Diane Mastrull: Working To Build An Empire Of Healthy Fast Food

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

Bryn Davis ate his way to entrepreneurship.

Davis, who lives in Horsham, says he entered college a “lean-as-you-can-imagine” 170 pounds.  By his junior year, he was stressing the scales at 240.

A doctor scared him into committing to a healthier lifestyle.  Davis took it one step further: He started a business featuring only healthy fast food.

“When I opened up with smoothies and popcorn, people thought I was insane,” said the founder of Bryn & Dane’s, a low-calorie, low-fat, high-fiber fast-food company in Horsham with a freestanding restaurant – and a recently added catering arm – that expects to exceed $2 million in sales this year.

“Now, people say, ‘Holy crap! I t’s probably going to happen.’ “

Read more at 
http://www.philly.com/philly/business/small_business/20130617_Diane_Mastrull__Working_to_build_an_empire_of_healthy_fast_food.html#v9g7mH0Su6dqwGCt.99

Under The Gun: Increase In Crime In Norristown Can Be Traced To Economic Decline

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

EDITOR’S NOTE:  This is Part One in a series examining crime in Norristown and possible answers to stem the tide.

NORRISTOWN — Renee Goldman remembers one of the sheer simplicities of Norristown’s golden age: leaving the door wide open on warm days.

She also remembers when crime — largely petty and non-violent, initially — slammed shut the door of her dad’s Main Street business and locked it for good.

“Eventually we went from keeping the door open when the weather was nice to keeping the door locked and opening it only when the customers came,” recalled Goldman, who began working at her father’s Custom Hearing Aids office in the 200 block of East Main Street as a teenager in the 1960s.

Back then she felt safe walking down to Woolworth’s on Main Street on whatever errand her dad, Henry Ginsberg, sent her on.

Read more:  
http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130601/NEWS01/130609968/under-the-gun-increase-in-crime-in-norristown-can-be-traced-to-economic-decline#full_story

Linden Hill: An ‘Open’ House For Just $24.5 Million

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Linden Hill, the Gladwyne estate once owned by Campbell Soup heir John T. Dorrance Jr., is on the market for $24.5 million.

The secluded, 50-plus-acre property at 1543 Monk Rd., with its 14,000-square-foot, 20-room Norman-style manor house, formal gardens, orchards, two heated pools, pool house, and tennis court, has been owned since 1999 by Robert L. Burch, a venture capitalist and, with his brother, J. Christopher Burch, cofounder of Eagle Eye, a retailer of outdoors sportswear they sold the same year.

Robert Burch is chief executive officer of UgMO Technologies of King of Prussia, which develops irrigation systems.  He declined to be interviewed.

The property listing was activated Monday in time for the start of this week’s U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club. John C. Dubbs and Eleanor Morsbach Godin, of Prudential Fox & Roach in Malvern, believe the tournament will give the residence national exposure.

Read more at 
http://www.philly.com/philly/classifieds/real_estate/20130611_Linden_Hill__an__Open__house_for_just__24_5M.html#uifd7h0vT6i3DKma.99

Norristown Area High School Graduates Top Crop Of Scholars

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

NORRISTOWN — The Norristown Area High School Class of 2013, a group of 408 students who have collectively received the largest recorded amount of scholarship money in the school’s history, took the stage in front of friends and family Friday for the school’s 151st commencement.

This year’s graduates have been accepted to more than 202 universities across the country and have been awarded more than $12 million in scholarships, according to Norristown Area School District Superintendent Janet Samuels.

“This is an incredible class,” Samuels said after the commencement. “The scholarship dollars will allow the children to excel and do great things, and we’re so proud of that.”

The first salutatorian, Brett Harner, started things off.

Read more:  
http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130607/NEWS01/130609744/norristown-area-high-school-graduates-top-crop-of-scholars-

Burger King To Unveil A New Restaurant In King Of Prussia This Fall

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

UPPER MERION — The king is getting some new digs, and it’s going to be a whopper of a castle.

Just two months shy of its 50th anniversary, the Burger King on DeKalb Pike in King of Prussia was demolished Wednesday to make way for a stone and stucco beauty featuring a drive-through and a Wired Your Way Café — amenities fitting the king’s royally updated new image.

Debuting on Aug. 13, 1963 as store number 113 under the future fast food empire’s brief ownership of partners James McLamore and David Edgerton, the intriguing fresh concept in fast casual dining that specialized in Whopper and Whaler (fish) sandwiches, French fries and milk shakes kicked off in King of Prussia the same year as The Plaza, another icon that’s gone through a radical transformation over the years.

The 568 W. DeKalb Pike store was the first Home of the Whopper — an enduring trademark that will figure prominently into the signage of the new design — to stake its claim in the area, ahead of Trooper (store number 179) and Blue Bell (363).

Read more:  
http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130605/FINANCE01/130609835/burger-king-to-unveil-a-new-restaurant-in-king-of-prussia-this-fall#full_story

Exelon Limerick Generating Station Full Sound Siren Test

Monday June 3^rd at 2:00 p.m.

Residents in the 10-mile emergency planning zone around Exelon’s Limerick Generating Station will hear a full sound siren test as Exelon conducts a test of its emergency siren system.  The full sound test is performed on the first Monday in June and December as part of Exelon’s comprehensive Emergency Preparedness program.  A shorter, lower pitch test is performed monthly.

Residents may contact the counties at the following numbers if they have concerns:  Berks County (610) 374-4800; Chester County (610) 344-5000; Montgomery County (610) 631-6530.

The warning sirens are one of several methods used by county emergency management authorities to provide notification of emergencies. Individual counties may activate the sirens to warn the surrounding community of events such as fires, floods, tornados, hazardous material releases, or nuclear energy plant events. The sirens are not a signal to evacuate. In an actual emergency, residents should tune to one of the county Emergency Alert System radio or television stations for further information.  Residents should refer to the “emergency” section of their telephone books for further information or visit the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency web site, www.pema.state.pa.us.

Montco Chef To Appear On ‘Food Network Star’

English: Logo for Food Network (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

AMBLER, PA — One local man will be cooking up quite a bit of national attention for the area now that he’s earned a spot as a contestant on a new reality show this summer.

Chad Rosenthal, 37, of Ambler, has been chosen to appear as a contestant on the Food Network’s ninth season of the “Food Network Star” competition, which begins airing Sunday, June 2, at 9 p.m.

Featuring celebrity judge mentors Alton Brown, Bobby Flay and Giada De Laurentiis, the show pits 12 contestants against one another in a series of weekly challenges for a chance to earn their own television show on the channel.

Born and raised in Upper Dublin, Rosenthal said he’s putting his hopes for stardom on his highly popular barbecue comfort food-style menu.  The owner of the former Rosie’s restaurants in Jenkintown and Ambler said patrons said his face belonged on the small screen.

Read more:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130531/ENTERTAINMENT01/130539895/montco-chef-to-appear-on-food-network-star-#full_story

Town By Town: Why A Lot Of People Want To Live In Lansdale

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

Editor’s note: This is the desired effect of revitalization in case anybody in Pottstown Borough government cares!

One in a continuing series spotlighting real estate markets in this region’s communities.

If you’ve been house-hunting and Lansdale is on your list of possibilities, consider setting aside Saturday to give this Montgomery County borough the once-over.

Don’t expect to be alone, though, because June 1 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. is Lansdale Day, which typically attracts up to 5,000 people downtown, from Green Street to Cannon Avenue, to a fund-raiser for the Rotary of North Penn.

Even without the lure of a day of fun along West Main Street, a lot of people – especially younger ones and first-time buyers in search of affordable housing – have been heading to Lansdale lately.

Read more at 
http://www.philly.com/philly/classifieds/real_estate/town-by-town/20130526_Town_By_Town___Lansdale_is_a_small_town_in_itself_.html#tC7Fk3Og5huI6fhJ.99

Skippack Teen Charged In Brutal Stabbing Of Girlfriend: Update

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

SKIPPACK TOWNSHIP, PA — A 16-year-old reportedly stabbed his 17-year-old girlfriend to death while breaking up with her Saturday night on the Skippack Trail near Palmer Park.

Tristan Brian Arthur Stahley stabbed Julianne Siller multiple times before hiding her body in the woods off the trail, according to an affidavit filed by the state police in Skippack and the Montgomery County Detectives.

Siller, of Royersford, had been going out with Stahley “off and on” since January, the affidavit said.

Stahley, of Skippack, was arrested Saturday night and charged with murder of the first degree, murder of the third degree and criminal possession of a weapon, court documents said.

Read more:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130527/NEWS01/130529382/-skippack-teen-charged-in-brutal-stabbing-of-girlfriend#full_story

16-Year-Old Charged In Stabbing Death Of Girlfriend In Skippack Township

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

A Skippack teen has been charged with stabbing to death his 17-year-old girlfriend in a wooded area of the Skippack Trail Saturday night.

Tristan Stahley, 16, was arraigned Sunday on charges including first degree murder in the death of Julianne Siller, said Kevin Steele, the Montgomery County first assistant district attorney.

According to court documents, Stahley and the victim, Siller, a high school senior who lived in Royersford, were at Stahley’s home on Rittenhouse Lane Saturday when Stahley’s mother overheard the pair arguing.

Soon after – and apparently reconciled – they left the house and drove in Siller’s car to nearby Palmer Park in Skippack Township, where they argued again as they walked along the trail.

Read more:  
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20130527_16-year-old_charged_in_stabbing_death_of_girlfriend_in_Montco.html

Two Banks Robbed In One Day In Montgomery County

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN — Police are investigating two bank robberies that occurred within an hour of each other Friday in Montgomery County.

The first took place about 4:30 p.m. at Harleysville Savings Bank, 1889 E. Ridge Pike, Upper Providence, and the second at 5:12 p.m. at Univest Bank, 4258 Township Line Road, Skippack.

According to witnesses, a man entered the rear door of the Harleysville Bank and ordered a customer to the floor, Upper Providence police reported.  The man then approached two tellers, demanded money and fled the bank with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said.  One of the tellers gave the man a dye pack, which was seen to explode as he left the bank, police said.

The Harleysville robber was described as a white male, 5 feet 10 inches to 6 feet tall, wearing a black hat with a black mask that covered his entire face, a tan zipper jacket, dark pants and brown shoes, police said.  He was also wearing blue or possibly green latex gloves, police said.

Read more:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130525/NEWS01/130529407/two-banks-robbed-in-one-day-in-montgomery-county#full_story

11th-Hour Withdrawal Restarts Boyertown’s Superintendent Search

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Boyertown School Board was so close.

After a monthslong superintendent search, the board had selected a candidate and agreed on a contract.

The last step was his appointment, which at one point was expected to take place Tuesday.

But to begin Tuesday’s meeting, board President Gwen W. Semmens made this announcement instead:

“We had a potential candidate who withdrew at the very last moment.  We’ll be looking for new candidates.”

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=477464

‘Vicious’ Dog Attack At Pottstown Residence Apurs Lawsuit Against Dog Owner, Landlord

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN, PA — A Limerick woman who allegedly was attacked by dogs and a Lower Pottsgrove man who was injured as he came to her rescue outside a Wilson Street residence in Pottstown have sued the borough man who owned the dogs.

Kaitlyn Fadely, 19, of Major Road, Limerick, and Kurt Buchler, 44, of Foxtail Drive, Lower Pottsgrove, filed separate lawsuits in Montgomery County Court against Robert Schrack, of the 600 block of Wilson Street, Pottstown, alleging they were “violently attacked without provocation” by dogs owned by Schrack about 4:11 p.m. March 15.  The suits each seek damages in excess of $50,000.

“At all times…relevant, the defendant knew that the dogs were of a ferocious, vicious and mischievous nature and accustomed to attack and bite humans,” Skippack lawyer Gerald J. Mullaney Jr. alleged in the lawsuit filed on behalf of Buchler and his wife, Michelle.

Also listed as a defendant in each of the lawsuits was Glenn Waldt, of the 2800 block of East High Street, Lower Pottsgrove, who owned the Wilson Street residence and who rented it to Schrack, according to court papers.  A lease agreement was established between Schrack and Waldt in November 2011, court papers alleged.

Read more:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130514/NEWS01/130519728/-vicious-dog-attack-at-pottstown-residence-spurs-lawsuit-against-dog-owner-landlord#full_story

The Micro-Enterprise Resource Center To Hold Spring Fling In Norristown

The Micro-Enterprise Resource Center (MERC) will present a Spring Fling to showcase how graduates of the Be Your Own Boss Classes are starting businesses.

June 1^st, 12:45-4:00pm

Norristown Library, Swede and Elm St., Norristown

Please contact MERC Director, Geraldine Savoy at 610-277-6363 X 141

CHOP To Build New Facility In King Of Prussia

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

UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP – Realen Properties’ master plan for a multifaceted center in King of Prussia is back in full swing.

With residential construction imminent, those who may not necessarily be calling the Village at Valley Forge home will ultimately find it to be a premier destination for working, shopping, dining and, now, medical care.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will break ground by the end of summer for a Specialty Care Center on the roughly nine acres it now owns at the corner of North Gulph Road and South Goddard Boulevard.

CHOP at the Village at Valley Forge, expected to be completed by December, 2014, will replace an existing location the hospital has leased on Mall Boulevard since 1997.

Read more:  
http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/chop-build-new-facility-king-prussia-0/1

Judge Rules Greist Must Remain In State Hospital – Killer’s ‘Progress’ Gets Off-Site Privileges Increased

English: Historic post-card (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WEST CHESTER, PA – Killer Richard Greist must remain committed against his will to Norristown State Hospital for another year, a Chester County Court judge has ruled, but can be given expanded off-ground privileges as he continues to progress in his psychiatric treatment.

Judge Edward Griffith filed an order recommitting Greist on Tuesday, agreeing with the recommendation of his treating psychiatrist at Norristown that he needs to remain in the secure environment of the hospital for fear that if released, he could decompensate mentally and see the psychosis that led to the killing of his wife and infant son re-emerge.

“However,” wrote the judge in his seven-page opinion and order, ”based on the progress in therapy that Mr. Greist has made during the past year, which is demonstrated by insight into his daily choices, greater self-awareness, expressions of sadness and remorse over his past conduct … as well as his conduct on and off (Norristown) grounds, we have permitted Mr. Greist additional off-ground, unsupervised privileges.”

Instead of the current quarterly, 12-hour, unsupervised, off-ground passes, beginning this year Greist will have such privileges every two months in a row, and then a 24-hour overnight pass in the third month. He is also permitted supervised, off-grounds passes overseen by Norristown staff as he has had in the past, and is once more allowed to attend Sunday church services at the Jehovah’s Witness Kingdom Hall Temple in West Norriton.

Read more:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130510/NEWS01/130509266/judge-rules-greist-must–remain-in–state-hospital–killer-s-progress-gets-off-site-privileges-increased-#full_story

Pottstown, Phoenixville Split By Court-Approved Re-Districting Plan

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

Both Pottstown and Phoenixville will be split into two different legislative districts under the legislative re-districting approved Wednesday by the state Supreme Court.

The new districts will take effect in the 2014 election cycle and shift legislative lines for the state House and Senate seats throughout Southeast Pennsylvania and may change who is representing you in Harrisburg.

In Pottstown, the plan unanimously approved by the court, puts the first, second and part of the seventh wards of Pottstown into the 26th District, currently represented by longtime Chester County Republican Tim Hennessey.

The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and other half of the seventh wards will continue to be represented by the 146th District, a seat currently held by freshman Democrat Mark Painter according to the plan.

Read m0re:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130508/NEWS01/130509321/pottstown-phoenixville-split-by-court-approved-redistricting-plan#full_story

Council Appoints Cyril Burke Jr.To Vacant Seat In Norristown

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

NORRISTOWN ­­— Cyril Burke Jr. was unanimously appointed by council Friday night to temporarily fill the at-large council seat vacated by former Councilman Dwayne Royster.

Burke has served on the Norristown Municipal Waste Authority for the past four years.  He and his wife, Donna, have resided in Norristown for the past six years.

Burke is a retired Census Office manager who managed the federal Census office in Norristown from 2009 to 2010, according to his resume.  He was the chief operations officer/director of Encapsulation Systems Inc. in Havertown from 2001 to 2008.

He was the co-owner and operator of the Savannah Restaurant in Hartford, Conn. from 1997 to 2001.  He was the managing director of investments at Connecticut Innovations Inc. in Rocky Hill, Conn. from 1990 to 1996.

Read more:  
http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130503/NEWS01/130509819/council-appoints-cyril-burke-jr-to-vacant-seat-in-norristown#full_story

Collegeville Farmers Market Moves To “New And Improved” Spot

COLLEGEVILLE — Collegeville Farmers’ Market is on a real “power” trip this year.

As it opens for its third market season on May 4, one of the local shopper’s favorite haunts for engaging in homegrown commerce is relocating across the street to the grounds of Davinci’s Pub, where it will be empowered by plenty of parking at the adjoining Power House Antique and Flea Market lot.

The market simply outgrew its original space behind the AmeriGreen Gas Station, noted Cathy Kernen, co-chair of the Collegeville Farmers’ Market committee and president of the Collegeville Economic Development Corp.

“We needed more space in order to attract more vendors and grow our market. We were maxed out at 23 vendors at the previous site,” she explained. “We needed more space for customer parking. Lou’s Too, a popular Trappe Restaurant, moved their restaurant adjacent to our market site, and although we had limited parking for handicapped patrons and parents with small children before, we were afraid that operating our market on the same parking lot as that of a popular restaurant would not provide enough parking for both of us.”

Read more:

http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130502/FINANCE01/130509950/collegeville-farmers-market-moves-to-new-and-improved-spot#full_story

State Legislators Respond To ACLU Lawsuit Against Norristown

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

NORRISTOWN — Rep. Mike Vereb (R-150th Dist.) and Rep. Todd Stephens (R-151st Dist.), along with Montgomery County District Attorney Risa Vetri Ferman urged Norristown officials to repeal or modify its controversial nuisance ordinance to protect victims of domestic abuse and discussed possible legislation to ensure that those victims would be protected statewide at a press conference on Tuesday morning.

The ordinance, which is currently being challenged in federal court by the American Civil Liberties Union, was adopted in 2008 and permitted the suspension or revocation of a rental license if the police are called to the property three times for disorderly behavior.

“For me, the most important part of today is speaking directly to the victims of domestic violence who are in the community,” said Ferman.  “I think it’s so important that they know that they can call the police.  They should call the police.  They should call for help.  We will not allow anything to stand in their way and we will be here to support them.”

“We’re here for victims, to let them know that we’re not going to allow any borough, municipal, or city ordinance get in the way of their access to help,” said Vereb.  “We should focus on the goal here.  The goal is to get the thugs off of the streets and out of the rental properties.”

Read more:  
http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130430/NEWS01/130439974/state-legislators-respond-to-aclu-lawsuit-against-norristown#full_story