Legal Stalemate Over, Allentown Racing To Build Hockey Arena

The PPL Building (seen here in the distance) is the tallest building in Allentown, Pennsylvania. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With suburban communities poised to withdraw the lawsuits that have halted Allentown‘s $220 million arena project, the city appears to be left with one big question: Can it build the arena fast enough?

The project is months behind schedule and city officials are scrambling to find ways to make up lost time, including the option of starting the 2013-14 season with a two-month road trip.

Still, the most important job is getting the suburban townships to officially drop their lawsuits.

“When that is formalized, it will allow us to move forward,” said Rep. Jennifer Mann, D-Lehigh. “The biggest piece is ramping up, getting the construction schedule going full throttle. That is the one that hurts us the most. One commodity you can’t get back is time. We have lost at least 90 days in this process.”

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/mc-allentown-pa-arena-construction-20120702,0,2846794.story

Burger King’s Pulled Pork Earns Four Thumbs Up (but no coleslaw)

This week I reached out for a Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich from the No. 2 burger flipper, Burger King, with 12,300 restaurants in 50 states plus 76 international markets.

Take that, McDonald’s and your McRib — now Burger King is getting porky, too.

Here’s the blueprint: tender pulled pork with hickory-smoke Memphis-style barbecue sauce, topped with sliced onions and a “sweet Southern sauce” (more about this later) on a toasted artisan bun.

Total calories: 470. Fat grams: 16. Sodium: 1,420 mg. Dietary fiber: 1 g. Carbs: 61 g. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price: $3.49.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/681986_BK-s-pulled-pork-earns-four-thumbs-up–but-no-coleslaw-.html#ixzz1zap8iVhI

Praise For King Street Proposal In Lancaster

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

Lancaster, Pa. – With recently renovated retail, office space and apartments across the street and a 466-space parking garage next door, Eric Nordstrom thinks the future is bright for 160 E. King St.

Nordstrom’s Geten LLC purchased the former television and appliance store in December.

After extensive renovations, he plans to lease the space to a restaurant or retail tenant before next spring.  The upper floors of the three-story building will be renovated into office space.

Nordstrom’s plans earned praise Monday from the city’s Historical Architectural Review Board.  The board will recommend City Council approval next Tuesday.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/681570_Praise-for-King-Street-proposal.html#ixzz1zakxeGAZ

Beloved Actor Andy Griffith Dies In NC At Age 86

Andy Griffith, Tony Award-nominated and Emmy Award-nominated American actor, producer, writer, director and Grammy Award-winning southern gospel singer. Image taken as President George W. Bush presents him the Presidential Medal of Freedom. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 RALEIGH, NC. – It was all too easy to confuse Andy Griffith the actor with Sheriff Andy Taylor, his most famous character from “The Andy Griffith Show.”

After all, Griffith set his namesake show in a make-believe town based on his hometown of Mount Airy, N.C., and played his “aw, shucks” persona to such perfection that viewers easily believed the character and the man were one.

Griffith, 86, died Tuesday at his coastal home, Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie said in a statement.

“Mr. Griffith passed away this morning at his home peacefully and has been laid to rest on his beloved Roanoke Island,” Doughtie told The Associated Press, reading from a family statement.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=396967

Reading School District Seeks 14 Administrators; Teachers Union Upset

Just two days after passing a 2012-13 budget that laid off more than 200 employees, the Reading School District is looking to hire – and the teachers union isn’t very happy about it.

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipediaust two days after passing a 2012-13 budget that laid off more than 200 employees, the Reading School District is looking to hire – and the teachers union isn’t very happy about it.

In an email sent to staff Friday, the district announced that it is looking to fill 14 administrative positions. Some are existing positions currently vacant, while others are new.

But despite appearances, district officials said, the district is not opening up its budget to create new positions.

Calling the job listings a wish list for newly hired superintendent Dr. Carlinda Purcell, school board President Yvonne L. Stroman said only seven or eight of the positions will likely be filled when school begins this fall. Stroman said only positions included in the district’s $220 million budget – such as director of secondary education and director of special education – will be filled.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=396900