The 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a woman at gunpoint last September near 48th and Springfield and about two dozen other crimes will be sentenced tomorrow.
Kareem Drayton negotiated a plea deal with prosecutors in April on charges stemming from the highly publicized sexual assault and robbery of a 32-year-old teacher. Police say Drayton held a gun to the woman’s head and assaulted her as her boyfriend stood nearby. Drayton also pleaded guilty to other robberies and burglaries in the city. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. tomorrow in courtroom 802 at the Criminal Justice Center (1301 Filbert St.).
Drayton’s accomplice in the robbery of the woman and her boyfriend, 19-year-old Tyshanek Presley, also negotiated a plea arrangement and will be sentenced in August, according to court records.
The sexual assault and robbery took place at about 10 p.m. as the couple returned home from a restaurant. The crime shook many residents in the neighborhood and 100 people attended a monthly police meeting days after the crime to discuss what could be done to curtail crime in the area. The crime also spurred renewed interest in neighborhood watch groups, including the 48th Street Neighborhood Town Watch.
Choreographer and educator Anne-Marie Mulgrew presents The Keepers Project, a series of free movement workshops for people of 65 years of age and older. Workshops begin on Thursday, July 19 at the University City Arts League (4226 Spruce St) and registration is open now.
Anne-Marie Mulgrew.
Workshops will include a series of guided movement and theater exercises exploring the group’s stories about family, roots or life-changing moments. People of all ethnic backgrounds are encouraged to participate. No experience is necessary, just a willingness to share, connect and be involved in the process taking place monthly through March 2013. Participants will keep a journal and leave with a workshop portfolio. It is recommended to attend all 10 sessions. Additional sessions will meet August 16, September 19, October 24, November 28, December 19, January 23, February 20, March 20, and the final culminating workshop TBD. Sessions run 10-11:30 a.m.
To register and for more information, please call 215.462.7720, email ammdco2000@att.net, or visit www.annemariemulgrewdancersco.org or www.ucartsleague.org.
Beat the heat this summer and grab some great food at a great price during the seventh annual University City Dining Days, sponsored by Wells Fargo. From July 12-26 enjoy a meal at the fixed price of $15, $25, or $30 (not including tax or tip) at one of the 34 participating restaurants in University City, including Distrito, Dock Street Brewery, and World Café Live, among others. Enjoy cuisines ranging from good old-fashioned pub food (New Deck Tavern) to Thai (Pattaya Thai Cuisine) to Indian (New Dehli Indian Restaurant) to Middle Eastern (Aksum Café) and everything in between.
Visit the University City District website for a full list including phone numbers and links for each restaurant. Reservations are encouraged, so make sure you call soon and save a spot! UCD is pulling out all the stops this year, including several commercials for the event, which you should check out below.
We have good news and bad news. Curbside diners from Clark Park to Center City will be sad to hear that Honest Tom is retiring his taco truck. The good news is that an entrepreneur eager to get into the food truck game will get the colorful 1970 Chevy step van, one of the most vaunted food trucks in the city, free of charge.
“Honest” Tom McCusker, who in December climbed out of the truck and into his new shop on 44th Street, is giving the truck away for a story.
“It runs like an old workhorse but definitely has its quirks,” said McCusker, who says he bought the truck off a man named Derek with credit card cash advances from “multiple credit cards.”
Here’s a post from his Facebook page that spells out the deal:
For those that have inquired or anyone else it may concern:
We have been trying to get the truck back into regular rotation for months now, but with the shop schedule being as demanding as it is we have realized that it is not going to be possible. So we’ve come up with a plan…
As good as the truck has been to us we’ve decided it cannot be burdened with a monetary value. We will be gifting it to a noble up and comer looking to dive into the dark scary world of food trucking. Email honesttoms – at – gmail.com with why you should be the chosen one and we will make a decision on monday the 9th of july,meaning emails must be in that Sunday by midnight.
“Biographic interpretations of growing up in West Philadelphia have inspired me to explore endless character encounters. I sketch my ideas on paper and then collage them in Photoshop. Creating art is my relentless urge to explore sources of anxiety, document interactions, share memories, as well as provide evidence for narrative works that address social, environmental, and technological changes.”
The Porch, the outdoor space at 30th Street Station, is adding a few new things for the summer.
The University City District (UCD) recently received a $375,000 grant from ArtPlace to fund a permanent art piece at The Porch. Prema Katari Gupta, UCD’s Director of Planning and Economic Development said: “We will invite exceptional artists to engage creatively with our site, with our audience, and within our neighborhood context. Art will bring beauty, reflection, and delight to The Porch, as the site continues its evolution.”
One new fun activity to look out for at The Porch is a free nine hole mini golf course open every day in July from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. All you need to bring is a photo ID. A second new project is the opening of a beer garden with German and craft beers, bratwurst, sauerkraut, and Italian sausage sandwiches by Bridgewater’s Pub. The beer garden will include live music and is open July 12 (4-8pm), July 13 (noon-8pm), and July 14 (noon-5pm).
The Porch will exhibit two new visual art works. The first is a representational and experiential exhibit by Pew Fellow Nami Yamamoto. She is installing a Hakoniwa, Japanese for miniature garden as well as a form of psychotherapy called “sandplay therapy.” The therapy method involves subjects who order and design items within a sandbox. Nami’s art will recreate this form of therapy across the concrete of the porch.
Also, Justin Duerr’s Anaesthasia Emeralda Lucian piano, designed for UCD’s Heart and Soul piano project will be on display and ready for play at The Porch.
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