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PhiladelphiaDaily Record
Vol. II No. 58 (218) Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia May 6, 2011
PUCCINI’S CELEBRATED OPERA Tosca fills stage at Academy of Music. See
review page 6.
Sing It!
2 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 6 MAY, 2011
Rendell, Judges Clown It Up
Volunteer Judges and Attorneys dressed in costume and presented mock trials based on fairy tales to Philadelphia
grade-school students this morning and heard a presentation by former Gov. Ed Rendell.
The event was held in City Hall’s Courtroom 653 and was staged in honor of Law Week.
Toomey Backs Pipeline
Safety Bill
US Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) supported advancing the
Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act
(S.275) out of the Commerce, Science & Transporta-
tion Committee to the full Senate yesterday.
In the wake of pipeline accidents across the country like
the tragic explosions in Allentown and Philadelphia ear-
lier this year, the Pipeline Transportation Safety Im-
provement Act will help ensure the safety of our
pipelines and our citizens. The legislation increases fines
for violating safety regulations, requires new pipes to
have shutoff valves that can be controlled remotely and
increases public availability of pipeline information.
“As a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I
was pleased to support this bill for consideration before
the full Senate,” Toomey said. “The bipartisan measure
takes important steps toward improving pipeline safety
and preventing future tragedies like those that unfortu-
nately took place in Philadelphia and Allentown. I will
continue working with members of the Commerce Com-
mittee and Senate Leadership to address any remaining
issues before the Senate votes on final passage.”
Small-Biz Group Slashes At Philly Bar Over Tort Reform
Kevin Shivers, State Director of the
National Federation of Independent
Business, which represents nearly
15,000 small businesses in Pennsyl-
vania, issued a statement yesterday
in response to a resolution approved
by the Philadelphia Bar Association
urging lawmakers to defeat the Fair
Share Act:
“It was as predictable as the sunrise
that the Philadelphia Bar Associa-
tion, whose members have achieved
for their city the grotesque title of
‘America’s Worst Judicial Hell-
hole,’ would ask the Legislature to
enshrine it by defeating the Fair
Share Act,” Shivers said.
“The Bar Association makes the
comically insincere argument that
lawsuit abuse is a service to justice.
It argues that civil defendants who
are not directly negligent, but who
are theoretically negligent accord-
ing to the elastic vocabulary of at-
torneys, should have to pay all of
the damages anyway because the
real guilty party has no money.
“If any one of them were charged for
the cost of something that their secre-
tary shoplifted, they would proclaim
the arrival of totalitarianism in Ameri-
can. Yet, that’s the sort of justice under
which they want the rest of us to live.
“Some of the lawyers who sup-
ported that resolution are defense
attorneys. Many of them are paid by
small businesses. The overwhelm-
ing majority of small business own-
ers believe that the Fair Share Act is
in their interest. So whose interest
are the lawyers representing?
“The fact is defense attorneys get
paid when their clients get sued.
Personal-injury lawyers get paid
when their clients win. So when it
comes to protecting their cash cow
– Pennsylvania’s upside-down legal
system – all of the lawyers are sit-
ting on the same side of the table.
“As a political interest group, they
have been extraordinarily success-
ful at defending the indefensible.
But the tide is turning against them,
and we are confident the new Legis-
lature will approve the Fair Share
Act and restore common sense to a
legal system that has turned Penn-
sylvania into a game preserve for
trophy-hunting lawyers.”
6 MAY, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 3
Casey Announces $15 Million ForPhilly Schools To Boost Safety
US Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) announced yesterday the
US Dept. of Labor has awarded $15,033,797 to seven
schools in Philadelphia to reduce violence and improve
educational outcomes.
“Ensuring our children receive a quality education in a
safe environment is vital to the future strength of our
communities and our nation,” said the Senator Casey.
The federal grants will be used to reduce violence and
support educational opportunities within these schools
through strategies such as anti-bullying education, peer
mentoring and crisis management. Expected outcomes
for the initiative include decreased dropout rates, a re-
duction in school violence and improved student be-
havior and academic performance.
Funds have been awarded to the following schools in
the School District of Philadelphia:
Germantown High School $2,312,892
John Bartram High School $2,312,892
Overbrook High School $2,312,892
Thomas FitzSimons High School $2,312,892
University City High School $2,312,892
West Philadelphia High School $2,312,892
Abraham Lincoln High School $1,156,445
Mayor To Create Poet LaureateProgram
Mayor Michael A. Nutter announced he has directed
the Office of Arts, Culture & the Creative Economy to
create an official Poet Laureate program for the City of
Philadelphia. He first announced this effort on Tuesday
during Sonia Sanchez Live at City Hall, an event to
highlight poetry in Philadelphia that was presented in
partnership with Art Sanctuary. The planning commit-
tee for the Poet Laureate program will be chaired by
Chief Cultural Officer Gary Steuer of the Mayor’s Of-
fice of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy.
“I am extremely excited and proud to announce that the
City of Philadelphia will create an official Poet Laure-
ate program. Poetry is an extraordinary and powerful
art form, and our great city is filled with an astonishing
array of poets who help us to understand better our
community,” said the Mayor. “Sonia Sanchez exempli-
fies the role a poet can play in helping to define a city
and helping its citizens discover beauty. I look forward
to receiving the recommendations of the planning com-
mittee and establishing, for the first time, a Poet Lau-
reate for the City of Philadelphia.”
The other members of the planning committee are
Lorene Cary, author and executive director of Art Sanc-
tuary; Siobhan Reardon, President and Director of the
Free Library of Philadelphia; Al Filreis, Kelly Writers
House at the University of Pennsylvania; Beth Feldman
Brandt, poet and executive director of the Stockton
Rush Bartol Foundation; and Greg Corbin, founder and
executive director, Philadelphia Youth Poetry Move-
ment.
“Promoting the arts in Philadelphia includes creating
new institutions and programs that will showcase and
offer insight into our city,” said Chief Cultural Officer
Gary Steuer. “The work of renowned former national
Poet Laureates including Elizabeth Bishop, Robert
Frost, Richard Wilbur and currently W.S. Merwin offer
a unique perspective on America. I hope this initiative
will provide the same opportunity for Philadelphia’s
artists to explore what it means to be a Philadelphian.”
4 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 6 MAY, 2011
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T h e P h i l a d e l p h i a P u b l i c R e c o r d C a l e n d a r
May 6-
State Sen. Shirley Kitchen hosts
Senior Healthy Living Expo at Co-
lumbia N. YMCA, 1400 N. Broad
St., 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Free event.
Breakfast and lunch will be
served. For info (215) 227-6161.
May 6-
State Rep. Michael McGeehan
hosts tour of Samuel Baxter Water
Treatment Plant celebrating Na-
tional Drinking Water Week at
9001 State Rd., 10 a.m. To join
tour call Nancy Hartey (215) 333-
9760. Need photo ID.
May 6-
22nd Ward Democrat Committee
Spring Fundraiser at Gathering
Place, 6755 Germantown Ave., 6-8
p.m. Candidates $100, community
$50. Meet 8th Dist. City Council,
at-Large City Council and judicial
candidates. For info Ward Leader
Ron Couser (215) 817-6159.
May 6-
AOH 40 names John McNesby
Labor Leader of Year at Ironwork-
ers Ha., 11600 Norcom Rd., 7-11
p.m. Open bar, dinner, music.
Tickets $50. For info Brian Cole-
man (215) 779-1330.
May 6-
Cocktail fundraiser for 8th Dist.
Council candidate Verna Tyner at
Maia’s Fine Dining & Jazz, 5920
Greene St., 7-11 p.m. $50. For info
(267) 297-7470.
May 7-
State Rep. Michelle Brownlee
hosts Mother’s Day celebration
with free health screenings, games
and prizes in her 195th Dist. Office,
2839 W. Girard Ave., 11 a.m.-3
p.m. For info (215) 684-3738.
May 7-
Pre Mothers Day Jazz Brunch
hosted by Ed Nesmith for Council
at Large, Teamsters Local 623,
4369 Richmond St., 1-4 p.m. Spe-
cial guests include Urban Guerilla
Orchestra and Co-Pastor Dayna
Devine of Family Life Worship
Ctr. Tickets $25. For info (215)
992-9273.
May 7-
Beef & Beer Fundraiser for Traffic
Court GOP candidate Lewis Har-
ris, Jr. at 6924 Greenway Ave., 2-6
p.m. Tickets $35. For info Annie
(215) 416-8366.
May 8- Lane Team Mother’s Day
Breakfast at Oak Lane Diner, 6528
N. Broad St., 9 a.m.-12 m. Hosted
by Marion Wimbush. First 100
mothers 50 years and older receive
free breakfast and gift. Broadcast
over 900AM WURD.
May 9-
Democrat City Committee’s Jef-
ferson Jackson Day Cocktail Party
at Sheet Metal Workers Ha.,
Columbus Blvd & Reed St., 5:30-
7:30 p.m. $150. For info Yolanda
(215) 241-7804.
May 9-
Shaare Shamayim Candidates
Night at 9768 Verree Rd., 8 p.m.
Free. For info Myles Gordon (215)
673-6377.
May 10-
Republican City Committee Pri-
mary Election Cocktail Party and
Buffet at Cannstatter Volksfest
Verein, 9130 Academy Rd., 5:30
p.m. For info Carmella Fitzpatrick
(215) 561-0650.
May 10-
Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell
holds Democratic 43rd Ward Can-
didates Meeting at 1str Dist. Plaza,
3801 Market St., 6-9 p.m.
6 MAY, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 5
OARC Announces 8th AnnualJazz Details
The Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corp., Philadel-
phia’s leading community development corporation,
will hold a press conference on Monday, May 9, at 10
a.m., at Relish Restaurant in Northwest Philadelphia to
announce the details of the Annual West Oak Lane Jazz
& Arts Festival.
Now in its eighth year, the Festival is scheduled for Fri-
day, Jun. 17, through Sunday, Jun. 19, and will take
place along Ogontz Avenue in the city’s West Oak Lane
section.
The Festival celebrates the rebirth of the West Oak
Lane community and will feature dozens of internation-
ally acclaimed, award-winning artists, including Chaka
Khan, Peabo Bryson, Jeffrey Osborne, Chrisette
Michele and Eddie Palmieri Salsa Orchestra, alongside
some of the best regional and upcoming talent.
Historic Allen Lane Station
Receives Award-Winning
Makeover
SEPTA representatives, elected officials and commu-
nity leaders celebrated the culmination of a two-year
renovation project at historic Allen Lane Station with a
ribbon-cutting ceremony this morning.
Allen Lane Station, which opened in 1885, is now fully
compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The renovation of the historic station earned SEPTA a
2011 Preservation Achievement Award from the Preser-
vation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.
City Locals 2187 And 2186
Rank And File Pitch In For
Philabundance
The City of Philadelphia’s white-collar workers, work-
ing without cost-of-living or merit increases or pay
raises while they deal with ever-increasing health-care
costs for almost three years in the absence of a contract,
are giving up this Saturday to help Philabundance sort
and package food for their fellow Philadelphians in
need.
These workers are acutely aware of the fact that – as
they see their paychecks diminished through inflation
and increased health insurance deductions – they could
easily find themselves unable to provide food for their
own families. By volunteering at Philabundance, these
City employees are demonstrating their ongoing com-
mitment to the welfare of all of Philadelphia’s families
and participating on and off the job in making Philadel-
phia a better place to live and work.
Throughout her Local 2187 and District Council 47
presidency, Cathy Scott has scheduled volunteer days at
the Food Bank/Philabundance to help this region’s fam-
ilies who are food insecure gain access to affordable,
nutritional food. At least 50 will be on site.
Philly For Change Endorses
Treatman In 8th Dist.
Eighth Dist. City Council candidate Howard Treatman
earned the endorsement of an important Philadelphia
progressive organization Wednesday night as the can-
didate’s field program achieved a canvassing milestone.
Members of Philly for Change overwhelmingly voted
to endorse Treatman for City Council at the group’s
monthly meeting. Meanwhile, the Treatman campaign
yesterday knocked on the door of its 15,000th voter.
“Philly for Change values grassroots campaigning, and
6 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 6 MAY, 2011
from the beginning, my goal was to
take the message straight to the vot-
ers,” Treatman said. “PFC wants to
see new ideas in City Council, not
more of the same. They liked my
plans for bringing jobs to Northwest
Philadelphia. They want someone
who will make sure that public
funds allocated in the 8th Dist. actu-
ally create public benefit, rather
than enriching a few connected in-
dividuals and organizations. PFC is
a great group of people who really
care about this city and I’m honored
to have their support.”
Our members looked at all the can-
didates in the 8th District City
Council race, and determined that
Howard Treatman has the kind of
experience, independence and fresh
ideas we want to see in City Coun-
cil,” said PFC Chair David Stern-
berg. “Philly for Change
enthusiastically endorses Howard
Treatman in the 8th Dist.”
Philly for Change is the Philadel-
phia chapter of Democracy for
America, which was founded in
2004 by Howard Dean to support
socially progressive and fiscally re-
sponsible Democrats. Activists and
citizens gather on the first Wednes-
day of each month at the PFC
Meetup to discuss politics and hear
about ways to get involved in cam-
paigns and issues.
“Speaking with everyday people –
real voters – has given me a per-
spective on this race I couldn’t have
gotten anywhere else,” Treatman
said. “My experiences at the doors
have been extremely gratifying, and
I’ve found people are very receptive
to my message and to my candi-
dacy.”
Tosca Meets High Expectations In Opera Co. Performance
by Adam Taxin
The current Center City production
of Tosca, with two of its five Acad-
emy of Music performances re-
maining (tomorrow at 8 p.m. and
Sunday at 2:30 p.m.), meets the
lofty expectations one would place
upon an Opera Co. of Philadelphia
version of one of Giacomo Puc-
cini’s best-known works.
This three-act production, the first
production of Tosca by the Opera
Co. in over 10 years, should please
savvy opera veterans. Audience
members who are positively dis-
posed toward, but not particularly
knowledgeable about, opera may
vaguely recognize a few arias (e.g.,
the title character’s “Vissi d’arte”[translated as “I lived for art”] in
Act II) and the “Te Deum” chorus
near the end of Act I. For those po-
tential audience members who are
complete opera novices but are
looking to get more familiar with
the artform, Tosca, which has a rel-
atively straightforward plot, is prob-
ably one of the most ideal “gateway
operas.”
Sung in Italian with English trans-
lations projected on a screen above
the stage, Tosca takes place over a
24-hour period in Rome of the year
1800. That year was part of an era
in which the Bourbon-run city-state
of Naples, in conjunction with Vat-
ican authorities and Austria, was
competing for control of Rome with
Napoleonic France.
This historical backdrop provides a
starting point for the opera’s plot,
which is based on the Frenchman
Victorien Sardou’s play La Tosca,with text for the opera written by
Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica.
A short, not-giving-away-most-of-
the-important-surprises summary of
the opera’s plot is: Baron Scarpia, a
corrupt chief of police (played by
Russian baritone Boris Statsenko),
engineers a plot by which he will be
able to obtain temporary carnal fa-
vors from celebrated singer Floria
Tosca (played by Romanian so-
prano Adina Nitescu) by trumping
up legal charges against her hand-
some painter lover Mario Cavara-
dossi (played by Brazilian tenor
Thiago Arancam).
All three of the production’s main
performers are making their
Philadelphia Opera Co. debuts.
As for stage presence, Nitescu
brings the mandatory sense of Puc-
cini-heroine drama (along the lines
6 MAY, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 7
of Mimi in La Bohème and the title character in
Madame Butterfly) to her role. Nitescu is funny in the
parts of Act I in which she exhibits a sense of threat
from a woman in a painting on which her lover is then
working. Arancam brings the right mix of charisma and
sympathy to his role. Statsenko is exceptional in mak-
ing his character reek of vile ominousness. Statsenko’s
Scarpia reminded me of Rod Steiger’s Victor Ko-
marovsky in the 1965 film version of Doctor Zhivago,with a touch of the senses of jealousy and menace of
Shuler Hensley’s Olivier Award-winning
London/Broadway portrayal of Jud Fry, the jealous
farmhand in Oklahoma!
Enough of an opera novice myself to know my limita-
tions as a critic, which include the ability to discern
sublime from merely excellent vocal performances, I
was fortunate to run into Mark Kushner, a Center City-
based cantor (Congregation Mikveh Israel at 20th &
Chestnut), at the performance. I took advantage of the
opportunity to solicit his more-expert assessment.
Kushner’s overall take on the vocal performances was
that “the soprano is maybe world-class, but that’s it.
But you’re still riveted.” In terms of a criticism of the
opera in general, he added that “it is a shame that the
tenor’s best aria is at the beginning; he barely has a
chance to warm up.”
Nevertheless, according to Kushner, “without world-
class voices and without world-class sets, it is still a
grand and glorious opera because of Puccini’s music
and the wonderful libretto.” He emphasized the impor-
tance of the characters which enable the audience to re-
late. Whether “a boss who was corrupt and [whom you
hope gets] his due at the end” or “a girlfriend who was
high-maintenance,” the characters, Kushner said,
“speak to you.”