November 1, 2007 Issue
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Classified Chestnut Hill Local Don't Miss an Issue, Tell us what you see or Winner of Two |
From our readersInconvenient truth According to a study reported by Steven B. Erisoty (Local, Oct. 25, 2007), 15 percent of the traffic on Norwood Avenue was traveling at speeds over 35 mph. This one long block of Norwood has a 25 mph speed limit at most times, but 15 mph at other times because there are two schools with playgrounds, one at each end of the block. There are children living in Norwood homes with friends across the street. Norwood Avenue is very narrow on some stretches with a steep slope making excess speeds even more dangerous. One long block of Bell’s Mill Road in the neighborhood was changed to one-way which added safety to that road. Hopefully, making Norwood Avenue one-way will do the same for it. Changing Norwood Avenue to one-way would be an inconvenience to some, none more so than those of us who live along Norwood, but if it has the potential of saving one life, I think it will be worth the cost. Larry Morgan
More than one way to re-zone I applaud the Local for publishing an in-depth article on Philadelphia’s need for zoning reform by Mark Ueland last week. We do need zoning reform. However, I take issue with Ueland’s view of how the zoning code should be reformed. He thinks residential land should get a new designation, increasing the size of a lot for a home in certain areas from a quarter acre to a half for single-family detached districts. Sounds like a recipe for sprawl to me. Wise urban land use is to have high-density development with easy access to public transportation. Big lots mean big houses for rich people and more cars on the roads. I say, erase “single detached districts” from any future zoning code. Single-family homes are a bad use of land. They waste space and cost more to heat and cool. It’s time we rid ourselves of our fascination with them. The highest and best use of land is a condominium or apartment tower surrounded by open space or one that preserves open space elsewhere. In fact, the best residential use of Sugarloaf, had it not been purchased by the college, in fact, would have been a narrow tower surrounded by open space rather than half-acre lots. Of course, not everyone wants to live in a condo. Row houses and twins, and even reasonably sized singles on small lots, are a decent compromise. Single-family homes on big lots, however, discourage community, damage the environment, and undermine the availability of affordable housing. Those who press for big lots as a way of saving “open space” strike me not so much as stewards of the environment but as elitists who favor a handful of wealthy neighbors over the middle class. Rob Formica
All the news that will fit A four-pronged attack on the Local, orchestrated by CHCA Vice President Dina Hitchcock, assisted by CHCA President Tolis Vardakis, was begun at the Board meeting last Thursday. It included newly discovered deficits, lawsuit fear and a “personnel” committee that will have the usual suspects, the amateurs of the board, evaluate the performance of experienced paid professionals at the newspaper. Dina would not give details of the committee’s authority. That the only financial problems discussed at a three -hour meeting, by an organization that has been unable to locate the relative location of its ledger to its elbow up to now (shout out to Ned and Moss!), were related to the Local is indicative of the hit to come. While the white-collar assault will come from the board, the Hills’ business underworld, seldom seen at these meetings, marshals its dark forces. More on this as I investigate. The Mommy Bar™ variance came up as well. When I asked about its liquor license and hours, I was shouted down by a loud “point of order” from Carol Cope and was denied said information. In a seven-page presentation (www.treehouseplaycafe.com) there is no reference to alcohol anywhere. The word “beverage” is used three times. Food choices are listed in detail, but no inkling of its main revenue stream. Read the “Mission” on page three, then apply the overlay of alcohol consumption and either laugh or gasp. Or both. “In a busy and fragmented world…” a little more fragmented after a few, mom. Sanjiv, I know you’ll do anything for that liquor license you were denied last time (to start at six a.m.), but to use children, my goodness. Come to the LUPZ showdown, Thursday at the Baptist Church at 8 p.m. to have some fun. In a humorous postscript, both Dina and Carol used the “dirtiest of all words” (in the command form) to me after the meeting, Dina with hand gesture, Carol in bone-rattling volume. Is this allowed? I had used no profanity. I have been threatened with removal for such language. I guess after the meeting it’s ok. Still, I will be sending a full report to the Smith College alumnae association and to Pit-bull Rescue, if they are indeed, different organizations. Ed Feldman
Tête-a-tête The following letter apparently appeared on a blog (panzramic.com) and was spotted by Andrew Sharp (using a Google search), making the rare same-week response below possible. In a prolix response published in last week’s Local to a letter that I wrote that was critical of the toweringly incompetent and continuingly dangerous Jimmy Clark, Andrew Sharp likens me to political satirist and faux conservative pundit Stephen Colbert, a comparison that will likely swell the insufferable comedian’s already massive ego. The ironically named Hill resident apparently does not realize that Colbert is sending up conservatives, not endorsing them. Here’s a clue: The Colbert Report airs on the Comedy Channel. The benighted Mr. Sharp, whose letter was a veritable omnium gatherum of Daily Kos musings, also misread my critique of Carter as a defense of “the indefensible [Mr.] Cheney” to whom he ascribes a “legacy of secrecy, incompetence and torture.” The Vice President hardly needs me to defend him as he routinely runs circles around the hare-brained liberal reporters who cover him. But in a day and age where our enemies can get their daily intelligence briefings from the pages of the New York Times, owing wholly to security leaks by treasonous scoundrels who share Mr. Sharp’s dangerous ideology, I find it curious, disturbing, in fact, that any American would be questioning the need for secrecy. My indictment of Jimmy Carter also drew a response from a reader who offered what amounted to character testimony in the form of the citation that accompanied Mr. Carter’s Nobel Peace Prize. Regrettably, the Nobel Peace Prize, whose recipients include sociopaths, such as Yasser Arafat and Le Duc Tho and shills like Al Gore, whose crockumentary, An Inconvenient Truth, has been thoroughly discredited by a legion of climatological and meteorological luminaries as arrant nonsense, and whose peace credentials are rather attenuated, no longer carries the prestige that it once did. Nowadays, it mainly functions as a continuing cautionary reminder to wealthy individuals to spend their fortunes during their lifetimes. Joseph Ferry
Mr. Ferry’s laughable desperation continues. His latest communiqué bizarrely accuses me of not knowing that The Colbert Report is intended to mock conservatives. Unless you have lived under a rock for the past two years, you know that Mr. Colbert’s fictional character is an amusingly shrill right-wing windbag — the same traits that unfortunately afflict Mr. Ferry. I guess he missed the phrases “TV persona” and “comedy writer” in my previous dispatch. Apparently, Mr. Ferry did not appreciate or comprehend my vocational guidance — that he’d be “better suited as a comedy writer for The Colbert Report instead of his current status as that of an irrelevant neighborhood wannabe-pundit.” Mr. Ferry erroneously bloviates in his latest letter: “Here’s a news flash, Mr. Sharp: The Colbert Report airs on the Comedy Channel. Capisce?” Well, no, not quite, Joe. Already getting our career in fiction off to a fast start, are we? The Colbert Report does not air on “the Comedy Channel” as you so self-righteously insist. It airs on Comedy Central. Capisce? Andrew Sharp
Visions a success On Wednesday evening last, the second “Visions for Chestnut Hill’s Main Streets” program, presented by the Chestnut Hill District and the Historical Society, was held at the library. The panel was particularly informative and I would like to again thank panel members Charles Denny, from the Philadelphia Streets Department, John Haak, of the Philadelphia Planning Commission, and Bob Previdi, of the Chestnut Hill District for their expert and enthusiastic participation. Last week’s program showed that there is a lot of concern with traffic in Chestnut Hill. The topic most often broached was speeding, especially on the side streets, and it was great to have Charles Denny there to explain how the Streets Department is working to ameliorate this situation. Look for the new signs. It was also noted that part of the solution to the speeding problem was education of the drivers in our community, so everyone should help spread the word to slow down. A related topic of concern was pedestrian safety, something that the CH District has been working on, including the introduction of the pedestrian crossing signs. Here, too, it is also a matter of education of local drivers — everyone reading this should stop for pedestrians and not run the red lights and should demand this of all drivers in Chestnut Hill. Another topic brought out was that the parking situation in Chestnut Hill is actually quite good, but could be greatly improved if more people coming into town were aware of our free parking lots. The CH District is addressing this concern as well, with a planned program of new signage. Look for these too! Thanks again for all who helped with this program, including the great staff at the library, and for those who attended. I hope to see you again at our next Visions program in the New Year. Chris Lane
Positive, positive… and positive There was a sentence in the Oct. 25 Local that brought me to attention. It said, “With all the articles about the backbiting and name calling within the Chestnut Hill Community Association which most of us are not the least bit interested in, it is a pleasure to read about the inspirational, talented and caring people…” That is a startling sentence if you sat, as I did, last Thursday at the board meeting of the CHCA. Talk about “inspirational, talented and caring people!” There were 37 of them around the table. If you listened to the reports on every aspect of the community that needs attention; if you heard the earnestness of each person; no one would ever speak of the CHCA that way. And these are just a few of the people who work long hours and give their talents to this community Yes, there are conflicts, there are tensions and, yes, some people make it clear that they are angry, but decisions are still reached through careful parliamentary procedures, and items are discussed with civility. The pubic is welcome to attend and are recognized and may speak. I should say all orderly people are welcome. I have felt for some time that the positive things that are going on in the CHCA are not as fully or prominently discussed in the Local as I would like. If I am right that could be the reason that the writer of the letter got the impression that she did. Any who read this, please join us and find out what is really happening in the Chestnut Hill Community Association. Mary Anna Ross Cowper
Mt. Airy movie theater We read with delight Joel Hoffman’s extensive article on our new venture — The Little Theater at Mt. Airy’s Video Library. Joel very sensitively described our project and our goal — to add to the cultural and commercial life of Mt. Airy and the entire community of Philadelphia’s Historic Northwest. And he didn’t shy away from reporting how hard it is to let people know that we screen recent movies every weekend. We’re even glad he acknowledged our old-fogy ignorance about MySpace and our wish to find a young partner to share our goals and take over! We are always grateful to Len Lear and the rest of the staff for the wide coverage Mt. Airy enjoys in the Local. Committed as we all are to the shops, restaurants and cultural institutions of the entire neighborhood, we invite everyone to stop by on Mt. Airy’s First Friday or any other time to enjoy a light meal or linger over a fine dinner and take in — or take out — a movie, classic or recent. Just remember to save dessert for SCOOP!, Video Library’s year-round sweet shop featuring Philadelphia’s Bassett’s ice cream! Many thanks. David and Betty Ann Fellner
Looking for heroes, children? Well … Listen up real close young ones … and I will tell you where. Forget the sports page … the magazines … turn off the radio … turn off the television … you surely will not find them there. Go to the pages of our nation’s history and look under the heading “Ordinary Americans who answered their country’s call.” They were of all colors, creeds, religions, the rich, the poor, the short, the tall. For they are the real heroes. They served to preserve our freedom, our liberty, for all our people. Young ones like you and old folks like me! November 11 is their day of remembrance. Let us never forget and always honor our veterans! If you know a veteran, just walk up to him or her and say, “Thank you for your service.” Those five words will mean as much as any medal he or she may have ever received. Tom Woodruff
Trees are not bulletin boards May I suggest to people hanging flyers around Chestnut Hill promoting upcoming events that they do not staple them to the street trees on Germantown Avenue? It cannot be good for the trees and I remember that Koey Rivinus, the late chairman of the Chestnut Hill anti-graffiti task force, spent years removing signs that were hung on trees and then coming into the Chestnut Hill Local office to tell us. I realize that it is difficult to find a permissible place to hang flyers in Chestnut Hill. In Koey’s memory, I hung a flyer for the October 27 ghost walk on the bulletin board inside the Chestnut Hill Community Center and a laminated poster for the October 20-21 St. Vincent DePaul clothing drive on a bulletin board outside Chestnut Hill West station.
Katie Worrall
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