Strong Leads, Fantastic Vocals Mark Steel River’s LA CAGE

Editor’s note:  I found this write up from www.StageMagazine.org about Steel River’s production of La Cage aux Folles.  I went Thursday night and agree, it was a great show.  Haven’t laughed that hard in a while.  Nice to see the Pottstown arts scene is getting recognition from outside the community!  There are some great pictures of the cast as well!

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES (sponsored by Exelon Generation) opened this weekend and runs through Sunday, June 23rd, at the Steel River Playhouse (SRP) in Pottstown, PA, where the talented main cast exudes guts and glitter, while the supporting ensemble in high-heels trips through the dance numbers.

The opening night production was headlined by SRP’s Annual Gala, honoring co-Founder and Artistic Director Deborah Stimson-Snow, and benefactors Susan and Scott Bentley, owners of VideoRay of Pottstown.  Through the years the Bentleys have donated equipment, meeting, storage and lesson space, time and money.  The guests gathered on the second floor, enjoying live opera by talented singers (such as lyrical tenor Michael Kiesling), acknowledgements of the Guests of Honor and SRP’s staff and volunteers, who worked tirelessly to organize the night of revelry.  All of the food and accoutrements were donated by local businesses.  Some guests walked away with raffle prizes including season tickets to SRP, Phillies basesball, dinner for four to Maggiano’s, golf and more.

Co-Founder Marta Kiesling paid homage to her partner Stimson-Snow, the recent recipient of the 2013 Advocacy for Equal Opportunities Award from the Pennsylvania Human Rights Commission, Montgomery County Advisory Council, for her influential work at SRP in advancing civil rights, equal opportunity, intergroup opportunities or human dignity.

To read the rest of this review, click here:  http://www.stagemagazine.org/2013/06/strong-leads-fantastic-vocals-mark-steel-rivers-la-cage/

Charleroi Regional Ousts Police Officer

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

The Charleroi Regional Police Board on Wednesday terminated the employment of part-time police Officer Steve Kenyon, citing “conduct unbecoming an officer,” according to two board members.

Acting upon the recommendation of its personnel committee, the board ousted Kenyon behind a 6-1 vote. Kenyon will receive a letter informing him of the decision.

The board had removed Kenyon from the work schedule in May after his girlfriend was arrested and charged with possession of drug paraphernalia while parked in Kenyon’s private vehicle in Charleroi.

Read more: http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourmonvalley/yourmonvalleymore/4225808-74/charleroi-board-officer#ixzz2WrvY0X7B
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Some At Altoona Regional Health System Urging Caution In UPMC’s Acquisition

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

UPMC‘s months-in-the-making acquisition of the Altoona Regional Health System may soon be finalized, but the deal is not sitting well with some employees and community residents.

Last week, a petition with some 2,000 signatures was delivered to Altoona Health officials, urging them “to slow down and stop exclusive talks with UPMC in order to re-examine the best future course for our hospital.”

The next day, Altoona president and CEO Jerry Murray sent a letter to the health system’s 6,000 employees that said the UPMC affiliation was on track for a July 1 completion announcement, pending final approval from the board and the state attorney general’s office.

“There are some very well-meaning people in the community who have concerns, and we appreciate the concerns that they have.  Unfortunately, there are also some with self-serving motives,” said Dave Cuzzolina, Altoona Health’s director of marketing and communications.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/news/some-at-altoona-regional-health-system-urging-caution-in-upmcs-acquisition-692480/#ixzz2WrrppOnu

Congested Commutes In Harrisburg, York, Lancaster? National Group Ranks Them

Sitting in traffic is not unusual for commuters in the Harrisburg, York and Lancaster areas.  The stop-and-go of the rush hour wears on cars, nerves and wallets.

TRIP, a Washington, D.C., based national transportation organization, has pinpointed 14 corridors costing area commuters a total of $472 million each year or about $2,000 annually per driver depending on which route they take.

The report released Thursday points to these trouble zones for commuters:

1. Rohrerstown Road from Wabank Road to State Street in Lancaster.  On this corridor, the average rush hour driver spends 108 hours, 46 additional gallons of gas, and $1,995 annually or $38 weekly.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/06/national_group_pinpoints_worst.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Changing Skyline: Apartment Towers Growing Toward Philadelphia’s West

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

High-rise construction in Philadelphia comes in waves. The last big crest a decade ago brought in a handful of pricey condo towers, mainly clustered in established neighborhoods around Rittenhouse and Washington Squares.  This time, the tide is rolling westward, from Center City out toward the universities, and it’s looking like a tsunami.

Five apartment towers are or will be going up along Market and Chestnut Streets, between 20th and 38th, one glassy slab after another.  The total grows to seven if you count two clever retrofits where developers have piled extra floors on top of existing buildings, turning height-challenged mid-rises into full-fledged high-rises.

This stretch – from the tattered western edge of Center City to the University City Science Center – has long been an ill-defined territory, not uniformly academic, commercial, or residential.  The arrival of a couple thousand residents can’t help but make these blocks feel more lived-in, and the bustle should advance the goal of knitting together the two sides of the Schuylkill.

Read more:  http://www.philly.com/philly/home/20130621_Changing_Skyline__Apartment_towers_growing_toward_Phila__s_west.html

Olympian Misty May-Treanor Hosts Clinic, Excited To See Pottstown Rumble In Full Swing

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

POTTSTOWN — Nearly 240 sweaty, tired participants filed into a tent to get a picture and an autograph with Misty May-Treanor after the Dream in Gold clinic Thursday.

And the Olympic beach volleyball legend wasn’t about to disappoint any of her fans.

Despite a long day of walking from clinic group to clinic group helping players improve their skills, May-Treanor signed autographs and took pictures with each participant in front of the large inflatable volleyball that now sits in the middle of Memorial Park.

She even turned the cameras around and took selfies with the fans and one of her Olympic gold medals.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130620/NEWS01/130629902/olympian-misty-may-treanor-hosts-clinic-excited-to-see-rumble-in-full-swing#full_story

Wilkes-Barre Farmers Market Is Back, And With It Comes The Sights And Smells Of Summer

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WILKES-BARRE — Three young men were walking around the Farmers’ Market on Thursday around noon and one of them said, “Wow, there sure are a lot of good smells here.”

An accurate assessment of the opening of the 40th Farmers’ Market on Public Square. But the smells weren’t the only things for the senses to enjoy — there were tastes, bargains, music, sunshine and fun.

“There’s lots of stuff here,” said Debbie Rutkoski of Larksville, who was on her lunch break from her job at Wilkes University.  “This is so good for the downtown.

I wish there were more events on Public Square.”

Larry Newman, executive director of the Diamond City Partnership, the key downtown management organization in the city, said there will be more events downtown.  He said the Farmers’ Market is the embodiment of a city’s downtown.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/615828/W-Bs-roots-return-to-city

Lower Macungie Commissioners Voice Support For Costco Tax Financing

English: This is a logo for Costco. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Lower Macungie commissioners Thursday formally made known their unanimous support of tax financing for the proposed $140 million Costco-anchored shopping center in their township, and they’re asking Lehigh County commissioners to back it as well.

Township commissioners decided at their meeting to send a letter to the county board, urging it to approve a controversial tax increment financing plan for the Hamilton Crossings shopping center and allow development of a project that would bring tax dollars and jobs.

County commissioners twice have put off taking action on the proposal.

The township board had hoped to vote Thursday on the TIF proposal, which would allow up to $7 million in tax dollars generated by the shopping center be used to finance the work.  But they said they’re required to wait until after the county commissioners chime in.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/eastpenn/mc-lower-macungie-costco-0620-20130620,0,5470365.story#ixzz2WrZev4ym
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Traffic Clogs And Their Costs, Spot By Spot, Around Berks County

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Sitting in Berks County traffic can cost you, but how much depends on which jam you’re stuck in.

The authors of a study released last month that found congestion in the Reading and Lehigh Valley areas costs drivers an average of $420 a year released more details Thursday, breaking down which roads were the most costly.

The study was compiled by TRIP, a Washington think tank funded by the transportation industry.

1. Route 422: Between Morwood and Woodside avenues in West Lawn.

Gas (gallons): 19
Time: 45
Cost: $829
Proposed fixes: Intersection, signal upgrades; parallel connector street.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=486340

BOSS 2020 Seeks Boost For Sinking Spring

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

Sinking Spring‘s BOSS 2020 organization is getting ready to ask the state Department of Community and Economic Development for a $300,000 grant for its bold plan to remake the 100-year-old borough.

According to officials, $250,000 would supplement a $346,860 PennDOT grant for sidewalk improvement on the downtown’s west side.

The two-part project would consist of putting a sidewalk on Penn Avenue between Park and Wynnewood avenues, and widening the sidewalk on Penn Avenue from Columbia Avenue to Hull Street to six feet.

Right now, according to Sam Loth, consulting coordinator for BOSS 2020, the sidewalk is only 21/2 to 3 feet wide in some portions, which sometimes forces pedestrians to walk on the road.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=486342