Search For New West Reading Police Chief Continues

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The search for a new West Reading police chief continues, with borough officials confirming Tuesday that they’re reviewing applicants to fill the position left open by former Chief Edward C. Fabriziani’s move back to patrolman.

“We’re moving forward,” Council President Kevin M. Conrad said of the hiring process, which he refused to put a timeline on.

Borough Manager Richard J. Sichler declined to say how many resumes had been received.

However, when reached after the meeting, Sgt. Keith Phillips, acting police chief, said that he had interviewed for the chief’s position.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=485593

Economic Development Coalition Begins Long Journey To Revive Greater Reading

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

What should Berks County’s economy look like in 10 or 20 years?

That’s what eight economic-development and workforce groups explored when they collaborated on the Ride to Prosperity report three years ago. The group wanted to create a greater Reading where residents are more prosperous and happy to live here, where businesses are more innovative and there’s more opportunities.

To start the work, the group filled the report with specific action items that could be done in three to five years.

Three years later, the group has checked some big items off the weighty to-do list.  Berks Park 78 became shovel-ready and attracted three tenants.  A fast-track development program has moved several projects through an express-lane approval process.  Key players stress the importance of eight economic and municipal groups working together for a common goal: a stronger and prosperous economy.

Read more:  
http://businessweekly.readingeagle.com/economic-development-coalition-begins-long-journey-to-revive-greater-reading/

Reading Taking Aim At The Drug Trade

Editor’s note:  Dear Attorney General Kane.  Please zero in on Pottstown (18 miles from Reading).  It is overrun with drug dealers, Section 8 slumlords and has a very high crime rate.  The police force is overwhelmed.

Reading is one of the portals through which much of Pennsylvania is receiving illegal drugs, and state Attorney General Kathleen Kane has proposed a plan that she says could help stanch the flow.

“The major source of supply into Harrisburg and Lancaster and York is coming from Reading,” Kane said during an interview with the Reading Eagle at her office in Harrisburg.

Nearing the midway point of her first year in elective office, she said she viewed illegal drugs as the top issue for her in Berks County.  Other pressing issues include child sex predators and consumer protection.  Kane previously worked as a Lackawanna County prosecutor and as an attorney.

Supplies of crack, PCP, heroin or marijuana come to Reading from places such as Arizona, Illinois and New York, with the original major source being Mexico, Kane said.  In Reading, the drugs are repackaged into street-sale quantities and sent out to other parts of Pennsylvania.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=485005

Program Profiles Reading Redevelopment Efforts

A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Efforts to revitalize Reading’s economy were highlighted Thursday in a live national round-table online discussion that included panelists from California and Georgia.

“Albert Boscov is very good at shaking money trees, and I collect the bills,” said Adam Mukerji, executive director of the Reading Redevelopment Authority, who sat in for the retailer Boscov, a key figure with Our City Reading, a group committed to helping first-time buyers purchase refurbished city homes.

Mukerji described the retailer “as one of the most charitable persons I have ever worked with.”

Conversation Starters, a national nonprofit based in College Station, Texas, hosted the third in a series focusing on nationwide ideas for community building and economic development.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=484645

Census: Asians Fastest-Growing Group In Berks

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

An increase of Asians in Berks County is now outpacing a persistently booming growth of Latinos while the number of non-Latino whites has decreased.

With a growth rate of 8.7 percent between the April 1, 2010, Census and estimates taken July 1, 2012, Asians were the fastest growing minority nationwide and in Berks, according to data released today by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Click here for charts showing population growth in Berks County, Pennsylvania and the nation

Berks reflects long-standing state and national trends of rapid growth among Asians and Latinos.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=484432

Antietam, Exeter Hold Public Session On Merger Possibilities

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

At a town meeting Monday night at Reformation Lutheran Church in Exeter Township, the questions reached so far across the board that Arlene Unger had to admit, “I think we’re a little premature with the specifics of the questions.”

“Some questions can’t be answered until the (school) boards decide which model they want to pursue,” Unger of Exeter Township said at the meeting hosted by the church and organized by area pastors.

Just what direction school officials plan to go is a question that’s still up in the air.

“It’s important for us to get a feel of what you feel,” said Exeter School Board President Robert H. Quinter Jr.  ”We’re going to make the decision.  So the more information I get from you at meetings like this, the better off I am.”

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=484010

West Reading’s 19th Annual Art On The Avenue

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SAVE THE DATE:  SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2013 11:00 AM-6:00 PM (RAIN OR SHINE)

The West Reading Community Revitalization Foundation is proud to present the nineteenth annual Art on the Avenue.  The community’s premier family festival features fine arts and crafts made by local juried artists.  Each year thousands of people are drawn to Penn Avenue, West Reading as the event continues to grow.  Located in the Greater Reading hub for arts, culture, shopping, and dining, this event appeals to both novice buyers and experienced art patrons.  Additionally the venue features live music, street performers, local businesses, and specialty foods.

For more information visit www.ArtOnTheAvenue.wrcrf.org

Reading Police Find Bullet-Riddled Body Of Man Near Storage Business

Reading police found the bullet-riddled body of a man next to a self-storage unit in the city early Wednesday morning.

Police said they received a call from a passer-by about 2:20 a.m. reporting a man down near a locker at a storage business in the 400 block of Blair Avenue.

When investigators arrived at the site just off Schuylkill Avenue they found the body of a 36-year-old Latino man on the ground toward the back of the storage facility.

Sgt. John M. Solecki of the criminal investigations division said the victim did odd jobs at the storage facility for patrons – like watch their cars and valuables – for tips.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=482935

Reading Administration Revives Proposal For Streetlight Assessments

A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Mayor Vaughn D. Spencer’s administration is reviving a proposal to impose a streetlight assessment that might cost a row home owner $16 a year, but larger property owners several thousand dollars.

Managing Director Carole B. Snyder asked City Council on Monday to consider introducing the enabling ordinance this month, to get some benefit from it this year.

“We don’t want to put any more burden on anyone, but we’re limited on options,” Snyder said.

The fee is being considered because it’s one of the few ways to get the 32 percent of city properties exempt from property taxes to pay for city services, she said.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=482631

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.

Party Atmosphere Aids Painters Working To Brighten Reading Blocks

Replacing their button-down collars for T-shirts, employees of several local firms and organizations grabbed scrapers and paintbrushes and helped 20 families in the 6th Ward spruce up the facades of their homes Saturday.

It was part of Operation Facelift, run by Neighborhood Housing Services of Greater Berks Inc. since 1989.

This year it focused on the 200 and 300 blocks of North Second Street and the 100 block of Elm Street.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=482280

Season’s First Heat Wave Expected To End With A Bang On Sunday

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

Berks County‘s first official heat wave of the year is expected to morph into the first major summertime thunderstorm, starting Sunday afternoon into evening with gusty winds of 60 mph, torrential downpours, lots of lightning strikes and perhaps some damage, a meteorologist said.

“It certainly could pack a punch,” said Erik Pindrock of AccuWeather near State College.

Since it’s expected to be the first major lightning storm of the season, Pindrock said it’s important for everyone – but especially those working outside – to take it seriously, learn the facts about lightning and take the proper precautions, which mostly is to get inside.

“It’s a good rule that, if you’re outside and can hear thunder, it’s probably close enough to get hit by lightning,” said Pindrock, who grew up in Shillington.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=482165

Labor Board Sides With Reading Teachers: District Negotiators Had Conflict

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

The state Labor Relations Board has ruled in favor of the city’s teachers union in a claim against the Reading School District.

The Reading Education Association had filed an unfair labor practice in February 2012, claiming two board members formerly on the district’s negotiation team should be removed.

The union claimed that Karen H. McCree should be barred from negotiations because she is a member of the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the Reading union’s parent organization.  McCree works for the Delaware County Intermediate Unit.

Robert F. Heebner Jr. should be taken off the negotiation team, the union claimed, because as a former Reading teacher he was a member of the Reading Education Association.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=481952

Birdsboro Man Pleads Guilty To Attempted Murder, Sex Assault, Attempting To Hire Hit Man

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

READING — The Berks County man accused of shooting a Limerick fire official in the head, sexually assaulting a minor and attempting to hire a hit man from jail to eliminate witnesses plead guilty to all charges against him on Wednesday.

Christopher Yingling, 43, of Birdsboro, received no special agreements in exchange for his guilty pleas and will spend the next 27 to 70 years in jail for his crimes, according to the Berks County District Attorney’s office.

“Given the brazenness of his crimes and the harm that he caused his victims, we are pleased with what is effectively a life sentence for the defendant,” said Berks County Assstant District Attorney Jesse Leisawitz in a statement late Wednesday night.

Berks County Common Pleas Court Judge Stephen B. Lieberman was scheduled to preside over Yingling’s trial.

Read more:  
http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130530/NEWS01/130529129/birdsboro-man-pleads-guilty-to-attempted-murder-sex-assault-attempting-to-hire-hit-man#full_story

Have We Lost All Desire To Vote?

Editor’s note:  Apparently yes!

While other row offices were eliminated, Luzerne County’s home rule charter kept the controller to independently scrutinize its $260 million in spending, 1,400-plus workers and more than 50 departments providing services from tax assessment to 911 dispatch.

The public — not county employees or officials — pick the person who fills this $64,999 elected post for the next four years to be the fiscal watchdog.

Although an estimated 256,800 residents are eligible to vote on this decision, the number who narrowed down the controller finalists from four to two in Tuesday’s primaries was 31,000 — only 12 percent of the over-18 population.

“When you break it down and see the percentage of the population making the decision, that’s pretty troublesome,” said Barry Kauffman, executive director of the nonprofit citizen advocate group Common Cause Pennsylvania.

Read more: 
http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/539857/Have-we-lost-all-desire-to-vote

Reading Royals Crush Stockton, Win First Kelly Cup

Stockton, CA – Yannick Tifu lifted the Kelly Cup high above his head, looked toward a contingent of Reading Royals fans who were gathered behind their team’s bench and let out a loud, proud scream.

The work was done, the title was secured and it was time to party.

The Royals claimed their first ECHL Kelly Cup championship on Saturday with a dominating 6-0 win against the Thunder in front of a crowd of 4,662 at Stockton Arena.

The Royals took control of the game with a four-goal second period and another sterling performance by goaltender Riley Gill, who earned the finals most valuable player award.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=481015

Deficit To Get Millions Worse In Future, Reading City Council Told

A 1947 topographic map of the Reading, Pennsylvania area. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

City Controller Christian Zale on Monday pressed his case, again, to City Council: Unless the city makes some drastic changes, it’s facing a $35 million cumulative deficit by 2017.

However, those changes can’t include bigger property tax hikes; Zale said his projection already assumes the city raises the property tax by 5 percent in each of the next four years.

But he said the tax increases cut the deficit by only $10 million.  Without them, the deficit rises to $45 million.

“Me being conservative, I tried to be as gloomy as I could,” Zale told council.  ”And quite frankly, I don’t want to hear (that) we’ll approach that and try to solve it when that time comes.”

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=479276

TV Program On Reading’s Future Takes First Place

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

A program produced by WFMZ-TV and Reading Eagle Company took first place in the public affairs category over the weekend at the Pennsylvania Associated Press Broadcasters Association awards banquet for 2012 in Harrisburg.

It was previously announced that “From Poverty to Prosperity: Reading Looks to the Future” finished in the top three in the category for medium-market TV stations, but its exact finish was not announced until the banquet.

The program was a joint effort between print and television media, sponsored by M&T Bank in collaboration with United Way of Berks County and hosted by Reading Area Community College.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=479294

Stokesay Castle Savior Recounts Memorable Career

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

The bolt of lightning that lit up Stokesay Castle just before Christmas in 1991 was invisible to everyone except the first-time visitor who experienced it.

It was a brilliant, internal flash of recognition that took place in the mind of Jack D. Gulati.

A veteran buyer and seller of businesses who had immigrated to the U.S. from India as a teenager, Gulati had learned to profit from such moments.  He had experienced many.  Like all the other times, as he absorbed the hulking medieval-style grandeur of Stokesay, he saw two simple things.

Value and possibility.

Read more:  
http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=478200

Birdsboro Mayor Takes Grocery Store Effort To The Streets

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BIRDSBORO – Mayor Robert M. Myers is very serious about getting a grocery store back in this community of 5,200 residents.

And while there is still a long way to go, Myers has gotten some results – with the help of more than 1,300 residents who have signed a petition.

So far, representatives from what Myers called a “full service, regional chain” have made three separate site visits to the borough to look at the property on Chestnut Street, the site of the former Birdsboro Market, which closed in 2011.  The most recent visit was just this week.

And while the name of the chain is not being shared at this point, Myers said he remains optimistic about the project.

Read more:  
http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/birdsboro-mayor-takes-grocery-store-effort-the-streets/1