Family speaks on Cheltenham High assault | Inquirer Greater Abington
Plus, the resident-driven push to pull millions from Citizens Bank.
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This week, we go inside the alleged assaults in the Cheltenham High School locker room that led to the cancellation of two football seasons. We also take a look at the resident-driven push that’s prompted Cheltenham Township to pull millions from Citizens Bank, what caused the Friends of Fox Chase Farm volunteer group to disband, and the approach Jenkintown’s new superintendent is taking to overseeing the school district.
— Laura Smythe (greaterabington@inquirer.com)
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A Cheltenham mother has spoken exclusively to The Inquirer about the alleged assaults her son experienced last year in the Cheltenham High School football locker room. In one instance, nearly 20 students watched as the boy’s teammates attempted to sexually assault him, his lawyers said.
No students have been disciplined even after the school district determined that an assault had taken place and been recorded on video by witnesses, while the affected teenager “can’t escape” continued harassment throughout the local community, his mother said.
The school’s previous and upcoming football seasons were both canceled amid the ongoing investigation by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office.
Meanwhile, the teen’s family is still awaiting accountability.
Cheltenham Township is closing its last two accounts with Citizens Bank over the bank’s financing of companies that run detention facilities, despite the bank’s announcement it would no longer do so.
The accounts hold about $9 million cumulatively, which township officials are planning to divert to Santander Bank. The move comes after months of lobbying by local residents.
💡 Community news
Friends of Fox Chase Farm, a volunteer group that supports the 112-acre expanse that straddles Abington Township and Philadelphia, has disbanded after more than 30 years.
Ramah Day Camp, a Jewish summer program in Cheltenham, will also shutter soon, ending its 30-year run.
Abington, Jenkintown, and Cheltenham are among the Montgomery County locales that will be scrutinized by law enforcement in the coming weeks in an effort to combat aggressive drivers.
A 27-year-old Nigerian man who laundered money as part of a “sextortion” plot that led a 20-year-old Abington native to kill himself has been sentenced to five years in federal prison.
Jenkintown man Seok Joon Lee, 54, has been charged with impersonating a federal officer after allegedly pretending to be an FBI agent at a Philadelphia grocery store, where he carried a loaded gun and attempted to conduct a security check of the supermarket.
The community is mourning the deaths of esteemed clothing designer and professor of fashion Emil DeJohn, 88, who was a congregant of St. Luke the Evangelist Church in Glenside, and Ida Schmertz, 91, a former Jenkintonian who became a pioneering women’s activist, presidential appointee, and the first female senior vice president at American Express. They each died in recent weeks.
Inquirer contributor Paul Jablow takes a good look at a three-story, six-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian home up for sale in the Wyncote Historic District.
🏫 Schools briefing
Meet Brea D’Angelo, the former Sixers reporter who is now leading Jenkintown School District as its new superintendent.
Also in the Cheltenham School District, a new vice principal starts at Wyncote Elementary on Aug. 1. Plus, Glenside Elementary has named an interim principal and Cheltenham Elementary has named a new principal, both pending school board approval.
Construction is underway on Abington High School’s forthcoming Ash Carter Courtyard, a tribute to the late 1972 alumnus who served as U.S. Secretary of Defense from 2015 to 2017, the Main Line Times reports.
🍽️ On our plate
We’re in prime farmers market season, and Jenkintown has a robust one: Think handmade stuffed cookies, local fruits and veggies, and individually wrapped pound cakes, The Inquirer’s Hira Qureshi reports.
Plans for a hot pot concept with a revolving sushi bar at Elkins Park Square have been put on hold by Cheltenham Township, Glenside Local reports.
🎳 Things to do
🔨 Legacy Park Community Build Week: Volunteers will help assemble the new Legacy Park playground. ⏰ Tuesday, July 28-Sunday, Aug. 2, various shifts 8 a.m.-8:30 p.m. 💵 Free 📍 Legacy Park, Jenkintown
👻 Summerween Character Event: Enjoy spooky-themed drink specials, check out your favorite scary characters in their summer garb, and get a reading from a medium (if you dare). ⏰ Saturday, Aug. 1, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 💵 Pay as you go 📍 Pot Heads Coffee House, Jenkintown
🕺 The Concert: A Tribute to ABBA: The touring production from Sweden, featuring original band members from the iconic pop group, will perform renditions of ABBA’s ‘70s and ‘80s hits to Montgomery County. ⏰ Tuesday, Aug. 4, 8 p.m. 💵 $52.53-$75.74 📍 Keswick Theatre, Glenside
🏡 On the market
Built in 1935 in Jenkintown Manor, this charming four-bed, three-bath home features original hardwood floors, a bay window in the dining area, and a wood-burning fireplace. There is a front porch as well as a back patio.
See more photos of the home here.
Price: $725,000 | Size: 2,982 SF | Acreage: 0.31
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