Theater show at Glen Foerd
Glen Foerd, 5001 Grant Ave., will host the world premiere theatrical staging of Langston Hughes’ The Ways of White Folks, Jan. 19-22, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and Jan. 21 at 2 p.m. Published in 1934, The Ways of White Folks is a collection of 14 short stories by American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright and columnist Langston Hughes (1901-67). The collection addresses multiple dimensions of racial issues, focusing specifically on interactions between black and white people. General admission tickets are $32, while the cost is $12 for students and industry professionals. Go to https://secure.egopo.org/ways-of-white-folks. Valet parking for all performances will be available. Masks are required to be worn during all performances. For more information, visit www.glenfoerd.org or call 215-632-5330. ••
Blood drive in Somerton
Fellowship Bible Church and Somerton Civic Association in partnership with the Red Cross are holding a blood drive on Thursday, Jan. 26, from 2-7 p.m. at Fellowship Bible Church, 13021 Worthington Road. Visit the link at https://tinyurl.com/2n286ez5 to sign up. ••
North communion breakfast
The Northeast Catholic Alumni Communion Breakfast will take place on April 16 at Cannstatter’s, 9130 Academy Road. Register at www.northcatholicalumni.org. ••
Police town hall
Take Back Your Neighborhood will hold a town hall meeting on Monday, Jan. 23, at 6:30 p.m. at Max Myers Recreation Center, 1601 Hellerman St. The guest will be Capt. Jim Kimrey, commander of the 2nd Police District, who will discuss area crime activity and quality-of-life issues. Others expected to be in attendance include City Councilmen Mike Driscoll, Jim Harrity and Anthony Phillips. ••
Flea market at St. Hubert
St. Hubert, 7320 Torresdale Ave., will be hosting its annual indoor flea market on Saturday, Feb. 4, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the school cafeteria. Tables are $20 for vendors. Admission is free for shoppers. Email fleamarket@huberts.org. ••
Want to calm traffic?
City Councilman Brian O’Neill announced that the Managing Director’s Office of Transportation, Infrastructure & Sustainability is accepting applications for the Vision Zero “Neighborhood Slow Zone” traffic-calming program. The program invites neighbors to apply for traffic calming in an entire zone of residential streets. The city will work together with successful applicants to bring traffic calming to the designated “Slow Zone.” Within selected Slow Zones, the program will work to develop a plan for traffic calming that responds to safety issues, lower speed limits to 20 mph and install traffic calming such as speed cushions.
Applications are due by Feb. 15.
If you would like to apply or have any questions about the program, call or visit O’Neill’s offices at Bustleton Avenue and Bowler Street, above the 7th Police District (215-685-0432); FOP Lodge 5, 11630 Caroline Road (215-437-9167); 7522 Castor Ave. (215-685-0438); 432 Rhawn St. (215-685-6431); or City Hall (215-686-3422). ••
Trip to the Tropicana
Holy Innocents is planning a trip to the Tropicana Casino on Tuesday, Feb. 21. A bus will depart L Street and Hunting Park Avenue at 9 a.m., and will leave the Tropicana at 4:30 p.m. The cost is $35, due by Feb. 13, and includes $20 in slot cash. To reserve a seat, call Cindy at 215-535-2740. ••
Wine tasting at St. Hubert
St. Hubert Alumnae Association is holding a wine tasting on Saturday, Feb. 18, from 6-8 p.m., in the school cafeteria. The cost is $35 per person and includes wine pairings with cheese and chocolate. The event is presented by Main Street Wine Cellar featuring wines from Crossing Vineyards and Winery. Must be 21 to attend. For tickets, email SHAAWineTasting@gmail.com. ••
Family night at local church
Redemption Lutheran Church, 8001 Bustleton Ave., will host a free Family Learning Night on Jan. 19 and the third Thursday of every month at 5:30 p.m. There will be dinner, a Bible story, crafts, games and songs. All are welcome. Call 215-342-2085 or email pastor@redemptionphiladelphia.org. ••
Rhawnhurst Civic to meet
Rhawnhurst Civic Association will meet on Jan. 18, 2023, at 7 p.m. at Pelbano Playground, 8100 Bustleton Ave. (at Solly Avenue). Follow the group on Facebook or visit Rhawnhurstcivicassociation.com. ••
Celebrating 100 years of SMT
St. Martin of Tours Parish invites all school alumni, current and past parishioners and friends to a 100th anniversary Mass in the upper church, 5450 Roosevelt Blvd., on Sunday, April 30, at noon. The Mass will be celebrated by Archbishop Edward Adams. Afterward, there will be a “Past & Present — Building Our Future” celebration at Cannstatter’s, 9130 Academy Road, from 2-6 p.m. Tickets cost $35 and include food, soft drinks, music and door prizes. The event is for ages 21-plus. Tickets must be purchased in advance in the rectory, after all Masses, through Venmo (@smotphilly) or with check to St. Martin of Tours Church, 5450 Roosevelt Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19124, Attn: Centennial Celebration. Proceeds will benefit church improvements. ••
Club for kids
The Good News Club meets Wednesdays from 7-8 p.m. at Third Reformed Presbyterian Church, at Byberry and Barbary roads in Parkwood Manor. The evening will feature games, crafts, stories, songs and refreshments. The club is for kids from age 4 to sixth grade. ••
Weekly art group
Fox Chase Library, 501 Rhawn St., hosts a free art group every Thursday of the month, except the third Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Bring your supplies. Call 215-685-0549. ••
Proposed constitutional amendment
State Reps. Jared Solomon and Malcolm Kenyatta are introducing a constitutional amendment that would require elected officials to resign upon conviction of a felony.
“As public servants, we must be held to the highest of standards,” Solomon said. “The people we serve deserve elected officials they can rely on and have faith in — they lose all of that once the individual is convicted of a crime.”
Under current case law, an elected official does not have to resign until they are formally sentenced. Solomon called on former City Councilman Bobby Henon to resign. Henon, convicted in November 2021, has still not been sentenced. ••
Combating gun violence
State Rep. Jared Solomon has introduced legislation that would establish a gun violence task force in every county with a high rate of gun deaths.
“Gun violence task forces are a proven method to reducing gun violence,” Solomon said. “This problem requires an all-hands-on-deck approach — state, local officials and stakeholders working together to mitigate this crisis.”
The legislation would create a task force made up of state and local officials working together to end gun violence. The attorney general would have jurisdiction when gun deaths reach a certain level in communities. Solomon said the attorney general will be required to make annual reports about the operations of each task force. ••
Carpentry training for high schoolers
State Rep. Jared Solomon announced that a grant worth $237,740 was awarded to the Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce. The funding is part of the Schools-to-Work Program to develop and expand career opportunities for high school students and eliminate barriers to employment.
“Students need to know that the trades are a viable option for a successful and fruitful career,” Solomon said. “This funding will go a long way for providing career pathways and leave students with hands-on knowledge that they can use for the rest of their lives.”
The Greater Northeast Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce will partner with Northeast High School and the Carpenters Joint Training Center of Philadelphia to administer the carpentry pre-apprenticeship program with a total of 60 students. ••
Move up presidential primary
State Reps. Jared Solomon and Malcolm Kenyatta and Sen. Sharif Street will introduce legislation that would move the 2024 presidential primary election date in Pa. up one month. This would set the date for the 2024 presidential primary to be on March 19. Currently, Pennsylvania’s primary is scheduled to take place on the fourth Tuesday in April, long after many states have voted for a presidential nominee.
“Pennsylvania has proved time and time again to be a pivotal state when it comes to elections,” Solomon said. “This legislation will provide Pennsylvania the political weight it deserves by giving us a voice earlier in the process.” ••
Visit model railroad club
Chelten Hills Model Railroad Club, 8010 Old York Road in Elkins Park, will be hosting open houses from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 4-5. Admission is free. Donations are appreciated. Visit www.cheltenhillsmrr.org or Facebook. ••
Tae Kwon Do competition
Red Tiger Tae Kwon Do will hold its USTC Red Tiger Cup on Saturday, May 6, at 8 a.m. at Bucks County Community College, 275 Swamp Road in Newtown. Students will compete in sparring, patterns and special technique with trophies and medals awarded to the top three competitors in each division. Call 215-969-9962. ••
Cruise the Mediterranean
Norwegian Cruise Line will host a Mediterranean cruise from Rome to Venice on Oct. 10-19. The trip is all inclusive with round-trip airfare, a beverage package, all meals, three specialty dinners, taxes, transfers and all gratuities. The cost for a balcony sea view cabin is $3,511 per person. For more information, contact Fillmore Travel’s Kevin Fries at 215-498-8294 or fkevin910@comcast.net. ••
Upcoming cruise
The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring a fully escorted Holy Lands & Aegean Majesty cruise from Oct. 6-17, visiting Israel, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Italy. Rates, including airfare, range from $4,298 to $8,098 per person, double occupancy. Call 215-788-9408 for information and reservations. ••
South Phila. HS class of ‘68 reunion
The South Philadelphia High School Class of 1968 will hold its 55th reunion on Saturday, Oct. 21, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Waterfall Room, 2015 S. Water St. Tickets cost $60 and include buffet dinner and open bar. For tickets and more information, call Arleen Liberi [609-922-2419], Maria Leati [856-287-3734] or Stephen Michielli [267-252-2740]. ••
Book club to meet in April
The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will be holding a Zoom session on Monday, April 3, at 7 p.m. The book is The Masterpiece by Fionna Davis. For further information, or to register for the book club program, call Lynn Ratmansky at the synagogue office at 215-677-1600. ••
Storytime at Ryerss
Ryerss Museum & Library, located at 7370 Central Ave. in Burholme Park, will host Storytime at Ryerss at 10:30 on four upcoming Saturdays. The schedule is Jan. 28 (Time for Snow Fun), Feb. 11 (Will You Be My Valentine?), Feb. 25 (Out of This World) and March 11 (Happy Birthday, Robert Ryerss). Call 215-685-0544. ••
Celebrate 60 years
Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, invites the public to celebrate 60 years of memories and moments on Sunday, March 26, at noon. There will be a brunch buffet, dessert station, mimosas, videos and personal recollections. The cost is $25. Checks payable to Congregations of Shaare Shamayim can be sent to 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115. The deadline is March 13. Call 215-677-1600. ••
Free tax help
People who need help with preparing their federal income tax return may take advantage of the free assistance program being offered by KleinLife, 10100 Jamison Ave. The program will run from Thursday, Feb. 2, to Tuesday, April 18, and will be available to everyone with incomes of up to $73,000 whether filing single or joint returns. People who need assistance may call 215-698-7300, Ext. 194 to make an appointment for tax preparation help. Prior to calling for an appointment, people should have all of their tax information in hand including last year’s federal tax return, W-2, 1099 and real estate tax bill. ••
New FCCC prof to begin research
Fox Chase Cancer Center announced the hiring of Mitchell Fane as an assistant professor in the Cancer Signaling and Microenvironment research program.
Prior to joining Fox Chase, Fane was a postdoctoral researcher at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, where he focused on investigating the aged microenvironment and its effect on metastatic reactivation from tumor dormancy. From 2017 to 2019, he conducted research on the same topic at the Wistar Institute.
Fane earned his undergraduate and doctoral degrees in biomedical sciences at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. His doctoral dissertation focused on investigating the role of the MITF-BRN2 expression axis in melanoma progression.
At Fox Chase, Fane’s research will investigate the molecular mechanisms involved in aging pre-metastatic niches and their role in promoting cancer cell dormancy and metastatic reactivation. The clinical implications of this research may also highlight the need for a change in how to properly model cancer using preclinical models, particularly given that the majority of cancer incidence and mortality is much higher in older patients while most cancer models are done using younger preclinical animal models and most clinical trials largely recruit younger patients.
Fane’s most recent focus has been investigating the role of aging in lung fibroblasts and the effect this has on secreted soluble factors that can induce phenotypic switching between a dormant and proliferative melanoma cell phenotype. A paper on this work was published in Nature last July. ••
Book discussion series
The Northeast Regional Library Friends’ Group’s book discussion series will take place on Fridays in February at 2 p.m. The series will focus on the immigrant experience, ethnicity and being an American. The schedule is Feb. 3 (We Came to America by Faith Ringgold and All the Way to America by Dan Yaccarino), Feb. 10 (Watercress by Andrea Wang), Feb. 17 (Brothers in Hope: The Lost Boys of Sudan by Mary Williams and A Place Where Sunflowers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai) and Feb. 24 (Dreamers by Yuyi Morales). Books can be borrowed from Northeast Regional’s children’s department. Adults, including senior citizens and their caregivers, are encouraged to participate. Participants are welcome to bring family history items for show and tell. Northeast Regional Library is at 2228 Cottman Ave. Call 215-685-0522. ••
Broadway memories
The Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, invites the community to Together off Broadway: Merman and Martin on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, at 2 p.m. Ethel Merman and Mary Martin were off-stage friends, theater royalty and iconic personalities. The show gives a peek at their personal lives while celebrating a song list including I’ve Got Rhythm, The Sound of Music and Hello, Dolly. The price of admission is $36 per person and includes a dessert reception. Mail your check to the synagogue. Call 215-677-1600. ••
St. Jerome seniors to meet
The St. Jerome’s Senior Group will meet on Thursday, Jan. 26, in the school hall, 3031 Stamford St. Arrive by 10 a.m. Meeting begins promptly at 11. ••
Feb. book club meeting
The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will be holding its February Zoom session on Monday, Feb. 6, at 7 p.m. The book is The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi. For further information, or to register for the book club program, call Lynn Ratmansky at 215-677-1600. ••
VFW looking for members
Bustleton-Somerton/CTR1 Michael J. Strange VFW Post 6617 meets on the third Wednesday of every month at American Legion Post 810, 9151 Old Newtown Road. Meetings start at 7:30 p.m. If you are a military veteran who served in a designated combat zone, you are eligible to join the VFW. Contact Commander Israel Wolmark at 215-725-0630 if you would like to join the post. ••
Sisterhood meeting
The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, will be hosting a meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. A representative of Ivy Rehab Physical Therapy will be speaking about the use of strength bands in therapy. Light refreshments will be served. There is no charge. Call 215-677-1600. ••
Sisterhood meeting in March
The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim, 9768 Verree Road, will meet on Tuesday, March 14, at 7:30 p.m. The speaker will be Rabbi Sandi Berliner. Her topic will be: “What’s on your seder plate – Updating your Seder.” Light refreshments will be served. Admission is free. Call 215-677-1600. ••
Bingo on Feb. 11
St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, at Trenton Avenue and Cumberland Street, will hold bingo on Saturday, Feb. 11, from 1-4 p.m. Doors open at noon. Packages are $20 and include lunch. Call 215-423-0792. ••
Show about WWI
On Sunday, Jan. 29, at 2 p.m., in the headquarters of the Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation, 321 Cedar St. in Bristol Borough, professional actor Neill Hartley will present his one-man show entitled Over There: Songs and Letters of WWI. This fully staged production will feature stories of the war, told in the words of the men and women who lived it, and will include iconic songs of that era. Light refreshment will be served. A donation of $5 per adult is requested, payable at the door. No fee for students. Call 215-788-9408. ••
Bingo on Zoom
The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim is hosting a virtual bingo on Zoom on two consecutive Mondays, Feb. 13 and 20, starting at 7:30 p.m. The cost is $36 per person and includes two cards for eight games of bingo each night. There will also be a $5 50/50 that will be called on each night. Send your payment to the CSS office, 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115, attention: Bingo. Payment must be received no later than Monday, Feb. 6, and you must include your email address. The link will be emailed to you before the first bingo night. Call the CSS office at 215-677-1600 and ask for Gerry or Nancy. ••
Cultural trip to Bryn Athyn Cathedral
The Sisterhood of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will take a one-hour tour of Bryn Athyn Cathedral on Thursday, May 18, at 1 p.m. There are no steps, and restrooms are accessible. The cost is $10 per person. To register, send a check, payable to CSS Sisterhood, with Bryn Athyn on the memo line, to the CSS office, 9768 Verree Road, Philadelphia, PA 19115, Attn: Bryn Athyn. Include the name, email address and phone number of each person registering. For questions, call Lynn Azoulay at 215-677-1600. ••
Book club’s March meeting set
The Book Club of Congregations of Shaare Shamayim will be holding a Zoom session on Monday, March 6, at 7 p.m. The book is The Exiles by Christina Baker Kline. For further information, or to register for the book club program, call Lynn Ratmansky at the synagogue office at 215-677-1600. ••
