‘One Of The Most Special Places On Earth’: Raystown Lake Celebrates 40 Years With Weekend Events

English: The dam and spillway at Raystown Lake...

English: The dam and spillway at Raystown Lake on the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania, USA. The dam was constructed in 1978 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and hydroelectric power generation. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This weekend, Huntingdon County will celebrate four decades of life on the water as Raystown Lake hits the big four-zero. The Huntingdon County Visitors Bureau has an array of activities and entertainment planned all weekend to celebrate the popular recreation destination. Featuring behind-the-scenes tours of the dam, a Battle of the Bands, various demonstrations, cruises and fireworks, it is all but guaranteed that this will be one birthday bash that will not be soon forgotten.

“June 6 marks the 40th anniversary of the day Vice President Gerald Ford dedicated the dam that forms Raystown Lake in 1974,” said Matt Price, the executive director of the HCVB. “The lake’s history goes back more than 60 years, as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers first proposed constructing a high-level dam in the valley of the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River in the late 1940s.”

The largest lake entirely set within the commonwealth, the sheer size of Raystown is impressive and is more than capable of accommodating everything the HCVB has in store for the weekend.

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Developer Closes In On Macy’s Building In Downtown Pittsburgh

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its nei...

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The talk at Macy’s Downtown on Thursday was not so much about Father’s Day sales or new fall fashions as it was about plans to turn much of the venerable old building with the famous clock into residences.

Philadelphia developer Core Realty has reached an agreement to buy the 13-story building on Smithfield Street with the intent of converting all but four floors into apartments, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has learned.

As part of the sale, Macy’s department store would stay, although the number of floors devoted to retail would be shrinking once again. The store, once a 12-floor behemoth, is expected to be housed on the building’s first four floors, minus the mezzanine level, which would be closed and used as an entrance for residents.

Three years ago, Macy’s cut the number of floors in half, consolidating all retail, including furniture, on the first six floors of the building, plus the mezzanine.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/business/2014/06/06/Developer-closes-in-on-Macy-s-building/stories/201406060108#ixzz33sq0Uqh7

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Apartments Coming To York City’s Square Under Revitalization Project

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting York County

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

Dozens of market-rate apartments are heading for downtown York as part of a multimillion dollar overhaul of a prominent historic building that developers say has been under-utilized for years.

Developer David Yohn is planning the renovation 1 Marketway West, which would include building an underground parking garage for residents, York County Commissioners said Wednesday.

The county owns the building, but Yohn Property Management has a $1.3 million purchase contract. Commissioners on Wednesday approved an agreement in which the county moves from first lien position to second lien position, which means the county would be second to get its money if Yohn defaults on a $4 million loan from Fulton Bank, said county solicitor Mike Flannelly.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_25896098/apartments-coming-york-citys-square-under-revitatlization-project?source=most_viewed

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Lancaster City Alliance Moves Toward New Phase Of Revitalization

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lancaster County

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

Stadium: Check.

Arts district: Check.

Convention Center: Check.

Tourism: Check.

Sixteen years after business leaders tried to revive Lancaster city with an economic development plan, many of the plan’s major components have come to pass.

Lancaster is a very different city than it was in 1998.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-city-alliance-moves-toward-new-phase-of-revitalization/article_0c4d62e2-ecee-11e3-a77e-001a4bcf6878.html

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LCTA Officials Placed On Leave After Charges

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Luzerne County

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

Two key Luzerne County Transportation Authority figures charged Wednesday in the “ghost rider” scandal have been placed on administrative leave pending an emergency board meeting next week, according to a memo leaked to the media.

Executive Director Stanley J. Strelish, 60, is facing charges including theft by deception, tampering with public records, unsworn falsification, false swearing and obstructing justice. Operations Manager Robb Alan Henderson, 58, is charged with conspiring to tamper with public records, aiding the commission of a crime and conspiring to obstruct justice.

Prosecutors say the men’s orders led drivers to count hundreds of thousands of riders who didn’t exist, resulting in millions of dollars in overfunding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

According to a memo to the board from authority solicitor Joseph M. Blazosek, Strelish and Henderson were placed on administrative leave during a personnel committee meeting Wednesday pending board action at an emergency meeting set for 5 p.m. Tuesday. The memo does not disclose whether the leave is paid or unpaid, and Blazosek did not return a message seeking comment Thursday.

Read more: http://citizensvoice.com/news/lcta-officials-placed-on-leave-after-charges-1.1698699

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Misuse Of $210K Handled Quietly By Philadelphia’s Marketers

The chief financial officer of the region’s publicly funded marketing agency, Visit Philadelphia, embezzled $210,000 over five years, but was permitted to resign quietly when she agreed to pay back the money.

Joyce Levitt, according to Visit Philadelphia’s federal tax forms, left her job in February 2012 after the misuse of funds was discovered. Law enforcement was never notified of the problem with the money.

Levitt currently is director of finance at Benefits Data Trust, which, like Visit Philadelphia, is a nonprofit organization.

Levitt said in an interview that she resigned after “a disagreement over how money was being spent.”

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20140606_Misuse_of__210K_handled_quietly_by_city_s_marketers.html#1xDR0GDw5aZHFqmK.99

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Pottstown Shooting Death Ruled Homicide

POTTSTOWN, PA — The victim of a fatal shooting Thursday night has been identified.

Steven Mitchell, 20, was found dead in a car in the 400 block of Jefferson Avenue.

Mitchell died from a single gunshot wound to the torso, according to Dr. Walter Hofman, the Montgomery County Coroner. Hofman was not able to confirm where Mitchell lived.

Mitchell’s death was ruled a homicide, Hofman said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140606/update-pottstown-shooting-death-ruled-homicide

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Olivet Boys & Girls Club Summer Camp

June 16th through August 8th
Richard J. Ricketts Community Center, 640 Beech Street, Pottstown, PA  19464

Monday – Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm
Breakfast & Lunch

Ages 6 to 14 (volunteer opportunities available for youth older than 14)
(weekly fee is income-based – $25 or $50 – proof of income is required)

Subsidized families – call your case manager

Olivet Boys & Girls Club (484) 945-1020, Janice Burgess, Unit Director

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Lehigh Valley Arts Box Office – Upcoming Performances

Lehigh Valley Arts Council
Black diamond (cards) Saturday, July 12 / 11:00 am: Behind the Scenes – Arts Alive 2014
Black diamond (cards) Friday, July 18 & 19 / 10:00 am: Audio Description Training

Moravian College Music Institute
Black diamond (cards) Saturday, June 28 / 7:30 pm: Rupert Boyd, Classical Guitar 

Pennsylvania Sinfonia Orchestra
Black diamond (cards) Sunday, June 8 / 7:30 pm: Valley Vivaldi Series, Concert I
Black diamond (cards) Sunday, June 29 / 7:30 pm: Valley Vivaldi Series, Concert II
Black diamond (cards) Sunday, July 20 / 7:30 pm:Valley Vivaldi Series, Concert III

For more performances, visit www.LVArtsBoxOffice.org

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Arts Alive 2014 – Behind The Scenes

Arts Alive 2014 – Behind the Scenes

The second installment of the Arts Alive! 2014series,“Behind the Scenes” features Curtis Dretsch, stage designer for Muhlenberg Summer Music Theatre’s production of Monty Python’s Spamalot. Dretsch is the Director of Design and Technical Theatre for Muhlenberg College, and has designed sets, costumes, and lighting for more than 100 theatre and dance productions on local and national stages. Guests will get a glimpse into his design process—from concept to scale model to the completed stage set.

Behind the Scenes” will be held on July 12, 2014 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Trexler Pavilion for Theatre & Dance, Muhlenberg College (2400 W. Chew Street, Allentown, Pa.). Tickets are $10 for Members / $15 for nonmembers; space is limited.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS FOR “BEHIND THE SCENES” !

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COMING UP! Two-Day Audio-Description Training For The Performing Arts On July 18 & 19, 2014!

Audio Description assists patrons who are blind/low-vision to access the visual elements of stage productions through narration provided by trained describers. Patrons use headsets to hear the audio description. Trainees will also attend an audio-described performance of Monty Python’s Spamalot. Click HERE for more information on this training.

July 18, 2014 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
July 19, 2014 | 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Lehigh Valley Arts Council
840 Hamilton Street, 2nd Floor Conference Room (Suite 200)
Allentown

July 18, 2014 | 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM:
Monty Python’s Spamalot (Audio Described Performance)
Baker Theatre/Trexler Pravilon, Muhlenberg College
2400 Chew St. Allentown

FEE: $25 RESERVE YOUR SEAT!

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Pennsylvania Partners In The Arts News Project Stream Grant Deadline June 20th

ImageProxy (9)The Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA) 2014-2015 Project Stream will provide funds of up to $2,500 to eligible individuals, community groups, and non-profit organizations to conduct arts projects. These projects must take place between September 1, 2014 and August 31, 2015, and each project (a single event or a series of activities) must have a significant public component.

The Lehigh Valley Arts Council has accepted project grant requests from as many as 60 applicants in one cycle; and in the most recent fiscal year, we awarded grants to 24 projects (click HERE to view the awards). Activities successfully receiving PPA project funding have reached a wide range of constituents, from young children to senior citizens, and this year’s projects are engaging audiences in activities that include visual arts exhibitions; photography; musical performances from opera to jazz; documentary film; storytelling and dance.

The deadline for the next round of Project Stream grants is June 20th, so apply today!For more information on the PPA, the criteria and guidelines for applying to Project Stream, and review of the online application process, view the PPA Project Stream Prezi presentation (requires Adobe Flashplayer).

For more information on the PPA visit: www.lvartscouncil.org/programs

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Montgomery County Community College To Host ‘The History Of Montco: A Documentary’

Joe and Sean 1

Photograph: Montgomery County Community College Alumni Joseph Sapienza, Philadelphia, (left) and Sean King, North Wales, will be sharing their video, “The History of Montco, a Documentary,” on Friday, June 27, at 6 p.m. at the College’s Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell, PA 19422.

Blue Bell/Pottstown, Pa.—As part of its yearlong celebration of its 50th Anniversary, Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) invites the community to the premier public screening of “The History of Montco: A Documentary,” on Friday, June 27, at 6 p.m. in the Science Center Theater, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. The screening is free of charge—everyone is welcome. Light refreshments will be served. To RSVP, call 215-641-6324 or email dyerkey@mc3.edu by June 18.

The documentary is directed and produced by MCCC alumni Joseph Sapienza, Philadelphia, and Sean King, North Wales, who began the project a few years ago while they were students at the College.

“The documentary really began as a one or two minute news package on the construction of College Hall,” King says. “After looking through some photos, we decided to expand the project to cover more of the history of Montco. From there, it snowballed into a feature length documentary.”

The video starts in Conshohocken, where the College opened its doors in early October 1966—almost two years after it was officially established on December 8, 1964. Through interviews of current and former faculty, staff and administrators, King and Sapienza captured the spirit and tenacity of an ever-evolving, growing educational institution that has become the alma mater of more than 55,000 alumni.

After years of preparation, hard work, research, and the desire to make their idea a reality, they completed an entertaining, informative movie that is a testament to their accomplishments and to the story about the college.

“It was a long process. We started pre-production in July of 2011 and the film didn’t go into editing until the summer of 2013,” Sapienza says, recalling the many hours of research, interviews, recording and editing.

The movie is about two hours long. During the intermission, Sapienza and King will be available to answer questions about the process of creating the Montco documentary.

Sapienza began his studies at Montgomery County Community College in the winter of 2010 in the Film and Video program. In fall 2012, he then transferred to the Film and Television program at Drexel University earned his bachelor’s degree in May 2014. With films, one of his favorite subjects is documentaries, especially documentaries involving history. For his senior project at Drexel, Joe produced a history documentary about the coal town, Centralia, and its ongoing underground mine fire. Following graduation, he started an internship with NFL Films.

King studied Communications at Montgomery County Community College, focusing on Journalism. While he was at the College, he was involved in numerous campus activities, including the Communication Arts Production Group and Montco Radio. After graduating in 2012, he started studying History and Political Science at Arcadia University, focusing on contemporary American history and politics. When he completes his bachelor’s degree, King plans to pursue a job in government.

For more information about Montgomery County Community College’s 50th Anniversary, visit http://www.mc3.edu/50.

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