmanek, Veronica Zgura, Shani Chen, Katie Hagan, Laura Danila, Amanda Norton. Sitting: Maggie Sees

It has been one first after another for the students of the Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush.  The school, described as a “small, special admittance, comprehensive high school that focuses on the arts,” opened in September 2008.

This year, the school — under leadership from Principal Jessica Brown and Athletic Director Kevin Katz — was granted its first sports by the School District’s Office of Athletics: JV basketball (teams for boys and girls), co-ed JV track and Varsity Soccer.   The Varsity team was granted because Public League girls soccer does not have a JV program; the players could have been forced to play “an exhibition year” with all of the games counting only as scrimmages.  However, Director Jack Creighton allowed the team to play in the lowest division as a full-fledged Varsity team

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