30 Years Of Change: A New Direction For Pittsburgh

English: Downtown Pittsburgh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Morphing from steel industry collapse to eds-and-meds rebirth, from a too-gray place that young people flee to one that attracts them as a “green” center of culture and recreation, from a tale of Rust Belt woe to one of urban transformation, it is indisputable that the Pittsburgh region is a far different place than it was 30 years ago.

And by most standards, it would seem to be a far better place as well.

Since 1983, when the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published a special section chronicling the unique and worrisome issues confronting the region during Depression-level hits to its workforce, Pittsburgh has lost people, corporations, churches, schools and, yes, even a prothonotary.

But it has rebuilt its economy; added museums, theaters and riverfront trails; replaced its sports facilities, airport and convention center; and reinvented the Pittsburgh Downtown as a place to live, while serving the thousands more who commute to it by opening a subway, busways and a highway to the north.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/local/region/30-years-of-change-a-new-direction-for-pittsburgh-706424/#ixzz2gzxczfUQ

Civic Clubs Working To Make Pottstown A Halloween Town

POTTSTOWN, PA — Sometimes people have to be scared into action.

And so you could say that perhaps one of the best things that ever happened to the Pottstown Halloween parade was that it was almost killed off last year by lack of funding.

Among those who stepped up into the breach, providing a needed infusion of funds, was the Stichter Lodge No. 254, F & AM Masonic Lodge which, earlier in the year, had a scare of its own.

Large pieces of cornice work had fallen off their landmark building on North Franklin Street and the members were not sure how to pay to repair it.

“We were kind of scared into action,” said Dave Hollenbach, a past master at the lodge. “We started looking into alternative ways to fund repairs to the building and it was about then that the issues with the Halloween parade cropped up.”

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131006/civic-clubs-working-to-make-pottstown-a-halloween-town

Pottstown Halloween Parade Planned, Funds Needed

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

POTTSTOWN, PA — With civic groups working to make Pottstown “the place to be” for Halloween, it would be remiss not to mention the event that got it all started — the Halloween Parade.

As Halloween-parade lovers may recall, last year’s parade almost didn’t happen when it was revealed that the organizers did not have the fee waiver they thought they had from borough council.

Council eventually agreed to pay half the fee for police overtime services to $2,500, but it was a scramble to come up with the money.

Dick Frantz is the Pottstown Rotary Club’s point man on parade matters and he said the club, which co-sponsors the parade with the Pottstown AMBUCS, hopes to avoid that last minute scramble this year.

Rad more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131006/pottstown-halloween-parade-planned-funds-needed

Foles, Eagles Defense Beat Winless Giants, 36-21

Editor’s note: Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — The Philadelphia Eagles did the unexpected in keeping the New York Giants winless.

They got key plays from their bottom-ranked defense and a timely performance from Nick Foles after he replaced an injured Michael Vick late in the first half, sending Eli Manning and the Giants to another loss with a 36-21 victory Sunday.

The Giants’ 0-5 start is their worst since the 1987 strike season when the NFL used replacement players for three games. It comes just two years after New York won the Super Bowl.

Foles threw fourth-quarter touchdown passes of 25 yards to Brent Celek and 5 yards to DeSean Jackson as the Eagles (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak by forcing three interceptions by Manning in the fourth quarter.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/sports/20131006/foles-eagles-defense-beat-winless-giants-36-21

I-LEAD School Rocks Downtown Reading’s Redevelopment Plans

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

When CNA Insurance announced Monday that it was donating its downtown Reading office building to I-LEAD Charter School, it was done with quite a bit of fanfare.

The sidewalk outside the five-story building at Fourth and Penn streets was filled with people. Speakers praised CNA’s generosity and the work I-LEAD does.

Applause erupted as a ceremonial key exchanged hands.

But as the celebratory din diminished, some questions were raised.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=515758