History of U.S. Political Parties Presented Monday

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown Historical Society.

The Pottstown Historical Society will host a presentation on "The History of Political Parties in the U.S.," presented by Patricia Norred Derr, PhD, associate professor of history at Kutztown University, on Monday, March 20 at 7 p.m.

The historical society is located at 568 High St. in Pottstown and the program is free and open to the public.

According to a press release sent by the society, Derr "is a highly-regarded instructor in courses on American colonial history, religion, American popular culture, African American history, and historical methodology."

Pottstown Historical Society

568 E. High St., Pottstown.

A transplanted Texan, Derr received her BA from the University of Texas at Austin, her MA in European History from the University of North Texas, and her PhD in American History from the University of Missouri-Columbia. She was the recipient of a Fulbright Research Award, and has participated in numerous public panels and programs.

Derr is the newest member of the Board of Directors of the Pottstown Historical Society, and also serves on the Pottstown Historical Architectural Review Board (HARB).

As political rhetoric continues to blow white hot in the United States, "it’s a perfect time to look back on the historical origins of political parties in the United States. Where do political parties come from? When did we get them? Why do we even have them? What is the difference between a party and a faction? And what’s with those names?" the release noted. 

Parties covered will include: Federalists, Jeffersonians, Jacksonians, Freedmen, Republicans, Democrats, Whigs, Libertarians, Free Soilers, Know-Nothings, Bourbons, Redeemers, Copperheads, Progressives, Populists, Reformists, Socialists, Communists, Liberals, Conservatives, Left, Right, Blue-Dogs, Green Party and Constitution Party.

Non-partisan, light refreshments will be served at the conclusion of the program. 

Giant Zombie Liquor Licenses in West Pottsgrove

You may soon be able to buy beer and wine at the Giant Supermarket in Upland Square.

Last night the West Pottsgrove Township Commissioners were informed that the application has been made and that a public hearing will be held at the start of the April 5 commissioner's meeting.

Township Solicitor Joseph Bresnan Giant "has been very aggressive" in pursuing liquor licenses since it was legalized last year.

Last month, Giant received permission to sell beer and wine at a store in Phoenixville.

He said the company plans to have a restaurant inside the supermarket that will serve beer, and to sell beer and wine for take-out.

"Basically, they're trying to copy Wegman's," he said of the large supermarket in Upper Providence off Route 29.

Because the state has control over liquor licenses and parcels them out, they often can only be transferred from one entity to another, although ones that fall dormant are called "zombie licenses."

It is not clear which kind Giant is pursuing for Upland Square, but I will try to find out.

Also of interest last night was some clarity on the situation with the West End Fire Co.

Fire Company President Lori Eckman, who is also a lieutenant in the fire police, said the bar room at the firehouse closed last August because it was no longer profitable.

The fire company's operating budget is about $62,000 a year and that money will now have to be collected through fundraisers, said Township Manager Craig Lloyd.

There are between 30 and 35 active members currently and the finances of the company are currently being sorted out and consolidated.

Lloyd said several years ago, the township helped with the purchase of a new fire truck, and so scaled back on its annual contribution to the fire company.

Lloyd says the township also helps by paying for the fire company's worker compensation and liability insurance.

West Pottsgrove has no designated fire tax and so the amount and level with which the township gets involved in the fire company's finances is at the discretion of the township commissioners each year, Lloyd said.

More recently, it paid for the purchase of about $12,000 worth of hose and is involved in the purchase of new air-pacs which will ultimately cost as much as $125,000.

The township has offered to make the first year's payments, although that amount is not yet settled because the length of the payment plan has not been decided and the payments are related to the length of the plan.

That is why "discuss fire company payments" continues to appear on the commissioners agenda in the past few months.

The commissioners agree to consult with the fire company leadership about which payments they would prefer to take on before making a decision.

A Middle School Career Shadow in Broadcasting

Photo Courtesy of the Pottstown School District

From left, Bernie Gallager, Darius Smallwood and Middle School Football and Basketball coach Levert Hughes.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown School District.

Congratulations to Pottstown Middle School student, Darius Smallwood on being named this year's recipient of the 2017 PCTV Career Shadow Award.

PCTV Sports broadcaster, Bernie Gallagher explained the criteria for the award.

"The primary focus of the award is to introduce a young student to the arena of sports broadcasting. They must display a positive attitude, have good grades and be involved in the community."

Darius was an integral member of The Pottstown Middle School 8th grade Football and Basketball teams and he shadowed Gallagher as he prepared for the Pioneeer Athletic Conference basketball playoffs.

He was very helpful in preparing and analyzing statistics used on the pregame shows. Gallagher further explained "Darius is a terrific young man who always has a smile on his face, is humble and is always willing to help others." Another reason to say Proud to be from Pottstown.

In Pottstown, It's All In the Timing

If you want to get appointed to the Human Relations Commission, or the planning commission, or you want to try to make some changes to bike lanes going down your street, it's all in the timing.

As Council Dennis Arms rightly pointed out to borough council Monday night, "we say all the time we want people to apply to boards and commissions, and then they do and we ignore them."

He was talking about two last-minute applications for two vacant positions on the planning commission. Arms noted that although the applications were last minute, that the borough has never set a procedure or deadline for those appointments.

"It's all just willy nilly," he said.

Ultimately, he was halfway successful.

Council did to adopt a new policy last night of an application needing to be made within 30 days of it being announced.

But they did not apply this spiffy new policy to the two open positions they filled last night, one of which was to re-appoint Borough Council President Dan Weand to another four-year term on the planning commission. The other seat was filled by a man whose full name I did not catch.

A similar conversation unfolded when two people were appointed to the Human Relations Commission -- Marcia Levengood and Samantha Miller.

Council vice President Sheryl Miller wanted a one month delay because she did not think the Human Relations Commission had a quorum when it recommended those two.

But they did. One of the commission's five members resigned the day after they voted on the recommendation. It's really get hard to keep track.

Finally, council spent a great deal of time on the subject of proposed bike lanes for Roland Avenue that are part of the $2 million Safe Routes to Schools project.

At least two residents have come to council in recent months and said the lanes, and the pylons that will designate the bike lanes, are ugly and will lower the value of their property.

Assistant Borough Manager Justin Keller said he did know about these concerns until December of 2016, but residents had voiced concerns earlier. The problem is that they were voiced to a different assistant borough manager.

Staff and Councilman Joe Kirkland, who represents the Seventh Ward, met with the residents and they discussed changes. What no one seemed to know until Keller explained it to them Monday, is that all those changes were dependent on an OK from PennDOT.

And PennDOT said no.

Keller said the changes could not be made within the time frame of the grant that will help to pay for the project and, if the project were abandoned, that the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation would want the borough to return the $600,000 it paid for the design and engineering of the whole project.

The project will affect more than just Roland Street.

It will install bike lanes and change some roads to one-way all over the borough.

In the end, council voted 6-3 to approve the traffic ordinance which will make the changes to the road, as well as to appoint Traffic Planning and Design as the Construction Inspection Consultant for the project -- both PennDOT requirements.

Timing truly is everything.

Otherwise, here are the Tweets.

Hill School Food Fair Benefits Pottstown Cluster

From left, the Rev. John Houghton, Anneliese Schlick,

Angelina Patrinosto and Kim Dent, Cluster staff.

Blogger s Note: The following was provided by the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities.

The Hill School’s annual fundraising International Food Fair was held on Jan. 26.

This year, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities was the beneficiary of the proceeds raised during the fair. 

Groups of students and faculty got together and, with some seed money, prepared a table of goodies from various world culture’s represented by the student body and students paid $5 to get in, and the proceeds went to a community nonprofit—this year, the Cluster. 

Hill School Student President, Angelina Patrinostro, and Vice President, Anneliese Schlick, were responsible for coordinating the fair and they plan to make it even bigger next year, by inviting the community.

The students raised $564 and Reverend Dr. John Houghton provided a match gift and a check for $1,128.00 was presented to PCRC. 

PCRC, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to support the basic needs of Pottstown area residents living in economic poverty, is proud to partner with The Hill School in our efforts to reduce food insecurity in the Pottstown Area.

Pottstown Trojans Bleed Blue for Their Community

Photos courtesy of Pottstown High School

High school student Natalie James, right, gives blood during the Miller-Keystone Blood Center's Winter Blood Drive.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Pottstown School District.

Pottstown High School students and staff showed their willingness to give to others to help build a strong community. 

During the annual Winter Blood Donation Drive, students and staff donated 52 units of blood which will be used in local hospitals to help save over 150 lives.

Carol Graves, Donor Resource Representative of the Miller-Keystone Blood Center, said, “This is one of the most successful winter blood drives that the high

High School student Emanuel Touissant signs up to

give blood during the Miller-Keystone Winter Blood Drive

school has conducted. High school students are responsible for contributing over 20 percent of the community’s blood supply. As our nation ages, there is an increased demand for blood. These young people have demonstrated that they are willing to take their place in our community as future leaders.”

The drive is organized by the Pottstown High School HOSA (Health and Occupations Students of America) students, under the leadership of Michaela Johnson. 

 She said, “I am very proud of our students and staff for their willingness to give of themselves and make a donation that truly helps save the lives of many people. Our donors include students who have distinguished themselves in the classroom and co-curricular activities. They are now demonstrating their leadership and willingness to help our community. They truly are a reason for us to all say Proud to be from Pottstown.”