A Look Back At South Philly's Oregon Avenue

I wrote about South Philly's Oregon Avenue for Philadelphia Weekly back in 1994. 

You can read the piece above and below (click on to enlarge). 

My Crime Beat Column: My Q&A With Veteran Newspaper Columnist And Author Stu Bykofsky

For a time, I was proud to have my Crime Beat column appear in Philadelphia Weekly alongside the contributions of veteran newspaper columnist Stu Bykofsky.  

Previous to this, I was also a proud contributor for 19 years to the Philadelphia Inquirer, where Stu Bykofsky’s popular column ran for many years. 

So when I read that Stu Bykofsky had written a novel about newspapers, reporters, crime and politics, called Press Card, I purchased the novel online, and I read and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Stu Bykofsky described Press Card on his website, STU BYKOFSKY - Reality determines my political positions, not vice versa : 

Did you ever have a bad boss? Sure, you have.​

Did you ever do anything about him (or her)?​

Probably not.​

Claude Shelby does.​

He’s a straight-talking, wisecracking, street-savvy reporter who doesn’t like his bosses -- and they don’t like him.​

That conflict provides the framework for Press Card, which is funny, sad, poetic, obscene, sexy, and knowing.​

Following his demotion for cutting corners to get a political story, Shelby struggles with his bosses, and with what his job sometimes requires him to do. 

When he’s at his lowest point and floating aimlessly, he stumbles into clues that could lead him to the biggest story of his life -- finding fugitive Black revolutionary Sister Sojourner.​

He chases the leads he digs out all the way to St. Lucia in the Caribbean, where he receives help from an unexpected source in a skintight dress.​

In this picaresque novel, Claude Shelby interacts with memorable characters: a rags-to-riches millionaire, a close friend who regrets quitting journalism for the big bucks of P.R., the Philadelphia artist who designs neon tube clothing accessories that double as dildos, and a predatory female reporter.​

Press Card takes readers inside the Fourth Estate and reveals how some newspapers make decisions. It unmasks power plays between union and management, and reporters’ tricks.​

It is fiction based on fact.​

Press Card crackles like a police radio and rolls as fast as the presses that print the fictional Philadelphia Free Press.

I reached out to Stu Bykofsky and asked him about Press Card. 

Davis: Why did you write Press Card? 

Bykofsky: Two reasons. 1- A personal challenge to myself to see if I could write something that long. “Cats Are Supermodels” was a decade earlier, nonfiction, and about 20% as long as “Press Card.” 2- Wanted revenge on some editors.  

Davis: How would you describe the novel? 

Bykofsky: I call it “faction” -- fact wrapped in fiction. It pulls back the curtains on how print really works, in a fast-paced, humorous manner.  

Davis: Is Claude Shelby in any way autobiographical? 

Bykofsky: Claude Shelby is not Stu Bykofsky, but some of Stu Bykofsky is in Claude Shelby. Claude is somewhat anti-union; Stu is very pro-union. Shelby chews gum, Stu never had, and Stu was never a political reporter. 

Davis: Is the Philadelphia Free Press based on the Daily News or the Inquirer? 

Bykofsky: The Free Press is a tabloid, like the News, and, honestly, the novel is a roman a clef, using the News as a template. You know the adage -- write what you know.

Davis: Are the other characters, especially the editors, based on real people? 

Bykofsky: Some yes, some no. Some are complete inventions; other characters are borrowed from people I know. When inventing a character, I picture someone I know. It helps with the physical descriptions and helps me keep them separate. 

Davis: Did you cover any of the stories that Shelby covered in the novel? 

Bykofsky: I was working the desk the night a tanker exploded in the Delaware. That’s the chapter called Fire on the Water. I actually had a lead on Patty Hearst, through a friend, but the trail went cold fast. As to the suicide of a TV anchor, that was loosely based on Bud Dwyer, but I did not cover that. I was a TV critic for five years and will say the TV reporter Howard Scott was based on WPVI’s Marc Howard.  

Davis: Why do newspapers cover crime stories so prominently? 

Bykofsky: They don’t anymore -- and that is intentional. The “Woke” element in newsrooms have decided coverage of crime is racist. If you give it a moment's thought, you can imagine why.  

Davis: What made you want to go into newspaper journalism?  

Bykofsky: I started by joining the college newspaper at Brooklyn College (night school), because I didn’t like fraternities and it was one club that had girls, where everyone drank and cursed and smoked. It turned out writing was a gift -- I could do it easily and I figured it would be a good career. Not a lot of money, but a lot of fun. My intuition was correct. And the editor of its college paper got me my first professional job at The World-Telegram & The Sun in NYC in 1959. I retired 60 years later. 

Davis: Was anyone in particular a major influence? 

Bykofsky: The aforementioned college editor, Gordon Lattey -- still a friend. Got me the job at the Telegram, and later got me a freelance job with a travel magazine he edited, which opened the door to world travel -- with someone else paying the bill. I have been everywhere from Antigua to Yugoslavia, something that would have been completely impossible for someone like me who grew up in the projects. 

Davis: How are newspapers today different today from the 1970s, the era portrayed in Press Card? 

Bykofsky: I hate to generalize, but they seem to be run by people guided more by their politics than by news values. 

Davis: What do you see for the future of newspapers? 

Bykofsky: In print -- none, and that is really sad. I see them each becoming silos, catering to the perceived biases of their readers. I can’t be specific because I signed a NDA (Non-Disclosure Agreement) with the Inquirer, which I am suing for defamation. 

Davis: Do you have a favorite book, novel or play about newspapers? 

Bykofsky: Citizen Hearst, although only indirectly about newspapers. And The Front Page, of course, for sheer fun. 

Davis: Do you have a favorite film or TV series about newspapers? 

Bykofsky: There was an OLD series, maybe the ‘50s, called The Big Story, something like that, that was sort of a documentary recreation. I also strongly like Absence of Malice, although it is slightly off-kilter about libel law. But Paul Newman and Sally Field -- what’s not to like? 

Davis: How would you describe your career as a newspaperman and columnist?  

Bykofsky: Pleasure. The bad days were few, and I got to travel the world, and rub elbows with celebrities and politicians. (I don’t really like celebrities, but they make good fodder for story telling). Unfortunately, I now have forgotten most of the stories. Importantly, at stages in my career I was able to help people who needed it, and kick the asses of politicians, who also needed it. 

Davis: Do you plan to write another novel? 

Bykofsky: The first one took almost 40 years. I am 80. And I write a very active blog, so there’s no time. 

Davis: Good luck with the novel.

Note: You can read Stu Bykofsky's bio via the below link:

Stu Bykofsky | Columnist & Author | About (presscardthebook.com)

And you can purchase Press Card via the below link:  

  Www.PressCardTheBook.com

Stu Bykofsky: Philadelphia Weekly Reinvents The Wheel

Stu Bykofsky (seen in the below photo), the former Philadelphia Daily News columnist, was until recently, like me, a contributor to Philadelphia Weekly.

My Crime Beat column ran in Philadelphia Weekly for a year and four months.

Then a new publisher and new editor decided to take the weekly newspaper in a new direction. And like me, Stu Bykofsky was dropped without so much as an email notification. 

Stu Bykofsky addresses this in his blog at: 

https://stubykofsky.com/philadelphia-weekly-reinvents-the-wheel/?utm_source=mailpoet&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=the-last-newsletter-total-posts-from-our-blog_1

Note: I moved my Crime Beat column over to broadandliberty.com.

Christine Flowers: No Respect: Progressives Oppose Those Who Built This City

 Christine Flowers offers her take on progressives and working-class ethnics in a piece at Philadelphia Weekly.

As I was standing at Marconi Plaza last Saturday, waiting to hear whether the city would honor a judge’s order that the wooden box hiding the Columbus statue be removed (spoiler alert, it didn’t and it wasn’t,) I had a few moments to ponder why Mayor Jim Kenney (seen in the above photo) was so intent on letting the Italian Americans of Philadelphia know just how undeserving of respect he thought we were. It took a few moments, but I ultimately realized why this former son of South Philadelphia is leading this legal, cultural and administrative juggernaut against us. 

And with this realization came a troubling corollary revelation: Kenney doesn’t just hate Italian Americans. Kenney is opposed to all of the white, working-class ethnic populations that built this city, the Irish like himself, the Poles, the Germans, the Jews, the Slavs and all the other nationalities that defined their geography and history by what parish they belonged to, what school they attended, what union their grandparents paid dues in, or where they bought their kielbasa, their baccala or their chopped liver.

If you’ve ever been at a meeting of progressive Democrats, or even of the country club sort of Republicans who like to “get along” with them, such as the ones who define as “Never Trumpers,” you will detect an obvious disdain for working-class white ethnic groups. I have “passed” in those circles, being an attorney who practices in the so-called liberal field of immigration. Those who have not read my columns or heard me on the radio or TV assume I am one of them. It’s “Imitation of Life,” just substituting mindset for race. I’m not one of them, but I look like one of them and so the guard is down. Like that fly on the proverbial wall, I have access to what they say when they think no one is listening beyond the sterile bubble of elite wisdom.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

No respect - Philadelphia Weekly 

‘A Laughing Jury Never Convicts': Charles Peruto Wants To Bring His Unique Style To The Philly D.A.’s Office

Stu Bykofsky offers a good piece on Chuck Peruto, a well-known lawyer and Republican candidate for Philadelphia District Attorney at Philadelphia Weekly.

The man who wants to be your district attorney is willing to take a break from his 42-year career as one of Philadelphia’s best known and most successful defense attorneys.

His father, A. Charles Peruto, was a Philadelphia legal legend up until his death in 2013, a defense attorney famed for using folksy warmth to seduce juries into seeing things his way. Chuck’s tactic is to entertain. “A laughing jury never convicts,” he says seriously. In court, he is The Entertainer.

In one memorable case, he defended a county detective charged with beating his girlfriend, who happened to be a judge.

She claimed he had beaten her, but instead of calling 911, she first called a police captain friend of hers who rushed over to her apartment, to stage the scene, Peruto told the jury.

The judge then called 911, claimed to be in death throes and slipped unconscious to the floor at the conclusion of the call.

Peruto acted out her testimony, winding up on the floor, in mock unconsciousness, splitting his pants. The jury roared with laughter – and did not convict.

Behind closed doors, many of his colleagues say that Peruto is a hot dog, a term he would relish.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

‘A laughing jury never convicts’ - Philadelphia Weekly

You can also read my Philadelphia Weekly Crime Beat columns on Chuck Peruto via the below links:

Paul Davis On Crime: 'I'm Going To Kick Krasner's Ass': My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On Chuck Peruto's Run For Philadelphia District Attorney

Paul Davis On Crime: Peruto Means Business: Part Two Of My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column On Chuck Peruto's Run For Philly DA 

Philadelphia Weekly: It's Up To Chuck Now To Defeat Philly DA Larry Krasner

Philadelphia Weekly notes that since Carlos Vega was defeated in the Democratic primary, it is up to Chuck Peruto, the Republican candidate for Philadelphia DA, to defeat incumbent DA Larry Krasner in the general election.

Note: You can click on the above to enlarge.

Wall Street Journal: A Soft-On-Crime Backlash - Philadelphia Democrats Decline To Endorse A Progressive Prosecutor.

The Wall Street Journal offers an editorial noting that the Democratic City Committee voted not to endorse Philly DA Larry Krasner for reelection. The editorial also mentions Philadelphia Weekly and quotes challenger Carlos Vega from my Crime Beat column. 

Prosecutors promising easier bail and fewer criminal prosecutions have swept to power in several big cities in recent years, but a backlash may be underway as crime spikes. Witness last week’s developments in Philadelphia. 

On March 31 the Democratic City Committee voted not to endorse incumbent District Attorney Larry Krasner for May’s primary election. He won in 2017 after denouncing the city’s police and prosecutors as “both systemically racist” and has spent his time in office touting his efforts “to end mass incarceration” by bringing fewer charges and urging lighter sentences. 

But Mr. Krasner now faces a primary challenge from Carlos Vega, a former homicide prosecutor whom he fired. 

In December 2020, Mr. Krasner filed 525 charges for violent crimes, compared to 757 in December 2017, the month before he took office. The decrease doesn’t reflect a safer city; nearly 500 people were murdered in Philadelphia last year, compared to 315 in 2017. 

Last year saw more than 2,200 shootings, and the vast majority of victims were black. Auto thefts have risen sharply, with some 9,295 vehicles stolen last year compared to 5,694 in 2017. 

“Victims are an inconvenient truth that Larry ignores,” Mr. Vega told Philadelphia Weekly in December. “He never talks about the victims.” Mr. Vega says he’s running “to make our city safer.” 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-soft-on-crime-backlash-11617748124?st=0g5ln9brztyabq2&reflink=article_email_share  

You can also read my Philadelphia Weekly Crime Beat column on Carlos Vega via the below link:

Paul Davis On Crime: My Philadelphia Weekly 'Crime Beat' Column: A Conversation With Carlos Vega, The Former Homicide Prosecutor Challenging Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner 

Philadelphia Weekly: Mayor Kenney, It Is Time To Resign

Philadelphia Weekly, where my Crime Beat column runs each week, offers a cover story that states it is time for Philadelphia Mayor Jim Keeney to resign for the good of the city.    

You can read the piece via the below link:

Time to resign - Philadelphia Weekly 

Jenny DeHuff: Philly's Brand-New Philadelphia Weekly - 'All The News They Won’t Print’

 Jenny DeHuff (seen in the below photo), the new editor of Philadelphia Weekly - where I write the Crime Beat column - offered an introductory piece: 

I assumed the new role as editor-in-chief of Philadelphia Weekly. When the publication launched AltPhilly, Philadelphians made it apparent they wanted a more contrarian viewpoint to be part of the conversation, and Philly Weekly surpassed its fundraising goal. 

So, I’m excited to lead this new charge as editor because I think we need a fair voice of reason in this city. The Philadelphia Inquirer axed all their conservative columnists, from Stu Bykofsky (for whose last day of work I was present) to Christine Flowers. Most columnists in the city are screaming so loudly into the liberal echo chamber that there is hardly anyone hearing anything from the other side. 

That’s why I think PW’s decision to switch makes sense. Right now, content coming from our local news outlets is largely redundant and people are being led by the nose. We want to change that. The paper can now offer readers a platform where conservative perspectives can challenge liberal ones. Here, there is room to share ideas, debate and learn. 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link: 

https://philadelphiaweekly.com/phillys-brand-new-pw/ 

Ralph Cipriano: U.S. Attorney Rips Krasner, Inky, Over Killing By D.A.'s Staffer

Veteran reporter and author Ralph Cipriano (seen in the below photo) at BigTrial.net offers a piece on the scandal at the DA office, which has not received much news coverage here, with the notable exception of Ralph Cipriano’s blog. 

(Which is why Philadelphia Weekly changing editorial direction to a conservative newspaper and offering an alternative voice in the city is so important. On a personal note, my Crime Beat column will appear next week in Philadelphia Weekly).   

Ralph Cipriano’s post offers the U.S. Attorney’s comments on the DA scandal. 

It's day two of the local news media blackout over the latest scandal in the Philly D.A.'s office, involving a gun violence counselor who shot and killed a male prostitute. 

And who's trying to expose the ongoing cover up?  

U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain went on Twitter today to rip D.A. Larry Krasner: 

"Your Philly DA's office: where Krasner hires an employee who allegedly ends up shooting and killing a man. You can't even make this stuff up. The destruction that Krasner has wrought on that office is a tragedy." 

McSwain subsequently went on Twitter again to rip The Philadelphia Inquirer, which, as usual, was sleeping through another news cycle involving possible bad publicity for their favorite progressive D.A.: 

"So where's the @PhillyInquirer article on this? Everybody knows that the Inquirer bends over backwards to protect Krasner, but this is a little too obvious -- even for them." 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://www.bigtrial.net/2020/10/us-attorney-rips-krasner-inky-over-da.html 

Why Notorious Philly Mob Boss And Informant Ralph Natale Is Suing The United States Government

 

Tara Murtha at the Philadelphia Weekly offers an interesting piece on former Philadelphia Cosa Nostra boss and government informant Ralph Natale, who is suing the federal government.

After Ralph Natale was released from prison last year, he and his wife Lucy settled into new digs at an undisclosed location. It looks like the typical home of any other great-grandparents: A figurine of a cat in a Santa hat sits on the table alongside a mug with “Wish. Let your heart be light” emblazoned inside it. A flower portrait painted by one of the kids hangs on the walls. A dusty copy of Moonstruck sits atop the VCR next to a jumbo book of crossword puzzles.

Nothing about the place suggests Natale’s dubious distinction of being the first American mob boss to turn government witness.


... At 77, Natale has spent nearly half his life in prison. He went to prison for the first time in 1980, serving 15 years for firebombing a furniture store in an insurance scam. After he got out in 1995, he was Philly’s mob boss until 1999, when he was indicted for conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine—after already having been picked up on a parole violation for associating with known criminals the year before. He was facing life when he cut a deal with the feds.


You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/news-and-opinion/Ralph-Natale-versus-the-United-States-166956006.html?page=1&comments=1&showAll=

You can also read an earlier post on Ralph Natale via the below link:

http://pauldavisoncrime.blogspot.com/2011/09/did-king-rat-ralph-natale-entrap.html