tozturk's blog
Submitted by tozturk on August 25, 2006 - 12:10pm.
If you've been paying attention to the news, then you know Philadelphia is short 3 City Council members.
Richard Mariano (7th District) is in prison.
David Cohen (At-Large) passed away.
And Michael Nutter(4th District) is running for mayor.
City Council President Anna Verna announced yesterday that there would be a special election this November (the same day as the general election for Governor and Senator) to fill the spots.
via the Daily News:
With the 17-member Philadelphia City Council shrunk by three vacancies, Council President Anna Verna yesterday said she'll call for a special election to coincide with the November general election.
"It's rather difficult to expect government to move forward," Verna said referring to the empty seats. "And let's face it, nobody knows what God has in store for us, if someone else became ill or incapacitated."
Verna will issue the writs of election on Sept. 8, touching off a spirited insiders' race for the right to sit in Council through 2007.
Submitted by tozturk on May 9, 2006 - 10:53am.
There are a few things you can do --
Submitted by tozturk on May 4, 2006 - 3:50am.
Do you know where you're voting on May 16th? If a bill that passed through the PA Senate and House yesterday is signed into law, you may have to look again.
via the Inquirer:
The measure states that voting precincts should be located on municipal property, such as schools or recreation centers, and allows county election officials to move polls from private homes to the nearest public building in an adjacent ward. It also prohibits locating a polling place in party headquarters or the homes of politicians.
The House passed the bill, 139-59, largely along party lines, and the Senate concurred on a 36-13 vote with no debate as well.
The legislation - contained in an amendment to a bill that originally dealt with non-controversial election code housekeeping matters - was part of a last-minute rush by Republicans to advance several initiatives that Rendell has vetoed.
Read why you should look again at PoliticsPhilly.com
Submitted by tozturk on May 3, 2006 - 8:08pm.
via the AP:
U.S. Olympic Committee representatives will visit Houston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco over the next two weeks to begin scouting out cities for a possible bid to host the 2016 Olympics.
New York, however, was not on the list — a sign the city doesn't want to try for the next available Olympics after its failure to land the 2012 Games.
Crossposted at PoliticsPhilly.com
Submitted by tozturk on May 2, 2006 - 4:21pm.
Crossposted at PoliticsPhilly.com.
The listing of upcoming Philadelphia Political Fundraisers and Events, culled from various sources, including the Philadelphia Public Record, the City Paper, Philadelphia Weekly, Meetup, PA Fundraiser, and various candidates websites.
If you think an event should be listed that isn't, or want your event listed, please e-mail me at tulin@politicsphilly.com.
MAY 2nd: Two Views on Global Warming. Two local professors, Dr. Robert Giegengack and Robert McKinstry Jr., debate the science of global warming and discuss the need for a sound energy policy and energy conservation guidelines, Tue, May 2, 6:45-8:45pm, FREE, Free Library of Philadelphia, Central Branch, 19th & Vine sts., 215-686-5322.
MAY 2nd: Drinking Liberally at Tangier at 1801 Lombard Street. 6pm. Visit here for more information.
MAY 3rd: Philly for Change Meetup, featuring Anne Dicker, Valerie McDonald Roberts, and Chuck Pennacchio. 7pm - 9pm. Lucy's Hat Shop, 347 Market Street, Philadelphia PA 19106.
Submitted by tozturk on April 21, 2006 - 3:00pm.
via the Inquirer
Philadelphia voters will get a chance to weigh in on the Iraq war this November if City Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell gets her way.
And though the vote has no legal power over American foreign policy, it could have an effect elsewhere on the ballot by turning out voters for Democratic senatorial candidate Bob Casey Jr.
Modeled after initiatives that passed earlier this month in 24 of 32 Wisconsin towns, Blackwell's effort would place on the ballot a question asking voters if they want "to begin an immediate withdrawal of its troops from Iraq, beginning with the National Guard and Reserve and ending with a total withdrawal of all U.S. forces by the end of year 2006."
Blackwell said a resolution would give Philadelphians a chance to send a message to Washington: "It's time to bring our kids home," she said.
Beyond a chance to give the Iraq war a symbolic thumbs-down, the ballot initiative could also serve another purpose amid a hard-fought Senate race. In overwhelmingly Democratic Philadelphia, the referendum could help bring out liberal voters who might be lukewarm about the antiabortion, pro-gun Casey, the front-runner in the Democratic primary campaign to take on U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum in the fall.
Crossposted at PoliticsPhilly.com
What do you think? Is this a good move? Will the proposal make it through committee in City Council and get on the ballot in November? Will it impact the Governor's race or the Senate race? Any of the State Legislature races?
Submitted by tozturk on April 17, 2006 - 1:37am.
In the mood to go out? Check out some of the local political events going on in Philadelphia this week...
Read the full list of events, through May 30th, at PoliticsPhilly.com.
If you think an event should be listed that isn't, or want your event listed, please e-mail me at tulin@politicsphilly.com
APRIL 17th: - VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINE FOR MAY 16th PRIMARY
APRIL 17th: "Faithful Security: Our Last Best Chance" Former assistant secretary of defense Lawrence Korb discusses nuclear terrorism. 7-9pm. Unitarian Society of Germantown, 6511 Lincoln Ave. 215.844.1157
APRIL 18th: Fundraiser for Attorney Sharif Street hosted by Sam Staten and Local 332 at Union headquarters, Ridge and Wallace Streets.
APRIL 18th: Drinking Liberally, 6pm at Tangier. 1801 Lombard Street, Philadelphia.
APRIL18th: Libertarian Party Meetup. Every third Tue, 8pm, FREE, Liberties Pub, 705 N. 2nd St., 215-238-0660.
APRIL 18th: Hispanic Community Business Fair. Representatives from various city agencies, like L&I and MBAT, will speak briefly and then you'll be able to ask them everything you've always wanted to know. There will also be access and information to Philadelphia's Hispanic business community, 4:30-7:30pm, FREE, Congreso de Latinos Unidos, 216 W. Somerset St., 215-763-8870.
Submitted by tozturk on April 12, 2006 - 5:01pm.
It looks like Florence Cohen, if she still wants to run, won't have a chance to be on the ballot until at least November. That appears to be earliest that City Council President Anna Verna will call a special election.
via the Inquirer
Verna's spokesman said it was still "unlikely" that the president would call the election.
"She just decided that there are six other councilmembers at large that are providing the service that Councilman Cohen would provide, and we also have two of Councilman Cohen's employees still on staff that are handling that constituency as well," said the spokesman, Tony Radwanski.
Radwanski did note, however, that the situation could be different in time for scheduled fall elections. By that time, a felony sentencing will have forced Councilman Rick Mariano out of office, meaning there will be two vacancies. Verna has said filling an empty seat for a district Council person like Mariano is more important because of the constituent services those offices provide. She has also said it might be more efficient to put both vacancies on the ballot at once.
Read more at PoliticsPhilly.com and don't forget to vote in the poll.
Previously on PhillyFuture:
Submitted by tozturk on April 11, 2006 - 4:51pm.
Have some time to kill tonight? Attend one of the political events going on in the city.
APRIL 11th:Drinking Liberally, 7PM. Tangier at 1801 Lombard Street. Visit here for more information.
APRIL 11th:Good Government Forum, 6:30 - 8:30 PM. Main Auditorium of Huntsman Hall at 38th and Walnut. Featured Panelists include State Representative Greg Vitali, Councilman Michael Nutter,and CPL Fellow Marian Schneider. Moderated by zach Stalberg, CEO of the Committee of Seventy. Sponsored by the Center for Progressive Leadership and the Fels Institute of Government and the Department of Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania.
APRIL 11th:Penn for Choice : Chuck Pennacchio, candidate for U.S. Senate will be speaking with members of Penn for Choice, a student group whose mission is to educate on reproductive rights. As a All are welcome. 3643 Locust Walk at 37th, 8:30 - 9:30 PM. Visit here for more details.
APRIL 11th:AFSCME DC33 5th annual President's Scholarship Fundraiser, from 5 p.m., Black tie event. 3001 Walnut St., Grand Ballroom, 6th floor. For information call Andrew Bond at (215) 895-3300.
View the full list at PoliticsPhilly.com
Submitted by tozturk on November 28, 2005 - 7:23am.
 The Philadelphia Police Department is reporting (PDF) that Jacqueline Finch, who is 64 years old, is missing as of 11/22/05.
Please note, Finch suffers from dementia.
If you have any information, please call Detective Hunker at the South Detectives at 215-686-3013 or 215-686-3014.
Name: Jacqueline Finch
Age: 64 Years Old
Last Seen: 11/22/05 at 3:30 PM on the 1200 Block of Bonsall Street in South Philadelphia.
Description: 5'1" and 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.
Last Seen Wearing: A white hat, a pink and white jacket with a hood, black and white New Balance sneakers, and an orange sweatshirt.
Submitted by tozturk on November 21, 2005 - 2:28am.
The local news on Monday is sure to be abuzz with the revelation by Morgan Quitno Press that Camden is America's Most Dangerous City.
What I haven't heard so far from the local TV outlets is any mention that Philadelphia is America's 6th Most Dangerous Big City, according to that same study.
Most Dangerous Cities With 500k or More in Population:
1. Detroit, MI
2. Baltimore, MD
3. Washington, DC
4. Memphis, TN
5. Dallas, TX
6. Philadelphia, PA
7. Columbus, OH
8. Nashville, TN
9. Houston, TX
10. Charlotte, NC
Crossposted to PoliticsPhilly.com.
Submitted by tozturk on November 16, 2005 - 1:26pm.
Tom Knox announced this summer that he was going to run for Mayor of Philadelphia as a Democrat in 2007.
I've wondered - as I'm sure many else have - about his background and history.
Thanks to some very nice people at the Knox for Philly campaign, his biography is now available.
Tom Knox grew up in Philadelphia’s Abbotsford housing project. He is the oldest of four sons of Thomas and Margaret Knox. Tom's father was a steel worker at the nearby Midvale-Heppenstall Steel plant and his mother supplemented the family income by selling homemade pizzas to their neighbors. Tom worked to help his mother and father provide for his younger brothers by working in a nearby cotton processing plant.
Click here to find out more.
Submitted by tozturk on November 15, 2005 - 6:35pm.
A notice was just put up on the Philadelphia Police Department's website for Harrison Carter, a 12 year old who went missing yesterday.
If you have any information, please contact the Northwest Detective Division at 215-686-3353 or 215-686-3354.
The information, via the PPD release:
Name: Hudson Carter
Age: 12 years old
He frequents the area near the Cheltenham Mall.
Description:
5'3 and about 180 pounds.
Heavy build, brown eyes, medium brown complexion, brown short hair.
Last wearing:
White T-Shirt & Blue Jeans
Last seen:
Monday (November 14th) around 6pm.
Please note, he suffers from depression.
Update Nov 17th: PPD changed Hudson's name to Harrison.
Submitted by tozturk on October 3, 2005 - 5:18pm.
via KYW:
Longtime Philadelphia city councilman David Cohen has died at age 90. He was the longest serving at-large member of Philadelphia City Council.
Cohen passed away early Monday. His son, state representative Mark Cohen, says his father had been hospitalized two weeks ago with kidney failure but seemed to be recovering. His death is attributed to heart failure.
Memorial Services: The public is invited on Thursday morning at 11am at Goldstein's funeral parlor on 6410
North Broad Street.
Crossposted at PoliticsPhilly.com...
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Councilman Goode at YoungPhillyPolitics
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