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New exhibition at Seaport Museum

Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Christopher Columbus Blvd., will open the new Richard C. von Hess Foundation Gallery, dedicated to showcasing never-before-seen items from its collections through the new exhibition At the Water’s Edge: Working and Living along the Delaware River. Starting April 14, this new exhibition will highlight the history of Philadelphia’s riverfront, furthering ISM’s mission of encouraging visitors to discover Philadelphia’s river of history and world of connections.

At The Water’s Edge allows visitors of all ages to discover the importance of the Delaware River steps from the water’s edge, featuring never-before-seen artifacts and artwork. The exhibition is highlighted by a recently acquired rare piece, a portrait of “Alice,” a 19th-century portrait of an enslaved woman from Philadelphia. Alice managed and operated Dunk’s Ferry (going from present-day Neshaminy State Park to Edgewater Park, New Jersey), where she transported passengers, wagons and cargoes for 40 years. At the Water’s Edge runs through May 2025.

1st Ward for Gym

Democratic mayoral candidate Helen Gym has been endorsed by the South Philadelphia-based 1st Ward Democrats.

The ward issued the following statement: “The 1st Ward is an organizing ward, committed to bringing more and more of our neighbors into the fight for a city that uplifts working-class Philadelphians. With overwhelming support, we voted to endorse Helen Gym for mayor. We endorse Helen because she has always been with us in the fight for well-funded schools, family-sustaining jobs and safe, vibrant communities. We look forward to talking with our neighbors about what our city can accomplish with Helen as mayor.”

Gym has also been endorsed by Philadelphia Federation of Teachers, American Federation of Teachers, Working Families Party, AFSCME DC 47, Unite Here Locals 274, 634 and 54, Teamsters Brotherhood of Maintenance Way Employees Division, Reclaim Philadelphia, Amistad Movement Power, Free the Ballot, Straight Ahead and Neighborhood Networks. ••

Keith Crowley at No. 5 Butchie Alley

No. 5 Butchie Alley, directly behind 1175 S. 13th St., will celebrate Keith Crowley: Natura Morta. The exhibition runs through April 22.

Crowley presents an honest and intimate group of flora and fauna, rendered directly in watercolor and oil. Acquired and arranged serendipitously, they are an intense experience to behold, conjuring emotions from the collective memory and preoccupation with the delicate existence.

Black History Month at the art museum

The Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2600 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, will celebrate Black History Month with free admission on Saturday, Feb. 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will be programs and activities highlighting black artists and the work of local community organizations. Offerings include family art creations, interactive storytelling and activity-based tours.

In addition, there are self-guided tours featuring works by black artists. ••

Sports Hall of Fame banquet set

The City All Star Chapter Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame will hold its 29th awards banquet on Tuesday, April 18, at 5:30 p.m. at Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5, 11630 Caroline Road.

The class of 2023 consists of former North Catholic soccer coach Jerry Brindisi; former Northeast High football coach Harvey “Brew Schumer; Frank “Roscoe” Natale, who has coached baseball and been athletic director at Southern and Bok and been football coach at Bok, Bartram and Southern; and former La Salle University and Archbishop Ryan baseball coach Mike Lake.

In addition, the class of 2020 will be recognized. The banquet honoring them was postponed due to COVID.

Those inductees are former La Salle University basketball player Craig Conlin; coach and youth league organizer Lou DeCree; retired longtime women’s college basketball official Dennis DeMayo; Division I football official Joe Griesser; Joe Hand, a leading TV distributor of closed-circuit and pay-per-view boxing; Mike Hawkins, the PIAA District 12 chairman and former football coach and athletic director at Germantown High School; Steve Kane, the longtime former boys basketball coach at University City who led the Jaguars to the 1995 Public League title; Mike Koplove, who pitched for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Cleveland Indians; Kathy Lonergan, a Division I women’s basketball referee; Dave Mastropietro, a baseball star at La Salle University; and Dr. Anthony Salem, a former minor league baseball player.

Tickets cost $75 in advance and $80 at the door. Tables of 10 cost $750.

Checks can be made payable to Philadelphia City All Star Chapter, and mailed to PAHOF, P.O. Box 672, Levittown, PA 19055-9998 (include email address and inductee name on check). No paper tickets will be issued. Instead, guests will go to a welcome table at the FOP to get their seat assignments.

Organizers are also looking for sponsors for an ad book.

For tickets or ads, contact Steve DiSangro at disangroref@aol.com or 215-421-7556. ••

Join Mamma Mia!

The Star Players are looking for some young males to join the ensemble or have small speaking roles in an upcoming production of Mamma Mia!

The show is June 2-4 at Venice Island Performing Arts Center in Manayunk. Rehearsals take place at Holmesburg Recreation Center, 4500 Rhawn St.

Any young males who want to join the show can contact director Bill Arthur at 215-685-8714 or StarPlayers2013@gmail.com. ••

Oh running for mayor

Republican David Oh has resigned from City Council to run for mayor.

Oh, a married father of four, said he has strong name recognition and high favorability.

A lawyer, he lives in Southwest Philadelphia. He’s a former assistant district attorney and U.S. Army veteran. He was elected to a Council at-large seat in 2011 and re-elected in ‘15 and ‘19. ••

DC 47 endorses Gym

AFSCME District Council 47 endorsed Democratic mayoral candidate Helen Gym.

The union represents workers in municipal government, higher education, social services and the cultural/arts sector.

Previously, Gym had been endorsed by the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and Working Families Party.

“I’m deeply grateful to the hard-working members of DC 47 for endorsing our campaign for mayor,” Gym said. “DC 47 workers keep our city running as well as some of our most cherished institutions. I am in this race to finish the job I started in communities more than two decades ago: to build a city where prosperity is shared among all of us, not just a privileged few; a city where lifelong residents can afford to stay, and where others will want to come. I’ll be a mayor who prioritizes community safety, modernizing our schools, improving government services and fighting back against the forces of privatization. This endorsement proves that our movement for a safer, more prosperous, equitable Philadelphia continues to grow even stronger.”

DC 47 said it is backing Gym because she stands against the privatization of government and educational services and has been a supporter of elevating neighborhood quality of life with access to excellent public education, public health centers, public libraries and recreation centers and other essential government services. The union described her as pro-labor and pro-workers’ rights and a champion of racial, housing and economic justice. ••

Green details gun violence plan

Democratic mayoral candidate Derek Green released his plan to combat the gun violence epidemic in Philadelphia.

Green noted that, in 2022, there were more than 2,200 shootings, with 74% of the victims and shooters being black men.

“A Green administration will create the first ever Gun Violence Suppression Division by fundamentally shifting resources within the Police Department,” he said.

The Gun Violence Suppression Division will consist of prosecutors and both city and federal agents to reduce homicides by 25% in year one of the administration. This division will be empowered to circumvent the District Attorney’s Office to process cases through a Memorandum of Understanding between the city and federal authorities.

“The new police chief will appoint a proven top deputy to stand up and lead the new division that could scale up to as many as 500 officers, state police and agents, including 100 Philadelphia Police Department detectives, that will be focused on working in the police districts where 90% of the gun violence happens,” Green said.

With the use of state and city funds, a Green administration will invest $50 million into the new division in order to reimburse the federal government for the 100 prosecutors and agents who serve in the division. Perpetrators of gun violence will be looking at federal time.

“Gone will be the days when gun offenders are not afraid of the consequences of possessing and using illegal guns in our city,” Green said.

Philadelphia averaged more than 525 murders from 2020-22. ••

Working Families makes endorsements

The far-left Pennsylvania Working Families Party released its endorsements for the Democratic primary.

The slate consists of Helen Gym for mayor; Isaiah Thomas, Erika Almirón, Rue Landau and Amanda McIllmurray for City Council at large; Jamie Gauthier in the 3rd Councilmanic District; and Seth Anderson-Oberman in the 8th Councilmanic District.

Working Families Councilwoman Kendra Brooks released the following statement:

“The Pennsylvania Working Families Party slate demonstrates the growing strength of our shared movements for justice. From labor leaders and grassroots organizers to youth advocates and housing justice champions, this diverse group of candidates come from a variety of backgrounds and share a commitment to improving conditions for working families in Philadelphia. I’m proud to support this powerful slate of candidates through this election cycle and look forward to working alongside them as elected officials to deliver a safe, healthy, thriving city for every resident.” ••

McIllmurray building support

The Working Families Party endorsed Amanda McIllmurray in the Democratic primary for City Council at large.

“The Working Families Party and I have fought together for poor and working families like mine at the ballot box and in the streets for years. We’ve taken power out of the hands of corporations, political bosses and Republicans and put it back into the hands of our neighbors. They’re a political powerhouse. I’m honored to have their endorsement in my race for City Council at large as we continue to fight for a better future for all Philadelphians regardless of race, ZIP code or income,” McIllmurray said.

McIllmurray has also been endorsed by Neighborhood Networks, Amistad Movement Power, Free the Ballot, Straight Ahead, UniteHERE Locals 274 and 634, Reclaim Philadelphia, District Attorney Larry Krasner, state Sen. Nikil Saval and state Reps. Elizabeth Fiedler and Rick Krajewski. ••

Hospitality, food workers for Gym

Democratic mayoral candidate Helen Gym was endorsed by UNITE HERE Philly, which has thousands of members who work in the hospitality and food service industries.

“I’m incredibly grateful to have earned UNITE HERE’s endorsement,” Gym said. “We’ve partnered together to pass some of the boldest legislation in the country to protect the dignity of Philadelphia service workers and confront our city’s shamefully high poverty rate. Whether it was Fair Workweek or the Black Workers Matter Economic Recovery Package, UNITE HERE has been an incredible and unrelenting ally for economic justice and the empowerment of Philadelphia workers. As mayor, I will continue to fight alongside service workers to make this a city where working families can thrive.”

UNITE HERE Philly Locals 274, 634 and 54 include bartenders, cooks, cashiers, dishwashers, restaurant servers and support staff.

Gym has also been endorsed by AFSCME DC 47, Philadelphia Federation of Teachers and Working Families Party. ••

Reclaim announces more endorsements

Reclaim Philadelphia officially announced its second round of endorsements, following previous endorsements of Helen Gym for mayor and Amanda McIllmurray for City Council at large.

Reclaim is also backing Erika Almirón, Isaiah Thomas, Katherine Gilmore Richardson and Rue Landau for Council at large. In the at-large general election, Reclaim will support incumbent Kendra Brooks and Nicolas O’Rourke, both running on the Working Families Party ticket. ••

Sign up for senior softball

The Philadelphia Senior Softball League is looking for experienced players for their 59-and-over and 68-and-over leagues. The seasons start mid-April and will go until the end of September. There will be about 30 games, plus playoffs. No games are played in July. The 59-and-over games are Tuesdays and Thursdays. The 68-and-over games are Mondays and Fridays. All games are played at Crispin Field, Holme and Convent avenues. Games start at 10 a.m. For more information on the 59-and-over league, call John Troy at 215-292-1437. For more information on the 68-and-over league, call Marty King at 215-409-5021. ••

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. ••

Exhibitions at Academy of Natural Sciences

An exhibition at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, 19th and the Parkway, presents a new perspective on insects and reveals their beauty.

Microsculpture: The Insect Portraits of Levon Biss is a series of portraits that capture the microscopic form of insects in high-resolution detail. It will be on view until April 23.

Each photograph makes visible the many intricate adaptations to the form of insects.

Award-winning British photographer Levon Biss created the exhibition, which showcases the insect collection of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History in Oxford, England. Pinned specimens from the Academy’s own entomology collection are added to provide visitors an up-close look at the actual size of insects compared to similar-looking insects in the photographs.

Meanwhile, an exhibition celebrates the diversity of birds, their role in ecosystems and people’s relationships with them. Conversations With Birds spotlights familiar local birds, such as house sparrows and cardinals, and goes beyond to introduce the variety of migrators that pass through on journeys across the globe.

The exhibition features avian photography and video by local birders and wildlife photographers. There will be hands-on activities that explain the body architecture that enables birds to do what they do.

Conversations With Birds is free with general museum admission and on view through Sunday, May 21.

Visit ansp.org.

Go see Mamma Mia!

The Star Players, of the city Department of Parks and Recreation, will present Mamma Mia! from June 2-4 at 7 p.m. at Venice Island Performing Arts Center, 7 Lock St. in Manayunk. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Group rates are available. Tickets are available at Holmesburg Recreation Center, 4500 Rhawn St., or on Venmo @TheStarplayers. For more information, contact director Bill Arthur at 215-685-8714 or Starplayers2013@gmail.com. ••

Trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan

The Polish American Cultural Center Museum volunteers are sponsoring a 7-day, 6-night trip to Mackinac Island, Michigan from July 9-15. The trip consists of a ferry ride to Mackinac Island, two nights at the Grand Hotel, a horse-drawn carriage ride and visits to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the Henry Ford Museum and the National Shrine of the Cross in the Woods. The price includes bus transportation, hotels, six breakfasts, six dinners, a buffet luncheon at the Grand Hotel, admission to all attractions, baggage handling, taxes and gratuities. Call Theresa Romanowski at 215-813-2780 or 215-922-1700.

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]. ••

Upcoming cruise

The Bristol Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring a fully escorted Holy Lands & Aegean Majesty cruise that will sail Oct. 6-17, featuring 10 ports-of-call. Rates, including airfare, range from $4,198 to $7,998 per person, double occupancy. Call 215-788-9408 for information and reservations. ••

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.

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