Don’t miss Oliver!

Over the weekend, we saw Quintessence Theater’s excellent production of Oliver! We were glad that we had not been deterred from going by the odd I-hated-this-show-when-it-was-a-smash-hit-on-Broadway-and-I-still-do review on the Web site of a magazine in Philadelphia. The young Oliver was charming, there were strong performances by the other fine actors, the set was effective, and the musicians were excellent. Don’t miss this engaging theatrical experience.

Mike Frumer

Chestnut Hill

Far past time for gun control

To continue the conversation on the letter in the Nov.15 issue (“When will gun control become a priority”) the Parkland students said "Never Again" and marched around the country to energize a new movement in an attempt to pressure lawmakers to pass gun control measures that have teeth. The result was a law passed in Florida with bi-partisan support. It did not address all the restrictions that the students asked for. However, it was a model in timeliness as it passed three weeks after the horrific mass murder at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School.

We all must take a page out of this script of these courageous high school students and declare that enough is enough by calling on our elected officials, showing up at town halls, writing letters to the editors of newspapers and connecting with the local gun control groups to work to that end.

On CNN yesterday (Sunday, Nov. 25), Fareed Zacharia devoted the entire show to the subject of gun control, contrasting U.S. gun issues with other countries and exposing the staggering statistics we suffer. It didn't take Australia very long comparatively to enact strict gun control following a mass shooting in 1996 that left 35 people dead and 18 wounded, notably a ban on fully automatic and semiautomatic firearms.

Following this, gun deaths dropped dramatically. Gun right advocates were very critical and the government led by Prime Minister John Howard took a lot of heat but they prevailed and it is still working.

Maria Duca

Chestnut Hill

In support of Pizza City

Three cheers to Tony Iaquinto for continuing to operate his family's time-tested Pizza City in the face of a low-ball buyout offer and surrounding construction which would have driven lesser entrepreneurs out of business! (“Wyndmoor pizza shop owner takes slice out of new retail complex,” Nov. 15, 2018).

All Wyndmoor residents no doubt hope for a revitalized Willow Grove Avenue, but not at the direct expense of a long-term neighborhood treasure. When this project was pitched locally, a handout from the promoters informed nearby residents that neighbors "overwhelmingly" supported the development and that Tony's would stay "as-is." No mention was made of any issues concerning Tony's, including that the adjoining business would be based on a competing "pizza concept." Otherwise, Township meetings might have had much different attendance and a much different sound.

The unfortunate attitude of the developers is patent in their patronizingly comparing Tony's to a "dollar store." But I'm confident that Pizza City will be collecting local dollars and satisfying local appetites (including my family’s) long after the new restaurant has shuttered its doors.

Donald Lewis

Wyndmoor