November 13, 2008 Issue                                                     

Local News

Obama sweeps Northwest wards
by JOEL HOFFMANN

Rian Bacon (right), 30, shared his excitement about President-elect Barack Obama’s victory and his hopes for the nation’s future with Local reporter Joel Hoffman, outside the Philadelphia Hair Co. in Germantown. (Photo by Erin Vertreace)

Across the Avenue from Vernon Park, beyond the red neon Philadelphia Hair Co. sign perched above two columns of Obama campaign posters, Larry Sweat Jr. sat next in line for a trim, gathering his thoughts.

 “I knew he was going to win,” Sweat said. “You never count your eggs before they hatch, but I knew he was going to win.”

Sweat, a 31-year-old medical billing clerk, was one of at least 20,000 people who attended a pre-election Obama rally at Vernon Park on Oct. 11. He was struck by the diversity of Obama supporters and swept up in a wave of confidence. That’s when he knew Obama was going to win.

Magarity Ford set to close this year
by JOEL HOFFMANN

Magarity Ford and its 1.7 acre lot are up for sale.

Add Magarity Ford to the casualties of the global economic downturn.

The dealership at 8200 Germantown Ave. has been run by the Magarity family for 20 years, but it could close by the end of this month, according to owner Joe Magarity.

Magarity said he was thankful for Hillers’ support over the past two decades, but shrinking credit lines and Ford’s plans to reduce its dealership presence nationwide made it necessary to close shop.

“Our hand was forced to move,” he said. “The capital is not available.”

Local Sports

Mount hockey season ends in state tourney
by TOM UTESCHER

Jen Sabia, left, controls the ball.

When Mount St. Joseph Academy lost 2-1 in the 2006 PIAA state championship game in field hockey, the Magic were considered underdogs to a seasoned tournament team, undefeated Lower Dauphin High School of Hummelstown, Pa.

Meeting the Falcons again last week, this time in the first round of the 2008 Class AAA state tourney, the Mount found even less favor in the eyes of the oddsmakers, entering the playoffs as the lowest-seeded franchise from District 1, while 21-2-1 Lower Dauphin was the top team in a talent-rich District 3 field in south central Pennsylvania.

Springside hockey beaten by angry Irish
by TOM UTESCHER

In their final field hockey game of 2008, the Springside Lions ran into the wrong team at the wrong time last Monday, as visiting Academy of Notre Dame broke out to a 4-0 lead en route to a 5-1 Girls Inter-Ac League victory.