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The Latest …

• Ways To Enjoy Your Weekend
  Santa is seemingly everywhere now. He’ll be in downtown Pottstown tonight for the Holiday Spectacular launch there. He’s at the Pottstown YMCA on Saturday for breakfast with boys and girls of all ages. He’s at Saturday craft shows too (and there are several).
• Remembering The Fallen At Thanksgiving
  Prayers and poetry marked Thanksgiving Day at Memorial Park in Pottstown, where the sacrifices of American veterans in Vietnam were acknowledged.
• Winston Discusses Art Appreciation At MCCC
  Just what makes fine art “fine,” instead of so-so? Let an expert tell you, during a local presentation.
• Ahead On The Calendar
  Local events by the day, week or month. Got an event to add? E-mail The Post.
• Tomorrow’s AccuWeather Forecast
  At look at what the next day could be like, provided by AccuWeather.

Published Earlier …

• 24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 25, 2009
  An overview of and links to Pottstown area-related news carried on other websites.
• 24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 24, 2009
• ‘America Reads’ Tutors Plan Holiday Fun
  Mentors in an Ursinus College student tutoring program have scheduled a holiday party with all the trimmings for some pupils in Pottstown.
• Pottstown Schools Benefit From Arts Grant
• Chamber Names Health Care Administrator
  An area firm will provide health care administration advice to businesses that are members of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce.
• Howells Strunk Wins Early Promotion
  A woman now in active military service, whose family members live in Boyertown and Pottstown, receives a promotion under a new U.S. Air Force program.
• 24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 23, 2009
• Workshops Aim To Reduce Domestic Violence
  MCCC partners with other providers for a series of seminars, beginning next month in Pottstown, that confront the problem of violence among family members.

Joe Zlomek, Managing Editor
Your comments are welcomed on any story. Got news for us? E-mail ‘The Post.’

 

24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 25, 2009

The Pottstown Post scanned available news feeds during recent days and found these stories of local interest.

• Each appears with a headline and short description. Click on any headline and its related story will open in a separate browser window at the website where it is located.
• None of the articles below have been written by, nor should be attributed to, The Post. Copyrights to these articles rest with their respective publishers.

Pottstown PA: The Hilltop Drive-In’s California Cheeseburger (Burgatory)
In stark contrast to the not so accurately named Philadelphia Premium Outlets (anyone from these parts will know they are nowhere near Philadelphia; Google Maps pegs it at just over 29 miles from City Hall), the Hilltop sits as a pink-hued reminder of a bygone era and the simple pleasures of a pre-fast-food-chain-dominated burger landscape.

Proposed Montgomery County budget unveiled (Norristown PA Times Herald)
Montgomery County Commissioners will unveil a preliminary budget for 2010 Wednesday that proposes a five percent cut in all county departments. But even with the recommended reductions, the county still faces an $11 million shortfall, according to Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews.

PennDOT Launches Operation Safe Holiday in Time for Thanksgiving Travel (GVF Transportation)
With millions of motorists planning to travel for Thanksgiving, PennDOT today kicked off its Operation Safe Holiday campaign.

PennDOT Introduces Branch of Service Veteran License Plates (GVF Transportation)
Honorably discharged veterans of the United States Armed Forces have a new way to proudly display their service as PennDOT today announced the availability of a new series of military license plates honoring veterans of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

Driver Licensing Motor Vehicle Services Available Online (GVF Transportation)
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation today announced that all driver license and photo centers, including its full-service center in Harrisburg, will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

A List of Things to be Thankful For (Poynter Institute)
It may feel as though we are being express-mailed to hell these days, but the truth is that there is some good news. In the United States, cancer and heart disease deaths are down. AIDS deaths have dropped, too.

Kravco Simon, PREIT joining Black Friday fray with early openings (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Area mall stores, like those in King of Prussia and Exton, will open their doors as early as 4 a.m. on Friday for the annual Black Friday shopping extravaganza.

Peco Energy raising gas bills in December (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Peco Energy Co. said Tuesday it will raise its gas commodity rate by 5 percent, effective Dec. 1, to $1.20 per hundred cubic feet for an average residential customer.

Health Officials: Swine Flu Has Peaked in Pa. (KYW-AM, Philadelphia PA)
As is the case in much of the rest of the country, swine flu activity now appears to be declining but there could be other ‘waves’.

See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post.
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24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 24, 2009

The Pottstown Post scanned available news feeds during recent days and found these stories of local interest.

• Each appears with a headline and short description. Click on any headline and its related story will open in a separate browser window at the website where it is located.
• None of the articles below have been written by, nor should be attributed to, The Post. Copyrights to these articles rest with their respective publishers.

Sheriff denounces employee contributions (The Norristown PA Times Herald)
Montgomery County’s proposed budget for next year calls for county workers to pay a portion of their health care benefits, and if approved could force employees in low-wage positions to seek second jobs to help pay their bills, according to Sheriff John P. Durante.

MCCC Offers Program for Leaders in Sustainable Building (MC3.edu)
In keeping with the growing demand for green building technology and practices, Montgomery County Community College is offering a nine-month Sustainable Building Advisor Program (SBA) starting January 2010.

Spanish Harlem Orchestra Brings New York Brand of Salsa to MCCC Stage (MC3.edu)
The Spanish Harlem Orchestra will bring its revival of Afro-Cuban music to Montgomery County Community College on Nov. 20 at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell.

Holiday Concert Features Choral Society, Youth Orchestra (MC3.edu)
The Choral Society of Montgomery County will present its annual Holiday Concert in partnership with the Philadelphia Youth Orchestra on Dec. 5 at 8 p.m. in the Science Center Theater at Montgomery County Community College, 340 DeKalb Pike in Blue Bell.

Montco places live emergency reports on Web (The Inquirer, Philadelphia PA)
In what is described as a first for the region, Montgomery County has put its emergency-dispatch reports live on the county Web site.

Web site monitors real-time emergency calls (The Lansdale PA Reporter)
Montgomery County residents now can find out what those sirens on the next street are responding to by logging onto the Department of Public Safety’s homepage to get near real-time data about emergency calls.

See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post.
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Pottstown Schools Benefit From Arts Grant

POTTSTOWN PA – Students who attend Pottstown School District schools will benefit from a $5,500 donation to the Montgomery County Community College Foundation by the TD Charitable Foundation, the organizations jointly announced Monday (Nov. 23, 2009).

The grant, from the charitable giving arm of TD Bank, enables the college to expand its Young Arts Explorers Program, and provide bus transportation and complimentary tickets to schools in Pottstown and Norristown, according to the announcement.

The children’s series features multi-cultural performances in dance, music and theater that reflect a global perspective on culture and diversity. It serves more than 3,000 students annually.

The Montgomery County Community College Foundation is the College’s charitable agent, which secures private funds and provides scholarships for deserving students, grants for faculty projects, emergency funds for students, support for cultural activities on campus, and monies for other College programs and activities.

See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post.
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Chamber Names Health Care Administrator

POTTSTOWN PA – Flexible Benefits Plans Inc. of Valley Forge PA has been named as the endorsed health benefits administrator of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce on behalf of chamber members, the organization recently announced (Oct. 19, 2009).

Flexible has years of experience in providing customers with health care benefit administration, including knowledge of benefit options and customer service, according to chamber Marketing Director Ashley Eisenhower. The company offers an array of products and services, including COBRA administration, customized reporting, health plan options, and additional benefits and cost-savings.

Before selecting Flexible, the chamber went through an extensive request-for-proposals, interviews, and a review process involving several highly recommended benefit administrators along the U.S. Route 422 corridor, she said.

The chamber recognizes health care is a vital component for local businesses, and made it a priority to provide its members with opportunities for access to these services, according to Eisenhower.

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Howells Strunk Wins Early Promotion

BOYERTOWN PA – Katie B. Howells Strunk, the daughter of Keith and Denise Strunk of Alans Lane, Boyertown PA, and Sandra and Paul Bancroft of Crow Hill Road, Barto PA, has been designated as a senior airman in the U.S. Air Force, according to the Joint Hometown News Service. Her new rank came under a promotion initiative that considers time in grade, time in service, job performance, military knowledge, bearing, exceptional qualifications, self-improvement efforts, and overall record.

The so-called Below-the-Zone promotion program provides an opportunity for exceptionally well-qualified airman first class to a one-time consideration for promotion to senior airman six months ahead of other colleagues.  To be selected and considered for promotion, the airman must meet specific Air Force requirements and be recommended by a commander.

Howells received her promotion while deployed overseas.  She is regularly assigned to a precision measurement equipment laboratory with the 49th Maintenance Squadron at Holloman Air Force Base, Albuquerque NM.  She has served in the military for three years.

Howells Strunk graduated in 2004 from Boyertown Area Senior High School and received an associate of applied science degree in 2009 from Community College of the Air Force, Montgomery AL. Her brother, Kevin Strunk, is a resident of East High Street, Pottstown PA. Her grandparents are Junior and Marion Bartman of Montgomery Avenue, Boyertown PA.

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24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 23, 2009

The Pottstown Post scanned available news feeds during recent days and found these stories of local interest.

• Each appears with a headline and short description. Click on any headline and its related story will open in a separate browser window at the website where it is located.
• None of the articles below have been written by, nor should be attributed to, The Post. Copyrights to these articles rest with their respective publishers.

Boone Homestead Employees Let Go (WFMZ-TV, Allentown PA)
Eighty-three workers at historical landmarks across Pennsylvania are now out of work.  A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission says the workers’ last day on the job was Friday.  The layoffs include jobs at the Daniel Boone Homestead in Exeter Township.  The job cuts are part of the 319  layoffs announced earlier this week by Governor Ed Rendell because of budget cuts.

Phila.-area gets $2.4M in Pa. work-force training grants (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Pennsylvania awarded $11 million in work-force training and industry partnership grants on Thursday, including more than $2.4 million to Montgomery County and four others in the Philadelphia region.

SEPTA workers approve five-year contract (The Inquirer, Philadelphia PA)
With none of the dramatics that marked their bitter, six-day strike against SEPTA, transit workers voted overwhelmingly yesterday to approve a new five-year contract.

Strike Possible at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (WFMZ-TV, Allentown PA)
265 employees of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center are preparing to walk off the job in the next couple weeks.

Making it count: 2010 Census office opens (Norristown PA Times Herald)
April 1, 2010 is Census Day, the day America counts itself.

See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post.
Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

 

24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 21, 2009

The Pottstown Post scanned available news feeds during recent days and found these stories of local interest.

• Each appears with a headline and short description. Click on any headline and its related story will open in a separate browser window at the website where it is located.
• None of the articles below have been written by, nor should be attributed to, The Post. Copyrights to these articles rest with their respective publishers.

Vigil For Hospital Workers (WFMZ-TV, Allentown PA)
Family and friends of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center are praying that the Pottstown Healthcare Professionals union does not need to strike. Folks gathered at St. John’s United Church of Christ for a candlelight vigil Thursday afternoon. Union members say they plan to strike because the hospital’s parent company, Community Health Systems, will not meet with them to negotiate a new contract.

Pa. unemployment rate remains at 8.8% in October (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Pennsylvania added 10,100 jobs last month, the largest single-month increase since July 2007, but the state’s unemployment rate didn’t budge from 8.8 percent.

Leading Indicator Reveals Economic Recovery to Start in Greater Philadelphia by End of Winter (Greater Philadelphia Business)
The Greater Philadelphia economy is projected to begin a gradual recovery from the worst recession in the post-World War II era, commencing sometime in the fourth quarter of 2009, according to Select Greater Philadelphia’s and IHS Global Insight’s Leading Index for the Greater Philadelphia region.

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24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 20, 2009

The Pottstown Post scanned available news feeds during recent days and found these stories of local interest.

• Each appears with a headline and short description. Click on any headline and its related story will open in a separate browser window at the website where it is located.
• None of the articles below have been written by, nor should be attributed to, The Post. Copyrights to these articles rest with their respective publishers.

Santa’s Helpers Would Like Swine Flu Vaccinations (WFMZ-TV, Allentown PA)
It’s hard to ignore all of the warnings about the flu this year. And the jolly one himself is no exception. Santa, or at least some of his helpers, are even asking to be given priority for the H1N1 vaccine.

State Lawmakers Want To Make Teacher Strikes Unconstitutional (WFMZ-TV, Allentown PA)
Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislation to outlaw public school teacher strikes. An amendment introduced earlier this week would make it unconstitutional for public education employees to strike or hold a lockout. The issue would have to be put on the ballot for voters to decide.. since it would change the state constitution.

Authenticated Streaming Could Change Broadcast TV (Poynter Institute)
Comcast, the nation’s biggest cable provider, is about to usher in a sea change for television through technology called “authenticated streaming.” It is expected to launch nationwide to 15 million customers before Dec. 11. The technology would allow Comcat customers to watch television programs on their broadband-connected computer.

Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy: Pa. taxes among most regressive (Philadelphia Business Journal)
A new study ranks Pennsylvania’s tax system as the ninth-most regressive in the nation for taxing the state’s poor and middle income far more heavily than the wealthy.

Philadelphia Federal Reserve survey says manufacturing picking up steam (Philadelphia Business Journal)
Manufacturing activity in the Philadelphia area is up this month, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, which is reporting that hours worked, shipments and new orders are all on the upswing.

No Cost-of-Living Pay Raise for Top Pa. Officials (KYW-AM, Philadelphia PA)
For once, it appears Pennsylvania lawmakers will have to live like many of the people they represent. It seems the down economy means legislators, judges and other top state officials won’t get a raise this year.

Phila. TV Weatherman Calls it Quits After 56 Years (KYW-AM, Philadelphia PA)
WPVI’s Jim Gardner said on Wednesday night, “It is with some very mixed emotions that I tell you tonight that Dave Roberts has decided it is time to retire.”

Packages to military have early deadline (Norristown PA Times Herald)
To ensure delivery in time for Christmas, priority and first class mail to military addresses through the U.S. Postal Service, must be made by  Dec. 4 or Dec. 11.

See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post.
Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

 

24 Hours In Pottstown For Nov. 19, 2009

The Pottstown Post scanned available news feeds during recent days and found these stories of local interest.

• Each appears with a headline and short description. Click on any headline and its related story will open in a separate browser window at the website where it is located.
• None of the articles below have been written by, nor should be attributed to, The Post. Copyrights to these articles rest with their respective publishers.

Office Building Destroyed By Fire In Pottstown (WFMZ-TV, Allentown PA)
Flames broke out Wednesday (Nov. 18, 2009) a little before 3 a.m. at Mayer Pollack Steel Company, South Keim Street and Industrial Highway, Pottstown PA. It took more than an hour for firefighters to bring the fire under control.

Budget crisis closing historical sites (The Lansdale PA Reporter)
On Monday, state officials released a list of 11 sites owned and operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission that may close this winter, including several in the area.

26% of Teens Texted While Driving (Poynter Online)
A fourth of the teens questioned in a Pew study — 26 percent — admitted they have texted while driving.

Government Ads Bill for Pa. Newspapers Goes to Senate (KYW AM, Philadelphia PA)
The Pennsylvania House has passed and sent to the Senate a bill that would maintain the requirement that government notices be advertised in newspapers, but at a 25-percent discount.

Pay raise? Not for Pa. lawmakers this year (The Inquirer, Philadelphia PA)
Inflation, or a lack thereof, has done what state lawmakers refused to do – freeze their salaries, at least for the next year.