Tag Archives: King of Prussia PA
MCCC Earns Communities In Motion Star Award For Green Office Initiative
PHOTO: Communities in Motion CEO Rob Henry (far left) and COO Maureen Farrell (far right) present members of Montgomery County Community College’s Climate Commitment Advisory Council with a 2015 Star Award. Accepting the award on behalf of MCCC are (from left) Peggy Lee-Clark, executive director of government relations and special, projects; Alana Mauger, director of communications; and Joshua Eckenrode, instructional designer. Photo courtesy of Communities in Motion.
King of Prussia, Pa.— Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) earned a Star Award for its Green Office Initiative from Communities in Motion, a Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF) foundation, on Dec. 7 in King of Prussia. The foundation presented a total of 32 Star Awards during its second annual ceremony, given in recognition of projects, plans and people who demonstrate leadership in sustainability planning and implementation.
MCCC introduced its Green Office Initiative in 2012 to promote sustainable purchasing and practices in the workplace. Through careful implementation and employment of internal marketing and promotion efforts, the initiative grew from just four offices in its pilot semester to 11 participating areas in fall 2015. In addition to having a positive impact on the environment through the purchase and use of recycled and sustainable materials, the initiative also reduces costs, saving MCCC an estimated $50,000 to date
The Green Office Initiative incorporates mentoring as part of a continual review process to help offices meet each standard of the four-tier system. Mentors work with their designated areas to educate and improve on best green practices. Students also play an integral role. For example, MCCC’s student Environmental Club is working with interested faculty and Green Office participants on a program that pilots the use of refillable dry-erase markers.
This year’s Star Award is the latest honor for MCCC’s Green Office Initiative. The College previously received a “Green Spend Award” for “Highest Increase in Green Purchases” from the Philadelphia Collegiate Cooperative, and Office Depot’s national “Corporate Green Award.”
In planning for the next five years of sustainability work, MCCC hopes to build on the success of its Green Office Initiative to introduce a Green Classroom certification program.
MCCC is a charter signatory of both the 2007 American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment and the recent White House American Campuses Act On Climate Pledge. As a result of its efforts, MCCC is a two-time recipient of Second Nature’s national Climate Leadership Award.
Montgomery County Nonprofit Workshop Series, Thursday, September 10th
Upper Merion Area School Board Hires New Superintendent, Passes Budget
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA – Starting next school year the Upper Merion Area School District will not only be operating under new leadership, but also under a $89,641,840 million budget with a 3.27 percent tax increase following Monday night’s board meeting.
The board voted 8 to 1 to hire John Toleno, the current superintendent of Stroudsburg Area School District in Pennsylvania, beginning a three-year contract as the district’s new superintendent that starts July 20, 2015 and ends August 31, 2018.
Board member David Karen voted against hiring Toleno, saying he did not think that Toleno displayed the vision that he hoped to detect in the right candidate for the position.
“Personally during the interview process I was not able to detect in Dr. Toleno the overall educational and administrative vision that would take this district to its aspiration of continual improvement and inspiring excellence in every students every day,” Karen said, noting he was in the minority in his opinion, but that it was too important an issue to go along with the majority.
King Of Prussia Rail: Where Will It Go?
As SEPTA moves further down the line in planning a rail extension to King of Prussia, there are a few things we know – and many more that we don’t.
Among the decisions so far: It will be a spur off the Norristown High-Speed Rail Line. The entire five-mile route will be on an elevated concrete track. It will stop at the King of Prussia Mall, end at the Valley Forge Casino and Convention Center, and include two to four stops along the way.
But transit planners, township officials, and business groups are still studying some of the most crucial details, including which of five proposed routes would get the most ridership, how much each route would cost, and how each would affect noise, traffic, and other environmental conditions.
With planning well underway and strong potential for federal funding, SEPTA says the line could be running by 2023.
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20150322_King_of_Prussia_rail__Where_will_it_go_.html#ADk7y2t3i7i1u2V0.99
First King Of Prussia Restaurant Week, dineKOP, Runs March 2 Through 8
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA – For seven straight days King of Prussia will be overflowing with enough asparagus bisque, Kona Crusted Sirloin, Chili Glazed Salmon and crème brulee to dazzle even the most jaded celebrity chef.
All those dishes and many more will be showcased by the town’s top restaurants during the inaugural King of Prussia Restaurant Week, also known as the snappily honed-down “dineKOP.”
Not surprisingly the brains and heart behind dineKOP, which runs March 2 through 8, is King of Prussia District (KOP-BID), producers of the annual Beerfest Royale.
Read more:
Communities In Motion Honors MCCC, Others With Inaugural ‘Star Award’
King of Prussia, Pa.— Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) was among 15 recipients of the first-ever Star Award from Communities in Motion, a Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association (GVF) foundation. The award recognizes projects, plans and people who demonstrate leadership in sustainability planning and implementation.
Specifically, Communities in Motion recognized MCCC for its leadership and advocacy as a charter signatory of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment and for its sustainability work in the areas of transportation, waste minimization, energy and purchasing.
Associate Vice President for Facilities and Construction Jaime Garrido and Executive Director of Government Relations and Special Events Peggy Lee-Clark accepted the award on behalf of MCCC.
“Congratulations to our first ever Communities in Motion Stars recipients. We are honored to be able to recognize such wonderful organizations, individuals and local communities who are improving our communities of today so that they can be enjoyed now and well into the future. As Communities in Motion continues to grow and expand our programming, we are looking forward to continuing to work with our “stars” so that we can showcase their leadership and use their examples to continue to keep us all in motion.” said Rob Henry, CEO, Communities in Motion.
In addition to MCCC, other Communities in Motion Star Award recipients included the Borough of Phoenixville, Cheltenham Township, Chester County, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission, King of Prussia District, Macerich – Tysons Corner Center, Montgomery County, Philadelphia Premium Outlets, the Borough of Pottstown, Saving Hallowed Ground, SEPTA, Simon, URS Corporation, and Vanguard.
Submission categories included building; development; green infrastructure; leadership/advocacy; marketing and promotion of a project; park, recreation or open space project; physical improvements; and planning.
To learn more about Communities in Motion, visit movingyou.org.
Since signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007, Montgomery County Community College has put into place policies and procedures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As a result of its efforts, MCCC is a two-time recipient of Second Nature’s national Climate Leadership Award. To learn more about MCCC’s sustainability initiative, visit mc3green.wordpress.com.
Public Meetings Set To Air SEPTA Rail Extension Of Norristown High-Speed Line To Upper Merion
Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA – Residents in both Upper Merion and Norristown will be presented this week with four alternative routes to extend the Norristown high-speed rail line into Upper Merion in a proposed, $500 million, SEPTA rail project.
Both meetings will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday and Wednesday. The Upper Merion meeting on Monday will be held at the Radisson Hotel at Valley Forge, 1160 First Ave. and the Norristown meeting on Wednesday will be held at Norristown municipal hall, 235 E. Airy St.
Byron Comati, director of strategic planning and analysis for SEPTA, will present the four alternative routes winnowed down from 16 route variations. He will be joined by project manager and engineer Elizabeth Smith, an AECOM consulting engineer and Burt Cossaboon, a vice president of McCormick Taylor.
MCCC Earns GVF Platinum Sustainability Award For Transportation Initiatives
GVF Assistant Director Maureen Farrell (far right) and Action News Anchor Matt O’Donnell (far left) present (from left) Peggy Lee-Clark, MCCC executive director of government relations, and Dr. Celeste Schwartz, MCCC vice president for information technology and college services, with a platinum level sustainability award.
King of Prussia, Pa.— For the fourth consecutive year, Montgomery County Community College (MCCC) earned a platinum-level sustainability award from the Greater Valley Forge Management Association (GVF) on Sept. 8 during the organization’s annual Sustainability Breakfast. MCCC was one of 32 organizations recognized for sustainability efforts in 2014.
MCCC partners with GVF to operate a campus shuttle service between its Blue Bell and Pottstown campuses and, for the first time this fall, between its Blue Bell campus and Culinary Arts Institute in Lansdale. Last year, more than 10,400 riders took advantage of the free, 20-passenger shuttle, which is equipped with wi-fi to support student success.
On Earth Day 2014, MCCC and GVF introduced a new vehicle that runs on compressed natural gas (CNG), which, according to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, will further reduce emissions by 11 tons of carbon dioxide over the next year based on the 28,560 miles driven and 3,483 gallons of diesel fuel used in 2013. Prior to the introduction of the CNG vehicle, MCCC’s shuttle program helped to eliminate approximately 54,527 metric tons of carbon emissions and reduce vehicle usage by 522,144 miles annually.
In addition to the shuttle program, MCCC also employs Zimride, an industry leading rideshare service that provides a safe and easy way for students and staff to arrange carpooling through college community network that fully integrates with Facebook. Since launching Zimride in 2011, MCCC’s network has logged 1,461,492 carpool miles.
At the College’s Central Campus in Blue Bell, drivers of electric, hybrid, and conventional vehicles that average 25 MPG or greater, as well as carpoolers and shuttle riders, have the opportunity to park in a designated, convenient 185-space parking lot adjacent to the Advanced Technology Center. Electric vehicle charging stations are available in the Green Lot, as well as in the South Hall parking lot at the West Campus in Pottstown.
Other transportation initiatives include a Segway program for public safety officers in Pottstown, electric and hybrid vehicles for public safety and facilities staff in Blue Bell, and an increased effort to promote bicycle accessibility at all MCCC locations.
Since signing the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment in 2007, Montgomery County Community College has put into place policies and procedures to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. As a result of its efforts, MCCC is a two-time recipient of Second Nature’s national Climate Leadership Award. To learn more about MCCC’s sustainability initiative, visit http://www.mc3green.wordpress.com.
Largest Target On East Coast Set To Open In Upper Merion
Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — King of Prussia’s fire and police departments are prepared for action when the largest Target store on the East coast opens its doors in one of the busiest shopping areas in the Philadelphia area on Sunday.
Ever since the August 2013 announcement of the planned opening, township police and fire personnel have been working continuously with store officials to address all issues of safety and security.
The store, located at 160 West DeKalb Pike in the Valley Forge Shopping Center, will occupy approximately 165,000 square feet of floor area and will provide 800 parking spaces, half of which will be underground.
“When any retail establishment opens in Upper Merion Township, we set up a working relationship with them,” said Lt. Michael Martin, Upper Merion Police Department’s investigation division commander. “We have meetings with the management team and store employees so our officers become familiar with store security, how they operate and what our responsibilities are when a crime arises”
7th Annual Montgomery County CareerLink Job Fair
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
9:30 am – 2 pm
DoubleTree by Hilton
Philadelphia – Valley Forge
301 West DeKalb Pike • King of Prussia, PA 19406
CONTACT
Melinda Onchitta
610.270.3429 x 234
MOnchitt@montcopa.org
http://www.Montcoworks.org
Participating Companies
CSL Behring • Albert Einstein Medical Center • Cobham
Clinical Financial Services • University of the Sciences
Globus Medical, Inc • Robert Half • HCR Manorcare
Acme Corrugated Box, Co., Inc
Manpower International Inc • JRF America, Inc
Tri County Transit Service, Inc
Securitas Security Services USA, Inc
The Carney Group • Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania
Kencrest Services • ECRI Institute
Click here for registration forms, directions, parking…http://montcopa.org/index.aspx?NID=1786
Business Booming At Montgomery County Hotels Due To Power Outages
Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — If area residents who were without power may have felt like the losers in Wednesday’s icy winter weather games, the winners were the area’s hotels, where “no vacancy” seemed to be a recurring theme.
Then again, depending on where they chose to spend Wednesday night, some of those displaced “losers” may have felt as if their luck was about to change for the better.
“Where else would you want to be but at a casino on a night like tonight, right?” said Michael Bowman, CEO and president of Valley Forge Casino Resort.
With every one of the resort’s 485 rooms due to be snapped up within the hour, Bowman said the lobby was buzzing with folks who had closed up their dark and unheated homes in search of plush lodgings on First Avenue in King of Prussia.
King Of Prussia Rail Project Public Meeting / Open House – January 30th!
SEPTA logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
SEPTA has scheduled a Public Meeting/Open House for the King of Prussia Rail Project. The King of Prussia Rail Project will evaluate various alternative alignments to make the connection to the NHSL and destinations in King of Prussia.
Date: Thursday, January 30, 2014
Time: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Open House) | 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. (Presentations)
Location: Radisson Hotel at Valley Forge – South Ballroom 1160 First Avenue, King of Prussia, PA 19406
Meeting attendees should use the hotel entrance to reach the South Ballroom.
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) welcomes your interest and participation in the King of Prussia Rail Project. Early in fall 2012, SEPTA initiated this study to evaluate an extension of the Norristown High Speed Line (NHSL) to the King of Prussia area. The NHSL currently provides service between the 69th Street Transportation Center and Norristown Transportation Center, serving the Main Line area in Delaware and Montgomery Counties, and connecting to Center City Philadelphia. While the transit system is expansive, a rail connection to the King of Prussia area is missing.
The project will evaluate various alignments to provide increased transit service to the King of Prussia area. The project need stems from deficiencies in area transit services that result in long travel times, delays due to roadway congestion, and transfers between services. In addition, there are many destinations in the King of Prussia/Valley Forge area that are underserved or currently not served by public transit.
SEPTA invites you to participate in the project development process and provide input.
Website: http://www.kingofprussiarail.com/
Regional Task Force Helps Upper Merion Police Cut Down On Car Theft
Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA— In the first week of August the Upper Merion Police Department announced six cars were stolen in July, making the total for the years to date 16, one less than this time in 2012.
Two of the vehicles were recovered, police said, but no arrests have been made.
Many stolen cars are taken out for joy rides are later recovered, but some are sold for parts or all over the globe to be sold.
“There is a more organized element to it, though not like an organized crime mafia like you may think of,” said Detective Robert Pilcicki of the Upper Merion Police Department and the Pennsylvania State Auto Theft Task Force.
SEPTA Mulls Rail Service To King Of Prussia, Valley Forge
SEPTA logo with text (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: This only makes sense. There are a tremendous number of jobs in King of Prussia/Valley Forge. Rail service would encourage people to use mass transit who otherwise drive and don’t currently view the Norristown R6 or the High Speed Line as an option. It could also be a precursor to extending service further west toward Pottstown.
WILL THOUSANDS OF workers finally be able to ride high-speed rail to King of Prussia and Valley Forge instead of a bus that relies on the Jekyll/Hyde, highway to heaven/hell, Russian-roulette insanity of I-76 traffic?
SEPTA will reveal plans for long-awaited rail service to King of Prussia Mall and Valley Forge at a four-hour public meeting tomorrow.
Several alternative extensions of the Norristown High Speed Line to King of Prussia and Valley Forge will be presented. Public comment is invited.
This “scoping meeting” at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge – open house at 4 p.m.; presentation at 6 p.m. – is an early stage of the federal process for new-start rail service.
Norristown Homicide Victim Identified As King Of Prussia Teen
Location of Norristown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
NORRISTOWN — Police have identified the victim of a fatal Independence Day shooting as Tyreek Fairel, 19, of King of Prussia. Fairel was declared dead at 11:18 a.m. Friday morning from a gunshot wound to the head he suffered Thursday evening in the area of Marshall and Violet streets.
A 19-year-old Ambler man, whose name is being withheld by The Times Herald, was shot in the arm during the incident and is, according to police, going to be “OK.”
“This is the most peculiar case we’ve ever seen,” said Norristown Police Chief Willie Richet. “We don’t even have a crime scene.”
Richet said the surviving victim was supposed to make a statement Friday at the Norristown police station, but never arrived.
The 13 Worst Commutes Around Philadelphia
Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Editor’s note: The only thing I would add is that I might start this at Royersford or Collegeville. However, I don’t miss that drive after doing it for almost 20 years!
Commuters who drive on Interstate 676 between I-95 and I-76 or on state Route 611 between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-95 during rush hour spend 125 hours a year sitting in traffic.
Those are the worst commutes in the region, according to a new report from TRIP, a transportation research group backed by advocates for highway improvements.
Besides the lost hours due to congestion, drivers on those stretches of I-676 and Route 611 also waste 54 gallons of gas per year, TRIP’s report found. Here are the routes the organization says are the worst commutes in the Philadelphia region, based on time and fuel lost due to traffic congestion during peak hours:
3. U.S. Route 422 from U.S. 202 to Egypt Road in Montgomery County: Drivers lose 67 hours and 29 gallons of gas annually due to congestion; 64,000 to 83,000 daily drivers
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/phillylists/The-13-worst-commutes-around-Philadelphia.html#Yd4beskKgRTJub4q.99
Burger King To Unveil A New Restaurant In King Of Prussia This Fall
Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION — The king is getting some new digs, and it’s going to be a whopper of a castle.
Just two months shy of its 50th anniversary, the Burger King on DeKalb Pike in King of Prussia was demolished Wednesday to make way for a stone and stucco beauty featuring a drive-through and a Wired Your Way Café — amenities fitting the king’s royally updated new image.
Debuting on Aug. 13, 1963 as store number 113 under the future fast food empire’s brief ownership of partners James McLamore and David Edgerton, the intriguing fresh concept in fast casual dining that specialized in Whopper and Whaler (fish) sandwiches, French fries and milk shakes kicked off in King of Prussia the same year as The Plaza, another icon that’s gone through a radical transformation over the years.
The 568 W. DeKalb Pike store was the first Home of the Whopper — an enduring trademark that will figure prominently into the signage of the new design — to stake its claim in the area, ahead of Trooper (store number 179) and Blue Bell (363).
CHOP To Build New Facility In King Of Prussia
Location of Upper Merion Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION TOWNSHIP – Realen Properties’ master plan for a multifaceted center in King of Prussia is back in full swing.
With residential construction imminent, those who may not necessarily be calling the Village at Valley Forge home will ultimately find it to be a premier destination for working, shopping, dining and, now, medical care.
The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will break ground by the end of summer for a Specialty Care Center on the roughly nine acres it now owns at the corner of North Gulph Road and South Goddard Boulevard.
CHOP at the Village at Valley Forge, expected to be completed by December, 2014, will replace an existing location the hospital has leased on Mall Boulevard since 1997.
Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/chop-build-new-facility-king-prussia-0/1
Doc Popcorn Becomes Hit At King Of Prussia Mall
King of Prussia Mall (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
UPPER MERION – When you’ve got a bad case of the mall munchies, Doc Popcorn is there to prescribe an all-natural, relatively guilt-free remedy.
The good doctor will see you at the sunny kiosk on the lower level of The Plaza at King of Prussia, near JC Penney, away from the food court.
Food court fare is probably not what you’re hungry for anyway if you’ve followed your nose to the source of the unmistakable aroma of this freshly popped lighter bite.
Crowds have been lining up to bag a Doc Popcorn gourmet treat since husband and wife team Melanie Kittrell and Fred Smith created a niche for themselves by providing shoppers with a snack the couple can believe it, noted Melanie.
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