UPDATED: Police Officer Injured In Pottstown Traffic Stop, Suspect Shot By Police After Chase

Pottstown, PA – A Lower Pottsgrove Township police officer was injured and a suspect was shot Thursday night after a traffic stop gone awry.

The officer was making the traffic stop on East High Street in the borough at approximately 8:45 p.m. when a male suspect driving a blue BMW sport utility vehicle did not yield to police signals. The pursuit began at East High Street and Heritage Drive and continued westbound into the 1400 block of High Street where the officers had gotten the vehicle cornered and stopped, according to Lower Pottsgrove Police Chief Michael Foltz.

The officer, whom police have not yet named, then got out of his car to approach the driver.The driver then allegedly hit the officer with the car and the officer began shooting at the vehicle, Foltz said.

Read more:

http://www.pottsmerc.com/20150417/updated-police-officer-injured-in-pottstown-traffic-stop-suspect-shot-by-police-after-chase

Identity Theft/Scam Program To Be Offered April 10th In Sanatoga

You’re invited to an educational and entertaining program where you can learn about today’s leading scams and schemes, such as insurance and investment fraud, identity theft, and other cons targeting the 50+. Come to get your questions answered by consumer protection experts and visit related exhibits.

Fight Back – Learn How to Protect Yourself from Frauds and Scams
Friday, April 10, 2015
1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Berean Bible Church*
2675 East High Street
Sanatoga, PA 19464
*The Berean Bible Church is located in Sanatoga, near Cutillo’s Restaurant (across the street). 

Free parking! Doors open at 12:30 and light refreshments will be served! 

To RSVP or for more information, please call the AARP event registration line at 1-877-926-8300 and tell the operator you would like to register or click HERE. 

AARP is fighting for you, and the Fraud Watch Network is just one of the many ways we give you tools to help you protect your family’s financial security.  Think you know AARP? What we do in Pennsylvania may surprise you.

Sincerely,

Bill Johnston, Director
AARP Pennsylvania

Friends Of The Arboretum Meeting Monday, January 19th, 2015 6:30pm

We are looking for community members to become part of the Althouse Arboretum. You can volunteer your time and talent, or if you would like, become part of a community team to discuss, plan and work together to make our land a first-class outdoor destination for the community.

We’ll be meeting to discuss prospects, potentials and opportunities.  Come join us!  Email Ken Hamilton or Nancy Baker with questions or for additional information.

Meeting location is 2019 Mimosa Lane, Pottstown (right off Snyder)

RSVP appreciated but not necessary

Christmas Tree Recycling Saturday, January 10th, 2015 – 9am To 3pm At Althouse Arboretum

Bring your Christmas tree to the Arboretum! Just drive in and drop off your tree! Volunteers will be here to help you.

The trees will be chipped by the Township and used for the trails of the Arboretum.

The Arboretum is located at 1794 Gilbertsville Road, Pottstown, PA 19464.

Armand Hammer Ramp Closure Starts Tomorrow

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — You may have toasted the unofficial end of summer Monday with a Labor Day picnic, but now its back to work and we remind you that starting tomorrow, commuting on Route 422 will be no picnic.

That’s particularly true if you’re used to using the eastbound on- and off-ramps at the Armand Hammer Boulevard interchange.

In addition to replacing the bridge over the Route 422 Schuylkill River, PennDOT contractors are also re-working this interchange into a classic four-ramp configuration.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140902/armand-hammer-ramp-closure-starts-tomorrow

Armand Hammer Boulevard Bridge Over Route 422 Opens, More Work Coming

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA— Long-suffering Route 422 drivers may take heart in knowing that one phase of the work at the Armand Hammer Boulevard interchange is completed with the opening today of the bridge over Route 422, providing improved access into the former Firestone complex.

But more work is on the way, including the closure of the on-ramps and off-ramps on the eastbound portion of the highway.

As anyone who drives the highway regularly knows, for the past 16 months, PennDOT contractors have been working to replace the Route 422 bridge over the Schuylkill River between Lower Pottsgrove and North Coventry.

At the same time, they have been working on reconfiguring the Route 422 interchange with Armand Hammer Boulevard, located on the east side of the bridge replacement project.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140731/armand-hammer-blvd-bridge-over-rt-422-opens-more-work-coming

Sanatoga K-Mart Store Signs Announce Its Closing

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

SANATOGA PA – The K-Mart discount department store at 2200 E. High St., which occupies the largest retail building in Sanatoga village and has operated there continuously for decades, will close its doors Aug. 31 (2014), a store management employee confirmed Saturday (June 21).

Read more: http://sanatogapost.com/2014/06/22/sanatoga-k-mart-store-signs-announce-closing/

Relay For Life Brings Hope To Cancer Community

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — Even though it was 9:30 a.m., the music at the 2014 Relay for Life of Pottstown had people dancing around the track at Pottsgrove High School Saturday.

After the teams made their entrance, the survivors — sporting dark purple shirts — took their lap around the track to signal the beginning for the 24-hour relay, which raises money for cancer research.

Leading the way were Grand Marshal Denny Wade and Junior Grand Marshal Trey Love.

“It is such an honor. It is awesome,” Missy Love said about having her son be junior grand marshal.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20140531/relay-for-life-brings-hope-to-cancer-community

The Sanatoga Post Will Cease Publication Saturday

Editor’s note: We wish our friend and fellow journalist Joe Zlomek a fond farewell as he turns the page and begins a new chapter in his life.  Joe has been a friend to us and was very encouraging when we first started out back in 2009.  We always appreciated his assistance.  Joe is an excellent journalist and we benefited from his gracious kindness over the years.  Good luck with your new endeavor!

SANATOGA, PA – Although it was founded in August 2008, the adventure that has been The Sanatoga Post really began a month later, on Sept. 23 of that year, when I arrived at a Pottsgrove Board of School Directors’ meeting for what was then the start of discussions about reconstruction of Ringing Rocks Elementary School.

It was the first “government” meeting I covered in the managing editor persona of this fledgling online news service. The meeting itself was poorly attended except for board members, Pottsgrove School District officials, and representatives of Gilbert Architects there to talk about their dream design for Ringing.

I presented a business card to then district Solicitor Kyle Berman and explained my intention to report on the proceedings. Berman, in turn, handed the card to former Superintendent Dr. Bradley Landis, who eyed me with some suspicion. I wrote a story and published the next day. The Post was off and running.

It seems fitting, then, that Tuesday’s (March 11, 2014) Pottsgrove school board meeting also is the last I anticipate covering.

Read more: http://sanatogapost.com/2014/03/12/sanatoga-post-will-cease-publication-saturday/#comment-112834

New Hanover School Bus Driver Admits To Manslaughter In Pedestrian Death

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

NORRISTOWN, PA — Appearing solemn and tearful at times, a New Hanover woman admitted she acted in a reckless or negligent manner while driving a school bus and unintentionally struck and killed an elderly pedestrian in Lower Pottsgrove.

Donna M. Engler, 64, of the 600 block of Schultz Road, a 16-year veteran of driving school buses, pleaded guilty in Montgomery County Court on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of involuntary manslaughter and a summary charge of careless driving resulting in an unintentional death in connection with the 7:08 a.m. Sept. 9, 2013, incident at Mervine and North Charlotte streets that claimed the life of pedestrian Shirley Wilhelm, 78, of Pottstown.

“Not a day goes by, or a moment goes by for that fact, that Mrs. Engler doesn’t feel remorse for her actions that day,” defense lawyer Timothy Woodward said on Engler’s behalf after the brief hearing. “She is devastated by the loss of life and she recognizes that this is an unspeakable tragedy that has caused pain and suffering to a number of people.”

Under state law, a person commits involuntary manslaughter if while performing a lawful act in a reckless or grossly negligent manner they cause the death of another person.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140129/new-hanover-school-bus-driver-admits-to-manslaughter-in-pedestrian-death

Opposition Builds To Library Funding Cut By Lower Pottsgrove Township

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — The township commissioners’ decision to reconsider its 2014 funding for the Pottstown Regional Public Library has resulted in a swelling of support for the library and a number of efforts to keep the funding intact.

Earlier this month when the Board of Commissioners reorganized, the new majority announced its intention to open up the 2014 budget adopted one month earlier and reduce funding to the Pottstown Regional Public Library on High Street.

Paradoxically, in December, Lower Pottsgrove had joined with both Upper Pottsgrove and Pottstown borough in increasing the allocation to the library for 2014.

In Lower Pottsgrove’s case, the commissioners had agreed in December to increase the annual allocation by $5,000 — up to $65,000.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140118/opposition-builds-to-library-funding-cut-by-l-pottstrove

Pottstown Regional Public Library Funding Rescue May Lie With School Parents

POTTSTOWN PA – Can residents in the Lower Pottsgrove portion of the Pottsgrove School District do what they proved capable of five years ago this month: rescue the Pottstown Regional Public Library by encouraging the township Board of Commissioners to restore proposed funding cuts? The school board’s leader is hoping for it.

The library may literally be banking on it.

A majority of commissioners announced last Monday (Jan. 6, 2014), during their reorganization meeting, that they intended to conduct a Feb. 3 (Monday) hearing in part to consider cutting $10,000 in library funding from the township’s already approved 2014 budget. The library had been allocated to receive a $5,000 increase in Lower Pottsgrove’s contribution, from $60,000 annually in each of the past five years, to $65,000 this year.

The majority last week instead suggested it wants to now lower the donation to $55,000, eliminating the increase and another $5,000 as well. Those commissioners – board President Bruce Foltz, Vice President Stephen Klotz, and new member Shawn Watson – have indicated they would prefer to put more money into the police department and other priorities.

Read more: http://sanatogapost.com/2014/01/13/library-funding-rescue-may-lie-school-parents/

New Lower Pottsgrove Board Wants To Cut Library Funding, Add Police

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE — New township commissioners’ Chairman Bruce Foltz is the first to acknowledge that he and the new majority on the board made a lot of changes in their first meeting of the year Monday night.

In fact, he said so in comments at the close of the meeting.

“We want the staff, fire department, solicitor, and commissioners to have the same goal; for the township to be user friendly,” said Foltz at the close of Monday’s re-organization meeting during which he was elected chairman and many of the immediate changes were implemented.

“We want to bring businesses into the township and have it not be a hassle, with all the back and forth, for our contractors and developers,” Foltz said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20140106/new-lower-pottsgrove-board-wants-to-cut-library-funding-add-police

Pottstown-Area Church Leader Responds To ‘Duck Dynasty’ Controversy

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — A national controversy hit close to home Friday afternoon after three-year-old videosof Phil Robertson speaking at a local church resurfaced.

Robertson, the patriarch of the family featured on the hit TV show “Duck Dynasty” on A&E, made what some perceived as anti-gay comments in an article in GQ Magazine. The article is published in the January 2014 edition of the magazine.

His controversial comments have started a firestorm of online discussion and led to Robertson’s indefinite suspension from the popular reality show.

But the faith-based comments Robertson made in the GQ article were echoes of statements he made while speaking at events long before the show on A&E started.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131220/pottstown-area-church-leader-responds-to-duck-dynasty-controversy

Authorities Tight-Lipped On Lower Pottsgrove Hit-And-Run Investigation

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORRISTOWN, PA – Montgomery County authorities remained tight-lipped Tuesday about their investigation into the death of an elderly woman who reportedly was struck by a bus a day earlier while walking in Lower Pottsgrove.

County First Assistant District Attorney Kevin R. Steele did not release any new details about the crash investigation, which is being handled jointly by county detectives and township police. County detectives normally take the lead role in all fatal crash investigations.

Authorities previously identified the victim as Shirley Wilhelm, 78, of Pottstown, who was struck about 7 a.m. Monday near the intersection of Mervine and North Charlotte streets.  Wilhelm, reportedly on her routine morning walk, died at the scene, according to authorities.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130910/NEWS01/130919918/authorities-tight-lipped-on-lower-pottsgrove-hit-and-run-investigation#full_story

Woman Killed In Apparent Hit-And-Run In Lower Pottsgrove

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP, PA — A bus reportedly struck an elderly woman on Mervine Street in an apparent hit-and-run in Lower Pottsgrove early Monday morning.

The woman was apparently struck around 7 a.m. by what police are describing as a bus.

It is unknown if the striking vehicle was a school bus or one from a transportation company, but police are still looking for the vehicle.

Both Pottstown and Pottsgrove School Districts said the bus was not affiliated with them.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130909/NEWS01/130909478/(updated)-breaking-woman-killed-in-apparent-hit-and-run-in-lower-pottsgrove-#full_story

Sanatoga Interchange Development Potential Explored

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE TOWNSHIP — As the housing and construction market begins to pick-up steam again, township leaders are turning their eyes toward the development potential of land near the Route 422 Sanatoga interchange.

Thursday night, consultant Peter Simone outlined those for the township commissioners options contained in the master plan for the region now under consideration.

Much of the development at that locale is on the Limerick Township side of the road — namely the Philadelphia Outlets and the Costco.

But the two townships have been planning together for further development in that area for several years now, Simone said.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130825/NEWS01/130829544/sanatoga-interchange-development-potential-explored#full_story

Officials ID Guardsman Found Dead After Police Standoff

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE — An autopsy was performed Thursday on the body of a township man found inside his home after a 5½-hour standoff on Wednesday.

The Montgomery County Coroner’s office finished the autopsy on Thomas A. Hripto at 4 p.m. Thursday, but a spokesman said the coroner was not prepared to release the exact cause of death.

The incident began Wednesday morning when Pennsylvania National Guard representatives went to the 1300 block of Lynn Drive to perform a well-being check on a solider they believed to be AWOL.

Township police officers who were assisting the National Guard Command staff with the check on Hripto reported hearing a gunshot from inside the house at 11:45 a.m. on Wednesday.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130712/NEWS01/130719820/officials-id-guardsman-found-dead-after-police-standoff

Lower Pottsgrove Standoff Ends With AWOL Soldier Found Dead Inside Home (video)

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE — A 5½-hour standoff involving a man reportedly AWOL from the Pennsylvania National Guard ended with the discovery of his lifeless body in a second-floor bedroom early Wednesday night.

Lower Pottsgrove Police Chief Michael Foltz said the Montgomery County Detectives were not called to the scene because authorities do not believe the incident is a homicide. Township police would be conducting a thorough investigation throughout the evening hours Wednesday, Foltz said.

A van from the Montgomery County Coroner’s Office arrived at the scene shortly before Foltz addressed the media for the last time and confirmed the subject of the standoff was found dead.

Police did not release the name of the deceased pending notification of next of kin.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130711/NEWS01/130719953/lower-pottsgrove-standoff-ends-with-awol-soldier-found-dead-inside-home-(video)#full_story

West Pottsgrove Home Invasion Leads To Murder

Location of Lower Pottsgrove Township in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

LOWER POTTSGROVE  TOWNSHIP— A man was abducted from his home at gunpoint and later died in Lower Pottsgrove on the side of  on Sunday afternoon, authorities said.

According to a release from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office, Kareem Ali Borowy, 19, was taken from his home on the 1200 block of Manatawny Street by “multiple suspects with handguns” in broad daylight around 2 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

The gunmen allegedly demanded money before taking Borowy.

“Investigators have determined that Borowy was targeted for this robbery and it now appears this was not a random act,” the release said.

Read more:   http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130506/NEWS01/130509617/west-pottsgrove-home-invasion-leads-to-murder#full_story