From Left: Instructor Chandi Queen from the People's Emergency Center's digital inclusion program, student Frank Cutler, State Rep. Tony Payton, Rasheem Jennings, William Brown and front row, Ethel Dawson and Karen Lee. Photo/Technically Philly

From basic computer skills to social networking and Internet usage, five Frankford residents got a crash course last week during the Frankford CDC’s three-day computer literacy certification program.

Hosted with the help of Pa. Rep. Tony Payton, D-179th, the event was one of about 80 organized for the annual Philly Tech Week. Residents were invited to sign up for the free workshop and use the CDC’s new computer lab to enhance their computer skills. It was the only Northeast Philadelphia event part of Philly Tech Week. continue reading »

From Left: Instructor Chandi Queen from the People's Emergency Center's digital inclusion program, student Frank Cutler, State Rep. Tony Payton, Rasheem Jennings, William Brown and front row, Ethel Dawson and Karen Lee. Photo/Technically Philly

From basic computer skills to social networking and Internet usage, five Frankford residents got a crash course last week during the Frankford CDC’s three-day computer literacy certification program.

Hosted with the help of Pa. Rep. Tony Payton, D-179th, the event was one of about 80 organized for the annual Philly Tech Week. Residents were invited to sign up for the free workshop and use the CDC’s new computer lab to enhance their computer skills. It was the only Northeast Philadelphia event part of Philly Tech Week. continue reading »

There are more than 80 events on the calendar for Philly Tech Week 2012, and the Northeast is taking part with a computer training series.

The Frankford Community Development Corporation,  the People’s Emergency Center and Pa. Rep. Tony Payton, D-179, will sponsor a free computer training class April 24, 25 and 26. continue reading »

Frankford will boom soon, according to some.

Among them are State Rep. Tony Payton and Mark Tucker of Tucker Development Plus. They spoke with the Philadelphia Business Journal about the neighborhood’s changes and what could be next for Frankford.

“The Frankford Arsenal employed more than 22,000 people,” reads a line from the PBJ about the neighborhood’s history. The arsenal can’t really be credited for Frankford’s heyday, blamed for its struggles or held as a symbol for its bright future, though. continue reading »

Council-at-large candidate Isaiah Thomas. Photo provided by Isaiah Thomas for City Council At-Large.

As primary elections approach, NEast Philly will interview council-at-large candidates so readers can get to know the names they’ll see on the ballot.

Today we speak with Isaiah Thomas. The Frankford High School graduate has a psychology and social behavior  degree from Penn State University and a masters in education from Lincoln University. His work in the community ranges from his role as executive director at family education center Mature Cradle, Inc and a consultant for United Way. Thomas is also a project director at Sankofa Freedom Academy in Frankford — a natural transition from his decade-long involvement at Freedom Schools.

NEast Philly: Why council-at-large and not a specific district? 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.

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

The driver of an SUV fled the scene after hitting two park cars early yesterday morning. Police say the driver lost control and hit two parked cars on the 2000-block of Hellerman Street and fled when the SUV tipped over. continue reading »

Thelma Young at the September 2010 Frankford Civic Association meeting, of which she was a member for at least 15 years, according to the board's president. Click to enlarge.

Updated: Nov. 13 @ 11:14 a.m. with more family background.

Updated: Nov. 15 @ 10:22 a.m. with more personal details, courtesy of Northeast Times reporter John Loftus, who shared to limit the burden on the family.

NEast Philly will continue to update this profile of Thelma. We encourage anyone to contact us with additional information or share your memories of her in the comments below.

Thelma Young, 76, the feisty, passionate and funny, gray-haired, bespectacled and baseball-capped Frankford Civic Association board member, has died, a fellow board member has confirmed. Her age has not yet been confirmed, nor has the cause of death, though zoning board member Pete Specos referred to it as “sudden.”

“She was always active in the community, always looking to better the place she lived,” said Frances Clay, the President of the Frankford Civic Association. Young was a member of the both the civic association and the 15th Police District Advisory Council, or some form of it, for at least 15 years, Clay said. Young had spoken briefly during meetings about growing up in Frankford, though Clay couldn’t confirm details.

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Joe Hohenstein, the clerk of the Frankford Friends School board committee and a 1979 graduate, discussing expansion plans at the Sept. 9, 2010 Frankford Civic Association meeting.

Updated: 9/10/10 @ 3:56 p.m.

A $1.6 million expansion project that would remake the capacity of a fixture of Frankford was given approval Thursday night by the neighborhood’s civic group.

The Frankford Friends School, at the corner of Penn and Orthodox streets, would see a modern, single-floor, multi-use, 32-foot additional building constructed east of its historic 1833-era school house if the city’s zoning commission approves a change to the property’s zoning distinction.

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