Former 15th District Police Office Kenneth Crockett has been sentenced to probation after being convicted in October of stealing from Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

Crockett was charged in July with stealing $825 from the bar following a police investigation. The Walton Park resident and two other officers were at the bar after an unfounded burglary call nearby. The other officers were cleared. continue reading »

Animal remains were discovered Friday (A) and a body was found Sunday (B) in two Northeast Philadelphia parks. Image/Google Maps

Police in the 8th District has a busy weekend tracking gruesome discoveries in two different parks.

Sunday, a body was found floating in the creek of Poquessing Valley Park in Parkwood. The body of the young Latino male was found around 1 p.m. off the 3500-block of Vinton Road. Authorities don’t believe the death is suspicious.  continue reading »

Humane Law Enforcement officers are trying to determine how several animal carcasses ended up in a lot at Comly and Dutton roads near Walton Park.

“Officers have discovered many decapitated goats, chickens and ducks in a lot,” the PSPCA said Thursday. continue reading »

A now-former Philadelphia Police Officer was convicted  Friday of stealing from Pat’s Cafe in Northwood.

Kenneth Crockett was arrested in July 2010 after he was seen on surveillance footage rummaging through the bar’s safe and taking money. Crockett and other officers arrived at the bar after responding to an unfounded burglary call nearby. continue reading »

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 meet Joe McColgan. The St. Martha’s and Archbishop Ryan grad has traded his days in Walton Park for East Torresdale and his time at the Far Northeast Athletic Association for political involvement.

McColgan got involved in politics long before earning political science degrees from Villanova. What began with knocking on doors to hand out political literature at 9 years old has led to a run for council-at-large.

In between all that, he focuses on raising his tow young daughters in a Northeast different from the one he grew up in.

“Today, everything seems more homogenized, more controlled. I think sometimes there won’t be anything authentic or unique left in Philadelphia by the time my daughters are old enough to notice. When the children of today grow up in a mall, when everything is the same everywhere you go in whatever city or state, I think life kind of loses its meaning.  When you sacrifice that feeling of uniqueness, of tradition, of neighborhoods, for the need for comfort, I think you tend to lose a sense of memory, a sense of feeling.  It’s not just a certain time in one’s life; it is what a place is as well.  That is how you knew it.  Sometimes I believe we just might be in danger of losing those things we care about the most.”

NEast Philly: Why council-at-large and not a specific district? continue reading »

This is part of ongoing coverage in “District 172: The Politics of Change after State Rep. John Perzel,” a collaborative effort with Philadelphia Neighborhoods funded by J-Lab.

After John Perzel, the former speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, was charged with misusing public funds, he lost the seat he had held for more than 30 years in the 172nd District to Democrat Kevin Boyle.

Despite the scandal surrounding Perzel, people are divided about whether a powerful politician was better than a new representative in the Northeast district.

John McClogan, a Walton Park Civic  Association member, said he thinks a tainted Perzel is better than a newly elected representative.

“It’s a shame,” he said. “It’s the people who are suffering.”

McClogan said he thinks there is a big difference between Perzel and Boyle.

“Perzel was the speaker of the house. Boyle is just the representative. He doesn’t have the clout that Perzel had,” McClogan said. continue reading »

Q: I saw a nice house for a great price I’d like to buy in Walton Park but the seller says it’s “as-is.” It looks fine to me, but does that mean there is something wrong with it?

A: One of the reasons the price may be so desirable is because the seller is looking for a buyer who is willing to overlook the problems for the price. Or, in some cases, “as-is” can mean that the homeowner is unable for some reason, financially or physically, to make any repairs should a buyer request them.

continue reading »

Two police officers were arrested yesterday after robbing a drug dealer who turned out to be an undercover DEA agent.

The officers, both from the Northeast, have been charged with conspiracy, kidnapping, robbery, unlawful restraint and false imprisonment after allegedly stealing 20 pounds of marijuana and $3,000 from the agent, the latter of which was reportedly found in the officers’ possession at the time of the arrest. continue reading »

We’ve received two tips today from readers in the 8th District — one dealing with crime, and the other with a sewage issue. Below is the information they sent to us. NEast Philly is working with the appropriate authorities to bring you more information. 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 »