Butterfly Tagging Will Occur at Pottstown FARM

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by Ron Richael. 

How do you tag a butterfly?

Very carefully.

Find out the real answer next Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. at the Pottstown FARM (Open Air Farmer's Market) located at Smith Family Plaza 100 E High St, Pottstown.

There you can meet Ron Richael, local butterfly expert, from Pottstown.

Come and learn about the monarch butterfly as its makes its 2,000 mile journey to Mexico for the winter. 

We will tag the butterflies to trace their trip to the overwintering sites in Mexico. 

You will get to hold a Monarch butterfly before we release it. 

Also Ron will have live Monarch chrysalides for viewing. 

Come and see the jade monarch chrysalis with its gold trim.

Land Bank, Farm Market Approved by Council

Monday's council meeting was sure speedy.

Not that I'm complaining.

But they took care of business right quick.

That business included making 14 appointments to various boards, including having to choose from among two applicants for an open seat on the powerful Pottstown Borough Authority -- but at least one of those contestants was NOT the one you read about in Saturday's Mercury.

In making those appointments, council shrugged off a suggestion by Vice President Sheryl Miller that council wait another 30 days to give more residents time to apply.

Council President Dan Weand said that is a great idea -- for next year.

Council also voted unanimously to have solicitor Chuck Garner begin working on an ordinance to create a land bank in Pottstown.

He said it will take some time as most of the 14 other land banks in Pennsylvania are either county-wide, multiple municipalities or at least cities larger than Pottstown.

Council also approved changes sought by PDIDA to move the Pottstown FARM, downtown market to the south side of High Street and to changes its hours and the months it will be staged.

Here are the Tweets that say it all:

Police Promotion, Lifesaving Awards Kick Off 2017

Photos by Evan Brandt

Pottstown Police Officer Zachary Robinson, second from left, and Cpl. Steve Morrisey, are flanked by Pottstown Police Captain Robert Thomas and Chief Rick Drumheller, as well as Police Chaplain Everett Debnam, right, after receiving commendations for reviving a North Hanover Street man on Nov. 12.

Although there was a lot on the agenda of Wednesday night's borough council meeting, it was nice to start the year off with two positive police stories.

The first we will relate here is the tale that began on Nov. 12 when officer Zachary  Robinson arrived at 331 N. Hanover St. to find George Weller collapsed half in and half out of the door of apartment 29.

Weller was blue, not breathing and had no pulse.

Robinson immediately began providing oxygen and chest compression, but because of where the victim was located, had to stand over him, straddling him in the doorway.

When Corporal Steve Morrisey arrived, and saw Robinson was tiring, he stepped in and relieved him until medical help arrived. They were later informed Weller had regained a pulse, due in part to their efforts.

Police Chief Rick Drumheller said both officers' uniforms will now bear a badge indicating they have saved a life, although Morrisey's will have a star in the center because it is the second time he has performed that service.

Police Officer Todd Istenes, on the other hand, was on hand Wednesday to receive a different change to his uniform -- some stripes on his sleeve -- specifically, to be promoted to corporal.

Newly minted Pottstown Police Corporal Todd Istenes, in blue shirt,
is 

flanked by Capt. Robert Thomas, Chief Rick Drumheller
and Chaplain 

Everett Debnam after being promoted Wednesday.

"When you're the chief of police, you're afforded the luxury of watching your officers grow up," Drumheller said as Istenes stood next to him.

"I've watched Todd's career from the very beginning. I've watched his dreams and desires, his goals and his meticulous work," said Drumheller.

As the newest member of the command staff, "I have to tell you, your world will change," Drumheller told Istenes. "There will those who respect you, those who put themselves out, and there will be those who test you. Do well, just maintain what you've been doing your whole career, and you'll do a fine job."  

Of course than just these two things happened last night.

There was a presentation on land banking, a blight-fighting tool that borough council seems newly interested in taking up. Look for a story on that in The Mercury in the coming days.

Also, PDIDA Executive Director Sheila Dugan has asked not only for the size of the PDIDA board of directors to be reduced from nine to seven, but also reviewed the first year of the downtown farm market, and plans for the coming year.

That too will be the subject of a coming Mercury article.

And there are 14 appointments to be made at Monday's meeting, but the most interesting one looks like it will be for the open seat on the Pottstown Borough Authority.

Last month, the authority board wrestled with the procedure, and appropriateness, of seeking the re-appointment of Jeff Chomnuk. He schooled them a bit on their previous endorsements.

And now it seems that Council Vice President Sheryl Miller, who ousted Chomnuk from the Third Ward seat on council, is now seeking to be appointed to his seat on the authority.

That's going to be interesting.

In the meantime, here are the Tweets and videos from last night's meeting:

'No' to Cluster Zoning Support, And a Giant Chicken

You never know who you're going to run into
on the streets of Pottstown.

I've lived in Pottstown long enough now, that I was only mildly surprised to be addressed by a giant chicken with Gene Dugan's head as I made my way down North Hanover Street to Monday night's borough council meeting.

And when he showed up at borough hall and joined me in the elevator, I barely batted an eye.

"Hey, it's Pottstown," I said.

But as amusing as it was, Dugan was there with a serious purpose.

He was helping his wife Sheila, who happens to be the director of the Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority, promote the pending FARM Market that opens on High Street May 5.

A good sport (and, I daresay, a good husband), he was even sure to flap his wings gently while Sheila outlined the plans to council for the first day of the market.

(Look for a story about the Chili Cook-off that will help kick-off the farmers market in an upcoming edition of The Mercury.)

And yes, I shot video for those of you who crave more giant chicken in your life, just scroll down through the Tweets, you'll see it.

But as good news as that is, the headline news from last night's council meeting is most likely the 6-1 vote by council to send a letter opposing variance requests being sought by the Cluster of Religious Communities for the former Wainman Mansion on North Franklin Street.

The Cluster, which operates a food pantry and clothing center at its Outreach Center next door (in the former American Legion Post) bought the property last year, took it off the tax rolls and is now asking for variances to convert it into offices, classrooms and meeting rooms.

The Cluster has pledged to pay 25 percent of its borough tax bill, but has made no such pledge about the much larger school tax bill.

Only Councilman Ryan Procsal, in whose ward the building sits, proposed that borough council stay out of it and let the zoning hearing board handle it as best they saw fit.

Not only did the rest of council believe otherwise, but Councilman Dennis Arms, who made the motion to oppose the Cluster's variance request, went so far as to say "I would rather see the building vacant"  -- a remarkable statement from an elected official who says he wants to revitalize Pottstown.

But like I said before, "hey, it's Pottstown."

Giant chickens walk the streets here.