Archive: April, 2012

Philly's drug problem is ready for its close-up

POSTED: Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 4:21 PM

Philly has a tradition of found-object photo blogs — the Better Off Soaked compendium of broken umbrella photos, for example, or the disgustingly appealing Philly Tumbleweaves — and now there's a newer, sadder one to add to the mix. Crack Bags of Philly. It's photos. Of crack bags. Found in Philly.

The creator of this Tumblr page didn't respond to a query so we have no idea who he/she/they are or what inspired them, but we can certainly respect the artistic attention they've paid to what is an unfortunately pretty common sight in many neighborhoods.

Next up, Artic Splash Cartons of Fishtown? Discarded Wing Bones of the Broad Street Line? We can't wait.

Posted by Samantha Melamed @ 4:21 PM Permalink | Post a comment

PHILAPHILIA: Empty lot of the week — 15th Street Desert

POSTED: Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 11:19 AM

A weekly series of foul-mouthed investigations into empty lots, dead-ass proposals and other design phenomena in Philadelphia. Find more stories like this at Philaphilia.blogspot.com.

Awful.

Northeast corner of 15th and South Streets — This lot has no damn excuse to exist. The other horrible empty lots near it are result of a shitty situation, but this asphalt asshole just a development desert. Its the worst kind — a combination of adjacent empty lots that come together to be one humongous sea of horseshit. Though once a lively and populated area, it hasn't seen construction in a loooong time.

In previous ramblings, I've brought up empty lots that replaced networks of interstitial streets. This lot is one of those, but they didn't even bother to pave over it all the way. The Belgian-blocked alley that was once the 1400 block of Doyle Street is still uncovered and you can also find little pieces of the 1400 block of Gulielma Street. Its like the lot is trying to throw its history in our faces. Gulielma Street (great name) was a row of trinity style rowhouses. In 1899, W.E.B. Du Bois mentioned it in his famous book, "The Philadelphia Negro: A Social Study."

"Gulielma street, for instance, is a notorious nest for bad characters, with only one or two respectable families."

Posted by GroJLart @ 11:19 AM Permalink | Post a comment

Minority union workers: Temple is "claiming we don't exist"

POSTED: Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 12:20 AM

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Temple University told minority union workers their goal is 35 percent minority hiring, based on a lack of qualified minority workers. Local minority union members who have been denied work for months say they're being purposely excluded.

At 11 a.m. sharp yesterday, a handful of warmly dressed men and women armed with orange and blue hand painted signs are setting up for another afternoon of demonstration. They are the Fair Hiring Coalition, and they have been have been trekking out to the intersection of Broad Street and Cecil B Moore Avenue for the last two months. According to the Economic Opportunity Plan signed by Temple, Temple University construction must employ a certain number of female and minority union employees. They are also required to hire from within the neighborhood they’re building in. Fair Hiring Coalition feels they have only seen Temple University pay lip service to their promises.

On Friday, FHC met with Temple Vice President of Construction James P. Creedon to voice their grievances. On Monday morning, the group appears re-energized, but cautious.

Warren Davis, an FHC volunteer and retired union member spoke at the meeting on Friday.

Posted by Beth Boyle @ 12:20 AM Permalink | Post a comment

Trayvon Martin killing spurs proposed change in Pa. "stand your ground" law

POSTED: Monday, April 2, 2012, 3:40 PM

Rep. Babette Josephs, the long-serving gayborhood Democrat, has already been getting heat from the right for calling female GOP pols who support the pre-abortion ultrasound bill "men with breasts." Well, they're not going to like this any better. Following the killing of Florida teen Trayvon Martin by a man who claims self defense but reportedly chased Martin down the street, Josephs wants to change Pennsylvania's own version of the "castle doctrine," which was expanded just last year with NRA support. The law allows the use of lethal force in self-defense, without the requirement of attempting to retreat, not just in an individual's home but in other spaces as well. Josephs worries it could lead to more cases like Martin's.

In a statement she said: "Stand your ground laws — laws that permit one to use deadly force if feeling threatened without having to retreat first — are hazardous to everyone's health. Justifiable homicides have increased threefold since Florida's law went into effect in 2005. As in Trayvon's case, one innocent life snuffed out accidentally is one too many."

Not everyone sees the castle doctrine as a concern in Pennsylvania. Josephs wants to require individuals to attempt to retreat before using deadly force. She says, "The protections in Florida's law have seemed to stymie the fact-finding process for its law enforcement. In the last seven years, the law has been invoked 130 times. As a legislative body, we should move proactively and learn from Florida's egregious mistake."

Posted by Samantha Melamed @ 3:40 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Occupy Philly plans a spring "reoccupation"

POSTED: Monday, April 2, 2012, 2:16 PM

Occupy Philadelphia never went away after being evicted from Dilworth Plaza last fall, but the scattered activities, protests and acts of civil disobedience that continued through winter haven't been nearly as successful at drawing attention as the big City Hall encampment was. Now, they're looking to put the "Occupy" back in Occupy Philly with a short-term encampment at Independence Mall beginning April 6, and — several participants said — potentially a long-term occupation at the future home of the Philadelphia Police headquarters in West Philadelphia starting May 1.

About 100 people have signed on for the Independence Mall encampment on Occupy Philly's six-month anniversary. Julia Alford-Fowler, an Occupy participant, says she's optimistic that the group will be able to hold the site for the weekend. "We have come to develop a decent relationship with the [National] Park Service, probably a better one than we have with the city at the moment," she says. "They will let us put up tents as a symbolic gesture, as an expression of free speech, and that's something the city has not been so generous about."

The event starts in Rittenhouse Square Friday and moves to Independence Mall for the weekend. It's meant, says Alford-Fowler, to raise awareness, to have fun and maybe to attract new participants. Oh, and they'll be serving food — to the homeless and anyone else who's on site.

Posted by Samantha Melamed @ 2:16 PM Permalink | Post a comment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

Massive student walkout shuts down North Broad Street
Preschool wants to ban 'super hero play'
Hey, there's an election tomorrow!
Second-class citizens to second-class shooting victims.
PHILAPHILIA Dead-Ass Proposal of the Week: Tun Tavern Reconstruction
Media leaves Philly after Gosnell sentence. Poverty remains.
So about that alleged Butkovitz ethics probe ...
Philly Mag cover: Whites should criticize blacks
Some committee people support Mandel. Bobby Henon says maybe there's a 'brown bag' of cash in it for them
Gov. Corbett finishes rough week with soft landing at Philly.com

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Here at The Naked City, you'll find breaking news, analysis, gossip and surprises about everything from crime and politics to the beating pulse of city life itself. We're good listeners, too:

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Ryan Briggs: ryan.briggs@citypaper.net

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