Commissioners Lament ‘Divisiveness’ Of Mt. Lebanon Deer Culling Debate

The most disappointing part of Mt. Lebanon’s deer management program that ended abruptly last week was “the divisiveness and mean-spirited rhetoric” that split the community, commissioners said at their meeting Monday night.

“For the good of the community, we must try to reset the dialogue,” President John Bendel read from a letter at the meeting.

But opponents of the program said there is still work to be done.

They again lined Washington Road before the commission’s discussion session and subsequent meeting.

Read more:

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/south/2015/03/24/Commissioners-lament-divisiveness-of-Mt-Lebanon-deer-culling-debate/stories/201503240130

With New Owners, Haines Shoe House Becomes Bakery & Treat Shop

Where else in the world can you eat cake pops from inside a gigantic work boot?

Probably nowhere.

Melanie Schmuck is banking on that novelty, as she and her husband, Jeff Schmuck, convert the ground floor of the Haines Shoe House into a bakery and dine-in treat shop.

“We wanted something quirky,” Jeff said. “Something that would stand out.”

Read more:

http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_27751427/new-owners-haines-shoe-house-becomes-bakery-treat

Watch: It’s An Eaglet! First Eagle Cam Egg Hatches, Lurches Around

Thousands got their first peek at the long-awaited first eaglet Tuesday morning when one of the parents stood up in its nest high in a tree near Codorus State Park in York County.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s live-streaming video on its phenomenally popular Eagle Cam captured the moment. To watch live, click here.

Shortly after 8 a.m., the two eagles did what is known as a  nest exchange, altering incubating duties. When one of the adults moved out of the way, a wet gray blob was revealed, partially still in the egg split in half. The adult eagles were vocal right before the eaglet is exposed.

“I saw it wiggle around in the nest. So cool,” exclaimed a viewer on the Hanover Eagle Watch Facebook page. More than 60,000 people have joined that online group to experience the drama playing out in the Eagle Cam nest.

Read more:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/watch-it-s-an-eaglet-first-eagle-cam-egg-hatches/article_7137061c-d222-11e4-b664-6764e837c516.html

Arrest Warrant Issued For Suspect In Sherman Hills Shooting

WILKES-BARRE, PA — City police overnight obtained an arrest warrant for Brian Keith Hayes, 23, charging him with critically injuring another man in a shooting in the Sherman Hills apartment high rise on Parkview Circle Monday night.

Hayes, last known address as 279 S. Washington St., is charged with attempt to commit criminal homicide, illegal possession of a firearm, reckless endangerment and two counts of aggravated assault.

City police believe Hayes, known as “Keefy Blood,” fired multiple rounds striking Brandon Eubanks in the neck and other parts of his body on the second floor of the high rise just after 8 p.m., according to the criminal complaint.

Read more: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news/152526820/

Additional story: http://www.timesleader.com/news/local-news-news/152522507/

Bolaris: Spring-Like Thunderstorms To Record Cold And Flakes

Get ready for the Jekyll and Hyde month of March to continue. Later this week you’ll need to break out the shorts before you scramble again for the winter coat and scarf.

On Tuesday, we’ll see some clouds to sun — along with a continued chill in the air — as temperatures will remain stuck in the unseasonably cold 40s. (Normal high is around 55 degrees).

On Wednesday, we will see a transitional day as milder air riding up over the chilly Canadian air will produce a few scattered afternoon showers as temperatures nudge into the 50s.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/Bolaris_Spring-like_thunderstorms_to_record_cold_and_flakes.html#TRQAJQPx6L5JteRX.99

iCreate Café Draws People To Pottstown With Healthy, Plant-Based Meals

Pottstown, PA – “Vegiterranean” might not be an official word in the dictionary but it’s the word iCreate Café owner Ashraf Khalil uses to describe his dishes that are a combination of vegetarian and Mediterranean food.

The café at 130 King St. may seem like just another building from the outside but once customers walk in, they are greeted with a variety of colors, comfortable couches and plenty of seating. The small café does a lot with a little including also being a computer training center. But in recent years, it’s been the vegetarian fare that keeps people coming back.

Khalil, or Ash as most customers know him, said Mediterranean fare uses a lot of legumes such as chickpeas, fava beans and lentils. As a native of Syria, he grew up on dishes that included more plant-based foods than meat. He said there were very little animal sources in meals, partly because it’s very expensive to buy overseas.

“That’s one of the reasons we love hummus. We grew up eating it back in Syria, not knowing it has all this protein but because it’s cheap and affordable,” he said during a recent cooking demonstration at the café.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/lifestyle/20150323/icreate-cafxe9-draws-people-to-pottstown-with-healthy-plant-based-meals

MCCC To Host 10th Annual Art Students’ Exhibition And Competition

“Still Life With Grapes,” oil painting by Eva Hozinez

Pottstown, Pa.— Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) will be highlighting the talent of its art students at its Tenth Annual Art Students’ Exhibition and Competition, which opens Wednesday, April 1, and continues through Friday, April 24, at the Fine Arts Gallery, North Hall, 16 High Street, Pottstown.

Approximately 50 students will be displaying their artwork in a variety of media, including drawings, paintings, three-dimensional pieces and mixed media. The artists’ reception will be held Wednesday, April 1, from 5-7 p.m. with the awards ceremony at 6 p.m.The exhibition and reception are free of charge and open to the public.

The Fine Arts Gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed weekends.

MCCC’s Fine Art Program serves art majors and non-majors by teaching the necessary skills, knowledge and insights needed to succeed as an artist. The curriculum provides the foundation studies and studio expertise that parallels the first two years of study at a four-year college and enables students to develop their skills and produce a portfolio in the visual arts to obtain employment after earning an associate’s degree. Students may concentrate their studies in subjects including Animation, Ceramics, Drawing, Graphic Design, Illustration, Painting, Photography, Printmaking or Sculpture. For more information about the Fine Arts Program, visit www.mc3.edu.

For more information about the exhibition, contact MCCC Gallery Director Holly Cairns at 215-619-7349 or hcairns@mc3.edu.

Follow the arts at MCCC on Facebook at www.facebook.com/DestinationArts for information about upcoming performances and art exhibitions.

Gain Skills, Credentials In MCCC’s Office Assistant Certificate Program

Blue Bell, Pa.— Building on the success of its fall cohort, the next session of Montgomery County Community College’s (MCCC) Office Assistant Certificate program will begin on May 12. The program—part of the national Job Ready, Willing and Able (JRWA) Initiative—provides built-in job placement assistance and a coach to guide students through the training and certificate completion.

The spring/summer iteration of the Office Assistant Certificate program begins May 12 and runs through Aug. 28. The course is primarily taught online, with optional open labs on Thursdays from noon-3 p.m. at MCCC’s Central Campus, 340 DeKalb Pike, Blue Bell. Students are also required to attend three workshop sessions on May 29, June 12 and Aug. 28 from noon-3 p.m. The cost is $495, which includes instruction, workshops and course textbooks. To learn more or to apply, call 215-461-1468 or email JobTrakPA@mc3.edu.

Students enrolled in the Office Assistant Certificate Program will learn critical computer literacy and other skills expected by employers in business environments. Course modules include Business Software Essentials, Microsoft Word Applications and Modern Office Management.

“Local industry is in search of qualified office assistants,” said Suzanne Holloman, dean of Workforce Development and Continuing Education at MCCC.  “This 135-hour certificate is laser-focused to train individuals who are unemployed for a middle-skills job.”

After completing the certificate, students may pursue the Microsoft Office Specialist certification exam for Microsoft Word 2013. This sought-after credential provides students with marketable skills that will further increase their chances for employment. In addition, students who complete the certificate can apply the courses to the College’s Office Administration Associate in Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree program.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, office and administrative support occupations comprise one of the largest occupation groups in the Commonwealth. The Center for Workforce Information and Analysis projects 105 annual openings in this field in Montgomery County. Additionally, there is a growing need in the Montgomery County Region for general office clerks, with an expected 338 annual openings in the County and an estimated 14,620 total jobs in 2016.

Through JRWA, MCCC joins 17 other community colleges across the country in providing middle-skills training, industry recognized credentials, and access to employment across varying industry sectors for unemployed individuals. The initiative is funded by a three-year grant from the Walmart Foundation and is led by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC).