Pottstown Man Shot In Groin By Brother During Verbal Argument

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

Editor’s note:  Shooting your brother is bad enough, but shooting his junk is stone cold!

POTTSTOWN — A verbal argument between two brothers resulted in one going to the hospital after being shot in his groin and upper thigh on July 5, police said.

Borough police found Naveil Alexander in the 300 block of Jefferson Avenue around 1:30 a.m., bleeding and slipping in and out of consciousness, police said.

The victim, according to police, walked from a house in the 300 block of North Charlotte Street.

According to police, officers on the scene provided initial medical care to the victim before he was transported by Goodwill Ambulance to Reading Trauma Center.

Read more:   http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130716/NEWS01/130719458/pottstown-man-shot-in-groin-by-brother-during-verbal-argument?source=jBar#full_story

12 Artists, 3 Groups Get $220,000 In Heinz Endowment/Pittsburgh Foundation Grants

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

A sound-art tour about gun violence in Garfield, a poetry manuscript about white American identity and lessons with a master glass artist represent a few of the projects to be funded by $220,000 in grants from the Heinz Endowments and The Pittsburgh Foundation.

The second funding cycle of “Investing in Professional Artists” will support the work of 12 artists and three organizations in areas ranging from musical composition and playwriting to drawing and dance.  Individual artists will receive $8,000 to $10,000, while organizations will get $35,000 each.

The grants support artists working toward a finished project, according to Germaine Williams, senior program officer for arts and culture at The Pittsburgh Foundation.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/ae/art-architecture/12-artists-3-groups-get-220000-in-grants-695591/#ixzz2ZEBMicAF

PENNVEST Approves $28M For Harrisburg Sinkhole, Water Treatment Projects

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

HARRISBURG – Nearly $28 million in loans was approved Tuesday morning to fund sinkhole repairs and water treatment upgrades in the capital city.

The Pennsylvania Infrastructure Investment Authority board unanimously approved financing applications from the city and The Harrisburg Authority at its meeting Tuesday.

The Harrisburg Authority is getting $26.9 million; the city, $900,000.

The city’s loan is conditional on transferring ownership of infrastructure to The Harrisburg Authority.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/07/pennvest_approves_28m_for_harr.html#incart_river_default

Police: We Weren’t Notified About Sex Offender Who Is ‘Person Of Interest’ In Lancaster Abduction Case

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

A convicted pedophile who authorities have called a “person of interest” in last week’s abduction of a 5-year-old girl in Lancaster Township failed to check in with state police earlier this year as required under Megan’s Law.

Harold Leroy Herr, 73, was supposed to visit police between April 28 and May 7, but did not, according to Southern Regional police.

He is required by law to check in with police four times a year for his 1990 conviction involving the kidnapping and rape of a 5-year-old girl.

Herr was arrested Friday in Conestoga Township, where he lives, and was charged with violating the Megan’s Law check-in requirement, a second-degree felony.  He’s being held at Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $200,000 bail.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/872654_Police–We-weren-t-notified-about-sex-offender-who-is–person-of-interest–in-abduction-case.html#ixzz2ZE6AZouH

Sex Offender Ex-Priest Working At Wilkes-Barre Nonprofit

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

A former priest and registered sex offender hopes his past won’t hurt his employer’s bid to improve neighborhood blight in Wilkes-Barre.

Robert Timchak, 47, works as the office manager for In The Gap, a fledgling grass roots organization that wants to build affordable townhouses on vacant properties owned by the city.  Larissa Cleary, a local real estate agent and the group’s founder, will speak to City Council today to ask the city to sell her lots on Hickory and South River streets.

However, there will likely be public input at the meeting about Timchak’s past.  In 2009, state police received an anonymous tip alleging Timchak, who at the time was serving as an assistant pastor for the Dioceses of Scranton in Pike County, downloaded child pornography.  Police searched his computer and found photographs of naked, underage boys – many around 11 years old, authorities said – and evidence that he tried to delete them.  Timchak plead guilty to 17 counts of possessing child pornography in 2010 and was released from prison last June.

Timchak, who is from Wilkes-Barre and has worked at Bishop Hoban High School, returned home after prison.  Although he’s technically still a priest, he’s been on a leave of absence from the diocese and is banned from performing religious duties.  He’s become an active member of the First Baptist Church of Wilkes-Barre. There, he met Cleary, who hired him last month to help with the organization.

Read more:   http://citizensvoice.com/news/sex-offender-ex-priest-working-at-nonprofit-1.1520909

Corbett: Gas-Line Project Fuels Jobs

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

SWIFTWATER — Gov. Tom Corbett said Monday’s announcement to extend the Route 6/11 Corridor Natural Gas Line is about creating and attracting jobs but, more important, he said it’s about retaining jobs already in Pennsylvania.

Corbett visited the campus of Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of Sanofi in Monroe County, to announce the $5 million extension project, made possible in part through the recent release of a $5 million Economic Growth Initiative grant.

While Corbett said the project is expected to boost job creation and retention in the Northeast Pennsylvania region, he said by lowering utility costs to large employers such as the vaccine maker the 2,000 jobs at the Swiftwater facility — plus 500 contractor positions — are likely to stay.

Read more:  http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/678739/Corbett:-Gas-line-project-fuels-jobs

Macungie Council Names Interim Mayor

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

The man taking over the job of Macungie mayor is a former police chief — no small irony considering the last mayor was perpetually at odds with the borough police chief.

On Monday, Macungie Council appointed Gary Cordner as interim mayor to fill the seat left vacant by Rick Hoffman, who resigned in June and moved out of the borough.

Cordner, who is running for mayor as a Democrat in the November election, was chosen over two other applicants to serve the rest of Hoffman’s term, which expires Dec. 31.

Cordner said he will do his best to be a liaison among council, the community and police Chief Edward Harry.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/local/eastpenn/mc-macungie-new-mayor-0715-20130715,0,6960543.story#ixzz2ZDvstc00
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Gordon Ramsay To Visit Forks Township Restaurant For ‘Kitchen Nightmares’

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

Feisty celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay will be at Bella Luna Ristorante & Bar in Forks Township this week to film an episode of Fox’s “Kitchen Nightmares.”

According to the network, Ramsay and his team will visit the restaurant at 3417 Sullivan Trail Wednesday through Saturday for a sixth season episode.

The show helps struggling restaurants stay in business by having the fiery Scottish chef scrutinize their inner workings and suggest methods of improvement.  Ramsay diagnoses problems such as bad food, unsanitary practices, mismanagement and lazy or rude wait staff.  It’s up to the restaurant owners to accept his guidance, or face closure.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/entertainment/restaurants/blog/mc-gordon-ramsay-to-visit-forks-restaurant-for-kitchen-nightmares-20130715,0,7037297.story#ixzz2ZDtple26
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10 Homicides In Philadelphia Since Saturday

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

Ten people have been killed in Philadelphia since Saturday, an unusually deadly four-day span in the city.

The killings, which have all involved gun violence, have been reported across the city and are not related.  Police have not announced arrests in any of the slayings.

The most recent two homicides occurred overnight.

Shortly after midnight, a 21-year-old man was found fatally shot in a car on the 900 block of North Marvine Street, police said.  The man, whose name has not been released, was shot once in the head, police said.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/10_homicides_in_Philadelphia_since_Saturday.html#2bZHPrTGEXqhhZIA.99

Pottstown Merchants Will Take To The Streets Saturday

POTTSTOWN – Summer is time for savings in downtown Pottstown, especially this Saturday when the annual Sidewalk Sale takes to the streets from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to Main Street Manager Sheila Dugan, the day will include offers from more than 40 downtown merchants, as well as face painting, a visit from Rainbow the Clown and collections of Pottstown School uniforms.

Demonstrations will be provided by CrossFit at 21 N. Hanover St. at 12:45, 2:45 and again at 4 p.m.

Also providing demonstrations at 307 E. High St. will be Red Cloud Kung Fu at 12, 1:30 and 3:30 p.m.

Read more:  http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/pottstown-merchants-will-take-the-streets-saturday-0/1

Committee Considers Merger Between Exeter, Antietam

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States Public School Districts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Antietam and Exeter school district officials are trying to flesh out what a merger of the two districts could look like, and they’ve formed a new committee to discuss the possibilities.

Closing Antietam’s two elementary schools and forming a single high school for 10th- through 12th-graders were among the ideas the committee kicked around at its first meeting Monday at Antietam Middle-Senior High school.  The committee is made up of an administrator, board president and three additional board members from each district.

Committee member Beth Calabria, who serves on the Antietam School Board, said there needs to be some sort of time frame for coming up with a merger model.

A merger feasibility study by Civic Research Alliance, Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, was released to the public in April and outlined four models for the districts’ futures.  The models were keeping things as they are, sharing programs and services, adopting a regional school model and a full merger.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=493336

A-Rod No Stranger To Reading

Although his days in the minors never brought him to the Eastern League, Alex Rodriguez was here before.

The New York Yankees third baseman has fond memories of trips to Reading during his childhood.

“It’s a familiar place for me,” Rodriguez said. “I used to come here as a kid to visit family most summers. I never thought I’d come back. I’m excited. It’s been a long time.”

Rodriguez returned Monday as a famous and controversial member of the Trenton Thunder, who defeated the Reading Fightin Phils 6-5 at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Read more:  http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=493320