July 12, 2007 Issue                                                     

Local News

Sure the weather was overcast and cool, but it made for a more fun and relaxing time at the 2007 July 4th celebration, now in its 91st year, held annually by Chestnut Hill’s Bocce Club at the Water Tower Recreation Center on Hartwell Lane. The crowd this year was huge, with hundreds of kids and their parents enjoying races, pony rides, a giant slide, moon-bounce, hot dogs, iced tea and ice cream, all followed by a post-lunch magic show.  The kids, who participated in designing their own “floats” for prizes, were also eligible to win bikes (one for a boy and a girl) donated by Kilian’s Hardware. For more photos and contest winners turn to page 11.  ABOVE: (L-R) Aalison Bonasia, Celia Doyle, Nicholas Bonasia and Timothy Mosey. TOP RIGHT: James Fitzgerald. BOTTOM RIGHT: Victoria (L-R), Michael and Anna Monahan.  For more photos visit www.chlocalphotos.com. (Photos by Jimmy J. Pack Jr.)

Orchestra concert enchants audience
by JENNIFER KATZ

Led by associate conductor Rossen Milanov, the Philadelphia Orchestra played one its illustrious “free neighborhood concerts” at Pastorius Park on July 2. The 104-piece orchestra played for over an hour before a crowd of 3,500 listeners. It was the first time the orchestra played in Chestnut Hill, although Pastorius Park has been the site of weekly summer concerts for nearly 60 years. The orchestra will play its next free neighborhood concert on July 21 at Clark Park in West Philadelphia. The Pastorius Park concert series continues July 18 with Melody Gardot. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

The world-class Philadelphia Orchestra made its Chestnut Hill debut in front of thousands at Pastorius Park last Monday. Both organizers and audience members were delighted with the event that brought the 104-piece orchestra to a makeshift stage on one of the summer’s most beautiful evenings.

Cake, Top of the Hill expand
by KRISTIN PAZULSKI

If Chestnut Hillers think there is a lack of restaurants in the upper part of the Avenue, they might be pleased to know that two new projects — which aren’t bringing new eateries to the Avenue but are expanding two present businesses — will enhance dining options on the Avenue by the end of the summer.

Local Sports

Patriots nip Magic in summer hoops
by TOM UTESCHER

The Mount’s Sarah McGorry

In summer basketball action, the week of July 4 started out with some fireworks on Monday evening, when two area franchises faced one another and Germantown Academy pulled out a 51-48 victory over Mount St. Joseph. The following evening, the Mount Magic bounced back to roll over Methacton High School, 53-23.

With the holiday on Wednesday and many out-of-town tournaments getting underway, players were hard to come by later in the week, and Germantown forfeited a scheduled Thursday night bout against Jenkintown High.

Monday’s GA-Mount encounter was about as well-played and well-coached a contest as you’re likely to find in the generally relaxed summer league setting, featuring a series of runs and counter-runs and finally a close race to the finish.

GA’s Caroline Doty and Jesse Carey are not participating in this particular league, and on Monday the Patriots were also missing forward Tori Thierolf and guard Jess Erb, who’d both been performing well at Hatboro Horsham. Germantown did get a boost from the presence of 6’2” center Meredith Carber, a rising junior who’d been unable to make the team’s previous games.

Mount St. Joe was missing two senior guards who are returning from last year’s seven-player primary rotation, captain Laura Johnson and Alexa Buchanan. With her inside moves earning her four early lay-ups, Sarah McGorry paced Mount St. Joe to a 12-6 lead at the outset.

10,000 is only a number
by CLARK GROOME

There has been, for more than a month now, a glee exhibited in the local and national media about the inevitability that the Philadelphia Phillies would soon lose 10,000 games in franchise history, something no other franchise has yet done. As of Sunday they’ve lost 9,999.