Pottstown Basketball Team Honors Fallen Trojan

The Pottstown High School Basketball Team, shown hear wearing special T-shirts with his name, honored the memory of Shamir Edwards at their final game of the season.

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

The Pottstown Boys Basketball Team honored Fallen Trojan Shamir Edwards before their last home game recently.

Shamir was a student at the high school from 2012 to 2016, he received his diploma in June of 2016

Shamir's jersey

and was accepted to East Stroudsburg University. 

In November of 2016, early in his freshman year, he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer. 

Six months later, in June of 2016, at the age of 19, Shamir passed away.

His family, friends, teachers, teammates and his school have mourned his passing. 

The players, coaches and administration paid honor to his memory by dedicating the game in his name. 

The game, also served as a fundraiser to establish a scholarship in his name to be given to a graduating senior athlete exemplifying the qualities of courage and humility. 

An empty seat was placed on the Pottstown bench draped with a number 11 jersey symbolizing his loss. 

His family along with friends and honored guests, were asked to come to center-court to be introduced. 

Shamir's memory will live on in the hearts of his family and teammates.He will be an honored chapter in Trojan Basketball history.

Shamir's family was on-hand for the ceremony, indicating his number, 11, with their fingers.

New Phoenixville Board Member, Phantom Tax Hike

Photos by Evan Brandt

Meet David Goldberg, the newest member of the Phoenixville Area School Board.

Seven people applied to replace Mike Ellis on the Phoenixville School Board, but after two withdrew, the board chose one from among five remaining applicants.

The school board conducted public interviews with all five -- Troy Johnson Jr., Maureen Ahearn, David Goldberg, Sandra Tucker and Ayisha Sereni -- each individually, according to School Board President Lisa Longo.

The board re-convened and all but Tucker were the subject of a vote, as her nomination did not receive a second.

David Goldberg takes the oath of office as Phoenixville's newest
school board member.

Goldberg, 45, is a Schuylkill Township resident and assistant professor of criminal justice at Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, Del.

He said concern about his children's homework load brought him to his first board meeting and remains a concern of his.

(When that subject was raised Thursday night, Superintendent Alan Fegley convinced the board to let the staff "have first crack at it," rather than have it discussed in the policy committee. Board member Kevin Pattinson said he did not think setting a specific policy was a good idea as "it puts the board in the classroom.")

Goldberg said his other issues of interest are the discussions of later start times and budget and taxes.

He said a friend pointed the vacancy out to him and he applied. "If you had told me three weeks ago that I was about to be a school board member, I would have laughed at you," he said.

He will service until the expiration of Ellis' term, December of 2019. Goldberg said he has "absolutely no idea" if he will seek a full four-year term at that time.

The school board also adopted a preliminary $94 million budget for the 2018-2019 school year which finance committee chairman Eric Daugherty took great pains to say "will not be the final budget we adopt in June."

Nonetheless, the budget passed with all but Goldberg's vote (he abstained), would raise the millage by 4 percent to 32 mills, using "exceptions" for school construction and special education to exceed the state-imposed tax cap of 2.4 percent.

Even with the $875,000 generated by those exceptions, the preliminary budget has a $3.2 million deficit which would, under current circumstances, have to be made up with reserves.

Longo said the district's successful challenge of the tax exempt status of Tower Health, which has been appealed in Chester County courts, makes is "likely" that at least this year, Phoenixville Hospital will be  paying its tax bill of $950,000.

However, she said, the budget adopted last night is conservative in the sense that does not include that revenue.

The board's last act was to vote unanimously (Goldberg abstained) to adopt a resolution opposing Pennsylvania State Senate Bill 2, which, board member Blake Emmanuel explained, "opens the door" to vouchers and could impact Phoenixville, even though it is not an "under-performing school district."

Here are the Tweets from the meeting.

Committee Can't Find Ways to Cut 12% Tax Hike

The long wait to see how a special council ad hoc committee would be able to lower this year's 12 percent tax hike came to and end last night.

The short answer is, they can't.

In a letter to council (which was mysteriously missing from the links of other documents on the agenda), the seven members of committee said none of the options they explored could be implemented in time to affect this year's budget.

Sadly, this was not a check to solve the borough's fiscal woes, but a 

$1,900 check from the Pottstown Rotary Club to help with upkeep 

and repairs to the war memorials in Memorial Park.

They recommended keeping the millage adopted in December -- which represents a 12 percent increase over last year's rate.

They also noted that the borough has been notified that its bond rating may be downgraded "if finances don't immediately improve."

The group will continue to meet and any savings resulting from short-term suggestions should be directed to the general fund reserves -- the same reserves council raided for the past three years to keep taxes down.

Reserves are also needed, they wrote "to re-establish contributions to the capital fund deficit of approximately $1 million."

Short-term suggestions include more closely assessing the services provided by an employee and adjusting the fee schedule to better recoup costs; as well as cease the Wednesday night late hours from 4 to 7 p.m. in order to save on over time and heating and lighting costs.

As these things are going on, the borough will also be benefiting from a consultant paid for by the state's Early Intervention Program, who will be tasked with finding ways to further streamline and bolster the borough's finances.

Other suggestions include moving to a "cashless" system for paying utility bills and taxes which will ultimately allow for the elimination of one of the window positions.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Ridge Pike Plans and A Brief Gerrymandering Debate

The property surrounded by the red line is proposed for redevelopment.

There may be some changes coming to the intersection of Ridge Pike and Fruitville Road and Airport Road, but you'll only be able so see one of them.

A series of issues before the Limerick Township Supervisors Tuesday night gave a glimpse of what's in store.

The more visible of the two changes are plans to build two retail commercial properties and 19 single family attached homes on a combined 5.5 acres on the northwest corner of the intersection of Ridge Pike and Fruitville Road.

Its a site that has served as several unsuccessful bars and restaurants.

This plan shows two commercial buildings along Ridge Pike,

and the housing units in the rear.

Piazza Realty was before the supervisors seeking permission to raze that building and erect several new ones.

Both the commercial buildings and the town homes would comply with the zoning ordinances architectural design standards, the developers testified.

And a traffic study concluded the re-development would have no adverse impact on the intersection or surrounding roads.

The supervisors took the testimony under advisement and will render a decision within 35 days.

The other change coming is across the street and is, for the most part, invisible.

It turns out part of the property used by Triad Truck Equipment Co., on the southwest corner of Ridge Pike and Airport Road, is actually owned by the adjacent Pottstown-Limerick Airport and has been rented for years. The airport now wants to sell the property and Triad wants to merge the two parcels into one.

What was debated Tuesday was whether that should trigger the Main Street zoning streetscaping and landscaping requirements as will be undertaken at the other project across the street.

But over the strenuous objections of Supervisor Thomas Neafcy, the three remaining board members (Chairperson Elaine DeWan was absent) said it would be silly, since the truck company could buy the property, not merge the parcels, and would be required to do nothing.

"Time and time again, this board has had an opportunity to do the Main Street streetscaping and this board waives it. I don't understand it," lamented Neafcy.

As the meeting wound down, resident Oliver Kennedy presented the board with a copy of a resolution adopted by neighboring Upper Providence Township supporting a Constitutional amendment to have Pennsylvania Congressional and statehouse districts be drawn up by a citizens commission instead of the politicians who benefit from them.

Kennedy criticized the board for appearing to be ignoring it, just as new Supervisor Patrick Morroney was making a motion to adopt the resolution.

Neafcy lashed out at the criticism, noting that Morroney was reading from a prepared statement. "This is a set-up," he said.

Kennedy said he only asked the board to consider the resolution and Vice Chairman Ken Sperring, who was running the meeting in DeWan's absence, said the board would, noting that currently the issue is in the hands of the courts.

"It's been adopted by Upper Providence," said Kennedy, to which Sperring replied curtly, "this isn't Upper Providence."

There was no second to Morroney's motion and the board adjourned, after which Neafcy and Kennedy continued to debate the matter in the audience, each accusing the other of bringing politics into the issue.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Ambulance Order Cancelled, Cell Tower Unopposed

Upper Providence Township Supervisors took two votes Monday night undoing actions taken by the previous board.

The first was to rescind instruction given by the previous board to oppose at a zoning hearing an application by a company with Verizon as its client to build a "stealth" cell tower at 248 Rittenhouse Road, near Pope John Paul II High School.

Newly installed Board president John Pearson said he was inclined to let the zoning board "do its job" without having the township solicitor there objecting.

There was no shortage of residents opposed to the project objecting at last night's meeting. Supervisor Al Vagnozzi voted to continue the township's objections with the zoning board, but Pearson was joined by supervisors Helen Calci and Laurie Higgins in letting the matter be decided without township input.

The second vote stirred more passion when the board voted unanimously to cancel an order for a new ambulance and take 60 days to come up with a broader plan for emergency medical services.

It grows out of concern that response times in the township, generally under 10 minutes, are still too long and that an ambulance needs to be stationed in the township to improve them.

Although Vagnozzi voted with the majority, he was the one defending the previous vote to buy the ambulance saying that it had been discussed for years and it was a way to defray costs for one of the two companies now providing service, Trappe and Friendship.

But Pearson and Higgins, who interrupted Vagnozzi several times as he tried to speak, described the action as haphazard.

Vagnozzi ultimately agreed that the new board members should be given more time and suggested a committee of himself and Calci work with the administration to come up with a plan.

But despite the general agreement, some bickering continued with Pearson saying "you can threaten me all you want" after resident Michael Fil said if anyone died because of a delayed ambulance during the 60-day delay on which the supervisors agreed that would "bring it back to this board."

And, when resident Kevin Holohan began a lengthy response to Pearson's evidently rhetorical question about previous board action, Pearson turned to Vagnozzi and said "Al, do you want to call your dog off?"

Holohan told Pearson to "enjoy your time back on the board while you still can."

The board also approved final site plans for a new Starbucks on Egypt Road.

You can read all about it below in the live Tweets and video from the meeting.

Pottstown PAL Starting Girls Lacrosse Program

The Pottstown Police Athletic League is starting a new girls lacrosse program for players in fifth through eighth grade.

Players will "learn and develop the fundamentals of lacrosse and play against area teams."

Practice and home games will be at the PAL Sports Complex at 1455 Chestnut Grove Road, which is near the Route 100 and North State Street interchange.

Away games could be played in Boyertown, Phoenixville, Methacton, Upper Perk, Perk Valley and in the Coventries.

PAL is part of the Philadelphia Area Girls Lacrosse Association's Tri-County Division, (Visit for more information.)
www.pagla.org

Practices begin in March and games will extend through May.

Registration is now open at www.pottstownpal.org and the $100 registration fee includes membership with PAGLA, insurance, use of practice and game pinnys and team socks.

The team will be led by Shelby Iezzi, who played at Owen J. Roberts High School and Bloomsberg University and has coached Pope John Paul II and Dynamite Lacrosse since 2012.

Contact her at sjiezzi@gmail.com with questions or concerns.

Greenway Heritage and Hops Tour Sold Out

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area.

The Schuylkill River Greenways National Heritage Area has introduced a new brewery tour that will pair beer tastings with lessons on history and the environment.

The unique Heritage and Hops Brew Tour being offered on Saturday Feb. 24 will take 45 participants to four local breweries located within the Schuylkill River Watershed from Phoenixville to Reading.

Unfortunately, it is also sold out and the wait list is full. But it sure sounds fun.

Each brewery, in addition to offering tastings of beers produced on site, will provide a presentation about its connection to the Schuylkill River, Schuylkill River Trail or regional history.

The Heritage and Hops Brew Tour has proven to be overwhelmingly popular. Past events sold out one week after ticket sales opened. Cost of the tour is $55 per person.

The tour will begin at Oakbrook Brewing, in Reading, where the presentation will focus on its historic firehouse location. 

The next stop will be Sly Fox Brewery, in Pottstown, where participants will learn about how SRT Ale supports the Schuylkill River Trail. 

After that, Hidden River Brewing Co., located in the Historic Brinton Lodge in Douglassville, will discuss the fascinating history of its 18th Century building. 

The final stop will be Root Down, in Phoenixville, where the topic will be the history of Phoenixville and their building’s industrial past.

The Schuylkill River Greenways NHA is introducing the Heritage and Hops Brew Tour to draw attention to some of the unique breweries in the area, while simultaneously promoting regional history and underscoring the value of clean water.

“You can’t make great beer without clean water,” said Schuylkill River Greenways NHA Executive Director Elaine Schaefer. “We know the people who will take this tour all enjoy local beer. But they may not consider how integrally beer making is connected to protecting and preserving the Schuylkill River, which is a source of drinking water for over 1.5 million people.”

The Schuylkill River Greenways NHA, located in Pottstown, is dedicated to connecting people and communities to the Schuylkill River, and to encouraging people to value the region’s history and protect the environment. The organization is best known for its role in working with partners to build and improve the Schuylkill River Trail.

Building the trail and protecting the river both have economic development and community revitalization benefits that are related to the rise of breweries throughout the Schuylkill River region.

“Breweries benefit from the presence of the Schuylkill River Trail, just as they benefit from clean water,” said Schaefer. “Sly Fox Brewery created SRT Ale because they recognized that beer and recreation often go hand in hand.”

Schaefer said she is excited about the popularity of the tour. But she hopes the message about the importance of history and conservation resonates far beyond the tour itself.

“Beer and breweries are a valuable and fun piece of our regional culture. We want people to recognize the role the river and the Schuylkill River Trail play in building that culture,” she said. 

For more information, call 484-945- 0200

The Schuylkill River Greenways NHA mission is to connect residents, visitors and communities to the Schuylkill River and the Schuylkill River Trail by serving as a catalyst for civic engagement and economic development in order to foster stewardship of the watershed and its heritage.