The Sanatoga Post

You get more accomplished as a team.

Even the small can be mighty.

The race sometimes is to the swift, and the skilled.

Practice does make perfect.

SANATOGA PA – Young players took to the soccer fields Saturday (Sept. 19, 2009) morning at Gerald Richards Park, Buchert Road, Pottstown PA, as Pottsgrove Soccer Club teams took up the second weekend schedule of their fall season.

Team members will attempt to look their best next weekend, for Picture Day. Step on that ball, and smile!

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

POTTSTOWN PA – On the Pottsgrove School District sports schedule for this week:

Today, Sept. 21

• Girls Varsity Golf at Spring-Ford HS, 3 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Tennis at Hatboro-Horsham, 3:30 p.m.
• Boys Junior Varsity Football at Boyertown, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Middle School Field Hockey at Arcola Intermediate School, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Field Hockey at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Soccer at Owen J Roberts, 4 p.m.
• Girls Junior Varsity Soccer at Owen J Roberts, 4 p.m.
• Boys Varsity Soccer at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 4 p.m.
• Boys Junior Varsity Soccer at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 4 p.m.
• Girls Junior Varsity Field Hockey at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 22

• Boys Varsity Golf at Methacton High School, 3 p.m.
• Boys Junior Varsity Golf at Spring-Ford HS, 3 p.m.
• *Scrimmage* Boys 7th Football at Upper Perkiomen, 3:30 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Tennis at home vs. Pottstown, 3:30 p.m.
• *Scrimmage* Boys 8th Football at home vs. Phoenixville, 3:45 p.m.
• Boys Varsity Soccer at home vs. Twin Valley, 4 p.m.
• Boys Junior Varsity Soccer at home vs. Twin Valley, 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Sept. 23

• Boys Junior Varsity Golf at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 3 p.m.
• Girls Middle School Soccer at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Field Hockey at Boyertown, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Middle School Field Hockey at home vs. Owen J Roberts, 3:45 p.m.
• Boys Middle School Soccer at Owen J Roberts, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Soccer at home vs. Boyertown, 4 p.m.
• Girls Junior Varsity Soccer at home vs. Boyertown, 4 p.m.
• Coed Varsity Cross Country at home vs. Spring-Ford HS, 4 p.m.
• Girls Junior Varsity Field Hockey at Boyertown, 5 p.m.
• Boys Junior Varsity Soccer at Boyertown, 5:30 p.m.
• Boys Varsity Soccer at Boyertown, 7 p.m.

Thursday, Sept. 24

• Boys Junior Varsity Golf at Phoenixville, 2:30 p.m.
• Boys Varsity Golf at home vs. Pottstown, 3 p.m.
• Girls Varsity Tennis at Upper Perkiomen, 3:30 p.m.
• Girls Freshman Field Hockey at Boyertown, 3:45 p.m.
• Boys Freshman Football at home vs. Perkiomen Valley, 3:45 p.m.

Friday, Sept. 25

• Girls Varsity Soccer at Radnor Senior High School, 3:45 p.m.
• Girls Junior Varsity Soccer at Radnor Senior High School, 3:45 p.m.
• *Postponed  to 9/21/2009* Girls Middle School Field Hockey at Arcola Intermediate School, 3:45 p.m.
• Boys Varsity Football at Perkiomen Valley, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 26

• Girls Varsity Field Hockey at Springfield DELCO High School, 11 a.m.
• Girls Junior Varsity Field Hockey at Springfield DELCO High School, 11 a.m.

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

POTTSTOWN PA – A persistent St. Pius X High School football team surprised visiting Phoenixville High School on Saturday (Sept. 19, 2009) as the Winged Lions beat the Phantoms 21-14 in a Pioneer Athletic Conference game at St. Pius’ Mich Stadium, 844 N. Keim St., Pottstown PA.

• See a Post gallery of all 96 photos from Saturday afternoon‘s Pius-Phoenixville game.
• See a different set of photos from the game, focusing on Phoenixville and published in today’s edition of The Limerick Post.

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

Published during the week just ended in The Sanatoga Post:

Saturday, Sept. 19

• Friday Football Photos: Pottsgrove 28, Boyertown 0
  In the first PAC-10 contest of the season, and their second consecutive shutout, the Falcons beat the Bears during a pleasant night at well-attended Pottsgrove High School stadium. See a Post gallery of 46 photos.
• Keep Healthy Next Week
  A review of free or low-cost local seminars, support groups, screenings, tests and clinics to help you stay healthy and fit, sponsored or conducted by community health care organizations.
• Craft Show Settles Into Sunnybrook
  More than 40 crafts vendors will set up shop in Sanatoga next weekend, to the delight of collectors and gift-givers.
• BIE Schedules Mini-COBRA Seminar
  The local building industries group is preparing its members, and non-members too, for new regulations that took effect in June.
• Auto Sales Returning To Sanatoga Village
  What kind? When? How? There are no specifics yet, but interesting activity nonetheless, at the former Norco Auto Group location.
• Also, In The Limerick Post …
  • Former Times Journalist A Guest Speaker
  • 24 Hours In Limerick For Sept. 19, 2009
• Also, In The Pottstown Post …
  • Local Athletes Introduced At Reception
  • 24 Hours In Pottstown For Sept. 19, 2009

Friday, Sept. 18

• Auto Sales Returning To Sanatoga Village
  What kind? When? How? There are no specifics yet, but interesting activity nonetheless, at the former Norco Auto Group location.
• More Web Searches Seek ‘Sanatoga Springs’
  There’s renewed web search interest, new promotional materials, and newly surfaced prospective tenants too, in the Sanatoga interchange shopping center project called by several names, but best known as “Sanatoga Springs.”
• Dent Opposes ACORN Funding
  Lower Pottsgrove’s congressman voted Thursday against continued federal funding for a housing advocacy group now being criticized for conducting allegedly fraudulent activities.
• Also, In The Limerick Post …
  • Two Doctors To Speak At Healthy Woman Session
• Also, In The Pottstown Post …
  • Website Adds History To Pottstown History
  • Memory Loss Program Planned In Frederick
  • Y Swimmers Benefit From Dodgeball

Thursday, Sept. 17

• Hospital Workers Rally Over Contract Talks
  A seeming lack of progress in labor negotiations between Pottstown Memorial Medical Center and a union that represents about 300 of its workers led to a labor rally Wednesday in Sanatoga.
• Stuff To Do This Weekend
  Flea markets and community sales. Nature walks, birding talks and trail explorations. Community days and festivals and lots of fun … all within a short drive (no more than 15 minutes for most!) from Sanatoga.
• College Welcomes Newest Athletes
  MCCC’s Mustangs sports teams officially introduced 54 new student athletes during a reception last week, including two Pottsgrove High graduates. This will be the college’s first year of inter-collegiate contests.
• YMCA Fitness Week Starts Oct. 11
  You can party throughout the day at the Y in Pottstown or four other branches. More importantly, you can try the facility for a week … for free!
• Also, In The Limerick Post …
  • Plaza Changes On Limerick Zoning Agenda
• Also, In The Pottstown Post …
  • Chamber Endorses Mensch In Election
  • Morlatton Unit Celebrates Grand Opening

Wednesday, Sept. 16

• Crews Repaved King Street Tuesday
  Traffic was barred from the two block stretch as new asphalt was installed in Sanatoga village.
• Buchert Ridge Unveiling Final Phase
  A presentation next Tuesday will introduce an apartment and community center complex that will be the capstone to the retirement development on Buchert Road in Sanatoga.
• New Forum Tackles Economic Development
  The Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, which has proposed tolling U.S. Route 422, formed a new group to look at regional community and economic activity.
• On The Sidelines, In The Stands
  To whet your appetite for Pottsgrove football this Friday at home vs. Boyertown, here’s a short video of last week’s Falcon action against Wissahickon High. That was wet too.
• Also, In The Limerick Post …
  • Shell Completed At Limerick Holiday Inn
  • Club Hosts Kids’ Fall Clothing Sale
  • 24 Hours In Limerick For Sept. 16, 2009
• Also, In The Pottstown Post …
  • 24 Hours In Pottstown For Sept. 16, 2009
  • Hospital Healthy Woman Program Sept. 24

Tuesday, Sept. 15

• Hearing Set On Heritage Drive Parking
  Drivers leave their cars parked curbside on Heritage Drive in Sanatoga as they rush into professional offices. Lower Pottsgrove commissioners intend to change the parking law there.
• Expect These Interruptions On 422
  In addition to the reconstruction between Royersford and Collegeville, there’s road milling in Valley Forge.
• Marsteller Named EIT Committee Delegate
  Lower Pottsgrove’s tax collector will represent the township as a Montgomery County committee streamlines local collection of earned income taxes.
• No Worries, No Stress, And Tasty Knuckles
  Proof that, in Sanatoga, at least one person has refined the art of “relaxed living.”
• Farmstead Reprises Laerenswaert Event
  Skills that were “worth learning” in Montgomery County’s days-gone-by will be resurrected and demonstrated next month at historic Peter Wentz Farmstead, just 16 miles southeast of Sanatoga.

Monday, Sept. 14

• What They Sold For
  A weekly review of top prices paid for real estate in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township and neighboring municipalities.
• National Recruiting Web Covers Chestnut, Polamalu
  Scout.com, a website dedicated to sports recruiting activity, reported this weekend on colleges expressing interest in the Pottsgrove Falcons’ top football players.
• Pottsgrove Soccer Club Opens Fall Season
  The fields were a little wet, but hundreds turned out – players and fans alike – for the opening weekend of the fall soccer season at Gerald Richards Park in Sanatoga.
• Scouts Re-Scheduled Car Wash A Success
  Boy Scout Troop 363 arrived Sunday in Sanatoga armed with sponges, buckets, hoses, and a whole lot of enthusiasm.
• Program Informs Health ‘Decision-Makers’
  Pottstown’s Healthy Woman series gives women of the household, who make many of their families’ health care decisions, more information about family wellness.
• Pottsgrove Falcons Sports For Sept. 14-19, 2009
  Who they’ll play, where, and when this week.

Sunday, Sept. 13

• The Post Week In Review
  For Sept. 6-12, 2009

SANATOGA PA – Health care news for Sanatogans (and anyone else!), Sept. 20-26, 2009:

• These events have been added to The Post calendar.

Monday, Sept. 21

Blood drives scheduled this week.

A blood drive will be held from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, 1600 East High Street, Pottstown. Appointments are required and may be made by calling the blood center at 610-926-6060.

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.

A blood drive will be held from 2-7 p.m. at Coventry Church of the Brethren, 946 Keim Street, Pottstown. Appointments are required and may be made by calling the blood center at 610-926-6060.

A free prostate screening clinic will be held today, Wednesday and Thursday by Pottstown Memorial Medical Center 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA. Registration is necessary. For more information or to register, call 610-327-7662.

Tuesday, Sept. 22

The weekly meeting of the Domestic Violence Support Group sponsored by Pottstown Memorial Medical Center is held every Tuesday evening. For more information on times and locations, call 610-970-7363.

A blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at STV, Inc., 205 West Welsh Road, Douglassville. Appointments are required and may be made by calling the blood center at 610-926-6060.

The first in a series of three Living With Diabetes classes will be held from 6-9 p.m. at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA. For more information, call 610-327-7463. To register, call 610-327-7500. Remaining classes are scheduled at the same time for Sept. 24 and 29.

Wednesday, Sept. 23

A blood drive will be held from 8:40 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Diamond Credit Union, 1600 Medical Drive, Pottstown. Appointments are required and may be made by calling the blood center at 610-926-6060.

A 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. 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 Wednesday (Sept. 23, 2009) at 3 p.m. in Boyertown Medical Associates, 23 N. Walnut St., Boyertown PA. PMSI patients interested in attending should call 610-792-0300.

“Staying Functionally Fit,” a presentation by Dr. Mark Schwartz, will be given at 7 p.m. in the classrooms of the Chesmont Office Building, 13 Armand Hammer Blvd., Pottstown PA. For more information or to register, call Pottstown Memorial Medical Center at 610-327-7662.

Thursday, Sept. 24

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

What women must know for the health of men in their lives, and also for themselves, are the topics of the next presentation of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center’s Healthy Woman program at 6:30 p.m. in the conference rooms of the Chesmont Office Building, Armand Hammer Boulevard, Pottstown PA. Dr. Jeffrey Stevens, a PMMC medical oncologist, will discuss prostate and testicular health. Dr. Suman Tiwari, a radiation oncologist will discuss breast and ovarian health. To register, call Healthy Woman Coordinator Pat Eltz, RN, MSN at 610-327-7662.

Friday, Sept. 25

Free dental screenings are offered weekly on Friday mornings by appointment beginning at 9 a.m. 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.

Saturday, Sept. 26

A blood drive will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. by Pottstown Medical Specialists, Inc. at Sunnybrook Ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Road, Pottstown. Appointments are required and may be made by calling the blood center at 610-926-6060.

A blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Limerick Community Days at Manderack Park, Swamp Pike and Zeigler Road, Limerick. Appointments are required and may be made by calling the blood center at 610-926-6060.

The grand opening of the new assisted living facility of the Villa at Morlatton will be held from noon-3 p.m. at the retirement community, 1152 Ben Franklin Pkwy. East, Douglassville PA. The celebration takes on an Oktoberfest theme, and will feature German food and live entertainment by The Ringgold Band. The event is free. For more information, call 610-385-5002.

Only a week remains for enrollment in a specialized program for individuals age 65 and younger suffering from early onset memory loss will be held over seven consecutive Thursdays from 6:30-8:30 p.m. beginning Oct. 1 at Frederick Mennonite Community, 2849 Big Rd., Frederick PA. The free program has limited enrollment, and a pre-assessment is required. For more information, call Pat Hahn or Jeanette DeLaRosa at 610-754-7878.

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

POTTSTOWN PA – Hurries, sacks and fumble recoveries by a strong defense allowed the Pottsgrove High School Falcons football team to claim a 28-0 shutout win Friday night (Sept. 18, 2009) over the Boyertown Senior High School Bears in the first Pioneer Athletic Conference game of the season for both.

• See a Post gallery of 46 photos from Friday night’s Pottsgrove-Boyertown match-up.
• See a different set of photos from the game, focusing on Boyertown and published in today’s edition of The Pottstown Post.

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

SANATOGA PA – See some of the best artisans in the region during the Fall Craft Festival scheduled for Sept. 26 (2009; Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Sunnybrook Ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Rd., Pottstown PA.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

More than 40 vendors will display their wares, and food will be available.

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

POTTSTOWN PA – A seminar for building contractors on the so-called mini-COBRA requirements, signed into law June 10 (2009), will be held Oct. 6 (2009; Tuesday) from 7:30-9 a.m. in the Limerick Diner, Ridge Pike, Limerick PA, under the sponsorship of the Building Industries Exchange (BIE) of Pottstown and Vicinity.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

Small businesses with between 2 and 19 employees, and which have qualifying events on or after July 10 (2009), will be required to follow this law.

No seminar fee will be charged to BIE members; a fee of $20 will be charged to non-members. Advance reservations are required.  To reserve a seat, call the BIE at 610-323-1700, or send an e-mail.

The BIE is a 57-year-old trade association dedicated to promoting integrity in the local building trades.

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

2148 E. High, as it appeared in March

POTTSTOWN PA – Automobile sales of some kind, although the specifics are not yet available, are being planned for a return to the 2148 E. High St., Pottstown PA, location formerly occupied by the Norco Auto Group.

The windows of the site’s main showroom-and-garage building were covered with paper Friday (Sept. 18, 2009) to prevent passers-by from peering in. Computer-printed signs on its doors announced: “Coming Soon. New Auto Concept.”

Inside, workers were busy with a variety of tasks but could not provide details on what brand of cars would be marketed there, or whether they would be new, used, or both.

Norco Auto, headed by Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township commissioner James Phillips, ended operations at the prominent East High Street location almost a year ago under what similarly computer-generated signs on the doors said were “poor economic conditions.”

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.

LIMERICK PA – As Wall Street celebrates the return of the national economy from a two-year-long recession, interest in local retail commercial development appears also to be on the rise, particularly in the O’Neill Properties Group project proposed for Lightcap and Evergreen Roads in Limerick PA and alternately known as “Sanatoga Springs,” “The Premium Gateway at Sanatoga Springs,” or “The Gateway At Sanatoga.”

The most recent layout available for The Gateway At Sanatoga proposed by O'Neill Properties, including Costco (top left), a Hampton Inn (at "K") and Red Robin ("I") as having committed to the project.

Various Internet search keyword and phrase trackers checked Thursday (Sept. 17, 2009) show a significant increase during recent weeks in Web user traffic for terms like “Sanatoga Springs” and “Sanatoga shopping center.”

Possibly just as significant is the availability of new promotional materials for the project from King of Prussia PA-based developer O’Neill, which offer fresh insight into tenants who apparently have made commitments to be part of the complex.

During hearings conducted in January (2009) by Limerick (PA) Township, O’Neill representatives described what was then simply called “Sanatoga Springs” as a three-phase project that ultimately would include a Costco store and accompanying gas station as an anchor, along with smaller retailers and housing units. Six months later, in a visibly declining economy, O’Neill removed from its web pages several early brochures and flyers touting the project.

They’re back, in revised form. Materials that now label the shopping complex’s second stage as “The Gateway At Sanatoga” can be downloaded from the O’Neill’s retail developments webpage. They continue to list Costco as a primary tenant, with an opening slated for Fall 2010. Costco has not yet broken ground for a building.

They also specifically list a Hampton Inn Hotel and a Red Robin Restaurant as tenants. While plans for a hotel, five restaurants, two banks and other retailers have continually been described as parts of the project, the apparent commitment of franchise brand names other than Costco had not been previously promoted.

Recently heightened web searches for information on Sanatoga Springs is accompanied by:

• More municipal planning. Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick townships, which share a common border and a common interest in explosive commercial growth surrounding the Sanatoga interchange of U.S. Route 422, have agreed to create a common master plan for the area. Lower Pottsgrove commissioners in July authorized a payment of $10,000 as its share of costs for mapping what will be recognized by both townships as the Interchange District.
• Highway worries. Increased driver angst over traffic delays on Route 422, a continuing public debate over its future as a free highway or a proposed toll road, and the prospect of new public transit alternatives like the addition of commuter trains or more bus routes, still garner headlines. A presentation Tuesday (Sept. 15, 2009) about 422 by transportation experts to a breakfast meeting of the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce resulted in stories run by several area newspapers.
• Economic optimism. The New York Times reported Thursday that “stock markets stampeded higher … and major Wall Street benchmarks touched their highest levels of the year on optimism that an economic rebound was under way.” MarketWatch was more cautious; “Fund managers remain optimistic that the global economy is emerging from recession,” it reported Wednesday (Sept. 16, 2009), but added “most of them believe below-trend growth and below-trend inflation lie ahead.”

Related (to Sanatoga interchange development):

• Board Approves Interchange Mapping Costs
• Sanatoga Springs Promotion In Flux
• Townships Agree To Interchange Planning
• Township Interviews For ‘Bigger Picture’
• Missing Walks Latest Bridge Complaint
• Trying, Trying Again At The Interchange
• Just One Speaker At Sanatoga Springs Hearing
• The Overlooked Users Of Sanatoga Springs
• County Suggests Cooperation On Sanatoga Springs
• Improving The Odds At The Interchange
• More About … Sanatoga Springs (No. 1 In A Series)
• Trial Balloon: An Inter-Municipal Agreement
• Lobbyists Court Lower Pottsgrove
• A New Arrival In “Sanatoga Springs”

Sign up to get The Sanatoga Post delivered free daily by e-mail.
See our galleries for photos that appear in The Post. Got news for us? E-mail The Post.