No justice for Shaible parents
The Schaibles each could have been sentenced to 40 years in prison after being convicted murder for the death of one of their children. This was the second of their children to die. Instead, they each got 7 years, but they could be out in as little as 3½ years (42 months). Since they never actually served any time for the first death, they could end up serving as little as 21 months per death.
Oh, but to her other children, the ones she hasn’t let die, Mrs. Schaible is described as “incredibly devoted” and “committed.” Mr. Schaible is even greater, because he’s “a good man, a righteous man, and a spiritual man,” and we all know righteousness and spirituality are holier than devotion and commitment.
Common Pleas Court Judge Benjamin Lerner claims he shares the community’s outrage at these killings. No, I don’t think you do, Judge Lerner.
Howard J. Wilk
Bustleton
PGW sale means higher bills
They said when Bell Atlantic broke up that phone costs would go down. They said when PECO was open to competition, that electric prices would go down. They were wrong!
If PGW is sold, we will see home energy costs soar. The senior discount will dissolve and good paying jobs for company employees will be gone. This will trickle down to all businesses and citizens in Philadelphia. Just like all mega-mergers, service gets worse and prices go up. When that happens, you cannot go to another provider because PGW has a monopoly, unless you decided to freeze or cook on your lawn. Privately owned utility companies will do what’s best for the bottom line. Contact all of city council if you oppose this sale.
Myles Gordon
Bustleton
City should not fine seniors
I agree with Jean McLaughlin’s letter regarding the city of Philadelphia fining senior citizens $50. It is very sad that this city does not take into consideration that seniors cannot shovel their snow. Perhaps the “City of Brotherly Love” could create a new department within the Streets Department to handle help requests from seniors. You know they are not physically capable of shoveling. The city of brotherly love needs to step up.
Joann Hutton
Upper Holmesburg
Library patrons and friends applaud Nutter
The Friends of Holmesburg Library join thousands of library patrons and friends in applauding Mayor Michael Nutter for his investment in Philadelphia’s libraries.
In his FY15 budget address Thursday, the mayor included an additional $2.3 million, every year for five years, bringing back six days a week open libraries in every Philadelphia neighborhood.
This past fiscal year, $1 million was approved by City Council which restored Saturday service to Holmesburg and 10 additional branches. The mayor’s budget also includes $200,000, every year for five years, dedicated to books, periodicals, DVDs and other materials to fill the shelves of neighborhood libraries.
The Free Library of Philadelphia and its 54 neighborhood branches foster lifelong learning and provide every citizen access to free materials, educational programs, job seeking resources, computer and internet access, especially vital to the 48 percent of Philadelphia citizens who would otherwise not have Internet access.
Libraries enrich our lives. They are save havens and community centers. They are an educational force serving the needs of school children including thousands without school libraries.
The Friends of the Free Library of Philadelphia and its hundreds of Friends group members who volunteer at their neighborhood library branches now call on City Council to ratify the $2.3 million increase to the Free Library’s general fund line item, which will provide six days a week open libraries in every neighborhood and ensure equitable service delivery to all Philadelphia citizens.
Karen D. Lash
President, Friends of Holmesburg Library
