Body Unnoticed In Pottstown Park For 8 To 12 Hours

Editor’s note:  It’s rather hard to believe that a dead body could be a few hundred feet away from Borough Hall, the Brick House and in view of High Street and nobody noticed?  Is the homeless problem so bad that we just ignore someone lying on the ground in a public place?  If the woman died where she was photographed, how could she have been there that long and nobody thought something was wrong?

POTTSTOWN, PA — The woman whose lifeless body was found lying near the fountain in Smith Family Plaza Thursday evening has been identified by the county coroner who said she was likely there for 8 to 12 hours before someone alerted authorities.

Dr. Walter I. Hofman said the woman has been identified as 49-year-old Cynthia Atkinson, believed to be homeless.  Hofman said no next of kin has been identified.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120622/NEWS01/120629763/body-unnoticed-in-pottstown-park-for-8-to-12-hours

Williamsport Cuts 35 School Positions

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

WILLIAMSPORT, PA – Thirty-five positions are eliminated under a $75.5 million budget approved by the Williamsport Area School Board for the next fiscal year.

The board also is increasing its property tax by .339 of a mill to balance the budget, approved by a 5-2 vote this week.

Faced with a multi-million dollar deficit due to decreased or flat state subsidies against rising personnel, insurance and pension costs, the board voted 6-1 to eliminate 15 teaching jobs and 20 support staff. Eight of the 45 took voluntary layoff. The layoffs are effective July 1.

“Everyone is not happy … for the number that we furloughed, but it could have been worse,” said Superintendent Dr. Kathleen Kelley.

Read more: http://www.lockhaven.com/page/content.detail/id/539537/Williamsport-cuts-35-school-positions.html?nav=5009

Streets Closing In Preparation For Celebrate Lancaster

The 14th annual Celebrate Lancaster kicks off this morning with the opening of about two dozen food stands and the closure of North Prince Street from Penn Square to Lancaster Square.

Thousands of people are expected to pack the streets throughout the day to sample the local fare and dance to the sounds of bluegrass, Latino music, R&B and rock ‘n’ roll.

The event will culminate with a large fireworks display that begins at 10 p.m.

Admission is free.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/674460_Streets-closing-in-preparation-for–Celebrate-Lancaster.html#ixzz1yXDvEhq3

Boyertown Landmark Pharmacy Bauses Closes

Editor’s note:  This is why buying local is important.  Very sad!

BOYERTOWN, PA– A fixture in the Boyertown community for 77 years, Bause’s Super Drug Store abruptly closed its doors for good Monday.

Bauses’s issued a joint announcement with CVS on Tuesday stating that effective immediately CVS had purchased Bause’s pharmacy business and transferred all prescriptions to the CVS/pharmacy at 801 E. Philadelphia Ave., less than a mile from the now-closed Bause’s Super Drug Store, 42 E. Philadelphia Ave.

Bause’s owner Jane (Mellott) Beauchamp said “every single full-time employee” of Bause’s was hired by CVS in Boyertown. She noted that these employees were hired on their own merit “as well as the fact that they were part of the BSDS team.”

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/boyertown-landmark-pharmacy-bauses-closes/1

Body Found In Pottstown Borough Hall Park

POTTSTOWN, PA — The body of a woman was found in Smith Family Plaza Thursday evening.

A passerby alerted police to the discovery about 6:45 p.m. and investigating officers found the woman dead by the fountain on the park on High Street, opposite Pottstown Borough Hall.

Police had not identified the body as of 8 p.m., although they estimated her age to be about 40.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120622/NEWS01/120629801/body-found-in-pottstown-borough-hall-park