Report: NEPA Economy Is Turning Around

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

The 2013 annual report by The Institute for Public Policy & Economic Development indicates Northeastern Pennsylvania is showing signs of an economic turnaround.

The eighth annual Indicators Report, to be released and discussed at a forum Thursday at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, tracks the region’s performance on an array of categories, including demographics, public safety, jobs and the economy.

“The annual Indicators Report serves as a yardstick for measuring growth and trends in Northeastern Pennsylvania,” said Patrick Leahy, Wilkes University president and chairman of the institute, which is a partnership among Keystone College, King’s College, Luzerne County Community College, Marywood University, Misericordia University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, The University of Scranton, and is owned and managed by Wilkes.

Reports covering more than 120 indicators for Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, as well as statewide data, will be discussed next week.  And reports from the institute’s five task forces also will be provided to show data on health and health care, jobs and the local economy, education, housing, transportation and land use.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/523150/Report-NEPA-economy-is-turning-around

Lititz Pike Detours Set To Begin May 29

750 mm by 600 mm (30 in by 24 in) Pennsylvania shield, made to the specifications of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), 2003 Edition (sign M1-5). Uses the Roadgeek 2005 fonts. (United States law does not permit the copyrighting of typeface designs, and the fonts are meant to be copies of a U.S. Government-produced work anyway.) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lititz Pike motorists will soon be forced to learn some new tricks.

On Wednesday, May 29, PennDOT is implementing the first set of road closings and altered traffic patterns necessitated by construction of a new Route 501 bridge over the Amtrak and Norfolk Southern train tracks.

That means drivers who have been using Route 222/501 for years to enter and exit the city will encounter some major changes in their routine.

McGovern Avenue will be closed from the Lititz Pike to Queen Street.  Consequently, southbound drivers unable to make the right turn onto McGovern Avenue will continue straight, to a new intersection at Liberty Street.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/850759_Lititz-Pike-detours-set-to-begin-May-29.html#ixzz2TfDre4N0

Carlisle Residents Face Home-Rule Question: Primary Focus

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

In Carlisle, Tuesday’s ballot won’t be just about filling the borough’s elective offices.

Residents are also being asked whether they want to embark on a study of home rule, the municipal equivalent of a constitutional convention.

Council voted in January to place a question on the May primary ballot asking whether a study commission should be formed to explore whether it makes sense for Carlisle to adopt its own charter for local government, and replace some of the current limitations imposed by the state’s borough code.

The issue got some legs after last year’s arrest of former borough tax collector George Hicks on drug charges, and a resulting examinations that found Hicks had done a shoddy job of record-keeping.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/05/carlisle_borough_residents_fac.html

Greek Festival Kicks Off In Wormleysburg With Gyros, Baklava And Music

80-ply dough baklava (which is usually 40-ply), speciality of Beypazarı district of Ankara,Turkey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Plenty of people are getting their Greek on this weekend.

Shortly before the 11 a.m. start of the Capital Region Greek Festival at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Wormleysburg this morning, customers were lining up for gryos, baklava and lamb dinners.

It’s a little known secret – you can arrive early at the festival at 1000 Yverdon Drive to beat the rush.

“It’s a beautiful day. It’s perfect for this,” said Donna Angeloff of Willamstown.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2013/05/greek_festival_wormleysburg_1.html#incart_m-rpt-1

Sunflower Truck Stop In The Running For National Title

POTTSTOWN, PA – Earlier this week, one of his customers told Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe’ owner George Bieber about a contest that was being run by ABC’s “Live with Kelly and Michael” – the Truckin’ Amazing Cookoff.

Bieber entered his Sunflower Truck Stop just before the deadline.

“Someone from the show contacted me and asked for a recipe and then I was contacted again and told I had made it to the second round,” Bieber said.  “Then they asked for a 30-second video.”

View video: http://livekellyandmichael.dadt.com  (scroll down page and you will see Latest Features, then LIVE’s Truckin’ Amazing Cook-Off Voting.  Click on VOTE and you can see the video.

Read more:  http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/sunflower-truck-stop-the-running-national-title/1

Birdsboro Mayor Takes Grocery Store Effort To The Streets

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

BIRDSBORO – Mayor Robert M. Myers is very serious about getting a grocery store back in this community of 5,200 residents.

And while there is still a long way to go, Myers has gotten some results – with the help of more than 1,300 residents who have signed a petition.

So far, representatives from what Myers called a “full service, regional chain” have made three separate site visits to the borough to look at the property on Chestnut Street, the site of the former Birdsboro Market, which closed in 2011.  The most recent visit was just this week.

And while the name of the chain is not being shared at this point, Myers said he remains optimistic about the project.

Read more:  http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/birdsboro-mayor-takes-grocery-store-effort-the-streets/1

1 Pottstown Murder Suspect To Stand Trial, 1 Has Hearing Continued

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP — The two suspects in a late-night shooting outside a North Charlotte Street bar on March 22 were in court again on Friday morning and each of their cases moved closer to trial.

Maurice Andrews Jr., 19, of Pottstown, and Michael Hinton, 26, of Norristown, are charged with murder in the first-, second- and third-degree for the death of Victor Enrique Bonilla Baez, also known as Vincent Taylor.

Andrews appeared in District Judge Edward C. Kropp Sr.’s courtroom for the second time at 10 a.m. for his preliminary hearing, after it had been continued once.  The hearing was continued again and rescheduled for May 31 at 10 a.m. in the same courtroom.

At least 15 members of Andrews’ family and friends turned out for the hearing and were visibly frustrated when the hearing had been continued.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130517/NEWS01/130519334/1-pottstown-murder-suspect-to-stand-trial-1-has-hearing-continued#full_story

Pottstown Primary In 7th Ward Pits Conard vs. Kirkland

Editor’s note:  We here at Roy’s Rants are endorsing Cindy Conard.  We had the opportunity to meet Cindy a few weeks ago when we toured 716 Adams street (a disgusting rental property in 7th Ward) along with Cindy, her husband and some other civic minded folks.  Mr. Kirkland was not in attendance.  He was contacted, responded after four days and was more concerned about who the tenant told her story to rather than helping solve her problem.

Mr. Kirkland has had four years to do something to distinguish himself from the pack.  I am still waiting to see some actual leadership.  As for his being a strictly door-to-door person…why was Dan Weand going door-to-door for you, Joe?  Seems like that should be something you would do for yourself.  You won’t be losing 40 pounds again that way.  I must say many of Mr. Kirkland’s quotes in the article made me chuckle.

We think Pottstown could indeed benefit from some leadership before it turns into Camden or Chester.

Having attended several council meetings, Conard said she feels Pottstown needs to find a way to engage in a more constructive way with borough council.

“People interact with Pottstown when they have an issue,” she said.  But council needs to find the leadership to bring the town together in a “shared vision, you know, what we want to be when we grow up.”

Conard is a senior manager of quality assurance with Altria.

“I’m not a politician, but I do believe that Pottstown could benefit from some leadership,” she said.

Full article:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130517/NEWS01/130519285/pottstown-primary-in-7th-ward-pits-conard-vs-kirkland#full_story

UGI Seeks To Increase Rates 13.5% By Year’s End

After dropping steadily for the past five years, natural gas prices have finally reached the point where it is no longer profitable for companies to produce the abundant clean-burning fuel.

Natural gas prices for about 90,000 Berks County users started tumbling Dec. 1, 2008, when UGI requested a 16 percent decrease.

But now the low prices, an unusually cold winter and an improving economy have prompted UGI Utilities Gas Division to request a 13.5 percent rate hike.  The requested hike comes in two parts: increases of about 7.2 percent June 1 and about 5.9 percent Dec. 1.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=477949