Archive | July, 2009

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Posts Join ProPublica Reporting Effort

The Posts' Reporting For ProPublica

The Posts' Reporting For ProPublica

SANATOGA PA – Some news reporting by Sanatoga-based Career Education Media Ventures (CEMV), focusing on the use of federal economic stimulus funding in Pennsylvania infrastructure projects, is now being shared with a national investigative journalism organization called ProPublica.

CEMV publishes The Sanatoga Post, The Limerick Post and The Pottstown Post.

Joe Zlomek, managing editor of The Posts, last month became the latest among dozens of professional reporters and editors assisting ProPublica. The organization describes itself as “an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest” and is led by Paul Steiger, a former managing editor of The Wall Street Journal. ProPublica is funded by a multi-year grant from The Sandler Foundation.

Joe Zlomek is managing editor of The Sanatoga Post.

Joe Zlomek.

The first ProPublica assignment being tackled by The Posts is coverage of the stimulus-funded project known as “PENNSYLVANIA Transportation Z064100: the pavement preservation, bridge deck repair, and bridge parapet repair on U.S. Route 422 from State Route 29 to Township Line in Limerick and Upper Providence (PA) Townships.”

This story announcing The Posts’ reporting involvement, and two others about the 422 project – headlined “New Signs On 422 Mark Stimulus Funding” and “Recovery Act Signs Cause A Stir,” respectively – are being published today (July 20, 2009). An earlier story that announced the launch of the road work, headlined “422 Repairs, Delays Start Tuesday,” was published May 22 (2009), before CEMV’s commitment to ProPublica.

Other stories generated by The Posts will follow. CEMV also has been granted permission under a Creative Commons license to distribute ProPublica articles in The Posts’ editions.

ProPublica opened for business in June 2008. Headquartered in Manhattan, it employs 32 working journalists dedicated to what the group calls “investigative reporting on stories with significant potential for major impact.”

Its articles are available from its website, ProPublica.org, and also are shared with traditional media outlets. To date it has produced team coverage with newspapers The Washington Post, The Pittsburgh PA Post-Gazette, The Albany NY Times-Union, and The Denver CO Post, and others, as well as WNYC Radio and Politico, the online political magazine.

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What They Sold For

What They Sold For

They paid how much?

They paid how much?

LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – The top price paid for a home within the township from May 4-8, 2009, was $165,000, the Philadelphia Inquirer newspaper reports.

The home is located at 52 Shelly Ln. A second home, at 1622 Rosewood Ct. Unit 83, sold for $112,000. This week’s top reported prices were listed Sunday (July 19, 2009) in “The Top 50,” the newspaper’s weekly review of highest prices paid for homes sold within the city of Philadelphia and the townships in its surrounding counties.

By contrast, during the same period, the top home sales price in Pottstown PA Borough, immediately to the west was $174,500; Limerick PA Township, east, $540,000; New Hanover PA Township, northeast, $356,753; Upper Pottsgrove PA Township, west, $220,000; and in North Coventry PA Township, south, none listed.

Related:

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Notebook Worthy

SANATOGA PA – Jottings from a reporter’s notebook:

Pretty, but please don't pick them.

Pretty, but please don't pick them.

Lillies in orange and yellow dress up the township flagpole.

Lillies in orange and yellow dress up the township flagpole.

Beauty, Everywhere

Summer has bestowed its usual riot of color upon the Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd. Thanks to gardening and landscape care there, the black-eyed susans, tiger and day lillies, and red and white petunias are blooming all ’round.

Filling Their Calendar With Food

Now at the mid-point of summer, with the resumption of school (Booooo! Hissss!) in the Pottsgrove School District just six weeks away, we present a kid’s ideal picnic lunch menu: hot dogs, hamburgs, and chicken fingers (no, not just one; all three); ‘tater chips, cherry-flavored Kool-Aid, and dirt for dessert.

Dirt? You betcha. Every child at the Goddard School in Sanatoga PA knows how to make dirt you can eat. They even held a class on it there last Tuesday (July 14, 2009).

Grinding up edible dirt from Oreo cookies, Cool Whip, and gummy worms was among many activities on this month’s calendar at the school, 2074 E. High St. Students there also created chocolate-covered bananas July 2 (2009), and mixed up some Purple Cow Drink July 10. Next week (July 22) they’re scheduled to make “rainsticks and edible sunshine,” and on July 30 they’ll taste a “coral reef” created from Cheetos-brand snacks and cheese spray.

It’s probably not as healthy as Mom would prefer, but cheese-glued Cheetos do sound like a combination that could bump plain old ‘tater chips out of that menu line-up.

More Bars In More Places In Pottstown

AT&T Mobile, the cell phone service providers and merchandisers whose advertising slogan is reflected in the title of this piece, intends to increase its coverage in the Pottstown area by installing antennas atop a water tower at 845 S. Hanover St., according to a legal advertisement published Saturday (July 18, 2009). The antennas will be high, really high, up – 95 feet off the ground – and a radio equipment shelter also will be built adjacent to the tower.

Think this is a good idea, or a bad one? Either way, AT&T claims it is seeking “comments from all interested parties on the impact” of the proposal. It says it particularly wants to hear from residents who believe the antennas will have any adverse effect on “any districts, sites, buildings, structures or objects significant in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering or culture, or that are listed or eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places.”

Mail comments to Terry Shumate, 200 N. Warner Rd., Ste 136, King of Prussia PA 19406, or e-mail him, or call him at 484-868-0889.

Hope that’s an AT&T Mobile number, Terry …

Yuck It Up For A Good Cause

Philadelphia comedians Joe Conklin and Big Daddy Graham will be the headliners during “Hoops For Hope: A Night With Two Philly Funny Guys,” scheduled for Oct. 17 (2009; Saturday) at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium of Pottsgrove Middle School, 1351 N. Hanover St., Pottstown PA. Half of the evening’s proceeds will be donated by the Pottsgrove boys’ basketball program to the Pottstown Area Relay For Life 2010 fund-raiser through Team Chip Markofski.

Tickets cost $20 for general admission, and $25 for preferred seating. The auditorium doors will open at 6:30 p.m., so you can chat with friends for an hour before the show.

Get tickets in advance by calling either Scott at 610-476-7933 or Jennie at 610-326-4729.

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Today's Food For Thought

Today's Food For Thought

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Our communities need you, and they need your talents. Volunteer.
Visit LiveUnited.org.

Published as a public service by The Sanatoga Post

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The Post Week In Review

The Post Week In Review

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Published during the week just ended in The Sanatoga Post:

Saturday, July 18

Friday, July 17

Thursday, July 16

Wednesday, July 15

Tuesday, July 14

Monday, July 13

Sunday, July 12

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Avoiding Investment Scams

By Maureen Renzi

SundayContributorIcon100pxWith the stock market turmoil of recent months, and numerous other investments losing their appeal, many people are looking for ways to earn back funds they’ve lost on stocks or to get some positive returns on money they have left. Unfortunately, there are many con artists trying to take advantage of people eager to offset market losses.

The Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) suggests you ask these questions of yourself or others to avoid being scammed.

Is It Too Good To Be True?

This is always the first question to ask when spending your money.

Don't be puzzled! If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Don't be puzzled! If an offer in the market sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Check it further.

If an investment or business opportunity promises guaranteed, rapid, or unusually high returns, examine the investment materials carefully to determine how these assurances can be possible. Keep in mind that high-yield securities also carry high risks, including the possibility that you could lose your entire investment.

Just because a company has a nice office, attractive brochures, and an appealing Web site, that does not mean it is poised for success or that it’s even a legitimate business. The more questions you ask, the more likely you are to discern if the promises are real or if they are whitewashing the risks involved.

Is The Company Registered?

When a company registers its securities with a government regulator, it is required to publish an annual report and a prospectus that detail its financial situation.

It is possible to sell securities without registering, but this should be a red flag to potential investors. It may mean the company is trying to avoid regulation – and the kind of disclosure that regulation requires – because it has something to hide.

Ask for an investment prospectus and annual report, and then review them with an objective adviser. If these documents aren’t available, it’s probably best to walk away from the investment.

Does The Investment Have A Track Record?

Some scammers will offer you the chance to get in on the ground floor of a new opportunity. This may sound tempting, but it’s best to invest in a business that has a proven history of financial success.

Ask if the people involved in the investment have any experience in this field. What is their previous success in this business? What documentation is available to demonstrate their track record?

Why Do I Have To Invest Immediately?

Con artists often insist that you must send in your money right away because only a few shares of a company are left.

This should be a red flag to turn down the opportunity. The cons are only trying to prevent you from asking questions they can’t answer.

Is All My Money Being Used To Buy Securities?

High-pressure salespeople often operate the way they do because they are expecting to get big commissions from the sales they make. Those commissions are deducted from your money.

Before you invest, find out if there are fees or costs involved and ask how much of your total outlay will actually be used to make an investment. Legitimate stock brokers do charge transaction fees, but it’s always important to ask what they are in advance so you know what amount will be invested.

A local CPA can offer you independent, objective advice on important financial decisions. To find a CPA in your area, visit www.INeedaCPA.org.

Editor’s Note: This article was written by Maureen Renzi, communications vice president of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA). PICPA supplied this article and is responsible for its content. Its publication is part of The Post’s Sunday Contributor series, for which guest authors are invited to offer submissions.

If you’d like to become a Sunday Contributor, please e-mail The Post.

Published earlier by Sunday Contributors:

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Keep Healthy Next Week

Keep Healthy Next Week

SANATOGA PA – Health care news for Sanatogans (and anyone else!), July 19-25, 2009:

Monday, July 20

Water aerobics classes for members of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Senior Circle group will begin at 2 p.m. in the Boyertown Area YMCA, 301 W. Spring St., Boyertown PA. For more information, call 610-327-7699.

Tuesday, July 21

Get in a little exercise this week; maybe a run?

Get in a little exercise this week; maybe a run?

An exercise class for members of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Senior Circle will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Congregation Mercy and Truth, Keim Street, Pottstown PA. It includes 60 minutes of aerobics, strength training and stretching. For more information, call 610-327-7699.

An educational seminar designed to help patients of Pottstown Medical Specialists Inc. (PMSI) better manage diabetes is scheduled to be held at 3 p.m. in Boyertown Medical Associates, 23 N. Walnut St., Boyertown PA. PMSI patients interested in attending should call 610-792-0300.

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation and AED re-certification training for health care providers will be conducted July 21 (2009; Tuesday) from 6-10 p.m. at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA. For more information or to register, call 610-327-7662.

The Grief Support Group of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center will meet at 6:30 p.m. in Classroom 1 of the Chesmont Office Building, 13 Armand Hammer Blvd., Pottstown PA. For more information, call 610-327-7596.

Wednesday, July 22

An gentle yoga class for members of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Senior Circle will begin at 9 a.m. at Villa At Morlatton in Douglassville PA. It offers 70 minutes of yoga for flexibility and relaxation.

Thursday, July 23

An exercise class for members of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Senior Circle will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Congregation Mercy and Truth, Keim Street, Pottstown PA. It includes 60 minutes of aerobics, strength training and stretching. For more information, call 610-327-7699.

An educational seminar designed to help patients of Pottstown Medical Specialists Inc. (PMSI) better manage diabetes is scheduled to be held at 6 p.m. in Bally Medical Group, 1315 Route 100, Barto PA. PMSI patients interested in attending should call 610-367-2575.

Friday, July 24

Free dental screenings will be offered weekly on Friday mornings beginning July 24 (2009) in the Boyertown Multi-Service Center, Spring Street, Boyertown PA. Patients interested in this service must call Community Health and Dental at 610-326-7405, and not the Multi-Service Center, to schedule an appointment. Patients will be informed of the dentist’s findings following the screening.

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Today's Food For Thought

Today's Food For Thought

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Using energy wisely requires common sense, not pixie dust.
Visit Energy.gov/tink

Published as a public service by The Sanatoga Post

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Top 10 Foods To Avoid While Driving

LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – As you drive today (or maybe more accurately, stop-and-go) along U.S. Route 422, watch how other motorists occupy their time. Many are talking on cell phones. One’s shaving (hope it’s a man). One’s fixing make-up (hope it’s a woman).  Some, possibly three of every four, are having a hot drink or a bite to eat.

Not the way you'll want to approach U.S. Route 422, either.

Not the way you'll want to approach U.S. Route 422, either.

There’s the real highway danger, publicists at the Insurance.com website said Thursday (July 16, 2009).

Eighty percent of all car crashes, and nearly 65 percent of all near-crashes, involve some sort of driver distraction, the web-based car insurance seller claimed, citing results of a study released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. Eating while driving, the study added, tops the list of distractions.

So, ever vigilant, Insurance.com assembled a list of what it considers the “Top Ten Foods to Avoid While Driving.” Presented in reverse order, and accompanied by the insurer’s commentary, they are:

  • 10. Chocolate. Try to clean melted chocolate off the steering wheel without swerving.
  • 9. Soda. Carbonation. Fizz in the nose. Lids that leak. Disaster.
  • 8. Jelly donuts. It’s not possible to eat one without watching the center ooze out.
  • 7. Fried chicken. More greasy hands. You’ve got to wipe them off while you’re driving.
  • 6. Ribs and wings. What’s more distracting than licking your fingers?
  • 5. Hamburgers. From the grease to the toppings, it could end up on your hands and the steering wheel.
  • 4. Chili dogs. Huge potential for drips and slops down the front of clothing.
  • 3. Tacos. Any food that can disassemble itself will leave your car looking like a salad bar.
  • 2. Hot soup. Many people drink it like coffee and run the same risks. And …
  • The culprit.

    The culprit.

    1. Coffee. Even with a travel lid, hot coffee can find its way out of the opening when you hit a bump.

How widespread is motorist munching? Insurance.com also cited an undated Exxon survey of 1,000 drivers, which it said found more than 70 percent eat, and 83 percent drink beverages, while driving.

So, while looking around at somebody else – a distraction in and of itself, by the way – what were you doing while behind the wheel?

Driver photo by Ben C. via StockXchng.

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As Pius' Successor Rises, Another Waits

As Pius' Successor Rises, Another Waits

LOWER POTTSGROVE PA – Construction of the scheduled 2010 successor to St. Pius X Catholic High School on North Keim Street is making progress. In Upper Providence (PA) Township, where the new Pope John Paul II High School is now being built, its cross has been raised, site work is almost complete, the roof is on, and exterior sheathing is up.

Students assist Cardinal Rigali Thursday in the blessing of a cross at the new Pope John Paul II High School in Royersford.

Students assist Cardinal Rigali during April in blessing a cross at the new Pope John Paul II High.

The same can’t be said of what was hoped to be its companion high school in Hilltown PA, 27 miles northeast of Sanatoga. Archdiocesean officials said Wednesday (July 15, 2009) work was being indefinitely postponed on parallel construction there of a proposed $65 million, 63-acre replacement for Lansdale Catholic High School.

Archdiocesean spokeswoman Donna Farrell told The (Doylestown PA) Intelligencer newspaper that a 2012 opening date in Hilltown was no longer viable because of cash flow problems. “There’s no question we’re building this high school,” Farrell told Intelligencer reporter Theresa Hegel. But, she added, “we had always said the opening of Lansdale Catholic was pending funding.”

The recession is keeping the archdiocese from borrowing as much money as it had anticipated for both projects, Farrell claimed. Consequently, it has drawn down more money than expected from a multi-million dollar fund-raising campaign to pay construction bills at Pope John Paul II, limiting money available to Lansdale.

Pope John Paul II, 181 Rittenhouse Road, Royersford PA, is being billed by the archdiocese as “a state-of-the-art high school” that features more than 30 modern classrooms, five science laboratories, three computer laboratories, a library/media resource center, full air-conditioning and a modern security access and surveillance system.

The school also will include a television studio, a fine arts center, a chapel, a 432-seat cafeteria, a 1200-seat auditorium, a 1000-seat main gymnasium, an auxiliary gym and fitness center, six sports fields, and an all-weather-surface running track.

Pope John Paul II also is expected to cost $65 million. Such luxury, however, comes with an increased tuition price tag, archdiocesan Secretary for Catholic Education Dr. Richard McCarron has noted.

Only 18 days ago (June 30, 2009) McCarron, in a letter to parents of students at Pius and Norristown’s Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High School, announced that annual tuition to attend Pope John Paul II when it opens in September 2010 would be $1,000 higher than whatever figure is stated as the year’s “basic diocesan high school tuition.”

Minimum tuition at Pius during the 2008-2009 school year was $4,860. Those who attended the school without “parish support” paid $5,880.

“This addition to tuition is necessary to pay for debt service on a $48 million bond issue for the school and for the increased operating costs of this facility,” McCarron wrote.

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