Pottstown Memorial Medical Center Awarded Certification From The Joint Commission

POTTSTOWN, PA – Pottstown Memorial Medical Center has earned The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval for Joint Replacement – Hip and Knee by demonstrating compliance with The Joint Commission’s national standards for health care quality and safety in disease-specific care. The certification award recognizes PMMC’s dedication to continuous compliance with The Joint Commission’s standards.

PMMC underwent a rigorous on-site survey in July. A team of Joint Commission expert surveyors evaluated PMMC’s Joint Replacement program for hip and knee for compliance with standards of care specific to the needs of patients and families, including infection prevention and control, leadership and medication management.

“In achieving Joint Commission certification, Pottstown Memorial Medical Center has demonstrated its commitment to the highest level of care for joint replacement of hip and knee patients.” says Jean Range, M.S., R.N., C.P.H.Q. executive director, Disease-Specific Care Certification, The Joint Commission. “Certification is a voluntary process and I commend PMMC for successfully undertaking this challenge to elevate its standard of care and instill confidence in the community it serves.”

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/pmmc-awarded-certification-the-joint-commission-0/1

Pottstown High School Students Doing Better Than Tests Show

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN, PA — Although headlines last week proclaimed Pottstown High School an occupant of the state’s new “underachieving schools” list, that ranking, based in large part on a single standardized test, does not tell the whole story.

There are other ways to measure educational success and in several of them, Pottstown High School comes out on top, particularly when looking at the Career and Technology Program.

By several measures, these students, who study technical skills to prepare them for the workforce upon graduation, are succeeding in ways the Pennsylvania Legislature does not seem to consider as important.

This past year 100 percent of the school’s career and technical students graduated, compared to the 87 percent graduation rate for the general education students the same year.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120806/NEWS01/120809613/phs-students-doing-better-than-tests-show&pager=full_story

Marcellus Shale Becoming Top US Natural Gas Field

English: Cropped portion of image from USGS report showing extent of Marcellus Formation shale (in gray shading). (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

PITTSBURGH, PA (AP) — The Marcellus Shale is about to become the most productive natural gas field in the United States, according to new data from energy industry analysts and the federal government.

Though serious drilling only began five years ago, the sheer volume of Marcellus production suggests that in some ways there’s no going back, even as New York debates whether to allow drilling in its portion of the shale, which also lies under large parts of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio.

The top spot for the Marcellus “doesn’t surprise me,” said Jay Apt, a professor of technology at Carnegie Mellon University. “But will it lead to industries that spring up to use that gas?” he asked, adding that much of the bounty could also end up being shipped to Canada, the Gulf Coast or overseas.

In 2008, Marcellus production barely registered on national energy reports. In July, the combined output from Pennsylvania and West Virginia wells was about 7.4 billion cubic feet per day, according to Kyle Martinez, an analyst at Bentek Energy. That’s more than double the 3.6 billion cubic feet from last April, and represents over 25 percent of national shale gas production.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/marcellus-shale-becoming-top-us-natural-gas-field-1.1355101

Businesses Worry Over Scranton’s Deepening Financial Crisis

Between sips of soda at Sal’s Pizza on Linden Street, Nick Noll recounted his time as a Scranton business owner.

His business, Keystone Granite and Marble, was on Diamond Avenue in Scranton but moved to Old Forge earlier this year as he saw deepening financial problems and grew tired of the business privilege tax.

“As soon as I moved to Old Forge I felt like I received a raise,” Mr. Noll said. “It no longer became a question of whether or not I should pay my taxes or take my family on vacation.”

Mr. Noll said the increase in the gross receipts tax proposed in the city’s revised recovery plan from 0.75 percent to 1 percent is “counterproductive” to bringing business back into the city.

Read more: http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/business/businesses-worry-over-deepening-financial-crisis-1.1354898

One Dead, 9 Injured After Lightning Strike At Pocono Raceway

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

LONG POND – One fan was killed and nine others injured Sunday after being struck by lightning in the midst of a violent thunderstorm that overwhelmed Pocono Raceway just after the conclusion of NASCAR‘s Pennsylvania 400, track officials confirmed.

The victim, whose name was not released pending the notification of family, was pronounced dead at Pocono Medical Center by emergency room director Dr. Peter Favini, raceway president and CEO Brandon Igdalsky said. Nine others remained hospitalized at various area hospitals, one critically.

“Unfortunately, a member of our raceway family here, a fan, has passed away,” Igdalsky said. “On behalf of myself and my entire family and everybody here, really heartfelt thoughts.”

Track spokesman Bob Pleban said one of the injured fans remained in critical condition at Lehigh Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. Two others were taken to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre, one with a moderate injury and the other with a minor one. Another fan with a minor injury was taken to Pocono Medical Center, and five others were treated and released at the raceway.

Read more: http://republicanherald.com/news/one-dead-9-injured-after-lightning-strike-at-pocono-raceway-1.1355045

Photographer To Release Shenandoah Documentary This Fall

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

As a Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer was on his way to the coal region to scout ideas for a film about working-class America, all hell was breaking loose in Shenandoah.

David Turnley remembered the call he received en route from New York City to Schuylkill County.

“As I was heading to the coal region, a friend of mine called and said, ‘You should go to Shenandoah, Pa., where four of the town’s star sons, all straight-A students and football players, have been charged with killing an undocumented Mexican immigrant,” Turnley recalled. “I thought, ‘Well, I guess I should go to Shenandoah.’ ”

He stayed two years, filming, shooting photographs and documenting the events surrounding the beating death of Luis Eduardo Ramirez Zavala.

Read more: http://republicanherald.com/news/photographer-to-release-shenandoah-documentary-this-fall-1.1355046

Rabid Beaver Bites Swimmer At Delaware Water Gap

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

Editor’s note:  Yikes!

A swimmer in the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area was bitten by a beaver that tested positive for rabies, the National Park Service said Friday.

The park visitor was swimming in the Delaware River, just south of the Eshback Access, on Thursday afternoon when the beaver bit, Recreation Area Superintendent John J. Donahue said.

Donahue said he did not know whether other animals in the park had rabies, which is transmitted by the bites of infected animals.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-c-delaware-water-gap-rabies-beaver-bite-20120804,0,2954727.story

Macungie Councilman Will Resign After Being Charged With Urinating On Neighbor’s Porch

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

A Macungie borough councilman has decided to resign after being charged with open lewdness, disorderly conduct and public drunkenness for allegedly urinating on a neighbor’s porch Friday afternoon.

A police officer was on the unit block of W. Chestnut Street investigating complaints that Linn Walker, 70, had repeatedly urinated on neighboring properties when he observed Walker relieving himself in public about 3:30 p.m., according to Police Chief Edward Harry Jr..

“While the officer was speaking to [residents], Walker exited his home and proceeded to a neighbor’s home at 43 W. Chestnut St. where the officer and the residents witnessed him urinating on the porch pad of that home and a garden hose and gas can lying next to the porch,” Harry wrote in a news release.

Residents had reported seeing Walker urinate outside during daylight hours and in full view of them and their children on numerous occasions, Harry said in the release.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/mc-macungie-council-member-urinating-20120804,0,1829243.story

Transit Bus Bursts Into Flames As It Enters Tamaqua; No One Hurt

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

Editor’s note:  Here’s something you don’t see every day!

A Schuylkill County public transit bus burst into flames Friday afternoon as it entered Tamaqua to pick up passengers, authorities said.

No one was injured. The Schuylkill Transportation System bus was empty except for the driver, and he jumped out at Broad and Swatara streets before the flames spread.

he 2:05 p.m. fire gutted the bus down to its seat frames. It was a charred shell after South Ward firefighters put out the flames.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/police/mc-f-tamaqua-transit-bus-gutted-in-fire-20120805,0,7069613.story

Storm Knocks Down Trees, Power Lines

Trees fell, fires ignited and power lines came down Sunday as Berks County was hit by a thunderstorm that swept across the state bringing heavy winds, rain and lightning.

The heaviest part of the storm passed through the county between 5 and 6 p.m. It was followed by a spate of radio traffic from the 9-1-1 center dispatching emergency responders to deal with reported fallen trees around the county, and one case of a tree catching fire after it was struck by lightning, according to dispatchers.

The violent weather was caused by cool air hitting the hot and humid air that had been sitting over Berks the last few days, AccuWeather forecaster Erik Pindrock said.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=406413