The 10 officers will walk beats on Rising Sun Avenue and Castor Avenue.
Lawncrest Community Association members enjoyed water ice and soft pretzels while welcoming new and veteran representatives of the 2nd Police District.
Sgt. Matthew Lowe and community relations officer Mark Mroz were joined by five other officers, including four who just graduated from the Police Academy. In all, 10 graduates were assigned to the 2nd district, and they will walk beats on Rising Sun Avenue and Castor Avenue.
Lowe spoke of murders on the 600 block of Brill St., the 500 block of Rosalie St., the 600 block of E. Godfrey Ave. and at Rising Sun and Cheltenham avenues.
Mroz distributed a sheet of paper listing tips to avoid thefts from vehicles.
The longtime community relations officer also spoke of burglaries at area churches such as Our Lady of Ransom, Oxford Circle Baptist Church, Crescentville United Methodist Church, Lawndale Holy Grace Presbyterian Church and Bethel Marthoma Church.
The Rev. Randy Brubaker, pastor of Crescentville United Methodist Church, thanked neighborhood residents for their prayers and other assistance following the burglary at his church.
As for overall crime, Mroz urged residents to voice their displeasure with the district attorney’s office if there is a lack of prosecution in some cases.
“We’re out there locking people up,” he said.
In other news from the June 19 meeting:
• Lawncrest Library, 6098 Rising Sun Ave., will host a Coffee Klatch on Friday, July 20, at 10:30 a.m. Adult readers will enjoy coffee and light snacks as they discuss books. Call 215–685–0549.
• Solomon Leach, an aide to City Councilwoman Cherelle Parker, accepted comments on the councilwoman’s Commercial Corridor and Neighborhood Plan, specifically as it relates to Castor Avenue and Rising Sun Avenue.
• Ben Diaz spoke on behalf of Burholme Emergency Medical Services, 830 Bleigh Ave. The company has been in existence since 1933, and Diaz said benefits of membership include payment plans, personal relationships between staff and members and the option of being taken to the hospital of choice. Call 215–725–4030 or visit burholme.org
• Michelle Price-Randall, a city business services manager, told the crowd that a red light camera will be coming to Rising Sun Avenue and Levick Street.
• Some neighbors complained about an auto business, at 100 Comly St., removing trees. The owner is seeking additional parking. The property and its surroundings are in Philadelphia and Cheltenham, with CSX railroad owning a portion of the grounds.
• The 103rd annual Lawncrest July 4th Celebration will take place next Wednesday, rain or shine.
A parade will kick off at 9 a.m. at Rising Sun Avenue and Martins Mill Road. It will travel south on Rising Sun Avenue to Lawncrest Recreation Center, at Comly Street, where the day’s activities will take place.
The parade marshals will be officials of the Philadelphia Protestant Home. An American flag-raising ceremony will take place at the end of the parade.
A flea market, featuring more than 50 vendors, will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Spaces cost $45. Call 215–651–8470.
Other activities will include a food court (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.); car show (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.); children’s rides (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.); live musical entertainment (11 a.m. to 3 p.m.); bingo (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.); and a magic show (1 to 2 p.m.).
There will also be raffles, games, prizes and T-shirt sales. Raffles will be drawn at 4:30 p.m.
The celebration will conclude with fireworks at dusk.
• A woman complained that there are squatters next door to her on the 600 block of Anchor St.
• Crescentville United Methodist Church, 412 E. Sentner St., will hold its annual music and drama camp from July 15–20, from 7 to 9 p.m. The camp is for kids in kindergarten (must be 5 by Sept. 1) through recent eighth-grade graduates. Participants will learn and perform a children’s musical. The camp will feature Bible stories, T-shirts, crafts, songs and snacks. The cost is $5. For more information, call 215–745–7115 or visit http://www.crescentvilleumc.com
The church will also be holding a trip to the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Sept. 19. The cost is $70, or $65 for kids 10 and under. A bus will depart the church at 7:15 a.m., and arrive in D.C. about 10:30. The bus will depart at 5:30 p.m., returning to the church about 8:30. Guests will receive snacks, bottled water and a 20 percent discount on an item in the gift shop. Meals are at their expense. For more information, call Sue Snyder at 215–885–7069.
• Lawncrest Community Association will meet on Tuesday, July 17, at 7 p.m. at St. William parish hall, at Argyle and Robbins streets. ••
