Author Archives: Greta Iverson

Northwest Philly’s Repair Cafe encourages people to think twice before trashing broken items

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Despite its name, Repair Café is not a coffee shop.

It’s an international organization that helps community leaders sponsor free events to fix people’s broken knick-knacks — from lamps to lawn mowers, from clothes to electronics — with the ultimate mission to reduce waste. In Northwest Philly, it was sponsored in Chestnut Hill in September 2014, the second Repair Café on May 17 will be hosted in Germantown at 5572 Greene St.

Repair Café, was founded in the Netherlands in 2009 and has since expanded worldwide. In 2014, volunteers from Time4Time Community Exchange, a group serving the Northwest Philadelphia region, held a Repair Café to support their community and promote the mission’s slogan: “Toss it? No way!”

“I love to see people coming in who wouldn’t normally think about where their trash goes and get them thinking about that,” Time4Time’s Repair Café coordinator Betsy Wallace said.

Wallace clarified that they prefer to bring in local business owners from Northwest Philadelphia to give them the chance to promote their skills and draw in new customers. Rather than digging endlessly through other regions of Philadelphia for their “fix it” event, the group canvassed and promoted the Repair Cafe throughout their own neighborhood.

The first café was held at the Center on the Hill, a sector of the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill, in September and attracted more than 100 residents from neighborhoods throughout Northwest Philly, Wallace explained.

To keep a record of their event’s success, volunteers kept track of the number of participants and the number of repaired or partially repaired items. The group managed to draw in 104 people with 174 items. Of those broken items, 76 were completely repaired and another 48 were partially fixed. The most common broken items were lamps, Wallace said.

“I actually have a broken lamp that’s been sitting around for a while,” said Leslie Lefner, director of the Center on the Hill. “I’m excited to bring it in and be a participant instead of a volunteer this year.”

The next local Repair Café will be held in Germantown at the Germantown Life Enrichment Center on Greene Street.

Wallace has scheduled 17 “fixers” and 13 volunteers for the May Repair Café, but believes more people will show up on the day of to offer a helping hand

“You can try to prepare ahead if time, but most people decide to show up the day of,” Wallace said. “People just show up and that determines how many people will come.”

Repair Café volunteers have been canvassing Northwest Philly for weeks, dropping off fliers and coaxing business owners to join the event. Wallace said she anticipates about 50 to 75 participants this year because of a few changes they’ve made to this year’s event: no clothing swap, no refreshments and, most importantly, everyone is restricted to only bringing one item.

Mother of Missing Mom Holds Tightly to Hope

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Nefertiri Trader and her mother, Denise Trader, share a birthday, but Nefertiri won’t be there to celebrate.

The mother-of-three was reported missing June 30, 2014. There were few clues in the investigation, and she has not yet been found.

“I’m not going to let this go as a cold case,” Denise Trader said.

Nefertiri, lovingly referred to as “Neffie,” went missing at 4 a.m. on June 30, but her family was not informed until 9 p.m. that night. Early reports suggested a neighbor saw her being forced into her silver 2000 Acura.

Her mother holds out hope that Neffie is still alive, but being held against her will. The family relishes in the positive notion that their beloved daughter, sister, mother and friend is still alive.

Denise lifts a shaky finger and wipes a tear from her eye before pointing into the corner of her living room, just inches from her television. A picture of Neffie from her prom is rested on a table next to a small, heart-shaped frame with a baby picture.

“I talk to her all the time,” Denise said. “I tell her, ‘get ready to get home, baby. Get prepared.'”

Family usually gathers at Denise’s home to celebrate the mother-daughter dual birthday with dinner and a night on the town. On February 21, Neffie turned 34 and Denise turned 58, but without Neffie there, Denise said she couldn’t bring herself to attempt their usual routine.

Tears stream down Denise’s cheek, but after a deep inhale, she continues, “I miss her, I love her. I can’t wait for us to get her back home.”

New Castle County started offering $10,000 rewards to anyone with information about unsolved cases in February. Denise received a personal call from detectives to tell her, and she’s more hopeful than before.

“Even if it’s just $10,000, at least it’s something,” she said.

With Neffie gone, Denise takes over as a baby-sitter and caregiver to Neffie’s children.

“They remind me so much of her, it’s hard,” she said.

But, Denise stays strong by taking care of the children and knowing their mother is still out there, waiting to be saved.

Detectives stay in contact with the family, Officer Tom Jackson of New Castle County Police said.

“I hope […] that people will come forward,” Jackson said. “To my knowledge, this was the first reward offered for her case.”

To cope with life without her daughter, Denise started selling bracelets – a hobby Neffie introduced to her.

The black and gold bracelets read “Keep the faith for Neffie.” She hopes to add the proceeds of the $10 jewelry sales to the reward out for her daughter’s return.

After the young mother’s disappearance, police quickly deemed it “suspicious.” Traceable evidence disappeared with her; Phone records and credit card bills froze. It seemed like she went “off the grid,” leaving investigators at a stand-still.

The only traces of the incident were a crushed loaf of bread, cigarette butts and an unopened condom. Her shoes were rested near her front door. A neighbor, Joe Robinson, said he witnessed the abduction, but didn’t call the police.

“Had I known something was going on like that, I wouldn’t have hesitated,” Robinson told the News Journal in November. “It bothers me […] I hope they find her.”

New Castle County started offering a reward for unsolved cases – Neffie’s case included. New Castle County Executive Thomas P. Gordon announced the offer: $10,000 for information that would lead to the conviction of a responsible person involved in unsolved cases.

The announcement from New Castle Police included sentiments towards grieving families and dedication to ending their suffering, solving their cases.

Denise said she harped on the worst outcomes before she let herself see the potential for resolution. Being a spiritual woman, she found solace in God. She said her “mother’s instinct” tells her Neffie is there, Neffie is alive and Neffie will come home.

“I’ll just be so glad when this is all over. We all miss her so much.”

Nefertiri Trader was last seen Monday, June 30, 2014 at 4 a.m. She is described as a black female, standing 5-feet-6-inches, weighing roughly 124 pounds. She has brown hair and brown eyes and was last seen leaving her neighborhood in her silver 2000 Acura RL with Delaware registration 404893.

Police are offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to a conviction in this unsolved case.

Police are asking that if you can provide any details pertaining to this investigation to please contact Detective DeSabatino of the New Castle County Criminal Investigations Unit at MEDiSabatino@nccde.org or by calling (302) 395-8110.

Contact Greta Iverson at (302) 324-2771, giverson@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @greta_wade.

Originally published on DelawareOnline.com

Delawareans attend historic #selma50 march

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Thousands gathered to reenact the march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, where protestors gathered 50 years ago to fight for the end of segregation.

Several Delawareans, both well-known and unfamiliar, were part of the monumental 50th anniversary march in Selma, Alabama to remember the regrettable history of segregation.

“Well I knew that it would be a great chance to connect with and be inspired by a critical moment in American history,” Sen. Chris Coons (D – Del.) said. “I did not expect some of the people who I met and got to hear from, the range of people I didn’t know or didn’t hear of before who were there.”

March 7, 1965, became known as “bloody Sunday,” after Alabama state troopers beat and gassed peaceful protesters promoting black voting rights. Sen. Coons used the weekend as an opportunity to promote his own bill on voting rights changes, hoping to shed some light on what he calls inequalities stemming from major policy changes two years ago.

“I did talk to several republican colleagues and asked them to co-sponsor the amendment to voting rights,” Coons said. “I was disappointed that they declined, but I will be persistent and determined.”

Hearing stories of mass bombings and listening to the voices of protesters from decades ago, Coons emphasized his respect for the people who risked their safety to promote equality for such a fundamental right.

“I just wish more people could understand what this is about and why it matters,” Coons said. “In some ways, you just have to be here.”

Senator Coons was not the only person out representing Delaware in Selma. Paul Braithwaite, a former director of the Congressional Black Caucus, joined the pilgrimage — something he said he’s wanted to do for years.

“These folks put their life on the line with the basic premise that they want America to live up to its full potential,” Brathwaite said. “They accomplished that, and they had nothing going for them except the sheer power of their dream and their hope for a better America.”

For many, looking back at the history of black Americans is a painful experience. The challenges that once stifled the success of black Americans’ success have slowly cleared, but the resonating tone at the Selma reenactment served as motivation to continue to promote equality.

“President Obama spoke about Ferguson and the challenges today and how to make our county safer,” Coons said. “I’m glad he spoke directly to it. I think we have some difficult work ahead of us to improve the American justice system.”

Participants in the Selma reenactment learned about the culture that was once divided by the superficial difference in skin color, but relating to it is another matter entirely.

“I am appreciative, but to fully understand what they did – I’m not sure it’s possible, but it is certainly extraordinary,” Brathwaite said.

And, while the stories of segregation in Alabama stain the pages of modern history books, many people in Selma on Saturday were moved by the overwhelming sense of togetherness and the concept of teamwork.

“I think one of the things that was said a lot was the notion of ‘we,’ being a very powerful word in the history of our country,” Brathwaite said. “We the people, yes we can. Collectively, what we can all do together. […] Those are powerful statements.”

Contact Greta Iverson at (302) 324-2771, giverson@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @greta_wade.

Originally published on DelawareOnline.com

Hundreds mourn death of Young Kolb

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Hundreds gathered Wednesday night at Rose Hill Community Center to pay homage to Jamar Kilgoe, who was killed in the basement of the community center Monday.

“I’ll miss him for a long, long time,” said his father, Michael Fletcher. “No one should have to go through this.”

Kilgoe, 30, was shot dead while recording music in the Rose Hill Community Center’s downstairs studio before work Monday.

Family, friends and community members gathered in a tight circle at the center’s parking lot Wednesday night to pray for their fallen loved one. Friends embraced each other and others stood silently. With teary eyes and shaky hands, organizers passed around candles and lighters to the group.

The cause for the killing is unknown and the killer remains at large. Police did not have new details on the incident Wednesday, but Rose Hill Community Center clarified that the killer was not a regular participant at the center.

“Our investigators are actively searching for any leads that would assist them in identifying the perpetrator,” said Officer First Class Tracey Duffy, a county police spokeswoman. “At this time, the suspect has not been identified.”

Wednesday’s vigil was organized by Pastor Derrick Johnson, who serves at the family’s church in Wilmington.

“You don’t see a bunch of teddy bears or alcohol here,” Johnson said. “You see people who all have the same question: Why?”

Kilgoe, a father of two, was a well-known local rapper who went by the stage name Young Kolb. The artist served as an engineer at the community center, his father said. He worked with other local artists and local children to produce and record music at the center.

“The Rose Hill Community Center would like to express our deepest sympathies to family of the victim of this senseless tragedy. Nothing like this has ever happened before,” a post on the center’s Facebook page said. “While we’re shocked, we’re also grateful for the tremendous outpouring of love and support from the people that use this center every day.”

Cameras are pointed at doors leading into the center, but Duffy said she was “unable to discuss the operation of the security cameras.”

Among the speakers was Aria Washington, Kilgoe’s aunt.

“He’s the heartache of the city right now,” she said. “I hope the city is paying attention.”

DELAWAREONLINE

Rose Hill victim’s mom, friends question shooting death

The center offers a variety of services, including a food pantry, day care, a senior center and a studio where people could record their music.

The community center is near where the county plans to build a $21 million library and “innovation campus” that leaders hope will spur a revitalization of the Route 9 corridor.

County Executive Tom Gordon said security has been one of the administration’s primary concerns with the library, pointing out that the county plans to build a police substation “right there in the center.” He told The News Journal on Tuesday that police are “putting a full court press” on the investigation.

Community members ended on a somber note with a nod to the rally’s message: “This is not a moment, this is a movement.”

Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is asked to call county police at (302) 573-2800. Citizens can submit tips anonymously by going to www.NCCPD.com and following the link for Tips and Alerts.

Tipsters may also call Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Citizens who currently have the Smartphone App are encouraged to use the “submit tip” tab to submit tips. Select a topic by using the “drop down” and complete the tip by clicking “submit.”

STORY CURATED BY ADAM WAGNER, GRETA IVERSON AND ESTEBAN PARRA

Contact Greta Iverson at (302) 324-2771, giverson@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @greta_wade. Contact Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299, eparra@delawareonline.com or Twitter @eparra3.

Originally published on DelawareOnline.com

Delaware State Trooper of the Year named

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A state trooper based in Kent County who survived an exchange of gunfire during a routine traffic stop in June has been named Trooper of the Year.

Cpl. Lloyd “Mike” McCann received the honor Tuesday. He was one of 11 troopers nominated, Sgt. Richard Bratz said.

During a traffic stop June 25 near Magnolia, McCann learned a suspect was wanted for multiple domestic charges. After a brief chase, the suspect — later identified as Dennis Hicks, 29 — got out of the car and fired multiple rounds at McCann, landing one on his hand and another on his cheek. McCann returned fire, killing Hicks.

Department of Justice investigators on Wednesday concluded that McCann was justified using deadly force.

McCann is recognized for his courage in the incident. McCann also was named Trooper of the Month in June and Trooper of the Second Quarter for 2014.

The trooper, who has served just over five years, is currently a patrol trooper in Kent County Troop 3, where he also trains new troopers.

McCann is recognized for his dedication to Delaware State Police, and his colleagues hope others can share their gratefulness for McCann’s dedication to the force, Bratz said.