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.

Roy’s Rants And North End Lose Power When Truck Hits Utility Poles

We were without power for about four hours this afternoon when a semi, coming up Hale Street (never a good idea), tried to make a left hand turn on Mineral Street and took out five utility poles.  Above/below are some pictures from the scene.  Took us out of commission all afternoon, on a good writing day….grrrrrr.

One of the firemen on duty said he lives on Grant Street and the power flickered there shortly before he got the call about the accident.  It is amazing how little one can do in this day and age without electricity.  Many thanks to PECO for restoring our power!  Also many thanks to Pottstown police, fire and rescue workers for promptly arriving on the scene!

Cooperation and Collaboration Are Not Dirty Words In Pittsburgh

Image via Wikipedia

An excellent opinion piece was published in Sunday’s Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, written by award-winning journalist and author Steven Beschloss, about how Pittsburgh has propelled itself forward during troubled periods in the city’s past.  The author suggests that in today’s troubled economic times, America look at the Pittsburgh model of cooperation and collaboration as a way forward.

Here is an excerpt from Mr. Beschloss’ piece:

…We can rewind to the 1940s when Democratic Mayor David L. Lawrence allied with Republican financier Richard King Mellon to shape the city’s Renaissance Project, giving Pittsburgh a new lease on life at a grave moment of decline and worry. It’s worth recalling how Lawrence described that economic development effort to revive the city and bring together a complex coalition of interests: “This is a Pittsburgh project, not a Democratic or a Republican project.”…

The same cooperation and collaboration has enabled Pittsburgh to survive the collapse of the steel industry and reinvent itself as a city built on education, health care, computer science, biomedicine and engineering.

To read Steven Beschloss’ opinion piece, click here: http://postgazette.com/pg/11233/1168445-109-0.stm?cmpid=newspanel

He’s Back In The Saddle Again – Thomas Hylton’s Neighborhood Schools Committee Rises From The Ashes

You may remember a while back that Mr. Hylton and his Neighborhood Schools Committee (NSC) were reigned in by the board for operating outside the normal limits of a committee.  They were placed under the Facilities Committee so that decisions would be made that included the entire board, not just “selected members”.

Oh, how times have changed.  Mr. Hylton’s power grab has landed him back in the catbird seat once again.  Mr. Hylton now has a majority of five votes on the board that will predictably go his way.  The NSC is now unfettered and free to act without the pesky interference of those other four trouble makers on the board who disagree with him.

On August 8^th, the NSC held an 18 minute meeting to discuss a few issues.  Chairman Dennis Wausnock and Committee members Valerie Harris and Thomas Hylton were in attendance.  Déjà vu anyone.  There were some others in attendance, members of the administration, two other board members, Crabtree and Rohrbaugh folks and a couple of spectators.  Just a cozy little group, the way Mr. Hylton likes it 🙂

Mr. Thees (a former board member) asked some pointed questions:

1. Will the cost summary be provided to the public?
2. Mr. Thees asked about those darned historical windows that keep popping up.
3. Is four weeks enough time for Crabtree and Rohrbaugh to go through the list?
4. Why is Mr. Hylton the sole representative on the board for this project?

Mrs. Weand asked Mr. Hylton if the other eight members of the board are not to be involved in the day-to-day decisions.  Mr. Hylton replied that the board decided the Neighborhood Schools Committee has been appointed to oversee the work.  Ms. Harris chimed in that every board member has a say but that Mr. Hylton is the point person for the day-to-day dealings.   (The answer to Mrs. Weand’s question is a resounding NO!).

So Crabtree and Rohrbaugh have four weeks to provide a timeline to the NSC on the completion of renovations to Pottstown’s five elementary schools.  Of course, this motion passed with three yes votes.

Another motion was passed to authorize the preliminary work necessary to issue the $15 million bond ASAP.

Of course, the NSC voted to make Mr. Hylton the sole point of day-to-day contact between the PSD administration, Crabtree and Rohrbaugh, Stephen Kalis and others involved in the upgrade of our five elementary schools.

A motion was made and passed to develop a contingency plan for emergency student housing if the construction takes longer than anticipated.  (We can only imagine what this will entail!)

Eighteen minutes later, Mr. Hylton made the motion to adjourn.

Future meetings will be on an “as needed basis”.  (Sounds like the Shade Tree Commission)

If this doesn’t raise a few eyebrows then I am not sure what will.  Mr. Hylton has made himself Elementary Emperor.  He will be the only board member involved in this process and has effectively shut out the other seven elected school board directors from the day-to-day process of spending $15 million dollars to “band aid” five school buildings.

Does this seem unusual to anyone else?

You know those historical windows will end up in Rupert.  What you don’t know is that those windows will enrich the quality of education in the Pottstown School District tremendously.  Why I bet they will even make test scores in the high school go up to meet the state required levels.  The sense of pride in those historical windows will inspire our students to greatness.

Just another day in Pottstown.