Shapiro Given Cluster Community Award at Gala

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

The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities (PCRC) awarded Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro its first-ever “Cluster Community Award” on Thursday, Oct. 4, at The SunnyBrook Ballroom during its annual fundraising event branded this year as “You Gotta Have Heart.”

Barbara Wilhelmy, right, executive director of the Pottstown
Cluster of Religious Communities with Anthony Luker,
Education and Outreach Specialist with
the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.

The award honors those in the community and wider community who have furthered PCRC’s mission and made an impact through his or her involvement with PCRC directly or indirectly. Mr. Shapiro’s commitment to Montgomery County, including his strong support of Your Way Home Montgomery County, has made a significant contribution to PCRC’s ability to improve the lives of those it is serving in the County, working in a coordinated approach to reduce homelessness. 

As a result of this five-year partnership with Your Way Home Montgomery County, PCRC has been able to increase its footprint in the county offering greater resources.

Along with PCRC Executive Director Barbara Wilhelmy, Mr. Shapiro was honored as a recipient of a Champion of Change award, at the “Your Way Home Summit” in 2014.

The Attorney General sent a video message, as he was unable to attend the event, with personal remarks about the award and PCRC, mentioning how he “was always happy to have any opportunity to support PCRC,” and how PCRC “brings together people of all faiths, and from a wide variety of service organizations to give a helping hand to those in need.”

Anthony Luker addresses the Cluster Gala.

Anthony Luker, the Attorney General office’s Education and Outreach Specialist, accepted the award on Mr. Shapiro’s behalf. Mr. Luker offered kind, supportive remarks, thanking PCRC for the work it continues to do in the community addressing food security, housing stability, and supportive and educational resources.

“PCRC was delighted and honored the Attorney General accepted its first ever Cluster Community Award because PCRC, like Mr. Shapiro, is working hard to protect everyday Pennsylvanians,” said Wilhelmy. 

And as Mr. Shapiro stated at the end of his video remarks: “[PCRC’s] work has had an incredible impact on the lives of so many people who are left behind by the rest of society.”

Through interfaith cooperation, the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities provides tangible services, support, and spiritual guidance to address the basic needs of persons within and beyond the Greater Pottstown area, coordinating programs and referrals to help clients improve their overall stability. 

Current programs and services provide food security, household assistance, supportive services and referrals, case management and housing stability, and an opportunity for individuals living in poverty to participate in an education and support program.

Sponsorship Lets Pottstown Middle School Students Visit Reading Public Museum for First Time Ever

Photos by Emily Overdorf

Christian Morales and Jonathan Moser work the controls on a movable metal dinosaur during a recent field trip to the Reading Public Museum.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Tompkins VST Bank.

Thanks to Tompkins VIST Bank, 280 Pottstown School District 7th graders recently visited the Reading Public Museum on Sept. 25 and Oct. 9.

The Bank is the first corporate organization to directly sponsor a chosen school district through The Museum's Feed Their Imagination grant program.

This is also the first time Pottstown School District visited The Museum.

Angelica Shifflette looks at Egyptian pottery

Bank staff will participated in the tours, which are timed to highlight The Museum’s annual October fundraiser for Feed Their Imagination.

“With many school districts experiencing budget cuts, field trips like those to The Museum have been eliminated, and that’s why we’re happy to support this program,” said Frank Strunk, senior vice president, Commercial Banking relationship manager.

Since the founding of The Museum in 1907, school students have always been an integral part of the
Reading Public Museum's audience.

Unfortunately, district budgetary cuts mean that schools are finding it increasingly difficult to provide educational field trips to their students. 

The Feed Their Imagination program helps schools fund field trips to The Museum.

Duha Selmi and Miley Taylor pose with a Roman wine jar

Tompkins VIST Bank, a subsidiary of Tompkins Financial Corporation, is a locally headquartered community bank with 19 branches serving southeastern Pennsylvania.

It offers personalized service, local decision-making and a broad range of services for consumers and businesses, including cash management services, commercial loans, and an online business loan application process.
Insurance and wealth management services are provided through the Pennsylvania offices of Tompkins Insurance and Tompkins Financial Advisors. More information available at www.vistbank.com, www.facebook.com/TompkinsVISTBank, https://www.linkedin.com/company/vist-financial-corp.

Ahyan ONeil checks out a polar bear at the Reading Public Museum ... from a reasonably safe distance.

Spring-Ford Lauds National Merit Scholar Semifinalists and Commended Students

Submitted Photos

Scholars and National Merit Scholarship semifinalists were recognized at the Oct. 16, Spring-Ford School Board meeting Monday night.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the Spring-Ford School District.

The Spring-Ford Area School District is proud to announce that five Spring-Ford Area High School students have been recognized as National Merit Scholarship Program semifinalists. Congratulations to Anya Aggarwal, Sarah E. Chiaradonna, Megan A. Englert, Kristine Luo and Caitlin McGee.

From left, Megan A. Englert, Caitlin McGee, Kristine Luo,

Sarah E. Chiaradonna and Anya Aggarwal. 

“This is the largest group of commended and semifinalist that we’ve had, ever,” said Spring-Ford Area High School Principal Dr. Patrick Nugent.

“I am very proud of all of our National Merit students, particularly the five ladies recognized as Semi-Finalists, as they represent less than one percent of high school seniors,” Nugent said.

In addition, nine students were named as “Commended Students” in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program, and one student was named as a “Scholar” in the 2018-2019 National Hispanic Recognition Program.

Congratulations to Commended Students Hiba F. Hamid, Axel Kalbach, Olivia Kuklentz, Christopher S. Lambert, Ahila S. Moorthy, Alicia J. Platchek, Megha Rajan, Ingrid E.Shu, and Jennifer D. Zajac. Congratulations to Scholar Sophia Feingold.

All students were recognized by the Spring-Ford Board of School Directors at the Oct. 16 meeting.

The National Merit Scholarship Program is an academic competition for recognition and scholarships that began in 1955. High school students enter the National Merit Program by taking the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test  — which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.6 million entrants each year — and by meeting published program entry and participation requirements.

In early September, about 16,000 students, or approximately one-third of the 50,000 high scorers, are notified that they have qualified as Semifinalists.

To ensure that academically talented young people from all parts of the United States are included in this talent pool, semifinalists are designated on a state-representational basis. They are the highest scoring entrants in each state.

To be considered for a National Merit Scholarship, semifinalists must advance to finalist standing in the competition by meeting high academic standards and all other requirements explained in the information provided to each semifinalist.

New Students Sworn On to Pottstown School Board

Photos by Evan Brandt

Angelica Calel, center was sworn in Thursday as the junior class member of the Pottstown School Board, as were alternates Logan Ruyak, left, and Andrew Green, right.

Despite the fact that the Pottstown School Board only holds one full meeting per month, and is down member, it remains remarkably efficient, completing all its business in just one hour Thursday night.

Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez, left, congratulates alternate

student board member Logan Ruyak after being sworn in by

District Judge Scott Palladino Thursday night.

Thankfully, the board took the time to make sure the three newest student board members were all
sworn in correctly by District Judge Scott Palladino.

Time was also provided for a presentation on an environmental education program provided for sixth grade students by Natural Lands Trust and the North Bay project.

Superintendent Stephen Rodriguez said the week-long trip, at no cost to the district or to parents, is nearly full with more than 220 students already signed up.

Alternate student board member Andrew Green, right,
takes the oath 

while his mother, Jennifer, holds the Bible.

As for the actual voting part of the meeting, that went by swiftly and if you don't know how to read the agenda, you might not notice that with one vote, they:

• Accepted the resignation of Assistant Pottstown Middle School Ryan Regensburg and hired his replacement, Kimberly Boswell at a salary of $82,871 per year.
• Hired a new supervisor of buildings and grounds, replacing Bob Krippelebauer. That person is John Connor III, who will be paid $85,000 per year.
• Also resigning are Barth Elementary teacher Amy Skarbek and Pottstown Middle School teacher Stephen Allen, who was one of my son's favorite teachers.
• Also hired were Emma Spaide, a Pottstown High School teacher, at a salary of $45,000 and Lindsay Hogan, who will work at Rupert Elementary and be paid $49,000 a year.

Student board member Angelica Calel, right, takes the oath.

Also worthy of note: Kurt Heidel, chairman of the facilities committee, reported that his committee had a discussion about "year-round school," 45 days of school and 15 days off from school, that "could ease the strain on the middle school. We're looking at all options. The next committee meeting is Nov. 8.

Finally, the board authorized the re-financing of a bond taken out in 2000 to pay for renovations and expansion to Pottstown High School. The new bond is a fixed rate, instead of a variable rate bond, and will save the district $220,000 according to solicitor Stephen Kalis.

And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting.

New Board Members, But Not THOSE Board Members

W. Pottsgrove Moving on Murgia Park Improvements

Most of the news from Wednesday night's 20-minute commissioners meeting had to do with Murgia Park, the slowly developing piece of paradise along Manatawny Creek.

Township Manager Craig Lloyd said the Stowe Lions Club recently planted 20 trees along the bank of the stream. The trees were provided by Montgomery County and more will be planted in the spring, he said.

The township is also pursuing a grant to help pay to put a pavilion at the park.

Regional Recreation Coordinator Michael Lane said he is nearly finished with the application and said by pairing the grant application with the park's connection to the trail planned to run along the Manatawny from Pottstown's Memorial Park and up into Upper Pottsgrove will help its chances.

Lloyd said the township crew will excavate the site and pour the concrete to cut the costs.

Murgia Park in West Pottsgrove.

Lane said the township won't find out about the grant until January at the earliest, so it will be some months before the project can get underway.

This spring, a $168,658 improvement project was completed. The most visible feature of the improvement is a new bridge over Goose Run, which separates the two halves of the park, which lies along Manatawny Creek.

According to Lloyd, in addition to supplying and installing the bridge, the contractor extended the paved trail from the existing trail to the bridge and installed a paved landing area on the other side of the bridge and installed an ADA-compliant concrete pad for a picnic table and an ADA-compliant section of paving streamside.

The improvements also include an accessible pathway and a fishing platform.
In other news, Lloyd reported that a two-phase sewer project on School Lane, between Race and Vine streets, will get underway soon. The first phase will be mostly storm sewer and drainage, while the second phase will also add a sanitary sewer pipe element.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting, few as they are:

Gazebo Planned for Murgia Park

5% Water Rate Hikes Coming for Next Three Years

Customers of the Pottstown public water system will shoulder rate increases of about 5 percent each year for the next three years according to borough officials.

For the average customer, the rate hikes will result in more than $56 in increased annual costs for the average customer by 2021

With a unanimous vote Tuesday night, the Pottstown Borough Authority Board raised the 2019 quarterly base rate for borough customers by $2, from $41 to $43 for the majority of customers -- about 7,500 accounts.

That represents an increase of 4.87 percent.

Customers in the outlying Montgomery County townships on the system also will see their base rate increase by $2, from $43 to $45 per quarter.

That represents an increase of 4.65 percent and will affect just under 3,700 customers in Lower Pottsgrove, West Pottsgrove and Upper Pottsgrove.

The base rate is the fee you pay for water service no matter how much water you use. An additional usage rate is applied to the readings on water meters which measure how much water is used at a property.

Finance Director Janice Lee said the usage or consumption fee will be raised by 15 cents, an increase of 4.9 percent.

That brings the usage rate from $3.05 to $3.20 for every 748 gallons of water used.

Further, Lee and Budget Analyst Gerald Keszczyk both said the authority will impose identical increases to the water rates, both base and usage, for 2020 and 2021 as well, a motion which was adopted by the authority board at its Sept. 18 meeting.

Keszczyk said the increases will result in about $4.72 more per quarter for most customers or $18.88 more in water costs in 2019 and a total hike of $56.64 by 2021.

Over the course of the next three years, the base rate increase represents a 14.6 percent increase for the average Pottstown customer over the current rate and a 14 percent hike for water customers in the three Pottsgroves.

There will also be a 12 cent-per-gallon increase in the bulk water rate, from $3.96 per thousand  gallons to $4.08 -- an increase of 3 percent -- as the result of a second authority board vote.

For the North Coventry Township's water system, which buys its water in bulk from Pottstown, that increase will not go into affect until April as the agreement between the two requires six month's notice of a rate change.

The revenues from the increased rates -- about $94,000 -- will go directly into improving the water system by bolstering the capital fund, said Authority member David Renn.

"All that money goes right back into the ground," he said Monday.

The authority’s capital budget, for both the water and sewer systems, is being used according to a regularly updated five-year plan to repair and replace aging infrastructure in a water and sewer system now roughly 100 years old.

Putting money into the capital budget ahead of projects has eliminated the need for the authority to borrow to pay for needed upgrades and repairs — ultimately a cost savings as interest does not have to be paid out on bonds, but is rather earned on the money being saved.
The authority last raised rates in May of 2017 when it increased the water usage rate by 9.7 percent, from $2.78 to $3.05 per 748 gallons; and the base rate by 17 percent, from $35 to $41 per quarter.

There is no increase in sewer rates planned for 2019.

The water rate increases are part of the $6.8 million water budget and the $1.9 million water capital budget unanimously adopted last month by the borough authority board.

The water budget, as well as the $9.3 million sewer fund; the $4.5 million sewer capital fund and the $611,000 sewer lines fund are all part and parcel of the $49 million budget proposal presented to Pottstown Borough Council earlier this month, which calls for a 12 percent property tax hike.

According to the minutes from the Sept. 18 authority meeting, the water and sewer budget includes the addition "of an in-house utilities inspector position, with a civil engineering degree, as recommended by the Financial Sustainability Oversight Committee."

And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting:

Water Rate Hikes Coming for Next 3 Years

Upper Pottsgrove Township Commissioners Approve Half-Million Dollar Sewer Project in Regal Oaks

A half-million-dollar sewer project in the Regal Oaks neighborhood was given the green light by the township commissioners Monday night.

Former Commissioner John Bealer, and sewer committee chairman, said the project to connect 25 homes on Rose Valley Road and Holly Berry Court to the sewer system will cost $494,076.

Happily, Upper Pottsgrove received a $200,000 grant from the Commonwealth Financing Authority through the Small Water and Sewer Grant Program to help cover some of the cost.

Bealer said the township had applied for a larger grant, but Commissioner Elwood Taylor reminded the commissioners that this was the largest state grant the township has received for such a project.

Also last night: Marc Debnam, center,  took the oath as
Upper Pottsgrove's 

newest fire police officer.

The sewer budget has enough in its capital budget -- barely -- to cover the remainder although Township Manager Carol Lewis pointed out that the tap-in fees those being connected will have to pay will put $136,000 back into the capital fund.

Each of the homes being connected will have to pay a $5,447 tap-in fee in addition to paying a plumber to run a line from the curb to their house.

As a result, this project will not result in an increase in sewer rates, Bealer said.

The septic systems at these homes are failing, largely due to the geology of the area, and Bealer said some people can't sell their homes because the cannot pass a health inspection with a failing septic system.

Over time, Bealer said the township will need to connect 75 homes in Regal Oaks to the system, which is now pumped up hill and into the Pottstown sewer treatment plant on Industrial Highway.

The project is not expected to begin construction until the spring, said Bealer.

Last night, the board also decided to reject all bids for a new salt shed, and will try to muddle through the winter with the one now on its last legs at the township facility on Heather Place.

They will re-bid the project in the spring in hopes of getting a better price.

Here are the Tweets from the meeting.

Half-Million Sewer Project

Meet Pottstown High School's Homecoming Court

Photos by Emily Overdorf

Pottstown High School's Homecoming Court took the field of Grigg Memorial Stadium Friday Night for the Homecoming game against Pope John Paul II High School.

The king and queen were Nehemiah Figueroa and London Aquino, pictured at right.

The full court, pictured above from left to right, is comprised of Destyn Snyder, Johnay Cranford, Donnie Marte, Dazah Ragusters, Nehemiah Figueroa, London Aquino, Jaylss Agosto, Mitchell Aquino, Arianna Garcia and Adrian Sibilly.

Click here for more photos.

Jalyss Agosto accompanies Homecoming King Nehemiah Figueroa

Jalyss Agosto is a four year member of the soccer team, a two year member of Student Government and a member of Trojan Heroes.

Jalyss plans to attend college and study criminal justice. Her escort was Nehemiah Figueroa. He is a captain of the football team and a member of the track team. 

Adrian Sibilly accompanies
Homecoming Queen London Aquino

Nehemiah volunteers to work with children in the Police Athletic League and plans to study electrical engineering and business after high school.

Nehemiah was King of the court and the field he had a 85-yard kickoff return for a score, an interception, and four receptions for the Trojans.

London Aquino, is the president of the Senior Class. She is an active member of the marching band and the secretary of the National Honor Society.

London is a member of the cross country and softball teams and a captain of the swim team. London plans to study business and interpersonal relations in college. 

London’s escort was Adrian Sibilly. He is a member of the football and baseball teams. Adrian plans to attend a technical school for electrical engineering.

Johnay Cranford

Johnay Cranford, has been a four year member of the varsity soccer team, marching band, and clarinet ensemble. She is also a student representative of the Pottstown School Board.

Johnay plans to attend Temple University to major in nursing and specialize in labor and delivery. 

Her escort, Destyn Snyder, is a member of the football, wrestling, and track and field teams.

He is also a member of the National Honor Society and Deca. Destyn plans to attend a four- year college and major in business while continuing his football and wrestling career.

Ariana Garcia is the vice-president of Student Government,

Mitchell Aquino and Arianna Garcia

secretary of the Interact Club, treasurer of the National Honor Society and a captain of the Color Guard.

Ariana plans to attend a four-year university to study business. 

Her escort was Mitchell Aquino. He is the vice-president of the Senior Class and the National Honor Society.

He is an active member of the marching band and DECA, as well as the cross country and track teams. Mitchell plans to attend a four-year university to major in marketing.

Dazah Regusters, is a member of the field hockey, basketball and lacrosse teams.

Donny Marte and Dazah Regusters.

Dazah plans to attend the University of the District of Columbia and major in nursing while continuing her lacrosse career. 

She was escorted by Donny Marte Jr. He is a member of the marching band and one of the drum majors while also serving as the manager of the cross country team.

Donny has had major roles in the past three Pottstown High School musicals, most recently appearing as Sebastian in The Little Mermaid. Donny plans to attend Penn State University to major in forensic science with a minor in musical theater.

2017 Homecoming King and Queen, Julia Day and Anthony Wiggins helped to crown the 2018 King and Queen.

Anthony Wiggins and Julia Day.

Julia Day is currently attending Temple University studying photography and cheering on her fellow Owls in the Cherry Crusade.

Wiggins is a freshman at Millersville University where he is studying Early Childhood Education and wrestling for the Mauraders.

Congratulations to all.

You are now Pottstown Royalty.

Grumpy Wins Pottstown's First-Ever Cheese Crown

Photos by Evan Brandt

Gene Dugan, namesake of Grumpy's Handcarved Sandwiches, won the whole ball of wax (or should we say cheese?) Saturday when he won both the judge's and People's Choice trophy's at Pottstown's first-ever Cheesetoberfest event in Memorial Park, which paired two things I dearly love, grilled cheese sandwiches and beer. At left is Brian Parkes, executive director of TriCounty Active Adult Center, which both sponsored and benefited from the event.

There was beer.

There were grilled cheese sandwiches of multiple varieties.

There was even a "Beeramid," a pyramid of 15 cases of beer, chances for which were to be had for just $5.

I don't remember the name of the man who won the Beeramid.
What's important to remember here folks is that it wasn't me.

Let's face it folks, there was no mold growing on theTriCounty Active Adult Center's first-ever Cheesetoberfest.

Sure, the event was a fund-raiser for a worthy cause. But it was also a "fun-raiser" .... yeah, I went there.

Seven local eateries (two never showed up, no doubt cowed by the competition), offered up their unique visions for the perfect grilled cheese sandwich and those of us lucky enough to be there, got to sample all seven.

There wasn't a single bad sandwich.

I tried to write them all down, but I fear the list of ingredients for each offering is incomplete. Nevertheless, here is a partial list of the offerings as best I could decipher my hand-writing:

Pottstown Mayor Stephanie Henrick may have
been a judge. But there is only on Mayor of
Cheesteroberfest and his name is Ron Barrett

Lily's Grill -- Candied jalepeno cheese, I don't remember what kind, on a uniquely crispy bread,
made so by the fact that the griddle Chef Adam Burke used was rippled.

Pottstown United Brewing -- This was also a Burke special since he does the food for Pottstown's newest pub as well. This one was pumpkin-spiced gouda, with apple, onion and Swiss. (This was the one that won my red People's Choice ticket).

Brookside Country Club -- Crab and bacon mac and cheese with muenster and white cheddar, with a tomato jam dipping sauce. (Chef Peter Fizz was working overtime to fill these orders and there was a very long line.)

Railroad St. Bar & Grill -- Chef Mike McCloskey said his recipe for "Octoberfest Grilled Cheese" included bratwurst, white cheddar, onions and peppers. Railroad Street also provided the beer, which was an excellent selection. I chose Victory Brewing Company's Hip Czech Lager.

Bause Catered Events -- Smoked gouda, muenster with carmelized onion, garlec-onion butter and crushed salt & vinegar potato chips. Chef Erin Bause also offered up some delicious tomato soup to dip your sandwich in. Quite good.

Pottstown Hospital -- Yes, you read that right. And I must say, Chef Stewart Sherk makes a great grilled cheese. His recipe had arugula, tomato, pesto with asiago and provolone cheese on sourdough bread.

Grumpy's Handcarved Sanwiches -- For this winning combination, Chef Gene Dugan blended chedar, muenster, havarti and goat cheese with crushed figs on potatoe bread. He also provided tomato soup for those who feel it is a crime to eat any grilled sandwich without tomato soup.

Also on hand was The Daisy Jug Band, which played in the beer tent. Here's a sample:



About 200 people came out under the cloudy skies, perfect weather for grilled cheese sandwiches.

They ate, they drank, some played the cornhole game set up for those who enjoy such things, and then came the big reveal.

Here come da judges...

The judges for Cheesetoberfest were the Honorable Stephanie Henrick, the mayor of Pottstown; the equally honorable Scott Bentley, renown local businessman and the decidedly less honorable Evan Brandt, Mercury reporter and renown quaffer of beer.

Brian Parkes, executive director of the TriCounty Active Adult Center, seen in the photo above with the judges, sad the event raised about $4,000 for the center.

And don't forget folks. Today is the 15th Annual Carousel of Flavor restaurant festival which, I hasten to mention, also has beer. This year it will be held at the actual Carousel location, on King Street, across from Memorial Park.

An now, here are the Cheesetoberfest Tweets I managed when I wasn't doing official judge stuff ....

This Was Really Awfully Cheesy