Philadelphia Tribune - Index

Philadelphia Tribune - Friday, September 18, 2009 - Index

Page 4-B Friday, September 18, 2009
Men United/Nix block
party set for Sept. 19
The Men United for a Better
Philadelphia and the Nix and Nix Funeral
Homes Inc. will be sponsoring the first
annual block party on Sept. 19. There
will be activities for the children and
informational vendors for the adults.
Radio icon, D.C. Todd will also make an
appearance.
Free Library offers
reading of banned books
The Free Library of Philadelphia and
the ACLU will be having the reading of
banned books by Philadelphia’s finest
artist and personalities on Sept. 30 at
7:30 p.m. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s
John Timpane will be the host and various
guests will be reading from the
books. For more information call (215)
686-5414.
Mac users set
meeting for Oct. 1
The Philadelphia Mac Users will be having
a meeting on Oct. 1 at 7 p.m.
Admission is free for members and $3 for
everyone else who attends. The topic to
be discussed is Apple Communications in
a Modern World. For more information
visit Lee@CCPMUG.org.
First annual financial
fitness day set for Oct. 3
The Financial Planning Association will
be having its first annual financial fitness
ay on Oct. 3. Guest speakers include
Corruption and
legalized bribery?
Some years ago I concluded
that “there is nothing in
America that you cannot do
legally.” Today as I view the
games being played by some of
our legislators in Washington,
D.C., the validity of my observations
apparently are withstanding
the test of time. Sen.
Max Baucus of Montana has
taken the lead on health-reform
legislation in the U.S. Senate
and he also has become a
leader in receiving campaign
money from health and industry
interests.
It is interesting to note that
these donations total about
$3.4 million, or $1,500 a day,
every day, from January 2003
through 2008.
Baucus, who chairs the
Senate Finance Committee that
is drafting a major health-care
reform bill is insisting that this
flow of money is not unduly
influencing his work. Do you
believe that this kind of money
has no serious impact upon the
actions of those who accept it?
Last week House Speaker
Nancy Pelosi for the first time
hinted that she may be retreating
from her support of the
public option. Her statement
came just hours before Steve
Elmendorf, a registered United
Health lobbyist, invited guests
News Anchor of NBC10 Tracy Davidson
and former Philadelphia Eagle Vince
Papale. Series of educational workshops
will be held and individual one-on-one
counseling sessions will be available. For
more information call (215) 968-4593.
Evelyn Graves hosting
dinner theater on Oct. 3
The Evelyn Graves Drama Productions
will be having a dinner theater series for
children and adults. On Oct. 3 the
Rapture play will be performed. The play
is an explosive, powerful, and thrilling
story concerning the Jackson Family
blended with artistic excellence, music,
drama, and dance. For more information
call (215) 727-7796.
Volunteers needed for
George Washington exhibit
Volunteers are needed to serve as informal
guides for the George Washington
exhibit that will open on Nov.1 at the
Academy of Natural Sciences museum.
Volunteers will greet visitors, serve as
informal guides and educators, and work
will school groups and families. For more
information call (215) 299-1029.
PSC hosting benefit
night on Oct. 14
PSC will be having a special benefit
night at the “Wachovia for Disney on Ice:
100 Years of Magic” on Oct. 14. This
show will bring together seniors and their
families for an intergenerational event. On
Oct.16 at 5:30 p.m., PSC will be having
its 60th anniversary gala and dance at
the Penn’s Landing Caterers/Sheet Metal
to attend a reception at his
home for the distinguished
Speaker of the House Nancy
Pelosi on Thursday, Sept. 24,
6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.; donations:
$5,000 PAC and $2,400 an
individual.
Pelosi makes her announcement
and then comes the
fundraising invitation.
Coincidental? What do you
think? Some veteran political
observers have concluded that
corruption and legalized
bribery has become so widespread
that nobody in
Washington even bothers to
hide it.
The health care lobby gave
nearly $170 million to federal
lawmakers in 2007 and 2008
with 54 percent going to
Democrats. It is important that
all citizens stay alert and participate
in the process of government
at all levels.
Tidbits
Indeed some segments of our
society have descended to an alltime
low as “conservative” religious
pastors and citizens across
the nation are praying that the
president “dies and goes to hell.”
The Rev. Wiley Drake of the
First Southern Baptist Church
in Buena Park, Calif., stated he
was praying for the president’s
death.
The Rev. Steven L. Anderson
of Faithful Word Baptist Church
in Temple, Ariz., in a sermon
titled, “Why I Hate Barack
Obama” thundered “I would like
to see him die like Ted Kennedy,
of brain cancer.” Here in
Pennsylvania, Richard
Poplawski of Pittsburgh, consumed
with racial hatred, shot
and killed three police officers
and wounded a fourth. He feared
that Obama was planning to
take away his guns and that he
received good press because he
was Black.
Let’s not overlook George
Sodini of the Bridgeville, Pa.,
area who went to a health club
and shot and killed three
women and wounded nine others.
He would have shot them
sooner, but waited to see the
presidential election outcome.
The right-wing bigots are free
to exercise their right to “freedom
of speech.” Far too many of
the extremists regard Barack
Obama as the enemy and one
who is dangerous and harmful
to the nation.
Unfortunately the silence of
African-American conservatives
has been most interesting but
expected. They are few in number
and some are truly sincere
in their convictions while others
in three-piece suits profit from
the peanuts garnered as cable
TV hucksters. Hate is dangerous!
Workers Local Union building. For more
information call (215) 546-5879.
Kensington Class
of June 1954 reunion set
Kensington High School are looking for
the women of the Class of June 1954.
The school wants to invite the class to the
reunion luncheon on Oct. 24. Please
RSVP by Oct. 10. For more information
call (609) 654-6120.
Lung cancer 5K
walk/run set for Nov. 1
The organization Free to Breathe will be
having its Lung Cancer 5k walk/run
event on Nov. 1. The event will start at
6:30 a.m. The race course will pass the
new Please Touch Museum, Fairmont’s
Horticultural Center and then past
Japanese Teahouse. Awards will be given
for top male and female 5k finishers overall
as well as the top three male and
female in a certain age group. For more
information visit participate.freetobreathe.org.
Camden High classes of
1919-2009 hosting reunion
The Camden High School Alumni
Association is sponsoring a mega reunion
weekend for all students who have graduated
from 1919-2009. The reunion will be
from Nov. 26-28. The weekend will
include a football game, gospel concert, a
passing the torch ceremony, and the
finally will be the reunion gala. The gala
tickets deadline is Oct. 15. For more
information call (856) 966-5100.
— Compiled by Chanel Hill
Whispers
Did the Eagles outsmart
themselves by not holding
onto back-up quarter back
A.J. Feeley? AJ knows the
system and is far more capable
presently than the others
waiting in the wings.
State Rep. Vanessa Lowery
Brown of the 190th Legislative
District has done an excellent
job in attending to the needs
of her constituents. She is
extremely hard working and
has gained the respect of her
fellow legislators. Shariff
Street and Tommy Blackwell
have indicated that they will
attempt to unseat her in the
next election.
Friends of a well-known TV
personality are expressing
privately serious concerns
over his possible health
issues. During recent months,
he has added an enormous
amount of weight and made
several tailors very happy.
The Democrats, according
to attendees at some of the
Labor Day festivities, have
some serious work to do in
order to restore their tarnished
image as a result of
the budget circus in
Harrisburg and Philadelphia.
Local Dems may not feel the
wrath of the party faithful but
the party will pay the price
statewide.
Report finds ineffective performance
within the Phila. Parking Authority
Tribune News Report
City Controller Alan Butkovitz released
the Report on Operational Effectiveness
of the Philadelphia Parking Authority
that found ineffective performance measures
and limited documentation for vendor
contracts and airport parking
badges.
Ineffective performance measures to
monitor operations allowed administrative
costs to increase faster than revenue
and potential profit.
From 2006 to 2008, administrative
costs exceeded the PPA’s budget by an
average of 13.8 percent a year.
“Without controlling the balance
between costs and profits, the parking
authority has failed to generate excess
revenue for the city,” Butkovitz said. “The
PPA could have been more profitable if
costs were controlled appropriately.”
The report indicated that the PPA’s
heavy reliance on revenue bonds significantly
diminished its profitability.
Interest on debt was 43.4 percent of total
expenses, on average, for FY 2006-08.
The industry average is 28.2 percent.
“The PPA needs to meet goals relative
to the industry’s standards if it wants to
reduce its payments for interest on
debt,” Butkovitz said.
PPA management could not provide a
comprehensive list of contracts. In one
instance, a $795,000 contract for engineering,
design and construction management
was not put out for competitive
bid, as required by state law.
“This law is to ensure that the parking
authority is getting its best price from
qualified vendors,” Butkovitz said. “In
addition, we recommend that the parking
authority adopt a policy, similar to
the city, that all professional service contracts
over $30,000 be competitively
bid.”
Along with inadequate administrative
procedures, it was found that the PPA
did not utilize performance measures to
properly monitor airport parking operations.
Red badges, which allow for free parking
at the airport, were issued to PPA
personnel without proper protocol.
“An incomplete listing of those who
received red badges completely disregards
government transparency,”
Butkovitz said. “Providing free parking
for certain PPA employees or board members
creates a potential loss of revenue
from payments not being made to the
airport parking garages.”
To review this audit as well as other
reports and reviews issued by the
Controller’s Office, please visit
www.philadelphiacontroller.org.
Department of
Defense conducting
military operations
in Philly
As a result of a request by U.S.
Rep. Robert Brady, the
Department of Defense will conduct
a major military operation
through the Port of Philadelphia
this fall.
Brady said he has consistently
encouraged DOD officials to
increase utilization of the Port of
Philadelphia, which was designated
a Strategic Military Port in
2002.
It is one of only a few U.S.
ports selected to handle the
nation’s military cargoes destined
for the world’s hotspots.
According to a 2005 study
funded by the Commonwealth
through the Department of
Community and Economic
Development,
Office of
PennPORTS,
the port has
handled more
than 25 military
ship operations
since its
Strategic Port
designation and
Bob
Brady
every ship
embarking or
departing from
the Port represents
an economic impact of
$1.4 million.
In letters to top DOD officials
in July, Brady explained, “The
Port of Philadelphia has accommodated
helicopter moves, supplied
support for transportation
teams, provided additional ITV
visibility of cargo movements and
facilitated additional security
during operations.”
Additionally Brady said the
Philadelphia Port workforce has
been trained and is experienced
in handling and operating military
equipment in addition to
increasing the number of staging
facilities to aid helicopter flyaway
and quick intermodal transfer to
rail and highway transportation.
Brady has worked with area
elected officials to ensure that
the Philadelphia Port’s workforce,
facilities and technological capabilities
were the best prepared to
support the nation’s security distribution
challenges.
He said he was grateful that
there was a speedy response
from the DOD and the Port of
Philadelphia is ready for the mission.
“No other seaport in the
nation is better prepared than we
are in Philadelphia.”
The congressman also said
that DOD is in the process of
bringing home the largest quantity
of military equipment from a
war theater since World War II.
DOD has named this effort —
Operation RESET.
In FY 2007, Congress allocated
$17.1 billion for Operation
RESET. The funding will provide
for the transfer of 117,000 major
items — 557 aircraft, 12,815
track and wheeled vehicles,
39,000 small arms, 7,400 generators
and many smaller items.
The Army estimated that from
FY 2008 and beyond Operation
RESET will cost a minimum of
$13.5 billion annually.
Even with an eventual
decrease in troop levels, the
same level of funding will be
needed for at least three years
following the end of operations in
Southwest Asia. The U.S. Army
recently testified before the
House Armed Services
Committee that from the beginning
of combat until the end of
2006 there were more than
200,000 pieces of equipment
returned to the U.S. for repair.
Brady stressed that
Pennsylvania industries involved
in manufacturing, technology,
electronics, defense, transportation
and other sectors stand to
benefit from Operation RESET.
It is a major economic opportunity
for the Commonwealth.
Repair work for tracked vehicles,
as well as communications and
electronic equipment, is already
assigned to Pennsylvania’s
Letterkenny and Tobyhanna
Army Depots and a variety of
state-wide commercial facilities,
including operations in Fayette.
To date, BAE Land Systems
and General Dynamics Land
Systems have already been
awarded contracts to repair
M1A1 Abrams Battle Tanks.
Furthermore, hundreds of smaller
Pennsylvania companies provide
parts and services to support
the repair efforts of the
Army depots and large
Pennsylvania DOD contractors.
Brady said he has continued
to urge the DOD to rethink its
decision to shift much of its
transportation business to seaports
and repair facilities in the
South Atlantic and Gulf Coast
regions.
“For me it was a no brainer,”
he said. “By using the
Philadelphia Port the time and
cost to get damaged equipment
back to military units and repair
facilities located throughout
Pennsylvania and the entire U.S.
Northeast and Midwest would be
greatly reduced. At a time when
we must be ever ready to protect
and defend our nation this is
unacceptable. War torn equipment
must be repaired and
returned to use faster than ever
before to meet our national military
readiness requirements.”
In closing, Brady said he is
encouraged that the preparation
and upgrading of the
Philadelphia Port is being recognized
and valued by DOD.
“I will continue to promote the
utilization of the unique capabilities
available here in Philadelphia
to support our war fighters by
ensuring that the equipment
they depend on is transported
and distributed in the most timely
and efficient way,” he said.
Sen. Kitchen
committee
hosts fundraiser
set for Oct. 30
Shirley
Kitchen
at 5:30 p.m.
The
“Committee
to Re-Elect
Sen. Shirley M.
Kitchen” is
scheduled to
hold a
fundraiser on
Friday, Oct. 30,
at the New
Barbers Hall,
1402 West
Oxford streets,
‘Citizens
for Specter’
holding fundraiser
set for Oct. 23
Arlen
Specter
“Citizens for
Specter” will
hold a
fundraiser for
U.S. Sen. Arlen
Specter at 5:30
p.m., on Friday,
Oct. 23, at the
Union League
of Philadelphia,
140 S. Broad
St.
Rep. Fattah
announces $400K
grant to Project
H.O.M.E.
U.S. Rep. Chaka Fattah this
week announced a grant of
$400,000 has been awarded to
Project H.O.M.E. in
Philadelphia for expanding
services to the homeless indigent
with mental illness.
“Sister Mary Scullion is a
Philadelphia
civic treasure,
and I am
pleased to support
and advocate
for her
work at Project
H.O.M.E. in
North
Chaka
Fattah
Philadelphia
and throughout
the city,” Fattah
said. “Today
we’re announcing the good
news that another of her initiatives
— to expand recovery
and employment opportunities
for the homeless mentally ill
through Project H.O.M.E. —
will be receiving needed
resources from the federal government.”
The new competitive award
was made by the Center for
Mental Health Services of the
U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services for the year
from Sept. 30 to Sept. 29,
2010. The program is expected
to continue until 2014 with
annual renewals of the grant.
— Compiled by Tribune Staff