A teachable moment - for all of us - in Upper Darby
A look at the week that was, the issues and people who made headlines, and a few darts and laurels for those who deserve them. LAUREL: To Upper Darby Superintendent Dan McGarry. He saw his district thrust into the national limelight in the ugliest way, full of racial invective. But McGarry stood his ground, vowed to use the incident as a teachable moment, and continued to preach unity instead of divisiveness. Good for him.
DART: The incident in question should serve as a reminder to all of us that words are powerful things. They have meaning – not always in the best of ways. It’s also a reminder that despite the great strides we’ve made in race relations, we still have a ways to go.
DART: One more caution. It’s exemplary of the world we live in today. There was a time – not all that long ago – when an incident of this type would have been local news for a few days. Today, you can find yourself become a national item in the blink of an eye. Or a single Tweet or Post on Facebook. You’ve been warned.
DART: Yes, it happened again. The infamous ‘Can Opener’ of Prospect Park has claimed another victim. A big rig got wedged under the overpass on Route 420 between Chester Pike and MacDade Boulevard, joining the legions of others who have suffered a similar fate over the years. This one happened right at the start of the morning rush hour, and created a daylong traffic nightmare on the heavily traveled thoroughfare.
LAUREL: To the pride of Upper Darby. Rocker Todd Rundgren, he of the hits like “Hello, It’s Me” and “We Gotta Get You a Woman,” has been nominated for the second straight year for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Rundgren grew up in Upper Darby and is a graduate of the Class of 1966. He joins other Upper Darby luminaries such as Tina Fey and Jim Croce in bringing glory to the Royal tradition. His induction is long overdue. Here’s hoping he gets in this year.
LAUREL: To Delaware County Board of Prison Inspectors member Wally Nunn. No one has ever accused the longtime Republican pol and former Delaware County councilman of being shy when it comes to offering his opinion. Nunn is firing back at those taking potshots at the prison board as the county opts to move to a new review board to oversee operations at the prison jail, and fending off accusations of Republican corruption. He also has a warning for residents that changes being pushed by Democrats are likely to result in higher costs.
LAUREL: To Radnor police. They recently gave quite the reminder to their community – home to no less than four universities – that underage drinking remains illegal. Police handed out 200 citations.
LAUREL: To another beer story – this one decidedly happier. Larimer Beer Co. is setting up shop in Chester, in the shadow of Talen Energy Stadium, where the Union plays its home games in Major League Soccer. Larimer is hoping to piggyback on the popularity of the team and a new master plan for the city’s riverfront to open their new business.
LAUREL: To the Delaware County Sikh community. This week they marked the 550th anniversary of their religion’s founder by gathering for a day of events in Washington, D.C., including being invited to help celebrate the Senate’s morning prayer by Pa. Sen. Pat Toomey.
DART: To the finding that old, rusting pipes played a role in the massive explosion and fire that shut down the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery in South Philadelphia. It’s a miracle there were no deaths, although neighbors now are once again facing health concerns after news that a substantial amount of dangerous chemicals was released during the blast.
DART: To the situation that resulted in tragedy in Springfield this week. A Sabold Elementary School second-grader was struck by a car after she got off her bus and was crossing Route 420. She was hit by a car coming in the other direction. The girl remains in critical condition. Police continue to investigate.
LAUREL: To the legacy of Janet Farahmand of Concord. She once taught nursing students at Neumann University, and her husband, Ahmad “Alex” Farahmand, is bestowing $1.4 million to the Aston school in her memory. DART: Don’t look for the roiling waters swirling around the Chester Water Authority to settle down anytime soon. The iconic firm finds itself mired in myriad legal battles as it fights to fend off a potential sale. Both the city of Chester and public utility giant Aqua America are salivating at the thought of getting their mitts on the firm, which continues to serve 42,000customers in Delaware and Chester counties.
LAUREL: To Ridley Pride. We all know about the lore of the Green Raiders. Now you can show off your school pride on your ride. A school group is teaming with the state to offer a special vanity Pennsylvania license plate featuring the Ridley “Rocking R” logo. LAUREL: To the sweet music emanating from Lansdowne. The Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra has snagged a prestigious national award, the Ernest Bacon Memorial Award for the Performance of American Music. Looks like the rest of the country is catching on to something we’ve known for a long time. These folks are top notch!
DART: To the Phillies. That certainly was a mess last Friday as principal owner John Middletown, flanked by President Andy MacPhail and GM Matt Klentak met the press to lay out the decision to fire manager Gabe Kapler and move forward. This was a train wreck from the start, with Middletown making it clear the crucial decisions are made by him. What those other two guys were there for is anyone’s guess. If he saw this Kapler might be happy to be out of here.
DART: To the Eagles. At the sight of their greatest triumph, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Doug Pederson and the boys returned and promptly laid an egg. They got torched by Kirk Cousins, who threw for 333 yards and four TDs, including two long passes to Stefon Diggs. There was nothing “Super” about this effort. Now they face a crucial Sunday night prime time affair in Dallas with the winner taking sole possession of first place in the NFC East.
DART: Maybe Cousins was motivated after hearing the comments of his old Redskins teammate, Zach Jordan, who signed in the offseason with the Eagles. Jordan ripped Cousins as the weakest part of the Vikes’ offense. How did that work out? The Eagles released the linebacker Monday night.