New Ocean City, NJ Bridge Is A Massive Marvel Of Concrete

Kites on the Ocean City, New Jersey beach at 12th Street (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Along with the usual water ice, greasy pizza, and tubes of sunscreen, the unofficial first weekend of summer was marked by a new arrival this year at the Jersey Shore: 175,000 cubic yards of concrete.

It didn’t arrive all at once, of course, but the concrete — the Route 52 causeway bridge — is now a finished product and represents a major feat of engineering. The bridge stretches more than two miles from Somers Point on the mainland to the barrier island of Ocean City, able to accommodate 40,000 cars a day.

The construction techniques to erect such a structure have long been standard in the industry, one of them tracing its roots to a historic 1950 overpass in Philadelphia. But the sheer scope of this new bridge, a $400 million project overseen by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, was unusual.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20120528_Ocean_City_NJ_bridge_is_a_massive_marvel_of_concrete.html#ixzz1wBREo46S
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Community Hub Resumes In Lancaster City

Eastern Market launches 7th season Saturday

 

Lancaster city’s Eastern Market serves many roles.

The seasonal market is intended to get fresh, locally grown produce to residents of the low-income East King Street neighborhood. It also serves as a business incubator for upstart entrepreneurs, as a community hub and as part of an initiative to promote a sustainable urban lifestyle.

Saturday, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., the market begins its seventh season working to meet those goals.

Under the shadow of the former market house, now home of Tabor Community Services, the market will occupy the plaza at 308 E. King St.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/655998_Community-hub-resumes-in-Lancaster-city.html

Some Reading Neighbors, Officials Leery Of Liquor License At Perkiomen Avenue Site

The owner of the planned Shop Smart Buy Smarter grocery has spent more than $1 million on the building at 1626 Perkiomen Ave. and wants to open a 38-seat restaurant that’s in the same building but separate from the store.

To do that, state law says he needs City Council’s OK to transfer an out-of-town liquor license to the restaurant.

But city officials and neighbors told council at a hearing Wednesday that they don’t need yet another liquor outlet in the area that’s already got plenty of taverns.

Council plans a vote on the measure May 29.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/Article.aspx?id=385287

Collegeville Farmers Market Gets A Jump On Second Season

COLLEGEVILLE, PA - Is one of your favorite days of the year the day the farmers’ markets open for the season?

Much-needed relief from a long, up-and-down winter will be sent on Saturday, with predicted temperatures in the 80s and, more importantly, the opening of the Collegeville Farmers’ Market.

Helping CFM launch its second season are returning vendors like the ever-popular gelato folks (Jenny & Frank’s) and first-of-the-season veggies – lettuce, swiss chard and the like – from Down Home Acres in Fleetwood.

Hand-crafted gifts, locally grown and produced artisan foods, activities for the entire family, and the music of Kendal Conrad round out the market’s 2012 debut.

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-times-herald/story/collegeville-farmers-market-gets-jump-second-season/1

America’s Least-Favorite Supermarkets

Editor’s note:  This is SPOT ON!  There are a number of Pennsylvania grocery store chains on the list that you will recognize instantly:

The biggest complaint: too few open checkouts, followed by crowded or dirty aisles.

Shoppers were surveyed on four categories: service (including employee courtesy and checkout speed); perishables (food quality); price and cleanliness.

The highest-rated supermarket chain was Wegmans Food Markets, headquartered in Rochester, N.Y., and operating 75 stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia and Maryland.

Read more to see the wall of shame: http://money.msn.com/investment-advice/americas-least-favorite-supermarkets

West Reading Baker Wins TV Food Network’s Cupcake Wars

Logo for Food Network (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Last night, Ady Cakes, LLC of West Reading won the TV Food Network‘s Cupcake Wars!  Congratulations!

Here’s a little information about Ady Cakes from their website:

“We are a locally owned Custom Cake & Cupcake Shop situated in the heart of West Reading in business since 2007. We offer many elegant designs from which to choose, and we also specialize in working with you to create a completely new design with your own personality, ideas and flair.

We will guide you in selecting a cake that suits your personal style and budget and above all, we promise to deliver a fresh, delicious, cake that tastes as good as it looks. 

Our business is fully licensed by the State of Pennsylvania and a proud member of the International Cakes Exploration Societe (ICES). “

Ady Cakes, LLC is located at 631 Penn Avenue, West Reading, PA.  You can contact them the following ways:

Voice:  (610) 898-4064

Internet: Info@adycakes.com or Cakeorder@adycakes.com

Website: http://www.adycakes.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AdyCakesLLC

There are many pictures on the website and Facebook for your enjoyment!   The bakery hours and other information about ordering and payment are found on their website for your convenience!

Here is an article from today’s Reading Eagle:

Ady Abreu was hard at work in her West Reading bakery Monday morning, just hours after celebrating her “Cupcake Wars” victory at a party held in her honor at Viva Bistro & Tapas Lounge in Wyomissing.

Normally closed on Mondays, Ady’s Cakes opened during the afternoon with a special offering – a four-pack containing one cupcake of each flavor that she created for “Cupcake Wars,” a Food Network baking-competition show.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=384705

King Of Prussia Wegmans To Open Its Doors Sunday

Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA - “Didn’t there used to be a golf course here?”

There was a gleam in Danny Wegman‘s eye as he cracked a joke, standing on the spot where he and a lot of other folks literally made the earth move – after 16 years of hitches and hurdles.

At a sneak peak of the freshly constructed Wegmans market at 1 Village Drive on Thursday, the company’s amiable CEO said he could hardly believe that his namesake 80th store was three days away from opening in King of Prussia.

The Rochester, N.Y. native recalled how excited his dad, Robert Wegman, was when he first got a glimpse of the North Gulph Road property – then the home of Valley Forge Golf Club – all those years ago.

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-times-herald/story/king-prussia-wegmans-open-its-doors-sunday/1

Pottstown Walmart Supercenter Taking Shape

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN, PA  - By the end of summer, the Pottstown Walmart store is going to be a whole lot bigger.

In fact, it’s going to be super.

For the past four months, construction crews have been working on the expansion of the Walmart store in the Pottstown Center, Route 100 and Shoemaker Road, into a Supercenter. In addition to work being done inside and outside the store to grow the Walmart by 55,000 square feet into a SuperCenter - basically a Walmart that includes a full grocery store – the shopping center’s parking lot is also under construction.

That will mean 55,000 square feet of new construction will be added to Pottstown’s tax rolls after the property is reassessed when the construction is complete.

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-times-herald/story/pottstown-walmart-supercenter-taking-shape-3/1

The Three Statistics That Every Downtown Should Live By

Editor’s note:  This is phenomenal advice for all downtown shopping districts and their umbrella organizations i.e. Pottstown Downtown Improvement District Authority.

Lancaster and its James Street Improvement District are prime examples of living by these three simple rules!  I suggest a field trip for any struggling downtown merchants or downtown organizations who want to see what is possible!

I call this the 7-8-7 rule because of the three most important statistics that make a downtown a successful and vibrant destination. Think of your favorite destination downtowns. Are they beautiful? Do they feel safe? Are there things to do after 6:00 pm?

Read more: http://www.rogerbrooks.org/2012/04/30/the-three-downtown-statistics/

Shop Smart. Buy Local. Shop Pottstown!

Sustainable communities thrive on local support.

 Think community first, and buy locally.

 Say “Yes” to creating thriving small businesses and buy locally.

 The Shop Smart. Buy Local. Shop Pottstown Initiative is open to all employees of the Pottstown School District.

 The Shop Smart. Buy Local. Shop Pottstown Dates are Wednesday, 5/1 to Thursday, 5/31

 Map of downtown merchants, list of names, addresses & hours is included so you have everything at your fingertips to shop & buy local!

 Each merchant will place a sticker on your receipt for every purchase made for the initiative – be sure to ask for this!

 Save stickered receipts and drop them into the jar located in your school’s office.

 Each week, we will tally the total dollar value of the receipts and there will be a graph in the office so you can track your progress and check out how you’re doing against the competition!

 During the month of May the five Pottstown elementary schools will be competing against one another, and the Pottstown High School, Middle School and Administration will be competing against each other to win:

 The first school to spend $250 wins their staff a Buy Local insulated Lunch Bag!

 Students of winning schools – no uniforms for the entire last week of school, uniforms can be replaced by school appropriate attire of choice for the entire week!!

 Teachers/faculty of winning school – the option to wear school appropriate jeans or shorts and sneakers for the entire last week of school!!

Shop Smart. Buy Local. Shop Pottstown!

Pottstown School District May 2012

For further information contact:

Your Buy Local Committee:

Amy Francis 484-256-7678

amyfrancis@verizon.net

Mary-Beth Lydon 215-528-2753

flyeredup8831@gmail.com

PDIDA Office: Sheila Dugan

610-323-5400

sheiladugan@comcast.net

  Take the WBZH Pledge

go to: www.wbzh.net

Because I want to help my local community thrive and become vibrant, I pledge to:

 Think local first when seeking out a business to meet my shopping needs for goods or services.

 whenever I can suggest local shopping or dining alternatives to family and friends.

 Purchase local produce and other foods from local vendors whenever possible.

I make this pledge because I understand that buying locally allows more of my hard earned dollars to circulate in my community. As a result, locally owned businesses in my community can survive and grow, which in turn can attract new residents and industry helping make the entire Tri-County area a vibrant and affordable place to live, work and play!

Downtown Pottstown Merchant Directory and Map

The 2012 Pennsylvania State Fair Guide

It’s back for another year!  Click on the link to see what’s going on in Pennsylvania this year during fair season.  Don’t sit home and be bored.  Get out there and explore Pennsylvania!

Click here for a PDF file of PA Fairs:

http://www.agriculture.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_2_24476_10297_0_43/AgWebsite/Files/Publications/831485%20V3%202012%20Fair%20Guide.pdf

“Come To The Fair!” – Annual Colonial May Fair At Pottsgrove Manor

Pottstown, Pennsylvania – Celebrate spring at the Annual Colonial May Fair held at historic Pottsgrove Manor on Saturday, May 5^th from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

This yearly event is a fun-filled day with activities for all ages—games, music, dancing, and crafts. New to the fair this year is colonial conjurer Levram the Great, who will perform colonial magic shows and entertain visitors with pocket magic tricks throughout the day. Tuckers’ Tales Puppet Theatre returns again this year to perform the puppet shows St. George and the Dragon and their brand-new adaptation of the classic Cinderella. They will also provide festive historic music around the grounds during the event. Members of the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble will demonstrate authentic country dances and will lead visitors in dances around the Maypole to open and close the fair. 

In addition to the entertainment, a variety of Early American crafters and demonstrators will be on hand to display historic skills and trades and sell their wares. Young visitors can compete in hoop races, play with colonial toys and games, help churn butter, and more! The first floor of colonial ironmaster John Potts’ 1752 manor house will be open for self-guided tours during the fair. Historic foodways expert Deborah Peterson of Deborah Peterson’s Pantry will be demonstrating open-hearth cooking in the Pottsgrove Manor kitchen. Visitors can also shop at the Manor’s museum shop for colonial games, books, and unique gifts. 

While visitors can’t try the food cooked in the colonial kitchen, they will be able to purchase food during the event, including a variety of tasty baked goods from the Milkman Lunch Co. and Cake Shoppe of Pottstown.

A donation of $2 per person is suggested for this event. Visitors are asked to park at the Carousel at Pottstown building, 30 West King Street. Visitors can also stop in to the Carousel and see the progress that is being made there. Pottstown’s restored trolley will be giving FREE rides during the fair between the “First Saturday” activities downtown, the Carousel at Pottstown, and Pottsgrove Manor. Handicapped parking is available in the museum’s parking lot.

Pottstown Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks and Heritage Services Department. For more information, call 610.326.4014, or visit us on the web at http://historicsites.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor.

Cupcakes: Small Treats Are Fueling A Big Business

Wikipedia cupcakes, an in-kind donation by Georgetown Cupcake before being devoured by Wikipedians. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Who would have thought that something as diminutive as a cupcake could be such a huge business trend?

All over Lancaster County, cupcake bakeries are popping up like spring flowers.

And some of their cupcakes are even decorated with flowers, as well as fruit and other accents.

Cupcakes have been around since the 19th century, when “cup” cake referred to the quantity of ingredients, such as a cup of butter, two cups of sugar and three cups of flour.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/631723_Cupcakes–Small-treats-are-fueling-a-big-business.html#ixzz1szcQnEtR

Saucony Creek Brewing Co. Opening In Kutztown

Bryggerhus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Since the age of 13, Kutztown native Matthew L. Lindenmuth, 31, has been a leading player in the world of action sports.

As a champion inline skater and snow boarder, Lindenmuth made regular appearances as an athlete and commentator in ESPN’s X Games.

In 2008, he became a founding partner of Humanity Snowboards, Rialto, Calif.

His career is proof that Lindenmuth learned how to follow his passion and make dreams come true.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=381519

MOSAIC Community Land Trust, Pottstown – Registration April 28, May 5, May 12

Pottstown, PA, 4/23/2012 — Mosaic Community Land Trust is holding registration and orientation for new members of its community garden at 423 Chestnut Street on the following Saturdays: April 28, May 5, and May 12 from 9 AM to 12 PM at the garden.  On May 5th gardeners will be able to choose the plants they would like in their own plot, and the plants will be delivered to the garden on May 12, which will be a day for planting.

There are plots still available for this season.  Plot rates are $25 for households with incomes below $30,000; those with incomes above this level will pay $50.  Groups and organizations can plant a plot for a flat $100.00 season fee.  In addition to offering families a safe place to grow healthy, organic food, this fee includes the choice of plants, water on-site, the use of Mosaic tools, workshops, and advice from experienced gardeners.  Children are welcome and the garden is available for field trips for students.

To apply and register for your plot or to set up a field trip, please contact Sue Repko at 609-658-9043 or srepko@mosaiccommunitylandtrust.org or Mary-Beth Bacallao Lydon at flyeredup8831@gmail.com.

MOSAIC Community Land Trust was established in 2011 and is a registered 501 (c) 3 Non-Profit organization. MOSAIC Community Land Trust provides permanently affordable housing and healthy living choices to people of modest means, and through education and participation, creates a vital community with a focus on arts and culture to stabilize neighborhoods and improve the quality of life in Pottstown.

Owner Of ViVA Hopes To Buy Club

The owner of ViVA Good Life-Wyomissing Inc. signed an agreement of sale to buy Green Valley Country Club, if he can get subdivision approval.

Jeffrey D. Hettinger said his company, JMH Inc., wants to buy 14 of the 26 available acres to expand its event operations.

The remaining 12 acres would stay in the ownership of the country club.

If Lower Heidelberg Township supervisors don’t approve subdividing the land, Hettinger said he would not buy the property, but instead would enter into a 10-year lease with the club.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=381091

Catasauqua Baker Competes In Food Networks ‘Cupcake Wars’ 8pm Sunday

Logo for Food Network (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A shaky video shot by an 11-year-old apparently was the ticket that got the owner of Blondies cupcake bakery in Catasauqua, PA on Sunday’s episode of “Cupcake Wars.”

In the video, Rebecca Zukowski of Blondies admitted to being “tacky, flashy and loud.”

Zukowski will compete against three other bakers in a new episode of the Food Network series at 8 p.m. Sunday.

The bakers face three elimination challenges until only one remains. The winner gets $10,000 and a chance to showcase cupcakes at a party for the Los Angeles Derby Dolls, a roller derby team.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/tv/mc-cupcake-wars-blondies-20120420,0,3616109.story

Lancaster’s Lemon Street Expands Downtown To The North With Stores, Markets And Apartments

Editor’s note:  Lancaster is leading the way as a highly walkable urban community.  Continued development to bring people and businesses downtown is paying big dividends.

 

Fifteen years ago, real estate developer Ed Drogaris sought to breathe life into a mostly moribund block on North Prince Street.

 

His Prince Street Center project eventually redeveloped two vacant tobacco warehouses and a former car dealership.

 

They became 130,000 square feet of residential, commercial, retail and restaurant space.

 

In recent years, his efforts have shifted to the corner of the block.

 

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/626451_Sweet-on-Lemon.html#ixzz1sDpjV5U6

 

10 Despicable Doughnuts

A jelly donut that was bought at Dunkin' Donuts in Brooklyn. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  You’re starting with Dunkin’ Donuts Blueberry Crumb – just click on the read more link and keep hitting next to see them all!  You can see the list on the left-hand side of the screen under Morning Gut Busters once you click on read more! 

Dunkin’ Donuts Blueberry Crumb Donut

500 calories, 18 g fat, 350 mg sodium, 52 g sugar

The addition of blueberries may sound wholesome, but don’t be fooled. This sickeningly sweet treat packs 500 calories and 52 grams of sugar—or the equivalent of 20 Hershey’s Kisses.

Read more: http://fitbie.msn.com/eat-right/tips/10-despicable-doughnuts/tip/1

Distilling New Life Into Lancaster City Sites

In the window of the Fulton bar there is taped a copy of the judge’s injunction that shuttered the business in October.

But recently, a second sign was added at the dark 637 N. Plum St. bar. The orange notice refers to Monday’s Zoning Hearing Board meeting.

Blocks away, a similar orange notice is posted in the former Señorita Burrita, at 227 N. Prince St.

The applicant in both cases is the same.

Robert McGrath, owner of the four-store Roburrito’s chain in York County, is coming to Lancaster in a big way.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/625865_Distilling-new-life-into-Lancaster-city-sites.html#ixzz1ryrlpdyv