Superintendent, Athletic Director Out In Coatesville

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

Coatesville school board officials Tuesday announced that the district’s superintendent and a senior athletic director had resigned – and that they could not comment further because of an ongoing investigation by the Chester County District Attorney’s Office.

In a brief statement, board officials said Richard Como, the superintendent, and Jim Donato, Coatesville Area Senior High School director of athletics and activities, had submitted letters of resignation.  The board is to vote on those letters Sept. 24.

Como initially announced his retirement two weeks ago in a post on the district website.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/education/20130911_Superintendent__athletic_director_out_in_Coatesville.html#ViyjYV7yX25EU21A.99

Bradford Hospital Opens Beds To Online Addicts

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

Think of it as “digital detox.”

Bradford Regional Medical Center on Monday opened a four-bed program to treat those suffering from Internet addiction.  It is believed to be the first such hospital-based facility in the country, although private and out-patient programs were around before “friend” became a verb.

“I think this is a fairly new field, and certainly there is nothing to compare it to at this point,” said Kimberly Young, the psychologist who created the cognitive behavioral therapy program at the McKean County facility, about 3 1/2 hours northeast of Pittsburgh.

“There is a learning curve for all of us.”

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/news/health/hospital-opens-beds-to-online-addicts-702709/#ixzz2eXdNt1zs

One Man Shot, Another Assaulted In West Hazleton

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

WEST HAZLETON, PA — One man was shot and another assaulted early Monday morning at a home on East Broad Street.

Borough police were dispatched to the 200 block of East Broad Street for multiple reports of shots fired just before 12:30 a.m. and found Joshua L. Crutch, 20, of West Hazleton, on the second floor of 227 E. Broad St. with a gunshot wound to his leg.

Police also found Leshawn Williams, 21, of West Hazleton, in the residence.  Williams had suffered lacerations and contusions to his face, police said.

Crutch was transported to Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Plains Township for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.  Williams was taken to Hazleton General Hospital for evaluation and was treated and released, according to police Chief Brian Buglio.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/818653/One-man-shot-another-assaulted-in-West-Hazleton

Allentown OKs Plans For Four City Center

English: City of Allentown from east side (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Allentown Planning Commission on Tuesday approved plans for Four City Center, a $30 million, five-story luxury apartment and retail development proposed for Seventh and Linden streets, across from the city’s new arena.

Working with Pennrose Properties, City Center Investment Corp. plans two buildings that will include 168 amenity-packed apartments, half of which will be one-bedroom and the other half two-bedroom units, renting for at least $1,000 a month. They will also house 12-15 first-floor retail and restaurant spaces.

Construction could begin as soon as November and is expected to be complete by the end of 2014.  The goal is to bring more middle-income residents downtown to complement multiple new office buildings, support retailers and inject life into Hamilton Street, which empties out at night and on weekends.

The plans include a large five-story apartment complex with center courtyard, coupled with a smaller three-story, primarily retail structure sitting astride a brick walkway that ties into the city’s Arts Park.  They also include a 600-square-foot pocket park.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-allentown-four-center-city-20130910,0,158806.story#ixzz2eXXYU2h3
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Authorities Tight-Lipped On Lower Pottsgrove Hit-And-Run Investigation

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

NORRISTOWN, PA – Montgomery County authorities remained tight-lipped Tuesday about their investigation into the death of an elderly woman who reportedly was struck by a bus a day earlier while walking in Lower Pottsgrove.

County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Steele did not release any new details about the crash investigation, which is being handled jointly by county detectives and township police. County detectives normally take the lead role in all fatal crash investigations.

Authorities previously identified the victim as Shirley Wilhelm, 78, of Pottstown, who was struck about 7 a.m. Monday near the intersection of Mervine and North Charlotte streets.  Wilhelm, reportedly on her routine morning walk, died at the scene, according to authorities.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130910/NEWS01/130919918/authorities-tight-lipped-on-lower-pottsgrove-hit-and-run-investigation#full_story

First Bus Departs From Revamped Franklin Street Station In Reading

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

The final step toward Reading’s iconic Franklin Street Station once again serving passengers came in the form of a message.

BARTA officials arranged for the message to flash on the first bus to leave the station since its rebirth: “Thanks Dennis; You gave it all.”

It was for Dennis D. Louwerse, BARTA’s executive director, who died Thursday after 30 years leading the county transit agency.

“This is the culmination of a dream,” Ryan Furgerson, BARTA’s deputy executive director, said of the first bus departing from the former train station.  “This is something Dennis would very much wanted to have seen.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=509990

QUESTION OF ENFORCEMENT CASTS CLOUD ON SYRIA PLAN

BEIRUT (AP) — A Russian plan for Syria to turn over its chemical weapons to avert Western missile strikes bogged down Tuesday when Moscow rejected U.S. and French demands for a binding U.N. resolution with “very severe consequences” for non-compliance.

The surprise Russian proposal, which Syria and the United States both accepted, would put President Bashar Assad’s regime’s chemical stockpile under international control before its eventual dismantling. The initiative — also cautiously endorsed by Britain and France — appeared to offer a way out of a crisis that raised the prospect of U.S.-led military action against Syria in retaliation for an alleged chemical weapons attack last month.

But the plan ran aground as the world powers haggled over the crucial element of how to enforce it. Wary of falling into what the French foreign minister called “a trap,” Paris and Washington are pushing for a U.N. Security Council resolution to verify Syria’s disarmament. Russia, a close Assad ally and the regime’s chief patron on the international stage, dismissed France’s proposal as unacceptable.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/france-seeks-un-action-syria-after-russia-move