Help Bring Nicole McKnight Home

I am reaching out to anyone and everyone who reads this to consider doanting whatever you can to help with funeral expenses for a dear friend of mine's daughter. Nicole was found dead in her California apartment on Wednsday, January 11rh. Her young son, next to her, stroking her hair. There is an active investigation and we are awaiting the toxicology reports for a final determination of death. An autopsy was already preformed and now we need to fly her home here Pennsylvania for a proper funeral. ANY amount, even five bucks, helps and would be greatly appreciated!

Gambols

Join us for Trivia tonight at Gambols!

We hope you are enjoying this beautiful day!

TONIGHT AT GAMBOLS , "TRIVIA" with our STEPH !! Starts at 8:00 ISH !!!!...
Posted by Gambol's Big G Cafe on Thursday, April 16, 2015

Mike Has A Sense of Humor

Impressive Fact: almost half the population of Hong Kong lives in an apartment that is on the 15th floor or higher. Lot of high rises !!!!
— Michael J. Chitwood (@ChiefMChitwood) March 20, 2015

Electrician For Hire

So it's now the middle of the month, and not much work out there. I'm sure there are many other people in the area that have the same problem. Being Self Employed, I do not have the luxury of collecting unemployment. So if your looking for any electrical work at all, from a simple ceiling fan to a parking lot light serviced, shoot me an email. (I'd post my cell but the last time I did that I received several telemarketers trying to sell me stuff.)

 frannyward@yahoo.com
Put in the header "electrician".

Thank You and


 Cheers.

The Surge

I have been following a story about a local Deli owned by Mario Civera, my Mothers State Representative in the 164th district, which recently caught fire, allegedly by an electrical problem. The consensus is that Peco, (Exelon) was in some way to blame. As an electrician with almost thirty years experience, I can say that they may be right. But to a point. Seems that there have been many problems with underground transformers exploding in that area over the years, as well as power surges. In Upper Darby Township, there are many homes and businesses that have outdated or inadequate electrical wiring. Residential homes for instance built before 1970 for the most part have no grounding conductor (the mouth of your three prong outlet) connected to it. "Knob and Tube", "Knob and Nail" or "Old style romex" are in almost every home in Drexel Hill. Many homes have no ground rod installed and connected to their electrical service. No lightning arrestor, no "Whole Home" surge protector. Did Civera's Deli have a Surge Protector that may have helped drain off a high voltage surge from a Mal functioning transformer? Probably not. Where I live (Westbrook Park) if I were to remove my cold water and earth ground and rely on the transformer 's neutral my house would probably catch fire. Think I'm kidding? A few years ago my neighbor was renovating his home and called me to come over and find out why every time he used a drill to mix drywall compound, the lights would dim to almost nothing. What I found out is that the plumber removed the cold water ground to his electrical service. Even with a ground rod installed (there is clay under our homes) he had no return path to the transformer. He called Peco, and a technician came over later on that afternoon, checked out the homes electrical service, and told him that the problem was in the meter box. I told the tech that I was a licenced electrician and that the "problem" was in Peco's transformer. He told me he would make note of it, and left. to this day I believe that the transformers "neutral" is not connected. Bottom line? Go to your local hardware store and buy a receptacle tester that shows you an open ground, open neutral, reverse hot and neutral, and correct wiring. Get a local licenced electrician to inspect your home and install 5 items that may save you your home, and more importantly your life : A ground rod A lightning arrestor A "Whole Home" single phase surge protector GFCI receptacles where required Smoke detectors where required Cheers and Go EAGLES!

In Loving Memory of Kyle F. Fish

Today I went to my friend George's Son's viewing and funeral Mass at Saint Charles Church in Drexel Hill. Kyle was 14 years old, full of life, a happy go lucky kid who thrived to please anyone around him. I met Kyle years ago, and my younger Son Nicky and Kyle were buds. As a Dad, I can only imagine the thoughts and feelings going on in Kyle's families' heads right about now. My heart goes out to them and the outpouring of love and caring today from hundreds of people was beautiful and righteous.

You never said I'm leaving. You never said Goodbye. You were gone before we knew it, and and God knows only why. A million times we needed you, a million times we've cried. If love alone could have saved you, you never would have died. In life we loved you dearly, in death we love you still. In our hearts you hold a special place no one can ever fill. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn't go alone. For a part of us went with you the day God called you home.
To George, Doreen, Brittany, Breahanna, George II, family & friends, my heart and the hearts of hundreds of others go out to you.
RIP Kyle

Alison Martinelli - Too Young & Innocent to Die

I received a telephone call from my daughter Natalie last Friday morning. She was calling from her cell phone from Jean Madeline Aveda Institute, where she goes to school learning to be a Hair Stylist, etc. She asked me to pick her up, explaining that she was not feeling well. I told her ok, and promptly left the Home Depot in Clifton Heights and my basket full of electrical stuff. I then fought the traffic on 291 and then in South Philly to reach her. She got into the bucket truck that I was driving and told me about her friend and classmate Alison Martinelli from Drexel Hill who was killed in a car accident a few weeks ago. She was in tears and freaked out about it. I tried to console her to no avail.




I had read about it in the Daily Times shortly after it happened and felt sick myself that such a young woman could meet a tragic death because of being served booze at a place that she worked at. I never knew beforehand that my daughter even knew her, let alone was friends with Alison and due to graduate this July. My daughter heard rumors and so did I that Alison's Dad warned the staff at the Bryan Street Pub where She worked NOT to serve her booze several times before. 19 years old, for Christ sakes! The same age as my daughter. God I sit here with my gut torn out, feeling badly for her Parents. I feel horrible for Alison's Mom and Dad, and her family, Boyfriend, and many, many friends. I also feel angry toward who ever served her the booze. No wonder that the owners of the Bryan Street Pub were asked to NOT attend the funeral services. But this all is rumored mind you. I also read that she did NOT drink at Bryan Street. I do not know the facts, but I do know that because of SOMEONE serving or buying this woman booze, She is DEAD. Does this bother you?




To most of you who read this, probably not. Well it bothers me! I am taking Natalie up to where the crash happened to lay flowers there at Her request. Maybe She can find solace for the loss of her friend where she was too upset to attend Alison's viewing & funeral. So what happens next? Criminal charges? Civil charges? All will NOT bring back this gifted, beautiful young woman. It just makes my blood boil on another senseless death. People need to be held accountable here! I am no angel myself. I got in some trouble of my own in the past. A bad time in my life, I'll explain it some other time. (There is no reason though to drive drunk mind you).




Thank God I never hurt anyone but myself. What gets me is that the current BAC to get a legal consumer of alcohol in trouble in the state of Pennsylvania is 0.8. In most fatal DWI related automobile crashes the average BAC is over point 14. MADD, or Mothers Against Drunk Drivers want ZERO BAC while driving. To me this is non attainable, short of banning booze altogether. I have an idea. What needs to be done is to hold the bars and clubs in Delaware county accountable, both criminally & civilly. There should be a license for bartending in the state that INCLUDES being aware of customers who should not be allowed to drive a motor vehicle due to excessive consumption. Check your keys at the bar, just like checking your guns in Carson City, years ago. Maybe I am grasping at straws, but this hits really close to home, so I chose to post about it. In closing: To Alison's parents and family, I am at a loss of words for you. I can only imagine your pain. I am sorry for your loss and have and will pray for you and your Daughter.