The Sanatoga Post

POTTSTOWN PA – The big St. Patrick’s Day parties of yesterday (Thursday, March 17) are over now, although some celebrating will continue through the weekend. Maybe you brought home corned beef and cabbage from a meal enjoyed at The Brookside Restaurant in Lower Pottsgrove, or The Pourhouse in Pottstown PA, or from the annual Irish Wake at the Bally Hotel in Bally PA. And maybe that dish is looking a little less festive today than when it was served.

Home-made corned beef hash from leftovers, at the Manna And Quail blog.

Don’t waste such fine leftovers, the Manna And Quail blog urges. They’ll make a great second-day meal … as homemade corned beef hash, for instance. The blog features two appetizing leftover surprises in a beautifully photographed article titled “Happy Corned Beef Day,” marking the dining holiday that follows St. Patrick’s blow-outs.

Manna And Quail is among the foodie blogs featured daily in The Sanatoga Post’s “Today’s Best Dishes From FoodPress” column on its Food Archive page. Literally dozens of new and exciting recipes by the nation’s best food writers and cooks appear there each day. If you’re into cooking and life in the kitchen, you’ll want to bookmark it.

• Find our “Today’s Best Dishes From FoodPress” links in the bottom-right corner of The Post food page, here.

Photo by Laura at Manna And Quail

“TIMELESS LOVE STORY” CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY – Pottsgrove High School students who are members of the cast in the musical “Aida” filled the stage Thursday night (March 17, 2011) in its Radel Auditorium, and filled the air with their renditions of well-known songs written by Elton John and Tim Rice. The opening night performance drew an appreciative and enthusiastic audience. Two more shows are scheduled for this weekend. Tickets cost $8 for adults, and $6 for students and seniors, and are available at the door, 1345 Kauffman Rd., Pottstown PA, for performances that begin tonight (Friday, March 18) and Saturday (March 19) at 7:30 p.m.

Peg Calvario

POTTSTOWN PA – Local entrepreneur and Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township resident Peg Calvario recently launched a new professional coaching and consulting business, in which she offers personal life coaching, mentoring, and training programs intended to empower and engage leaders, health care professionals and organizations to achieve personal and professional results.

Her company, PegCalvario LLC, sprang from her “real life experience, and exemplifies how a transitional event can be the catalyst for creating real impact,” she said Wednesday (March 16, 2011). Calvario’s daughter Jodi was diagnosed with cancer in 2003 and later died from the disease. A personal, and then, professional blog grew from the loss of Jodi, who her mother said “consistently inspired others to be more than they thought they could be.”

The blog, titled “Letters To Jodi,” now seeks to “inspire readers to live large, embracing life and love to the fullest, even in the face of adversity,” Calvario said. It also is one of several components of Calvario’s presentations to and workshops for corporate, health care, business, women and cancer groups. Calvario secured her training and certification with The Coaches Training Institute in June 2010.

She serves on the Patient and Family Advisory Council of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, and also is a member of the International Coaches Federation, the Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce, and the Professional Women’s Roundtable.

For more information, visit Calvario’s website, here, or call 610-310-5433.

POTTSTOWN PA – U.S. Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Antonio Rivera, a 2002 graduate of Pottstown High School, is returning stateside after a deployment to Iraq.

Rivera will be flown into Joint Base Dix-McGuire-Lakehurst NJ for debriefing, evaluations and out-processing procedures before returning to his regular National Guard unit, the 228th Engineer Company based in Spring City PA, according to the Joint Hometown News Service.

The sergeant is a combat engineer with 10 years of military service.

BALL FIELD MAINTENANCE UNDER WAY – Mounds of earthen material (above) were found piled high Thursday afternoon (March 17, 2011) on the ball fields at Limerick (PA) Township Community Park, Swamp Pike and Ziegler Road, Limerick PA, as the its Parks and Recreation crew begins its final push to ensure the fields and park as a whole are ready for their grand re-opening during the first weekend of April (2011). The park’s restrooms and many of its facilities have been closed for what seemed to be an almost interminable winter season. Its Manderach Memorial Playground remains open, however, during regular park hours except for the first Monday of each month, when maintenance is conducted between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Thanks to vigorous fund-raising by the parks department and local volunteers, and a $3,225 loan unanimously authorized Tuesday (March 15) by the township Board of Supervisors, the park also will benefit before June from the installation of Biggo Duo swings (left) geared toward children ages 5-12. Supervisors praised the department and Director Karen Hegedus for its work.

Lower Pottsgrove's municipal building.

SANATOGA PA – A review of the annual municipal audit, as well as audits of the Sanatoga and Ringing Hill fire companies, is on the agenda for discussion during tonight’s (Thursday, March 17, 2011) meeting of the Lower Pottsgrove (PA) Township Board of Commissioners, scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. in the municipal building, 2199 Buchert Rd., Pottstown PA.

The meeting is open to the public. A copy of the board agenda is available for download from the township website, here.

Related (to the Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners’ March 17 meeting):

• Audit Reviews On Commissioners’ Agenda Tonight

POTTSTOWN PA – Although the Pottsgrove School District and its teachers’ bargaining unit are in only the initial stages of negotiation for a new labor agreement, developments Wednesday (March 16, 2011) and last week may impact the discussions and what both have to say.

The president of the 191,000-member Pennsylvania State Education Association (PSEA), of which the Pottsgrove Federation of Teachers is a part, on Wednesday asked his union locals to “seriously consider” a one-year pay freeze called for by Gov. Tom Corbett last week in his state budget.

PSEA President James Testerman said he encouraged teachers to talk “with their school boards about a pay freeze or other cost-saving measures to maintain class sizes and academic programs.”

Corbett’s budget proposes deep and broad cuts in state funding for school districts and public colleges and universities. The governor suggested teachers could help districts and possibly save jobs by accepting a pay freeze. In what some observers say is a potentially risky move for Testerman, he endorsed the idea and said his union realizes “tough economic times have hit many of our public school districts.”

• If Corbett’s cuts are enacted, Pennsylvania universities say they will reduce programs and lay off staff members, rather than simply raise tuition to bridge the revenue gap. Read a story on that topic published in today’s edition of The Pennsylvania Independent online news service, here.

In Pottsgrove, particularly, calls for teachers to forgo a salary increase over 12 months are somewhat ironic. The same suggestion was made a year ago by Pottsgrove Board of School Directors‘ President Michael Neiffer, as board members wrestled with property tax rate increases while facing a dire local economy and rising district expenses. Neiffer’s request was, at the time, ignored by the Federation.

Testerman’s suggestion is not binding on any local, and individual units are free to negotiate as they see fit. To that end, both the Federation and the school board have privately planned their bargaining strategies. Pottsgrove directors held an executive session regarding negotiations after their meeting last week (Tuesday, March 8). Sources say Federation work groups have similarly met recently.

The Testerman announcement certainly attracted interest, too, among volunteer members of the Pottsgrove Community Budget Task Force. They were scheduled to meet again Wednesday night at Pottsgrove High School, as they worked to fulfill a school board request to find up to $6 million in district cost reductions or new revenues over the next three or more years.

Pottsgrove’s preliminary 2011-2012 budget of $58.5 million currently includes an estimated deficit of about $2 million, if the governor’s proposed cuts are included, according to district Business Administrator David Nester.

Testerman’s announcement, not surprisingly, found favor with the Pennsylvania School Boards Association (PSBA) of which Pottsgrove directors are a part. “We commend PSEA for calling on its members to work with school boards to address the serious financial issues facing school districts,” said PSBA Executive Director Thomas Gentzel.

Related (to Pottsgrove School District labor negotiations):

• Pay Freeze Endorsed As Pottsgrove Labor Talks Start
• Negotiations Between Teachers, Pottsgrove Officially Begun
• The Question(s) Facing Pottsgrove’s Coming Labor Talks
• Personnel Actions Affect 40+ Pottsgrove Schools Workers
• School Board Discusses Negotiations In Exec Session
• Labor Contract Planning Prompts Pottsgrove Closed Session

Related (to the Pottsgrove School District 2011-2012 budget):

• Pay Freeze Endorsed As Pottsgrove Labor Talks Start
• Pottsgrove High Protesters Exercise Art Of Compromise
• Pottsgrove’s Landis Distributes State Fund Comparison
• Pottsgrove Budget Deficit Balloons With Gov’s Proposal
• MCIU Budgets On Pottsgrove Schools Agenda Tonight
• PA House OKs ‘Cut And Replace’ On Education Funding
• Idea: Other Local Schools Consider Extracurricular Fees
• Idea: Pottsgrove Might Prosper With Own Charter School
• Pooling Resources Could Save Pottsgrove On Special Ed
• Like Pottsgrove Task Force, Outsiders Weigh Cost Vs. Value
• Task Force Crowd Packs Into Pottsgrove For First Session
• School Budget Task Force Kicks Off Its Work Tonight
• Does Western PA School Tax Uprising Foretell Mood Here?
• Pottsgrove Schools Budget Short Another $400,000
• Pottsgrove, As Expected, Adopts Budget First Draft
• Pottsgrove Tentative Budget Adoption Expected
• Weather Postpones Pottsgrove Budget Meeting
• Still Time In Pottsgrove For Budget Volunteers To Enlist
• Challenge To Pottsgrove Budget Advisers: 10 Percent
• Best Guesses, Deficit Launch Pottsgrove Budget Season
• Senate Education Chair Preps For Voucher, Choice Battle
• School Board Questions Pottsgrove Recreation Costs
• Pension Reform Vote Could Benefit Pottsgrove, Others
• Notebook Worthy: News Reporters Made News Tuesday
• Pottsgrove Isn’t Waiting In Search For Budget Volunteers
• If You’ve Got A Budget Idea, Pottsgrove Says It’ll Listen
• Pottsgrove Seeks More Public Input On District Budget

POTTSTOWN PA – The phys-ed pride of Pottsgrove Middle School, teacher Marilyn Eaton, has been selected as one of several finalists in the National Football League‘s “Physical Education Teacher of the Year” competition, Pottsgrove School District spokeswoman Beth Trapani reported late Wednesday afternoon (March 16, 2011).

Teacher Marilyn Eaton

Eaton has already won state and local honors as an architect of the two-year “Fuel Up To Play 60″ efforts at the school, North Hanover Street, Pottstown PA, to keep students healthy, fit, and exercising at least 60 minutes every day. Now she will vie with a handful of other similarly honored teachers from across the country to be recognized with the national award. The Fuel Up program is sponsored by the NFL and the National Dairy Council.

If named as the league’s top teacher, Eaton would win a $10,000 stipend, a $10,000 companion grant for the school’s physical education program, an expenses-paid trip to the NFL Draft scheduled for April 28-30 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and be asked to serve as an NFL Network spokesperson during 2011.

The NFL says it will announce its winner next month. Until then, according to Trapani, Eaton and the other contenders face “an extensive interview and application process.”

Pottsgrove students and faculty members have reveled in, and also benefited from, Eaton’s success and the attention given to their Fuel Up efforts. The middle school was recognized as having one of the best such programs in Pennsylvania, and won a day-long visit to the school during February by Philadelphia Eagles tight end Brent Celek.

Eaton also won an expenses-paid trip to the NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii.

Related:

• Pottsgrove MS Teacher Eaton A ‘Fuel Up’ Finalist
• Pottsgrove Teacher Nominated For NFL Network Prize
• Pottsgrove Grads Rock Its Middle School
• Pottsgrove ‘Fuel Up’ Program Wins State, National Fame
• NFL Program Attracts Pottsgrove MS Interest For 2nd Year

POTTSTOWN PA – Joseph D. Browne, a Pottstown resident heavily involved as a volunteer in several local organizations, has been selected as “Citizen of the Year” by Pottstown Elks Lodge 814, lodge representative Catherine A. McDevitt announced Wednesday (March 16, 2011).

Joseph Browne

Browne, of North Mount Vernon Street, Pottstown PA, was chosen for his efforts with St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Church of Pottstown, the Montgomery County chapter of Habitat for Humanity, and the Tri-County Performing Arts Center in Pottstown, McDevitt said. The lodge honor is annually bestowed upon one person, not a member of the Elks, whom the fraternal organization believes has done exemplary community work.

Browne was presented with an award during an annual banquet earlier this month (March 2, 2011) at the lodge, 61 High St., Pottstown. Also honored was lodge member Neil Gazzillo as “Elk of the Year,” for what McDevitt described as his “tireless dedication to (the lodge’s) charitable efforts, including volunteering with (its) monthly Home Services Breakfast and Veteran’s committees.”

Kim Barrett was named “Lodge Officer of the Year” for her achievement in publishing its state award-winning newsletter.

The banquet’s featured speaker was Pottsgrove High School football coach Rick Pennypacker.

Photo from the Pottstown Elks Lodge

SANATOGA PA – Constant Contact Inc., a Waltham MA-based provider of e-mail distribution services to more than 400,000 businesses, on Wednesday (March 16, 2011) named The Sanatoga Post and The Post Publications network as one of its 2010 All Stars. The honor is bestowed upon companies that consistently follow ethical e-mailing practices while enjoying high rates of recipient participation.

The Post has relied on Constant Contact since 2008 to deliver its daily headlines newsletter by e-mail, while giving readers the opportunity to take (“opt-in for”) or drop (“opt-out from”) the newsletter at any time, no questions asked. Constant Contact also employs strict delivery and anti-spamming rules to ensure readers’ e-mail addresses remain private.

As of Wednesday, the service had delivered more than 87,000 e-mails on The Post’s behalf.

• Not yet a Post subscriber? Don’t hesitate; the headline newsletter is free, and it takes only seconds to sign up! It’s so private, we don’t even ask for your name. Click here to get started.

Constant Contact also reported The Post’s rates for e-mail “opens” (representing messages actually read by recipients) and “click-throughs” (the number of embedded links readers clicked on to see content) were three to four times higher than publishing industry averages.

“Obviously, we’re honored by Constant Contact’s attention,” Post Managing Editor Joe Zlomek said. “It’s been clear from the launch of The Post that readers wanted the news we offered. And when we began the e-mail headline newsletter, readers also made clear it would be refused if it couldn’t be trusted, or if their privacy was violated. We’re happy to fulfill our promises on all counts.”

Fortunately, Zlomek noted, advertiser interest has followed reader interest. Since The Sanatoga Post began accepting advertising in November 2010, its number of advertising clients, the number of ads served, and the click-through rate for advertising response all have climbed monthly. “We’re pleased to be able to satisfy our sponsors too,” he said.