PetSmart To Open $50 Million Warehouse In Bethel Township

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

National retailer PetSmart plans to open a $50 million distribution warehouse in Berks Park 78 in Bethel Township, creating 500 permanent jobs and 390 construction jobs.

This is the second Fortune 500 company slated to open in the park by January 2014.

A Dollar General distribution center, which plans to employ 500 workers and an additional 75 truckers, announced its plans last month.

Thomas C. McKeon, executive director of the Berks County Industrial Development Authority, said he is ecstatic the two large companies selected Bethel.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=398727

Steven Tyler Exiting As ‘American Idol’ Judge

Tyler leaving ‘American Idol‘ after 2 seasons; Lopez says his exit will affect her decision

NEW YORK – Steven Tyler says he’s exiting “American Idol” to put rock `n’ roll first.

Tyler said he’s leaving the hit show after two seasons to rededicate himself to Aerosmith, the band he fronts. The rock star said he loved every minute on the hit Fox singing contest but added, “it’s time to bring rock back.”

“After some long … hard … thoughts … I’ve decided it’s time for me to let go of my mistress `American Idol’ before she boils my rabbit,” Tyler said in a statement, making a joking reference to the 1987 Michael Douglas-Glenn Close thriller “Fatal Attraction.”

“I strayed from my first love, Aerosmith, and I’m back but instead of begging on my hands and knees, I got two fists in the air and I’m kicking the door open with my band.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=398721

Mosaic Community Garden – Pottstown’s Hidden Jewel On Chestnut Street

Pottstown, PA – I was given a tour of the new Community Garden on Chestnut Street yesterday by Katy Jackson.  The garden was formerly a broken down playground full of weeds, drug dealers and hookers.  The school district and the borough worked with Mosaic to make this project happen.  It is now a source of pride and a stabilizing factor in the neighborhood.

The large space was cleared and has been subdivided into 34 individual plots that people are using to grow their own vegetables.  There is also a flower garden near the front entrance, a patio area and a common gathering area in the rear.  An amphitheater is being constructed for lectures and programs.  There is a shed full of tools, three hoses for water and several adult and child picnic tables.  In addition, there is a composter in the rear of the property that will be brought back into working order so that gardeners can all contribute to the communal composter.

There is an educational component to the garden as well as the ability to grow one’s own food.  There is art programming at the garden this summer in conjunction with the Olivet Boys & Girls Club/Ricketts Center.  20-25 children are attending.  The children have painted the benches the past three Thursday mornings and this Thursday they are gathering at the garden to paint bird houses.

There is special kids pizza garden and a middle school garden.

People are harvesting green beans, lettuce, yellow squash and tomatoes.

This Saturday, July 14^th, there is a composting workshop at the garden.  Lectures will be given on traditional composting and worm composting.  This workshop runs from 9am to 11am.  The presenters will be Laura Washington and Scott Winter.

Future plans include selling produce grown from the garden and additional community garden sites being added in Pottstown.  There are many volunteers who have put hours of sweat equity into making this garden a huge success.  They should all be commended!

For more information about the tremendous project, click here: http://pottstownclt.wordpress.com/

TriCounty Community Network Names Two New Board Members

Karen Higgins of A & E Communications and Tom Thunstrom of Penn Liberty Bank Join Board

Pottstown, Pa. (July 12, 2012) – 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, today announced that Karen Higgins, president of A & E Communications, Inc. and Tom Thunstrom, assistant vice president and branch manager of Penn Liberty Bank in Limerick join its board of directors.

“TCN continues to grow both in members and in the programs we are offering the community,” said Jen Doyle, executive director for TCN.  “Karen and Tom have both the business and nonprofit experience to help us continue this upward momentum helping individuals and organizations in our area collaborate to support the needs of the tri-county community.”

Karen Higgins

Mrs. Higgins founded A & E Communications, Inc., a marketing communications firm in 2003.  She works with small and mid-sized organizations helping them to build market awareness and credibility.  Previously, she was vice president of PR at TMP Worldwide, where she provided public relations services to a wide range of clients for 10 years.

Currently, Mrs. Higgins is immediate past president of the Greater Philadelphia Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) where she has held numerous board positions and is the recipient of the 2006 President’s Award, 2009 Board Member of the Year Award and 2010 Special President’s Award.  She is also Marketing Committee chair for the United Way Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Women’s Initiative Leadership Committee and serves on the Marketing & Membership Committee for TCN.  Mrs. Higgins is a graduate of Susquehanna University in Selinsgrove, Pa.

Tom Thunstrom

Mr. Thunstrom has nearly nine years of bank management experience, spending three years with a regional bank in Minneapolis before relocating to Montgomery County to join PNC Bank in early 2001.  After several years with PNC, he joined financial education nonprofit Operation HOPE in 2005.  During his time running Philadelphia’s Operation HOPE office, Mr. Thunstrom oversaw year-over-year increases in services provided, an annual increase in dollars raised, and helped to expand financial education programs to numerous schools and community organizations throughout the Delaware and Lehigh Valleys.

Mr. Thunstrom joined Penn Liberty in March of 2011 and is responsible for community and business outreach in Upper Montgomery and Chester Counties, as well as managing the Limerick branch.  He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota and has served two years as president of Pennsylvania’s Jump$tart financial education coalition and is presently on the board of directors for Royersford Public Library, the Spring-Ford Chamber of Commerce, and is also chairman of the Park and Recreation Commission in Upper Providence Township (Montgomery County), where he resides.

About TriCounty Community Network                 

TCN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, membership-based organization that partners with nonprofits, businesses and community members to improve health, social and environmental conditions.  Serving Western Montgomery, Northern Chester and Eastern Berks counties in Pennsylvania, TCN offers seven key programs: Build Up Youth, C.A.R.E. (Caring in Alternative Residential Environments), Environmental Awareness, Family Literacy, Homeless Services, S.A.F.E. (Supporting Abuse Free Environments), and Workforce Development.  For more information on TCN, visitwww.tcnetwork.org.