June 5, 2008 Issue                                                     

Local News

Hill businesses not all down on economy
by Kristin Pazulski

Lei Winson, who will close her Iris boutique after four years on the Avenue, said business in Chestnut Hill is down but it’s not the only reason she’s closing. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

Walking into the boutique Iris of Chestnut Hill and passing its numerous “50-75% off closing sale” signs, a customer might suspect that the store is another victim of our struggling economy.

G’town shrine shines again
by Jennifer Katz

More than 10,000 donations have poured in to fund the restoration of the Miraculous Medal Shrine, a structure of Vatican stature on Chelten Avenue in Germantown.

There is an odd fact about the Miraculous Medal Shrine in Germantown. While millions of Philadelphians are unaware of its looming presence at 500 E. Chelten Ave., thousands upon thousands of worshipers visit the shrine each year.

This year the Central Association of the Miraculous Medal, an organization established in 1915 and dedicated to spreading devotion to Mary Immaculate, undertook a renovation project to repaint and restore the entire chapel to its original splendor. For more than five months, workers from the Hooven Company, which specializes in the restoration of churches, replicated the original details and restored several paintings. The chapel remained open so the hundreds of visitors who come on any given Monday to attend novenas would not be turned away.

Local Sports

Mount V-8 takes gold at Scholastic Nationals
by TOM UTESCHER

Left to Right:  Mount St. Joe’s varsity coach Mike McKenna with the varsity eight bow pair, Laura Pospisil (left) and Megan SchluckebierThe three and four-seat pair, Chierika Ukogu (left ) and Katy Gregor; Five and six-seaters Mary Duff (left) and Meg Kehan; Coxswain Devon Stewart (center) gets a ride from the Mount’s stern pair, Mary Maginnis (left) and Mer Weber.

The four seniors in the Mount St. Joseph Academy varsity eight, Meg Kehan (six seat), Megan Schluckebier (bow), Devon Stewart (cox) and Meredith Weber (seven) began their tenure with the Magic as members of the undefeated freshman eight in 2005, but a few weeks ago it didn’t look as if their Mount careers would end in the same kind of storybook fashion.

Chestnut Hill Academy duo bags bronze at crew Nationals
by TOM UTESCHER

It may not have seemed cost-effective for Chestnut Hill Academy to send just two scullers down south to the Scholastic Rowing Association of America National Championships on May 23 and 24, but seniors Sam Franklin and Pete Miller certainly delivered some bang for the Blue Devils’ buck.