Neumann-Goretti yearbook receives honor
Saints John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School’s yearbook program has achieved the Jostens National Yearbook Program of Excellence 2024 award at the 1. Bronze Level. The National Yearbook Program of Excellence recognizes engaging yearbooks that reflect a broad representation of the student body while helping students to develop 21st-century skills such as communication, collaboration and information and communication technologies literacy. Seniors Alina Wang, Emelia Valentino, Valentina Polidoro, Ava Kelly and Maria Mouynivongn led the way under the direction of school yearbook adviser Joseph Myers.
Jostens’ National Yearbook Program of Excellence Awards are presented twice a year, in spring and in fall based on the yearbook’s arrival date at the school. The award was presented to Neumann-Goretti’s yearbook program for achieving defined criteria in categories such as creating an inclusive yearbook, generating school engagement and successfully managing the yearbook creation process.
“Jostens is proud to recognize those individuals who have created an exceptional yearbook for their school and community,” said Tammy Whitaker, Jostens VP and COO Yearbook Division. “These schools did an exceptional job on multiple levels, despite the challenges presented by this school year. Yearbooks are a critical part of capturing and telling a school’s story, and Jostens is dedicated to supporting yearbook staff members as they do their important work.”
Love Your Park Week
During Love Your Park Week (May 11-19), more than 100 local volunteer groups will host cleanups throughout the city to prepare Philadelphia’s parks for the busy spring and summer seasons. Members of the public are encouraged to sign up at the park of their choosing. Love Your Park Week will also feature free activities throughout the week focused on enjoying and exploring Philadelphia’s parks, from movie nights to birding tours.
“Love Your Park Week is a wonderful opportunity to connect with neighbors and nature,” said Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Commissioner Susan Slawson. “Philadelphia’s parks give us a place to play, connect, relax and reflect – and they deserve our love in return. I thank all of the Park Friends Groups and volunteers for their dedication and effort caring for our neighborhood parks.”
Volunteer events will focus on planting flowers, tending trees and removing litter as needed. Tools will be provided and park lovers of all ages are welcome. To volunteer at one of the clean-ups, anyone can register and a full list of participating parks can be found at loveyourpark.org.
Local leaders opposing private school vouchers
State Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler and Roni Green attended a news conference at City Hall to voice their support for investing in public education and rejecting vouchers in the 2024 state budget.
Organized labor, education advocates and community organizations were in attendance to support fully funding Pennsylvania’s public schools. The event followed the bipartisan Basic Education Funding Commission’s recommendations to address Pennsylvania’s unconstitutional K-12 school funding system, recommendations that included $300 million for facilities upgrades last year.
Voucher opponents claim they divert tax dollars that could be used to repair school buildings and benefit the elite (more than half the time to families making more than $200,000 a year).
“Every tax dollar given to voucher programs is another tax dollar diverted from our neighborhood public schools,” said Fiedler, who represents parts of South Philly. “At a time when so many of our schools are struggling to stay open due to toxins and overdue repairs, our priority must be fully funding public schools and their buildings. As Democrats, we cannot allow vouchers to have a place in our state budget.”
The event was co-hosted by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, the Philadelphia AFL-CIO, SEIU PA, 32BJ SEIU, the American Federation of Teachers Pennsylvania, UNITE HERE Local 634, POWER Interfaith, Make the Road PA, NAACP Pennsylvania, Philly DSA, the Pennsylvania Working Families Party and the League of Women Voters.
Pennsylvania has some of the oldest schools in the country. The average school building is around 70 years old and was built when lead pipes and asbestos were standard building materials. Discoveries of asbestos and other toxins have led to temporary school closures across the state, including seven Philadelphia schools in 2023. In the same year, 100 schools statewide closed due to excessive heat.
In last year’s budget, the state approved $175 million to help fix school buildings across Pennsylvania, funding facilities repairs for the first time in eight years. In this year’s state budget address, Gov. Josh Shapiro proposed investing $1.1 billion in basic education funding.
“We have a constitutional obligation to make this funding a reality. We cannot go backwards,” said Fiedler.
PAWS fundraiser in support of lifesaving efforts
The Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society announced the return of Philly Loves PAWS, a full-day, citywide fundraiser on May 15, when an array of businesses throughout the city will donate at least 10 percent of their sales to support PAWS’ lifesaving initiatives.
This year, more than 50 retail stores, restaurants, cafes, salons, gyms and other small businesses across the city will participate in the event. In return for their support, participating businesses will receive public relations assistance aimed at maximizing awareness and weekday foot traffic, while collectively contributing to Philadelphia’s journey toward becoming a no-kill city.
Throughout its history, PAWS has provided services for animals in need, including rescue, rehabilitation, foster and adoption placement, affordable veterinary care, pet pantry services and temporary care.
“We are delighted to partner with numerous outstanding local businesses for what is sure to be another successful Philly Loves PAWS Day,” said Melissa Levy, executive director of PAWS. “It is a collaborative effort that not only celebrates Philadelphia’s entrepreneurial spirit but also underscores the importance of community support.
“This event gives us a chance to highlight the remarkable businesses that call our city home, as it nurtures meaningful connections between patrons and the vulnerable pets who depend on us for assistance. Funds raised through Philly Loves PAWS play an instrumental role in advancing our mission to find loving homes for animals in need and enable families to keep their cherished pets. We are privileged to stand alongside our neighbors as we address Philadelphia’s urgent animal welfare needs.”
Since its establishment in 2016, Philly Loves PAWS has generated almost $125,000 in lifesaving funds to support homeless and at-risk animals.
2024 BLOCS Gala
Business Leadership Organized for Catholic Schools, the largest scholarship organization in Pennsylvania for pre-k to 12, will host its 2024 gala, Lighting Up the Future, on May 9 at 6 p.m., at the Crystal Tea Room (100 E. Penn Square). The evening will begin with an invocation by Archbishop Nelson J. Pére
Former St. Joseph’s University men’s basketball coach Phil Martelli will emcee the gala, his involvement emphasizing the importance of teamwork in achieving educational excellence.
Students will showcase talents and share personal stories of how Catholic education has impacted their lives.
“Through our donors, BLOCS is dedicated to raising over $100 million annually in funding because we believe that every child, regardless of financial constraints, deserves a future filled with promise and opportunity,” said Matt McFillin, BLOCS board chairman. “Our gala celebrates Catholic education and continues to light the future for students and families in the Philadelphia region.”
The BLOCS Teacher of the Year will be announced at the gala.
Tickets are available at www.blocs.org/gala
WXPN announces 24-Hour Song Challenge
WXPN is inviting local songwriters to participate in a 24-Hour Song Challenge on June 1 at noon, when it will announce a song prompt to start the challenge. Artists will then have 24 hours to write a brand-new, original song, record a video of their performance, upload it to YouTube, and share it to the WXPN 24-Hour Song Challenge website to be judged by a panel.
The winner will receive $1,000, a one-year WXPN Program Partner Membership ($1,500 value), 10 hours of recording time at Milkboy Studios in Philadelphia and the opportunity to perform their winning song onstage at WXPN’s 2024 XPoNential Music Festival in September. The three runners-up will each receive $500 and a one-year basic-level WXPN membership ($120 value).
Registration is open and songwriters must sign up by May 23 at songchallenge.xpn.org.
“With so many talented, independent songwriters in our broadcast area, we’re looking to find some of the most creative during the song challenge,” said Bruce Warren, WXPN Associate General Manager for Programming. “It’s a unique and exciting opportunity for songwriters of all experience levels to showcase their talent.”
City controller announces audit of special exemption contracts
City Controller Christy Brady announced her office will conduct an audit of special exemption contracts for city departments that gave contracts to vendors without going through the public bidding process and allowed expenditures to carry over beyond the contracted year.
The audit is being conducted after concerns were raised by City Council President Kenyatta Johnson during a recent budget hearing and after the release of a preliminary report by the Inspector General’s Office involving the Office of Homeless Services.
“We are conducting a deeper dive into how the city issues contracts after concerns recently raised by city leaders along with prior audit findings involving procurement practices,” said Brady. “We want to ensure that taxpayer-funded contracts are being awarded properly and fairly. Most importantly, we want to make sure essential services are being delivered to all residents and businesses.”
Certain city departments are exempt from the public bidding process if they need to procure goods or services for immediate needs, as stipulated in the city charter. It includes the Department of Public Health, Department of Human Services, Office of Homeless Services and the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual Disabilities. However, this practice can potentially create issues and concerns, because it circumvents the scrutiny and oversight of the standard RFP process, resulting in unaccounted for expenditures and budget shortfalls.
In addition, it was already discovered that some city departments without the exemption were using these departments to issue contracts and avoid the public bidding process. This practice can create situations where an exempt department has no oversight of the contract or work being performed but assumes the full responsibility of maintaining the contract.
“While the city charter recognizes the exemption for specific departments, it presents the possibility that the city could be paying too much for products and services, directing contracts to specific individuals or organizations that may not be qualified to perform the work, and putting minority businesses at a competitive disadvantage,” said Brady. “Furthermore, it creates an environment absent from accountability and liability.”
The Controller’s Office will review several key areas of contracting, including determining whether departments encumbered amounts substantially lower than the contract amount compared to what was actually spent; performing services that occurred under one contract but paying for them using another contract with the same vendor; exempt departments that have been contracting for similar services with the same vendor in the same period; and reviewing the number of instances that departments without the exemption have been using exempt departments to avoid the city’s contracting process.
The City Controller anticipates the audit work will take several months depending on the volume of records that need to be reviewed and the potential findings.
Prolific Gun Offender Unit created by DA’s office
District Attorney Larry Krasner announced the launch of a new prosecution unit at the District Attorney’s Office that will focus on adults and juveniles who repeatedly and illegally possess firearms in the city.
The DAO’s Prolific Gun Offenders Unit will prosecute the following gun offenses: Felon in Possession of a Firearm; Straw Purchases; Ghost Guns, Juveniles in Possession of Firearms; and individuals who are arrested and charged with the manufacturing and distribution of polymer firearms, also known as “ghost guns.” The DAO’s Prolific Gun Offenders Unit will also utilize criminal intelligence gathering in collaboration with law enforcement and the Gun Violence Task Force to ascertain whether those arrested are actively involved with street groups who commit violence in Philadelphia.
Assistant District Attorneys assigned to the DAO’s Prolific Gun Offenders Unit will also handle bail revocation hearings and will work closely with the DAO’s Charging Unit to appeal low cash bail rulings by Philadelphia Bail Commissioners for those who pose a danger to the community.
“I extend my sincere thanks and gratitude to our partners in Philadelphia City Council for securing the funding to make this new initiative a reality,” Krasner said. “I’m confident that under the leadership of Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Palmer, the Prolific Gun Offender Unit will vigorously and appropriately prosecute and convict the relatively small number of people who pose a significant threat to public safety in our city.”
Waxman wants unit at correctional institution a permanent fixture statewide
State Rep. Ben Waxman is calling for the “Scandinavian Unit” at SCI Chester to be used permanently at correctional institutions across Pennsylvania.
The Scandinavian Unit is modeled after prisons in Scandinavia, where the core values are safety, transparency and innovation, with a focus on normality and reintegration into the community upon release.
“It’s time for a shift in how we handle corrections in PA. The Scandinavian Unit at SCI Chester isn’t just a program, it’s a new horizon in rehabilitation and human rights,” Waxman said. “This model focuses on transformative care, not just incarceration. In the next state budget, I will strongly advocate for us to include funding that would make the Scandinavian Unit a permanent fixture in our state’s corrections system.”
This unit is the result of a multiyear partnership with the Norwegian Correctional Service, the Swedish Prison and Probation Service, and the Danish Prison and Probation Service. In 2019, state Department of Corrections employees traveled to Norway, Sweden and Denmark to see for themselves how Scandinavian countries approach incarceration.
The unit provides a quiet environment where residents live in single-person cells with a shared kitchen surrounded by outdoor green space and plants.
Waxman has written a letter to the Department of Corrections calling for funding that would make this unit a permanent fixture within Pennsylvania’s correctional system.
House GOP addresses illegals
State House Republicans have introduced legislation to combat illegal immigration in Pennsylvania in response to the Biden administration’s continued failure to secure the southern border. The legislation includes bills urging Congress and the federal government to ban flights carrying illegals into the country; requiring local cooperation with ICE when an illegal squatter is identified; and banning sanctuary municipalities. Rep. Martina White has introduced legislation to require $1 million minimum bail for assaulting a law enforcement officer, which was proposed in response to the attack on New York Police Department officers by a gang of illegal immigrants earlier this year.
“My legislation to set a minimum $1 million bail for assaulting a police officer sends a clear message: Pennsylvania stands firmly against violence toward those who protect and serve our communities,” she said. “We are committed to making sure those who would harm our officers, including illegal immigrants, will face serious consequences for their actions.” ••
Entertainment at Parx
Parx Casino is offering the following upcoming entertainment:
May 11: Tracy Morgan
May 17: Femmes of Rock
May 18: Sebastian Bach
May 31: Reik
June 1: Joss Stone
June 14: Almost Queen, a tribute to Queen
June 21: Corinne Bailey Rae
July 13: Clay Walker
Aug. 3: Tyler Henry, The Hollywood Medium
Aug. 10: Dylan Scott
Sept. 7: Australian Pink Floyd
Nov. 21: Aaron Lewis
Nov. 23: Steve Trevino ••
Summer, after-school programs
Applications are open for The College of Physicians of Philadelphia’s George and Judy Wohlreich Junior Fellows Program, a summer and after-school program for high school students interested in healthcare and medicine. The program is open to students who are currently freshmen who will be the first in their family to graduate from college, qualify for free or reduced-price school lunch and have no disciplinary problems on their school record.
Apply at Wohlreich Junior Fellows Program | The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
The year-long STEM Internship Program is aimed at Philadelphia high school students directly affected by violence who want to make a difference in their communities. The students explore the impact violence has on them and their communities, while improving their understanding of science, technology and medicine. There is a four-week summer internship in July and an after-school program once a week throughout the school year. The program is open to current sophomores and juniors (entering 11th or 12th grade in fall 2024) enrolled in a Philadelphia public or charter school.
Apply at STEM Internship | The College of Physicians of Philadelphia
There is no cost to apply or participate in the programs.
Learn more at https://collegeofphysicians.org/programs. ••
Car show and more
American Heritage Credit Union and BIG 98.1 will host the 20th annual car show and member appreciation day on May 18, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at AHCU headquarters at 2060 Red Lion Road. The free event is open to the community. All proceeds from will support the Kids-N-Hope Foundation. There will be craft vendors, food trucks, inflatables, a petting zoo, a clown and best-of-show car trophies.To register your car or car club for the show, visit AHCU.co/CarShow ••
See performance of Anything Goes
The Star Players, of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, will present Cole Porter’s Anything Goes on May 31 and June 1-2 at 7 p.m. at Venice Island Performing Arts Center, at 7 Lock St. in Manayunk. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Group rates are available. Tickets are available on Venmo @TheStarplayers or at the Holmesburg Recreation Center, 4500 Rhawn St. For more information, call director Bill Arthur at 215-685-8714, like the group’s Facebook page, follow the group on Twitter @starplayersPPR or email Starplayers2013@gmail.com. ••
Bus trip to Lancaster County
St. William Travel is planning a trip to Lancaster County on June 20. There will be a Magic & Wonder Theater show, buffet lunch at Shady Maple, round trip by motorcoach, with all taxes and gratuities included. The costs $120. Bus departs from Gloria Dei Estates, 1304 Rhawn St., at 9:15 a.m. and returns 6:15 p.m. Check or money order payable to St. William Travel can be sent c/o 206 Benner St., Philadelphia, PA 19111. Call 215-745-7199. ••
VFW looking for members
Bustleton-Somerton/CTR1 Michael J. Strange VFW Post 6617 meets on the third Wednesday of every month at American Legion Post 810, 9151 Old Newtown Road.
Meetings start at 7:30 p.m.
If you are a military veteran who served in a designated combat zone, you are eligible to join the VFW.
Call Commander Israel Wolmark at 215-725-0630 if you would like to join the post. ••
Trip to Northern Europe
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is presenting a Northern Europe: Iceland, Norway, Netherlands, Belgium and London cruise, July 25 to Aug. 4, aboard the new “Norwegian Prima.”
Rates per person are $6,261 and $6,495, which include roundtrip airfare from Philadelphia.
Deposit of $350 per person double occupancy is required when booking.
Call 215-788-9408. ••
Ukrainian Folk Festival in August
The Ukrainian Folk Festival will take place on Sunday, Aug. 25, from noon to 8 p.m., at the Ukrainian American Sport Center — Tryzub, County Line and Lower State roads, Horsham.
There will be Ukrainian folk art, music, dance, crafts and historical reenactments, a variety of food and refreshments and a vendors grove. Admission is $15, and a portion will be donated to relief of war victims in Ukraine. Kids under 15 will be admitted free. Parking is free. Call 267-664-3857, email info@tryzub.org or visit www.tryzub.org. ••
Support Michael Strange Foundation
The public is invited to attend two events held by the Michael Strange Foundation. On June 15, from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m., at American Legion Post, 9151 Old Newtown Road, there will be a live band, food and music. On June 16, from noon to 4 p.m., at the Parx horse racing track, third floor, Gold Star families will be on hand. Requested donations for each event are $40 per person. U.S. Navy Petty Officer First Class Michael Strange, a Wissinoming native and 2004 North Catholic graduate, died in 2011 of wounds caused when the CH-47 Chinook helicopter he was aboard crashed in Wardak Province, Afghanistan. He was 25. ••
