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PhiladelphiaDaily Record
Vol. II No. 26 (186) Keeping You Posted With The Politics Of Philadelphia March 22, 2011
“SPIES, TRAITORS & SABOTEURS” will occupy National Constitution Center until May 30! Fortu-
nately, it’s only a show. Exhibit, created by International Spy Museum, offers an interactive view of
threats and terrorism throughout America’s history. Some items included in display are fragments of
federal building from Oklahoma City bombing. Visitors will uncover stories of espionage, treason and
deception in the United States from 1776 to today. Discover little-known accounts of foreign agents,
militias and radicals, and learn how responses to domestic attacks have driven counterintelligence that
continues to affect our everyday lives. Fox 29 TV is exhibit’s media partner. At
preview, seen here are, from left, Mike Jerrick, co-host of Fox 29 TV “Good
Day” show; Karen Corbin, COO of International Spy Museum; behind the spy
glasses is David Eisner, Center’s mysterious CEO; and James Doolin, Jr. of FBI.
Photo by Bonnie Squires
Traitors
2 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 22 MARCH, 2011
Buxco Rep Demands Inquest
Into Philly School FundingState Rep. Scott Petri (R-Bucks) is
calling on the Pennsylvania Dept.
of Education to do an immediate
investigation into irregularities
found in an audit of the School
District of Philadelphia. Petri also
wants to know what measures
PDE took to ensure Philadelphia
schools received appropriate levels
of state education funding.
Petri’s challenge follows a recent
audit report by State Auditor Gen-
eral Jack Wagner, in which Wag-
ner’s team found widespread
statistical deficiencies in student
enrollment and attendance records
in the Philadelphia that date back
at least 10 years. This data is es-
sential in determining the amount
of state and federal funding school
districts receive.
“Due to a lack of reliable and veri-
fiable documentation on student
enrollment and attendance in
Philadelphia schools that goes
back a decade, auditors said they
were unable to conclude whether
the District received the appropri-
ate State subsidies and reimburse-
ments,” Petri said. “The report said
these findings are particularly dis-
turbing because in those 10 years,
the District received approximately
$9.1 billion of State money based
on those reports.”
Philadelphia is, by far, the largest
recipient of State education fund-
ing.
Auditors found attendance records
maintained by teachers didn’t
match the District’s computerized
records. The report stated the
School District of Philadelphia’s
“failure to accurately maintain and
report this data calls into question
the legitimacy and appropriateness
of the bulk of its State taxpayer
funding.”
“This is a fairness issue throughout
the Commonwealth that must be
addressed,” said Petri. “Each year,
funding disbursements for
Philadelphia have been going up,
based on questionable data. Mean-
while, other school districts that
were dutifully submitting accurate
figures saw their education fund-
ing slashed. Each of the schools in
my legislative District is losing $3
million in this year’s budget.
“I am calling on the Dept. of Edu-
cation to investigate how Philadel-
phia can continue to receive State
funding when it cannot provide
sufficient data to prove it is enti-
tled to it,” said Petri. “I want to
know how pervasive this problem
is and how PDE proposes to fix it.
At a time when education funding
is seeing drastic cuts, it is impera-
tive this limited funding goes
where it is most needed - based on
accurate and verifiable informa-
tion.”
Elementary School Kicks
Off Funder For Japanese
Quake VictimsOn Wednesday, Mar. 23 at 9:00 a.m., students at the
General George McCall ES will launch “Quarters for
Comfort,” a fundraiser to benefit the American Red
Cross Japan Earthquake and Pacific Tsunami Relief
Fund.
From Thursday, Mar. 24 through Thursday, Mar. 31,
students will be collecting and bringing coins from
home to deposit into donation boxes provided by the
Red Cross. Students will also draft and send letters to
local businesses asking for matching donations.
The 4th-grade class is sponsoring the fundraiser and
will work to launch and promote the event.
Direct Wine Shipments
Sought By Farnese
State Sen. Larry Farnese (D-S. Phila.) today an-
nounced he is seeking co-sponsors and will introduce
legislation that will change the way wine is sold and
expand consumer choice.
22 MARCH, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 3
Farnese’s legislation would allow
consumers in Pennsylvania to
order wine by mail from anywhere
in the United States and have it
shipped directly to their home.
Current law does not allow any di-
rect shipments.
“The bill is meant to expand con-
sumer choice,” said the Senator.
“There is a growing movement in
Pennsylvania for privatization.
But when you drill down, people
want privatization as a means to
choice: choice of product and
choice of price. I want to make
sure that we have consumer
choice.”
Farnese announced his legislation
during today’s testimony by the
Pennsylvania Liquor Control
Board during budget hearings in
Harrisburg. Farnese is a member
of the Appropriations Committee.
Schmidt Gets Housing Police Endorsement
PRO-ACT Adds New Family
Addiction Education Programs
AL SCHMIDT, right, candidate
for City Commissioner in the
Republican primary, received
key union backing from Rod-
ney Little, president of Frater-
nal Order of Housing Police.
Pennsylvania Recovery Organization – Achieving
Community Together announces the expansion of its
free Family Addiction Education Program with the
addition of two new locations in North Philadelphia
and Northeast Philadelphia.
The Family Addiction Education Program provides
information and support to help individuals and fami-
lies recognize and address an addiction problem in a
spouse, parent, child or other loved one.
“There is a tremendous need for information about
addiction and support for families impacted by the
disease,” said Noni West, who coordinates the family
program. “With the addition of these two new sites,
we are able to extend our reach and provide hope to
families who need these resources.”
In April, PRO-ACT will begin offering the monthly
program at the Philadelphia Recovery Community
Center at 1701 Lehigh Avenue in North Philadelphia.
Sessions will be held on the first three Wednesdays of
the month, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
2 0 1 1Mar. 24-
Fundraiser for Marnie Aument
Loughrey at Law Offices of Daniel Mc-
Caffery, 2 Penn Center, Suite 1030,
5:30-7:30 p.m. For info (215) 427-1645.
Mar. 24-
Reception honoring Marty Bednarek,
Democrat candidate for City Council, 6th
Dist., at Historic Glen Foerd on
Delaware, 5001 Grant Ave. 7-9 p.m.
RSVP by Mar. 20. For info (215) 624-
1700.
Mar. 24-
State Sen. Anthony Williams promotes
School Choice forum hosted by Delta
Sigma Theta Sorority and Bright Hope
Baptist Ch.’s Sr. Pastor Kevin Johnson,
at Bright Hope Youth Center, 12th and
Cecil B. Moore Ave., 7-9 p.m.
Mar. 25-
State Rep. Michelle Brownlee hosts
Open House for constituent feedback at
office, 2839 W. Girard St., 9 a.m.-5
p.m.; free breakfast 9-10:30 a.m. For
info (215) 684-3738.
Mar. 25-
Spring Fundraiser for Victim/Witness
Services of S. Phila. at Fleisher Art Me-
morial, 719 Catherine St., 6-9 p.m. Tick-
ets $50. Light fare, wine, beer and
music.
Mar. 25-
Gov. Tom Corbett addresses 82nd Air-
borne Phila. Chapter All American Din-
ner & Awards Ceremony at Iron
Workers Union Hall, 11600 Norcom
Rd., 7-11 p.m. Tickets $35. For tickets
Eunice Lee at elee@zarwin/com or
(215) 569-2800, ext. 1179, or David Oh,
chairman, ext. 1157.
Mar. 25- Springtime Cabaret
fundraiser for State Rep. Rosita Young-
blood and 13th Ward Democrats at 5551
Germantown Ave., 8 p.m.-1 a.m.
BYOB. Tickets $20. For info Shiela
(267) 581-0025 or Dayne (267) 593-
9156.
Mar. 25- Rep. Michelle Brownlee
hosts open hosue at her cxonstiuent
service officd at 2839 W. Girard Av.,
from 9 to 5 p.m. with Continental
Breakfast at 9 a.m. to 10:3 a.m.
Starting in May, the Family Addic-
tion Education Program will also
be available at CORA Services,
8540 Verree Road in Northeast
Philadelphia, on the first three
Tuesdays of the month, 7-9 p.m.
“There are huge gains to be real-
ized in Northeast Philadelphia
from this service,” said Mary Do-
herty, director of CORA’s Commu-
nity Services Division. “We see so
many families where the person
with the addiction is resistant to
treatment. The family is desperate,
but they don’t qualify for funded
services. Now we have something
to offer family members who don’t
have access to other resources.”
Facilitated by trained volunteers
who have been in the same situa-
tion, the Family Addiction Educa-
tion Programs run one evening a
week for three consecutive weeks.
Each session lasts two hours.
PRO-ACT launched its first Fam-
ily Program in 2001 in Bucks
County. The group has served
more than 2,000 families through-
out the Delaware Valley. Today,
PRO-ACT offers the free, confi-
dential program at multiple loca-
tions in the five-county area.
Pre-registration is required. To reg-
ister, call PRO-ACT, weekdays 9
a.m. through 5 p.m., at (800) 221-
6333, or visit www.proact.org and
click the Family Addiction Educa-
tion Program link.
ELIZABETH EARLEY shows up in all sorts of places in this pro-
duction of Mary Poppins.
Local Talent Swings In Mary Poppins At
Academy of Music, Starting Tomorrow
4 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 22 MARCH, 2011
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by Adam Taxin
The touring Disney/Cameron
Mackintosh production of MaryPoppins opens tomorrow night at
the Academy of Music for a four-
week run through Sunday, Apr. 17.
Based on a series of children’s
books written by the Australian-
born British novelist/actress/jour-
nalist P.L. Travers starting in the
1930s, Mary Poppins was released
as a movie in 1964, starring Julie
Andrews and Dick Van Dyke. An-
drews won the “Best Actress”
Oscar for her role as the title char-
acter, and the film also won Oscars
for “Best Film Editing,” “Best
Original Music Score,” “Best
Song” (“Chim Chim Cher-ee”) and
“Best Visual Effects.” The theatri-
cal version opened in London in
2004 and New York in 2006, pick-
ing up seven Tony Award nomina-
tions, including for “Best
Musical.”
Mary Poppins tells the story of a
strong-minded nanny of mysteri-
ous origins who arrives in London
and soon gets the job of looking
after Michael and Jane, the some-
what spoiled but certainly re-
deemable children of the
no-longer-as-well-off-as-they-
once-were Banks Family.
Elizabeth Earley, originally from
West Chester (West Chester East
HS), is a member of the cast in a
“swing” role. According to Earley,
“I cover nine different women.
And I can play any different com-
bination of those women. Some-
times if a couple people are out,
we, as swings, have to double up.
“I’m also a dance captain. There
are two total, one female, one
male. We’re responsible for main-
taining the choreography of the
show in addition to teaching the
new people coming in. And then
also, when people are out on vaca-
tion or sick or personal days, we
have to make sure we regulate the
choreography and fill in the holes
of the people that are missing.”
Earley emphasizes audiences, es-
pecially adults, should not expect
quite the same story in the show as
in the movie: “This story goes
back to the original Mary Poppins
character from the book, and com-
bines her with the familiar Mary
Poppins of the movie. It’s not ex-
actly the same tale that is told in
the movie, but it is very similar
here and there. The movie seems
to be just for children, but the ac-
tual Broadway show has a lot in it
that’s a little deeper for the adults
as well.”
The actress mentions the relevance
of the show to the current eco-
nomic times, which may be a sur-
prise to many. “People tell me
there’s much more in this than they
were anticipating. I find people
comparing the market, financial
world and difficult times that
we’re in right now to the show.
The show also really touches on a
lot of key, core family values.”
Asked for her personal favorite
songs in the show, Earley doesn’t
mention the musical’s more-recog-
nizable “Chim Chim Cher-ee,” “A
Spoonful of Sugar” and “Supercal-
ifragilisticexpialidocious.” Accord-
ing to Earley, “‘Step in Time’ is a
blast to perform every night. That
is probably the number for which
we get the largest amount of ap-
plause. There are some extraordi-
22 MARCH, 2011 THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD | 5
6 | THE PHILADELPHIA DAILY RECORD 22 MARCH, 2011
nary things in there that we just
say are ‘Disney Magic.’ My other
favorite is ‘Anything Can Happen,’
which is when Mary Poppins takes
Michael and Jane to the heavens
and shows them the world not just
from their own little view. They’re
basically like angels. It’s a beauti-
ful number, the lighting is incredi-
ble.”
Earley, who spent much of the
winter performing in (very cold)
Midwest locales, is quite excited to
perform in Philadelphia. “It’s so
much fun to perform in your home
area, because not only are you see-
ing family, but the teachers and the
people who played important parts
in your life get to come and see
your shows as well. You feel like
you’re giving back.”
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Adam Taxin, a Center City attor-ney, can best be contacted viaFacebook or [email protected].