BOSTON BOMB SUSPECT IS CAPTURED

BOSTON — The teenage suspect in the marathon bombings, whose flight from the police after a furious gunfight early Friday morning sparked an intense manhunt that virtually shut down the entire Boston metropolitan area all day, was taken into custody Friday night after the police found him hiding in a boat in the backyard of a house in Watertown, Mass., a senior law enforcement official said.

Two law enforcement officials said that the suspect, Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, 19, was found in a boat parked behind a house there.  It was not immediately clear what condition he was in.

A police officer at the scene said that the man was covered in blood when he was captured.  An ambulance was already there. The Boston Police Department announced on Twitter:  “Suspect in custody.  Officers sweeping the area.”  And Mayor Thomas M. Menino posted, “We got him.”

As around 30 law enforcement officers — wearing helmets — walked away from the scene of what had been a tense standoff only minutes earlier, neighbors who had gathered on an adjacent street applauded and shouted, “Thank you! Thank you!”

Read more:  http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/20/us/boston-marathon-bombings.html?hp&_r=0

Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre Announces Its 15th Summer Of Middle School Arts Camp

Logo of Muhlenberg College (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Allentown, Pa  — This summer, Muhlenberg College‘s Camp Imagine program celebrates its 15th year of educating and enriching the lives of the Lehigh Valley’s middle school students.  Founded in 1999 the program provides young people in grades 6-8 with a month-long performing arts experience, which is free for students of the Allentown School District.

High school students can enroll in the Performing Arts Workshop.  Both programs provide invaluable experiences and opportunities to nurture passion for the performing arts and build real-life interpersonal and expressive skills.  The programs meet for three hours each week day, July 1-26.

“We all build confidence in each other,” said a former participant the Performing Arts Workshop.

Each program will culminate in a free showcase performance for family and friends at the conclusion of the four weeks.  Participants will be guided through creative arts experiences in the performing arts by talented teams of Muhlenberg College students and alumni.  These teaching artists are experienced, professionally trained and supervised.

“I think that the arts provide not only a tool for performance, but a tool for life,” says Renee Lorenzetti, related arts coordinator for the Allentown School District.  “It’s how we live and it’s who we are; and it’s what we need in our society.”

Camp Imagine students will explore their talents in acting, music, and dance in a safe and open environment, rotating through classes in drama, movement, and vocal expression.  They will also get to work with Muhlenberg alumni and students to create a dynamic ensemble environment with their peers.

The Workshop takes a multi-disciplinary approach to the study, creation, and performance of theatre. Students will work in a professional studio setting, learning not only acting, dance, and voice, but also advanced audition technique, ensemble collaboration, and character development.  Sessions are modeled after college classes, providing students with the opportunity to experience college-level performing arts instruction.  The workshop experience will conclude with an original ensemble performance.

Camp Imagine meets 9:30 to 12:30 a.m.  A lunch is provided for free to all participants, and free bus transportation is provided from all four Allentown School District middle schools.  For students not enrolled in the Allentown School District, tuition is $395; however, partial and full need-based scholarships are available. The Camp Imagine showcase is Saturday, July 27, at 10 a.m.

The Performing Arts Workshop meets 1:30 to 4:30 p.m.  Tuition for all students is $465; however, partial and full need-based scholarships are available.

Both programs meet July 1-26, except for July 4.  Students must register to participate.  Applications are available online atwww.muhlenberg.edu/camp, and by request at camp@muhlenberg.edu or 484-664-3693.

The programs are made possible by underwriting support from Enterprise Car Rentals, Crayola, The Foundation for Allentown City Schools, and others.

 

‘Catastrophic’ Budget Laid Out By Philly Schools

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

If the “catastrophic” budget picture Superintendent William R. Hite Jr. laid out Thursday comes to pass, Philadelphia schools would be virtually unrecognizable come September.

There could be no money for counselors or librarians. There might be no sports or extracurricular activities. No dedicated funds for secretaries, aides, or summer school would be provided. And that would follow the steep cuts made over the last two years.

There also could be 3,000 layoffs, including some teachers.

This doomsday scenario comes as a result of a deficit of more than $300 million in the district’s $2.7 billion 2013-14 budget. Officials have asked for $120 million in additional funding from the state and $60 million from the city, as well as $133 million in concessions from labor unions.

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20130419__Catastrophic__budget_laid_out_by_Philly_schools.html

Centralized Jobs Are A Bonus For Lancaster

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

Lancaster County has kept an unusually high percentage of its jobs in Lancaster city and suburbs, a new study shows.

The concentration of jobs in the city and suburbs here makes it easier for job-seekers to find work, the study’s author says.

Having centralized jobs also reduces traffic congestion, lowers energy consumption and cuts pollution, she says.

“Generally, we say that more compact forms of development are positive,” said author Elizabeth Kneebone.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/839044_Centralized-jobs-are-a-bonus-for-Lancaster.html#ixzz2QvJnTd3X

Agency Letter To Sovereign Center Says Water Could Be Shut Off

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

Editor’s note:  We think Mr. Miller needs some customer service training if he thinks the wording of the letter sent by his agency isn’t threatening.  Just sayin…

The Reading Area Water Authority recently sent the operators of the Sovereign Center a surprise: a letter demanding that the arena replace its big water meter within 30 days or risk the authority shutting off its water.

If the arena shuts down the system to replace the meter, or if the authority does, the arena can’t make ice, center general manager Zane Collings told the Berks County Convention Center Authority at its Thursday meeting.

The Reading Royals were in the middle of the hockey season when the Feb. 28 letter arrived and now they’re in the playoffs.  The team starts the Eastern Conference semifinals tonight.

City Council adopted the ordinance requiring the new meters 10 years ago.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=470867

Sheryl Miller, Candidate For Pottstown Borough Council – Ward 3

Editor’s note:  This is the kind of individual Pottstown needs on borough council.  It’s time to oust the “good old boys” and get some people in leadership positions who have a positive vision for the future of Pottstown.  To find out more about Sheryl, check out her Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SherylMillerForPottstownBoroughCouncil

1 Of 2 Boston Bomb Suspects Dead; Suburbs Shut Down

WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) — Two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing killed an MIT police officer, injured a transit officer in a firefight and threw explosive devices at police during their getaway attempt in a long night of violence that left one of them dead and another still at large Friday, authorities said as the manhunt intensified for a young man described as a dangerous terrorist.

The suspects were identified to The Associated Press as coming from the Russian region near Chechnya, which has been plagued by an Islamic insurgency stemming from separatist wars. A law enforcement intelligence bulletin obtained by the AP identified the surviving bomb suspect as Dzhokhar A. Tsarnaev, a 19-year-old who had been living in Cambridge, just outside Boston, and said he “may be armed and dangerous.”

Two law enforcement officials told the AP that Tsarnaev and the other suspect, who was not immediately identified, had been living legally in the U.S. for at least one year.

In Boston, still on edge over the attack on the marathon, and its western suburbs, authorities suspended mass transit and urged people to stay indoors as they searched for the remaining suspect, a man seen wearing a white baseball cap on surveillance footage from Monday’s deadly bombing at the marathon finish line.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130419/NEWS04/130419074/1-of-2-boston-bomb-suspects-dead-suburbs-shut-down#full_story

Olympic Gold Medalist Misty May-Treanor Coming To Pottstown Rumble

President George W. Bush hits a volleyball back to U.S. Women’s Beach Volleyball team member Misty May-Treanor, left, during his visit to the Chaoyang Park practice courts Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008, before the U.S. team began their matches at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  Very exciting news.

POTTSTOWN — Take a deep breath, Pottstown Rumble fans.

Misty May-Treanor, who with her partner Kerri Walsh Jennings has won three Olympic gold medals in beach volleyball, is coming to Pottstown for the 22nd Pottstown Rumble, June 21-23.

When it comes to the best players in beach volleyball, they don’t come any better or more famous and admired worldwide than May-Treanor and Jennings.

May-Treanor retired after the 2012 Summer Games in London after the pair won gold in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130419/NEWS01/130419063/olympic-gold-medalist-misty-may-treanor-coming-to-pottstown-rumble#full_story

“Come To The Fair!” – Annual Colonial May Fair At Pottsgrove Manor

Pottstown, PA— Celebrate spring at the Annual Colonial May Fair held at historic Pottsgrove Manor on Saturday, May 4th from 11:00am to 5:00pm.

This yearly event is a fun-filled day with activities for all ages—games, music, dancing, and crafts.  Colonial conjurer Levram the Great will perform historic magic shows and entertain visitors with pocket magic tricks throughout the day.  Tuckers’ Tales Puppet Theatre will perform the puppet shows St. George and the Dragon and Cinderella and will also provide festive historic music around the grounds during the event. Signora Bella is returning this year to delight audiences with her acrobatic feats.  Members of the Tapestry Historic Dance Ensemble will demonstrate authentic English country dances and will lead visitors in dances around the Maypole to open and close the fair. 

In addition to the entertainment, a variety of Early American crafters and demonstrators will be on hand to display historic skills and trades and sell their wares.  Young visitors can compete in hoop races, play with colonial toys and games, help churn butter, and more!  The first floor of colonial ironmaster John Potts’ 1752 manor house will be open for self-guided tours during the fair. Visitors can also shop at the Manor’s museum shop for colonial games, books, and unique gifts.  Historic foodways expert Deborah Peterson will be demonstrating open-hearth cooking in the Pottsgrove Manor kitchen.  While visitors can’t try the food cooked in the colonial kitchen, they will be able to purchase food during the event.  MMG Concessions will offer burgers, cheesesteaks, hot dogs, sausage sandwiches, fries, hand-rolled pretzels, fresh-squeezed lemonade, and more.

For a schedule of the day’s activities and a list of vendors and craftspeople who will be at the fair, please visit Pottsgrove Manor’s website and follow the “Annual Colonial May Fair” link.

A donation of $2 per person is suggested for this event.  Visitors are asked to park at the Carousel at Pottstown building, 30 West King Street.  There is no charge for parking, and Pottstown’s restored trolley will be giving FREE rides during the fair between the Carousel parking lot and Pottsgrove Manor.  Handicapped parking is available in the museum’s parking lot.

Pottsgrove Manor is located at 100 West King Street near the intersection of King Street and Route 100, just off Route 422, in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.  Pottsgrove Manor is operated by Montgomery County under the direction of the Parks, Trails, and Historic Sites Division of the Assets and Infrastructure Department.  For more information, call 610.326.4014, or visit us on the web at www.montcopa.org/pottsgrovemanor or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pottsgrovemanor.