Philly Lawyers on the Run

It is really tempting to make some old jokes about lawyers here but I'll resist. Feel free to add your own.

from the inbox:

On Sunday, May 15, 2011 the Philadelphia Bar Association will host their 32nd Annual 5K Run/Walk to benefit Support Center for Child Advocates, the nation's oldest and largest pro bono program providing free legal and social services for abused and neglected children. More than 1,500 Bar Association and community members are expected to converge on Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive at 8:30 am for the 3.1. mile race, an open walk and the Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney Kids' Dash. Radio station, B101 will provide music, face painting and activities for all ages.

Proceeds from the race will support Child Advocates in their continued efforts to serve more than 800 children, train upwards of 350 volunteer attorneys and team staff social workers with child clients to ensure them with permanent and nurturing homes.

"The Bar Association 5K Run/Walk has been an incredible event for 32 years. We are grateful for the support of the Bar Association, our corporate and legal sponsors and the everyday people who participate in this tremendous affair helping Child Advocates change the story for abused and neglected children in Philadelphia," said Child Advocates' Executive Director, Frank Cervone, a nationally recognized legal expert on child abuse issues.

Pre-registration for individuals and corporate/legal teams will take place May 9-13 (10:00 am - 7:30pm) at Philadelphia Runner located 1601 Sansom Street. The local specialty running shop and event sponsor is offering a $200 cash prize for the lawyer who defeats the historic 12-year legal competition champion, Neill W. Clark of Berger & Montague Associates. All runners who beat their 2010 race time will receive a gift from Brooks footwear.

For more information about the Philadelphia Bar Association 32nd Annual 5K Run/Walk, visit www.charityrun2011.com. To register, visit www.active.com.

Event Sponsors: Brooks, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Caesar, Rivise, Cohen & Pokotilow, Ltd., Capital Project Management, Inc., Document Technologies, First Trust , Iron Mountain, Landmark Legal Solutions, Mainlineapts.com, Philadelphia Parks & Recreation, Philadelphia Runner, Reliable, The Legal Intelligencer, USA Affinity, Veritext, Wawa,

Video Contest

World Class Philadelphia is hosting a video contest:

As part of the World Class Greater Philadelphia initiative, the Economy League is challenging filmmakers to create original short videos about life in the Philadelphia area in 2026, as described in our report 2026: Future Histories of Greater Philadelphia.

Winning submissions will contribute to region-wide discussion about the key issues that our region’s leaders must focus on to make Greater Philadelphia a world class place to live, work, and play. Plus, entrants have the chance to win cash prizes and have their work viewed around the region!

See details at: www.worldclassgreaterphila.org

Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year

Pennsylvania's Teacher of the Year is Jeffrey S. Chou, who teachers 6th grade at Highland Elementary School (Abington Township, Montgomery County).

Many congratulations to Mr. Chou. Good teachers (and most are) are worth their weight in gold.

Prez O on Subsidies for Oil Companies

from the inbox last week:

Remarks of President Barack Obama
As Prepared for Delivery
Weekly Address
Saturday, April 30, 2011

After the worst recession since the Great Depression, our economy is growing again, and we’ve gained almost 2 million private sector jobs over the last 13 months. But I also know that a lot of folks aren’t feeling as positive as some of those statistics might suggest. It’s still too hard to find a job. And even if you have a job, chances are you’re having a tougher time paying the rising costs of everything from groceries to gas. In some places, gas is now more than $4 a gallon, meaning that you could be paying upwards of $50 or $60 to fill up your tank.

Of course, while rising gas prices mean real pain for our families at the pump, they also mean bigger profits for oil companies. This week, the largest oil companies announced that they’d made more than $25 billion in the first few months of 2011 – up about 30 percent from last year.

Now, I don’t have a problem with any company or industry being rewarded for their success. The incentive of healthy profits is what fuels entrepreneurialism and helps drives our economy forward. But I do have a problem with the unwarranted taxpayer subsidies we’ve been handing out to oil and gas companies – to the tune of $4 billion a year. When oil companies are making huge profits and you’re struggling at the pump, and we’re scouring the federal budget for spending we can afford to do without, these tax giveaways aren’t right. They aren’t smart. And we need to end them.

That’s why, earlier this week, I renewed my call to Congress to stop subsidizing the oil and gas industries. Understand, I’m not opposed to producing oil. I believe that if we’re serious about meeting our energy challenge, we need to operate on all cylinders, and that means pursuing a broad range of energy policies, including safe and responsible oil production here at home. In fact, last year, America’s oil production reached its highest level since 2003.

But I also believe that instead of subsidizing yesterday’s energy, we should invest in tomorrow’s – and that’s what we’ve been doing. Already, we’ve seen how the investments we’re making in clean energy can lead to new jobs and new businesses. I’ve seen some of them myself – small businesses that are making the most of solar and wind power, and energy-efficient technologies; big companies that are making fuel-efficient cars and trucks part of their vehicle fleets. And to promote these kinds of vehicles, we implemented historic new fuel-economy standards, which could save you as much as $3,000 at the pump.

Now, I know that in this tough fiscal environment, it’s tempting for some in Washington to want to cut our investments in clean energy. And I absolutely agree that the only way we’ll be able to afford the things we need is if we cut the things we don’t, and live within our means. But I refuse to cut things like clean energy that will help America win the future by growing our economy and creating good-paying jobs; that will help make America more secure; and that will help clean up our planet in the process. An investment in clean energy today is an investment in a better tomorrow. And I think that’s an investment worth making. Thanks for listening, and have a great weekend.

Amazon Shout Out

A note of thanks to Amazon.com for great customer service. I had a problem with an order last month and after getting the run around from both shipping firms I contacted Amazon. It is actually possible to talk to a live person there. The lady did not sound like a native speaker of English. She didn't have an accent but seemed to speak phonetically -- pronouncing clusters of letters opposed to words, like a gps systems sometimes does. Regardless, she took care of the problem and my book arrived the next day.

Giving credit where credit is due, it was an impressive response. Thank you, Amazon.

Ben Waxman Moderates Row Officers Debate

Wednesday, May 4th, Candidates for Philadelphia Row Offices will debate at the Philadelphia Free Library's Central Branch (1900 Parkway. The debate will be from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Ben Waxman, former contributor to WHYY, Philadelphia Daily News and Young Philly Politics.com will moderate.

The debates is sponsored by: Americans for Democratic Action (ADA), Coalition of Labor Union Women, Keystone Progress, National Lawyers Guild,Philadelphia Chapter, Philly Neighborhood Networks, Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project, Philadelphia NOW, Philly for Change, Philadelphia Association of Community Development Corporations (PACDC),Philadelphia Democratic Progressive Caucus,Women's Community Revitalization Project (WCRP)

What Makes a Good School?

For what it is worth this is my list:

Safe environment – you can’t learn if the roof leaks or if people are going to jump you from behind. The actual physical setting doesn’t need to be decorated or cutting edge but it should be in good condition, functional bathrooms and water fountains, classrooms, chairs and desks. Equipment doesn’t have to be state of the art but reasonably current. Each school should have a library and a librarian with at least one computer classroom, two in a large school. All schools will have some amount of tussling or fighting but there should be consequences for it. A strong code of conduct enforced with some consistency

School administration – sets tone and decides curriculum. School administrators (principals and superintendents ) decide who is in what class, both teachers and students, how monies are distributed, what sort of parental involvement is allowed and encouraged, and how much leeway teachers have. School board members also have a say in these decisions. Administrators who play favorites among the teachers for reasons other than ability and compassion (a lighter workload for someone taking chemo that year, for example), sour the sense of camaraderie among the staff. A good administrator will encourage innovation and cooperation.

Teachers – knowledgeable in their subject, interested in their students, and able to teach. Before becoming a teacher, students wanting to earn a teaching certificate must student teach for part of a year. This lets them work under a seasoned teacher and learn the ropes. Many students manage the curriculum with group instruction but there will always be some who march to a different drummer, and might need a little extra attention with one thing or another. A teacher who is willing to put in the time, work with support staff, and engage parents, to help that student develop coping mechanisms or learning paths. First and foremost a teacher knows the material and can express it to the students. While some good teachers are born most learn set skills either in college or on the job.
Students – fed, able to pay attention. Students with high expectations for themselves, in a group, raise the bar for everyone.

Parents – interested and involved. Students whose parents quiz them over their spelling words the night before the test are likely to do better than students whose parents don’t. Students whose parents place an emphasis on studying and getting good grades are likely to do better than students whose parents do. That isn’t a function of money or social status. That is a function of parenting. Parents who are involved in their children’s school and volunteer provide much needed labor and creativity.

Those aren’t the only factors in a great school but they’re the basics.

SEPTA Special Service for Komen Race for the Cure

from the inbox:

Participants and spectators heading to the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure on Sunday, May 8, can avoid traffic jams by taking advantage of SEPTA’s early morning Regional Rail service. The race, which starts with a Survivor’s Ceremony at 7 a.m. at Eakins Oval and finishes at 11 a.m., draws thousands of participants from across the Delaware Valley.

The early morning SEPTA Regional Rail schedules, including six added trains, is:

Airport Line: Train #9404 will leave Terminals E and F at 5:39 a.m., arriving at Suburban
Station at 6:05 a.m. Train #4304 will leave Terminals E and F at 6:09 a.m. and arrive at Suburban Station at 6:35 a.m.

Chestnut Hill East Line: Train #703 will depart Chestnut Hill East Station at 6:11 a.m.
and arrive at Suburban Station at 6:45 a.m.

Glenside Combined: Train #405 will leave Glenside Station at 5:29 a.m., arriving at
Suburban Station at 6 a.m.

Lansdale/Doylestown Line: Added Train #6509 will depart Lansdale Station at 5:12
a.m., arriving at Suburban Station at 6:07 a.m.

Manayunk/Norristown Line: Added Train #6205 will depart Elm Street Station at 5:48
a.m. arriving Suburban Station at 6:34 a.m.

Media/Elwyn Line: Added Train #1304 will depart Elwyn Station at 5:33 a.m. and
arrive at Suburban Station at 6:13 a.m.

Paoli/Thorndale Line: Added Train #1520 will leave Malvern Station at 5:20 a.m. and
arrive at Suburban Station at 6:10 a.m.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Warminster Line: Train #407 will depart Warminster Station at 5:41 a.m., arriving at
Suburban Station at 6:30 a.m.

Wilmington/Marcus Hook Line: Added Train #1290 will depart Marcus Hook Station
at 5:48 a.m. and arrive at Suburban Station in Center City at 6:25 a.m.

West Trenton Line: Added Train #6307 will leave West Trenton Station at 5:18 a.m.
arriving at Suburban Station in Center City Philadelphia at 6:20 a.m.

Race-goers spending the day in the city and planning to use more than one mode of
SEPTA transit can purchase SEPTA’s individual or family Independence Passes to save
on their travel costs. Passes can be purchased prior to race day at SEPTA sales locations
or purchased on the train the day of the event. Passes are $11 (individual) and $28
(family). In addition to the early Regional Rail service, SEPTA reminds passengers that from 7:30 a.m. until 12 p.m. bus routes 2, 7, 9, 17, 27, 31, 32, 33, 38, 43, 44, 48, 124 and 125 will be detoured in Center City for the event. Information on all SEPTA service and fares is available at www.septa.org

Report from SEPTA's Youth Advisory Council

from the inbox:

SEPTA’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC) delivered a comprehensive report on the needs of Philadelphia’s young riders to the SEPTA Board at its April plenary meeting. The report, entitled A Philadelphia Youth Rider Agenda, was the product of a 9-month process which consisted of surveying 800 college and high school students and conducting two
public forums. Respondents were asked for information on their ridership habits, factors which influence their usage of SEPTA, and whether potential service improvements would entice them to ride the system more frequently.

Based on respondents’ ranking of priority issues, the report made five Core Recommendations for increasing youth ridership. These included offering an expanded selection ofhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif discounted student passes, improving late-night service, increasing the focus on public safety, facilitating greater access to fare instruments at colleges, and extending high school pass privileges for student workers. The report recommended that youth groups and university administrations work with SEPTA leadership to realize implementation of the goals. In the week preceding its public release, the document was endorsed by the Philadelphia Youth
Commission, the official body of youth representation in City government.

The YAC was created by SEPTA in September 2009 to function as its “primary outreach group to riders ages 14 to 22,” and has previously been recognized by the Board for its youth engagement work at local high schools and colleges. In September 2011, the YAC will begin a second service evaluation project focused on studying the needs of youth riders in Philadelphia’s suburban counties. A Philadelphia Youth Rider Agenda is available for download in PDF format on the YAC’s official webpage at www.septa.org/partners/yac.

Prez O's Remarks at Bipartisan Congressional Dinner

from the inbox:

Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Please -- thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. Good evening, all of you. On behalf of Michelle and myself, I just want to welcome everybody to the White House. We scheduled this dinner a few weeks ago because I thought it would be a good opportunity for leaders of both parties and their spouses to spend some time together outside of politics. And tonight seems like an especially fitting occasion to do this.

Obviously we’ve all had disagreements and differences in the past. I suspect we’ll have them again in the future. But last night, as Americans learned that the United States had carried out an operation that resulted in the capture and death of Osama bin Laden, we -- (applause) -- you know, I think we experienced the same sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. We were reminded again that there is a pride in what this nation stands for, and what we can achieve, that runs far deeper than party, far deeper than politics.

I want to again recognize the heroes who carried out this incredibly dangerous mission, as well as all the military and counter-terrorism professionals who made the mission possible. I also want to thank the members of Congress from both parties who have given extraordinary support to our military and our intelligence officials. Without your support, they could not do what they do.

I know that that unity that we felt on 9/11 has frayed a little bit over the years, and I have no illusions about the difficulties of the debates that we’ll have to be engaged in, in the weeks and months to come. But I also know there have been several moments like this during the course of this year that have brought us together as an American family, whether it was the tragedy in Tucson or, most recently, our unified response to the terrible storms that have taken place in the South.

Last night was one of those moments. And so tonight, it is my fervent hope that we can harness some of that unity and some of that pride to confront the many challenges that we still face. But to all of you here tonight, we are joyful that you could join us. And please have a little bit of fun. All right? Thank you very much, everybody. (Applause.)

Obama's Remarks on Death of Osama bin Laden

from the inbox:

Good evening. Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.

It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by the worst attack on the American people in our history. The images of 9/11 are seared into our national memory -- hijacked planes cutting through a cloudless September sky; the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground; black smoke billowing up from the Pentagon; the wreckage of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where the actions of heroic citizens saved even more heartbreak and destruction.

And yet we know that the worst images are those that were unseen to the world. The empty seat at the dinner table. Children who were forced to grow up without their mother or their father. Parents who would never know the feeling of their child’s embrace. Nearly 3,000 citizens taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts.

On September 11, 2001, in our time of grief, the American people came together. We offered our neighbors a hand, and we offered the wounded our blood. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, and our love of community and country. On that day, no matter where we came from, what God we prayed to, or what race or ethnicity we were, we were united as one American family.

We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation and to bring those who committed this vicious attack to justice. We quickly learned that the 9/11 attacks were carried out by al Qaeda -- an organization headed by Osama bin Laden, which had openly declared war on the United States and was committed to killing innocents in our country and around the globe. And so we went to war against al Qaeda to protect our citizens, our friends, and our allies.

Over the last 10 years, thanks to the tireless and heroic work of our military and our counterterrorism professionals, we’ve made great strides in that effort. We’ve disrupted terrorist attacks and strengthened our homeland defense. In Afghanistan, we removed the Taliban government, which had given bin Laden and al Qaeda safe haven and support. And around the globe, we worked with our friends and allies to capture or kill scores of al Qaeda terrorists, including several who were a part of the 9/11 plot.

Yet Osama bin Laden avoided capture and escaped across the Afghan border into Pakistan. Meanwhile, al Qaeda continued to operate from along that border and operate through its affiliates across the world.

And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta, the director of the CIA, to make the killing or capture of bin Laden the top priority of our war against al Qaeda, even as we continued our broader efforts to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat his network.

Then, last August, after years of painstaking work by our intelligence community, I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden. It was far from certain, and it took many months to run this thread to ground. I met repeatedly with my national security team as we developed more information about the possibility that we had located bin Laden hiding within a compound deep inside of Pakistan. And finally, last week, I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action, and authorized an operation to get Osama bin Laden and bring him to justice.

Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. No Americans were harmed. They took care to avoid civilian casualties. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body.

For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaeda’s leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda.

Yet his death does not mark the end of our effort. There’s no doubt that al Qaeda will continue to pursue attacks against us. We must –- and we will -- remain vigilant at home and abroad.

As we do, we must also reaffirm that the United States is not –- and never will be -– at war with Islam. I’ve made clear, just as President Bush did shortly after 9/11, that our war is not against Islam. Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims. Indeed, al Qaeda has slaughtered scores of Muslims in many countries, including our own. So his demise should be welcomed by all who believe in peace and human dignity.

Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear that we would take action within Pakistan if we knew where bin Laden was. That is what we’ve done. But it’s important to note that our counterterrorism cooperation with Pakistan helped lead us to bin Laden and the compound where he was hiding. Indeed, bin Laden had declared war against Pakistan as well, and ordered attacks against the Pakistani people.

Tonight, I called President Zardari, and my team has also spoken with their Pakistani counterparts. They agree that this is a good and historic day for both of our nations. And going forward, it is essential that Pakistan continue to join us in the fight against al Qaeda and its affiliates.

The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores, and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens. After nearly 10 years of service, struggle, and sacrifice, we know well the costs of war. These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief, have to sign a letter to a family that has lost a loved one, or look into the eyes of a service member who’s been gravely wounded.

So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when our people have been killed. We will be relentless in defense of our citizens and our friends and allies. We will be true to the values that make us who we are. And on nights like this one, we can say to those families who have lost loved ones to al Qaeda’s terror: Justice has been done.

Tonight, we give thanks to the countless intelligence and counterterrorism professionals who’ve worked tirelessly to achieve this outcome. The American people do not see their work, nor know their names. But tonight, they feel the satisfaction of their work and the result of their pursuit of justice.

We give thanks for the men who carried out this operation, for they exemplify the professionalism, patriotism, and unparalleled courage of those who serve our country. And they are part of a generation that has borne the heaviest share of the burden since that September day.

Finally, let me say to the families who lost loved ones on 9/11 that we have never forgotten your loss, nor wavered in our commitment to see that we do whatever it takes to prevent another attack on our shores.

And tonight, let us think back to the sense of unity that prevailed on 9/11. I know that it has, at times, frayed. Yet today’s achievement is a testament to the greatness of our country and the determination of the American people.

The cause of securing our country is not complete. But tonight, we are once again reminded that America can do whatever we set our mind to. That is the story of our history, whether it’s the pursuit of prosperity for our people, or the struggle for equality for all our citizens; our commitment to stand up for our values abroad, and our sacrifices to make the world a safer place.

Let us remember that we can do these things not just because of wealth or power, but because of who we are: one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Thank you. May God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Mr. Featherman Gets His Due

The Philadelphia Inquirer has endorsed John Featherman in the Republican primary for mayor of Philadelphia. Here's an excerpt:

But Featherman's most important contribution would be to jolt the city GOP into becoming a true opposition party. He said his victory in the primary will assure that "we'll have a spirited discussion in the fall."

PCN Interview with Kathryn Boockvar

Kathryn Boockvar, endorsed Democratic candidate for the Commonwealth Court was interviewed by PCN's "On the Issues" on April 20th. I watched on pcn+ (go to www.pcntv.com, pcn+, election 2011) and these are my rough notes. This is not intended as a complete transcription and I apologize in advance for any errors or misconceptions. Interested voters are encouraged to watch for themselves.

Q: Tell us about the election coming up

KB: the election is 5/17.

Q: Who is your opponent?

KB: Primary opponent is Barbara Ernsberger. It is a seat that Doris Smith Ribner held then she stepped down to run for another office. Judge Johnny Butler held since then

Q: Tell us about the court?

KB: primarily an appellate court but also has original trial jurisdiction in some kinds of
cases. Such as election cases.

Q: As a practitioner did you appear in front of commonwealth court

KB: earlier in my career quite a few unemployment cases, but never did an argument in front of the court. My cases were all by brief.

Q: Why run?

KB: I feel that this court and this time, a lot of paths in my background converge here. I’ve been very fortunate to do a lot of different things in a lot of areas, such as labor and employment (unemployment compensation is largest type of cases the court hears right now), public records law, election law, land use, zoning cases. I’ve practiced in those areas. I don’t just want to be judge but judge of commonwealth court.

Q: Tell us about your background?

KB: for the last three years did voting rights work. Terrific opportunity, allowed me to work with individuals and organizations and really hear what groups and individuals were seeing in their communities, trial lawyers and unions talk about what they are seeing and what they want to accomplish. I was one of the few lawyers active in the Advancement Project, a coalition. Really ranged across everything you can image across voting law. Voting fraud was not a problem we saw much of if any. There is a law in PA about voting machines, what happens when they break down, etc. In 2008 machines would break down and in some places they gave out paper ballots and in others they would wait in line for hours; others were told to go home and come back later. Not being treated equally. Number of organizations in coalition concerned. Now the rule is that you need to distribute paper ballots when machines broken, if more than 50% of machines not working.

Q: You published op ed on rights of those incarcerated to vote

KB: in PA if convicted of a felony cannot vote while in prison, if misdemeanor can. Felons can vote after leaving prison. There used to be a 5 year waiting period, no longer the case. Partly because of past law there’s a lot of misinformation out there. Helped train parole agents.

Q: Rating from PA BAR, recommended

KB: There are 3 levels, highly recommended almost always reserved for sitting judges, most get recommended, and there is also not recommended. Very proud of the language used in their evaluation, bright, strong advocate for clients, communicate well, integrity to serve as judge

Q: Many endorsements?

KB: I’m honored and thrilled with support receiving. Endorsed by PA Democratic Party, tremendous network of volunteers around state. Need 1000 signatures to get on ballot, we turned in over 6,000, with more than 100 signatures from 17 counties. Endorsed by PA SEIU which represents 80K working families across state, Equality PA, and a lot of other organizations, Philly AFL-CIO and PA UAW (actually a former UAW member)

Q: Commonwealth court a statewide court, running statewide

KB: really a terrific experience. People often ask me how I feel about the election of judges. I believe in voters being engaged in the process. Appreciate voters having a say in that branch of govt. If I’m seeking a bench in one part of the state it is helpful to actually have been there, have a sense of the community. It broadens us as judges. I feel honored to have this opportunity.

Q: Can’t talk about particular cases or rules?

KB: You can talk about personal opinions and beliefs. Get a lot of questionnaires, one of my biggest missions is explaining why this court matters. Sometimes you get asked a question that feels less like personal opinions than “how would you rule” and you don’t want a judge who will tell you hypothetically how they would rule but listen to each case on its merits. Not everyone wants to hear that, try to keep in in personal opinion area

Q: Commonwealth court a consensus court with a large docket

KB: Like the fact that even if not on the panel, all the judges have to review decision and sign off. It means there’s more than just the 3 judge panel that hears the case. I went to American University law School. One of the things they taught us is client centered counseling and really hearing, listening. I feel that’s something I’ve always done. Whenever you have advocacy there’s always a chance that people will talk past each other and I’ve found one of the things I can do well is really listen to all sides. I was often able to serve as a bridge. You’re hearing both sides of an argument and people on the bench are bringing all different backgrounds. Being able to hear and bridge what all those people are saying is a good quality.

Q: Trained as a mediator?

KB: Yes, I wish there was more mediation that happened across the system, to empower people to come to a decision themselves and it saves so much time and money and energy and angst among all parties. Mediation training has been very useful. Communication is half the battle. How many times do you … it’s not the underlying issues it’s how they’re talked about

Q: If you win primary you could be facing another Bucks County woman?

KB: We do not have enough elected women in general in PA. We are not effectively electing women in PA. As often as I can I encourage women to run. There is a tendency for women not to put themselves forward unless someone encourages them. In 2007 someone asked me to run for an office; otherwise I would not have thought of doing that. We should put forth strong qualified women as often as we can. It says something for Bucks County that we have a terrific Bar Association and have qualified candidates.

Q: Why it matters, why should people vote

KB: The Commonwealth Court is called The People’s Court. It hears all kinds of cases all across PA, a lot of the issues, labor and employment, labor, gas drilling – land use and zoning go to Commonwealth court, unemployment compensation, workers compensation, voting rights cases, public records requests. The thing about a court, they may decide a case, and that can affect other cases because of the value of precedent. Can affect not only us but our children and grandchildren. A lot of what I’ve been doing going around the state is telling people why this court matters. I wish our system worked better in educating people on these matters. Because of my background I really have experience substantively and also broad geographic area, went to Penn, then American Law School, then to Legal Action Center, hired for sole legal services person for Wyoming and Susquehanna Counties, supervisor in Scranton, lovely area, moved to Lehigh Valley Legal Services, opened own practice and husband joined her, for 11 years, a lot of areas, pensions, benefits, insurance. In 2008 hired by national civil rights organization to do statewide voting rights. Met people all across the state. It’s been a tremendous opportunity.

Planned Renovation of Wayne Junction Station

[adapted from press release]

On April 27th, SEPTA representatives, joined by elected officials and community leaders, will officially accept a $3.98 million Federal Transit Administration (FTA) competitive grant from FTA Administrator Peter M. Rogoff. The funds are for SEPTA’s extensive Wayne Junction Station renovation project. Wayne Junction Station serves more than 190,500 SEPTA riders annually via five Regional Rail lines, one trackless trolley route and two bus routes. SEPTA’s three-year renovation project is expected to begin in fall 2011 and will make the historical register-eligible station state-of-the-art and fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

New World Class Website

World Class Greater Philadelphia has launched a new website: http://worldclassgreaterphila.org/.
On Thursday, April 28th, the organization is also hosting a press conference:

What would you do today if you knew how our world will be 15 years from now – in 2026? The Economy League of Greater Philadelphia will present 4 “future histories” as part of its World Class Greater Philadelphia launch. This multi-year initiative works toward making Greater Philadelphia a world class place to live, work, and play by 2026 -- the 250th anniversary of the signing of The Declaration of Independence.

Barbara McDermott Runs for Philly Court of Common Pleas

Barbara McDermott is running for Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Her campaign website is: www.barbaramcdermott.org. She also has a YouTube channel with some short introductory videos.

According to her bio:

On May 17, 2011, the citizens of Philadelphia will have the opportunity to elect Barbara McDermott as a Democratic Candidate to the Court of Common Pleas. For twenty-seven years Barbara has worked tirelessly for the people of Philadelphia, first as an Assistant District Attorney and then as an attorney defending the poor. Barbara has championed the rights of all citizens of Philadelphia, and now, after having tried thousands of cases from all sides, is ready to put her experience to work for you resolving tough issues as a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas.

Phildelphia voters are encouraged to investigate further.

Ifill Accepts Cronkite Award for Newshour

Today The Annenberg School at the University of Southern California awarded the PBS Newshour the 2011 Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Television Political Journalism. Newshour Senior Correspondent Gwen Ifill and Political Editor David Chalian accepted the award on the show's behalf.

I've been a fan of Ifill's for many years. In 2006 she came to a Pennsylvania political event that I attended. When I went over to say hello and tell her how much I enjoyed her work she asked my opinion on a few Pennsylvania races and districts, and actually seemed interested in my answers. When the Washington Week in Review went on the road a few years later I went to the Philadelphia taping.

The show sent out a copy of Ifill's prepared remarks. Apologies for the all caps but that's how the remarks arrived.

ON BEHALF OF JIM LEHRER, JUDY WOODRUFF, LINDA WINSLOW OUR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER AND DAVID CHALIAN, OUR POLITICAL EDITOR…

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THIS WONDERFUL AWARD, AND FOR ALLOWING US TO JOIN ALL OF THESE AMAZING JOURNALISTS ON THIS STAGE.

IT DOES US ALL GOOD TO SEE THAT – NO MATTER WHAT YOU READ, SEE AND HEAR OUT THERE – SERIOUS JOURNALISM STILL MATTERS.

IT’S ALL I EVER WANTED TO DO, AND I THINK I SPEAK FOR EVERYONE HERE IN SAYING THAT WE ARE DRAWN TO JOURNALISM FOR THE NOBILITY THAT CAN BE FOUND IN TELLING UNTOLD STORIES, OR IN SHEDDING LIGHT RATHER THAN HEAT ON THE OVERTOLD ONES. MOST OF US GOT INTO JOURNALISM TO SAVE THE WORLD…AND THEN REALIZED WE OFTEN HAD TO SAVE THE WORLD FROM US.

I REALIZE I AM PREACHING TO THE CHOIR HERE TODAY, SO I PROBABLY DON’T HAVE TO TELL THE PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM, THIS IS TOUGHER THAN IT SEEMS.

FOR MOST OF US, IT MEANS DOING MORE WITH LESS ON A DAILY BASIS. RESISTING THE LURE OF A CHARLIE SHEEN STORY ONE DAY OR ANOTHER ROYAL WEDDING CURTAIN RAISER ON ANOTHER.

AT THIS POINT IN MY CAREER, I’VE WORKED FOR NEWSPAPERS, AT A COMMERCIAL NETWORK AND NOW AT PUBLIC BROADCASTING, WHERE LIKE CLOCKWORK, WE ARE PERIODICALLY ACCUSED BY THOSE ON THE RIGHT AND THOSE ON THE LEFT
OF BIAS. TOO MANY OF THESE CRITICS DON’T ACTUALLY WATCH OR LISTEN TO WHAT WE DO.

THIS IS WHAT WE DO.

JUDY WOODRUFF AND I TAKE YOU AROUND THE COUNTRY TO GET TO THE HEART OF OUR NATIONAL POLITICAL DEBATE…MARGARET WARNER AND RAY SUAREZ TAKE YOU TO NORTH KOREA AND GUATEMALA AND EGYPT AND SOUTH AFRICA TO TALK ABOUT GLOBAL HEALTH AND GLOBAL CHALLENGES.

ROBIN MCNEIL JUST COMPLETED A SIX-PART SERIES ON AUTISM, DEVOTING THE KIND OF TIME AND CARE TO THE TOPIC THAT FILLS A VOID IN THE DEARTH OF DOCUMENTARY TELEVISION.

AND AFTER 35 YEARS, WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED. LAST WEEK AT THE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE GULF OIL SPILL, WE LOOKED BACK AND COUNTED 232 STORIES WE’D DONE ON THE TOPIC….AND NOT JUST ON THE AIR.

OUR ONLINE OIL SPILL WIDGET WAS EMBEDDED ON MORE THAN 6,000 WEBSITES AROUND THE WORLD AND WAS VIEWED MORE THAN 20 MILLION TIMES.

WE ARE CONVINCED THAT TELLING THE STORY WELL MATTERS – WHETHER IT’S JEFF BROWN’S CONVERSATION LAST YEAR WITH THE WAR PHOTOGRAPHER TIM HETHERINGTON, WHO WAS KILLED LAST WEEK IN LIBYA… OR JOHN MERROW ON EDUCATION… OR PAUL SOLMAN MAKING SENSE OF ECONOMICS… OR HARI SREENIVASAN HONCHOING OUR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY COVERAGE.

IF IT SOUNDS LIKE I’M BOASTING, YOU’RE RIGHT. WE ARE JUSTIFIABLY PROUD OF WHAT WE DO, AND ARE CONVINCED THAT EVEN IN A DRASTICALLY SHIFTING MEDIA ENVIRONMENT THERE IS A HUNGER FOR THE WORK WE DO.

WHEN I VISIT COLLEGE CAMPUSES, STUDENTS OFTEN TELL ME “I ONLY WATCH JON STEWART.” AND I TELL THEM: “JON STEWART WATCHES ME.”

NOT TO WORRY. WALTER CRONKITE ONCE TOLD ME HE WATCHED THE PBS NEWSHOUR EVERY NIGHT TOO.

THAT’S BECAUSE JOURNALISM, AND EVEN FAUX JOURNALISM, CAN ONLY FLOURISH WITH A FIRM FOUNDATION.

AT THE PBS NEWSHOUR, OUR FIRM FOUNDATION IS JIM LEHRER. FROM THE DAY HE CREATED THE PROGRAM WITH ROBIN MACNEIL UNTIL NOW, WHEN HE APPLIES HIS CONVICTIONS AND HIS CORE BELIEFS TO THE BROADCAST EVERY SINGLE NIGHT, HE IS OUR GUIDING STAR – TRULY THE CAPTAIN OF THE TEAM.

SO THAT’S WHAT WE DO. THAT’S WHAT MORE OF US CAN DO. AND ON DAYS LIKE TODAY, I AM REMINDED OF HOW MANY MORE WHO ARE DOING IT. AND WELL.

WE MIGHT NOT BE SAVING THE WORLD, BUT AT LEAST WE ARE MAKING IT A MORE UNDERSTANDABLE PLACE TO LIVE IN.

ONCE AGAIN, THANK YOU TO THE NORMAN LEAR CENTER AT USC ANNENBERG FOR THIS MARVELOUS WALTER CRONKITE AWARD.

PA Judiciary Committee Approves Shapiro Bill

from the inbox:

The House Judiciary Committee today unanimously approved bipartisan legislation (H.B. 924), originally sponsored by state Rep. Josh Shapiro, D-Montgomery, which would make it a felony offense for a teacher or school employee, coach or counselor, to engage in sexual relations with any student.

Currently state law protects children by criminalizing sexual contact with children under the age of 16 by a school employee or volunteer. Unfortunately, the law does not provide the same protections for all students.

“It’s plain and simple – this is a loophole in our law that must be fixed,” said Shapiro. “Those we entrust to educate and watch over our children should not engage in any sexual activity with them at any age. This commonsense legislation affords the same protections to all children in schools and extracurricular activities from any adult who violates their position of trust. This commonsense bipartisan legislation will protect our children.”

Under H.B. 924, an employee or volunteer of a school or a child care center who engages in sexual contact with any student commits a felony of the third degree, which could be punishable by up to seven years in prison and/or a fine of up to $15,000.

SEPTA's New Parkside Bus Loop

I'm cutting and pasting this from a longer SEPTA press release:

SEPTA was awarded a $2.2 million competitive grant from Federal Transit Administration for the project. These funds will cover the vast majority of the $2.4 million estimated costs.

The Parkside Bus Loop serves routes 40, 43, 64 and 52 at 49th Street and Parkside Avenue, where it has been for some 90 years. The infrastructure is long past its useful life, and changes in the neighborhood have made the location obsolete for a bus loop. The new facility on North 50th Street will be near the heart of recent development, including the Park West Town Center.

Construction is expected to take approximately eight months, with major work completed by December 2011. The new facility will include state-of-the-art passenger amenities, safety features and will be fully accessible, per Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements

Fiscal Note on SB1

from our friends at the Education Law Center:

The Education Law Center has analyzed an official Senate report detailing the cost of tuition vouchers for private and religious schools under Senate Bill 1. The "Fiscal Note" for SB 1 anticipates only a small percent of the vouchers will be used by students currently attending the 144 public schools identified as failing by the bill. The Senate Appropriations Committee officially attached the Fiscal Note to the bill on April 11, revealing that most of the vouchers are expected to go students already attending private and religious schools.

The Education Law Center has closely examined the data in the SB 1 Fiscal Note, which for the first time allows the public to see official details about the number of students expected to utilize vouchers and the cost of the voucher program:

- The cost of vouchers for tuition at private and religious schools will be more than $1 billion in total over the first four years.

- Only 7.6% of all vouchers will go to students from the 144 "worst" public schools.

- 65.3% of all vouchers will go to students already enrolled in private and religious schools.

- Only 9% of eligible students from the 144 "worst" public schools will be able to gain admission to a private or religious school and actually use their voucher. The annual cost will be $50 million.

- 100% of eligible students currently enrolled in private and religious schools will be able to use their voucher dollars, since they are already admitted. The annual cost will be $225 million.

Senate Democrats say that the Fiscal Note still underestimates these costs and that even fewer students at failing public schools will gain admission to a private or religious school in order to actually use the vouchers.

The battle over vouchers in Pennsylvania has focused for months on claims repeatedly made by voucher supporters that Senate Bill 1 will not be costly and will help students get out of failing public schools. Opponents of SB 1 have disagreed, emphasizing that the bill will cost more than $1 billion and transfer most of these tax dollars to private and religious schools for children who are not enrolled in a failing public school.

The April 11 Fiscal Note shows that SB 1 opponents were correct. "SB 1 is not really about school choice for families trapped in failing public schools," said Baruch Kintisch of the Education Law Center. "Instead, the bill is an expensive gift of taxpayer dollars to private and religious schools for the tuition of students who are already enrolled in those schools."

Joseph Bard of the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools said, "In this time of billion dollar budget deficits, our state cannot afford a massive giveaway program to private and religious schools. Public money should be used to improve public schools, not to pay for the tuition of students currently attending private and religious schools."

The full Senate is expected to vote on SB 1 in the next week or two. Negotiations are going on behind the scenes to win the votes of senators who are on the fence. The latest changes being made to the bill divert even more of the voucher program away from needy students in struggling schools. For example, the Senate Appropriations Committee amended SB 1 to create a new kind of voucher for middle class families.

"The first priority of state policy for education should always be the best interest of disadvantaged students and their public schools, not political favors for private interests," said Kintisch.