Mountain Laurel Performing Arts Center Closing

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

A music venue touted as a “crown jewel” for the Poconos when it opened looks like it will observe its 10th anniversary this summer by again being shuttered, with no concerts scheduled.

Mountain Laurel Performing Arts Center in Lehman Township, Pike County, without fanfare broke ties with the second management agency it has had in two years and, for the third time in its history, has closed the venue, with few prospects for activity this summer.

The most recent manager, Christopher Perrotti of Rhode Island, confirmed in an email that he was let go in August. He said he believes that the center’s owners “have closed it down, which is not good for the venue’s future.”

A woman who answered the phone at O’Neill Properties Group of King of Prussia, Montgomery County, one of the center’s owners, referred questions to a spokesman who did not respond to a telephone message left for him.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/mountain-laurel-performing-arts-center-closing-1.1464768

Exchange To Offer Health Insurance To Nearly 81,000 In Northeast Pennsylvania

Exchange to offer health insurance.

Assistance available to those in need.

Nearly 81,000 Northeast Pennsylvanians will be eligible to buy subsidized health insurance next year through an exchange, according to a new report released Wednesday.

The report, “Help Is at Hand: New Health Insurance Tax Credits in Pennsylvania,” by Families USA, a Washington D.C.-based non-profit that supports President Obama’s Affordable Care Act, details who will be eligible to obtain health insurance through the Pennsylvania exchange.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/health-science/exchange-to-offer-health-insurance-to-nearly-81-000-in-northeast-pennsylvanian-1.1464563

With No Sellout For Opener, Commissioners Pump Up RailRiders Debut

Locator map of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Metropolitan Statistical Area in the northeastern part of the of . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With Opening Day for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders fast approaching, the Lackawanna County commissioners raved about the new PNC Field and plans for the baseball season at their meeting Wednesday.

They said fans will love the new $43.3 million stadium and its amenities, though plenty of tickets remain for the return of minor league baseball to the region on April 4.

Commissioner Jim Wan-sacz said club- and suite-level seats are sold out for the next three years, but conventional seating is still available.

“There’s probably about another 2,000 tickets available for opening day,” Mr. Wansacz said. The stadium seats 10,000.

Read more:  http://thetimes-tribune.com/news/with-no-sellout-for-opener-commissioners-pump-up-railriders-debut-1.1464686

DeMedici II Will Buy Former GlaxoSmithKline Building For New String Theory School

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

A new performing arts charter high school says it has sealed a deal to open in the fall at GlaxoSmithKline‘s former North American headquarters at 16th and Vine Streets.

Under terms that will be announced Thursday, a nonprofit associated with the Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School has agreed to buy the curving, eight-story building for $29 million for the String Theory High School for the Arts and Sciences.  It will be the first charter high school in the city focused on the performing arts.

The nonprofit, DeMedici Corporation II, expects to finance the property with tax-exempt bonds from the Philadelphia Authority for Industrial Development (PAID), according to Mary D’Anella, spokeswoman for String Theory Schools, which manages the charter.

“It’s the most exciting high school this city has opened in a generation,” said Angela Corosanite, chief executive officer of the nonprofit String Theory, and founder of it and the Philadelphia Performing Arts Charter School.

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20130328_DeMedici_II_will_buy_former_GlaxoSmithKline_building_for_new_String_Theory_School.html

Owners Of Small South Hills Grocers Accused Of Food-Stamp Fraud

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

Editor’s note:  This same thing just happened in Pottstown.  Wondering if this is a more than a coincidence.  Looks like this could be a big problem.

Two Brentwood men who ran separate small grocery stores in the South Hills were indicted Wednesday for wire fraud and food stamp fraud, documents filed today in U.S. District Court show.

Samson Dweh, 30, ran Mariama African Store in Carrick, according to the indictment naming him.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized him to begin accepting food stamps in February 2009.

Starting in August 2010, according to the indictment, Mr. Dweh started paying cash for food stamp benefits, paying around 50 cents on each dollar of benefit the customer sought to cash in.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/neighborhoods-south/owners-of-small-south-hills-grocers-accused-of-food-stamp-fraud-681230/#ixzz2OqWtDubA

Pittsburgh Lands U.S. Gymnastics Championships

English: Consol Energy Center (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics, catered to a Pittsburgh audience by wearing a Penguins No. 14 jersey — not for Chris Kunitz, who wears that number, but to help root the Penguins to a 14th win in a row tonight.

And he called the 2014 U.S. gymnastics championships, which will be held at Consol Energy Center, “the annual Super Bowl of our sport.”

But Penny, in formally announcing the national event at a news conference Wednesday at the arena, is convinced that America’s version of his sport, particularly women’s gymnastics, is every bit as dominant as the Penguins and Steelers have been.

“I’m beginning to talk about our women’s program as having established a dynasty in our sport,” Penny said.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/more-sports/pittsburgh-consol-land-us-championships-681183/#ixzz2OqUd0aIi

Manheim Township Schools Ban Parents From Eating Lunch With Their Children

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

Editor’s note:  What a sad reality.

The Manheim Township School District has notified parents that they will no longer be allowed to visit schools to have lunch with their children, a move it says is designed to “ensure a safe learning environment.”

The new policy was approved by the school board on March 21 and is effective May 1.

The policy was described in a letter to parents dated March 22 and signed by the district’s elementary-, intermediate-, middle- and high-school principals.

The letter stated that an exception can be made by each school’s principal if they choose to participate in a celebration such as National Lunch Week.  The new policy would not allow parents to bring “restaurant food from outside sources” during such celebrations, however.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/831066_Manheim-Township-schools-ban-parents-from-eating-lunch-with-their-children.html#ixzz2OqRwcTCx

York Mayoral Candidate Pulled Off The Ballot

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

Editor’s note:  If you don’t want to live in the City of York, why the heck would you want to be the mayor??????? I would think there should be a residency requirement for the mayor.

A controversial York city mayoral candidate likely won’t appear on the Democratic ballot this spring, after a county judge ruled that he does not meet residency requirements.

President Judge Stephen P. Linebaugh on Wednesday granted a petition to set aside nomination papers for Joe Beltrante, the mayoral hopeful who nonetheless maintained in court that he had “absolutely no desire” to live in the city.

That means Beltrante will not compete against incumbent Mayor Kim Bracey and York City Council President Carol Hill-Evans in the May primary, unless he first chooses to appeal the decision.

Beltrante said Wednesday afternoon that he’s not yet decided whether or not he will appeal.

Read more:  http://www.ydr.com/politics/ci_22883422/york-mayoral-candidate-pulled-off-ballot

Allentown Developer Plans Tallest Building In Lehigh Valley

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

After decades of spreading out, Allentown could be growing up, its skyline altered by the Lehigh Valley‘s tallest building.

Developer Bruce Loch unveiled plans Wednesday for the 33-story Landmark Tower at Ninth and Walnut streets. The $60-million project would include nearly 200,000 square feet of office, retail and residential space and eclipse the vacant Martin Tower, the former headquarters of Bethlehem Steel and the Valley’s tallest building, by 20 feet.

Loch, an experienced residential builder in the Lehigh Valley with more than $100 million in development under his belt, is making his first foray into this type of project, which he said would be on a lot owned by the Allentown Parking Authority, next to the authority’s garage on Walnut Street.

The property is in the city’s one-of-a-kind Neighborhood Improvement Zone, which allows developers to tap tenants’ state and city taxes, not including property taxes, to finance construction.

Read more:  http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-allentown-lehigh-valley-tallest-building-20130327,0,5430141.story

Cops: Driver Crashes Near Pottstown While Checking On Groceries

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  I don’t know, maybe a cooler would have been a good idea….

LOWER POTTSGROVE — A driver struck two other vehicles Tuesday night because he was checking to see if the steaks he bought were still frozen, police said.

After the accident, the man fled the scene and ran through the Home Depot parking lot off Armand Hammer Boulevard, according to police.

The suspect was found a short time later with the help of witnesses and family members.

Zsolt Michael Kohalmi, 25, no known address, is accused of hitting two vehicles on Armand Hammer Boulevard around 4:15 p.m. Tuesday then running from the scene, police said.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130328/NEWS01/130329385/cops-driver-crashes-near-pottstown-while-checking-on-groceries#full_story

After-School Melees Leave Boy Bloodied In Reading City Park

A string of after-school fights broke out Wednesday in Reading, leaving a boy bloodied in City Park and police without any explanation for two melees.

Sgt. John M. Solecki said fights occasionally happen after dismissal, but the violence Wednesday was unusual because various objects were used as weapons.

About 4 p.m., police converged on City Park, where between 75 and 100 teens were fighting at the basketball courts, some of them wielding 2-by-4s and baseball bats.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=464058