The Sanatoga Post

SANATOGA PA – Changes and tweaks made to the re-design of The Sanatoga Post, which made their debut during November 2010, won praise Monday (Jan. 17, 2011) from the company that originally designed the daily online news service’s new look and feel.

An international team of software developers that operates WooThemes, a South African-based company, this week added a link to The Post from its web-based clients’ showcase gallery. The gallery is intended to display how WooThemes’ customers adapt its products to novel uses.

The WooThemes Showcase now includes The Sanatoga Post.

What has become known as “The Post 2.0″ started as the purchase last year of a WooThemes template called “Gazette” by The Post Publications of Sanatoga PA. The template was then customized during a three-month period by other programmers in Pottstown PA to meet The Post‘s needs. WooThemes’ coders noted Monday that their design had been given “a different lick of paint and some TLC (tender loving care)” in making it work for The Post’s several thousand readers.

“We’re really proud of, and we thank, the group of local software and website pros with whom The Post worked to help make the Gazette template our own, as well as something special,” Managing Editor Joe Zlomek said. “Having WooThemes showcase their efforts is an honor.”

The Post was established online in August 2008, and re-launched last Nov. 15 with its new theme and a new web address. It has won acclaim from several online news publishing experts. Last year The Post Publications were chosen by a Reynolds Journalism Institute fellow as among the 14 best mini-sites in the U.S. for community news. The Post Publications is a member of the TriCounty Area Chamber of Commerce and the Tri-County Community Network.

The Post adds new story, photo, and video content daily, and continually updates its features. Within the past month alone it added new links to food blogs and local restaurants’ websites to its Food archive page; and installed user-friendly local gas price comparison and public transit planning applications to its Transportation archive page.

The Post Publications is again at work with Pottstown programmers to update the look and feel of its other websites – The Limerick (PA) Post, The Pottstown Post, and The Main Street Post – to mirror the Sanatoga edition. The first of those is expected to re-launch in 60 days.

To keep up with what The Post is doing in western Montgomery County PA, and to have its news articles delivered every morning in a single, easily read e-mail, click here.

WASHINGTON DC – Lower Pottsgrove‘s congressman, Rep. Charlie Dent (PA-15th District), was re-elected Wednesday (Jan. 19, 2011) as one of two co-chairpersons for the 112th Congress’ edition of The Tuesday Group, a caucus of House Republicans whose political philosophies are described as “center-right.” It’s Dent’s third term in the job; he was initially selected for the position at the start of the 110th Congress.

The Capitol in Washington D.C.

His fellow co-chair is Missouri Rep. Jo Ann Emerson.

“All of our members share the goal of developing and enacting common-sense policies that support economic growth, reduce the size of government and promote a strong national defense,” Dent said of The Tuesday Group.

Dent was first elected to the House in 2004. He is among the newest members of the House Appropriations Committee, and also chairs several other Congressional caucuses, including the Cement Caucus, Delaware River Basin Task Force, and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Caucus.

Photo from Google Images

SANATOGA PA – Comcast Corp., the nation’s largest cable television service provider and the soon-to-be new owner of broadcasting and film industry giant NBC Universal, picked up another small piece of business Thursday (Jan. 20, 2011) from Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township.

The Board of Commissioners, during its second meeting of the month in the municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA, voted unanimously to renew Lower Pottsgrove’s franchise agreement with Comcast for the next 12 years. Its previous deal was for only 10 years, but Manager Rodney Hawthorne said the township got a little something extra in return.

For starters, there’s money.

Comcast customers within the township serve as revenue sources in 21 different ways, Hawthorne said, because the company pays a variety of fees to Lower Pottsgrove for the privilege of selling its service here. Comcast’s 5-percent franchise fee payments to the township last year amounted to about $160,000. The percentage remains unchanged in the new contract.

However, Lower Pottsgrove will take in another $21,300 of new revenue in what Hawthorne called a “one-time grant” of $6 per subscriber to use as it sees fit. No potential use was announced Thursday.

The township also will receive an additional free cable television, Internet or telephone service connection at a location of its choosing; one connection is already supplied to the township Police Department. The new service, commissioners agreed, will be installed at the township maintenance building on North Pleasant View Road.

Comcast additionally guaranteed that equipment upgrades installed in neighboring municipalities would be put into Lower Pottsgrove as well on a timely basis, Hawthorne said, and it provided the township with a performance bond valued at $35,000 to guarantee it would meet its obligations.

Payments being made by Comcast are similar, on a percentage basis, to those being made by Verizon under its FiOS franchise agreement with the township, according to Solicitor R. Kurtz Holloway. Verizon’s agreement is for just 10 years.

Hawthorne has been responsible for franchise negotiations in past years. This time around, though, he urged commissioners to take advantage of talks between Comcast and several other municipalities statewide being conducted by the Cohen Law Group of Pittsburgh, a firm that specializes in telecommunications law, on behalf of the Montgomery County (PA) Consortium of Communities, of which the township is a member.

Board members declared themselves satisfied with the result.

Comcast formally heard Thursday from the Federal Communications Commission and the U.S. Department of Justice that its bid to acquire a majority ownership stake in NBC Universal, at a cost of $28 billion, had been approved with conditions.

Related:

• Township Approves 12-Year Comcast Franchise Deal
• Chief Complaint About Comcast: Its Cost
• Got An Opinion About Comcast? Sound Off Thursday
• Township Pays More For Contract Help
• Township Dues Investment Already Paying Off
• Township Interested In Cable Group
• Township Signs TV Deal With Verizon
• Proposed Deal Bringing Verizon Fios Here
• Verizon Negotiating For Franchise Here

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ meeting of Jan. 20):

• Township Approves 12-Year Comcast Franchise Deal
• Potential Conflict Causes Township Solicitor To Opt Out
• All Signs Point To More Township Signage Talk Tonight

SANATOGA PA – Attorney and Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township resident R. Kurtz Holloway, who serves as township solicitor, is going to sit this one out.

Solicitor R. Kurtz Holloway during an earlier Lower Pottsgrove board meeting.

Holloway, a partner in the Pottstown PA law firm of Wells Hoffman Holloway and Stauffer LLP, declared Thursday (Jan. 20, 2011) he has a conflict of interest in what is expected to be an otherwise relatively routine land development request to be presented in coming months to the Board of Commissioners. As a result, Holloway told board members, he will decline to represent either the township or the developers in the matter.

Holloway identified the developers as Smith Lignelli LLC, which hopes to build medical offices on land at the west side of Heritage Drive in Sanatoga village, across the street from Cappelletti Pinter and Co. The developers include physicians of Pottstown Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Associates Inc., whom Holloway said his “practice previously represented.”

Because much of the legal and development application work in the professional office complex on Heritage Drive was accepted and approved by commissioners in years past, township Assistant Manager Alyson Elliott confirmed, Holloway believes the Smith Lignelli application is likely to require “relatively minor legal services” on Lower Pottsgrove’s behalf.

“I’ll know more as their application moves toward the end of the process” and is reviewed by township staff and the Planning Commission, Holloway noted. That’s when he anticipates he can recommend special legal counsel – in effect, a substitute solicitor – to handle the township’s needs.

Commissioners acknowledged the conflict, thanked Holloway, and said they would await more information.

“Of course, we can pick whoever we want to be the alternative counsel,” said board President Jonathan Spadt, a lawyer himself, “but it probably would be good to take the advice of our own solicitor on a recommendation,” he added.

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ meeting of Jan. 20):

• Potential Conflict Causes Township Solicitor To Opt Out
• All Signs Point To More Township Signage Talk Tonight

Charlie Dent

WASHINGTON DC – In an attempt to fulfill a campaign promise made late last year members of the U.S. House of Representatives, including Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township’s Republican congressman Charlie Dent (PA-15th District), voted Wednesday (Jan. 19, 2011) to repeal the health care law advocated by President Barack Obama and passed during 2010.

The vote was seen largely as symbolic, because leadership in the Democrat-controlled U.S. Senate said it would not consider similar legislation. Consequently, a repeal is unlikely to become law. Dent said he was undeterred.

“The misguided health care law … is seriously flawed in its structure and practical implementation,” he claimed. It “raises health care costs for most Americans, increases spending by state and federal governments, jeopardizes the coverage of those who are happy with their current plan, and stifles needed economic growth.” In its place, Dent added he would support House efforts for “effective reforms that will lower health care costs, expand access to affordable insurance coverage and foster job growth.”

By Dr. Stephen Tai
of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center

We’ve all experienced the discomfort of stubborn water remaining in the ear after a dip in the pool or a shower, a ringing sensation after attending a loud sporting event or a concert, or the sudden sensation of the room spinning, after standing up too quickly.

Our ears are made of tiny bones, passages and structures that not only control our hearing, but also our sense of balance and equilibrium. This delicate, intricate system can be thrown out of whack by many things: a cold, an infection, medication or an injury.

The three parts of the ear – outer, middle and inner ear – are all used in hearing. The outer and middle ear conduct sound waves, while the inner ear creates and sends the nerve impulses to the brain, where they are recognized as sounds. The inner ear also controls balance, which is why disorders of this part of the ear are particularly troublesome and can impact quality of life.

A common problem that affects more than 50 million Americans is tinnitus. With tinnitus, an abnormal ear noise such as roaring or ringing is heard in the ear. The noise has nothing to do with actual sound waves in the ear, but rather, is a “phantom” sound that’s heard either intermittently or all the time. It can develop in the outer, middle or inner ear, and it can affect hearing and balance too.

Tinnitus is challenging to diagnose and treat. It can be caused by many things, and is generally a symptom of an underlying condition like damage to the inner ear by illness, injury or abnormal tissue growth.

Tinnitus can occur in one or both ears. The phantom sound can be constant or occur in episodes, and can be accompanied by vertigo, a spinning sensation or loss of balance. The condition can be caused by excess fluid, infection, disease of the middle ear bones or ear drum, advancing age, loud noise exposure, or medication.

There are more than 200 medications – over-the-counter and prescription drugs – known to cause balance disorders. Sometimes, discontinuing the medication will reverse hearing and balance problems, but permanent damage is possible.

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, tinnitus can be brought on by a variety of conditions, including impacted wax in the outer ear, an ear infection, middle ear tumors, vascular problems (circulation disorders), noise-induced hearing loss, heart problems, TMJ (chronic inflammation of the jaw), auditory nerve tumors, epilepsy, or Meniere’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear in which inner ear fluid is not properly regulated.

Unfortunately, for many tinnitus cases, there is no known cause or cure. Often, tinnitus goes away on its own, but if it persists untreated it can cause permanent ear noise and disability. Balance issues, an associated symptom, are difficult to manage. While the human body can learn to adapt to reduced balance control, it’s important to see a doctor, because compromised balance can lead to other problems, particularly in seniors who are prone to falls and injuries.

Dr. Stephen Tai

The first step in treating tinnitus is a medical evaluation by your doctor, an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist, or an audiologist, if hearing loss is suspected. Other diagnostic tests may include an MRI or CT scan to rule out the small possibility of a tumor on the balance or hearing nerve. Your doctor can locate the cause and recommend medical or surgical treatment, or suggest methods to alleviate tinnitus symptoms, if no identifiable cause can be found.

Tinnitus can also be treated with medication and lifestyle changes. Some specialists suggest niacin to reduce tinnitus. Others suggest limiting salt intake, protecting the ears with earplugs in loud environments, avoiding stimulants like caffeine and nicotine, and regular exercise. Biofeedback, hypnosis, electrical stimulation, and relaxation therapy have also proven beneficial for some tinnitus patients.

Editor’s Note: Dr. Stephen Tai is a member of the otolaryngology medical staff in the department of surgery at Pottstown Memorial Medical Center. He is a graduate of Jefferson Medical College. Tai’s surgical internship and otolaryngology residency programs were completed at the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center. He is in practice with Broker Cramer and Swanson, 5 S. Sunnybrook Rd., Pottstown PA.

Vincent Raffeo

LIMERICK PA – Vincent B. Raffeo of North Coventry PA, a long-time banking business development officer in Montgomery, Berks and Chester counties, has been named to a similar position with The Victory Bank, 548 N. Lewis Rd., Limerick PA, the bank announced Tuesday (Jan. 18, 2011).

Raffeo most recently served for 12 years in business development at National Penn Bank. He is a property developer and manager, and was recently honored with The Golden Brush award by the Collegeville (PA) Main Street Program Design Committee for his work in maintaining, renovating and updating his Collegeville property.

Raffeo attended Ursinus College and has taken Dale Carnegie courses. He is a member of the Collegeville Rotary Club, where he served as past president. In addition, Raffeo is a volunteer for the Montgomery County Youth Panel, a board member for the Visiting Nurses Association, and volunteer for financial counseling services offered by the Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE).

SANATOGA PA – They flash. They blink. They scroll. They wink. They light up the darkness. And tonight (Thursday, Jan. 20, 2011), computerized electronic signs of all kinds and sizes are scheduled to prompt what could be an extended philosophical discussion among members of the Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township Board of Commissioners.

Lamar's existing signs on Porter Road, as seen from the westbound lane of U.S. Route 422.

On its agenda when the board meets at 7 p.m. in the municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA, is further consideration of an application by a Reading PA company, Lamar Advertising of Penn LLC, to erect a large highway billboard on Porter Road that displays “electronic changeable message faces.”

Lamar has already announced its intent to legally challenge the board’s decision three years ago to limit the size, shape and intensity of electronic signage. It was set to take the first step in its fight last month, during a township Zoning Board of Appeals hearing, but both sides agreed to delay that confrontation and continue talking.

The scope of the discussion has grown since. Two other businesses located within the township are known to want such signs as well, and other requests seem likely to follow. Commissioners must eventually decide whether they want to continue to restrict signage, which some critics contend contribute to a community’s visual blight, or whether they should be more business-friendly and change their minds.

Also scheduled tonight are:

• Potential approval of a fire insurance escrow act that could help Lower Pottsgrove collect overdue taxes and fines from the proceeds of fire insurance settlements;

• Consideration of a new cable television franchise agreement between the township and Comcast Corp., negotiated at the board’s request by a third-party organization on behalf of Lower Pottsgrove and other townships; and

• A request for the appointment of special counsel in a proposed land development project.

A copy of the board agenda is been available for download from the township’s website, here.

Related:

• All Signs Point To More Township Signage Talk Tonight
• Anticipated Township Billboard Battle Gets A Reprieve
• Legal Fight Shapes Up Over Signs In Lower Pottsgrove
• Advertisers Propose Colorful, Electronic Sign In Township

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ meeting of Jan. 20):

• All Signs Point To More Township Signage Talk Tonight

A composite illustration from Valtech Corp. showing how one of its adhesives is applied.

POTTSTOWN PA – A global manufacturer of specialty chemicals, founded in 1989 and located in Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township, has positioned itself to take advantage of rapidly growing Asian markets for its products related to solar energy production.

Valtech Corp., 2113 Sanatoga Station Rd., Pottstown PA, recently announced it had opened a facility in Shanghai, China, to manufacture “specialty adhesives and wafer-cleaning chemistries” used primarily in the creation of solar and semiconductor wafers. The 2,200-square-meter facility in the Fengxian Shanghai Chemical Industrial Park represents “a significant milestone” for Valtech and its commitment in Asia, the company said at its website.

China’s rising prominence in solar energy production is in the news this week as that country’s president, Hu Jintao, visits Washington for meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama and other dignitaries. Hu was the featured guest Wednesday night (Jan. 19, 2011) at only the third state dinner of Obama’s presidency.

Trade discussions and the value of China’s currency top the leaders’ discussion agendas all week. Meanwhile an accompanying Chinese business delegation, led by China’s vice commerce minister, on Monday (Jan. 17) began announcing the first of what could amount to $45 billion in deals with U.S. companies; some are solar-related.

Chinese President Hu Jintao left, is meeting this week with U.S. President Barack Obama, primarily to discuss trade.

China had little if any solar manufacturing capacity 10 years ago, according to a Reuters News Service article published Monday. Now, however, thanks primarily to what Reuters characterized as “generous subsidies” from their government, Chinese manufacturers “control two thirds of solar cell production in the $39 billion global market” for photovoltaic (PV) hardware that makes solar energy possible. China’s Suntech Power Holdings is the world’s largest maker of PV solar modules, Reuters reported.

Valtech‘s China venture, which opened Sept. 14 (2010), brings its products closer to that booming base of potential customers.

Valtech, under the brand name “Valtron,” makes a variety of heat-sensitive epoxy adhesives that allow manufacturers to position and hold in place ingots of solar wafer material so they can be precisely squared and cut. It also makes molded polymers used in PV slicing, as well as concentrated liquid detergents used in ultrasonic bath and surface spray treatments to thoroughly clean solar wafers.

The company is ISO 9001:2000 certified, which means it has met a series of quality management standards created by the International Organization for Standardization. Manufacturing customers often seek it or similar certifications as an indication that a vendor will offer consistently reliable goods and services.

Valtech already has marketing agreements with product sellers in Southeast Asia, China, the Philippines, Europe, Japan, India, Taiwan and Korea, and it’s looking to further broaden its trade base. Beginning Saturday (Jan. 22), Valtech representatives are scheduled to spend five days drumming up business at a San Francisco CA conference called Photonics West.

Shanghai’s Fengxian district chemical industrial park, where Valtech’s new plant is located, is promoted by Shanghai’s municipal government as an “energetic world-class chemical hub with advanced technology, massive exports and massive economic return.”

Illustration from Valtech Corp., photo from Xinhua

LIMERICK PA – Employees at Exelon Nuclear‘s Limerick Generating Station (LGS) increased their total annual contribution to the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania by 32 percent during 2010, compared to the previous year, and raised slightly more than $133,000 for the consortium of non-profit agencies, Exelon spokesman Joseph Szafran reported earlier this month (Jan. 3, 2011).

“Exelon Nuclear Limerick’s campaign was an unbelievable accomplishment,” said Jill Michal, chief executive officer of United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania. “A 30-percent increase in this economy is a testament to the heart and soul of that organization. Then again, we’re talking about a company that has consistently shown its generosity and spirit in many volunteer activities, in previous campaigns, and more … that’s what makes them a great partner.”

LGS employees contribute to the United Way each year by making either a one-time donation or committing a percentage of their pay check each month to its campaign. Additionally, an employee-run United Way committee schedules several fund-raising events during the annual campaign; in 2010, employees competed in a chili cook-off and wing-eating contest, which helped raised an additional $1,000.

“The United Way has touched the lives of many of our families, neighbors and friends in times of need,” said Bill Maguire, LGS site vice president. “We’re thankful we have the opportunity to give back to those who do so much for so many others.”

Illustration from the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania website