Official: West Pottsgrove Murder Victim Was Shot In The Back

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

WEST POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP — In the day following the shocking murder of a 19-year-old taken by gunpoint from his West Pottsgrove home, who exactly that young man was remains a complicated question.

Kareem Ali Borowy died in the grass at the side of the 2100 block of Sanatoga Station Road Sunday around 2:30 p.m., not long after the abduction from the house on the 1200 block of Manatawny Street.

Montgomery County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin Steele said an autopsy conducted Monday morning determined Borowy died from a gunshot wound to the back.

The manner of death was ruled a homicide, he said.

Several readers told The Mercury that Kareem was the adopted son of Ruth Borowy, who reportedly adopted Kareem and his three siblings — two sisters and a brother — out of Philadelphia and brought them to the Boyertown area.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130506/NEWS01/130509526/official-west-pottsgrove-murder-victim-was-shot-in-the-back#full_story

Pottsgrove Parent: French Teacher Can’t Speak French

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

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP - The Pennsylvania Department of Education has rejected a complaint filed against district administrators by the parent of a Pottsgrove High School student who argued the district has been negligent in ensuring that the school’s French teacher knows the language well enough to teach it.

In the complaint and in conversations with a reporter, Tony DiPaolo said he had tried for five months to work with the district’s administrators to resolve the issue, particularly when the teacher in question went on leave and the opportunity to find a native language speaker presented itself, but he met resistance and bureaucracy every step of the way.

In the end, “I had no choice,” he said.  “This not only affects my son, but all the other students who think they are being taught proper French.”

DiPaolo is multi-lingual.  His parents are Italian and spoke Italian in the home.  That home was in Montreal and Dipaolo attended a private school there staffed by instructors from France.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130429/NEWS01/130429239/pottsgrove-parent-french-teacher-can-t-speak-french#full_story

Pottsgrove Taps Feola As New Superintendent

LOWER POTTSGROVE — The Pottsgrove School Board announced its intention Friday to appoint Acting Superintendent Shellie Feola to the post permanently.

The vote is scheduled to occur at a special meeting Tuesday, 6:30 p.m., at the district office.

Feola, who has been the district’s assistant superintendent for more than five years, was appointed acting superintendent on Oct. 8 after her predecessor, Bradley Landis left the district to take a post at the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit.

The board has decided to grant her a nearly five-year contract that ends June 30, 2017 which will carry a “pro-rated salary of $169,500,” retroactive to Oct. 8 when she assumed the post, according to a release issued Friday by the district.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121207/NEWS01/121209532/pottsgrove-taps-feola-as-new-superintendent#full_story

TriCounty Community Network’s SAFE Committee Presents “Mirror, Mirror” Safe Dating Play At National Conference

Pottstown, Pa. – The SAFE (Supporting Abuse Free Environments) Committee of the TriCounty Community Network (TCN), a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health, social and environmental conditions in Western Montgomery, Northern Chester and Eastern Berks counties in Pennsylvania, presented a special safe dating workshop at the 37^th Annual NOVA (The National Organization for Victim Assistance) Conference held in Philadelphia, Pa. on August 14-17, 2011.  The workshop included a presentation of the “Mirror, Mirror” safe-dating play that was written to spread awareness of domestic violence issues and give the audience information to recognize warning signals in order to prevent violence before it occurs.  TCN’s goal was to show other organizations at the conference how to replicate the play and facilitator-led discussions.

“Mirror, Mirror” was created and performed by Pottsgrove High School students in 2008 with the help of play-write Aileen McCulloh under the direction of Todd Kelly, Pottsgrove High School English teacher and Drama Director. The play has since been performed in many locations throughout the TriCounty area.  Each performance is followed by a professionally-led discussion about the issues presented in the play as well as how to get help if they or a friend or loved-one needs assistance.

This year’s NOVA Conference workshop was led by Todd Kelly, Pottsgrove High School teacher and TCN SAFE Committee co-chairs: Kristine Wickward, legal advocate for the Women’s Center of Montgomery County and Janine Kelly, community education director for Women’s Center of Montgomery County; as well as Chuck Gallun, coordinator of SAFE Project at Creative Health Services; and Karla Romberg of TCN.

Each year NOVA holds a conference at a variety of locations around the country to bring international agencies and individuals together for training, networking, and to provide up-to-date information on national advocacy issues.

To find out more information about the “Mirror, Mirror” performances please contact Jen Doyle at TriCounty Community Network at 610-705-3301.

Philadelphia Daily News Top 10 Suburban Football Teams

Image via Wikipedia

The Philadelphia Daily News released their Top Ten Suburban Football Teams list.  While no Pottstown area high school made the top ten, Boyertown (9-2) and Pottsgrove (9-2) were listed as Under Consideration.  I guess that’s like an honorable mention.  Kudos to Pottsgrove and Boyertown for their excellent seasons.

To see the list click below:

http://www.philly.com/dailynews/breaking/sports/20101115_Daily_News_top_10_suburban_football_teams.html