Pottstown Tax Hike Drops, Cops Get 5-Year Pact

Photos by Evan Brandt

When it comes to determining the big story from the Wednesday night borough council meeting, it's kind of a toss up.

The two biggest contenders are the budget and a five-year police contract.

• The gist of the budget story is the threatened tax hike of 4.25 percent outlined in October, has been whittled down to 3.83 percent. 
• As for the police contract, the union has agreed to a five-year contract which will provide raises of 18.5 percent over its length.
• Council will also vote Monday on a two-year lease with Boyertown Multi-Service to operate

  

  Potential improvements at the community
  college campus in Pottstown.

  the Ricketts Community Center.
• Additionally, officials from Montgomery County Community College made an exciting presentation re-imagining the Pottstown campus.
• And then there is the Carousel at Pottstown, which has raised the $800,000 to $1 million needed to expand its building to allow a restaurant to operate there.
• Thomas Hylton informed council Trees Inc. has received a $35,000 grant from the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation, which he and his wife Frances will match, to create a $70,000 budget for street tree trimming, maintenance and treatment to fend off the invasive emerald ash borer.
• Council was also presented with a draft of a new 10-year franchise agreement with Comcast to continue to provide cable service in the borough, but will eliminate one of PCTV's three channels.
• There is also a move afoot to eliminate some of the 20-year-old licensing fees for "entertainment machines," but a concern about the growth of digital gambling machines.
• Then there are the five appointments to five different boards and commissions that must be made Monday and Council Vice President Carol Kulp, who lost her seat in the Democratic primary in May, has applied to be appointed to a five-year term on the Pottstown Borough Authority, replacing Michael Benner, who has also applied.
• Also, be aware that the red Mascaro trash bins are being replaced this week by gray ones so

  

  Ed Kelly shows council some of the bike path
  stanchions he has picked up.

  they stand out less.
• And "fans" of Pottstown's bike lanes may appreciate the visit from Roland Street resident Mike Kelly who, for the second time, hand-delivered some of the stanchions that separate the bike lane from the car lane and which, he said, residents were assured "would be maintained" by the borough.

So we'll have to see how many of these can be turned into full-fledged news stories in The Mercury.

And for fans of reports, here is the monthly mayor's report:




Want more? How about the borough manager's report? (I challenge you to decipher what it is we are supposed to do with the old red Mascaro trash bins from this. I gave up and turned it off so as not to make it even more confusing.)



And with that, here are the Tweets from the meeting

Tax Hike Down, 5-Year Police Pact Gives

Construction on New Keim Street Bridge to Begin?

Will the Keim Street Bridge ever re-open? Montgomery County Commissioners say, again, be patient.

Like Christmas, Easter and your birthday, once a year the Montgomery County Commissioners come to Pottstown bearing gifts.

And like those other annual gift giving traditions, every year they provide the gift of re-assurance that the Keim Street Bridge, closed nine years ago, will be replaced any day now. That we just have to be patient.

You know the drill.

I think we can safely assume that after nine years, patience is far in the rear view mirror.

Only about 25 people, half of them public officials or paid county

staff, were in the audience for this year's 'Conversation

With the Commissioners' meeting April 23

Once again April 23, the three commissioners stood before a deminimus crowd at the community college's West Campus to talk about how great Montgomery County is.

And once again, Commissioner Ken Lawrence drew the short straw and got to discuss infrastructure.

"Montgomery County has 133 bridges but I know there is only one people in Pottstown want to hear about, and that's the Keim Street Bridge," he said.

The latest excuse is that Keim Street Bridge has been deemed "historic, so certain historic aspects have to be taken care of" with the new bridge, he said.

The H word means yet another agency has stuck its nose into this project, 

Now the Pennsylvania Museum and Historic Commission has to have its say before the "final design phase" we've been promised for three years can begin. Yes, that's right, I said "begin."

"I know it must be frustrating because people don't see things happening, when that are happening," Lawrence said.

Montgomery County Commissioner Ken Lawrence, left,

talks about progress, or lack thereof, on the Keim Street Bridge.

You'll have an opportunity to express that frustration, or any other emotion you care to unpack, at a meeting on the Keim Street Bridge project scheduled for Wednesday, May 22 at 4:30 p.m. at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown, according to Lawrence.

He said you can go to the county website http://www.montcopa.org/bridgeinfo to get updates, so I did and the only thing I found out is that the Keim Street Bridge is number 188 on the county's list of bridges.

Lawrence did say he believes the new bridge will be aligned with Keim Street's intersection with Industrial Highway. That's good news, but also means they will have to tear up some of the new Schuylkill River Trail the commissioners cut the ribbon on one day after the "Conversations" meeting at the college.

Construction should begin in 2020 .... or 2021, he said.

The bridge was closed in October 2010 after two teams of engineers inspected the bridge and found it had significant damage to the rocker bearings, which allow the bridge to shift on its concrete piers.

The bridge connects Pottstown and North Coventry and costs for the project are expected to be shared between Montgomery County and Chester County.

The commissioners then proceeded to take turns talking about why Montgomery County is such a wonderful place to live, so long as you're not waiting for a bridge to be replaced I guess....

You can read all about that in the Tweets below

Conversations With the Commissioners

Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show Now Open

Honorable Mention: Festival, watercolor by Lori Quinque Quinn

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

For 14 years, the Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show and Sale has provided a platform for regional artists whose work depicts the beauty and character of the Schuylkill River valley. Over that time, it has developed a following in the art community, and grown to attract numerous talented artists who work in a variety of mediums and styles.

Hosted by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area in partnership with Montgomery County Community College, the juried exhibit will hang from now to Dec. 17 at the college’s West Campus Gallery at 16 West High St. in Pottstown.

Honorable Mention: Pine Woods Trail,
oil by Russell Slocum

This year’s show includes of 96 drawings, paintings and photographs by over 60 artists. All works were carefully selected from 128 submissions by juror Rachel McCay, assistant curator for the Woodmere Museum of Art in Philadelphia.

McCay selected three winning entries and four honorable mentions. Shamarukh N. Billah earned Best of Show for her oil on gesso board painting “Abandoned Church Building”. That award came with a cash prize of $300. The second place award went to Veronika Berry for her collage “Great Blue Heron on the Schuylkill River,” and Steven J. White took third place for his river watercolor scene, "Essence." Berry and White were awarded $200 and $100, respectively.

Best of Show: Listening Woods,
oil, by Helen Mirkil

The four honorable mentions included two for photography and two for paintings. In the photography category, the awards went to Walt Hug, for his sunset image “Looking Back,” and to Kevin Bennett for his bridge photo “Good Morning Manayunk!”

The other honorable mentions were awarded to Jean Plough for her acrylic “Market Street Bridge,” and to Merrill Webber for her watercolor of paddlers on the river, “Sojourn.”

In addition, the Schuylkill River Heritage Area staff selected a Staff’s Choice award that went to Betz Green for her oil on board “Prophecy Creek Park—First Frost.” Honorable mentions and staff choice all receive $50 awards. All winners also will be given gift certificates to North Penn Art, in addition to the cash prizes.

Staff Choice: Wissahickon in the Fall,
watercolor, by Susannah Hart Thomer

This year, for the first time, the show will be extended with a selection of 15 pieces of art to be exhibited at the Walk In Art Center in Schuylkill Haven, from Dec. 20 to Jan. 31. That exhibit will expand the reach of the increasingly popular Scenes of the Schuylkill, and will maximize exposure for the artists and the show’s top pieces.

Most works in the show are available for sale, and a portion of all proceeds benefits the Schuylkill River Heritage Area.

2nd Place: Memento Mori,oil on wood by, Jonathan Bond

The show is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and new Saturday hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information call the SRHA at 484-945-0200. 

For photos of the winning entries and more show details: www.schuylkillriver.org/Detail.aspx?id=1546.

Pottstown Seniors 'Upward Bound' Thanks to MCCC

From left, Pottstown High School students Nyles Rome, Deja Butler, Khaleah Jeter, Elenor Leonards (Upward Bound staff member), Chaunte Wright, Tamatara Bennent and Edward Butler.

Blogger's Note: Last night was Pottstown High School's baccalaureate and my son Dylan is the salutatorian. I am, therefore, taking the rare opportunity to participate in an event as a parent, instead of covering it as a reporter.

So if you're wondering why there were no Tweets from last night's borough council meeting and no blog post today, that's why.

Also, tonight is the high school graduation, so again, forgive the absence of coverage. I was enjoying it instead.

Nevertheless, I want to give the class of 2017 their due, particularly as the students I have met from that class are a great bunch of kids. So here is yet another accomplishment to add to their list. Thanks to John Armato for providing it. 

Congratulations to Pottstown High School Seniors who completed the Montgomery County Community College Upward Bound program.

Upward Bound is a college readiness program that helps prepare students for the challenges of college.

All of the students have been accepted at multiple post secondary schools.

We wish them the best of luck in the future. They are another reason we say Proud to be from Pottstown.

Student Organized Concert Benefits Homeless

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

Student Pottstown CARES leaders from The Hill School, Pottstown School District, and Montgomery County Community College have organized a family-friendly hip hop and pop music concert that will provide financial assistance to Your Way Home of Montgomery County, an organization that establishes emergency shelter and long-term stability for the homeless.

The concert will occur on Saturday, Jan. 14 from 7:30 to 10 p.m. in The Hill School Center For The Arts (CFTA) at 780 Beech Street. Free parking will be available in the parking lot there.

This inspirational student-driven event will feature two regional professional bands, The Rather Be Band and the Pottstown Music Collaborative, as well as The Gentlemen, Pottstown High School’s jazz ensemble, and the Hilltones and Hilltrebles, the Hill School’s select a cappella vocal groups.

The Rather Be Band is billed as a “huge sound in a small format.” The Pottstown Music Collaborative “is a developing, dynamic band of musicians from the Pottstown community, all focused on bringing people together through the power of sound,” said Bill Robertson, a Collaborative founder.

Tickets are $12 at the door, or they may be purchased for a reduced amount at Eventbrite. 

All ticket proceeds will benefit Your Way Home Montgomery County. 

In addition, Beverly's Pastry Shop, Pottstown, will provide cookies and cupcakes, and the The Butcher and the BBQ, also of Pottstown, will provide delicious boneless chicken wings. Both Beverly’s and the Butcher and the BBQ will generously donate half of all proceeds to Your Way Home Montgomery County.

Sodexo, The Hill School’s food service provider, also will donate beverages for the event.

Here's a video explaining the show and who benefits:

Anya Gupta, a member of Hill’s Class of 2018 and the primary student leader for this event, said the CARES students selected Your Way Home Montgomery County (YWH) as the beneficiary of this community endeavor because they wanted to make a tangible impact on our shared hometown. 

Anya explained that this organization – which partners with the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities – works to help homeless people find permanent housing and attain skills and resources that will help them maintain and improve their self-sufficiency.

“The Pottstown CARES students are so passionate about making a tangible difference in our community,” Anya said. “We want to show our compassion for those people who are struggling yet want to make their home here in the Pottstown area.

“With great appreciation for the band members and student performers who are donating their time and talent, we are keeping the concert ticket price low so that as many Pottstown area families can attend as possible,” Anya continued. “By attending this community-wide event, guests will enjoy some fantastic music and great locally created food. Even more importantly, attendees will show their support and dedication to improving our community.”

Kristen Fisher, community relations manager for Your Way Home Montgomery County, said that “the passion and dedication Anya and Pottstown CARES has for this work and ending homelessness is astonishing.”

“It is this type of commitment by community members that is so impactful in creating change,” Fisher added. “Your Way Home Montgomery County is honored to be a part of such a wonderful community event.”

Individuals also may donate directly to this wonderful cause through Your Way Home Montgomery County's donation page.

The initial, joint CARES (Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Empowerment, and Sustainability) endeavor was conceived in the spring of 2013 during conversations between Borough Manager Mark Flanders, then-Pottstown School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Sparagana, and Hill School Headmaster Zachary Lehman. 

The three leaders envisioned a collaborative project that would “spruce up” a designated area in the core of Pottstown while boosting community pride. 

In 2014, Montgomery County Community College’s West Campus joined the CARES planning team, and Lowes and the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce joined the group in 2016. 

Since its creation, Pottstown CARES has conducted numerous fall and spring neighborhood improvement projects, including a spring 2016 joint endeavor with Habitat for Humanity.

Over the past year, a new student leadership team comprised of students from The Hill, Pottstown School District, and Montgomery County Community College has been imagining and implementing additional projects to improve Pottstown. 

In addition to the Welcome Home benefit concert, CARES students recently initiated a Shop TriCounty initiative to encourage patronage of local businesses.

Learn more about Pottstown CARES and the student leaders by watching this short video, winner of the Best Documentary category in the 2016 Pottstown In Focus Film Festival.

MCCC West Stages Acclaimed Play: "Slip/Shot"

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) West End Student Theatre and Theatre Arts program will present “Slip/Shot,” a drama by Philadelphia playwright Jacqueline Goldfinger. 

Show dates are Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 10, 11 and 12 at 7 p.m. with a special afternoon performance Friday, Nov. 11 at 12:30 p.m. 

All performances will be held in the College’s South Hall Community Room, West Campus, 101 College Drive, Pottstown.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors. To purchase tickets, visit

https://www.mc3.edu/arts/student-performance or call 215-641-6518.

During this mesmerizing drama, a rookie police officer finds even an accident can have paralyzing consequences when his gun goes off in an encounter with a young African-American man. 

Did his gun slip, or was it shot? A heartbreaking performance about violence, fear, and our need to move forward. 

This production contains adult themes and language.

“Slip/Shot” earned the Brown Martin Award and the Barrymore Award for Outstanding New Play. 

Additionally, it was named one of the "Top 10 Productions of 2012" by “Philadelphia Weekly.”

“This is thoughtful and engaging work that encourages us to talk to each other,” says West End Student Theatre Advisor Tim Gallagher.

Directed by Samantha Clarke and stage managed by Morgan Carrasquillo, the cast includes James Rodgers, Maliah Buxton, Hailee Tyson, Erik Reyes, Zach Clark, Jeff Chernesky, and Phoebe Johnson. The production is designed, produced and presented by the students of the Theatre Production Workshop and West End Student Theatre, which includes Derek Peterson, Kayla Velasquez, Toby Taylor, Morgan Carrasquillo, Erika Blue, Maliah Buxton, Quin Newman Zachary Clark, Joe Donley, Tess Devlin, under the guidance of Chris Kleckner.

Wednesday Briefing Set for Pottstown Off-Ramp on the Digital Super-Highway

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc.

The Pennsylvania Gigabit Revolution is a broadband initiative to maximize every possible synergy for six "off-ramps" from an ultra-high capacity fiber broadband system to be constructed in 2016 running from New York City through the Pottstown area to Ashburn, Virginia.

The program is funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Broadband Outreach and Aggregation Fund.

Presently, most ultra-high capacity fiber between NYC and DC runs along the Amtrak/I-95 corridor. York-based, United Fiber & Data (UFD) is building this ultra-high capacity fiber broadband to improve redundancy, capacity, and safety. 

Like interchanges on interstate highways, the UFD fiber creates an opportunity for communities that maximize an "off-ramp" to this digital super-highway.

Representatives of UFD and Business Information Group, Inc. will be hosting a briefing in Pottstown at 1:30 p.m. onWednesday, Feb. 17, in the Community Room of Montgomery County Community College, 101 College Drive, Pottstown. 

The public is encouraged to attend. 

This meeting was originally scheduled for January 25, but was postponed due to the weather. 

To learn more visitwww.gigabitrev.com.

Pottstown CARES Clean-Up Set for Friday

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Hill School Community Relations Professional Cathy Skitko.

Hundreds of volunteers from the Borough of Pottstown, The Hill School, the Pottstown School District, Montgomery County Community College, and other organizations will again combine forces to demonstrate their commitment to our hometown during the third annual CARES clean-up event to be held on Friday, Oct. 23, from 8:30 a.m. until noon. Rain date will be Monday, October 26.

The CARES day volunteers will assemble at 8:30 a.m. under Hill’s former hockey rink roof near the Center For The Arts parking lot at 860 Beech Street, where they will receive instructions and participate in a group photo before stepping off. Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele and Montgomery County Sheriff Russell Bono will be on hand to welcome and thank the massive crew of volunteers.

The clean-up will occur in a targeted area of Pottstown, from High Street north to Beech Street, and Manatawny Street east to Edgewood Street. The CARES project has received the International Coastal Cleanup designation that is granted to endeavors that clean up an area’s watershed; removing litter prevents contaminants from entering waterways via storm drains.

All 502 Hill School students as well as Hill faculty and staff; at least 50 Pottstown High School students and numerous faculty members; volunteers from Montgomery County Community College, and many Borough workers and officials will be dispersed to weed, pick up trash, and complete other “spruce up” tasks in public spaces in the core downtown area. In addition, individuals who have come forward from other community businesses and organizations will join the workers on clean-up teams.

This year the Pottstown area MOMS Club has volunteered to join the CARES effort. CARES planners also are making an extra effort to ask downtown business owners and employees to join in the activities. Interested businesses should contact Kourtney High at khigh@pottstown.org or 610-970-6512.

Also new this year will be a property maintenance merit program in which about 100 owners and residents will be recognized for keeping their properties clean and attractive by receiving a certificate of appreciation and a window “cling” bearing the Pottstown CARES logo.

The CARES organizers ask that Pottstown area residents further show they care about our community by stopping by the Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities at 57 North Franklin Street and donating nonperishable food, laundry detergent, toiletries, warm clothing, and other items for distribution to area families in need.

Numerous organizations have contributed funding, tools, supplies, or other support to the CARES endeavor. The planners wish to give special thanks to Lowes for their exceptional generosity in providing tools and other supplies at cost; the United Way and the Fairmount Park Conservancy for loaning tools to the endeavor; Home Depot for providing 600 trash bags and a discount for supplies; and JP Mascaro for supplying dumpsters. In addition, Hill’s food service provider, Sodexo, is donating snacks and the post clean-up buffet picnic lunch for all volunteers.

Organizations that wish to donate time, tools, gloves, trash or recycling bags, or funding toward CARES should contact Katie Scanlan, High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Chair at The Hill School, at kscanlan@thehill.org or 610-705-7277. Donations of work gloves, trash and leaf bags, and tools also will be accepted at Borough Hall at 100 E. High Street. Citizens may email PottstownCARES@pottstown.org with suggestions or questions.

To help identify the unified CARES crew, all volunteers are asked to wear blue – a “school color” shared by The Hill, the Pottstown School District, and the Borough.

The initial, joint CARES (Community, Awareness, Responsibility, Empowerment, and Sustainability) endeavor was conceived in the spring of 2013 during conversations between Borough Manager Mark Flanders, Pottstown School Superintendent Dr. Jeff Sparagana, and Hill School Headmaster Zachary Lehman. The three leaders envisioned a collaborative project that would help to “spruce up” a designated area in the core of Pottstown while boosting community pride. The CARES team hopes these annual events will indeed motivate Pottstown residents to engage in ongoing clean-ups of their own in their immediate neighborhoods.

CARES project organizers wish to give special thanks to the Pottstown Police Department and Emergency Services organizations and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department for their support.

Free Financial Aid Awareness Night Thursday

If there is one thing that can keep an underpaid journalist, who is also a parent, awake all night with a racing brain, its the approaching necessity of paying for your child's college.

Since I graduated, costs have increased by more than 100 percent.

Needless to say, not being a CEO who gets "paid what he's worth," my modest salary has not increased at the same rate.

Its ugly, but its reality.

And, assuming the free-college-for-all plan that Bernie Sanders is touting is squeezed lifeless in Washington, ugly is what we have to face.

Yes, college costs is the top line.

But someone in Washington wants you to know what help there is out there.

That's why U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello R-6th Dist. will be hosting a Financial Aid Awareness Night this week. 

The free seminar is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 1st from 6 to 8 p.m. at the South Hall Community Room on the Pottstown Campus of Montgomery County Community College.

Staff from Costello’s office along with representatives from Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will be on hand to meet with students and their families. 

U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello

Specifically, Costello’s staff and PHEAA will be able to explain to students and their families what financial aid opportunities are available, resources students and families can best access, and how to successfully prepare and complete the application process.

“While I am focusing on some bills to make college more affordable, I also want constituents to utilize this Financial Aid Awareness Night to provide students and families with valuable insight,” said Costello. 

“The financial aid application process can be daunting, and I appreciate the efforts of PHEAA and my staff to provide this resource to students in the Sixth District.”

Participants are encouraged to RSVP to Cody Jones with Congressman Costello’s office: cody.jones@mail.house.gov

Housing Disappointment

Turn-out at a public input session on Montgomery County's plan for the next five years of low-income housing investment was sparse compared to last month's meeting.

So as it turns out, the plan the federal government requires Montgomery County to put together every five years to qualify for three streams of revenue will not do much more to keep low-income housing 

from being concentrated in Pottstown than is already being done.

Tuesday evening, the interim director of the Department of Housing and Community Development, Carolyn K. Mayinja, met with a handful of Pottstown residents who had hung with the process long enough to get to the public input portion.

Every five years, the county has to put together a large five-year plan in order to receive money from the federal government under three programs meant to be directed at low-income ares -- Community Development Block Grants, the HOME Program and Emergency Solutions grants.

Among the requirements the federal government has is that these programs not be used to concentrate low-income housing and poverty in specific areas of the county -- a situation which led to a long-simmering lawsuit with Westchester County, N.Y. (My old stomping grounds.)

On Feb. 24, the first of two public input sessions was held at Montgomery County Community College's West Campus in Pottstown and attracted nearly 50 people -- which the staff said was the largest they had ever seen and was probably due to "that newspaper article."

But by the March 10, public input session, the turn-out had dwindled to about seven (if you include the newspaper reporter there, and they don't really count.)

And in terms of the primary question: What can be done to de-concentrate low-income housing from areas like Pottstown and Norristown, which is one of the plan's set goals? The answer is not much.

Or at least not more than is being done now.

Mayinja explained that the department has no control over housing vouchers (Section 8) and has funded low-income housing projects in places other than Pottstown, including Limerick, Lansdale and Lower Merion.

But the department does not initiate projects, it can only provide support for the projects brought by developers or municipalities.

When those projects do come, and they receive more applications than they have money to fund, extra points are given to the applications that are outside areas where low-income housing is concentrated.

Among the few speakers there Tuesday was Steve Kambic, the executive director of Petra Community Housing. He said he has tried for years to establish a low-income housing project along the county's bus routes, and close to shopping, but zoning laws and profit motive have made it nearly impossible.

So, on that cheerful note, here are the Tweets from the meeting.

MCCC's RecycleMania

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College

Students from Montgomery County Community College’s (MCCC) Environmental Club are leading the institution’s 2015 RecycleMania efforts, a nationwide tournament among colleges and universities designed to increase student awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization.

After finishing second in Pennsylvania in the Waste Minimization category during the 2014 challenge—collecting 17.248 pounds of combined trash and recycling per capita—MCCC expects to maintain momentum in this, its eighth consecutive year of competing.

The competition kicked off on Feb. 1 and continues eight weeks through March 28.

During the program, campuses compete in different contests to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita or have the highest recycling rate. Final results will be announced in mid-April.

In 2014, 461 colleges comprised of 6.3 million students and staff recycled and/or composted 89 million pounds of waste. In addition, Recyclemania 2014 resulted in a reduction of 126,597 metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MTCO2E). Of the totals, MCCC contributed 37,390 pounds of recycling and averaged 4.658 pounds of recycling per person each week.

According to the U.S. EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM), MCCC’s recycling efforts during

last year’s competition resulted in a greenhouse gas reduction of 63 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E), which translates to the energy consumption of five households or the emissions of 12 cars.

RecycleMania is made possible through the sponsorship support of Alcoa, The Coca Cola Company and Keep America Beautiful. Additional program support is provided by the College and University Recycling Coalition (CURC), U.S. EPA Waste Wise program, Campus Conservation Nationals, and the National Wildlife Federation’s Campus Ecology program.

Check out MCCC’s Think Green blog at mc3green.wordpress.com for RecycleMania stats and updates.

To learn more about the RecycleMania 2015 competition, visit recyclemaniacs.org.

On Their Honor

Blogger's Note: Having written about the Pottstown High School Honor Roll yesterday, let's keep the theme going today. The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

A total of 167 students were inducted into Montgomery County Community College’s Alpha Kappa Zeta (Central Campus) and Beta Tau Lambda (West Campus) chapters of Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society of two-year colleges, during the fall 2014 semester.

To be eligible for Phi Theta Kappa membership, students must maintain a grade point average of 3.5 and must have completed at least 12 credits. 

Here is a list of local students who were inducted:

Audubon: Jenna Gaasche

Collegeville: Antonio Aloia, Julie Clark

Douglassville: Adriana Giotti

Eagleville: Daniel Buttorff, Lindley Yarnall

Gilbertsville: Brittany Benson, Donna Braner, Kathryn Brown, Robert Brown, Marion Bucci, Maryalice Enright, Glendon LiggettJames Pederson

Green Lane: Angelina Sirak, Stephanie Sirak

Harleysville: Michael Covel, Justin Eppley, Virginia Hoffman, Mehdi Hooshmand, Abigail Landis, Jennifer Solomon, Hollie Southard, Amanda Zacharias

Limerick: Alexandra Barnes, Lindsey Ridenour

Pennsburg: Michaela Buckwalter, Autumn Detweiler

Phoenixville: Brittany Fuller, Kemarie Kurtz, Jessica Loughery, Philip Zhu

Pottstown: Molly Adams, Hector Astacio, Megan Bealer, Michael Carbo, Nick Centofanti, Kristyn Fetterman, Brandi Haas, Tory Hudgins, Leif Hums, Deborah Jackson, Bridget McLaughlin, Christina Miles, Kelly Moorman, Meghan Oberholtzer, Emily Staab

Royersford: Kelley Burris, Michele Taluc-Chance, Aadil Esmail, Gabrielle Fisher, Joanne McDowell-Henderson, Tammy Moyer, Abigail Rutkowski

Sanatoga: Tyler Musser

Schwenksville: Erin Duvinski, Elizabeth James, Jena Polvino, Melissa Rufe, Drew Smyth, Tara Veve, Kathryn Warren

Stowe: Victor Hall

Worcester: Michael Gawbill

Zieglerville: James Cox

Riverside Art

Susan Williamson's "Haying Day" won Best of Show in the 11th Annual "Scenes of the Schuylkill River" heritage area art show, now on display through Oct. 17 at the Montgomery County Community College West Campus Gallery at 16 W. High St. in Pottstown.

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

The 11th Annual Scenes of the Schuylkill River Heritage Area Art Show opened to the public last week and features 82 original works that celebrate the Schuylkill River region through art.

Sponsored by the Schuylkill River Heritage Area in partnership with Montgomery County Community College, the juried exhibit will hang through Oct. 17 at the college’s West Campus Gallery at 16 West High St. in Pottstown.

This year’s show includes a total of 82 original paintings, drawings and photographs by regional artists. All works were carefully selected from 112 submissions by juror Lisa Tremper Hanover, Director and CEO, of the James A. Michener Art Museum in Doylestown.

This is the 11th year the Schuylkill River Heritage Area has organized an art event. 

"Blue Barrow Against a White Barn" by Nancy Durkin Green was

the second place winner in the show.

The Scenes of the Schuylkill Art Show began as a print competition in 2003, and has evolved into an annual exhibit that attracts more than 100 pieces of art each year.

“We are pleased that this art show has grown steadily over the years so that it continues to attract new talent and an impressive selection of artwork each year,” said Heritage Area Executive Director Kurt Zwikl. “Our goal in hosting this exhibit is to support and promote regional artists. At the same time we want to foster an appreciation through art of the diverse beauty and character of the Schuylkill River valley.”

Tremper Hanover selected three winning entries and two honorable mentions. Susan Williamson earned Best of Show for her pastel “Haying Day,” which depicts a Gwynedd Valley farm scene. She will receive $300 and will be presented with an award of distinction valued at $1,000, through Montgomery County Community College, from North Penn Art, in Lansdale.

The second place award went to Nancy Durkin Green for her watercolor, "Blue Barrow Against a White Barn," and David Thomas took third place for his photograph, "Allegheny Aqueduct." Durkin Green and Thomas were awarded $200 and $100, respectively.

In recognition of the Schuylkill as Pennsylvania’s River of the Year, the Schuylkill River Heritage

David Thomas took third place for this work, "Allegheny Aqueduct."

Area staff selected a Staff’s Choice award that depicted a river scene. That award went to Mary Kosar for her photograph, “Fog in Woods, Riverfront Park.”

The two honorable mentions selected included “Window Light at Hopewell Furnace,” a photograph by Ginnie Lodge and “Dawn at Lauer’s Run,” an oil painting by Russell Slocum.

Most works are available for sale, and a portion of all proceeds benefits the Schuylkill River Heritage Area.

The show is free and open to the public. 

Gallery hours are: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Fri. 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. 

For more information contact the SRHA at 484-945-0200 or the MCCC Galleries Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349, hcairns@mc3.edu. 

For photos of the winning entries and more show details: www.schuylkillriver.org/Detail.aspx?id=1546.

The Schuylkill River National and State Heritage Area, managed by the non-profit Schuylkill River Greenway Association, uses conservation, education, recreation, cultural and historic preservation and tourism as tools for community revitalization and economic development. For more information visit www.schuylkillriver.org.

Castor has High Praise for Pottstown's Carousel

Blogger's Note: The following is a transcript of comments made by Montgomery County Commissioners Bruce Castor at the conclusion of the commissioners meeting of Aug. 7, 2014 regarding his recent visit to the Carousel at Pottstown.

Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce Castor, right,

gets information from volunteer Jim Arms.

I have something to which I would like to commend the commissioners’ attention.


I visited the Carousel at Pottstown and I have to admit, I thought it was going to be a little bit silly, but it was as far from that as possible.

I was completely stunned by the carousel.

It is very close to the western campus of the community college, and also close to Pottsgrove Manor and the new miniature golf course they have there and also close to the Colebrookdale Railway, which is being established to take people to Boyertown.

Pottstown Borough Council President Steve Toroney,
left, 

and Borough Manager Mark Flanders explain
the advantages 

of the Carousel at Pottstown
to Commissioner Castor.

That is part of a Berks County and Montgomery County partnership to drive tourism in that western part of our county and eastern Berks County.

I was incredibly impressed by the carousel, which is the second oldest carousel in the country.

And the thing I found fascinating is the center pole the carousel revolves around is a re-purposed mast from a sailing ship from the Philadelphia Shipyard.

The carousel was built by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company in 1902 and a local artist from Boyertown has repainted all the murals with great scenes of Montgomery County and, as part of the fundraising, painted in pictures of people’s children n period clothing and irs really quirte expertly done.

They are very very close to bring able to open up.

And this is part of a revitalization effort with all of these things right within walking distance, the community college, the carousel, which will have arcades and concessions, and Pottsgrove manor and the gold course and the railroad.

These people are thinking out there and they’re thinking in such a way by asking themselves how is

Commissioner Castor meets some of the project's volunteers.

it we can drive people to utilize the shops and restaurants and patronize these businesses so they don’t have to drive a long distance to go to each individual thing; it’s all centrally located.

So they’re looking for money and putting the finishing touches on the building and trying get things up and running.

Obviously, I’m not in a position to make such promises, but I promised to bring back the information they gave me and to give it to (Deputy COO Lee Soltysiak).

I flat-out said we are not in the business of giving money away, and we always look very carefully at that sort of thing and the first thing out of their mouths was that ‘we already have a donor willing to match dollar for dollar whatever money we can get in.

So they are really focusing on the need to drive tourism to a central location, to those resources to make it easy for families to do a lot of things in a small geographic area and they recognize that government is not the solution to every problem.

And I think that the people in Pottstown have their act together and this is a project I’m delighted I now know about.

And I hope in the future the county will be in a position where we can give it careful consideration and support it if we consider it worthy.

Dancing Your Way Through School

Photos by Sandi Yanisko.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Montgomery County Community College is now accepting registration for its Associate in Arts degree program in Dance to be offered at its West Campus in Pottstown starting Fall 2014.

This 63-credit program provides both a liberal arts background and dance courses comparable to classes offered during the first two years at a four-year institution. 

Classes include modern dance, ballet, jazz, hip hop, dance improvisation, dance composition, dance repertory and performance, dance wellness and fitness and dance history.

“The program is unique in that it offers courses for dancers of all levels, from beginners to experienced dancers,” said Dr. Melinda Copel, Coordinator of Dance, indicating that novices can take fundamentals-level dance courses while simultaneously taking degree courses.

Dance classes are open to all students, regardless of their majors, and will meet core education requirements for Exercise and Health Sciences and Aesthetic Sensibility and the Arts.

The Associate in Arts degree program in dance allows students to transfer into a baccalaureate program in dance at many colleges and universities.

“There are a number of career possibilities in dance including performer, choreographer, teacher, dance or movement therapist, dance historian and writer, dance critic, arts administrator, and dance notator,” Dr. Copel said. 

“There are performance opportunities in a variety of settings including dance concerts, opera, musical theater, musical productions, television, movies, music videos, cruise ships and theme parks, such as Disney World or Sesame Place.”

“Many dancers combine performance with careers in dance education or choreography,” she said. 

“Dance educators teach in higher education, K-12 schools, private dance studios and community centers. Some open their own studios. Students may wish to combine their studies in dance with a related field such as technical theater or physical therapy. The arts are a big industry in the Philadelphia area, and there are plenty of opportunities.”

Beyond courses, students have performance opportunities with the College’s Dance Performance Ensemble, which is open to all students. Both the Dance Ensemble and the Dance Repertory class perform at the end of each semester.

For more information or to register, contact Dr. Melinda Copel at mcopel@mc3.edu or 215-641-6346.

Science STEMS from Pottstown Camp

Photo by Diane Van Dyke

Pottstown Middle School students got all wet as part of the G-STEM program run by Montgomery County Community College.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

For participating Pottstown Middle School students, Montgomery County Community College’s G-STEM — Green Science, Technology, Engineering and Math —program was the first opportunity they ever had to explore the Schuylkill River, hold crayfish or see schools of minnows swim by their legs.

By testing the water quality at various locations along the river, as well as in the Manatawny Creek tributary, students learned about what may impact the life cycle and inhabitants of this river aquarium.

“It is interesting and makes you think,” says Tyler Carter, one of the participants. “It’s a higher level of learning. We get to use what we learn in the classroom right here.”

“We learned scientific terms and concepts,” added Payton Reid, explaining that the program covers more material than what he has learned in school. “It’s good practice for college.”

Carter and Reid were two of 13 Pottstown Middle School students who participated in the one-week, academically intensive summer camp held June 23-27 at the College’s West Campus in

Photo by Diane Van Dyke

Shakeem Lynch holds up a crayfish he found in the Schuylkill River

Pottstown.

G-STEM’s objective is to improve scientific literacy, environmental stewardship and appreciation of humanity’s responsibility in sustaining the environment.

“The philosophical goal is to provide an environment where students are exposed to and use scientific methodology and in doing so experience a success in a high-intensity science program with the expectation that will translate into a desire to pursue a college career in the sciences. G-STEM provides a unique opportunity for these students to experience the career of a scientist,” MCCC Biology Associate Professor Dr. Davi Gonzales said.

In addition to the learning the basic concepts of scientific methodology, students learned about chemical concepts and data analysis. Each hands-on activity focused on environmental issues relevant to their community. At the conclusion of the program, the students displayed and shared their results using graphs, tables and Power Point programs with family, faculty and visitors.

For the past four years under the direction of Dr. Gonzales, MCCC has offered G-STEM to Pottstown area youth at no cost to the students, thanks to the generous funding of TD Charitable Foundation, the charitable giving arm of TD Bank.

Photo by  Diane Van Dyke

Students gather specimens in the Manatawny.

Participating Pottstown Middle School students included Kha’la Frazier, Tyler Carter, Lamar Green, Dazah Regusters, Rebecca Harper, Terrell Taylor-Williams, Shakayla Sergent, Shakeem Lynch, Floyd Dashieel, Payton Reid, Alexandria Olvera, Shanyia Johnson and Keirsten Hickey.

Students work directly with College faculty, including Dr. Gonzales, program director and recruiter, teacher assistant trainer and faculty; Geology Professor Robert Kuhlman; Microbiology Assistant Professor Dr. James Bretz; Chemistry Assistant Professor Dr. Janet Graden; Biology Lecturer Dr. Matt Bobiak; Biology Lecturer Dr. Adam Meacham; and Mathematics Instructor Stephanie Isaac. Teaching assistants included Kaitlyn DeJohn, Patrick Robenoet and Amy Shaw.

The TD Charitable Foundation is the charitable giving arm of TD Bank N.A., which operates as TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, is one of the 10 largest commercial banking organizations in the United States. The Foundation's mission is to serve the individuals, families and businesses in all the communities where TD Bank operates, having made over $68.4 million in charitable donations since its inception in 2002. The efforts of the Foundation are coordinated locally through TD Bank's community relations departments and are focused on the areas of affordable housing, education and financial literacy, and the environment. More information on the TD Charitable Foundation, including an online grant application, is available atwww.TDBank.com.

The Montgomery County Community College Foundation is the designated tax-exempt, charitable arm of the College. The Foundation's purpose is to raise funds to assist the College in developing programs, facilities, and services to enhance and enrich student life and to maintain a tradition of educational excellence. For more information, visit http://www.mc3.edu/giving/about/default.aspx.

Helping Adults Go Back to College

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College:

Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) will continue to offer its popular Career Transition Workshop for adults who may be thinking about returning to college.

The next workshop will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 5 from 10 a.m.-noon. in the South Hall Community Room at MCCC’s West Campus, 101 College Dr., Pottstown.

The workshop is open to all adults and is free of charge, although pre-registration is requested.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Denise Collins at 215-619-7313 or dcollins@mc3.edu.

During the workshop, prospective students will get an overview of the resources available to help them transition into college.

Topics include using MCCC’s website and online registration tools, financial aid, assessment of credits for prior learning, stackable credentials, career pathways and job search tools.

After the initial session, MCCC advisors will follow up with participants one-on-one to help them identify programs and pathways that are right for them.

“Our goal is help adult learners be comfortable and successful at the College. We want this to be a place where they can get back on track with their education and transition into new careers,” said Denise Collins, who manages the U.S. Department of Labor Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant at MCCC.

The grant is helping MCCC to develop a robust Prior Learning Assessment model and stackable credentials for adult students as part of the JobTrakPA framework—a joint initiative of Pennsylvania’s 14 community colleges to train and place underemployed and unemployed residents of the Commonwealth in high demand jobs.

The workshop also connects to MCCC’s participation in the American Association of Community Colleges’ (AACC) Plus 50 Encore Completion Program, which looks to train 10,000 baby boomers for high-demand jobs through 2015.

The Clothes On Their Back

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Pottsgrove Manor.

Pottsgrove Manor will present “Fashioning a New World: A Symposium on Clothing and Textiles in Early America” at the West Campus of Montgomery County Community College in Pottstown on Saturday, July 19, 2014 and Sunday, July 20, 2014 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pottsgrove Manor is pleased to offer this program of engaging lectures from experts in the study of historical costume and textiles.

Scheduled presentations include: 

• “Textiles in America: Dispelling the Myths” by Linda Eaton, Director of Collections and Senior Curator of Textiles at the Winterthur Museum; 
• “Had on When She Went Away: American Runaway Advertisements, 1750-1790” by Rebecca Fifield, Collections Manager for the Department of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; 
• “Fit for a Child: Fashions Thought Suitable for Children in 18th Century America” by Lynn Edgar, independent researcher; 
• “With the Genteelest Taste and Newest Fashions: The Three Piece Suit 1660-1800” by Neal Hurst, Journeyman Tailor and fellow at the Winterthur Museum; 
• “Put Your Best Foot Forward: Footwear of Early America” by Brett Walker, Journeyman Boot at Shoemaker at Colonial Williamsburg.

There will be optional sewing workshops offered on Sunday afternoon. 

Attendees can sign up for one of the following workshops: 

• “Construction of an 18th Century Infant/Toddler Jacket” with Lynn Edgar; 
• “An 18th Century Embroidered Needlebook” with Lynn Symborski, Pottsgrove Manor’s
  
  museum educator; 
• “The Basics of Death Head Buttons” with Wendy Moyer, historical seamstress; or 
• “Sewing a Gentleman’s Neck Stock” with Neal Hurst.

This program is being held in conjunction with Pottsgrove Manor’s current exhibit of both reproduction and original 18th Century garments, “To the Manor Worn: Clothing the 18th Century Household,” a tour of which will be included as part of the symposium.

The cost of the symposium is $75 per person, which includes Saturday and Sunday lunches; the optional Sunday afternoon workshops require an additional materials fee of $15 per person. 

Spaces are limited. Registration and payment is required by July 11, 2014. A registration packet can be downloaded from Pottsgrove Manor’s website: www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor.

The “To the Manor Worn” exhibit can also be toured during regular museum hours through November 2, 2014: Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 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. 

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

For more information, please call 610-326-4014, or visit the website at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor. Like Pottsgrove Manor on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.

It's Never Too Late for Education

GED graduates stand with faculty, staff and community supporters.

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Montgomery County Community College.

Forty-five students earned their General Education Diplomas (GED) during Montgomery County Community College’s annual graduation ceremony on June 5 at the West Campus in Pottstown.

The graduates were part of MCCC’s rigorous five-week program that is among the most accelerated in the state. 

According to GED Program Coordinator/Instructor Raymond Ricketts, 860 students have completed the program since its inception in 2006–an 84 percent graduation rate. 

Student speaker Jamie Gehman, a Lower Pottsgrove resident, 

addresses her fellow graduates

The Montgomery County Workforce Investment Board (WIB) funds the program, which is free to Montgomery County residents. 

The fee for out-of-county students is $100 and includes the course and GED exam. 

John Vestri, vice president of operations and finance for Video Ray in Pottstown, provided the keynote address. 

He commended graduates for taking ownership of their education, and encouraged them to take advantage of all future educational opportunities that arise. 

“Every single you chance you have to improve yourself through education, please take advantage of it. It will pay off in some way in the long run,” said Vestri. 

He added that there is “no such thing as a traditional education,” sharing “we all pursue what works for us; everyone is on some non-traditional path.” 

Providing the student address, graduate Jamie Gehman, Lower Pottsgrove, said the program “allowed me to focus on my problem area—math—and pass the GED with flying colors.” 

Gehman described how it became more and more difficult to return to school as time passed. 

However, as her youngest of four children started kindergarten this year, she realized it was time to continue her own education as well. 

“It’s never too late to give yourself or your loved ones a brighter future through education,” she shared. 

Gehman recently completed her first semester at the College, during which she earned a perfect 4.0 grade point average (GPA). She ultimately hopes to work with children who have learning challenges and brain trauma. 

Marisol Lezcano, executive director of the Montgomery County WIB and deputy director of commerce, presented the graduates with their diplomas, and Peggy Schmidt, chair, WIB Youth Council, provided closing remarks. 

“I’m sure, as you have gone through this journey, people told you that you couldn’t do it. But your hard work paid off,” she said, just before asking attendees to join her in reciting the lyrics to “High Hopes.” 

To learn more about the GED program or GED testing services, visit mc3.edu/adm-fin-aid/ged.