Chestnut Hillers seemed to be in a pretty good mood on Monday morning. At least the ones I came into contact with.

Some were just happy the Eagles continued to win, crushing cross-state rival Pittsburgh by a score of 34-3. The win for the city’s favorite sports franchise meant few were even aware that the Phillies had lost by an insane score of 17-0 that same day.

More important, at least in Chestnut Hill, was the fact that many were happy about the Chestnut Hill Business Association’s Fall for the Arts Festival, one that drew a fantastic crowd of around 25,000 people for the day-long event. Those people were treated to perfect weather and a perfect street fair complete with entertainment and the neighborhood’s best food.

It was an all-around good weekend.

This week, you can continue to feel good about the neighborhood by participating in the Chestnut Hill Historical Society’s search for candidates for its new Architectural Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame, which began with a similar nominating and election process last year, is looking for resident input to honor four more Chestnut Hill properties that are of remarkable and memorable historical quality.

So see the story we have that begins on page 1 of this week’s edition, get the background information on the 10 nominees, go to the historical society’s website and vote for the four you believe best deserve recognition.

Historic and ground-breaking architecture is one of this small neighborhood’s most important aspects, and like popular street festivals, is something about which many in Chestnut Hill feel proud.

A down note

While this past weekend held a great deal of joy for people in the neighborhood, news of the death of Thomas Reynolds on Sept.17 is remarkably tragic.

Reynolds, a 27-year-old Hiller who died of a drug overdose, is a local example of a tragedy that is being experienced at an ever increasing rate everywhere in the country. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine: “Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 47,055 lethal drug overdoses in 2014. Opioid addiction is driving this epidemic, with 18,893 overdose deaths related to prescription pain relievers, and 10,574 overdose deaths related to heroin in 2014.”

The problem has captured the attention of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf who will address a joint session of the state house about making combating opioid addiction a legislative priority for the remainder of the year.

Reynolds’ death is yet another reminder that addiction is something faced by people of every walk of life in every neighborhood in every town in every state. It’s up to all of us to pay attention and work to find ways to end what is clearly an epidemic.

-- Pete Mazzaccaro