Vietnam vets to be honored at ceremony
A Vietnam War Commemoration Program will take place on Tuesday, March 29, at 3 p.m. at the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory, 2700 Southampton Road.
Vietnam War veterans or a family representative are invited to be recognized by current U.S. service members and community members.
Retired Army Lt. Gen. Jerry Sinn, a Purple Heart recipient and Vietnam War veteran, will provide a keynote address on his experiences.
Military service veterans who served during the years of the Vietnam War and relatives of fallen veterans can RSVP at 215–737–5700 or vietnamvetsphilly@dla.mil
Attendees are asked to state their name, telephone number, number of expected guests and if they require special assistance.
This event is sponsored by the Association of the U.S. Army and Vietnam War Commemoration partners DLA Troop Support and the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Doors open at 2 p.m.
For information, visit www.vietnamwar50th.com ••
Dagwood’s hosting post-Lent party Monday
Dagwood’s Pub, 4625 Linden Ave. (at Torresdale Avenue), will host its third annual Dyngus Day on Monday, March 28, at 3 p.m.
The Easter Monday event will feature Polish music, beers, dancers and food. Call 215–332–3620. ••
Egg-celent event planned at Bethesda Church
Bethesda Church at 808 Red Lion Road invites the community to join its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, March 26, at 11 a.m. Children should bring their own egg baskets. Call 215–464–3131 for information.
Bethesda will also host an American Red Cross blood drive on Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For an appointment, call Connie at 215–285–2168 or visit www.redcrossblood.org. ••
Shofuso Japanese House and Garden opening
The charming and intimate Shofuso Japanese House and Garden will open for the 2016 season on Easter weekend, March 26, in time for Cherry Blossom season. Shofuso is a traditional-style Japanese house and nationally acclaimed garden in West Fairmount Park, reflecting the Japanese culture in Philadelphia. The season is open through Oct. 31.
Visitors can tour the house and garden, then feed the koi fish under the budding 75-year-old weeping cherry tree. The venue is at Horticultural and Lansdowne drives, with enhanced access from Avenue of the Republic, next to Please Touch Museum in the Centennial District of Fairmount Park.
The venue is open Wednesday through Sunday. Adult admission costs $8 for adults, with discounts for students, seniors, children, members, military and ACCESS card holders. Call 215–878–5097 or visit www.japanesehouse.org for information. ••
Sabatina to hold free forums at KleinLife
State Sen. John Sabatina Jr. (D-5th dist.) will conduct two informational forums for area residents at KleinLife, 10100 Jamison Ave.
The sessions are set for Thursday, April 7, and Tuesday, April 12, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
They are free and open to the public by appointments only.
Information will be available about 2015 property tax and rent rebate, PACE, medical assistance, SNAP, reduced senior registration, handicapped placards, PennDOT issues, birth and death certificates, unclaimed property applications, low-income senior real estate tax freeze, free notary services, assistance with power of attorney and veterans’ services, among others.
To make an appointment, call 215–281–2539. Residents who reserve by April 1 will receive a complimentary lunch at both sessions. ••
Widow to hold healing session
Donna Glatz, widow of slain Lawncrest jeweler William Glatz, will hold Heal Your Heart From Loss at the Free Library of Northampton Township, 25 Upper Holland Road in Richboro, on Wednesday, April 6, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Glatz will share the story of her husband’s murder.
William Glatz was shot to death in 2010 during a robbery attempt inside his jewelry store at 6435 Rising Sun Ave.
Obina Onyiah was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. Kevin Turner, who had escaped from Curran-Fromhold Correctional Facility nine days earlier, died in a shootout with Glatz.
The Glatz family had owned the store for more than 60 years.
Another session will take place on April 20.
For more information, email healyourheart8@gmail.com ••
Einstein has new breast cancer technology
Einstein Medical Center is the first hospital in Philadelphia to offer brand-new technology to help breast surgeons during lumpectomies.
When surgeons perform a lumpectomy for breast cancer, a rim of normal tissue is removed around the tumor called the margin. When margins around the tumor show no cancer, the margins are described as clear or negative. Having a clear margin is an indication that the cancer has been completely removed.
Designed in Israel and known as the MarginProbe System, the new technology is FDA-approved and is being used at Einstein as a pilot program. The device uses electromagnetic waves and includes a console and a probe that examines the surface of the removed breast tissue to help determine if it is free of cancer cells.
ldquo;This technology helps surgeons learn the status of the margins before the lumpectomy is completed. In this way, we can remove tissue in one surgical procedure, hopefully avoiding the need for a second surgery,” said Dr. Lisa Jablon, director of the breast program at Einstein.
It takes just five minutes to use MarginProbe in the operating room on the removed breast tissue while the woman is still under anesthesia. The device uses a sterile, single-use sensor attached to a handheld probe that does not come into contact with the patient, and detects subtle electromagnetic differences between breast cancer cells and normal breast tissue.
Information from the probe is sent to the console for analysis, and using an algorithm, comparisons are made to signals from thousands of other tissue specimens. Based on this information, the surgeon decides if additional tissue needs to be removed to get all the cancer cells and complete the lumpectomy.
The device is used as an adjunct to other standard methods to help ensure that all the cancer cells have been removed, such as visual inspection, imaging and palpation of the tumor (using one’s hands to examine the tissue).
“When it comes to breast cancer,” Dr. Jablon said, “we want to offer our patients as many options as possible to beat the disease, and I’m glad we have MarginProbe in our arsenal.” ••
‘Benefit for Ally’ to be held April 2
The family and friends of second-grader Ally Turner ask for the community’s support of the “Just Fight Benefit for Ally” on Saturday, April 2, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Maggie’s Waterfront Cafe, 9242 N. Delaware Ave.
Last December, the 7-year-old was taking a bath when she almost drowned. Ally was unconscious when her parents discovered her, so they administered CPR and saved her life. Ally was placed in intensive care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and now is undergoing physical, occupational and speech therapy.
Proceeds from the benefit will help her fight. The event will be indoors and outdoors, featuring live music, DJs, food, beverages, gift basket raffles, prizes and commemorative apparel.
Tickets cost $40 each and are available at Maggie’s. Contact justfightally@gmail.com for information and donation arrangements. ••
Help cleanup Pennypack Park
The Friends of Pennypack Park will begin their 2016 park cleanup series on Saturday, March 26, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the area of the ballfield on Holme Avenue behind Nazareth Hospital.
Volunteers are asked to join the effort. They should wear long pants and sleeves, along with comfortable and sturdy footwear. Volunteers under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The FOPP will provide cleanup supplies and refreshments. Community service hours are available.
Additional cleanups will be held on the fourth Saturday of each month through November. The dates include April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, Aug. 27, Sept. 24, Oct. 22 and Nov. 26. Visit www.friendsofpennypackpark.org for information. In case of rain (or worse), call 215–934-PARK for cancellation information. ••
Free networking event announced
Cranaleith Spiritual Center and the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce are hosting a free networking breakfast for local business owners on Tuesday, April 5, from 7 to 9:30 a.m. at Cranaleith, 13475 Proctor Road. The morning will include a mini-workshop on how connecting work and personal values can improve your business. To register, visit www.cranaleith.org or call 215–934–6206. ••
Storytelling at local library
Holmesburg Library, 7810 Frankford Ave. (at Hartel Avenue), will host Story Telling with Mr. Malcolm on Tuesday, April 12, at 10:30 a.m.
Mr. Malcolm will present interactive storytelling and include characters from children’s favorites such as Blue’s Clues, Dora the Explorer and Lyle Crocodile.
The program is sponsored by Friends of Holmesburg Library.
Call 215–685–8756. ••
City Council to host public budget hearings
Philadelphia City Council will conduct its annual public budget hearings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in March, April and May. At these hearings, Council will consider Mayor Jim Kenney’s proposed Fiscal Year 2017 budget. Every city department with an operating budget of more than $5 million will testify on spending and performance.
The School District of Philadelphia will present its 2017 budget request to Council on Tuesday, May 17. The public will be invited to testify about the School District budget on Wednesday, May 18, starting at 10 a.m. The public is further invited to testify about any component of the budget on Tuesday, April 19; Wednesday, May 4; and Wednesday, May 11; all at 5 p.m. The public may also transmit written budget testimony to Council by email to Budget.Hearings@Phila.gov or by calling 215–686–3407.
Key dates in the budget hearings include April 6 for Office of Property Assessment; April 12 for City Planning Commission and Licenses and Inspection; April 13 for the police and fire departments and prisons; May 2 for the water and streets departments, the Free Library and Department of Parks and Recreation; May 10 for SEPTA; and May 11 for the Board of Revision of Taxes. The hearing schedule is subject to change. For a full, updated schedule of budget testimony, visit phlcouncil.org. ••
U.S. Marshals Service issues warning about ‘jury scam’
The U.S. Marshals Service recently issued a public warning about a nationwide telephone “jury duty” scam involving individuals claiming to be U.S. Marshals, court officers or law enforcement officials seeking to collect a fine in lieu of arrest for failing to report for jury duty. The U.S. Marshals Service does not call anyone to arrange payment of fines for failure to appear for jury duty or any other infraction.
In order to appear credible, the scammers may even provide information like badge numbers and the names of actual federal judges, as well as courthouse addresses. Victims have been told they can avoid arrest by paying a fine using a reloadable credit card. The have been urged to call a number and provide their own credit card information to initiate the process.
Members of the public should not divulge personal or financial information to unknown callers, even if they sound legitimate. If you believe you were a victim of the jury duty scam, you are encouraged to report the incident to your local police department, U.S. Marshals office or FBI office. ••
Cancer Treatment Centers get high ranking
Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a national network of five cancer care hospitals, ranked fifth in YouGov BrandIndex’s annual “Brand Buzz” rankings, a measure of positive consumer sentiment toward the brand, among the field of 1,500 brands measured across all categories in the United States.
CTCA is the only health care company to make it onto the list of top 10 brands, a roster led by Amazon, Netflix, YouTube and Google.
“Cancer Treatment Centers of America focuses on a disease that touches nearly every American, either directly or indirectly. The brand consistently delivers on its positioning as a leader in its field, and that is reflected in its ranking on our annual Best Brand list,” said YouGov BrandIndex CEO Ted Marzilli.
The BrandIndex Buzz score is an aggregate measure of positive and negative perceptions customers have about a brand, based on news, advertising and word of mouth. The survey measures consumer sentiment toward brands in 45 categories, with opinions sampled from a national panel of nearly 2 million adults. Participants respond to 16 questions about each of the brands tracked in the survey, including one question specific to public sentiment toward each brand. The most recent rankings were derived from the highest average scores recorded between January and December 2015.
“This prestigious ranking is a reflection of our remarkably talented stakeholders (employees) who work tirelessly every day to deliver our Mother Standard of care that combines advanced clinical treatments with evidence-based integrative therapies to treat the whole person and improve his or her quality of life during and after treatment,” said Steve Mackin, CEO of CTCA. “Third-party recognition in a highly-regarded survey like the YouGov BrandIndex rankings confirms that our message of healing and hope is resonating with people.”
CTCA has a hospital located at 1331 E. Wyoming Ave. ••
