Well in response to this my girlfriend, who was also in the car durnig the incident wrote a 3 page letter to Councilwoman Blackwell, basically fuming about the state of west philadelphia and the conditions and programs put in place by the city that does nothing to change the status quo, and accusing the members of city council of not taking a directly active agenda against it. I'll attempt to keep you posted on any actions that follow.

This statement really seems to ring true these days. All too many of the crimes are being done by children in middle school. Its absolutely pathetic that our city can't get a handle on this. Its one thing that these things happen...its another that the police response is so poor around here that these things will only continue to happen.

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- George -

http://www.nutter2007.com

I'm sorry to hear this story. Obviously there is problem when 14 yr. olds have easy access to guns in the first place. Before anybody gets all 2nd amenment on me, I have to say this particular problem to Pennsylvania and Philadelphia specifically. Do you know that 80% of the guns used in crimes in Philly are sold by 5% of the gun dealers? Do you think they might not be enforcing rules to limit strawbuying and resales of guns? Just maybe?
bang wall

No the problem is in these kids not having parents who care enough to dicipline their children and they get their role models from their rap albums advocating acting liek this. when i was 14 I had access to guns in my parents house but did I take them and threaten people on street corners no, why? Because I knew better, this isn't some incident where the crime is in a grey area this 14-year old cancer of society pointed a gun (real or not) towards my head from less than 3 feet away as a sign of being tough for his little tuglet friends whom i will probably be paying for his welfare in a few years. I agree with the approach of Rudy in NYC, but god forbit the mayor launch an offensive against crime, he has too many cars to remove from the city everyone knows that was some of the best money the city ever spent.

Good luck hearing back from the Councilwoman...

Thats why I told her her second letter should in response to a lack of response be CC'ed to the daily news, inquirer, and local news outlets. Nothing like a council-person ignoring the safety of the revenue generating constituents in her district.

Councilwoman Blackwell plans to raze Haverford Ave and build public housing (or something). That ought to fix your problem.

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Your representatives on Philadelphia's City Council are at odds with our new mayor over whether many reforms he has proposed should become law. Please write to them and tell them what your priorities are.

Indict State Senator Vince Fumo into The Crooked Pol Hall of Fame.

I think everything west of 42nd from Haverford to Poplar is PHA. The redo of Haverford Ave. 36th to 42nd is going to a private developer, I think - "The Cloisters III" I think its called. Its confusing because she also has yet more major PHA stuff planned for Mantua and lower Parkside beyond the Lucien Blackwell Homes that ate all of Belmont/Mill Creek. Then there are yet other plans for "Cathedral Park" around 49th and Girard. Sometimes I wonder if its easier trying to figure out what part of West Philly north of Spring Garden isn't slated for demolition, the redevelopment plans are so all pervasive.

the Planning Commission documents are here->
http://www.philaplanning.org/plans/a...areaplans.html

I heard from a friend at the Greenline tonight that a group of women from the University of the Sciences were robbed at gun point at the bank machine outside the Best House. I don't know of any more details other than that the robber has yet to be caught.

I heard from a friend at the Greenline tonight that a group of women from the University of the Sciences were robbed at gun point at the bank machine outside the Best House this past Saturday night around 7. I don't know of any more details other than that the robber has yet to be caught.