Jim O’Malley announced his resignation as president of the Rhawnhurst Civic Association during the group’s recent meeting.
Blaise Sabatina, the vice president, will replace O’Malley.
State Rep. Sean Dougherty presented O’Malley with a citation that was co-sponsored by Rep. Ed Neilson.
In other news from the Sept. 27 meeting:
• Dougherty said the state has still not finalized a budget, though SEPTA funding has been secured for the next two years. The House in August passed a bill sponsored by Dougherty that would have funded public transit, with oversight and accountability measures included, along with road and bridge repairs, but the Senate did not act on it. The funding would have come from an increase in the existing allocation of the sales tax to the Public Transportation Trust Fund. Dougherty said SEPTA’s cutbacks before the money was secured resulted in more public school students being late and absent.
Not everyone in the crowd was sympathetic to SEPTA or the increase in lateness and absenteeism. One man complained that SEPTA loses a lot of money through fare evasion. A woman said public school students should not be taking SEPTA, instead attending a school in their neighborhood.
Dougherty encouraged constituents to visit his office at 7801-A Hasbrook Ave.
• Capt. Andrew DiSanto, commander of the 2nd Police District, was at the meeting, along with community relations officers Mark Mroz of the 2nd district and Al Fiorentino of the 7th district. DiSanto said he works well with the other local district commanders – Steven O’Brien (7th), Nick DeBlasis (8th) and Joe Ruff (15th) – and that the district captains work well with Chief Inspector Michael McCarrick and Inspector Frank Bachmayer.
Mroz asked for a moment of silence for the three law enforcement officers who were killed earlier in the day in York County.
Mroz spoke about the Sept. 13 shooting at Fox Chase Recreation Center. At about 8:25 p.m., police responded to a report of a shooting at the rec center, where teenagers were drinking and a fight was scheduled to take place. A juvenile female who attends Archbishop Ryan was struck in the left calf and transported by medics to Jefferson Torresdale Hospital, where she was placed in stable condition. The suspect, known as “Jack,” was wearing a mask and fled into the woods and north on Pine Road. Police have reviewed surveillance video, and Mroz said they have a “good idea who we’re looking for.” In response, the 2nd district has assigned overtime beats to the rec center.
Mroz mentioned police officers will soon begin wearing navy blue shirts, following a directive from Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel.
• Peggy Recupido, an aide to City Councilman Brian O’Neill, said O’Neill will sponsor three upcoming events, all on Saturdays from 9-11 a.m. E-cycling will take place on Sept. 27, at O’Neill’s office at 1701 Bowler St. (at Bustleton Avenue). Recycling buckets will be given away on Oct. 18 at FOP Lodge 5, 11630 Caroline Road. Shredding is scheduled for Oct. 25 at American Heritage Credit Union, 432 Rhawn St.
• Rachael Horne, an aide to state Rep. Ed Neilson, said Neilson will sponsor a free community shred event on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 9-11 a.m. in the St. Jerome Parish parking lot, 3031 Stamford St. Call 215-330-3714. ••
