NEast Links: Soccer championships, prayer walls and more

Here’s a summary of the week’s Northeast news we didn’t cover. See others here.

George Washington High School alums John Dunlop and Chris Reid coached against each other Thursday during the  PIAA Class AAA boys’ soccer city championship game, with Reid managing his alma mater, the Public League champion, and Dunlop coaching the Catholic League champion, Father Judge, against his former Eagles. NEast Philly will have photos of the matchup.

More links below, including a prison sentencing, political victory and more.

Philadelphia resident Marcquis Walker-Williams, 19, of the Oxford Circle area, has been sentenced to 12 1/2 to 25 years for the murder 69-year-old Chinese immigrant Kwok Wai-Ho, who was attacked as he was taking his evening stroll in northeast Philadelphia in July 2007. As previously reported on NEastPhilly.com, Walker-Williams was convicted in August.

The Northeast hosted a party for Democrat Alan Butkovitz on Wednesday, who won a second term as City Controller. Butkovitz defeated Republican challenger Al Schmidt with 71 percent of the vote. With city budget problems regularly making the news, political observers encouraged voters to pay special attention to the City Controller’s race. The office is responsible for auditing the financial operations of the City as well as the school district

Rev. Michael Barry, director of pastoral care at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, has instituted a prayer wall in the Northeast Philadelphia building. It was Barry’s idea, when the chapel was remodeled last winter, to install its prayer wall. Those with prayers can write them down on a piece of paper and stick it in the crevices of the wall.

Northeast native and president of Tower Investments Bart Blatstein was featured in the New York Times for his locally famous Piazza at the Schmidts, a public square inspired by the Piazza Navona in Rome, at Second Street near Girard Avenue in Northern Liberties. His Piazza has won praise from real estate specialists and community leaders as a focal point for the neighborhood.

What was your favorite story of the week? What do you think about these other stories? Did you attend the George Washington vs. Father Judge game? If you live near the areas the shootings took place, how has this affected you?

Our best-read story this week – Photos; 3rd Federal Bank Groundbreaking

Every Friday morning, we make sure you didn’t miss any Northeast Philadelphia news with NEast Links.