Germantown

Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput will merge a dozen parishes into five by July 1, resulting in seven closures in neighborhoods dense with Roman Catholic churches. The targeted congregations, whose pastors announced their fates during Masses on Sunday, are in Manayunk and Germantown in the city and Coatesville in Chester County. The moves constitute only the first round in a process that Chaput had earlier warned the area's 1.5 million Catholics would be "painful.

John Wister elementary in Germantown is the little engine that could. "We're a quaint, small school," says teacher Marcia Sparagna, "but there's a big sense of community there. " In her classroom, two students clasp hands and dance while an unexpected voice - Dean Martin's - croons: "When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, that's amore . " The jubilation in Room 211 is due to Sparagna's third and fourth graders winning a pasta party for raising more money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society than any other Wister class, $450 in three weeks, predominantly in coins, the majority pennies, a whole lot of pennies.

Philadelphia police detectives were investigating a Sunday-night shooting in Germantown in which a mother and daughter were wounded. The adult victim, who was shot twice in the back, was reported in critical condition at Temple University Hospital after the shooting in the 1900 block of Rowan Street. Her daughter was shot once in a leg, police said. The names of the victims were being withheld. - Jeff Gelles

A 24-year-old man was shot and killed early today in Germantown, police said. The gunfire erupted about 1:30 a.m. at Marion and Hansberry Streets, police said. The victim, hit multiple times in the torso, was pronounced dead at the scene at 1:43 a.m. by medics, police said. His identity has not been released pending notification of his family. Police were seeking witnesses in an effort to identify possible suspects.  

Police were searching for a 26-year-old man suspected in a fatal shooting early Thursday in the city's Germantown section, police said. Police were called at 1:29 a.m. to the area of Marion and Hansberry Streets, where they found David McClenic, 23, shot in the torso, police said. The suspect was identified as Anthony Baker, whose last known address was in the 6300 block of Algard Street. Police ask anyone with information on how to find Baker to call the Homicide Unit at 215-686-3334 or dial 911. A $20,000 reward is offered for information leading to Baker's arrest and conviction.

When Tanya Jackson makes the claim that she becomes easily excited, it does not take her long to provide examples. Yes, that was Jackson yelling at Germantown coach Linda McGee when star point guard Antoinette "Toni" Campbell (19 points, five assists) departed yesterday's Public League basketball semifinal against University City with 1:40 remaining. "I was hollering, 'Why'd you take her out?' " Jackson said, before adding sheepishly, "See, I didn't know she'd fouled out. " Another miniexplosion came when McGee suggested that Jackson could help make up for Campbell's absence by switching from wing guard to lead guard.

Police on Sunday identified a 42-year-old woman who was found fatally stabbed in her Germantown home as Lee Rochelle Grant. A relative discovered Grant on Saturday afternoon in a front bedroom on the second floor of the home, on the 100 block of Collom Street. Police said she had multiple stab wounds, and she was pronounced dead at the scene about 4:20 p.m. - Marcia Gelbart

A 43-year-old man was fatally shot in his girlfriend's car outside their home Tuesday afternoon in the city's Germantown section, police said. Shortly before 4 p.m., the man was shot several times as he sat in the car in the 5000 block of Tacoma Street, said Chief Inspector Scott Small. He was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 6:41. Numerous shell casings from two weapons of different caliber were found at the scene, Small said. The girlfriend, who was not in the car, was not injured.

A man riding in a 2000 Jeep Cherokee was ejected and killed Sunday afternoon when the driver ran a red light and the vehicle struck a car in Germantown, police said. The Jeep driver was also thrown from the vehicle but survived and was taken to Albert Einstein Medical Center, where he was listed in stable condition, Sgt. Lawrence Ritchie of the police Accident Investigation Division said. Two occupants of the other vehicle, a Buick Riviera, were treated for minor injuries, Ritchie said.

Isabelle Thompson Kelly was a woman full of love. "All she did was give love," said her granddaughter Dawn Moore. "Every day, all the time. All she talked about was her family. She was the family backbone, our matriarch. " Isabelle's love was expressed mostly toward her family, but she also loved her neighbors, and her fellow parishioners of Corinthian Baptist Church of Germantown, and — you got the impression — nearly everyone she encountered in her long life. Isabelle Kelly, a homemaker and cook whose macaroni-and-cheese and peach cobbler were near legendary, a mainstay of her church who lent her fine singing voice to the church choir, a Girl Scout and Brownie leader, died May 16 of a heart attack.

John Wister elementary in Germantown is the little engine that could. "We're a quaint, small school," says teacher Marcia Sparagna, "but there's a big sense of community there. " In her classroom, two students clasp hands and dance while an unexpected voice - Dean Martin's - croons: "When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, that's amore . " The jubilation in Room 211 is due to Sparagna's third and fourth graders winning a pasta party for raising more money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society than any other Wister class, $450 in three weeks, predominantly in coins, the majority pennies, a whole lot of pennies.

As Germantown Friends baseball coach Tim Gunn handed his boss a championship plaque Saturday, the dramatic end-of-the-season words didn't quite flow. "Tim, I . . . uhhh . . . need to talk to you about one thing," GFS athletic director Katie Bergstrom said, searching for the right words. "I needed to ummm . . . let you know that . . . uhhh . . . " With Gunn distracted, players crept behind him. A couple of them gripped an orange Gatorade tub, filled with water - cold. Splash.

An "innocent" conversation between two Germantown High freshmen turned into a nightmare for a girl Friday morning, when the boy she'd been talking with attacked and raped her in the school's basement, police said. Special Victims Unit Capt. John Darby said the students were acquaintances who'd known each other for a few weeks before the alleged attack. The two met about 7:45 a.m. Friday and had "innocent contact" in a stairwell, Darby said. After the boy went down the stairs into the basement, the girl followed him and he raped her, Darby said.

  A student at Germantown High School was in police custody Tuesday after he allegedly raped a fellow student in the basement of the school early Friday morning. Special Victims Unit Capt. John Darby said the students, two freshmen who'd known each other a few weeks, had been hanging out talking in a stairwell around 7:45 a.m. Friday when the boy ran down the stairs into a basement area, prompting the girl to follow. "The initial contact on that particular day was conversational," Darby said.

The scene is short for a musical theater production, calling for one actor to sing "It's a doggone shame!" in a Southern accent followed by another cast member repeating the same line. Addison Kolft, a mop-topped fourth grader, belts his part out with gusto. But despite his big grin and best intentions, 6-year-old costar Josh Johnson seems stymied. He pushes buttons. He sways, swings his arms, and purses his lips. But the machine programmed to sing for Johnson in a robotic voice remains maddeningly silent long past his cue. "We'll wait for you," director Andrea Green says cheerily, keeping the beat on piano.

By the time Germantown Academy's Ryan Dolan stepped into the batter's box with the bases loaded and the score tied in the 10th inning, his pants were scruffed and orange. His aggressive approach on the basepaths had left its mark. That same style of play led him to consider a situation that he said could make him a goat or a genius. With two outs, Dolan pondered laying down a bunt for a walk-off win. And his coach would not have been surprised. Instead, the senior worked a full count and ripped a belt-high fastball that bounced past the first baseman, giving Germantown Academy a 12-11 victory over visiting Neumann-Goretti in a nonleague baseball game Saturday.

NICK LINDNER, star junior basketball guard from Germantown Academy, said he has always been a fan of the Patriot League. "Now," he said Tuesday via cell phone, "I'm the biggest fan in the country. " Reason: the 5-10, 165-pounder has committed to Lafayette. "I made a visit up there on Sunday and fell in love with the campus, coaches and players," Lindner said. "When we were coming out of the office, I told my mom, 'This is where I want to go.' "The feelings really did surprise me. I visited six schools [unofficially]

This story has been corrected from earlier versions. Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput will merge a dozen parishes into five by July 1, resulting in seven closures in neighborhoods dense with Roman Catholic churches. The targeted congregations, whose pastors announced their fates during Sunday's Masses, are in Manayunk and Germantown in the city and Coatesville in Chester County. The moves constitute only the first round in a process that Chaput had earlier warned the area's 1.5 million Catholics would be "painful.