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PhiladelphiaDaily Record
Vol. I No. 115 Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia December 9, 2010
GROUND WAS BROKEN this morning on new extended-stay hotel in University City. New Homewood
Suites by Hilton will cater to rising travel connected with area hospitals and uni-
versities. It represents further confidence in major development in W. Phila. be-
yond 40th Street. See story P. 4.
W. Philly Hotel Rises
2 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 9 DECEMBER, 2010
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Mayor Michael Nutter today called
efforts by Superintendent Arlene
Ackerman and the Philadelphia
School District to increase the per-
centage of contracting opportuni-
ties awarded to disadvantaged
businesses, including minority-
owned businesses, the right thing
to do.
He said, “My administration has
strongly advocated for increasing
the number and size of minority-
owned businesses in Philadelphia.
Only by developing a truly diverse
economy in terms of employment
and business ownership can the
City achieve lasting prosperity.
“Along with tax reform, growth in
the Eds, Meds, Hospitality and the
new clean-energy sector, develop-
ing minority business is a key ele-
ment of our administration’s
economic-development strategy. It
will create jobs in communities
where unemployment runs high
and create entrepreneurial wealth
where too little exists.
“The Inclusion Works strategy,
which we announced last February,
is a smart plan that is helping mi-
nority-, women- and disabled-
owned businesses grow and gain
an increasing share of city con-
tracting opportunities. In the last
year, the total percentage of disad-
vantaged businesses that won City
contracts increased by 10% to 22%
of the total.
“The City currently works closely
with the School District in setting
participation rates for contracts
more than $100,000, and the City
will continue to work with the
School District to increase the par-
ticipation rate of minority firms on
all ranges of contracts.”
State Rep. Ronald Waters, chair-
man of the Pennsylvania Legisla-
tive Black Caucus, also rallied with
many of his delegation members at
noon today to show their support
for the work contract policy of
School Superintendent Dr. Arlene
Ackerman. He cited the “lack of
fairness in the recent criticism of
the top school administrator, point-
ing to her promoting more diver-
sity in the issuance of school
contracts.”
Nutter, Black Lawmakers Support Ackerman Work Policy
9 DECEMBER, 2010 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 3
Lawyers for former House Speaker
John Perzel and his co-defendants
Wednesday asked a Dauphin Co.
judge to dismiss all criminal
charges against them in an alleged
scheme to use state employees and
equipment to work on Republican
campaigns. Judge Richard Lewis
gave no indication when he will
rule.
One argument offered by a lawyer
for Perzel’s former Chief of Staff
Brian Preski was the State cannot
be a victim. Deputy Attorney Gen-
eral Kenneth Brown said taxpayers
are the ultimate victims. “The
Commonwealth would be in a
much bigger deficit if people (just)
came in the Capitol and cleaned
out what they wanted.”
The trial, originally set for April,
was moved to August by Lewis.
William Fetterhoff, a Harrisburg
attorney representing a GOP
staffer, said there will “probably be
hundreds of witnesses and thou-
sands of exhibits.”
Lawyers for the defense stated the
equipment purchases were used for
legitimate government purposes,
and if they were used for politics as
well, that’s not a crime.
Perzel Challenges Corruption Charges
E.P.A. REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR Shawn Garvin gave SEPTA an Energy Star award for compre-
hensive retrofitting and replanning of its large HQ at 1234 Market Street. Award is received here by
Phila. Sustainability Director Katherine Gajewski and SEPTA General Mgr. Joseph Casey.
SEPTA Gets Award For Green HQ
4 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 9 DECEMBER, 2010
Campus Apartments broke ground
this morning on an upscale, all-
suite, extended-stay hotel at 4109
Walnut Street in University City.
Slated for completion in spring
2012, the hotel will be part of the
Homewood Suites by Hilton®
brand. It will cater to the needs of
the many professionals, patients,
families and other out-of-town visi-
tors who require longer-term ac-
commodations in close proximity
to the University of Pennsylvania,
Penn Medicine, Children’s Hospi-
tal and other academic and medical
facilities in the area.
University City has blossomed into
a destination for world-class health
care, life sciences and higher edu-
cation. “For over 50 years, we’ve
been a partner of the University of
Pennsylvania and a pioneer in the
redevelopment of University City,”
stated David Adelman, CEO of
Campus Apartments. “Homewood
Suites University City is another
way outside of residential housing
that we can help the University and
the surrounding health systems and
schools achieve their goals by
leveraging private capital for their
real-estate development needs.”
“There is high demand in Univer-
sity City for a facility in which pa-
tients and their family members
can reside comfortably and in a
convenient location while pursuing
required treatments and therapies,”
explained Craig Carnaroli, execu-
tive VP of the University of Penn-
sylvania.
The 110,000-square-foot hotel will
include 136 suites, featuring full
kitchens, dining tables and separate
work areas with phone and compli-
mentary internet access. Additional
amenities such as a complimentary
shuttle service, complimentary
breakfast and guest receptions, ac-
tivity and fitness facilities, indoor
pool, snack shop and dining and
meeting spaces are designed to
provide guests with the necessary
resources to ease the burden of ex-
tended-stay travel.
The approximately $50 million
project is jointly financed through
the Commonwealth of Pennsylva-
nia, the Philadelphia Industrial De-
velopment Corp., The
Reinvestment Fund, US Bank
Community Development Corp.
and Beneficial Bank.
The project will create approxi-
mately 300 new full-time and tem-
porary jobs for hotel and
construction workers and will at-
tract ongoing traffic to local busi-
nesses.
Designed to meet LEED certifica-
tion standards, the hotel will also
be an example for progressive sus-
tainable architecture within the
hospitality industry. Elements such
as a green roof, high-efficiency
MEP systems, on-site storm water
management and low-flow fixtures
are incorporated into the plans to
reduce consumption, optimize per-
formance and control costs.
The hotel is also the first commer-
cial project for the City of Philadel-
phia’s new EnergyWorks program,
which provides low-interest loans
to help finance sustainable building
and redevelopment. Mayor
Michael A. Nutter said, “We’re es-
pecially thrilled to see Campus
Apartments is investing for the
long term, with a LEED-certified
project that will be sustainable both
environmentally and economi-
cally.”
The hotel is the first part of a rede-
velopment plan for the 4109 Wal-
nut Street property, with an
additional 150,000-square-feet of-
fice building to be erected at this
site later. Campus Apartments’
Philadelphia-based team is rounded
out by Alesker & Dundon Archi-
tects LLC, general contractor L.F.
Driscoll Co. and interior designer
Floss Barber, Inc.
Work Starts On New W. Philly Hotel
City Council’s Committee on
Commerce & Economic Develop-
ment has approved the “Job Cre-
ation Opportunity Extension Bill”,
introduced by City Councilman W.
Wilson Goode, Jr., extending a
two-year employment stimulus
program under which a credit
against the City’s business privi-
lege taxes will be given to busi-
nesses that create new jobs within
the City of Philadelphia. The busi-
nesses will receive a $3,000 credit
for each new job created for tax
years 2012 and 2013, in addition to
2010 and 2011.
The Job Creation Tax Credit Pro-
gram was established in May 2002.
It offers a credit against the firm’s
Business Privilege Tax liability for
each new job created. The program
can be utilized by companies of
any type or size located anywhere
in the city.
Through 2009, 60 firms have par-
ticipated in the program, promising
the creation of 4,463 jobs. The five
year period allowed by the initial
ordinance to create new jobs has
expired for 22 of these 60 firms. As
a result, the promised job creation
may be reduced from 4,463 to
2,790. To date, 1,026 jobs have
been certified as created, resulting
in the issuance of $1,630,297 in tax
certificates, of which $1,502,322
has been claimed.
Goode said, “This legislation will
help to create more jobs within
Philadelphia. As we work toward
economic recovery, business and
job growth will require the right
kind of financial stimulus. The ex-
tension of this effort would expand
upon the almost 2800 jobs to be
created under my existing pro-
gram.”
9 DECEMBER, 2010 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 5
Dec. 8-
Fire Fighters Local 22 and Po-
lice FOP Lodge 5 host plaque
dedication honoring 100th an-
niversary of largest loss of life
which killed 13 firefighters, one
police officer and two fire
horses at Plaza Complex on 2nd
St. south of Girard Ave., 11 a.m.
For info Jerry Kots (267) 549-
6326.
Dec. 14-
Portrait presentation of Hon.
Sheldon C. Jelin at City Hall,
Room 653, 4 p.m. Reception
following in Conversation Hall.
Dec. 18-
Caribbean Night Happy Hour
fundraiser for Lawrence Clark
for City Council at Banana’s
876 Lounge, 5500 Rising Sun
Ave., 6-9 p.m. Donation $10 in-
cludes food.; donate blanket for
homeless and it’s $8. Make
checks to Clark4Change, P.O.
Box 27154, Phila., PA 19118.
Jan. 27-
Edward J. Lowry, founder of
Phila. Veterans MultiService
and Education Ctr., will be hon-
ored on retirement at Waterfall
Rm. in Plumbers Local 690
Union Hall, 2791 Southampton
Rd., Cocktails 6-8 p.m., fol-
lowed by Tribute Program.
Tickets $65. Order by phone
(215) 238-8050. Event Chair Ed
Keenan, Board Chair Jim Mc-
Nesby and Exec. Dir. Marsha
Four.
ATTENTION
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more, Call
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City Council Committee Extends Job Creation Opportunity
6 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 9 DECEMBER, 2010
Craig White
To Head PGWThe Philadelphia Facilities Management Corp., the
nonprofit corporation that manages the Philadelphia
Gas Works, has announced Craig E. White will be the
next President and CEO of PGW. White’s three-year
appointment will begin on Mar. 1, 2011, at the conclu-
sion of President Thomas Knudsen’s term.
“For a decade, Tom Knudsen and Craig White were a
leadership team at PGW, working to strengthen the
company’s fiscal and operational functions, establish-
ing a customer-oriented culture for the benefit of
ratepayers and taxpayers and positioning the company
on a sustainable course,” said Mayor Michael A. Nut-
ter.
Before his appointment to President and CEO, White
was PGW’s executive VP and COO for 10 years.
White is a 1978 graduate of Kutztown University and
earned an MBA in Financial Management in 1986
from Drexel University. He began his career at PGW
in 1980 and has held numerous positions within the
company during his more than 30 years of service.
“PGW has accomplished so much in the last 10 years,
and I’m committed to continuing our current reforms
and business improvements. It’s an exciting time, not
only at PGW, but in the gas industry as a whole,” said
White.
White served as EVP and Acting COO and was instru-
mental in working with employees, to improve PGW’s
operational and financial health. White’s focus for the
future will be to continue to ensure safety and reliabil-
ity as well as continuous improvement in all facets of
the business. Additionally, under his leadership, the
company has had back to back-to-back union-contract
ratifications and extensions that have led to improved
operational efficiencies and service to PGW’s 500,000
customers.
In July, White was appointed by US Secretary of En-
ergy Steven Chu to serve on the National Petroleum
Council. He is a member of the Leadership Council
and on the Board of the American Public Gas Associa-
tion, serves on the Executive Board of the Philadel-
phia Citizens Crime Commission and is a member of
the Board of Directors for Widener University’s
School of Business Administration.
Green Party Acts To BuildMembershipThe monthly meeting of the Green Party of Philadel-
phia on Nov. 30 provided a look at a rejuvenated polit-
ical organization. Sixteen registered Greens and their
neighbors gathered to hear a summary of 2010 cam-
paigns and to envision more dynamic campaigning in
2011.
The meeting was held in the comfortable Fellowship
Hall at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the
Restoration in Mount Airy. It was the first in a series
of Green Party meetings to be held in various neigh-
borhoods on a rotating basis.
Much discussion focused on Hugh Giordano, who re-
cently ran for State Representative in the 194th Dist.
(Roxborough/Manayunk). Giordano received 23% of
the vote in the Philadelphia portion of his District
(18% overall), and he ran on issues including corrup-
tion in Harrisburg, the poor education received by
working-class children, and workers’ rights on and off
the job. Giordano was the first GPOP candidate to re-
ceive significant support from organized labor.
As part of the discussion of Giordano’s campaign,
Chris Robinson, Green Party organizer in the 59th
Ward (Germantown) pointed out a problem faced by
Giordano. Despite a large investment in voter educa-
tion and mobilization, some people did not vote for
him because they were unsure of what the Green Party
stood for. Robinson recommended a new Green City
Committee devote energy to increasing its name
recognition among voters.
The Green Party had lost 20% of its membership be-
tween 2007 and 2009. Robinson explained that 2010
was a turning point for the Green Party because it
showed a 6% growth in registered members. Robinson
predicted that a new GPOP City Committee will do
more neighborhood outreach and will run several vig-
orous electoral campaigns in 2011.
Alex Gillett, a Green from West Philadelphia, said
when GPOP nominates candidates for office in 2011,
Greens should give them more financial support.
Julia Swain, partner in the
Philadelphia office of Fox Roth-
schild LLP, ascends to chair of
the Family Law Section of the
Philadelphia Bar Association for
2011.
Swain concentrates her practice in
the areas of family law, including
divorce, custody, support, equitable
distribution and abuse. She litigates
family law cases in the five-county
Philadelphia area, including appel-
late courts, and negotiates settle-
ments and prenuptial agreements.
Swain is a frequent writer and
speaker on family-law topics, such
as prenuptial agreements, custody
laws and domestic violence, among
others. Her articles have appeared
in publications, including the
Philadelphia Bar Reporter, TheLegal Intelligencer and Philadel-phia Magazine. She has presented
family law topics for the Philadel-
phia Bar Association Bench Bar
Conferences, the Pennsylvania Bar
Institute and Gratz College.
Recognized for her outstanding pro
bono work, Swain received the
“Pro Bono Roll of Honor” Award
from the 1st Judicial Dist. in 2009,
in addition to receiving the White
Hat Award from the Legal Clinic
for the Disabled the same year.
Julia Swain of Fox Rothschild Leads PBA Family Law
9 DECEMBER, 2010 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 7
8 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 9 DECEMBER, 2010
The City of Philadelphia’s visual
art exhibition program Art In City
Hall, in collaboration with the Na-
tional Arts Program Foundation,
presents The 11th National Arts
Program at Philadelphia, an exhibi-
tion featuring works of art by City
government employees and their
families, including children. The
exhibition opens to the public
today and runs through Feb. 18,
2011. It is located on the fifth floor
of City Hall, NE corner.
This year’s exhibition includes five
classifications: Professional, Inter-
mediate, Amateur, Teen 13-18 and
Youth 12 and Under. The artwork
is to be juried by Noreen Shanfel-
ter, executive director of the Uni-
versity City Arts League. The
Best-in-Show award was chosen by
Deputy Mayor and Managing Di-
rector Richard Negrin.
Participants of this year’s exhibit
come from many different depart-
ments and agencies in City govern-
ment, including DHS, Law,
Commerce, Free Library, Prisons,
Police, Fire, Water, Courts, City
Council and more.
Best In Show
Peter Appelbaum, DHS
Professional
Lara Cantu-Hertzler, Law Dept.
family member, 1st place
Carl Burwell III, Prisons Dept.,
2nd place
Juanita Beverly, Prisons Dept. 3rd
place
Intermediate
John C. Anderson, PWD, 1st place
Diane Wilson, MOCS, 2nd place
Barbara Koch, Courts, 3rd place
Joseph Sannutti, Behavorial
Health, honorable mention
Amateur
Jeffrey Easter, OFM, 1st place
Deborah Cantu-Hertzler, Law
Dept. family member, 2nd place
Donna Wyche, DHS, 3rd place
Barbara Evans, PROC, honorable
mention
Teens (family members)
Hillary Jia Do, DOT, 1st place
Angelica Clark, City Controllers’s
Office, 2nd place
Alexander Giacobetti, City Coun-
cil, 3rd place
Hillary Jia Do, DOT, honorable
mention
Youth Under 12 (Family Mem-
bers)
Megan Horst, Revenue, 1st place
Jhade Gales, Courts, 2nd place
Halle Anderson, City Council, 3rd
place
Gabrile, Totesau, Police Dept.,
honorable mention
Since 1985, The National Arts Pro-
gram® has provided scholarships
for continuing art education, cer-
tificates of participation, and cash
awards to public employees and
their family members who partici-
pate in this annual event. It is spon-
sored and funded by The National
Arts Program Foundation of
Malvern, Pa.
Art In City Hall is a collaborative
effort between the City’s Office of
Arts, Culture and the Creative
Economy and the arts community.
Since the program began in 1984,
over 2000 emerging artists have
shown their talents in the hallways
of City Hall through juried group
exhibitions based on specific
themes.
City Hall Celebrates Art By City Workers
9 DECEMBER, 2010 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 9
“A Parent’s Fantasy - The Per-
fect Babysitter” (from left,
Patrice Seibel and Nicole Nicas-
tro)
by Adam Taxin
Parenting 101: The Musicaltonight opens a three-month run
(through Mar. 6) at the Kimmel
Center’s Innovation Studio. The
show returns after a previous stay
in the same theater during summer
2008.
This musical, effectively a journey
from the first moments of parent-
hood to the first moments of grand-
parenthood, is the brainchild of two
sisters: co-author/co-creator/pro-
ducer Nancy Holson has won five
New England Emmys for the long-
running series of PBS specials
“The News In Revue” and also was
writer of the less neutral Off-
Broadway show Bush Wars; her
co-creator sister Susan (also Hol-
son) publishes a family newspaper
in Vermont. For a long time, the
two, according to Nancy Holson,
“had been looking for a project to
do together.”
The songs in the show will very
likely sound familiar to audiences.
Each is a fairly well-known pop or
Broadway song with lyrics modi-
fied to fit into the experience of
parenting. Thus, the show’s four-
person ensemble (Nicole Nicastro,
Stuart Williams, Craig Hanson and
Patrice Seibel, none of whom was
Parenting 101: the Musical ReturnsWith New Cast To Kimmel Center’sInnovation Studio
10 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 9 DECEMBER, 2010
in the 2008 version) transforms
“Somewhere Over The Rainbow,”
via a childbirth scene, into “Oh
God, When Will The Pain Go.”
The storyline winds its way
through a number of songs whose
parody targets should be pretty ob-
vious, e.g. “Your Son Will Come
Out Tomorrow” and “It’s My Potty,
and I’ll Try If I Want To.” Later, a
10-year-old girl serenades her
mother with “I Will Always Hate
You.”
Some song titles needed no modifi-
cation. Queen’s anthem “We Will
Rock You” involves sleep-deprived
parents desperately trying to coax
their newborn back to sleep.
“Stayin’ Alive” no longer has any-
thing to do with “the New YorkTimes’ effect on man” (whatever
that meant in the first place) but,
rather, according to Holson, de-
scribes how it “feels when you get
in a car with your kid and entrust
your life to them before they’ve
learned how to do it.”
Perhaps predictably, Christmas is
not exempt from satire. At the
City’s Dec. 2 Christmas tree-light-
ing ceremony, cast members, using
the melody of Petula Clark’s
“Downtown,” sang about the “Toy
Store,” which Holson adds is (of
course) “the scary place where are
parents going to end up having to
be.”
The production also contains “The
Truth About Santa Claus” (based
on “Here Comes Santa Claus”)
which is, according to Holson,
about “an older brother trying to
tell his younger brother that there is
no Santa Claus” with the mother
“trying to shush him, bribe him,
anything.” She adds: “This would
have been an obvious one to do at
the Christmas lighting, but we did-
n’t want to offend anybody.”
Holson emphasizes the universal
appeal of the show: “You get any-
body in there, they’re going to
have a good time. Our target audi-
ence is anyone who’s been a par-
ent, but we say our secondary
audience is anyone who’s had a
parent. I should say that, even
though there’s nothing in it that
would offend people, it’s not de-
signed for kids, it’s designed for
adults.”
Finally, Holson encourages those
who saw the previous production
to see the show with a new cast:
“It’s a different cast. It’s a fabulous
new, young cast. They bring differ-
ent things to it. So people who saw
it a while ago, they can see it again,
and it will feel fresh for them.”