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Making a difference at the Clay Studio

The group exhibition, "Making a Difference: Social and Political Activism in Clay," causes our reviewer to ponder the deeper meaning behind the words in the show's title and to weigh in on how art can or cannot be an effective tool to spark societal change. This provocative exhibit is at The Clay Studio through Nov. 17, 2018, so run over and see it.

“All I have is a voice To undo the folded lie” From “September 1, 1939”, W.H. Auden

This exhibition asks whether art, and here ceramic art, can “make a difference” as a response to, and a protest against, what we might as well just describe in shorthand as the evils of Trumpism. I think that this is an important question to ask when so many of us in the opposition have been struggling, often in vain, to find ways to do just that, lest we become complicit in the degenerative political culture being thrust upon us.

While I firmly believe in the salutary effects of art, it’s questionable whether artists explicitly representing their political views in their work can make a difference. And here, by “making a difference,” I mean, among other things, communicating in a meaningful way to those who disagree with their viewpoints. It’s easy, of course, to fall into the trap of preaching to the choir, and easier even to end up ridiculing the other side, especially today. But to what end? To laugh until you cry?

Are we just canaries in a coal mine?

The works on view, by thirteen artists,* run the gamut from the parodic to the sublime. In one, a coven of yellow canaries perched on a wall face away from the viewer, as if they are trying to get away. The piece, by Tim Berg and Rebekah Myers, is called “Turn a Blind Eye.” Across from the installation is their circular neon sign which reads “THIS WAY LIES MADNESS LIES,” reminiscent of Bruce Nauman’s “The True Artist Helps the World by Revealing Mystic Truths” at the PMA. My thought: now in the hands of a government dominated by climate change deniers, we have all become we all now are the canaries in the a coal mine — trapped, unable to get away from the madness of the lies of our climate change denying government, and soon we will begin dropping unless we can find a way out.

Bruce Nauman, The true artist helps the world, neon, 59 x 55 x 2 in. (149.8 x139.7 x 5 cm), edition A/P, awaiting installation at the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2009.

Move the polling places to museums and galleries and vote on weekends

In the face of voter apathy and suppression, the opposition at this moment in our political history has been reduced to trying to get out the vote. There’s something tragic, even pitiful about that, albeit important, and the exhibit takes note of the fact in an unsubtle work by Russell Biles in which scores of horrible-looking, hand-sized, bloody pink clay Trumps and Putins and Kim Jong-uns and Assads, et al. (I think a Kavanaugh was thrown in at the last minute), with diminutive hands and genitals, fangs and pig ears, some with little horns, many of which look like they have metallic instruments of torture shoved in their mouths, stand in rows upon a large black platform that reads VOTE. It’s a disgusting piece, but then again it’s a disgusting situation. So ok, vote.

The adornment and subjugation of women

Ann Agee, “Hand Warmers” Various clay bodies and glazes, Approximately 3 x 4 x 6 inches, 2017 – 2018, Image courtesy of the artist.

On the sublime end of the spectrum, there is a wonderful group of objects by Ann Agee in the show, pictured here, small, lovely clay shoes or slippers which actually are hand warmers, copies of 17th and 18th century Davanzati majolica hand warmers that were shaped like shoes and used by women in Florence who were trapped in their houses, perhaps making lace, in rooms decorated to resemble the outside world, because it was allegedly too dangerous for them to go outside. Foot binding in China, of course, comes to mind, where adornment and subjugation meet in stunted feet.

The handmade world

As with other pieces in this exhibition, and perhaps together with craft arts generally, Agee’s work also directs our attention to what she refers to as “the eroding territory of the handmade world.” Thinking about this, I wondered whether these artists, and craftspeople generally, “make a difference” by counteracting or resisting the pressures of commercialism and mass production, of cheap consumption and waste, and absorption in the virtual world. Is there not some way in which making stuff, and doing things in the natural world, generates something that is in short supply in today’s political atmosphere — respect for the environment, for ourselves, and for each other? Respect which seems in short supply in today’s political environment.

Sharif Bey, “Gold Bird #4”, Glass, earthenware, mixed media, 26 inches diameter, 2017, Image courtesy of the artist

Sharif Bey is an artist who takes homemade literally. He works at home in order to allow himself to avoid institutional structures and workplaces, to spend more time with his family, and to reflect in his work the milieu in which he lives. His unique piece “Gold Bird #4,” in the form of a necklace, transcends traditional ceramic production and presents a striking combination of beauty and power. Its earthy, gourd-like components resemble rattles; they are sharp and soft at the same time; and its hearth-like pendant is a window into the world beyond.

Syd Carpenter, Kukuli Velarde and Robert Lugo: Identity & Sustainability

Syd Carpenter, Emma and Ike Mitchell, painted terra cotta

There are two elegant pieces by Swarthmore professor Syd Carpenter in the show, which continue some of the work she exhibited at the African American Museum in 2014, which we reviewed. The work is part of her series of farm portraits, which celebrate the means, forms and structures of the farms and gardens of African Americans who, in the face of institutionalized racism and discrimination, are striving for self-sustainability, productivity and beauty, oftentimes now through urban gardening which brings their communities together. By this celebration, Carpenter “makes a difference” in our perception of what is valuable and sustainable, about what it takes to survive in an amoral and unequal society.

Kukuli Velarde, “San José y El Niño”, Low fire clay, underglazes, casein paint, white gold leaf, 24 inches high, 20 inches diameter, 2017, Image courtesy of the artist

Making a Difference includes a piece, “San José y El Niño,” by the well known Peruvian-American artist Kukuli Velarde. We have written about her work before, and interviewed her on Artblog Radio. Her work is, I think, an exquisite expression of identity in a form that is not corrupted by colonization, by forces of assimilation intended to destroy the remnants of an indigenous or foreign culture. She “makes a difference” because in essence her work is about resurrecting and sustaining pride in the face of forces which would otherwise repel and reject those who are different.

Robert Lugo, “New Slaves: The Cycle Continues”, 35 x 35 x 5 inches, 2017, Photo: Kenek Photography, courtesy of Wexler Gallery

Roberto Lugo has two pieces in the exhibition. We’ve written a great deal about this remarkable artist, most recently about his contribution to the Taller Puertorriqueño homecoming show. The signature piece of “Making a Difference” may be his gorgeous plate “New Slaves: The Cycle Continues.” The title itself speaks volumes about the messages conveyed in his work, in which he intends “to honor people of color.” Beholding the figure that dominates this work, which invokes the patterns of an African heritage together with the orange jumpsuits of mass incarceration in the United States, you almost feel as if Lugo has magically condensed histories of oppression and identity and walked them into the present.

I’ve often thought that Lugo’s work is about esteem, about the self-esteem of oppressed people of color. In the catalogue that accompanies the exhibit he states: “I often feel like my career is a practice of putting my face in a place it doesn’t belong.” I wonder whether that really is the recipe for “making a difference.”

Is there hope?

After all, I can’t help but circle back to the question I asked at the beginning: Who’s watching? Are these artists (together with the rest of us) just whistling in the dark? Much of the work on display in the exhibition conveys hope. Lamentably, I wonder whether the message is least likely to reach those who need most to hear it.

*Artists in the show: Ann Agee, Tim Berg & Rebekah Myers, Sharif Bey, Russell Biles, Mark Burns, Syd Carpenter, Ayumi Horie, Robert Lugo, Richard Notkin , Mara Superior, Kukuli Velarde Paula Winokur

Making a Difference: Social and Political Activism in Clay,The Clay Studio, 139 N 2nd St, through November 17th.

Source: https://www.theartblog.org/2018/10/making-a-difference-at-the-clay-studio/

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Uber Eats Offering Special Deal For Oscars

Follow CBSPHILLY Facebook  | Twitter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Planning an Oscars viewing party? Uber Eats has a big deal for you this weekend.

From now through Feb. 25, the food delivery service has buy-one-get-one-free offers at restaurants across the United States.

Uber Reportedly Preparing To Go Public Despite Losing Over $1 Billion In 2018

When customers open the app, a banner will run across their screen with restaurants that are participating in the deal.

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/02/21/uber-eats-offering-special-deal-for-oscars/

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Details emerge of police shooting of “very quiet” grad student on 4900 block of Hazel

March 8, 2019

New details are emerging about the police shooting of a 25-year-old Temple University graduate student on Wednesday evening on the 4900 block of Hazel Avenue.

Police said they were called to a home on the block to investigate a reported stabbing. Police said that the victim, identified by CBS Philly as Kaleb Belay, approached them with a “kitchen knife” and ignored warnings to drop it before one officer shot him several times.

Police found no stabbing victim. 

Belay, who is from Ethiopia and has been in the country for about a year, is listed in critical condition at Penn Presbyterian Hospital with six gunshot wounds to the stomach, chest and hand.

“They’re giving inaccurate information,” said Saba Tedla, the owner of Booker’s Restaurant on Baltimore Avenue, where Belay started as a busser and is now a bookkeeper. “It’s misleading what’s out there.”

Tedla described Belay as “very quiet.”

People close to Belay say he was walking toward his home on Hazel when he was shot on the sidewalk. They say police later searched his room.

A police spokesman said late Wednesday that the 27-year-old officer who shot Belay has been removed from active duty pending an investigation. Police have not responded to requests for further information regarding the shooting.

Source: http://www.westphillylocal.com/2019/03/08/details-emerge-of-police-shooting-of-very-quiet-grad-student-on-4900-block-of-hazel/

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Federal Donuts and Mural Arts Philadelphia are teaming up on a charitable Berries & Cream doughnut

Mural Arts Philadelphia and Federal Donuts are teaming up to launch a Mural Arts Month doughnut, available Oct. 1 to 8. A portion of the proceeds from the eight-day Berries and Cream special will benefit Mural Arts' Art Education program, which provides in-school and after-school arts-based programming to more than 2,000 students at 25 sites across the city.

Source: http://www2.philly.com/philly/entertainment/federal-donuts-mural-arts-philadelphia-berries-cream-doughnut-20180927.html

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WWE’s Roman Reigns Announces Cancer In Remission, Returns To Ring

By Chuck Carroll

(CBS NY/CBS Local) — When Roman Reigns stepped through the curtain Monday night, he was met by an unfamiliar sound. It was heartfelt applause stemming from a place far deeper than just a desire to cheer for one of the good guys on TV. Absent was the chorus of boos to drown out cheers from his allegiance of fans.

On this night, not a single detractor could be heard among the thousands of members of the WWE Universe who had gathered in Atlanta. On this night, the Big Dog was universally beloved.

Thunderous chants of “welcome back” reigned down from every corner of the arena. The prolonged cheers delayed his first live remarks since the fateful night last October, when he announced that he was relinquishing the Universal Title and walking away from the ring to battle leukemia for the second time in his life. Reigns hadn’t said a word on WWE TV in more than four months, so what was another few minutes?

Roman Reigns (Photo Credit: Emma McIntyre/Getty Images)

Finally, 10 minutes into the live broadcast of Monday Night RAW, he could speak.

“I’m probably going to say this a lot, but I’m going to start out by saying ‘thank you,’” Reigns began.

Fittingly, some in the crowd began chanting “you are welcome.”

The WWE Superstar who has clawed his way to the top of the sports entertainment world and built a reputation as a fearless competitor then made an uncharacteristic confession. Thinking back to last fall, the powerful Samoan confessed to being terrified and insecure prior to revealing to the world his cancer had returned after being in remission for 11 years.

>>MORE: Roman Reigns, Breaking Character, Reveals He Has Leukemia

“So many people prayed for me that God’s voicemail was full,” he said. “That is how strong it was to be surrounded by y’all’s love and grace… I can do anything with that type of strength and love.”

His words, coupled with the writing on the black tank top that adorned his still muscular body, hinted at what was to follow: We Fight. We Overcome. We Believe.

Roman Reigns (Photo Credit: Ron ElkmanSports Imagery/Getty Images)

“When I made my announcement, I said I was going to swing for the fences. We did better than that,” Reigns continued. “We didn’t just swing for the fences, we hit a home run. I’m so grateful, so humbled, and so honored to announce this. The good news is I’m in remission. So with that being said, the Big Dog is back.”

The crowd erupted, giving the once controversial former champion another undivided standing ovation, as deafening chants of “welcome back” again echoed throughout the arena.

His response was equally heartfelt.

“Thank you so much. I love y’all,” he replied.

Even before Reigns was able to deliver the uplifting update, some in the audience were calling for him to declare an opponent at WrestleMania. Without missing a beat, he paused and smiled, then said that he first had to crawl before he could walk and then walk before he could run. Of course that will do little to quiet the speculation that his Mania future will soon become clear.

There doesn’t appear to be a path for him to challenge for the Universal Title that he was forced to give up due to the cancer diagnosis, as Royal Rumble winner, Seth Rollins, is set to challenge current champion, Brock Lesnar. However, as of now, Daniel Bryan’s dance card and a shot at the WWE Championship seem wide open. In recent weeks, there had been speculation that Bryan would be facing an unnamed returning Superstar. Many assumed that the mystery man would be revealed as John Cena, Bray Wyatt or Kevin Owens. But with Monday’s announcement, the door is open for Reigns to lay the smackdown on the devilish vegan and make the jump to Tuesday nights. Looking ahead, his presence on SmackDown can only help shore up slumping ratings and bolster viewership, as the show prepares to move to a new network in the fall.

>>MORE: From the world of Pro Wrestling

Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns (L-R) (Photo Credit: JP Yim/Getty Images)

In the more immediate future, the door has been left open for a potential reunion of The Shield, the faction that launched Reigns’ career in WWE and cemented his status as one of the promotion’s top stars. The returning champion and Rollins ran to the ring to save an outnumbered Dean Ambrose from a three-on-one beatdown at the hands of Bobby Lashley, Baron Corbin and Drew McIntyre. As storylines go, there will need to be some fence-mending before that can happen after WWE controversially decided to have Ambrose turn on Rollins on the same night Reigns announced the reemergence of his cancer. As of now, none of the men have a match scheduled at the upcoming Fastlane pay-per-view on March 10.

But as Reigns said, that is to be determined down the line. For now, we celebrate more than the return of a wrestler. We celebrate a father who has devoted countless hours to improving the lives of thousands of others battling life-threatening illness and has himself beaten leukemia back into remission.

Welcome back, Roman. You were missed.

News & Notes

The other big news coming out of Monday’s show was the return of Dave Bautista. The Guardians of the Galaxy star brutally beat down Ric Flair, spoiling The Nature Boy’s 70th birthday celebration and appearing to set the wheels in motion for a showdown with Triple H at WrestleMania.

The triple threat match between Ronda Rousey, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch for the RAW Women’s Championship at WrestleMania also took a step forward Monday. As part of the storyline, Lynch was arrested for defying orders and showing up to attack Rousey despite her ongoing suspension. Rousey then left the title in limbo by seemingly relinquishing it after Stephanie McMahon declined to sign off on the match.

>>MORE: Is Ronda Rousey Leaving WWE?

WWE Hall of Famer Tammy “Sunny” Sytch has run afoul of the law yet again. The 46-year-old is now facing charges of driving while intoxicated after being arrested in Seaside Heights, New Jersey Saturday evening. Authorities are also levying charges of driving on a suspended license, failing to stop at a stop sign, having an open container of alcohol in the car, reckless driving, driving the wrong way on a one-way street, and careless driving, according to multiple reports. Police say Sytch also had outstanding traffic warrants in Holmdel, NJ, which is less than an hour away. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson is reporting that officials in Pennsylvania filed to revoke her parole prior to the most recent arrest. She spent much of 2018 incarcerated in the state following multiple arrests for DWI.

WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has been fired from his backstage role as a producer for the company. Anderson had been butting heads with Vince McMahon, which led to his ouster according to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer. An original member of The Four Horsemen, Anderson was not present for Ric Flair’s 70th birthday celebration on RAW.

Tye Dillinger and Hideo Itami have both requested and been granted their releases from WWE. There is some speculation that the former will eventually join AEW.

Former WWE Cruiserweight Champion TJP has also been let go by the company for disciplinary reasons, according to Meltzer.

Tickets to Ring of Honor’s debut in the Pacific Northwest will go on sale for Honor Club members on February 27 and to the general public on March 1. ROH will run in Kent, Washington on June 1 and Portland, Oregon on June 2.

ROH Women of Honor Champion, Mayu Iwatani, will defend her title against Kelly Klein at the ROH 17th Anniversary pay-per-view on March 15.

The Young Bucks vs. Lucha Bros is now official for AEW Double of Nothing on May 25.

Chuck Carroll is former pro wrestling announcer and referee turned sports media personality. He once appeared on Monday Night RAW when he presented Robert Griffin III with a WWE title belt in the Redskins locker room.

Follow him on Twitter @ChuckCarrollWLC.

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/02/26/roman-reigns-wwe-cancer-leukemia-remission-ring-return-wrestlemania/

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Rami Malek wins best actor Oscar for 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

LOS ANGELES --

Rami Malek had difficult moments making "Bohemian Rhapsody," but he has an Oscar to show for it.

Malek, receiving the best actor trophy Sunday for his portrayal of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, called it a "monumental moment." He thanked members of the band in attendance.

"I may not have been the obvious choice, but I guess it worked out," Malek said. "Thank you, Queen, thank you, guys, for allowing me to be the tiniest part of your phenomenal, extraordinary legacy. I am forever in your debt.

Malek speculated about what he would have made of the honor as a child.

"I think his curly haired mind would have been blown," he said. "That kid was struggling with his identity, trying to figure himself out."

He lauded "Bohemian Rhapsody" for telling the story of a gay man and an immigrant who lived his life as "unapologetically himself." Mercury, who was born in Zanzibar to parents from India, moved to England with his family as a teenager.

Malek noted that he himself is the son of immigrants, from Egypt, and a first-generation American. He gave a shout-out to his mother - "I love you, lady" - and regretted that his father was not alive.

"My dad didn't get to see me do any of this, but I think he's looking down on me right now," he said.

Malek, who was best known for his award-winning role as a disturbed hacker in TV's "Mr. Robot," was the front-runner coming into the Oscars, having collected an armful of awards including Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild trophies.

He has spoken, briefly but publicly, about the difficulty of working with director Bryan Singer before Singer was fired from "Bohemian Rhapsody." It was "not pleasant, not pleasant at all," he said earlier this month at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

Singer's firing came amidst sexual abuse allegations against the director, which he has categorically denied and weren't cited as the reason for his being dropped from the film.

The other nominees in the category were Christian Bale for "Vice"; Bradley Cooper in "A Star Is Born"; Willem Dafoe with "At Eternity's Gate" and Viggo Mortensen in "Green Book.

(Copyright ©2019 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Source: https://6abc.com/entertainment/rami-malek-wins-best-actor-oscar-for-bohemian-rhapsody/5155302/

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Cresheim to Rox Reservoir to Miquon

The route.

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Source: https://ruins.wordpress.com/2014/02/10/cresheim-to-miquon/

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Residents displaced by West Philly fire get help, but there's no longterm housing plan

Watching the five-alarm blaze overtake her studio apartment early Monday morning, Bobbi Walker thought about her pillow-top mattress.

She was a relatively new resident of the building at 63rd and Jefferson that was decimated by the fire — Walker moved in about 10 months ago. She had finally gotten back on her feet, having experienced homelessness and rotated in and out of Philly’s shelter system.

She adored everything about her modest apartment, and especially her pillow-top mattress, which she’d managed to track down for cheap. It became a symbol of her newfound freedom from the system.

“I never was able to afford a pillow-top before,” said Walker, 40. “I loved it.”

But that mattress — along with just about the entire Overbrook Garden apartment complex and everything in it — were damaged in the fire, beyond repair.

Walker was among more than 65 residents who were displaced earlier this week. Fortunately there were no reported injuries or fatalities among people, although some pets didn’t make it out in time. Right away, Philly officials opened up an emergency shelter at West Philadelphia High School for folks with nowhere else to go.

Has the city come up with a long-term housing plan? Not quite yet.

“I wish,” said Sadie Bynum, director of the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management. “I wish a million times.”

The West Philly high school will continue hosting people in the gymnasium for the foreseeable future, Bynum said.

So far, the situation has displaced some athletic programs and forced the basketball team to reschedule a Friday night game.

“Across Philadelphia we see that there’s a need for shelter,” Bynum said. “There’s a challenge with the homeless population and finding answers and solutions for them. These folks are going to find themselves in that same situation if we’re not able to put them in something beforehand.”

But that’s not to say there aren’t short-term ideas on the table. A few residents have been able to stay with family or find new apartments on their own. A local church has a few rooms where they’re willing to host people for a few months, and the city has provided access to case workers that can help people find affordable housing options.

Though the shelter meets some immediate housing needs, it hardly scratches the surface for residents who need to replace everything.

OEM officials put together a massive resource fair on Friday for the shelter population. It brought together a dozen organizations that could provide services:

American Red Cross: casework and support

BenePhilly: benefits eligibility and replacement

HIAS PA & Nationalities Service Center (NSC): visa and green card replacement

PA Department of Health: birth certificate replacement

PA Department of Human Services: SNAP benefit replacement

PA Department of Insurance: insurance advocacy and support

PA Department of Transportation: driver’s license and ID replacement

Philadelphia Corporation for Aging: senior citizen benefits and housing information

Salvation Army: disaster survivor recovery support

Salvation Army: meals and refreshments (provided via food truck)

Medical Reserve Corps: intake and health screenings

Department of Behavioral Health & Intellectual disAbility Services: mental health services

School District of Philadelphia: the shelter itself

“This is a special day, where we’ve got all of our partner agencies,” said Bynum, the OEM director. “They set up tables and meet with folks one on one, and really dig down into their specific situation.”

Their needs are all diverse, Bynum said. Folks need everything from food and shelter to physical health screenings and counseling services.

“In some cases, it’s something as simple as getting a replacement birth certificate or ID card,” she added. “It’s sort of the first step to allowing them to rebuild their lives.”

Michaela Winberg / Billy Penn

It’s impossible to say how long it will take the displaced population to rebuild their lives completely. For what it’s worth, officials say the process is going about as well as it can.

“In general, the population of this shelter has been delightful,” said Debbie Tevlin, the Red Cross shelter manager on site. “They’re supporting each other.”

“I think it’s been going awesome,” added Tevlin, who handles emergency services in the Philly area all the time. “I’m impressed with how smooth it is.”

Walker, who was among the residents displaced by the fire, agrees. She’s been staying with family in Philly’s Olney section, but still visits the shelter during the day to utilize its services. The logistics, she said, are up to par.

“Philadelphia takes care of me so well,” Walker said. “My case managers are keeping me so happy.”

Despite the logistical progress, Walker’s fear lingers. Sudden disasters — like fire — can be a source of major trauma. When a gust of campfire smoke blew past Walker on Friday outside the high school, it brought her right back to the scene.

“It’s so scary,” she said, searching for the source of the smoke. “I’m so scared.

“I was happy there,” Walker added. “This is messed up. My head is messed up because of that.”

Source: https://billypenn.com/2018/12/15/residents-displaced-by-west-philly-fire-get-help-but-theres-no-longterm-housing-plan/

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Look Back At 5 Of The Tony Award’s Most Celebrated Winners

The 2019 Tony Awards will go live this Sunday, June 9th at 8:00 PM ET/PT, only on CBS. Throughout the years there have been hundreds of deserving winners but as with anything, there is always a group that stands head and shoulders above the rest. See below for five of the Tony Award‘s most celebrated winners and be sure to tune in this Sunday night when a new crop of winners add to their own legacies.

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 12: The cast of “Hamilton” performs onstage during the 70th Annual Tony Awards at The Beacon Theatre on June 12, 2016 in New York City. (Photo by Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)

Most Nominations For A Single Production

The most Tony Award nominations ever received by a single production was Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton in 2016 with 16 nominations in 13 different categories. Hamilton ended up bringing 11 awards, good for second most all-time at a single show, second only to…

388331 01: FILE PHOTO: People stand in line outside the St. James Theatre in New York April 25, 2001 to purchase tickets for the Broadway production of “The Producers,” Mel Brooks” wacky satire of Broadway based on his 1968 film. “The Producers” set a record May 7, 2001 with 15 nominations for the theater world’s top honors, the Tony awards. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Newsmakers)

Most Wins For A Single Production

The record for most Tony Awards ever won in a single year is held by the musical The Producers from 2001. The Producers took home 12 awards, including the show’s highest honor being named “Best Musical.”

NEW YORK – JUNE 15: The cast of “South Pacific” performs onstage during the 62nd Annual Tony Awards held at Radio City Music Hall on June 15, 2008 in New York City. (Photo by Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images)

Most Acting Awards For A Single Production

Throughout the 70-plus years of Tony Awards ceremonies only one show has even taken home all four acting awards in a single year, South Pacific in 1950. Ezio Pinza, Mary Martin, Myron McCormick and Juanita Hall all walked away winners for their performances as the show earned them Best Performance By A Leading Actor In A Musical, Best Performance By A Leading Actress In A Musical, Best Performance By A Featured Actor In A Musical and Best Performance By A Featured Actress In A Musical.

LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 07: Annalene Beechey and Jose Llana perform songs from ‘The King and I’ on stage during The Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard at the Royal Albert Hall on April 07, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

A Resurgent Icon

The King and I holds a very distinct honor in the course of Tony Awards history as the show is currently the only one one to win ���Best Musical” and “Best Revival Musical”…twice. The King And I won “Best Musical” in 1952 and several decades later would win “Best Revival Musical” in both 1996 AND 2015. Proving that some shows truly do stand the test of time.

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 06: Hal Prince speaks onstage at Lincoln Center Hall Of Fame Gala at the Alice Tully Hall on June 6, 2017 in New York City. (Photo by Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Lincoln Center)

Most Individual Award Wins

When it comes to Tony Awards history, the conversation starts and ends with Harold Prince and his record-setting 21 individual awards. Prince’s 21 nods began in 1955 when he won “Best Musical” for The Pajama Game. “Best Musical” and Harold Prince would become a familiar pair toTony Awards viewers over the course of the next several decades as he won the award seven different times. His most recent Tony came in 2006 when he walked away with the “Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/06/03/tony-awards-biggest-winners/

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Help Bartram’s Garden win $200,000

July 9, 2019

Bartram’s Garden has a chance to get awarded $200,000 after it was selected as a finalist for the Philadelphia Foundation’s Key to Community grant. The historic garden and arboretum located at 5400 Lindbergh Blvd. in Southwest Philadelphia is competing in the Community & Civic Engagement Category with their project titled “Reclaiming Local History and Championing an Inclusive Future in Southwest Philly.”

The grant will be used to directly support the neighborhood residents within the following initiatives: 

• Establishing The NEST, an outdoor-focused pre-K and childcare center for 200 kids by the STAR IV-certified Woodland Academy using Bartram’s Garden as their classroom; • Developing Philadelphia’s first free public boathouse; • Leading a symposium on the Black history of Kingsessing; • Hosting a regional youth summit for high school students learning from and honoring their African Diaspora heritage; • Responding to the planned redevelopment of local public housing, which could displace up to 2,000 residents.

You can vote every day through July 26 from anywhere in Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York.

To learn more about this and other initiatives and to vote, go here.

Source: http://www.westphillylocal.com/2019/07/09/help-bartrams-garden-win-200000/

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Pre-Draft Workout Recap | 6.3.19

Monday’s pre-draft workout at the 76ers Training Complex held a little extra meaning for one family.

Earlier this spring, while Tobias Harris was making his first playoff run with the Sixers, his younger brother Terry Harris was finishing his senior year at North Carolina A&T.

On Monday, the younger Harris got some run at the elder Harris’ stomping grounds. Terry was one of the six draft hopefuls the Sixers invited to Camden.

“It’s cool being here," he said. "I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I feel like the workout went really great."

The idea of making it to the next level, and doing it with his big brother, made Terry smile from ear to ear.

“We haven’t played together since when I was in eighth grade. If that could ever happen again, it’d be a blessing.”

Terry credited Tobias for influencing his game, and said his big brother called him Monday morning to offer wisdom and support.

“He tells me a lot of great things about the Sixers," said Terry. "He obviously wanted me to play my best here today. He gave me a call before, and just told me to go hard, give it all, and show them what I can do.”

Here’s more of what was said following Monday’s workout:

Terence Davis, who wears no. 3 largely because of childhood favorite Allen Iverson, nearly pursued NCAA and professional football over basketball. Now on the verge of reaching his NBA Draft dreams, Davis reflected on the difficult decision that brought him where he is today:

“It was kind of tough, because I got a lot of backlash when I did decide on basketball, because Mississippi is a football state. It’s football country down there.”

After a quieter freshman season at Ole Miss, the Southaven, Mississippi native said he wondered if he made the right choice:

“I put my head down, and went to work, and came out one of the most improved players in the country my sophomore year. After that, I knew I made the right decision. Stay the course. There’s going to be ups and downs in life. You’ve just got to keep faith.”

Luguentz Dort visited the Sixers following a breakout freshman year at Arizona State, which was highlighted by Pac-12 Rookie of the Year honors. Dort said he believes he could both help the Sixers and benefit from the organization's successful development program.

“The way they play, they play really fast. They play halfcourt, they move the ball really well, so I feel like I could fit pretty well too. I feel like I’m going to learn a lot in my rookie year. Just go out there, try to compete with them, and just learn.”

Zach Hankins began his NCAA career at Ferris State, then played a graduate transfer season at Xavier. The 6-foot-11 Michigan native said he'll bring whatever a team needs to the table:

“[I am] somebody that does anything to win. If I’ve got to do a bunch of different moves in the post, or if I’ve got to set a bunch of screens, go up for the hard rebounds, get blocks, my game is more the extra stuff. I’m not a volume scorer, but I score when I need to. I rebound when I need to. I set great screens when I need to, and get my teammates open. Little things.”

Garrison Mathews, a sharp-shooting graduate of Lipscomb, said one Sixer has had a particularly strong influence on his own game:

“I see myself fitting as a floor spacer. Obviously JJ Redick, he’s a bigtime shooter, he’s one of the best. It’s cool to watch how he comes off screens, and he’s just constantly moving. It’s something that I want to be as I get into the pro level, to be able to move like he does, and be able to get space like he does. He always has a defender on his hip, and the way he gets his space, and the way he spreads out the floor, it’s great to watch.”

The Sixers’ draft workouts will continue with four more groups of prospects visiting later this week.

  Source: https://www.nba.com/sixers/news/pre-draft-workout-recap-6319

[cordlock7-blog]

Former President George H.W. Bush Dies at 94

George Herbert Walker Bush, who as the 41st president guided the United States out of the Cold War and led an international coalition into the Gulf War, has died. He was 94. 

Bush died at 10:10 p.m. Friday, according to a statement from family spokesman Jim McGrath.

"Jeb, Neil, Marvin, Doro, and I are saddened to announce that after 94 remarkable years, our dear Dad has died," said former President George W. Bush in a statement. "George H. W. Bush was a man of the highest character and the best dad a son or daughter could ask for. The entire Bush family is deeply grateful for 41’s life and love, for the compassion of those who have cared and prayed for Dad, and for the condolences of our friends and fellow citizens."

Bush's final words were to his son George W. on Friday night, a source close to the family told NBC News. George W. Bush was on speakerphone to say goodbye to his father, telling him he had been a “wonderful dad” and that he loved him.

“I love you, too,” H.W. Bush replied.

The former president was quickly remembered as a humble patriot, dedicated public servant and beloved family man by President Donald Trump, former President Barack Obama and others.

"Through his essential authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family, and country, President Bush inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service—to be, in his words, 'a thousand points of light' illuminating the greatness, hope, and opportunity of America to the world," Trump and first lady Melania Trump said in a statement."

Bush was a World War II naval pilot who survived being shot down over the Pacific, led the CIA and spent eight years as vice president before taking the Oval Office. He was the father of the 43rd president, George W. Bush.

His wife of 73 years, Barbara Bush, who used her time as the first lady to advocate for literacy, died on April 17. 

George H.W. Bush became the first former U.S. president to turn 94 on June 12. The nation's 41st president was receiving calls and taking it easy at his seaside home in Maine eight days after being released from a hospital where he was treated for low blood pressure, said Chief of Staff Jean Becker.

Bush's office shared a birthday letter from the president in which he said, "My heart is full on the first day of my 95th year."

"As many of you know, for years I have said the three most important things in life are faith, family and friends. My faith has never been stronger," the former president wrote in the letter.

Several of his children had been in town, including former President George W. Bush, who posted a smiling photo of the two of them on Instagram.

"I'm a lucky man to be named for George Bush and to be with `41' on his 94th birthday," wrote Bush, the nation's 43rd president.

"I already miss the greatest human being that I will ever know. Love you Dad!" son John "Jeb" Bush wrote on Twitter.

Another son, Neil Bush, called on people in a newspaper opinion piece to volunteer and "to become a point of light."

H.W. Bush, a Republican who served as President Ronald Reagan's vice president for two terms, was elected to the country's highest office in 1988. He beat Democrat Michael Dukakis in an electoral landslide and with 54 percent of the popular vote.

In his inaugural presidential address, Bush spoke of "a thousand points of light" across the country, community organizations that were doing good and with which he promised to work. He pledged in "a moment rich with promise" to use American strength as "a force for good." 

A member of a longtime politically influential American family, Bush led the United States during a time of intense international change, including the fall of Communism in the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, and turmoil in the Middle East. His public approval rating soared to 89 percent after he presided over a U.S.-led coalition of 32 countries that drove Saddam Hussein's Iraqi army from Kuwait in 1991. After signing a strategic arms reduction agreement to reduce nuclear weapons with the Soviet Union's Mikhail Gorbachev, Bush accomplished a second agreement in early January 1993 with Russian President Boris Yeltsin after the USSR collapsed. 

"Even as president, with the most fascinating possible vantage point, there were times when I was so busy managing progress and helping to lead change that I didn't always show the joy that was in my heart," Bush said in his final State of the Union address. "But the biggest thing that has happened in the world in my life, in our lives, is this: By the grace of God, America won the Cold War." 

Despite his strength in foreign policy, Bush was ultimately limited to a single term as president over a sputtering U.S. economy. The unemployment rate, at 5.3 percent during his first year in office, rose to 7.4 percent in 1992. Confronted with rising deficits, Bush famously signed a bill that raised taxes despite the Republican's earlier campaign vow: "Read my lips: no new taxes." His public approval, once sky-high, plummeted in his final year in office to below 50 percent. 

While he lost re-election to Bill Clinton in 1992, his work laid a foundation for his son George W. Bush to win the White House in 2000.

"Two presidents in one family, that's pretty good," George H.W. Bush told his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager for a "Today" interview on his 88th birthday. 

Jeb Bush, a former governor of Florida, lost a bid for the Republican nomination in 2016 to Trump. Bush even saw his grandson, George P. Bush, enter politics. The Fort Worth resident won the position of Texas land commissioner in March 2014. 

George H.W. Bush was born June 12, 1924, in Milton, Massachusetts, the youngest of five children. He was raised in Connecticut by his mother Dorothy Walker Bush, and his father, Prescott Bush, who served as a U.S. senator. 

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Bush enlisted in the military on his 18th birthday and became the Navy's youngest pilot at the time. He flew 58 combat missions in World War II before being shot down by the Japanese in 1944. Bush was rescued by a submarine and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for bravery in action. 

Back home, Bush married Barbara Pierce on Jan. 6, 1945, and the couple went on to have six children; George, Pauline (who was known as "Robin" and died as a child of leukemia), Jeb, Neil, Marvin and Dorothy. 

Bush was accepted to Yale University before enlistment, and once stateside, enrolled in an accelerated program that allowed him to graduate in two and a half years instead of four. While at Yale, the left-handed first baseman played in the first College World Series. 

In 1948, Bush graduated from the university with a bachelor of arts degree in economics. He moved the family to West Texas and achieved success in the oil industry, but like his father, he was drawn to politics. 

After an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate in 1964, Bush won a House seat in 1966 representing Houston. He was re-elected in 1968 but gave up his seat two years later to run for the Senate again, and lost to Democrat Lloyd Bentsen.

Bush was appointed to a string of government positions in the 1970s, including United Nations ambassador, Republican National Committee chairman, envoy to China, and CIA director. At the CIA he was credited with boosting morale. 

In 1980, Bush made a run for the White House, but the Republican Party nominated Reagan, who selected Bush as his running mate. The match was a good one. The pair went to Washington in 1981 and won a landslide re-election victory four years later.

As vice-president, Bush traveled the world, pushing his anti-drug programs and became the first vice president to stand in as president while Reagan underwent surgery in 1985. Bush spent most of the eight hours on the tennis court. 

Then, after eight years of loyalty, Bush tried again for the Oval Office. 

Bush chose Indiana Sen. Dan Quayle as his running mate. At the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, Bush made the "no new taxes" pledge that would spark a backlash among some Republicans when he later reversed course.

In 1988, Bush defeated Michael Dukakis and his running mate, Texas nemesis Lloyd Bentsen. He was sworn in as president on Jan. 20, 1989. 

Bush’s high popularity in the wake of a decision to send American troops into Panama to bring General Manuel Noriega to face drug charges in the U.S, and later the Persian Gulf War, would prove ephemeral. 

Bush described his defeat in his re-election bid as having given him a "terrible feeling, awful feeling."

"I really wanted to win and worked hard. And later on, people said, 'well he didn’t really care', which is crazy," he told his granddaughter Jenna Bush Hager on "Today." "I worked my heart out and it was terrible to adjust. Well then you figure life goes on." 

After leaving office, Bush returned to private life by splitting his time between Kennebunkport, Maine, and Houston. It was not uncommon to see Bush 41 at a Houston Astros baseball game.

In 2005, he teamed up with his former rival, Bill Clinton, to raise money for relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina and the Asian tsunami.

His son George W. Bush published "41: A Portrait of My Father," in 2014, a wide-ranging and intimate biography of his father. In an interview on "Today" with his son and his granddaughter Bush Hager, the elder Bush talked about the intersection of family memories and key political events in their lives. 

Asked about his presidential legacy, Bush said that he'd banned the use of "the legacy word." 

"I think history will get it right, and point out the things I did wrong, and perhaps some of the things we did right," he said. 

In recent years, Bush was hospitalized because of various ailments. He broke a bone in his neck when he fell in his home in Kennebunkport, Maine, and suffered from shortness of breath and a bronchitis-related cough and other issues in Houston.

Bush also made headlines in recent years for skydiving on at least three of his birthdays, according to The Associated Press, the last on his 90th, when he made a tandem parachute jump in Kennebunkport, Maine. In the summer of 2016, Bush led a group of 40 wounded warriors on a fishing trip at the helm of his speedboat, three days after his 92nd birthday celebration.

And he made headlines in July 2013 when he shaved his head in support of a little boy — the son of a member of his Secret Service detail — battling leukemia. Later that summer, he was honored at a White House event celebrating volunteerism. 

Bush put his presidential library at Texas A&M University in College Station and his name now is on the CIA headquarters, Houston's largest airport and a North Texas toll road.

There is also an aircraft carrier that bears his name. In 2009, Bush 41 and Bush 43 attended the commissioning of the USS George H.W. Bush, the 10th and last Nimitz-class nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in the U.S. Navy. 

Bush had the distinction of being one of only three U.S. presidents to receive an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II. He was awarded the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama in 2011. 

Bush is survived by two siblings, his five children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 73 years, Barbara; his second child, Pauline Robinson “Robin” Bush; and brothers Prescott and William “Bucky” Bush.

He told Bush Hager that he was happiest while spending time with his family at sea. 

"Aging is all right," he said in June 2012. "It's better than the alternative, which is not being here."

Air Force One is being sent to Texas to transport Bush's casket to Washington, where his body will lay in state at the Capitol Rotunda. The public can pay their respects from Monday evening through Wednesday morning.

Bush will be buried Thursday on the grounds of his presidential library at Texas A&M University at the family plot next to his wife Barbara, who died in April, and their 3-year-old daughter Robin, who died in 1953. The Bush family is still arranging funeral services, but the White House said President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend.

Source: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/politics/Former-President-George-HW-Bush-Dies-184974861.html

[cordlock7-blog]

Winter storm hits Philly, bringing closures and delays

Philly braced itself for the year’s biggest snowstorm Wednesday—and the weather delivered. Starting this morning, Philadelphians saw about 3 inches of snow fall in the city, and an estimated 4-5 inches in the suburbs.

And all that snowfall—and possible ice in the later afternoon—has brought numerous closures, SEPTA delays, driving notifications and more to the Philly area. Here’s everything you need to know about the storm’s effect on the city for the afternoon:

What does the forecast look like?

Snow started to fall this morning, and is expected to continue until around 4:30 p.m., when PhillyVoice reports it will likely turn to sleet. The National Weather Service (NWS) put out a Winter Weather Advisory, warning about unsafe driving conditions, and saying the snow will give way to rain in the early evening. The advisory lasts until 9 p.m. tonight.

How does the winter storm affect SEPTA?

The biggest change to transit today is with Regional Rail. In response to the storm, SEPTA has implemented an “Early Exit” schedule, meaning nine popular Regional Rail trains that would normally leave in the evening, will now be leaving around 5 p.m. to accommodate people trying to get out of the city. The evening services are canceled for those lines (which include Trenton and Paoli/Thorndale).

Many bus routes are also affected by the storm, and will experience delays, detours, and other disruptions, all of which are mentioned on SEPTA’s website. The transit authority is also expecting delays on the Market Frankford subway line.

What about driving conditions?

In response to the weather, PennDot has implemented statewide driving restrictions, including in and around Philly. Trailers, combination loads, and motorcycles are banned from I-76 and I-676 in Philly, and I-476 in the suburbs. Additionally, the speed limit on I-76 and I-276 around the city has been reduced to 45 miles per hour.

How else is the city affected?

All municipal buildings closed at 1 p.m. today due to the weather, and the city put in place a “Code Blue,” a program that provides outreach and help to homeless people who are stuck in the cold.

The city also ordered that all pets need to be indoors or have access to warm shelter.

Meanwhile, trash and recycling is on a holiday schedule, meaning your regular trash pickup is pushed back one day (that’s on top of the one day delay from President’s Day on Monday).

Finally, all schools (including colleges and universities in the city) shut down this morning as a result of the storm.

Winter Storm Petra: What you need to know [PhillyVoice]

Source: https://philly.curbed.com/2019/2/20/18231677/winter-storm-petra-philly-closures-delays-transit-travel

[cordlock7-blog]

Flyers place Dale Weise, Taylor Leier on waivers

I often joked with Scott Hartnell that my career in broadcasting was following the same path as his career in hockey.

I arrived in Nashville in 1998, and two years later, Hartnell was the Predators' first-round pick in 2000. Who you see today was nothing resembling the outgoing, charismatic forward who was a go-to guy for interviews in the Flyers' locker room.

The reserved 18-year-old straight out of the prairies of Western Canada was more of a shy teenager trying to find his way. He had very little to say and after earning a spot on the Predators six months after the day he was drafted, we had him in studio for a live interview during our 30-minute Sunday wrap-up show.

That Hartnell didn’t know what to say and was hesitant to provide any insight into who he was. Maybe it was the product of growing up in a small town in Alberta, but following that show, we discussed how that was one guy we couldn’t have back. It was a brutal interview. Believe it or not, that Hartnell was at a loss for words.

Two years after my arrival in Philadelphia in 2006, Hartnell followed. The trade that brought Hartnell and his best friend Kimmo Timonen to the Flyers was arguably the biggest reason for the team's turnaround from a dreadful 52-point season in 2006-07.

His personality and style of play perfectly suited the city and the work ethic Flyers fans had grown accustomed to watching. If Danny Briere took a hard hit into the boards, Hartnell usually had a choke hold awaiting his adversary. If the Flyers were desperate for an in-game jolt to get going, Hartnell had no reservations to dropping his gloves.

Those who loved Rick Tocchet in the 1990s certainly endeared themselves to Hartnell. 

A tough guy with a soft touch around the net. 

Five 20-goal seasons during his seven years in Philadelphia, including a career-high 37 in 2011-12 as he teamed up with Claude Giroux and Jaromir Jagr. Usually, those goals came in bunches. Over the past 20 years, no Flyer has as many hat tricks as Hartnell’s six.  

Hartnell was a constant in the Flyers' lineup, missing just three games in his first five seasons in Philly, and unlike his rookie season in Nashville, he became a can’t-miss personality for cameras. He would occasionally joke that it was his good looks that grabbed the spotlight, and with regards to Braden Holtby and even Andrew Luck, it was Hartnell who brought the neckbeard back to the forefront of sports' best manes.

But perhaps what defined Hartnell more than anything was his susceptibility to falling to the ice at any given moment. That regularity of clumsiness inspired the origin of #HartnellDown. Only a player of Hartnell’s humility could embrace that hashtag and generate something positive out of it. The Hartnell Down Foundation was quickly formed to raise money for charity.

Hartnell gave Philadelphia arguably the best seven years of his 17-year career, and 1,249 games later, he currently ranks in the top 100 all-time in games played. Monday morning, he gave thanks to the fans who helped him along the way.    

On June 23, 2014, Hartnell was traded to Columbus in exchange for R.J. Umberger in one of the more unpopular, one-sided trades in recent memory. He was kind enough to do one last interview with anyone looking for one last memorable word.

Afterward, Hartnell and I talked briefly, shook hands and he said, “So I guess you’ll be in Columbus soon,” recalling the similarity in our career paths.  

“Not a chance,” I told him.

A smart move on my part. If only the Flyers had felt the same way about Hartnell.

More on the Flyers

Source: https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/flyers/flyers-place-dale-weise-taylor-leier-waivers-roster-cuts

[cordlock7-blog]

9th Annual ‘Party For The Market’ Event Raises Money For Reading Terminal Market

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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Philadelphia’s iconic Reading Terminal Market transformed into a rocking party Saturday night for the 9th annual “Party For The Market.”

About 1,600 patrons enjoyed craft beers and nibbled on the specialties made by various market merchants.

The evening also included live bands and a pop-up casino.

Money raised from the event goes toward improvements on the 19th century building.

Source: https://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/2019/02/23/9th-annual-party-for-the-market-event-raises-money-for-reading-terminal-market/

[cordlock7-blog]

Judge Doesn't Extend Order Keeping Texas Girl, 9, on Life Support

A judge declined Wednesday to grant a temporary injunction that would have extended a 14-day temporary restraining order that kept a 9-year-old Grand Prairie girl on life support at Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth.

Payton Summons has been on life support for more than two weeks. The medical staff at the hospital determined Summons to be brain dead and argued that the child should be removed from the ventilator.

The judge sided with the hospital after hearing testimony from both sides Wednesday.

"I am a mother of three," said Judge Meody Wilkinson as she looked at Payton's mom and dad. "I know what it's like to do anything you can for your child, but the prosecution has not met their burden of proof."

Summons' parents, their attorneys and the Cook Children's Medical Center have tried more than 20 hospitals in an attempt to transfer their daughter to a different facility, but none would admit her in her current state.

The judge said the temporary restraining order would expire Monday at 1:20 p.m. — exactly 14 days after it was ordered.

The girl's mother and father both testified, and said they believed that Summons was fighting and could recover.

Summons' attending doctor also testified, saying that she meets the legal and medical definitions of brain dead, but has not been declared brain dead due to the temporary restraining order that prevented the hospital from doing a second test. 

An attorney for Summons' family was granted the temporary restraining order Monday, Oct. 1, which prevented the hospital staff from discontinuing life support that day, against the wishes of the child's family. It extended her time on life support until Oct. 15, which is the earliest the hospital can remove her from life support.

Summons was rushed to Cook Children's Tuesday, Sept. 25 in cardiac arrest. Doctors would later discover that a cancerous tumor near Summons’ heart had cut off her circulation.

After approximately one hour of performing CPR, the medical staff was able to restart Summons' heart. But they were unable to resuscitate the child's breathing, and she has been on a ventilator ever since.

"As is standard practice, we conducted a brain death exam on Payton approximately 24 hours after she was admitted to our hospital," a spokesperson for Cook Children's said in a written statement. "The results were conclusive and showed zero brain activity, confirming that Payton is brain dead ... Our hearts are with Payton's family and we will continue doing everything in our power to help them through this difficult time."

Justin Moore, one of the attorneys who is representing Payton Summons' family, said the family is now weighing their options for their next step. Ultimately, he said they want a second opinion.

"There are a multitude of death tests. There are EEG's, MRI's and apnea tests. Payton is too fragile to survive the apnea tests, but she can take two other tests," Moore said.

Moore and his co-counsel Paul Stafford say ultimately, they hope this case will help bring about legislation to clarify the laws in unique cases like these. They say that would give parents, dealing with an impossible decision, more guidance.

NBC 5's Chris Blake and Laura Harris contributed to this report.

Source: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/national-international/Hearing-Set-Wednesday-for-Girl-9-on-Life-Support-496524981.html

[cordlock7-blog]

August 1901: All Hell Breaks Loose on Locust Street

Damage Done on the North Side of Locust Street (Philadelphia Inquirer, August 7, 1901)

August 6, 1901. “With an appalling roar that made buildings quake a quarter of a mile away, an explosion demolished five houses on Locust street between Tenth and Eleventh, last night. The extent of the death and disaster spread by the catastrophe could not be estimated—probably twenty were killed, and the burned and maimed reach scores.”

“Residents of the neighborhood…say that the first flash emanated from MacClemmy’s store, at 1014. The block stretching from Alder street to Warnock comprises six brick houses, all three stories in height, with dormer windows. Following the first flash came an all-pervading roar, a burst of flame from other shops and the whole block, all but the two dwellings at the Alder street corner fell a mass of brick and mortar. Houses on the opposite side of Locust street had windows and doors blown in.”

The massive explosion occurred just as the city was settling down for the summer evening. The cause: a tank of gasoline stored in the basement of MacClemmy’s grocery store.  “In an instant the block of buildings was in flames. So great was the force that two woman’s bodies were blown clear across the street, and the dormer window of 1018 Locust was thrown upon the opposite roof. Telegraph and trolley wires were destroyed and windows were broken as far away as Ninth street and Eleventh street.”

“Locust street . . . was instantly a mass of flaming debris, and men and women ran screaming hither and thither, entirely unable to control themselves. Mothers were calling their children, wives for their husbands, husbands for their wives. None seems to know, and everybody fears that some near and dear one was among the injured—or dead.”

“Lizzie Watkins, as she appears in her cot at the Pennsylvania Hospital (Philadelphia Inquirer, August 7, 1901).

Twenty injured survivors were taken to the nearby Jefferson Hospital and at least eleven more to Pennsylvania Hospital. Among them: Lizzie Watkins, who rescuers dug out from the debris nearly five hours after the incident.

“It seemed as if the world had come to an end,” Watkins told an Inquirer reporter from her hospital bed. “I went upstairs to my room in the rear of the third floor over Gale‘s restaurant, at 1012 Locust St., about 9 o’clock. It did not take me long to get to bed, and when the explosion came I was sound asleep.

“The first I knew I saw blinding flash of light and then the walls of my room begin caving in. In an instant I felt myself falling, falling, and could see bricks and broken glass flying all around me. All it wants I came to a stop in my flight downward. But the bricks and timbers, which I could see plainly, did not stop, and not knowing what else to do, I threw up my arms to protect myself. Whether or not this did any good I don’t know. All I know is that while the lower part of my body felt as the lower part of my body felt as if it was being crushed by the bricks and other things, my head and shoulders were free from weight.

“I laid in the position for a year, it seemed . . .when I heard voices above me. Then I heard a sound as if axes were chopping at timbers.  I kept looking up, and all at once I could see sky. The next thing I heard a voice asking me if I did not want something to drink.

“I replied that all I wanted was to do was get out of where I was. I have hardly gotten the words out of my mouth when a class of liquor was handed down to me, with instructions to drink it. I did as I was told, and then laid back, waiting for them to take me out.

After the Explosion – Locust Street, west of 10th Street [August 1901] (PhillyHistory.org)

“Blind? No, thank God. I can see. I am badly burned on the right side of my face, and the lower part of my body is sore and bruised. But I guess I will pull through all right. Lucky? Well, I guess I am. . .

Indeed. Early on the morning of August 15, Lizzie Watkins was well enough to make her way to Broad Street Station to board the chartered charity train reserved for 400 city children and 75 mothers hosted at the Seaside Home at Cape May, courtesy of the charity Children’s Country Week Association.

A different fate awaited grocer George M. MacClemmy, the man whose actions paved the way to the fatal explosion. The city coroner charged MacClemmy with “criminal negligence in the storage of gasoline in his store, 1014 Locust street.” Only four months earlier, City Council had criminalized the unregulated storage of gasoline in quantities more than a gallon.

Officials put the injured MacClemmy, who wasn’t expected to fully recover, under house arrest in his home near 46th Street and Baltimore Avenue.

[Sources: “Ordinance Prohibits Storage of Gasoline,” Inquirer, August 7, 1901; “Many Killed and Injured in Locust Street Explosion,” Inquirer, August 6, 1901; “Lizzie Watkins Tells of Her Experience,” Inquirer; August 7, 1901; “Mc’Clemmy Put Under Arrest,” Inquirer, August 14, 1901]

Source: https://www.phillyhistory.org/blog/index.php/2018/08/august-1901-all-hell-breaks-loose-on-locust-street/