Saturday, November 2, 2013

Jazz Nite III is Tonight!



Jazz Nite III, featuring The High Street Swing Co., will be held tonight from 7 to 10 p.m. at ArtFusion 19464 at 254 E. High St.

Refreshments will be available for purchase, and the event is BYOB for those over 21.

Tickets are $10 (cash only please) and can be purchased at ArtFusion during regular business hours: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

There are still tickets available to this great concert. Any unsold tickets will be sold at the door on Saturday night. CASH ONLY.

PLEASE NOTE: There is a a strict limit on the number of tickets that can be sold . Don't be disappointed at the door -- buy your tickets now!

Patrons are asked to arrive 15 minutes before curtain time. 

Park in the large lot behind the building and come in through our back door. 

(For detailed directions please call 610-326-2506 or email us.)

Jazz Nite III is brought to you by ArtFusion and Cheapniteout Productions. This event is a fundraiser for our non-profit community art school.

ArtFusion is a federal charitable 501(c)3 non-profit community art school and gallery. The mission is to enrich the lives of the residents in the greater Pottstown area through the visual arts, regardless of ethnicity and economic situations. 

The goal is to spark creativity, build self-confidence and develop community bonds through education, mentoring and community service.

Learn more by visiting the web site at artfusion19464.org

Friday, November 1, 2013

What's the (New) Deal with Josh Shapiro?

Josh Shapiro
Blogger's Note: The following is a press release from NewDEAL.

Montgomery County Commissioner Josh Shapiro was recently selected as one of twelve rising leaders from across the country to join the NewDEAL, a national network that is committed to highlighting innovative ideas from state and local elected leaders who are pro-growth progressives.

Governor Martin O’Malley of Maryland and U.S. Senator Mark Begich of Alaska, Honorary Chairs of the NewDEAL, recognized Commissioner Shapiro’s efforts to make government smarter by using zero-based budgeting.

“Senator Begich and I have joined the NewDEAL because we believe we need to look for fresh ideas not just from the top down in Washington, but also from the bottom up, where innovative leaders like Commissioner Shapiro are developing and testing their ideas out on the ground,” said Governor O’Malley, Honorary Co-Chair of the NewDEAL.

“In communities throughout the country, rising state and local leaders such as Josh Shapiro are proving that you can be both pro-growth and progressive. The NewDEAL is designed to foster these types of ideas and these types of leaders,” said Senator Begich, Honorary Co-Chair of the NewDEAL.

"I am proud to be recognized by the NewDEAL for my work to reform county government and use innovative solutions like zero-based budgeting to close Montgomery County's budget shortfall while investing in our people and the core functions of government," said Commissioner Shapiro. 

“I’m looking forward to sharing my ideas with the other NewDEAL Leaders and learning about their ideas from around the country that can help us make even more progress here in Montgomery County.”

Shapiro is currently featured on the NewDEAL’s interactive website at www.NewDEALLeaders.org/NewDEAL-Leaders/Josh-Shapiro

He joins Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams and Auditor General Eugene DePasquale as the third NewDEAL Leader from Pennsylvania.

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Giving Instead of Getting On Her Birthday

Photo Courtesy of John Armato
With Jenna Shea, center are teachers Laurie Gresko and Cindy Bartolucci.


Blogger's Note: The following was provided by information afficionado John Armato.

While most eight year-old girls could make a lengthy list of the birthday presents they would like to receive including video games, toys, and clothes, Jenna Shea had a different request and the students at Rupert Elementary School are thankful. 

Instead of the traditional birthday presents, she asked her family and friends for school supplies which she wanted to donated to the students at Rupert Elementary School. 

Jenna’s family is no stranger to Rupert. Her mother Tanya was a student teacher at Rupert and is now a substitute teacher in the district.

At her birthday party in August, Jenna decorated a box with her favorite “Hello Kitty” paper wrapping and made a sign for donations on the box. 

In the invitation to her party, she requested school supplies in place of gifts. 

Family members, friends, neighbors, and even strangers helped to provide three large tubs of school supplies which were donated to Laurie Gresko’s and Cindy Bartolucci’s classes.

“What a wonderful gesture from a young person to help our students by giving up the types of birthday presents that most eight year-olds would enjoy," said Principal Matt Moyer. 

"It is truly a sign of her maturity and caring well beyond her age.”

Jenna personally presented the school supplies to the Rupert students. 

 When asked why she would give up her gifts to help others, she said, “It makes me feel good inside to know that I have been able to help other kids.”

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Ironworking With the Potts Family

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Lynn Symborski, community educator at Pottsgrove Manor.

Historic Pottsgrove Manor will host a lecture by historian Dan Graham on the colonial iron industry.

The lecture takes place on Saturday, Nov. 2, at 1 p.m.

Graham has conducted extensive research on early ironworks in Pennsylvania and on the Potts and Rutter families. 

His talk will focus on the development and implementation of the Potts family’s colonial-era iron production and distribution system. 
Pottsgrove Manor in winter

He will discuss the evolution of their multi-forge, multi-furnace organization and how the expansion of their iron distribution practices kept up with industry demands, making Thomas Potts and his son, John Potts, some of the most successful ironmasters of their day. 

There is a suggested donation of $2 per person for the program.

After the lecture, tours of John Potts’ manor house and the museum’s current exhibit, “Forging a Lifestyle: Ironworking with the Potts Family,” will be offered. 

This will be one of the last opportunities to see the exhibit, which will close on Nov. 3. 

“Forging a Lifestyle” can also be viewed during a guided tour of Pottsgrove Manor during regular museum hours: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

Tours are given on the hour. The last tour of the day begins at 3 p.m. 

The site is closed Mondays and major holidays. Groups of ten or more should pre-register by calling 610-326-4014.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown. 

Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, & Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department. 

For more information, call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor

Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

On A Roll

Photo by John Armato
The four honorees of this year's Pottstown High School Alumni Honor Roll with the students who helped honor them during the Oct. 18 ceremony.


October is Alumni Honor Roll month at both Pottstown and Pottsgrove high schools.

Ceremonies for both were held within a day of each other.

First up was Pottstown, which on Oct. 18 inducted George M. McLain Jr. (Class of 1958), Eva K.M. Yashinsky (Class of 1972), Bennie Simms (Class of 1972) and David Donald (Class of 1981) into the alumni honor roll.

McLain, born on Maple Street and raised on Sunset Drive, was an all-state legion baseball player
and a graduate of East Stroudsburg State College, where he majored in social studies education.

A social studies teacher at Boyertown Area Senior High School for six years, McLain earned a masters in education from Temple, and took a job at as assistant principal at Pottstown Central Junior High School, where he worked for two years.

Afterward, he obtained a past as principal of Conrad Weiser High School Principal, a post he held for 15 years, before moving on two two administrative positions before retirement in 1997.

McLain worked on staff development initiatives at the national and state level and, in his retirement, has served Alvernia University as supervisor of student teachers.

Yashinsky, whose maiden name is Altomari, is not only a Pottstown High School graduate, where she graduated sixth in a class of 326 and was the president of the class, she spent her entire 35-year career as a teacher in the Pottstown School District.

A graduate of Temple University's Tyler School of the Arts, Yashinsky, an art teacher at every school building but Barth and the middle school, was named Teacher of the Year in 2011.

Photo by John Armato
McLain, Donald, Yashinsky and Simms in front of the lobby mural
Yashinsky helped to organize.
Longtime manager of the Davenport auditorium at the high school, Yashinsky oversaw nearly every assembly, concert, rental event and managed the stage crew.

She is remembered by many graduating classes for her creative and inspirational graduation ceremony backdrops.

Since graduating, Simms has had a long musical career that brought him to 14 different countries.

He has worked with many well-known artists including The Temptations, Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes, The Trammps, Dizz Gillespie, Rita Coolidge, Ray Parker Jr., the Tower of Power and Tavares.

As a bassist, Simms played with Pieces of a Dream, where he also served a scomposer, producer and music director.

He has performed on television many times, including on Good Morning America, Emeril Live and on a PBS broadcast special "Love Rhythm and Soul," with Aretha Franklin, Lou Rawls and the Spinners.

He is currently the music director and bassist for The Three Degrees World Wide, Simone and founding member, with Curtis Harmon, of the new jazz sensation "New Foundation."

Captain of the Trojan football team when he graduate, Donald attended Temple University's business school, made the dean's list, received the scholar athlete award and was, again captain of the football team.

Donald is the founder and CEO of PeopleShare Inc., the third largest privately-held staffing company in Pennsylvania with more than 5,000 employees with its headquarters here in Pottstown.

He is a board member not only of Temple University's graduate school, but also Philadelphia Works, a post to which he was appointed by Philadelphia Mayor Nutter.

His company has been recognized numerous times as one of the 500 fastest-growing companies; was an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in 2011 and has been recognized by Smart CEO Magazine as one of 50 CEOS to watch.

PeopleShare Inc. has been recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as one of the "best places to work."

Donald has been asked many times to meet with the U.S. Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of the Department of Public Welfare, as well as Congressional staff, concerning success in the work force.

All four were honored at a school-wide ceremony and assembly.

The next day, the 13th annual luncheon of the Pottsgrove Education Foundation and the Pottsgrove Retired Educators was held at Copperfield's in Limerick and the members of the Pottsgrove Honor Roll were recognized.

This year's honorees were Michael A. Foltz, Kathy-Jo Winterbottom, John Moletress and the late Joseph Dori.

Foltz is the Chief of Police of Lower Pottsgrove Township.

Winterbottom is a retired captain and commanding officer of Troop T of the Pennsylvania State Police.

Moletress is active in theater education and directing.

Dori was an English teacher and coach at Pottsgrove High School for 35 years.

The Pottsgrove Honor Roll recognizes members of the community who have provided distinguished service to the school district, or who have made notable contributions to society since graduating from Pottsgrove.

Master of ceremonies for the luncheon was James Basile and honorees were introduced by Charles Yohn, Earl Boehmer, Barb Clayton and Kevin Hennessey. Jane Conley offered the invocation.

Serving on the Honor Roll Committee are Basile, Yohn, Linda Cole, John Meko, D.J. Testa, Arlan Burkert, Addison Davidson, Clayton, Boehmer, Thomas Roberts and Robert Rheel.

Monday, October 28, 2013

Everything Old Made New Again

Photo Courtesy of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce
Business electronics get dropped off at the chamber's recycling event.


Blogger's Note: The following is thanks to Ashley Slaughter, who sent this info over from the chamber office.

On October 15, the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce hosted their annual Business Equipment Recycling Day. 

Chamber Members were able to drop off old business equipment and electronics to be recycled at no charge as a benefit of being a Member of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce.

This year, the Chamber collected and recycled 14,104 pounds of miscellaneous electronic and computer equipment thanks to the help from our sponsors for this event: Beacon Container Corp.; Lewis Environmental, Inc.; Pottstown Industrial Complex.

For more information, visit www.tricountyareachamber.com or contact 610.326.2900

Sunday, October 27, 2013

A Pottstown Panopoly (In Video)

Photo Courtesy of John Armato

Students and staff from Pottstown High School who were among the 700 who helped clean the streets of the First Ward on Friday. For more on that effort, see below.

So it's been a busy week in Pottstown, both news-wise and event-wise.

The news I will leave to the newspaper, but the events, well, I was at a lot of them with my handy iPhone and much-less-handy Tout video app, to record a lot of it.

Seeing as Sunday is a day for reflection, I thought we might review the past couple days and see what it says out our culture.

(Warning: This post has a kind of "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" feel to it....)
  • First, we have our own familiar, shared local culture -- the Halloween parade;
  • Then, there is International culture: The Diversity Committee's Heritage Day at Pottstown High School
  • And finally, an attempt to foster a new culture of cooperation and responsibility -- with a clean-up in the first ward.
First off was Wednesday's Halloween Parade where Pottstown showed off its best -- people willing to work for nothing to put on a show -- and its worst; people who do nothing to put on the show, then bitch about everything to do with the show and the behavior of the people around them who, also, have done nothing but ruin the show for the better behaved.

Case in point: Last year when we were going to lose the parade, help poured in from all avenues. Everybody wants to be a hero.

This year, the parade saved, no one wants to shell out any of the money they gladly gave last year, thus ensuring the parade will soon be in crisis once again.

Not one single dollar bill walked in the front door of The Mercury this year, even though we offered the same opportunity to support an event people say they want, and event that had the door to the paper wearing out with so many people coming in to make a contribution.

I can see how it would make it harder and harder for organizers to motivate themselves to bother.

But enough lecturing, here are Kevin Hoffman's excellent photos (the link at the top) and some much-less-excellent reporter videos of the parade; all through the miracle of Storify...


Next came Heritage Day, which I squeezed in between parent-teacher meetings and an evening election interview with incumbent council Republican Jeff Chomnuk.



As impressive as the overall effort was, I was particularly impressed with the musical acumen of several students who teamed up with Louis Rieger, CEO over at the High Street Music Co. to form the High Street Jazz Ensemble.

Check them out in the next two videos.



On Friday, the borough, the school district and The Hill School joined forces for the second time in as many weeks, this time to undertake a clean up of streets in the first ward.

They put more than 700 people into the field.

That's impressive no matter how you count it.

Here are some videos from that undertaking:






And finally, a little shameless self-promotion.

The tables for the pancake breakfast
were set up Friday night.
As a band-parent, (something I never realized was a thing until I became one) my wife and I have been volunteered into helping in the organization's many, many fund-raising efforts which fund not only instruments for those who can't afford them, but for things like trips to play in Disney World.

It takes a lot of mix to make an
all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast.
(BTW, if you would like to buy some $4 Wawa Hoagie coupons from me, just drop by The Mercury at 24 N. Hanover St. when I'm there and I would be happy to accommodate you.)

Anyway, one of the most visible ways of raising money is the snack bar the Pottstown School Music Association (or PSMA) runs during home football games.

Some of you may have seen the Tweets and Touts I sometimes send out while trying to find ways to avoid actually working in that kitchen.

But few probably realize what comes next, after they go home.

Allow me to enlighten you:


And this, much smaller clean-up, was followed by those self-same volunteers then dragging their ass over to the Goodwill Fire Company, where they set-up tables and chairs to prepare for the Saturday morning All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast, another fundraiser.



Plenty of folks showed up and a good time was had by all.

We managed a line for pancakes after a time.
But I'm betting I'm not alone, as I write this, in really, really, really wanting a nap right now....

However, before I get up to take the teen and his buddies over to the last night of the Temple of Terror, I think for a moment how much this really shows the culture of Pottstown, or at least the part of the culture we want to keep.

High School Principal
Jeffrey Hartmann was among
the customers
This borough has long benefited from an invisible army of volunteers in organizations all over the place, some better known than others, who quietly and thanklessly do for others.

I will not make the mistake of trying to give you examples or all these people and organizations, as it is inevitable I will leave someone out, and generate hurt feelings when I mean to offer praise.

Sadly, as with the Halloween Parade, those who can't keep themselves (or their children) under control, those who do more taking than giving, can all too often grab the spotlight (or the headline!) and give an impression of a place that is tilted toward the negative.

I pray I never lose sight entirely of the fact that we are so much more than that.