Update - Police have arrested and charged a 27-year-old suspect. Angel Roque is charged with vehicular homicide, among other charges, after he was found out when he tried to report his truck stolen to allegedly cover up his crime. Roque lives in Wissinoming, where the truck was also found.

Police are looking for the driver who struck a woman this morning in Wissinoming, leaving her dead. continue reading »

Tacony Civic Association board member Lou Iatarola reviews zoning matters at the September 2011 meeting.

Lou Iataroloa had less than an hour to zip through a dozen active zoning issues in Tacony at Tuesday’s civic association meeting.

Before 15th District Capt. Frank Bachmayer took the floor at 8 p.m. for his town hall meeting, the association board had an hour to review old business, new business and upcoming meetings.

The zoning issues involved a variety of issues, including illegal duplexes and auto body shops. The rundown Iatarola, a TCA board member, is below. For pending permits and variances, neighbors living within 500 feet of the properties in question will receive a notice prior to the TCA’s meeting and the Zoning Board of Adjustment hearing. continue reading »

A rendering of the New Foundations Charter High School

If things go according to plan, New Foundations High School will be open to students next fall. The new space will across the street from the existing K through 9 building at Rhawn Street and Torresdale Avenue at 4850 Rhawn St. Ninth and 10th graders are currently housed in a temporary spot at Franklin Towne Charter.

Holmesburg residents had one immediate concern at Tuesday night’s civic association meeting: parking. CEO Paul Stadelberger was at the ready, knowing already the congestion around Torresdale and Rhawn near Holmesburg Station would prove a sticking point with neighbors. continue reading »

Two Northeast men have been arrested for a burglary ring that spanned the Northeast and Bensalem.

Ryan Shantz, 30, of Torresdale; and Michael Mager, 31, of Tacony; were arrested and charged with 61 counts of theft from auto and other offense. continue reading »

This is a first for Right NEast/Wrong NEast: the same story appearing twice.

Last month, both CBS3 and the Police Department got a little lost when a Wissinoming store owner fought off a robber. Though the crime happened on the 6000-block of Torresdale Avenue, both originally reported the crime happened in Torresdale. CBS3 correctly reported the neighborhood in a follow-up story.

But not to be outdone, Action News has gone ahead and made the exact same error — just a few weeks later. In its coverage of the arrest of the man wanted in connection with the robbery, Channel 6 says the crime happened in Torresdale: continue reading »

Poor Wissinoming. When it’s not getting mistaken for Frankford, it may as well not even exist to the mainstream media.

When a store owner in Wissinoming fought off an armed robber last week, the media swept in with the cameras. They just weren’t sure where exactly they were sweeping in. continue reading »

Police in the 15th District are looking for suspects and more information surrounding two recent incidents.

The first happened June 14 in Wissinoming when a man armed with a knife robbed Lisa & Charlie’s Market at 6017 Torresdale Ave. Authorities are looking for a white male in his 30s, about 5’11″. He was seen in surveillance video wearing a blue T-shirt and three-quarter length blue jeans. He fled on a black bike. continue reading »

Frankford Civic Association board members present, joined by Tim Wisniewski.

An apparent un-sanctioned flea market that has waxed and waned various weekends for at least a couple years on Torresdale Avenue in Frankford has grown to a size and a consistency that concerns the civic association there.

Concentrated on the east side of the 4200-block of Torresdale Avenue between Adams Avenue and Church Street, civic group complaints date back to at least 2009, as the Frankford Gazette reported then, noting, as board members did Thursday night, that the venders were unlicensed, leaving litter behind, causing traffic, and otherwise mistreating a partially residential strip of the busy two-lane road.

So the board discussed finding a new home for the market.

continue reading »

At a February meeting, Upper Holmesburg residents identified areas that need improvements or enhancements.

Four months’ worth of work came together Thursday night at the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association, where the City Planning Commission unveiled its “Neighborhood Goals and Strategies Report” for neighborhood development and improvement.

The report is based on the efforts of the Upper Holmesburg Civic Association, the Planning Commission and neighborhood planning team and the 100-plus residents who attended meetings to share their ideas for the neighborhood.

“It’s just amazing what we did here,” UHCA board zoning officer Paul Definis said.” Definis, along with others, has been involved with deciding what Upper Holmesburg would like to see come out of the Planning Commission’s proposals, which are part of the city’s larger Phila2035 plan. continue reading »

Friday – The School Reform Commission honored Karen Olszewski last week for her work in saving a fifth-grade student earlier this month. The lunch aide at Sullivan Elementary in Wissinoming was recognized for saving the student, who was choking on a Dorito. continue reading »