Luzerne County Stands To Receive Up To $2 Million From Coal Street Project

Cash-strapped Luzerne County has a claim on at least some of the $2 million left from the Coal Street widening project in Wilkes-Barre, but delays finalizing project expenses have prevented the county from receiving its share.

The amount of the county’s share also is unclear because the Wilkes-Barre Area School District may be entitled to some of the fund, officials say.

County Councilman Stephen A. Urban raised the issue during a budget work session last week, questioning why it’s taking years for the county to collect this money.

The $2 million stems from a Tax Incremental Financing plan, or TIF, that diverted tax revenue from new development along Highland Park Boulevard and at the Arena Hub Plaza to fund improvements to Mundy Street, Highland Park Boulevard and Coal Street .

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/news/50745998/County-could-receive-up-to-$2M-from-Coal-St.

Some Holiday Music For Your Enjoyment – ‘Sleigh Ride’ On A Theater Organ

SUPPORT Small Business Saturday, November 29, 2014

Happy #SmallBizSat Eve! Tomorrow, head over to your favorite local shops and celebrate small businesses!

Coatesville School Board President Resigns

Caln Township, PA – Amid speculation that the Chester County District Attorney’s grand jury investigation of two former district administrators is nearing completion, Coatesville Area School Board President Neil Campbell resigned from his post Tuesday.

“This decision was difficult as I enjoyed representing the district as well as members of the community,” Campbell said in his statement addressed to the school board dated Nov. 25. “I truly appreciate those that elected me to serve and it was an honor.”

Campbell’s resignation was announced before the school board meeting commenced. His resignation was effective immediately, according to school district officials.

Read more: http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20141126/coatesville-school-board-president-resigns

Work Ongoing At Downingtown Pocket Park

DOWNINGTOWN, PA – The upgrading of fencing is the first step of the Downingtown Main Street Association’s revitalization of the borough’s Armor Alley Pocket Plaza. The borough is cooperating with the Main Street group.

“One of the main goals of the mission of the Main Street Association is to help Downingtown grow and prosper and the pocket plaza upgrading fits with our stated goal,” said Main Street President Adrian Martinez. “Board member Sarah Peck is heading this effort and she is to be commended for her willingness to volunteer many valuable hours to enhance our borough.”

The Armor Alley Pocket Plaza is proposed to be redeveloped into a lively, well lit, beautifully landscaped public plaza at a key spot on Main Street. A canopy of white lights will define the plaza and new landscaping, fencing, walkway lighting and pavers will create an attractive and safe pedestrian link to Main Street from Mill Road, the organization said in a press release.

Read more: http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20141125/work-ongoing-at-downingtown-pocket-park

Pittsburgh Restaurant Scene: Fast Food 2.0 Sizzling As New Restaurants Open

Look to this month’s openings for restaurants that are killing it in Pittsburgh. Last week, Burgatory opened its sixth location in Murrysville, the day after BRGR opened its fourth location in the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon. Earlier this month, Big Burrito opened the 13th Mad Mex in Erie. And in mid-December, the third location of Hello Bistro from parent company Eat’n Park will open Downtown.

These local restaurants are taking a page from national chains, borrowing from systems that streamline staff and menus, leading to higher profits than a traditional restaurant without the base ingredients of fast-food conglomerates. They also take measures to personalize experiences, blurring the line between fast food and full-service, offering satisfying meals and an inexpensive night out. And they’re doing better than ever.

Welcome to fast food 2.0, or maybe it’s 4.0, as the genre has been reinventing itself sinceMerriam-Webster added the definition in 1951. The trend here mirrors what’s happening around the country. Although the new breed doesn’t look like Wendy’s or taste like McDonald’s, it’s bringing fast food back in a big way. For years, the fast-food industry has received criticism for disconnecting people from community and culture as well as playing a role in the obesity epidemic. But the updated fast-food market is on a mission to revamp its image from villain to hero.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/life/dining/2014/11/27/Restaurant-Scene-Fast-food-2-0-sizzling-as-new-restaurants-open-here/stories/201411270057

Youngwood Gets 1st Full-Size Grocery In Nearly 20 Years

Editor’s note:  Glad to hear the residents of this Westmoreland County community have a proper grocery store.

The opening of Youngwood’s Shop ‘n Save — the first full-sized grocery in the borough in nearly 20 years — will occur next month.

“We’re planning on opening on Dec. 11,” said Jamie Fincke, vice president for Jamieson Family Markets. “We’ll have all the bells and whistles that Shop ‘n Save has and sale items.”

Jamieson Family Markets owns the store and 70,000-square-foot plaza in which the grocery is situated along South Third Street.

Beer Warehouse, also scheduled to open Dec. 11, an auto parts store and several smaller retailers are in the plaza.

Read more: http://triblive.com/neighborhoods/yourhempfield/yourhempfieldmore/7231867-74/grocery-store-jamieson#ixzz3KNiaa8uB
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Woman Charged With Stabbing Boyfriend In Wilkes-Barre

WILKES-BARRE, PA — City police arrested Jack-Lyn Blake, 47, on charges she stabbed her boyfriend because she found him eating.

Blake was arrested as she attempted to leave her Madison Street residence at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, when they found her boyfriend, Benjamin Smith, holding a towel to his chest.

Smith told police Thursday night he called 911 earlier in the day for an incident involving Blake. Smith claimed Blake was intoxicated and had gone to sleep.

Smith said Blake woke up hours later, came downstairs and found him eating food. He said Blake became angry and grabbed a knife chasing him around the kitchen table, police said.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/50769219/

Sanchez Shows What He Can Do

ARLINGTON, Texas – You don’t ever forget something like the Butt Fumble. Even if you tried, there’s always going to be an annoying sports writer, probably one from New York, who’s going to come up to you and remind you about it.

“It sucked,” Mark Sanchez said. “I ran into some guy’s butt and dropped the ball on the turf and they scored. I don’t know if it gets [any worse than that]. This is like my favorite holiday, so that’s not cool. It was really a bummer.”

That was two Thanksgivings ago, when Sanchez’s career was unraveling with the Jets. The Butt Fumble looked like it might be the poor guy’s legacy. They wouldn’t remember the two AFC Championship Games he started. They would only remember the Butt Fumble.

But that was before Nick Foles got hurt and Sanchez got a second chance to jump-start his career. That was before last night when he went out on the Thanksgiving Day national stage again and claimed redemption.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/20141128_Sanchez_shows_what_he_can_do.html#24br7u37uQM5OrS0.99

Woman Dies After Crash On Thanksgiving Morning In Pottstown

Pottstown, PA – One woman died after a crash that occurred on Industrial Highway near Moser Road on Thanksgiving morning.

At approximately 1:40 a.m., Pottstown Police located an accident involving a silver Volvo occupied only by the driver, who did not survive the crash.

Police have withheld the driver’s information until the family of the victim can be notified.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20141128/woman-dies-after-crash-on-thanksgiving-morning-in-pottstown

Luzerne County Deficit Increases By $6.4M, Audit Says

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

Luzerne County Council heard two unpleasant updates Tuesday: the deficit grew to an estimated $10.1 million at the end of 2013 and repayments have skyrocketed on an inherited 2006 debt refinancing package.

The deficit increased because spending exceeded revenue by $6.4 million last year, said Andrea L. Caladie, a CPA with Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP, during a draft audit summary presentation.

The fund balance is now a negative $10.1 million because the county carried over a $3.7 million deficit from 2012, she said.

The audit was due June 30 under the county’s home rule charter. County Budget/Finance Division Head Brian Swetz has blamed staffing shortages on delays compiling information the outside auditors needed to complete their work.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/news/50746020/

Death Of Wife Of Cooper CEO Ruled A Homicide

Map of New Jersey highlighting Somerset County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The death of the wife of Cooper Health System CEO John P. Sheridan Jr. has been ruled a homicide, while investigators have not determined how her husband died, records show.

A copy of the death certificate for Joyce Sheridan, obtained by The Inquirer on Tuesday, lists the manner of death as “homicide.” Her husband’s death certificate says “pending investigation.”

The Sheridans both had multiple stab wounds when their bodies were pulled from a Sept. 28 fire in their home in the Skillman section of Montgomery Township , sources said last week.

Joyce Sheridan, 69, a retired teacher, was repeatedly stabbed in the upper body and chest, according to one of the sources, who like all the others spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/new_jersey/20141126_Death_of_wife_of_Cooper_CEO_ruled_a_homicide.html#PMue5UBhJADgpoQU.99

#givingtuesday At SteelStacks!‏

This December 2nd, ArtsQuest and Levitt Pavilion SteelStacks want YOU to join us in the global movement of #GIVINGTUESDAY ™ and give back to the community that giving to you!

Your 100% tax deductible donation will go to a wide range of programming that will support free programming at SteelStacks all year long. So please join us in GIVING a donation to support the programs you love to enjoy!

Click here to print out your own UNselfie and share it with us!

Visit their web page for complete information: https://member.artsquest.org/pages/givingtuesday-to-artsquest?srctid=1&erid=33679042&trid=772fc909-9208-4a91-be05-9dc447a83c86

Christmas In Birdsboro

Pottstown YMCA To Hold Holiday Event

Pottstown Regional Public Library Magical Holiday Happening

2 Coatesville Administrators Placed On Leave Amid District Lawsuit Action

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

Caln Township, PA – Two Coatesville Area School District employees were placed on administrative leave last week at the same time the school board filed a lawsuit against two former administrators.

Assistant superintendent Angelo Romaniello and facilities worker Matthew Como, the son of former superintendent Richard Como, were placed on administrative leave effective last week.

Romaniello’s attorney, Robert Donatoni of West Chester, declined comment on the employment status of his client Friday. Attorney Paul Rubino, who’s representing Matt Como, also declined comment.

CASD superintendent Cathy Taschner did not release the names of the employees in the message sent to parents Thursday night. School district officials responded Friday to a right-to-know request submitted by the Daily Local News checking on the employment status of Matt Como and Romaniello.

Read more: http://www.dailylocal.com/general-news/20141122/2-coatesville-administrators-placed-on-leave-amid-district-lawsuit-action

Ashland Christmas Tree Returns After Two Years

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

ASHLAND, PA — It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in downtown Ashland with the return of the borough tree during the weekend.

The tree was not placed for the past two holidays due to safety concerns after high wind caused two trees to fall — fortunately, without injuries.

The tree placement is sponsored by the Ashland Rotary Club.

The Christmas tree is a major part of the holiday décor of the downtown, joining the many lighted decorations and Christmas banners placed by the Ashland Area Chamber of Commerce.

The Christmas tree project, along with the annual Santa Claus visit and parade, was a long-standing tradition of the Ashland Kiwanis Club. When the Kiwanis disbanded in 2007, the Rotary club picked up the tree and parade projects.

Read more: http://republicanherald.com/news/ashland-christmas-tree-returns-after-two-years-1.1792596

U.S. Steel To Relocate Corporate Headquarters On Former Civic Arena Site

English: The U.S. Steel Tower, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, with the new corporate logo of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

U.S. Steel will move to a new, five-story corporate headquarters on the former site of the Civic Arena in a deal that will provide a corporate anchor tenant for the 28-acre property where $440 million in development is planned, officials said Monday.

The company plans to lease the 268,000-square-foot building for 18 years, the company said at a news conference at Consol Energy Center.

U.S. Steel CEO Mario Longhi, Gov. Tom Corbett, Pitsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto, Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald and Penguins President and CEO David Morehouse attended the announcement against a backdrop of artist renderings that showed people strolling a plaza of concrete, grass and trees in front of a conceptualized version of the building.

Read more: http://triblive.com/news/allegheny/7229038-74/conference-press-ceo#ixzz3K0W5WwYJ
Follow us: @triblive on Twitter | triblive on Facebook

Social Still In Bethlehem Set To Open As The Lehigh Valley’s First Distillery Next Month

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

Adam Flatt’s mother, Elaine Pivinski, opened the Lehigh Valley’s first winery in 1981.

Flatt is now on target to open the region’s first distillery next month.

Flatt, who co-owns Franklin Hill Vineyards in Lower Mount Bethel Township with his mother, is just weeks away from opening Social Still distillery in Bethlehem.

“It’s cool we have that pioneering tradition continuing,” he said.

Social Still is on target to have a soft opening the first week of December, Flatt said last week during a tour of the new operation. Work on the building is about 80 percent complete and the company is planning its first batch of vodka and gin later this week, Flatt said.

Read more: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/bethlehem/index.ssf/2014/11/social_still_in_bethlehem_set.html