Final Statistics from NEast Philly’s second incarnation

Monthly stats for this site's short existence. Click to enlarge.

Yesterday we announced that NEastPhilly.com has finally outgrown this WordPress.com template and has officially moved to a self-hosted, grown-up modified WordPress.org-style theme.

We are very proud of the growth we experienced — a stable 6,113 monthly page views in July, a fine total for a small community news portal for a community that is admittedly print-heavy — and were on pace to surpass that.

For a few weeks, the latest, greatest incarnation of NEastPhilly.com will lose some traffic due to back links and residual search engine optimization directed at this site, which now can only be accessed by NEastmag.WordPress.com, but we fully expect to build a stronger brand in our new location.

However all of those fresh stories, perspective and aggregation you loved about this site have been moved, so please update any links, and if you use any RSS feed readers, use this URL now.

For the forseeable future, this site will remain live, but inactive. All of our news and content will appear on NEastPhilly.com.

I hope you’ll follow along and help our continued traffic and immersion in our Northeast Philadelphia community grow further.

Part of the move to the new site is certainly devoted to the possibility of collecting advertisers and sponsorships, in addition to other revenue models, that can make NEastPhilly even more of a source to cover our neighborhoods.

I hope you’ll continue to support us. Thanks, and feel free to contact us about concerns, questions or interest in working together.

NEast Links: jam-packed with a river rescue, police shooting, pretzel war and more

By Michael Feeney

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

Retired police officer Christopher Kaullar – of Trout Road near Rising Sun Avenue, has been charged with the murder of his ex-con brother, Robert Kaullar. The two argued over motorcycles when Christopher fatally wounded Robert by shooting him in the left hand and side at about 3am Monday. Robert Kaullar’s sister-in-law was also shot, but only grazed, police said. He was pronounced dead at Aria Health-Torresdale.

Keep reading for the latest on a local Phillie draft pick, a hometown welcoming for Bonnie Raitt, a local Michael Jackson impersonator and more.

Tonight at the Pennypack Park Concert Series…

By Shannon McDonald

The Liberation and Kick it Out, Chicago and Heart tribute bands, respectively,  will play Pennypack Park’s Summer Music Festival tonight at 7 p.m. Don’t forget your chairs, blankets, snacks and bugspray.

Next up is Guitar Legends Night on Aug. 19, featuring  tributes to Eric Clapton, Cream, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix. You can see the full list of events here, or check back with us for updates. Need directions? We’ve got ‘em.

*There’s a good chance of thunderstorms tonight, so check back later for a rain update.

Red light cameras stolen from Red Lion Road

By Shannon McDonald

Frenzied drivers got a brief reprieve recently when two red light cameras were stolen at Red Lion Road and Roosevelt Boulevard.

The Parking Authority sent an employee out to check the cameras, which had broken signals, only to discover the expensive equipment missing. Though new cameras were installed shortly thereafter, the missing cameras turned up in an unlikely place.

Running around $4,500 each, the cameras turned up in New York City when the NYPD arrested 45-year-old Anthony Cintorrino and a friend who stole the cameras (and 22 others in NYC) using a bucket truck.

As high-tech as the cameras are, they can’t detect any damage being done to them. Councilman Frank Rizzo hopes to fix that by installing tamper detectors on the cameras. Rizzo was behind the initial push to have the cameras installed at various high-traffic intersections around the city.

For now, weekly on-site checks will be made of the cameras to prevent further theft and damage.

Nutter in Mayfair: 1,000 cops, 200 firefighters could be fired if no action

Mayor Nutter addressing a $700 million budget shortfall in Mayfair in front of the 2nd and 15th police district headquarters.

By Christopher Wink

Speaking in front of more than two dozen uniformed police officers and nearly as many firefighters and other officials from the city’s emergency services, Mayor Nutter yesterday heightened pressure on state legislators to “give Philadelphia the tools it needs to help itself.”

“If our General Assembly does not approve the two budget measures we’ve asked for — a temporary increase in the city sales tax and a variety of pension reforms — we will be faced with no choice but to implement a series of devastating cuts,” Nutter said outside the 2nd and 15th police district headquarters on Levick Street near Harbison Avenue in West Mayfair. “Cuts that will impact every neighborhood in Philadelphia, including right here in the Northeast.”

In May, City Council approved a balance budget that depended on those two provisions that need legislative approval: bumping up one percent the city’s sales tax for five years and re-amortizing the city’s pension system by pausing payments for two years and redistributing payments over 25 years instead of 20. Without those options, Nutter said they’ll have to revisit trying to close a $700 million budget shortfall.

At yesterday’s rally, Nutter focused on what that would do to Philadelphia generally and the Northeast specifically, a region of the city known for its communities of cops and firefighters.

Officer injured near Betsy Ross Bridge

Courtesy of CBS3

By Shannon McDonald

A police officer was injured in a car accident yesterday afternoon near the Betsy Ross Bridge.

The officer was in an unmarked police cruiser, which was rear-ended near the I-95 off ramp around 2:30 this afternoon.

The officer was taken to the hospital with back and neck injuries, and the accident is still being investigated.

Seven NE post offices face closure

By Shannon McDonald

Your post office could be closing soon, thanks to the United States Postal Service’s $7 billion deficit and a severe decline in mail volume.

By early next year, as many as 15 Philadelphia branches could be closed – 7 in the Northeast alone. The closings are the result of an expected decline for the 2009 fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. Efficiency and management studies are being conducted to determine which – if any – branches should close, and a spokesperson for the USPS said employees of the closed branches would likely be transferred, not laid off.

For now, all branches will remain open, with nothing closing before Oct. 2. Below are the seven Northeast branches on the chopping block.

Northeast High teacher assualted by student

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By Shannon McDonald

A Northeast High teacher was assaulted by a student Friday morning, making it the second assault during the school’s summer session.

The student, who may not attend Northeast High, walked into a classroom at 10 a.m. and got into a verbal confrontation with a teacher. It is unclear how the argument began, but the student punched the teacher in the face before running out of the building.

If the student attends Northeast – or any other district school – he faces suspension and possible expulsion. The teacher was treated by the school nurse, then taken to the hosptial. He sustained some facial injuries, and his glasses were broken.

NEast Links:Pennswood needs street signs, Tony Danza will go to NE High and more

By Shannon McDonald

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

A man has been arrested in connection with a case of aircraft interference at Northeast Philadelphia Airport.

On Tuesday, the FBI arrested James Gautieri of Williamsport for attempting “to interfere with, the authorized operation of an aircraft with reckless disregard for the safety of human life [source],” a charge that stems from Gautieri’s pointing a laser light at a Philadelphia police helicopter in April 2008. Gautieri was arrested shortly after the incident, but now faces federal charges for the crime. He faces up to 20 years in prison.

U.S. Marhsal injured in Holme Circle pursuit

Courtesy of CBS3

By Shannon McDonald

A United States Marshal was hit by a car yesterday during a foot pursuit in Holme Circle.

The incident happened at Ashton and Willits roads when the officer was chasing a suspect who is believed to have a connection with the June 27 murder in Northern Liberties’ Piazza at the Schmidt’s. The suspect was eventually caught and taken into custody, and the officer is recovering at Aria’s Torresdale campus from an undisclosed injury.