Sgt. Nick Cione and community relations officer Mark Mroz represented the 2nd Police District at last week’s Take Back Your Neighborhood meeting.
Mroz mentioned the Oct. 11 murder of 16-year-old Xzavier Gregory, who was found shortly before 4 p.m. with a gunshot wound to the chest at Frontenac and Teesdale streets in Rhawnhurst.
Mroz also said a man was shot to death on Oct. 19 on the 5000 block of Summerdale Ave., outside Houseman Recreation Center.
An armed teenager was arrested on Oct. 14 at Max Myers Recreation Center. Neighbors are concerned about the activity at the playground, and Mroz will ask Susan Slawson, commissioner of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, about a plan to move or remove bleachers where young people gather for, neighbors say, unlawful activity.
Neighbors suggested a ban on backpacks at the playground, or allowing only clear backpacks.
Arrests were made after the robbery and carjacking of a pizza delivery driver on the 1400 block of Lardner St.
“The Great Northeast isn’t the Great Northeast no more,” one man said after hearing the crime report.
In other news from the Oct. 20 meeting:
• State Rep. Jared Solomon will hold a veterans appreciation breakfast and resource fair on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., at the Knights of Columbus Holmesburg Council, 3300 Knorr St. Veterans and their families are invited. Representatives from various government agencies as well as public and private vendors will be on hand to discuss services available for veterans. To RSVP, call 215-342-6340 or email [email protected].
• An Introduction to South Asia will take place at Northeast Regional Library, 2228 Cottman Ave., on Fridays from 2-4 p.m. from Oct. 31 to Dec. 5. The five-part series centers on South Asia’s history, culture, region, geography, population, religion, literature, economy and politics. The series will be presented by Sugra Bibi, of the University of Pennsylvania.
• Bushrod Library, 6404 Castor Ave., will host Beginner English classes on Wednesdays and Fridays, through Dec. 5, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. ••
