August 12, 2004 Issue                                       

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©2006 The Chestnut Hill Local

Local News

Hill family fights to save son
After three invasive surgeries, Cameron Brown, 5, continues to suffer from a brain tumor. His parents are seeking an experimental treatment in Boston.
by MICHAEL J. MISHAK

Cameron Brown strums his guitar on the front porch of his Chestnut Hill home after undergoing preparation for proton beam radiation treatment in Boston last week. (Photo by Michael J. Mishak.)

Merri Brown knew her son
Cameron had a brain tumor.

Doctors would tell her otherwise, offering explanations of common childhood ailments like stomach viruses.

But six months before the diagnosis, Merri noticed her then 4-year-old boy was not himself. She observed unexplained headaches, vomiting and memory loss. She was so fixated on the possibility it was a brain tumor that her husband, Drew, thought she should see a psychiatrist.

CHCA committees okay Bowman project
by KATIE WORRALL

Bowman Properties plans adaptive reuse of this 1890s building

Bowman Properties Ltd.’s plans for adaptive re-use of 8401-03 Germantown Ave. and mixed residential/retail use at 3-9 E. Gravers Lane received unanimous support from the Chestnut Hill Community Association’s Land Use Planning & Zoning Committee on August 5, and from the CHCA Aesthetics Committee the next morning.

It’s Black & White all over again
by Nancy Berger

Colorful Chestnut Hill is about to go black and white, at least for a few hours on Saturday evening, September 18, as the Second Annual Black & White Gala unfolds from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.

Local Life

‘Goat Hollow’ painter scores with sports, nature art
Story by LEN LEAR

This painting is a tribute to Harris’ late grandfather, Private Matthew Scott, a veteran of World War I.

According to a Finnish proverb, even a small star shines in the darkness. Although the former college linebacker is only a ‘small star’ by the standards of our celebrity-obsessed culture, Luther Harris III, who has lived near Bells Mill Road for the past 30 years, has artistic talent that shines like a beacon at midnight. His artistic instincts are sharper than a serpent’s tooth.

Harris, 56, a former caseworker, supervisor, manager and administrator during a 33-year career with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, is currently uplifting spirits in another discipline. A self-taught artist with stunning talent as a cartoonist, caricaturist and representational painter of athletes and Wissahickon Valley nature scenes, Harris’ work is currently on display through August 16 at Goat Hollow, 300 W. Mt. Pleasant Ave.

New Photo Workshop on the Hill is eye-OK
by PAT STOKES

Come fall, not far off, the tempo of life on the Hill will pick up. Folks returning from shore, mountain and resort will note changes on the Avenue, some obvious, some subtle. In the latter category, a kind of business equivalent of upstairs/downstairs can now be found at 8011 Germantown Ave.

‘Things I Hate’ a very funny new reality show

The Bravo network is easily the network with the best reality television programming. Not only do Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and Blow Out make their home on the NBC-owned cable network, but now they’re airing another reality TV show that is sure to be must-see TV for anyone in a relationship.

Local Sports

Balanced scoring fuels Springside comeback
by TOM UTESCHER

After forfeiting a game on Monday (too many players away at camp) and having last Wednesday’s session rained out, the Springside United summer basketball team finally took to the court on Friday night for their only game of the week in the Upper Gwynedd league.

Local dragon boat team wins national title

The Philadelphia Youth Dragon Boat Team captured the national title in Iowa this weekend. The team, coached by Erik Werner, won the Open and the Mixed divisions, winning seven out of eight races in the 250M and 500M distances.