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 atadamtaxin@gmail.com.