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Step up and
speak out, please!
I’d like to remind the people of Northeast Philadelphia that there’s a murderer still walking our streets.
My mom, Jeanne Kirschner, and her live-in boyfriend, George Strockbine, were brutally stabbed to death July 22, 2003, in their home, nestled in the corner of their cul-de-sac on Nandina Lane in Philmont Heights.
This is still an unsolved case. People, please think back to that day. Someone out there knows something. Speak up!
We still have a reward for the person who helps get this monster off our streets. Without "brotherly love" we will all be at risk.
The holidays are coming, and we miss our mom and George so much, but the best Christmas present in the world would be to have peace, justice and closure.
If you have any information regarding this case, please call Detective Jack McDermit at 215-686-1233.
Michele Kirschner
Somerton
In memory of the
Somerton food bank lady
The Somerton Interfaith Food Bank has lost our best asset. Sharon Nelson, the director, died on Dec. 3. We will sorely miss her.
Although not in the best of health, she did her best to help all clients with special needs, especially diabetics and those with large families.
She was a truly caring and compassionate lady and friend. She will be missed.
Priscilla Cayer
Parish secretary, St. Andrew’s in-the-Field Episcopal Church
The Academy of
unnatural pileups
The wire trash cans along Academy Road are NOT being emptied and some are overflowing with trash. They are located on the west side of Academy Road south of Woodhaven Road (the worst), across from Archbishop Ryan High School, at Chalfont Drive, at Amity Road and at Red Lion Road.
Before school began in the fall, the cans were full, so I contacted Ryan High School, state Rep. Dennis O’Brien and City Councilman Brian O’Neill’s offices, and FINALLY on Oct. 12 the city emptied them. They are full again. Does that mean I have to continue to beg to have them emptied?
Why are they NOT getting emptied on a regular basis? It doesn’t take long for litter to accumulate and the community to become unsightly.
Margaret Philippi
Parkwood
Count on the city
to do half the job
OK, here’s another job the city did halfway. They finished paving Pennypack Street between Holme Avenue and Frankford Avenue more than a month ago. There are still no yellow lines painted. Last night while coming down this road, a vehicle approaching me was halfway in my lane. I had to move near the curb so I wouldn’t have a head-on impact.
Why does this city always do a shoddy and halfway job with the work they do? Recently, they did a half-baked job on I-95 around Bridge Street, causing a major traffic jam. Then the next day, they had to go back and redo the job because the hole came back, causing another mass delay.
More than a month ago, they took down the street light and the wooden pole on the 8700 block of Jackson St. They left this huge light in the middle of the street on the grass, and the pole which they cut down has a piece sticking up — perfect for people to trip over. On Halloween, my neighbor had to put a wooden horse around this pole so the children would not fall over this. Is Mayor Street’s brother in charge of these jobs?
I’m tired of paying over $50 a week in city tax and things are only getting halfway done. Who is pocketing the other half of my money and yours? It seems to me the only thing the city does not do halfway is when they deduct your city tax.
Mike Ansaldo
Holmesburg
The Supreme Court fails
test on teacher strikes
Guest Opinion
By Simon Campbell
The Pennsylvania State Constitution states: "The General Assembly shall provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of the Commonwealth."
I had my strike-affected 9-year-old daughter read these words to legislators at a public hearing this year.
The Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA) labor union also testified at this House Labor Relations committee hearing. They had a corporate attorney answer questions and speak to their belief in a "fundamental right" to strike. My 9-year-old "attorney," by contrast, was not asked any questions. The committee appeared uneasy as they heard the simple words of the Constitution spoken by a child.
I wanted elected officials to explain how allowing a private labor union to shut down a public school district, forcing children out of their classrooms, qualified as a "thorough and efficient system of public education." I wanted to know how teacher strikes served the needs of Pennsylvania’s taxpayers who pay for public education. I was, in effect, asking how teacher strikes could be constitutional?
One has to go back more than three decades to get the answer.
Act 195 of 1970 is responsible for giving school employee labor unions a so-called "right" to strike. Following a teacher strike in the mid-1970s, the Butler Area School District sued the local affiliate of the PSEA, alleging the strike was unconstitutional. Strikes were so prevalent and lengthy at the time, that many children did not receive the required number of days to get a basic education.
The Butler County Court of Common Pleas agreed with the school district, and ruled that the teacher strike provision of Act 195 violated the commonwealth’s Constitution. The union appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, while other labor unions quickly rallied together. Lawyers from the Pennsylvania Federation of Teachers (PFT) and the AFL-CIO filed "amicus curiae" briefs to join forces with the PSEA. There was no attorney to represent parents or their children. In a cruel decision in 1978, the Supreme Court overruled the Butler court.
If such a case were heard before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court today, one might expect parents, students, and taxpayers lining up to provide testimony. One might expect testimony from education experts in the 38 other states that provide children with a strike-free public education. The case would probably last days, if not weeks. Yet in 1978, the Supreme Court heard arguments on Sept. 21 and issued their ruling one day later.
It is with a sense of déjà vu that teacher strikes and the Constitution are once again in the news.
In the last legislative session, a bill that would use compulsory binding arbitration to settle teacher contract disputes was introduced, despite clear constitutional language that only police and firefighter contract disputes may be resolved in this manner. The leading promoter, Sen. Robert Mellow, heard legal testimony that his proposal, SB 910, violated the Constitution; yet he continued to promote binding arbitration to an unsuspecting media and public. Gov. Ed Rendell even stated in writing that he supports Sen. Mellow’s attempt to violate the Constitution.
Perhaps it is the 1978 Butler decision by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that provides inspiration to modern-day, would-be violators, that the simple language in the Constitution is nothing more than meaningless words, to be manipulated by the legislature as it sees fit.
The tragedy is that Pennsylvania remains, to this day, the "teacher-strike capital" of the United States. More than 4.2 million students have been forced out of school since Act 195 was enacted. During the 21-day Pennsbury teacher union strike in Bucks County in 2005, a mother went to a public meeting to plead for the strike to stop, because of the devastating impact it was having on her special-needs son. She was unsuccessful. This mother’s pleas apparently could not compete with the $500,000 the PSEA’s political action committee gave to Gov. Rendell’s 2006 re-election campaign.
Nearly 30 years ago, a Butler County judge understood the simple words of the Constitution, and he stepped in to correct the wrongdoing of the legislature. How sad, that in a subsequent hearing that lasted barely 24 hours, with labor union power brokers packing the courtroom, seven Supreme Court justices instead chose to condemn generations of children, as they literally re-defined the English language. ••
Simon Campbell is president of StopTeacherStrikes (www.stopteacherstrikes.org), a non-profit organization dedicated to ending teacher strikes in Pennsylvania.
Perzel is acting
like a spoiled brat . . .
After reading the rhetoric that state Rep. John Perzel spewed to the press about how the Republicans in Harrisburg are not going to support Gov. Rendell in the coming years, isn’t it just like Perzel to say, "Well, we got our butts kicked in the November election and now we’ll get even."
How stupid and immature for an elected official to act like a spoiled brat. I was under the impression that our representatives, both Democrats and Republicans, are to work in the best interest of the citizens of Pennsylvania. After all the trash talking prior to the election, these officials should get down to the business of governing the state.
I’m fed up with the attitude that prevails in Harrisburg. From illegal pay raises to absenteeism to phantom voters, it’s a disgrace and completely unacceptable. We should expect these officials to do at least a diligent and competent job. Nobody cares whether Democrats or Republicans get credit for the legislation passed.
Mr. Perzel, please just do your best for us and not just to satisfy your Republican brethren. You are not in Harrisburg to get even or get your pound of flesh because of the results of the last election. You and every other representative are there for one reason only: Get the job done and stop crying in your beer.
Jack Miller
Rhawnhurst
. . . The Perzel center
is taking up good space
I find it extremely ironic that the John M. Perzel "community" center hosted a meeting for Green Plan Philadelphia, an organization whose slogan is "Open Space Matters."
Perhaps overlooked by Green Plan Philadelphia was the fact that where Mr. Perzel’s eyesore of an "advertisement center" stands was once home to several outdoor basketball courts that were enjoyed by many from all over Philadelphia for decades.
Guess open space doesn’t matter as much as selling your name through fear to soccer moms who would rather have their little Jimmy playing sports in the sanitized, uncultured, walls of the Perzel center, where it is "safe," than playing outdoors.
Brian Wilson
Mayfair
Morry’s has a
happy customer
With renewed interest in the businesses on Frankford Ave, I’d like to sing the praises of Morry’s Dinettes at 8109 Frankford Ave. It’s certainly not a new store, but after shopping many places, Morry’s is the place that had what I wanted.
Several months after my purchase I had a problem with one of my chairs. Steve knew immediately what the problem was and fixed it for me at no charge, even though I had actually caused the problem. Customer service is alive and well on Frankford Avenue.
Mary Lou Zoltowski
Bustleton
We can move
Nikki’s memorial
I’ve been reading about the residents on State Road complaining about the memorial for Nikki Schwartz. I was Nikki’s soccer coach for three years when she was a pre-teen.
She was one of the most talented, polite and mannerly players I have ever coached. It was a pleasure to have coached a young lady such as Nikki. She was my center forward and took the team to the playoffs each year.
Even though I hadn’t seen or heard from Nikki for quite a few years, the story about the tragedy really upset me. Now her family has to read about people protesting her memorial.
Well, guess what? I live directly across the street from the soccer field where Nikki played soccer with her many friends and spent many hours laughing and having fun.
There is a telephone pole directly in front of my home. I would feel honored if Nikki’s family would move her memorial to this telephone pole. I would be glad to help keep the memorial neat and orderly.
It may even make more sense to have the memorial adjacent to where Nikki had fun and spent time with her friends, as opposed to where the tragedy occurred. I will even help move the memorial. Please let me know.
Gene Cutler
Parkwood
Thanking the angels
who helped our girl
My husband and I would like to say "thank you" to the good people who helped our daughter.
She was struck by a car on Friday, Nov. 17, at the intersection of Frankford and Tyson avenues.
We want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts for being there for her. You were truly her angels. It is nice to know there are still good caring people among us today.
Marie Gearhart
Tacony
Does cheap labor get
an ‘E’ for E. coli?
If, as just reported, Boskovich Farms of Oxnard, Calif., is the source of the suspect scallions in the current E. coli outbreak, and if, as also reported, they were sued in 2003 as being a party to the hepatitis A outbreak at Chi Chi’s restaurants, why are companies/restaurants still doing business with them?
Americans have always taken great pride in our farmers and their products. What has happened in these past few years?
Could it be that the "cheap labor" they employ to pick their crops may be contaminating their produce?
If so, it appears that the time is ripe to forget "cheap labor" and invest in using automated machinery at harvest time. They will be saving money in the long run.
Our country must also stop importing fruits and vegetables from Third World countries where conditions for contamination are prevalent. If we have to give up some of our current favorite foods, so be it.
Seventy-thousand people per year affected/infected with E. coli is too great a price to pay for "cheap" products and labor.
Margaret W. Adelsberger
Willow Grove
Library Friends are
grateful for raffle support
The Friends of the Fox Chase Library recently completed their annual holiday raffle, and it was a great success!
We had many great prizes, including an Apple iPod Nano and an Insignia Portable DVD Player, along with gift cards/gift certificates from a variety of generous neighborhood merchants.
We also wish to thank in particular Best Buy and Circuit City stores and our local Fox Rok for their support.
A special thanks to our volunteer ticket sellers and a very special thanks to the community for supporting this fund-raiser, which will benefit the library!
Friends of Fox Chase Library
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