Northeast Times

Are you listening

to us, Comcast?

I cannot believe that Comcast is moving into a brand new building with numerous tax incentives and tax breaks in Center City, while our taxes and cable bills just keep rising!
How can the city allow this? No wonder the city is losing money and residents.
Maybe Comcast can lower our cable and Internet bills with the newly found savings.
Mark Pucker
Rhawnhurst

Disgusted with the

lack of patriotism

Another Memorial Day has come and gone. Once again, we saw every style flag displayed, but where were the “Stars and Stripes?” Sad to say we counted very few.
What will it take for people to remember the men and women who paid the ultimate price so that we may enjoy our freedom?
Mary C. Webb
Modena Park

How to get rid

of gridlock

Instead of wasting more taxpayers’ money on doing surveys about Roosevelt Boulevard at Red Lion Road and Grant Avenue, why don’t they just set the lights to let the eastbound and westbound traffic on Red Lion and Grant go one at a time? This way, there is no gridlock trying to make a left turn. It’s like that down in South Philly at Island and Bartram avenues. Then again, that solution is too easy. They would rather think about putting underpasses in and spend millions of dollars.
Brett Sewell
Modena Park

Get some sleep?

Not near this highway

I am a resident of the Franklin Square Condominiums, located just off of Woodhaven Road. The noise from Woodhaven Road is so bad that most nights, sleep is out of the question.
Now that the road is under construction, it is even worse. When a truck rides down the highway, the whole house shakes.
In their infinite wisdom, PennDOT installed sound barriers on the north side of the road, which makes the problem even worse, because the noise bounces off the barriers and carries to our side of the road.
I have made numerous calls to my state representative, Dennis O’Brien, with no results or even an answer.
I am pleading with the folks at the Northeast Times to help us with this matter in any way they can.
This letter only touches on some of the problems created by Woodhaven Road. We also have to deal with the noise from construction. For some reason they feel it is necessary to start work at 4 a.m. Then there are the fumes from the cars and trucks.
Thank you in advance for any help that you may give us.
Richard A. Paul
Millbrook

Accident victims

appreciate the assistance

My husband and I would like to thank everyone who helped us on May 30 after we were in a horrible car accident. It happened at the intersection of Ryan Avenue and Revere Street just after 9 p.m. that Sunday.
We were driving in a white pickup truck that was hit and pushed off of the road. Neighbors came out from all over to comfort us, and some even ran a few blocks away to get our family.
We will never be able to express our gratitude to each of you, but we hope that you see this letter and know how much we appreciate what you did for us on that night.
Thankfully, we should both be OK after we have some time to heal from our injuries. If you read this letter, please share it with your neighbors and know what a wonderful thing you did for us that night. Thank you.
Jen and Jim
Huntingdon Valley

Kudos for the

Section 8 watchdog

When I saw that Chris Artur was accepted onto the Section 8 committee, I had dubious feelings.
The only reason it appeared that Chris would get this appointment was because of his connections and influence in the real estate community.
I owe Chris a huge apology. I have read everything the Northeast Times has written about Section 8 and Chris Artur.
He is the only voice protecting the Northeast homeowners and the taxpayers that I know about.
I don’t care why or how he got this appointment. I couldn’t imagine anyone fighting as hard with so much energy and focus towards any cause as he has.
Chris, we, the residents of the Northeast, owe you a debt of gratitude. You’ve not only turned me around, but I back you 100 percent.
I can only pray that the other committee members would resign and allow Chris to place some of his own people on the board so he can have some fighters to help him and our community to the fullest abilities.
James C. Myers
Northwood

One day makes a difference

Have you ever had a parking ticket or some form of a ticket from the City of Philadelphia? Well, for a long time I have been very lucky.
Recently I received a ticket and a fine for parking the wrong way on a street. The ticket was paid the day after the eight-day period they give you to pay it. Now, the city keeps sending penalty notices and — get this — “boot/tow” notices.
First of all, if the ticket was paid in a timely manner, which I feel should be 30 days from the date of the ticket, the penalties should be deleted. Why can’t the traffic department be satisfied that the ticket was paid? People can’t afford to lose a day’s wages over a $25 parking ticket and go to Traffic Court.
Give the taxpayers a break!
Donna Potts
Academy Gardens

What to do about

gay marriages

With news of gay marriages popping up all over the country, and the Massachusetts court ruling that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marriage, I’ve started thinking what life would be like if gay marriages suddenly became a “civil right” in the entire United States.
Here are just a few changes that come to my mind:
1. Public schools and textbooks would have to change to teach children about the new family structure, which may consist of a man and woman, a man and another man, or a woman and another woman.
2. Religious institutions whose doctrines teach that homosexuality is a sin will lose their right to proclaim that teaching publicly.
3. Many children will lose the benefits of having a father and mother, each with distinct characteristics, to help them better develop and understand their own identity.
Almost everyone I know objects to these changes, yet, no one seems to know what to do about it.
Here’s something you could do: ask your congressman and senator to support a Federal Marriage Amendment so that we, the people, will have a chance to vote on it come November. The Federal Marriage Amendment will define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Just simply call, ask for your senator’s position on the Federal Marriage Amendment, express your position on the issue, and make sure to ask the person answering the phone how they will get your message to the senator. Insist that they take your name and send a written response of your senator’s position. Phone numbers can be found in the government section of phone books, but, here’s Sen. Arlen Specter’s number — 215-597-7200 — and Rep. Joseph Hoeffel’s number — 215-335-3355 — to help get you started.
Susan Luu
Holmesburg

WOW is a cause

for concern

Regarding the WOW Family Fun Center, I join in the concerns of the Mayfair Civic Association.
I live across the Boulevard from WOW and see firsthand the havoc wrought on a Friday and/or Saturday night in the summer when the center closes and kids stand on the corner of Princeton Avenue to wait for the Route 14 or 20 buses to take them to the Frankford Terminal.
On different occasions, there have been as many as 40 kids on the corner. They are extremely loud and unruly and most times wander onto the lawns/property of the people whose homes are close to the corner. Fights among the kids have broken out. While waiting for the bus, they throw their trash all over the corner property as well as graffiti all over the mailbox at the corner.
I know that the neighborhood kids do not frequent WOW unless it is an event sponsored by school. I work in Center City and have ridden the El and bus with kids who have traveled all the way from West Philadelphia to go to WOW. Frankly, I don’t know why you would travel that far just to go roller skating or to play video games.
With regard to the unfortunate accident that killed a young girl around Easter who was leaving WOW and crossing the Boulevard to catch the bus, I have witnessed many times kids leaving WOW and trying to cross all four lanes of the Boulevard to catch a bus. They pay no heed, nor do they care, that traffic is coming and that they could be hit by a car. They think the cars should slow down as they are crossing.
Also, I believe that curfew is midnight on the weekend. If the center closes at 11:30 p.m., I would doubt that most of these kids are home within a half-hour (it usually takes that long to wait for a bus at night).
I have parked my car near WOW when shopping at Kmart and have come out to find my hub caps gone. (I no longer park there!) I myself used to frequent the facility when it opened as United Skates of America back in the early 1980s. My friends and I attended nearly every weekend when it was just a skating rink.
The neighborhood never had a problem back then with unruly teenagers.
Now, unfortunately, most parents will not allow their kids to go to WOW unless it is a school-sponsored event (including my own niece and nephew) because of the bad reputation that the facility has acquired.
Maybe a solution would be to advertise/sponsor an “open house” night for kids and parents from the Mayfair area to come and see the facility. I know that WOW advertises to a certain demographic area. However, I have never seen any advertisements trying to solicit the local kids to attend. Hopefully something can be worked out that keeps everyone happy.
I’d hate to see a business have to close, but as a “neighbor” of WOW, I can say that over the last few years it is a neighbor that most of us in the area wouldn’t really miss if it did close.
Patricia Regan
Mayfair

Put a chill on

the draft bill

Just this week I received an e-mail so upsetting that I forwarded it to all my friends, who then forwarded it to all their friends. We are now a good size group.
The e-mail concerned Bill S89 and HR 163. The bill is about reinstating the draft, beginning in the spring of 2005. The draftees will be all males and females between the ages of 18 and 26. There will be no deferments; seniors will be allowed to finish the year, and underclassmen will only be allowed to finish the semester. There is already a document signed between the U.S. and Canada, the “Smart Border Declaration,” which will prevent crossing the border.
Since this is a federal bill, I was advised to contact Sen. Specter, Sen. Santorum and Congressman Joe Hoeffel. Sen. Specter’s office said that these bills are a “secret.”
When I told him that the cat was out of the bag, he offered to connect me with the Washington office. That office assured me that the senator was against this bill. I am still waiting for Sen. Santorum to respond, but Congressman Hoeffel is undecided. His office is sending me a letter detailing his thoughts.
We are now in the process of collecting as much information as possible about this bill and the candidates.
We keep getting told that there are no sponsors for this bill and not to worry about it. But why did South Carolina Sen. Ernest Hollings draft this bill, and why is it sitting in the Senate? We think that it is important to find out before the election.
Meanwhile, we are starting an organization called Parents Against the Draft (PAD).
For more information, call me at 215-632-4997.
Beverly Cocco
Walton Park

What’d they say

What’d they say about falling in love
About making a mistake
I don’t think they know what they’re talking about
I don’t think so at all
What’d they say about making plans
About not sticking to your guns
Well my guns want to fire
And they’re not waiting for orders
What’d they say about no religion
About believing in the devil
I guess that’s OK for some people
The ones that don’t give a darn to begin with
What’d they say about abortion
About killing the unborn
I guess some people never will learn
Until someone kills them
What’d they say about racism
About killing all the strange ones
What if everyone were strange
Then no one could read this
What’d they say about peace
About throwing away their weapons
I don’t think they ever will learn
They have to learn to love one another first
In this life you’ve got to take a shot
You’ve got to make a go at something, anything
If you wait around for things to come to you
The only thing you’ll get is older
What’d they say
You tell me

—John J. Ruppert
Mayfair

Dirty tricks in

the campaign

In the Schwartz/Torsella Democratic primary race in the 13th Congressional District, both candidates presented themselves and their goals for our nation and for the district. No dirt. No muck. No personal attacks. What a refreshing relief!
In the Brown/Bard/Taubenberger Republican race, Melissa Brown went right for the throats of her opponents. Dirt, yes. Muck, yes. Personal attacks, yes.
Only one day after the primary and Dr. Brown had her knives out. She manufactured a charge that Allyson Schwartz will leave our troops unsupported. That’s vile! Dirty tricks without end.
Two years ago she would have had you believe that a vote for Joe Hoeffel would turn the Northeast over to John Street and Joe and John would connive to Section 8 your homes and neighborhoods away.
She carefully avoided saying what she would have done for you. You’re to believe that if she were elected, Street would cease to be mayor and Section 8 would disappear. Good trick, Dr. Dirty Tricks.
With the primary over, she takes Tom Ferrick of the Inquirer to task for calling her sleazy. She says it’s hurtful because of her three daughters.
Most of us were brought up to take responsibility for our actions, not to hide behind the skirts of our daughters.
Voters, shall we call her Dirty Tricks Melissa Brown or the ophthalmologist who can’t see a better way to run her campaign?
David Perelman
Elkins Park