Amish Experience Halts ‘Amish Mafia Tour’ After Legal Threat

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

Hold on chust a minute: “Amish Mafia” fans won’t get to see Lebanon Levi’s “office” or his crew of enforcers’ stomping grounds after all.

Producers of the hit “reality” show have threatened legal action against Bird-in-Hand-based The Amish Experience, which had plans for an extensive tour of the show’s local sites, beginning this month.

Many scenes for the Discovery Channel series — which just wrapped a second season of filming — were shot in Lancaster County.  The tour, its organizer said, would have included a behind-the-scenes glimpse of filming locations while debunking the show’s portrayal of a group of violent Amish protectors.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/847682_Amish-Experience-halts–Amish-Mafia-Tour–after-legal-threat.html#ixzz2Sv2jfUcK

Norristown Municipal Administrator Responds To ACLU Lawsuit

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

NORRISTOWN — Norristown is standing by its rental license ordinance as it is written and declared in a statement that in no way does it “discriminate against any persons, nor does it punish victims of domestic violence.”

The Norristown ordinance penalizes landlords and encourages them to evict their tenants when the police are called to a property three times in four months for “disorderly behavior,” including responding to incidents of domestic violence, according to the federal lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) on Wednesday.

“The ordinance provision currently in effect contains all of the constitutional due process provisions required to protect the residents of Norristown,” said Norristown Municipal Adminstrator

 in the statement released Thursday, “explicitly stating that no property shall be condemned for any reason under Norristown’s property maintenance code based on occurrences of disorderly behavior, and stating that no tenant shall be evicted or forced to vacate a rental dwelling for violation of the ordinance provision.”

Read more:  http://www.timesherald.com/article/20130426/NEWS01/130429637/norristown-municipal-administrator-responds-to-aclu-lawsuit#full_story

Retailers, Consumers Take Swipe At Credit Card Surcharge

English: Old Visa logo. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Charles Griesemer says there’s no way he would pay a fee to use his credit card at the gas pumps or in checkout lines, calling such a surcharge unfair.

“That would be ripping off the working man,” the Oley Township man said recently while gassing up his pickup truck. “I’d rather go to the bank and get cash.”

For those like Griesemer, who would balk at credit card fees, there is good and bad news.

The bad news is that credit card surcharges of up to 4 percent are now allowed on retail purchases in 40 states, thanks to a settlement retailers reached in July with MasterCard and Visa.

Read more:   http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=453496

Bank Sues Scranton, Parking Authority And Receiver Over Loan Default

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

Landmark Community Bank on Friday sued Scranton, its parking authority and the authority’s court-appointed receiver over a $2.6 million loan default.

Landmark loaned the Scranton Parking Authority $2.9 million in September 2011, but the SPA has not paid on the loan since the authority was stripped last year of most of its functions, funding and power.

The lawsuit was not unexpected because Landmark’s attorney, Robert Gownley, last year threatened to sue if Scranton City Council terminated a 1995 cooperation agreement between the city and SPA that was used as the basis for collateral and security of the 2011 loan.  The Landmark loan was secured by the 10 percent of parking meter revenue that SPA receives under the 1995 cooperation agreement.

The lawsuit claims that city administration solicitor Paul Kelly, who at the time the loan was made in 2011 was solicitor for both the city and SPA, had told Landmark that the city could not unilaterally cancel the cooperation agreement between the city and authority.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/bank-sues-scranton-parking-authority-and-receiver-over-loan-default-1.1442049

Yuengling Fights Back Over Philly Lawsuit

After D.G. Yuengling and Son became the biggest American-owned brewery, the Pottsville company celebrated last year with a “Here’s to you, Philly,” promotion during which it offered a free serving of its signature lager to bar patrons around Philadelphia.

The company said beer drinkers in the City of Brotherly Love helped revive the popularity of its historic brand, which has become one of the fastest-growing brews in the country.

So it seems fitting that the company’s fifth-generation owner, Dick Yuengling, said he was “the happiest guy in the beer business” until he found out the city he chose to celebrate his company’s success with has slapped the brewery with a lawsuit seeking more than $6 million.

The lawsuit stems from a disagreement between the city and Yuengling about whether the company has to pay Philadelphia’s business income and receipts tax, which is assessed on companies doing business in the city.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-yuengling-fires-back-20130207,0,3754013.story

Philly Says Yuengling Owes $6.6 Million In Taxes

English: Finished bottles of Traditional Lager being placed into cases at Yuengling Brewery, Pottsville, PA. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WHEN Dick Yuengling bought a round of beers for more than 10,000 Philadelphians on National Drink Beer Day last year, he said “the city has truly shown our family business brotherly love, and we’d like to raise a glass to that.”

Now, Dick Yuengling may be throwing back a few of his own brews after receiving a civil lawsuit from the city that claims his brewery, D.G. Yuengling and Son Inc., has failed to pay more than $6.6 million in city taxes, interest and penalty fees.

How does a Pottsville-based beer company that doesn’t have a brewery or a plant in Philadelphia come to owe millions in business-income and receipts taxes to the city?

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politics/city/20130205_City_says_Yuengling_owes__6_6_million_in_taxes.html

Keeping Lid On Lawsuits Carries Big Price Tag For Reading

Reading has been busy in court the last few years, but its track record has been pretty good.

It has resolved 139 suits brought against it since 2004, with no payout to plaintiffs in two-thirds of them. The cost for its attorneys was more than $1 million.

At the moment, the city has more than 70 cases under way in county, state and federal courts, or in agencies such as the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.

“It’s tough keeping track (of the cases), but the attorneys handling them do a good job of it, and keep me in the loop,” said Charles D. Younger, city solicitor since 2000.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=446351

Suit: Penthouse Club Stripper Ruptured Man’s Bladder At Bachelor Party

Editor’s note:  Here’s something you don’t see everyday!

The “bachelor’s package” at the Penthouse Club in Port Richmond includes an invitation onstage and doting attention from the dancers.

But for one Montgomery County man, it also came with internal bleeding, according to a lawsuit filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court last week.

Patrick Gallagher of Lansdale claims a dancer slid down a stripper pole and landed on him with such force that his bladder ruptured.

The incident occurred in late November 2010, when Gallagher visited the club on Castor Avenue near Balfour Street with friends to celebrate his impending marriage, said his attorney, Neil T. Murray.

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20121004_Suit__Penthouse_Club_stripper_ruptured_mans_bladder_at_bachelor_party.html

Fired Administrators Sue Reading School District For More Than $150,000 In Damages

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

A group of administrators suddenly fired in April by the Reading School District has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $150,000 in damages.

The administrators claim the district violated the terms of their employment contracts by not providing 30 days’ notice before terminating the contracts.

After a series of retirements and resignations of several top administrators following the 2010-11 school year, the district found itself in need of a leadership team.  The district turned to a group of retired administrators who had been working with the district through the state’s Distinguished Educator Program.

The district hired several administrators, including acting superintendent J. Drue Miles, on a temporary basis.  They were asked to lead the district for up to a year, or at least until the district was able to permanently fill the slots.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=412251

Former “Beverly Hillbillies” Star Donna Douglas Settles Lawsuit

Image via Wikipedia

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The actress who played Elly May Clampett on the “The Beverly Hillbillies,” toymaker Mattel Inc. and CBS Consumer Products Inc. have settled a lawsuit that claimed the companies didn’t get the actress’ approval to use her name and likeness for a Barbie doll.

Read more: http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=692512&affid=100055

Penn State Child Abuse Scandal Fallout Continues

The fallout at Penn State continues.

In addition to Jerry Sandusky, JoePa, Tim Curley, Gary Schultz, Mike McQueary and Graham Spanier, you can add Second Mile charity CEO Jack Raykovitz to the growing cast of characters.  Mr. Raykovitz resigned Sunday after 28 years at the helm.  So far all the victims were boys in the Second Mile program.  Second Mile has retained Philadelphia law firm Archer & Greiner as its counsel.

Mike McQueary, on paid administrative leave, is apparently consulting with the Harrisburg law firm of Strokoff and Cowden, who specialize in employment law.  McQueary received death threats and is reportedly in hiding.  

McQueary is being handled differently than the others because he is a witness in the case and he also may fall under Pennsylvania’s whistleblower law.  The law includes protection for the whistleblower against firing, demotion or punishment.  McQueary’s status under this law is still being determined.

Don Read Suing Mark Gibson Over Comment During Pottstown Borough Council Meeting

I attended this Council meeting and recall the incident in question.  At the time, I thought this was going to end up in a lawsuit.  Frivolous lawsuits are why people have no interest in running for public office and why people are not interested in municipal government.  Over the years I have been asked to run for School Board and Borough Council.  As much as I would like to serve this community, the dirty politics in our town and the propensity to sue people will make me say NO every time.

To read the rest of the story:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/articles/2011/03/24/news/doc4d8aae6256a80958764256.txt?viewmode=fullstory

Taco Bell Fights Back Against Claims They Serve “Mystery Meat”

Here is Taco Bell‘s official response to the lawsuit that claims their beef does not meet the USDA requirements to be called BEEF.  AKA “beefgate”.

http://www.pwrnewmedia.com/2011/taco_bell/beef_grade/downloads/TB_Beef_ad_FINAL_BW.pdf

Sounds like a counter suit is in the works!

Frivilous Lawsuit Against McDonald’s

This will be a full-fledged RANT!

The Center for Science in the Public Interest is suing McDonald’s because Happy Meals are making children fat because they use “unfair and deceptive” marketing strategies.

Give me a freakin’ break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1.  As a parent, you should totally control what goes into your child’s mouth!  You are the grown-up and you make the rules. PERIOD!

2.  McDonald’s offers healthy alternatives like apple slices, low-fat milk and apple juice.  You don’t have to get a soda and fries.

3.  You can purchase the damn toy without getting a Happy Meal.  They are less than two dollars.  For those of us with grandchildren we bothered to find these things out by simply asking at the counter.  DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4.  My granddaughter is NOT allowed to eat at McDonald’s because her Mommy and Daddy make those decisions (she is not quite four years old).  So Pop-Pop buys Happy Meal toys for her.

5.  The only person making your child fat is YOU by allowing your child to make their own nutrition decisions.  You don’t HAVE to visit McDonald’s.  My granddaughter isn’t leading a deprived life because her parents won’t indulge her every whim!

This is just ridiculous and should never see a court room!  Wasting tax-payer dollars trying to legislate parental responsibilities is WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!

We give The Center for Science in the Public Interest a big fat raspberry (and no, not the fruit)!

Carrie Prejan’s Continuing Problems

Miss Prejan’s past has come around to bite her in the ass. 

A porn company is trying to distribute her “a tape I made for my boyfriend” to the general public.  Prejan stated she was under age 18 when the tape was made, making it illegal for distribution.  However, her former boyfriend at the time is saying she was over 18. 

The Prejan camp has threatened legal action against Vivid Entertainment if the tape is “released to the public”. 

Evidently there is also more than one tape.  I believe I heard there were seven more in addition to the tape in question. 

Don’t make “private” recordings of a sexual nature.  This is the information age and nothing is “private”.  People evidently don’t learn from the misfortunes of others!  This isn’t the first and probably won’t be the last exercise in poor judgment any time soon!