The Sanatoga Post

Published during the week just ended in The Sanatoga Post:

Saturday, Feb. 27

• Sunnybrook Cancels Tonight’s Dinner-Dance
  Travel conditions and snowy weather are blamed for the postponement. It will be re-scheduled in the spring.
• 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.

Friday, Feb. 26

• Notebook Worthy
  Numbers hit the road in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township. Numbers hit the students, too, in the Pottsgrove School District, and not in a happy way.
• Pottsgrove Student Enrollment: Up? Yes. Down? Yes Again
  To determine what the Pottsgrove School District’s future building needs may be, the school board is faced by a slew of daunting, and sometimes contradictory, statistics.
• College Plans Pottstown Open House In April
  Montgomery County Community College wants you to give it a look when planning for higher education.

Thursday, Feb. 25

• Green Discussion At Ringing Results In Red Faces
  The lack of cost figures for a proposed geothermal heating and cooling system at Ringing Rocks Elementary School was the cause of some embarrassment Tuesday night.
• Coming Down, Thick And Heavy, Thursday Morning
  Snow is expected to accumulate up to 12 inches during the next 24 hours. The biggest weather problem, however, may be accompanying high winds.
• Stuff To Do This Weekend
  Visit a bridal show or go back in time, both in Sanatoga. Chow down on spaghetti in Pottstown. Watch plays in Collegeville and Phoenixville. Or be lulled by one of the nation’s best organists … all this weekend!
• Emergency Dispatches For Feb. 24, 2010
  Local and area emergencies that occurred between Wednesday at 6 a.m. and today (Thursday) at 6 a.m., to which Montgomery County (PA) dispatchers sent first-responder teams.
• Also, In The Limerick Post
  • 24 Hours In Limerick For Feb. 25, 2010
• Also, In The Pottstown Post
  • 24 Hours In Pottstown For Feb. 25, 2010

Wednesday, Feb. 24

• Pottsgrove, Archdiocese Still Discussing Pius Lease
  The school board Tuesday held out hope that it could relocate displaced Ringing Rocks Elementary students to the soon-to-be-vacated high school building on North Keim Street in Lower Pottsgrove.
• Green Eggs And Ham On Their Menu
  Lower Pottsgrove Elementary School observes Read Across America Day next week and, coincidentally, celebrates the birthday of many young kids’ favorite author.
• Be Wary: Pothole Filling Today On 422
  Mother Nature’s recent attacks on western Montgomery County, followed by man’s feeble attempts to clean up after her, have left the highway full of tire-gobbling hazards. They’re scheduled to be repaired.
• Emergency Dispatches For Feb. 23, 2010
  Local and area emergencies that occurred between Tuesday at 5 a.m. and today (Wednesday) at 6 a.m., to which Montgomery County (PA) dispatchers sent first-responder teams.
• Scout Troop Serving Spaghetti Saturday
  Troop 129 wants to you come over to its place for dinner during the weekend, and get an all-you-can-eat fill.
• Also, In The Limerick Post
  • Exelon Donation Benefits Limerick Elementary
• Also, In The Pottstown Post
  • Former Eagle Brown Discusses ID Theft

Tuesday, Feb. 23

• Ringing Rocks Relocation Discussion Set For Tonight
  The Pottsgrove school board has budgeted an unusually lengthy 2-1/2 hours for its meeting on a plan to house elementary school students in modular classrooms over two years.
• Coventry Schools Ready For Events Center Dedication
  The new building constructed at the rear of  Coventry Christian Schools’  Sanatoga campus will be formally dedicated Friday.
• Emergency Dispatches For Feb. 22, 2010
  Local and area emergencies that occurred between Monday at 3 a.m. and today (Tuesday) at 5 a.m., to which Montgomery County (PA) dispatchers sent first-responder teams.
• Sanatoga Dinner Benefits Alzheimer’s Research
  A filling meal for a good cause will be offered locally next month.
• TCN Schedules Basket Bingo Fund-Raiser
  A network of health and social service organizations plans an event to benefit several programs helping area residents.
• Historical Society Schedules Open House
  Join Lower Pottsgrove’s historians this weekend, for a chat and a tour of the museum.
• Also, In The Limerick Post
  • What They Sold For … In Limerick
• Also, In The Pottstown Post
  • Family Center Hires Development Specialist
  • Chamber Ceremony Opens Another Business
  • Stowe’s McCann Graduates From Army Training

Monday, Feb. 22

• Pottstown Religious Cluster Buys Building, Hopes To Expand
  The Pottstown Cluster of Religious Communities, a favored charity among Lower Pottsgrove businesses and Pottsgrove School District students, has bought a new building after a search of almost 20 years.
• What They Sold For
  A weekly overview of highest prices paid for real estate in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township and surrounding municipalities.
• Emergency Dispatches For Feb. 21, 2010
  Local and area emergencies that occurred between Sunday at 12:01 a.m. and today (Monday) at 5 a.m., to which Montgomery County (PA) dispatchers sent first-responder teams.
• Pottsgrove Falcons Sports For Feb. 22-28, 2010
  Who they’ll play, where, and when.
• Annual Bridal Show Sunday At Sunnybrook
  It’s the season of anticipation for spring and summer brides-to-be. The coming weekend show at Sunnybrook Ballroom is intended to help them create the wedding of their dreams.
• Also, In The Limerick Post
  • What They Sold For … In Limerick
  • 24 Hours In Limerick For Feb. 22, 2010
• Also, In The Pottstown Post
  • Bookstore Began As Small Dream, Finishes Latest Expansion
    What Ramona DeWalt longed for was a simple, but large, home library. What she now operates is a large – and getting larger – used book store in Douglassville, soon to observe its fifth anniversary.
  • Will Digital Books Replace Print? Retailer Bets They Won’t
    Last week Amazon.com introduced new Kindle e-book software for Blackberry phones. Two other companies sell digital book readers now, and four more are getting ready to enter the market. Can print-on-paper survive? The odds are good …
  • What They Sold For … In Pottstown
  • 24 Hours In Pottstown For Feb. 22, 2010
• The Post Week In Review
  For Feb. 14-20, 2010
• Emergency Dispatches For Feb. 19, 2010

Sunday, Feb. 21

• The Post Week In Review
  For Feb. 14-20, 2010

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SANATOGA PA – A dance scheduled for tonight (Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010) in Sunnybrook Ballroom, featuring the Swing Fever Band, has been canceled due to “travel issues and the snowy weather,” the ballroom’s management announced.

The band has already agreed to re-schedule its appearance later in the spring. Those who have already purchased dinner and/or dance tickets for the event should keep them to be honored for that performance, which will be announced on Sunnybrook’s website, according to the e-mail announcement.

For more information, call 484-624-5186 or visit the box office at Sunnybrook, 50 Sunnybrook Rd., Pottstown PA.

“We apologize for any inconvenience for the late notice,” its Friday e-mail said. “Sunnybrook continues to bring the best entertainment to the region, however, such incidents are beyond our control and do occur on occasion,” the e-mail added.

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SANATOGA PA – Health care news for western Montgomery County residents (and anyone else!), for Feb. 28 (2010) and beyond.

• These events have been added to The Post calendar.

Tuesday, March 2

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.

“Family-To-Family,” a free 12-week course for family members of, or caregivers to, persons with mental illness will be held on 12 consecutive Tuesdays beginning this week (March 2, 2010) from 6:30-9 p.m. in the offices of Creative Health Services, 11 Robinson St., Pottstown PA. Openings for the program are still available. For more information or to register, call 215-886-0350.

Wednesday, March 3

The next meeting of the Depression Support Group, sponsored by Pottstown Memorial Medical Center, will be held March 3 (2010; Wednesday) at 6:30 p.m. in the hospital’s Private Dining Room “A,” 1600 E. High St., Pottstown PA. For more information, call 610-327-7633.

Tuesday, March 9

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.

Blood pressure screenings will be conducted by staff members from Pottstown Memorial Medical Center on March 9 (2010; Friday) from 9 a.m. to noon at the Birdsboro IGA Supermarket in Birdsboro PA.

Wednesday, March 10

“Just What Is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?,” a discussion led by Dr. Burhan Hameed and David Stone of Professional Pharmacy in Pottstown, will be conducted as a Pottstown Memorial Medical Center Healthy Woman event on March 10 (2010; Wednesday) beginning at 6 p.m. in the Chesmont Conference Center, 13 Armand Hammer Blvd., Pottstown PA. It is free and open to the public. Advance reservations are requested. For more information or to make a reservation, call 610-327-PMMC.

Thursday, March 11

Project Prevention, a community service of Phoenixville Hospital that offers blood pressure screenings, diabetes education and health-related referrals through an on-site nurse and case manager, will be held March 11 (2010; Thursday) from 10 a.m. to Noon at The Bard Center, 410 Washington St., Royersford PA.

Friday, March 12

Blood pressure screenings will be conducted by staff members from Pottstown Memorial Medical Center on March 12 (2010; Friday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Michael’s Craft Store, Rt. 100, North Coventry PA.

Monday, March 15

A three-week series of birth prep classes for new and expectant parents is scheduled to begin March 15 (2010; Monday) from 7-9 p.m. in Suite 300 of Medical Office Building II on the campus of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA. Subsequent dates will be announced to participants. A fee of $85 per couple will be charged. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1288.

Tuesday, March 16

The first in a series of three Living With Diabetes classes will be held March 16 (2010; Tuesday) from 6-9 p.m. at the annex of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA. The series’ cost is covered by most insurance programs. Advance registration is required. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1288. Remaining classes are scheduled at the same time for March 23 and 30.

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.

Wednesday, March 17

The 19th annual Family Fest of the Pottstown School District will be held March 17 (2010; Wednesday) beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the Pottstown Middle School, 540 N. Franklin St., Pottstown PA.  Local health and community service agencies will be on hand to share their resources and information about their services with area residents. For more information, call Jenn Brown at Family Services, 610-326-1610 Ext. 247.

Thursday, March 18

An informational seminar on weight loss surgery, conducted by Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, will be held March 18 (2010; Thursday) from 6-7:30 p.m. in the third floor conference center of Medical Office Building II on the hospital campus. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1975.

Blood pressure screenings will be conducted by staff members from Pottstown Memorial Medical Center on March 18 (2010; Thursday) from 1-3 p.m. at Wal-Mart, Route 100, Bechtelsville PA.

Saturday, March 20

A one-day birth prep class for new and expectant parents is scheduled to be held March 20 (2009; Saturday) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Suite 300 of Medical Office Building II on the campus of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA. A fee of $85 per couple will be charged. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1288.

Monday, March 22

Free meetings of “Winning Strategies,” the Tobacco-Free Support Group of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, are held on the fourth Monday of every month beginning at 7 p.m. For information on its meeting location or to register, call 610-983-1288. The hospital also conducts an eight-session smoking cessation program monthly; it will be held during March on dates to be announced from 6-9 p.m. Call the same phone number for information about these sessions.

Tuesday, March 23

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.

Wednesday, March 24

A free meeting of the Post-Partum Adjustment Group, usually scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of every month, will be held March 24 (2010; Wednesday) from 6:30-8 p.m. in Suite 300 of Medical Office Building II on the campus of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1288.

Thursday, March 25

Project Prevention, a community service of Phoenixville Hospital that offers blood pressure screenings, diabetes education and health-related referrals through an on-site nurse and case manager, will be held March 25 (2010; Thursday) from 10 a.m. to Noon at The Bard Center, 410 Washington St., Royersford PA.

Tuesday, March 30

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.

Friday, April 9

Blood pressure screenings will be conducted by staff members from Pottstown Memorial Medical Center on March 12 (2010; Friday) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Michael’s Craft Store, Rt. 100, North Coventry PA.

Tuesday, April 13

Blood pressure screenings will be conducted by staff members from Pottstown Memorial Medical Center on April 13 (2010; Tuesday) from 9 a.m. to noon at the Birdsboro IGA Supermarket in Birdsboro PA.

Thursday, April 15

An informational seminar on weight loss surgery, conducted by Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, will be held April 15 (2010; Thursday) from 6-7:30 p.m. in the third floor conference center of Medical Office Building II on the hospital campus. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1975.

Blood pressure screenings will be conducted by staff members from Pottstown Memorial Medical Center on April 13 (2010; Tuesday) from 1-3 p.m. at Wal-Mart, Route 100, Bechtelsville PA.

Friday, April 16

The fifth annual Healthy Lifestyles Expo, an event that allows visitors to explore Tri-County area community services, participate in scheduled activities, and learn more about living a healthier life, will be held April 16 (2010; Friday) from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Montgomery County Community College, 101 College Dr., Pottstown PA. The event is free and open to the public.

Monday, April 26

Free meetings of “Winning Strategies,” the Tobacco-Free Support Group of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA, are held on the fourth Monday of every month beginning at 7 p.m. For information on its meeting location or to register, call 610-983-1288. The hospital also conducts an eight-session smoking cessation program monthly; it will be held during April on dates yet to be announced. Call the same phone number for information about these sessions.

Wednesday, April 28

A free meeting of the Post-Partum Adjustment Group, usually scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of every month, will be held April 28 (2010; Wednesday) from 6:30-8 p.m. in Suite 300 of Medical Office Building II on the campus of Phoenixville Hospital, 140 Nutt Rd., Phoenixville PA. Registration is required. For more information or to register, call 610-983-1288.

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SANATOGA PA – Recent jottings from a reporter’s notebook:

Busily working last week outside Lower Pottsgrove's municipal garage.

Numerology As You Stare Out The Window Today

35. The number of miles of Pennsylvania-owned highway being plowed by Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township municipal workers this morning (Friday, Feb. 26, 2010) to let you get out of the house. The township is reimbursed by the state for its time and expense.

45. The number of miles of township-owned highway they’ll also plow.

50. The number of continuous hours township employees spent during the last winter storm, either inside their trucks or the municipal garage on North Pleasant View Road, Pottstown PA, to keep roads as clear and ice-free as possible. No, they didn’t go home, township Manager Rodney Hawthorne reports. Instead, they slept on cots at the garage, and ate meals provided by the township’s fire departments.

66. The number of cul-de-sacs (the asphalt circles at the end of a residential street) within the township’s borders. Consider maneuvering around those with a full-blade plow and a truck bed full of salt.

Numerology II: Far Sadder Statistics

7. As of Tuesday (Feb. 23, 2010), the number of students during 2009-2010 – so far – who have been formally expelled from Pottsgrove School District schools by the Board of School Directors in actions requested by Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis.

Actually, the students aren’t numbered. They are identified by letter, to protect their confidentiality. Their names are not disclosed, nor is the reason for their expulsion.

The school board voted unanimously Tuesday, during its latest meeting at Ringing Rocks Elementary School, to expel Student “G.”

190. The cost, in dollars per hour, that the school district will pay the Blue Bell PA law firm of Wisler Pearlstine LLP to serve as its legal council during expulsion hearings … an indication that more, and more challenging, expulsions are foreseen by the administration. The board approved the expense, also unanimously.

Getting The Word Out

As construction of Pope John Paul II Catholic High School in Royersford nears completion and prepares to open to students next fall, its representatives are eager to let the community know about their new school building, its operations, and its educational future. Local clubs and civic organizations interested in hearing a presentation about the school should call Lower Pottsgrove resident Beth Hiriak, its director of development, at 215-370-9549.

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POTTSTOWN PA – Which way is student enrollment in the Pottsgrove School District headed during the next five years? Up? Yes, a little in some grades, or a lot, depending on which statistics are used. Down? Same answer. Unchanged? Ditto.

Seemingly contradictory numbers filled the air early Tuesday night (Feb. 23, 2010) as the district Board of School Directors met at Ringing Rocks Elementary School to talk about that building’s expansion and renovation, and the district’s overall space requirements in coming years.

Pottsgrove school board members and administrators listen Tuesday as demographics expert Tracy Healy explains her company's enrollment projections for the district, displayed on a screen in the Ringing Rocks gym.

During the past decade, Pottsgrove’s historic enrollment “looks pretty flat,” according to Tracy Healy, president of DeJong-Healy, an Ohio-based school demographics research firm who spoke to directors – and their accompanying audience of about 150 people – by telephone. In 10 years, she said, the district’s kindergarten through 12th grade enrollment has grown by a net gain of just 21 students.

Looming beneath that line, however, is what Healy described as an important difference: enrollment in kindergarten through fifth grade during the same decade was up, and specifically in kindergarten through third grade it rose by 7 percent. The implication, she said, is that the district’s student population is getting younger.

That’s reinforced by live birth rates and local population estimates DeJong-Healy studied for the period of 2008 to 2013. From those, Healy said, it can be determined that the number of children living in the district between infancy and age 10 is expected to rise; that no growth is anticipated among students ages 11-13; and that the number of students age 14-18 will decline.

The differences may be even more pronounced, Healy said, if already accepted new residential communities ever get under way. Although new home construction permits issued have dropped in the recession from their peak in 2004, she noted that 300 more homes have been approved to be built in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township, and another 200 in Upper Pottsgrove.

Pennsylvania Department of Education estimates for Pottsgrove’s student growth, based on its own studies, put enrollment figures – even in the high school age bracket – somewhat higher, district Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis explained.

A Gilbert Architects' rendition of the proposed west wing of Ringing Rocks Elementary School, where four of nine new classrooms would be added.

School board members must digest all these figures, and others, in trying to determine how many new classrooms should be built as part of the Ringing Rocks project. Current plans displayed Tuesday by Gilbert Architects Inc. of Lancaster PA call for nine additional classrooms, but some directors have made it clear they think that’s four or five too many.

And if the state’s statistics are to be believed, directors admitted, the next project facing the district and its taxpayers may be a renovation of Pottsgrove High School. Even without student growth there, district Business Administrator David Nester said, mechanical and other systems in the aging building have already exceeded their expected life and likely will need to be replaced.

Related (to Ringing Rocks Elementary School renovations):

• Green Discussion At Ringing Results In Red Faces
• Pottsgrove, Archdiocese Still Discussing Pius Lease
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Discussion Set For Tonight
• In The Ringing Rebuild, Whither Pius?
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Plan: Modulars At MS
• Ringing Rocks Construction Cost Hearing Tonight
• Planners OK Ringing Rocks Land Sketch
• District Sets Dec. 3 Hearing On Rocks Budget
• Pottsgrove Asks State Help To Pay For Ringing Re-Build
• As School Opens, Progress On Ringing Rocks’ Project
• Surprise Enrollment Spurs Demographic Interest
• District Assembles Ringing Rocks Planning Team
• District OKs Architect Negotiations
• Consensus On Ringing Renovations: $16M
• Ringing Rocks Proposals Aired Tuesday
• Ringing Rocks Re-Examined April 14
• Pottsgrove To Trust-But-Verify On Ringing Plans
• Ringing Rocks Plans Take Another Step
• No Shortage Of Ideas At Pottsgrove Meeting
• Weigh In On Pottsgrove Renovations
• Framing The Rocks Discussion
• Response Mixed To Pottsgrove Improvements
• District Invites Public For Study Results
• A Different Rocks, But Only As A Concept

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POTTSTOWN PA – Montgomery County Community College will hold an open house on its Pottstown PA campus this spring to give prospective students information about MCCC’s educational programs.

The West Campus open house will be held April 24 (2010; Saturday) from 10 a.m. to noon in North Hall, 16 High St., Pottstown PA. College admissions staff members will be on hand to provide individual academic advice, and also will answer questions about the admissions process, transfer opportunities, e-Learning and financial aid, and other topics. Faculty members will discuss the college’s 82 degree and certificate programs in 48 areas of study.

• This event has been added to The Post calendar.

The event is free and open to the public. Individuals who register in advance online will receive a free gift. To register, visit the college website or call 215-641-6671.

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POTTSTOWN PA – Should, or can, Ringing Rocks Elementary School afford to be “green?” That question, in essence, caused a few faces to turn red during Tuesday night’s (Feb. 23, 2010) meeting of the Pottsgrove School District Board of School Directors.

An architectural rendering of the proposed front entrance to the renovated Ringing Rocks Elementary School, 1401 Kauffman Rd., Pottstown PA.

Plans for the renovation and expansion of Ringing Rocks, 1401 Kauffman Rd., Pottstown PA, call for using a broad list of products and features that promote environmental sustainability. Chief among them is a proposal to install a geothermal heating and cooling system that would extend, in part, dozens of feet underground across a playing field at the school’s west end.

School geothermal systems are not new; several are in place across Pennsylvania, and documented studies show they can reduce the annual cost of heating and cooling a building. But they can be expensive, too, potentially adding hundreds of thousands of dollars to the price of construction.

Just how much would a geothermal system would cost at Ringing Rocks? That question was left unanswered Tuesday by district architects, whose representative extolled its virtues at length but – when questioned by one resident – was embarrassed to report he didn’t immediately have figures available.

The exchange arose as almost 150 people who attended the board meeting pleaded for directors to re-examine the possibility of leasing St. Pius X High School in Pottstown as a temporary home for Ringing Rocks students during its re-construction. Many advocate a move to Pius, in what Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis calls Ringing Rocks’ “transitional phase,” over a plan to house students in modular facilities at Pottsgrove Middle School.

District administrators are negotiating with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, which owns the soon-to-be-vacated Pius building, but so far have balked at the proposed lease cost as it compares to the price of using modulars.

At one point, the discussion prompted Ringing Rocks parent Rick Rabinowitz to wonder aloud if savings could be found elsewhere to make the Pius option more financially appealing. “Possibly we could do without the geothermal,” he said. Turning toward Rod Frey, project manager for Gilbert Architects Inc. of Lancaster PA, Rabinowitz asked, “How much does geothermal cost?”

Frey earlier in the meeting had spent 10 minutes covering a long list of sustainability features, including the geothermal plant, that were foreseen for use at Ringing Rocks.

There was a palpable silence for a second or two. Then Frey replied, “I don’t have that with me right now, but I certainly can get back to you on it.” Pressed for a second detail on the system, Frey lacked it too. Some audience members were seen shaking their heads.

Later, after the meeting adjourned, one director was overheard complaining to the architect’s three-member team about its seeming lack of preparation.

Rabinowitz isn’t the only one who has raised flags over the geothermal system. Several directors themselves, as early as a year ago, expressed concerns about its cost, future maintenance, and reliability. Whether geothermal remains in the Ringing Rocks design would be determined in coming months, as the board begins bidding the project.

Rendering by Gilbert Architects for the Pottsgrove School District

Related (to Ringing Rocks Elementary School renovations):

• Pottsgrove, Archdiocese Still Discussing Pius Lease
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Discussion Set For Tonight
• In The Ringing Rebuild, Whither Pius?
• Ringing Rocks Relocation Plan: Modulars At MS
• Ringing Rocks Construction Cost Hearing Tonight
• Planners OK Ringing Rocks Land Sketch
• District Sets Dec. 3 Hearing On Rocks Budget
• Pottsgrove Asks State Help To Pay For Ringing Re-Build
• As School Opens, Progress On Ringing Rocks’ Project
• Surprise Enrollment Spurs Demographic Interest
• District Assembles Ringing Rocks Planning Team
• District OKs Architect Negotiations
• Consensus On Ringing Renovations: $16M
• Ringing Rocks Proposals Aired Tuesday
• Ringing Rocks Re-Examined April 14
• Pottsgrove To Trust-But-Verify On Ringing Plans
• Ringing Rocks Plans Take Another Step
• No Shortage Of Ideas At Pottsgrove Meeting
• Weigh In On Pottsgrove Renovations
• Framing The Rocks Discussion
• Response Mixed To Pottsgrove Improvements
• District Invites Public For Study Results
• A Different Rocks, But Only As A Concept

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ANOTHER 6-12 INCHES EXPECTED – Snowfall that began Thursday morning (Feb. 25, 2010) at about 4 a.m. was already accumulating by 7:30 in a thick and heavy coating atop branches of a tulip tree on North Sanatoga Road in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township. Weather forecasters predict as much as 12 inches of snow by Friday, when the current storm should end. Its greatest danger, however, may be winds Thursday afternoon and night of up to 60 mph.

There will be swing dancing Saturday at Sunnybrook. Dancers will probably be dressed somewhat more fashionably, though.

SANATOGA PA – Weekend activities for western Montgomery County residents (and anyone else!), Feb. 26-28, 2010:

• These events have been added to The Post calendar.

Friday, Feb. 26

“The Mousetrap,” a play based on the Agatha Christie novel, will be presented Friday, Feb. 26, and Saturday, Feb. 27, both at 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. – by Curtain Call, the drama community at Valley Forge Christian College, in the college’s Krempels Theater, 1401 Charlestown Rd., Phoenixville PA. General admission tickets cost $10; $5 for students, children and seniors. For more information or reservations, call 610-935-0450.

Ursinus College Theater will present Arthur Miller’s play “The Crucible” nightly from Feb. 24 (2010; Wednesday) through Feb. 27 (Saturday) at 7:30 in the Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Center’s Lenfest Theater on the college campus, Main Street, Collegeville PA. The performance will be directed by Beverly Redmond, assistant professor of theater and dance at Ursinus. General admission tickets are $5; $2 for students and senior citizens. For more information or to make a reservation, call 610-409-3795.

Saturday, Feb. 27

A day-long talent showcase titled “Embracing The Dream 2010,” which will collect donations to fund relief efforts in earthquake-stricken Haiti, will be staged Saturday, Feb. 27 (2010) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Hill School Center for the Performing Arts, Beech and Sheridan Streets, Pottstown PA.

An all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner, sponsored by Pottstown Boy Scout Troop 129, will be held Saturday (Feb. 27, 2010) from 4-7 p.m. in Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Hanover and Walnut Streets, Pottstown PA. The meal includes spaghetti and meatballs with sauce, a salad, choice of beverage (coffee, tea, or milk), and dessert. Tickets, which will be sold at the door, cost $7 for adults and $5 for senior citizens and children between the ages of 7 and 13. Children age 6 and younger will be served at no charge.

Swing dancers hit the floor Feb. 27 (2010, Saturday) at Sunnybrook Ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Rd., Pottstown PA, as the band Swing Fever plays. Tickets cost $19 in advance. The doors open at 8 p.m. A dinner option also is available at a cost of $43 per person. For more information, call 484-624-5186 or visit the ballroom’s website.

“The Mousetrap,” a play, in Phoenixville PA. See Friday.

“The Crucible,” a play, in Collegeville PA. See Friday.

Sunday, Feb. 28

Hundreds of brides-to-be (and probably their husbands-in-waiting as well) are expected to crowd into Sunnybrook Ballroom, 50 Sunnybrook Rd., Pottstown PA, Sunday (Feb. 28, 2010) from 1-5 p.m. to see an annual bridal show sponsored by The (Pottstown PA) Mercury newspaper. The day-long event allows brides, grooms, their parents and future in-laws to meet meet caterers, dress makers, florists, and entertainers, and gather helpful planning ideas. A $2 admission fee will be charged. Prize drawings will be held, and gifts awarded, during the event. For more information, call 484-624-5186 or visit the ballroom’s website.

Alan Morrison, one of the most sought-after American concert organists, and the organist of Ursinus College, will present a Heefner Organ Recital on Feb. 28 (2010; Sunday) at 4 p.m. in Bomberger Auditorium on the College campus, Main Street, Collegeville PA. The free event is open to the public.

“The Mousetrap,” a play, in Phoenixville PA. See Friday.

The Lower Pottsgrove Historical Society has scheduled its free monthly open house Sunday (Feb. 28, 2010) from 1-4 p.m. at the society’s headquarters and museum in the former Sanatoga Chapel, 2341 E. High St., Sanatoga. Society members will be on hand to greet visitors, and light refreshments will be available.

Photo from DJNewYorkCity.com

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NORRISTOWN PA – Montgomery County (PA) emergency dispatchers directed police units, firefighters and emergency medical responders within the past 24 hours to a variety of incidents. A selective list of their activity appears below.

The entries are taken from publicly available feeds supplied by the county Department of Public Safety. Feed content has been edited by The Post for relevance to readers in Lower Pottsgrove and Limerick PA townships, the borough of Pottstown, and surrounding municipalities. It consequently is incomplete and is not intended to be comprehensive.

In most cases, the entries can be read as:

1. Type of service (EMS = emergency medical services, Traffic = police, Fire = firefighters);
2. Type of incident (vehicle accident, etc.)
3. Location of incident (usually by closest intersection or landmark, and the name of the municipality)
4. Date and time of the incident (YYYY-MM-DD) @ (“at”) (HH:MM:SS) in military time format.

Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010

Traffic: Vehicle Accident Injuries
Rt422 & Troutman Rd Underpass; Upper Providence; 2010-02-25 @ 04:27:44;

EMS: Vehicle Accident
Rt422 & Troutman Rd Underpass; Upper Providence; 2010-02-25 @ 04:25:07;

EMS: Cardiac Emergency
Lynn Dr & N Adams St; Lower Pottsgrove; 2010-02-25 @ 02:47:41;

EMS: Fever
Black Rock Rd & S Trappe Rd; Upper Providence; 2010-02-25 @ 00:19:13;

EMS: Cva/stroke
Sycamore Ct; Upper Providence; 2010-02-25 @ 00:05:37;

Fire: Fire Alarm
Old Reading Pike & Schuylkill River Trl; West Pottsgrove; 2010-02-24 @ 23:50:45;

Traffic: Hazardous Road Conditions
Rt422 & S Trappe Rd Underpass; Upper Providence; 2010-02-24 @ 23:30:32;

EMS: Unknown Medical Emergency
Chestnut St & Gable Ave; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 22:45:05;

EMS: Seizures
Walnut St & N Charlotte St; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 19:58:25;

EMS: Cardiac Emergency
Sunrise Ln & Fancy Hill Rd; Berks County; 2010-02-24 @ 19:18:15;

Traffic: Disabled Vehicle
Rt422 & S Lewis Rd Underpass; Upper Providence; 2010-02-24 @ 18:40:22;

Traffic: Vehicle Accident
Philadelphia Ave & Williams Way; Douglass; 2010-02-24 @ 18:02:08;

Fire: Fire Investigation
Marshwood Dr & Old State Rd; Upper Providence; 2010-02-24 @ 17:39:16;

Fire: Building Fire
Walnut St & S Lewis Rd; Royersford; 2010-02-24 @ 17:36:43;

Fire: Fire Alarm
High St & S Bailey St; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 17:04:09;

Traffic: Vehicle Accident
Mingo Rd & Georgetowne Ct; Upper Providence; 2010-02-24 @ 16:56:17;

Traffic: Vehicle Accident
Harmonyville Rd & Chestnut Hill Rd; Chester County; 2010-02-24 @ 16:43:57;

EMS: Seizures
6th St & Honeysuckle Way; Pennsburg; 2010-02-24 @ 15:51:06;

Traffic: Vehicle Accident
Beech St & N Hanover St; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 15:32:56;

EMS: Hemorrhaging
Washington St; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 15:20:04;

EMS: Fall Victim
Spruce St & N 6th Ave; Royersford; 2010-02-24 @ 15:05:23;

EMS: Diabetic Emergency
Prison Rd; Skippack; 2010-02-24 @ 14:19:35;

EMS: Cardiac Emergency
Old Schuylkill Rd & E Schuylkill Rd; Chester County; 2010-02-24 @ 14:00:06;

Fire: Fire Alarm
Mill Rd; Upper Providence; 2010-02-24 @ 13:52:26;

Traffic: Vehicle Accident Injuries
3rd St & Johnson St; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 12:05:14;

Traffic: Vehicle Accident
E High St & Willow Rd; Lower Pottsgrove; 2010-02-24 @ 11:54:03;

EMS: Cardiac Emergency
High St & Penn St; Pottstown; 2010-02-24 @ 11:24:49;

Fire: Fire Alarm
2nd St & Silk Aly; Pennsburg; 2010-02-24 @ 10:50:17;

EMS: Respiratory Emergency
Church St & N 7th Ave; Royersford; 2010-02-24 @ 10:42:20;

EMS: Cardiac Emergency
Prison Rd; Skippack; 2010-02-24 @ 10:41:45;

EMS: Respiratory Emergency
Ottawa Ct; Skippack; 2010-02-24 @ 10:41:15;

EMS: Head Injury
Main St & W 9th Ave; Collegeville; 2010-02-24 @ 08:25:38;

Traffic: Disabled Vehicle
Holbrook Ln & Clarkdale Ln; New Hanover; 2010-02-24 @ 07:49:30;

EMS: Nausea/vomiting
Main Campus Dr & E 5th Ave; Collegeville; 2010-02-24 @ 05:59:07;

EMS: Respiratory Emergency
Reading Ave & E 5th St; Berks County; 2010-02-24 @ 04:46:06.

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