Letters to the editor must be accompanied by your daytime and evening phone numbers for verification purposes. Letters without phone numbers cannot be considered for publication.
Lincoln High School
students are rude
I write this letter with the slim hope that things will change regarding Lincoln High School students and the residents of Mayfair.
I think I speak for many when I say that their rude behavior and cursing is really tiring
For me, the final straw was a Sept. 14 incident between a female Lincoln HS student and my elderly mother.
There was a group of Lincoln students boarding the Route 66 bus at Cottman and Frankford avenues.
They were very rude pushing in front of my mother and others waiting for the bus to board.
When the bus driver asked the group to move back, this girl said, "Nobody tells me to do anything."
Someone then called this girl ignorant, to which she replied, "Ignorant? You want to see ignorant?" and proceeded to throw a full soda bottle up in the air.
The soda bottle came down and hit my mother in the leg and then exploded, spraying several people with soda. My mother was so scared she got off at the next stop.
The bus driver did nothing about the incident, which was terrible. Come on! High school is the last stop before real life.
These kids need a serious wake-up call. They can’t behave as spoiled toddlers the rest of their lives.
Someone needs to seriously enlighten these "children" about how to behave.
Mary F. Amerman
Mayfair
In memory of Jimmy Rowen
On Aug. 24, the world lost a wonderful person, James Rowen Jr., to a senseless murder.
On the 5400 block of Saul St., two neighbors, a man and a woman, were arguing over the woman’s destructive children. The woman didn’t like that her neighbor was saying her children were bad, so she told him she would be back and that she’d "have something" for him. She did come back with a guy and the men got into a fistfight when a third guy came along with a gun and jumped in.
Jimmy Rowen only wanted to break things up, but instead he took a bullet through the heart and died. Jimmy always helped the underdog, only this time he paid for it with his life. He was only 25 years old and like a son to me. There are well over a thousand people grieving for him, all because neighbors can’t talk to each other.
How did this one-time nice neighborhood turn into North Philly, where the only way to solve a problem is with a gun?
Jimmy, you will be missed by all the people whose lives you’ve touched.
Peggy Averill
Frankford
Thanks for the coverage
I wish to thank the Northeast Times and reporter Elizabeth Stieber for following and printing our story in your newspaper’s Sept. 9 edition. I requested other newspapers as well to bring our new league into light, since it is a Philadelphia first (an all girls golf league), but I received a so-so reception or no return call at all.
Ms. Stieber wrote a wonderful report on our league, while others ignored it.
Women’s golf has been one area in the golf industry that has grown. And there are opportunities and scholarships waiting to be had by these young ladies.
Though some wish to ignore us, such as area private courses and other news media, there are operations like the Northeast Times, John F. Byrne Golf Course, and Island Green Golf Course who see the growth and opportunity and want to be part of it.
Thank you for your support and insight and bringing a brighter future to these fine young athletes.
Joe Martin
Nazareth Academy golf coach
Catch the cleanup spirit
The Guest Opinion written by Gabriel Brandis in the Sept. 9 edition was so refreshing. I now know who I am.
I, too, pick up trash every day in front of my home and halfway down the street. I am an Olympian! I am always hoping that neighbors will join me. If every neighbor would just pick up and clean just in front of their own property, we could lose the image of dirty streets.
I smile and say hello to people passing by. I tell them it’s a wonderful day, hoping they will take that thought with them and maybe even pass it along.
We may not earn gold medals, but we can hope our neighbors will soon believe they have to perform every day to make a nicer, cleaner community.
Grace Humphreys
Tacony
The Moffits are
good people
I loved the story by reporter William Kenny in the Aug. 26 edition on the great Ed Moffit family and their dedication to Irish music and culture.
What a beautiful example for us of a gentle, loving family. Truly, as the late Archbishop Fulton Sheen has said, "the family that plays together stays together."
I would only add to it that the Moffits are also deeply involved in other community activities; specifically, they have been a part of our Northeast Philadelphia pro-life movement over the past 25 years, helping to save the lives of our innocent, unborn brothers and sisters.
Joseph P. Wall
Lawndale
Thanks, CLIP
I would like to offer my thanks to the people in the city’s CLIP program. Thank you for your prompt response to a phone call I made regarding the amount of graffiti on the back wall of the Frank’s Nursery/CVS building in Somerton.
Your diligent response and efforts are appreciated. The wall no longer is an eyesore to the community, but rather a blank work of art to truly appreciate.
George Christy
Somerton
Yo, Loretta — CLIP
did the right thing!
I had to write in response to Loretta E. Ellis’ letter regarding the CLIP program. Has anyone else seen a pattern in the letters of complaint about CLIP? They are all from people who have been fined. I applaud the CLIP program and what they are doing to keep the Northeast a nice place to live. Ninety percent of the people keep up with their properties, cleaning up trash, mowing their grass, etc. The Northeast is a great place to live and we don’t want to become like other neighborhoods.
I find it a little ironic in the fact that Ms. Ellis could not afford to have someone come in and mow her grass and keep the weeds down. Quoting Ms. Ellis, "After a week, I had my lawyer send a letter explaining the circumstances and requesting an extension," and, "I came home from work one day the following week to find that the CLIP people had devastated my property."
Apparently, Ms. Ellis can afford her own lawyer, was still working and obtaining some sort of paycheck, but could not afford to hire someone. Oh, the irony.
Ms. Ellis, you had no consideration for your neighbors who had to look at your overgrown property, the mosquitoes breeding in your yard all because you, of course being better than the rest of us middle-class people who don’t have personal lawyers, feel that it is your right to have the CLIP program clean up your mess for free.
I don’t feel it is the CLIP workers’ job to distinguish the difference between your beautiful plants and YOUR weeds. They are there to clean up your mess, get the work done and move onto the next property. Unfortunately, because of people like you — who, for whatever other stupid reasons I have read do not keep up with their property, or are too lazy to clean up after their dogs — there is a need for CLIP, and I thank them for jobs well done.
You complain about their removing half of a dogwood tree that didn’t need any more pruning and facetiously say maybe CLIP thought they were doing you a favor. Sorry, lady, they were doing your neighbors a favor.
Lastly, you consider CLIP’s actions to be criminal and wish you could prosecute them. Again, the irony — where is your responsibility?
Eileen Rosenbaum
Mayfair
• • •
In answer to the two people who complained about CLIP in the Sept. 2 issue of your newspaper, I would like to respond:
First, to Loretta Ellis of Somerton, who complained about her lawn and garden being destroyed twice: Twice, you let your lawn and garden get overgrown. Twice, you were at work when you complained that CLIP destroyed your property. Why didn’t you hire someone to take care of your property if you were disabled?
I noticed you took the "free" lawn care the second time and still complained. I don’t feel a bit sorry for you, and I think you deserve any fines you receive. If you wanted to preserve your plants, you should get off of your butt and do the work yourself or hire someone.
You state that you are a senior citizen and disabled and you state that you work. Which is it? If it is all three, then surely you could hire someone to cut your lawn and sit out and supervise the job. You can’t have it all ways.
As to Philip Berk of the Homeowners Association of Philadelphia, you can’t just own and rent out property in the city of Philadelphia without regard to the neighbors living in these areas. You are getting your rent without regard to how these people are acting in these neighborhoods.
The only thing you care about is the almighty dollar, and the residents are not going to take it anymore. If you buy property in our neighborhoods, you better know who you are renting to and maintain our neighborhoods, or we are going to fight back. We have a lot invested in our area and we are not leaving. We are staying for the duration.
The only houses you can buy are the senior citizens’ properties. Watch who you rent to, because this is a family area and we plan to keep it that way. Check your renters out before you see dollar signs.
As far as Christopher Creelman from Joan Krajewski’s office and Thomas Conway, deputy city managing director, they should toot their own horns and I will help them to do it, because they are doing a great job.
Joan Krajewski and Christopher Creelman live in this area and are helping to keep this neighborhood what it once was. I love my neighborhood and I am here to stay. If you don’t like the rules, move.
Betty Beltley
Holmesburg
• • •
Being a homeowner for the last 42 years in Mayfair, I have seen the best of times, and in the last five years I have unfortunately seen a change for the worse.
Then, much to my surprise, two young, educated, caring people stepped up to the plate and came up with a much-needed idea called CLIP, which they then presented to Councilwoman Joan Krajewski, who then had it approved. Then, Thomas Conway and Christopher Creelman ran with it.
The way CLIP works is basically one or two of your neighbors calls the CLIP office and reports a trash site or overgrown weeds, etc., then CLIP responds.
Loretta, this is how you were brought to the attention of the CLIP program.
Whenever I’ve had occasion to call the CLIP office, I have always received a prompt call back. So you see, Loretta, it is unfortunate that you don’t think this program is needed, but the majority of homeowners in the area feel we do need the CLIP program.
I offer kudos to the Tom Conways and Chris Creelmans of this world. We should have more people like them. It would be a much nicer place to live in.
Connell McCall
Holmesburg
• • •
Dear Loretta Ellis:
It is a shame you needed knee surgery. I broke my hip this year, so I can sympathize with your pain.
Since you got a 10-day notice from CLIP to attend to your unkempt garden and had money to keep on retainer a lawyer or pay him for the letter he wrote to CLIP for you, why didn’t you pay a neighbor lad or landscaper to do your mowing/cleanup for you?
I am glad I did not see your place before or after CLIP, but your shortsighted stinginess brought it on yourself.
Shame on your particular situation. People like you contribute to the ruin of our neighborhoods.
Fred A. Glass
Burholme
• • •
We are writing in response to Loretta Ellis’ letter to the editor in the Sept. 2 Northeast Times regarding the Community Life Improvement Program (CLIP).
This is the woman who claimed we destroyed her flowers.
Would you want to live next door to this, especially in the summer with West Nile Virus and rodents in season? We think not.
Thomas Conway
Deputy Managing Director
Chris Creelman
Councilwoman Krajewski’s Office
Down with Den,
up with Mel
Your recent article on state Rep. Dennis O’Brien as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee omitted a very glowing misuse of this powerful position.
Recently, he refused to allow Senate Bill 9 to come out of "his" committee for a floor vote against the wishes of his fellow representatives. SB 9 would allow the people of this commonwealth to decide whether there should be a cap on non-economic damage awards in medical-malpractice suits, the vast majority of which are trumped-up frivolous suits promoted by personal injury lawyers.
Imagine, one person making this decision to the detriment of the health and welfare of Pennsylvanians by driving physicians out of the state. It is obvious whose pocket he is in: the personal injury lawyers and the Pennsylvania Bar Association oppose this bill.
A study by the Philadelphia Business Journal found that Philadelphia trial lawyers stand to lose hundreds of millions of dollars if Pennsylvania enacts medical malpractice reform.
It is no wonder that trial lawyers are spending a lot of money on the campaigns of our legislators, who will decide, as O’Brien has, the future of the medical malpractice industry in this commonwealth.
Unfortunately, Rep. O’Brien is unopposed in the upcoming election and will therefore return to Harrisburg. Too bad for us. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend that voters in the 169th Legislative District DO NOT VOTE for O’Brien; a low vote will send him a message that it is time he represented all the people in his district, city and state, not just the trial lawyers.
His flagrant action has set back malpractice reform in this commonwealth for several years.
While I’m on the subject, you recently did a story on state Sen. Allyson Schwartz, who is running for the 13th Congressional District seat. Also omitted in that article is the fact that Sen. Schwartz voted against SB 9 when it was up for a vote in the Senate.
Fortunately for us, she has an opponent, Melissa Brown, a physician, who is in favor of medical malpractice reform. I therefore strongly recommend that the voters in the 13th Congressional District vote for Melissa Brown to send a message to Sen. Schwartz that we want medical malpractice reform in this city and commonwealth.
To O’Brien and Schwartz: "LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE, NOT YOUR TRIAL LAWYER COHORTS!"
Domenic A. DeBias
Bustleton
Melissa Brown
is a cherry picker
Melissa Brown must enjoy the luxury of never having held public office. She’s never cast a vote that can be criticized. Never had to weigh public issues to arrive at a "least, most, or best we can get" position. She can sit back, scrutinize the positions of those who have, and ‘cherry pick’ for "Gotchas." What is a "Gotcha," you ask? First, look over an entire speech, take a sentence or position out of context and proclaim, "Look at this, I Gothcha."
Allyson Schwartz’s 14 years in the state Senate has got to give a sharp-eyed ophthalmologist lots to see, and holler, "Gothcha."
And what are her ‘Gotchas’? A vote in 1994 on Megan’s Law that would allow for some room for a judge’s judgment (is that bad?) and a vote in 1991 (13 years ago!) about juvenile drug addicts.
Earlier, she accused Schwartz of derailing health care because of a vote to table a measure in the state Senate. Brown chose not to mention that the measure was tabled by a committee that was majority Republican, whose Republican chairman also voted to table!!
Melissa Brown, she has it so nice.
On her escutcheon, no stain or vice.
With her attacks she can go public
Chasing about in our republic.
Fast on her feet, tongue even quicker.
She’s just another cherry picker.
David Perelman
Elkins Park
He wants your flags!!
Ladies and gentlemen of the Northeast, I am a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 100. I am working on my Eagle Scout project. I am collecting American flags that need to be retired.
Any person with a flag that needs to be retired may request that it be dedicated in memory of a particular person. The flags will be retired in a proper ceremony in early October. Anyone wishing to retire a flag may call me at 215-288-7602.
Luis Wright
Oxford Circle