1,291 Killed On Pa. Highways In ’11

PennDOT reported the number of individuals killed in crashes on the state’s highways in 2011 was 1,291, which is the second-lowest number on record, according to State Rep. Jim Cox (R-129).

The number of fatalities involving drunk drivers also dropped to the lowest level in 10 years in addition to motorcycle and bicycle-related deaths.

Tuskegee Airmen Among Honorees At Freedom Fund Lunch

The Philadelphia Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen was among the honorees at the Media Area NAACP’s  2012 Freedom Fund Luncheon held today, March 24, at The Oaks Ballroom in Glenolden, Pa.

Bestowed on them was the Foot Soldier For Justice Award.
Others receiving the award were Ralph H. Brown, Jr. who sits or chairs numerous boards in Delaware County and is  the regional external manager for PECO serving Delaware County and Lower Merion Township; Haverford School Director Lawrence A. Feinberg; State Rep. Ronald G. Waters (D-191); State Rep. James R. Roebuck Jr. (D-188); and The Media-Providence Friends School which was accepted by Head of School William Earl Sissell III.
John H. Stokes received the Lifetime Service Award, as did Marjorie Anne Moat and Ann Geers.
Master of ceremony was CBS 3 reporter Dray Clark, who is a Chester resident, and he did an excellent job of keeping things interesting.
The upside of the afternoon was the mind-boggling beautiful singing of Viola Benson. The only thing more mind-boggling is how her voice is such a secret.
The downside of the afternoon was luncheon fund speaker Rev. Vincent G. Gallagher, Esq., who is a lawyer, pastor and psychotherapist.
Rev. Gallagher said that he is not afraid to give offense. He then told a crowd that was almost entirely Democrat that “Republicans were worse than racists”.
I don’t think that was what George Fox meant by speaking truth to power, Rev.
Also receiving honors were Patricia Coiner for her work with the Black History Month Poster Contest; Ernest Derrickson Jr. for his work with the Media Area Unit Health Fair; Anna Fisher and Erthalene Jackson.
Media Mayor Bob McMahon was recognized from the podium for his work with veterans including the Tuskegee Airmen. It was noted that he recently met with President Barack and First Lady Michelle Obama.

Rohrer Campaign Coming To Delco

Sam Rohrer is taking his campaign for the U.S. Senate to St. James Alumni Association Hall, 1499 E. 9th St., Eddystone. His town hall will be held 7 p.m., April 11.

Rohrer is leading a field of several candidates in the polls for the Republican primary.
The election is April 24.

A Week In The Life Of Delaware County, Pa.

By Kate Rainey

It is 3 p.m., Saturday, March 17, 2012 at Marple Presbyterian Church, Broomall, PA.

St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be complete without music.

 Suzuki Piano songs may not be considered traditional Irish tunes, but this is the day 17 pupils of Yuki Kremin perform their first recital. I am one of three adults who take the stage for a mostly Asian audience. James, who is nine years old, and I are the only ones who attempt duets: Lightly Row and Honeybee, German and Bohemian folk songs.

 “Have fun,” goes through my mind as I nervously prepare for this occasion. Hal McKay often said those words when I took lessons during the first five years of James’s life. During the last week of 2011, I called my former teacher to say I was “having fun” banging on the keys again. 

 Mr. McKay said to phone him in the New Year for a “tune up.” I was shocked when I read that he died on Jan. 13.

It is now almost three months after speaking to a man who taught me about music and life. I feel like a child before this performance. There are butterflies in my stomach, nerves pinching in my fingers and pounding in my head. I try to listen to kids, whose feet don’t reach the floor, but there is too much tension throughout my body to focus.

 According to Suzuki method, repeated listening brings about rapid progress in music. By listening to other performers and our own hearts, we can grow into a person with fine musical senses and strong personal relationships. Not a bad life skill to learn at any age.

Sunday

After attending the 10:45 a.m. service, March 18, at Calvary Chapel of Delaware County in Chadds Ford, my family is shopping at the new Whole Foods, Glen Mills. We are planning our own “Cupcake Wars.”

“This is like going to Disney World,” I think as we search for a parking place, smell grass fed burgers on the grill and greeted by a man selling organic bird food. The store is crammed, but somehow I manage to attain a “personal shopper.” 

I ask an associate where the baking aisle is. Laurent, who has a French accent, points his hand in the direction and proceeds to take me.  

“You can just show me the way,” I say. 

He shakes his head and walks to the sweet supplies. I grab flour, Vegan Sugar (whatever that is), cocoa bits and baking chocolate. He is watching. He doesn’t leave. 

“Macadamia nuts?” I ask. 

“Don’t know,” he replies in his accent, and asks the man stocking a shelf nearby.

That man says they are all gone. 

“No problem,” I say looking at the list. “They are in parenthesis.” 

They laugh. Last item, “Coconut shreds?” 

We walk to another part of the store, with the French man now pulling my cart. 

“You have a personal shopper!?” Mike, husband of 17 years on this day, finds me and exclaims.  

We leave Whole Foods with a cartful of sweets and rationalize it is healthy. We feel food shopping can be a mood booster. They know how to reach consumers inside their souls by creating a unique experience with friendly employees, taste tests and soothing music. 

Monday 

After eating “healthy” cupcakes which produces a sugar hangover, it is Monday morning and I’m at the Rocky Run YMCA. Before hopping on the elliptical, I check messages on iPhone. Our router is old and internet service is not working again. 

I receive this email from Jill, who is a Boeing engineer, and working in England for the next couple years: 

“I don’t know if you remember, but before I left for the UK, you gave me a sealed envelope with some of your stories in it for me to read when a need a dose of Kate.  I’ve been saving it for when I have a bad day, because I know it will lift my spirits.  A couple of times on my drive home from work I’ve thought about reading it, but I haven’t because I’m using it as a crutch … I know it’ll be there if I really need it, and just knowing I have it makes me happy.  I feel really lucky that I have a friend living 2500 miles away from me that can lift my spirits just by thinking about her.”

Jill and I met 15 years ago through a mutual friend. We walked hundreds of miles together before she started working oversees. We are born the same year, six days apart. Our lives are so different. She has worked for the same company for over 25 years, where I’ve had many (favorite was Press Newspapers). I admire her stability, where she says she admires those who are “less structured and takes life where it leads them.” She never gets bored of my stories. No matter how trivial they may seem, they become alive & fun with her. 

Tuesday

This morning I attended the third “Focusing” class taught by Sister Mary at the Franciscan Spiritual Center at Neumann University. Every week when I ring the bell to enter the convent, I feel like Julie Andrews from “The Sound of Music.” It is an exhilarating, yet peaceful feeling walking through this building. 

Focusing is a technique that consists of six easy to master steps that identify and change the way thoughts and emotions may be held within the body. This tool is for tapping into greater self-awareness and inner wisdom. “What is unclear becomes clear,” and learning to be with anything that arises, as well as other advanced listening techniques. 

For the first time, we paired up in partners. We practiced the beginning stage of this powerful tool. My partner, Kay, is a woman in her late 60s. For five minutes, I listen to her describe the tightness in her throat, that feels like a knife going through, tightening up, there are long pauses in between, and then she feels softening, “like a flower flourishing.” When it is my turn to recount how a situation makes me feel, I go back to the piano concert. I re-live the butterflies in stomach, but this time they widen, go back in and become a sharp pain and then soften up with a white color. It goes on for five minutes, and reminds me of something that was done in the 1960s. My family would think I’m really losing it now. 

Wednesday 

While delivering the re-birth of Riddlewood-Sunnybrae Community Association’s newsletter on Man O War Drive, I heard three death stories. The first was more details of Hal McKay, from his wife Ann. I handed her a copy which included the piano man’s obituary. A retired English teacher, she was on her way to teach Reading at the community college. We had an interesting conversation and hoping she will write an essay about the streets named after horses for a future issue. 

As I walk down the road, Jenny H. stops her car to ask if I’ve heard about her neighbor, who fell on his front step on St. Patrick’s Day. A tragedy, as this man who grew up in Riddlewood died on his 42nd birthday.

Lastly, I stop to say hi to Gail F, who is getting her mail, and ask her how nursing school is. She has 3 girls and a migraine. I commend her for taking on so much at once. She proceeds to tell me of a mutual friend’s mom, who died last week —- and came back to tell the story. 

“Did she see Jesus?” I ask with excitement. 

“No, she didn’t see Jesus,” she said. “But she did see her husband who died years ago.” 

Wow. This is the fourth near death experience I’ve heard in four months. 

Thursday 

While cleaning up the kitchen sink late in the afternoon, I glance out the window and see a healthy red fox zoom across our front yard. Our two year old, black lab, Rita, was chasing after this four legged animal. My heart was beating quickly as I ran outside to make sure our pet didn’t catch it. 

Thankfully, the fox escaped into the woods and Rita did not break through the electric fence! Afterwards, Rita was running around in circles with excitement. She sniffed the line where the fox had stepped thru. There was a skunk-like odor leftover in the air. 

Friday 

Saw a turkey vulture eating a rabbit on War Admiral Lane. 

Stopping by new Chick-fil-A to get contact for advertising in June newsletter.  

Picking up James from school and going to see Rita’s foster mom, who is now caring for another dog.  Rita came up with this black lab mix from NC in June. They are from same shelter. 

Saturday

Mike and I are attending our first Bar Mitzvah – at a Messianic Synagogue.  A new week of writing with photos included. 

Rohrer Targeted By Soros Group After Topping Primary Poll

With the polls showing Sam Rohrer topping the GOP field for the U.S. Senate Primary Election on April 24, he is now taking flake from a group affiliated with anti-American billionaire and one-time Nazi collaborator George Soros.

ThinkProgress is saying Sam doesn’t understand the budget and thinks government should be limited.
Sam, who  was the  Republican chairman of the Finance Committee when he was in the State House, noted he has produced alternative budgets under several several administrations and didn’t raise taxes.
Regarding the charge that he thinks government should be limited, he said: “Well, duh. No sugar, Sherlock.”
OK, he didn’t say that literally. What he said was “yes, absolutely I do.”
For the record and for the historically challenged Democrat legislators, the Nazis did not believe that government should be limited.
Neither did the communists for the matter. 
Regarding the polling, Public Policy Polling had on March 14, Sam  at 16 percent; fellow conservatives Tom Smith at 12 percent; David Christian at 10 percent and Marc Scaringi at 8 percent; and party-endorsed former Obama voter Steve Welch  at 5 percent.

There was 48 percent undecided.

While Democrat  incumbent Bob Casey leds all Republican contenders by at least 15 points he only reaches 50 percent against  Christian.

Was Paul Harvey A Prophet?

This broadcast just shy of three-minutes long was made by the late Paul Harvey. It’s entitled “If I Were The Devil” and broadcast in 1965.

Hat tip Cathy Craddock
 

Egypt Hates Israel Again And 0 Hearts Egypt

Reader Tom C submitted this link from FrontPageMag.Com which describes how the new “Arab Springers” who took over Egypt have designated Israel its enemy and expelled its ambassador.

And that President Obama has decided to restore military aid.
The sooner he is gone the safer the world will be.

Quote Of The Day From Ben Franklin

Hat tip Myron Shegda

“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.  Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.”

— Benjamin Franklin

 

Boy Scouts Beat Bigots In Philly

A federal judge, March 21, ruled that Philadelphia must pay $877,000 to the Boy Scouts of America’s  Cradle of Liberty Council for its attempt to evict them from an historic building over the Scouts’ policy of discrimination against open homosexuals.

The Cradle of Liberty Council built the building  on city-owned land at 22nd and Winter streets in 1929 at the city’s request, 
The building, now called the Bruce S. Marks Scout Resource Center, is of the Beaux-Arts style and fits in well with the other notable structures on the nearby Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
It is the Council’s headquarters. The Council — as does many other socially beneficial non-profits — rents the land from the city for $1 per year.
In 2003, then Mayor John Street decided that BSA’s policy of prohibiting openly homosexual people from supervising boys in their early teens violated the city’s anti-discrimination law and ordered them to change it.
The Scouts wouldn’t and when the city realized the Supreme Court had upheld the organization’s right to discriminate on the matter, it took another tack — eviction.
In July 2006, Street ordered the Council to change its policy or leave within a year.

In May  2007,  Philadelphia City Council in an unannounced action voted 16-1 to pass Darrell L. Clarke’s bill to terminate the 1928 lease — which had been granted “in perpetuity” — and raise the rent to $200,000 annually.

The Scouts offered to buy the land for $500,000 but the city turned them down cold.
 

The Scouts sued in 2008 claiming the city was violating its civil rights and in November 2009 U.S. District Court ordered it to stop the eviction attempts being made in the state common pleas court as the new mayor, Michael Nutter, was every bit as in bed with the homosexual activists as Street.
The federal case continued, however,  and on June 15, 2010 it went to trial. On June 23, a jury of eight unanimously sided with the Scouts.
And yesterday, justice again prevailed as U.S. District Judge  Ronald Buckwalter ruled the city must pay the Scouts legal bills.

Just Say No To Crony Capitalism

A plan to build a 142,000 square foot shopping center on Springfield Road in Darby Borough that would have included a BJ’s Warehouse is dead
Gov. Tom Corbett had killed a request for $4 million in state funding but developer, Metro Development Co., says that wasn’t a factor as it was going to scrap the project anyway due to market conditions.
Kudos to Gov. Corbett for not throwing money down a rat hole.
Hat tip Tom C.