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

Driver Killed In Reading Crash

A city man was killed Thursday when he drove through a red light on Schuylkill Avenue at Buttonwood Street while talking on a cellphone and his car was hit broadside by a work van, authorities said.

Jose E. DeJesus Garcia, 53, who investigators said lived in the northwestern area of the city not far from the crash site, was pulled from the car by a nearby resident as the vehicle caught fire following the 8:25 a.m. accident.  He died before police arrived.

Within minutes, police vehicles, firetrucks and ambulances filled a one-block area that was strewn with mangled vehicle parts.  Firefighters quickly put out the burning car.

City detectives and evidence technicians responded along with patrol officers.  The intersection was closed nearly four hours, slowing commuter traffic on other routes.

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/Article.aspx?id=432081

Vignettes Of Black Friday

With promotions, discounts and doorbusters already well under way on Thanksgiving Day itself, many big-box retailers are making Black Friday stretch longer than ever.  The Lede is checking out the mood of American consumers in occasional vignettes Thursday and Friday as the economically critical holiday shopping season kicks off.

Shoppers waiting outside Sam’s Club in Eagan, Minn., for Friday’s 7 a.m. opening clung to free Starbuck’s Holiday Blend coffee as they endured freezing temperatures and biting winds and collected brightly colored vouchers for laptops and big-screen TVs.

The biggest draw: a 96-cent Samsung Galaxy S III smartphone.  Once inside, they also beelined for tickets for the 63 Samsungs in stock, which sold out shortly after the store opened.  Customers could make an appointment for later in the day or another day to purchase the phone, choosing from three carriers, Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint.

“O.K., this is my last blue for Sprint,” an employee called out at 7:08 a.m.

Read more:  http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/22/coverage-of-black-friday/?hp

T-Mobile Closing Lehigh Valley Call Center

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

Editor’s note:  This news sucks!

More than 600 people will lose their jobs at the end of June — unless they relocate to other states — when wireless communications company T-Mobile closes its Lehigh Valley call center as part of a company-wide cost-cutting maneuver.

The Bellevue, Wash., company announced Thursday it is closing seven of its 24 call centers in the country, including one on Roble Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. T-Mobile also is closing call centers in Florida, Texas, Kansas, Colorado and Oregon.

“Concentrating call centers is an important step to achieve competitive cost structures to successfully compete … in the wireless market,” Philipp Humm, CEO and president of T-Mobile, said in a news release. “These are not easy steps to take, but they are necessary to realize efficiency in order to invest for growth.”

The fate of T-Mobile’s Valley call center came in question last year when the company’s bigger competitor AT&T proposed buying T-Mobile for $39 billion. AT&T dropped its T-Mobile bid in December, citing objections from federal regulators who were concerned the deal would limit competition in the wireless industry and potentially increase prices for consumers.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/business/mc-t-mobile-call-center-closing-20120322,0,5402783.story

Pottstown Middle School Bans Fur-Lined Boots Over Cellphone Smuggling Concerns

Image via Wikipedia

POTTSTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A suburban Philadelphia middle school’s ban on a popular type of fur-lined boots isn’t about fashion, it’s about cellphones.

Pottstown Middle School parents were informed of the new ban on the unlaced boots on Wednesday.

District community relations director John Armato said students are using the boots to hide cellphones and bring them into class. Current school policy allows students to bring their phones to school but requires them to be kept in their locker during the day.

Read more: http://www.mcall.com/news/breaking/mc-fur-lined-boots-ban-pottstown-012712,0,1215528.story

Two Philadelphia Teens Arrested For Animal Torture

Just when you think people can’t sink to a lower level, something like this comes along!

Two Philadelphia teenagers, ages 15 and 16, evidently had nothing better to do than put a kitten in a microwave and throw it out a third-story window whilst capturing their “deed” on video using their cell phone.  Stupid is as stupid does.

Fortunately, the kitty survived the fall and is under observation before being released for adoption.  Neighbors called the police when they saw the microwave oven come flying out of the window.  Thank you concerned citizens!

The SPCA has the kitty and these upstanding young men are facing first-degree felony charges of willfully and maliciously torturing an animal.  Adults convicted of an animal-torture offense can get two years in prison!  GOOD!  Throw the damn book at them!  Or better yet a microwave!

Corning Glass Poised For Massive Profits

This is some great news!  As we know, manufacturing in the United States has all but vanished.  We sell each other insurance instead of making things.

Corning Glass, based in Corning, New York has been sitting on an invention since 1962, just waiting for a practical application.  Gorilla glass was invented by Corning but at the time, no commercial use was found for it.  Corning, being wise, put this new glass product aside and bided their time.

Gorilla glass is expected to be the new face of touch-screen tablets and high-end TV’s.  The glass is extremely hard to break, dent or scratch.  Sounds like a match made in heaven for cell phones, touch-screen tablets and flat screen televisions.

Corning has already dedicated one factory to the production of Gorilla glass and is converting part of a second factory to fill potential orders.  By 2015, Corning feels Gorilla glass will be their second biggest business.  The glass is already being used in 100 devices including Driod!

I am glad to have something so positive to report about an American manufacturing institution.  I grew up not far from Corning, NY and visited the Corning Glass Center many times.  It is a marvel and I never tired of going there.  Central New York could use some good economic news!