Pottstown Resident Miffed By Lack Of ‘Mercury’ Front Page Coverage For Pottstown High School Football Team’s Win

Pottstown Borough Hall

Editor’s Note:  We saw this on Facebook and feel it needs to be shared with the wider community.  We understand and share this parent’s concern about the promotion of Pottstown and the Pottstown School District.  In our humble opinion, Pottstown and Pottstown School District news should always take priority in the local paper.  Far more disturbing is the son’s comment that “nobody cares about Pottstown”.  How sad is this and what does it say about the prevailing attitude of Pottstonians if this despair has crept all the way down the ladder to school age children?  At times this appears to be the prevailing attitude of the leadership, both paid and elected.  This issue needs some serious discussion by the “powers that be” and this cycle of “nobody cares” needs to end.  How will Pottstown ever recover with a defeatist attitude! Apparently, this attitude has been picked up on by “the rest of the world” and might be why articles like the recent one in the Philadelphia Inquirer get published.

I found myself very annoyed this morning.  I went and bought my local HOMETOWN newspaper which is operated and ran in Pottstown.  I looked on the front page and to my surprise and anger there is nothing about the Pottstown High School football team winning yesterday, but yet we put the Perk Valley vs. Methacton score on the front page.  Now please don’t think that I am putting down the other schools, but to not have the school that resides where your paper is published on the front page was to be quite frank, appalling.  My son, who happens to play for the Trojans, told me “what is the big deal Dad, no one cares about Pottstown”.  News Alert: I care and there are people out there that do care.  I’m sure there are people that agree with him but I am not one of them.  I am a former grad who still supports his local team.  How do we expect to move forward in this school district when our students have the mentality of no one cares about us, no big deal?  Our town needs help and I just think that a putting some good news about the LOCAL KIDS would go a long way in changing people ‘s attitude.   Rob Bertoti

Pottstown’s Juan Carlos Restaurant Leading The Way In PHL17 ‘Hot List’ Competition

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

POTTSTOWN – Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine has been holding a steady lead in the online phl17 Hot List competition for two weeks, displacing a bigger corporate restaurant along the way,

The phl17 Hot List is in its eighth year and features 164 categories of hot spots to go in the area – everything from arts and entertainment, to fitness and restaurants.

It’s in this last category that Juan Carlos Fine Mexican Cuisine is making its stand; currently in first place for “Best Mexican Restaurant” and second place for “Best BYOB Restaurant.”

“The first day I was number one in both categories. I was shocked but pleasantly surprised,” chef/owner Ron R. Garza said in an interview with The Mercury. “Then I look two weeks later and we’re still solid.”

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/pottstowns-juan-carlos-restaurant-leading-the-way-phl17-hot-list-competition/1?utm_source=ubnreadmore&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ubnreadmore

Parks Director Loss Mourned In Pottstown

POTTSTOWN — When New Year’s Day revelers gather this morning in Riverfront Park and take a moment to mourn the unexpected passing of borough Parks and Recreation Director Eileen Schlegel, they will become part of a much larger group of people who have expressed shock and sadness at her passing.

Schlegel died unexpectedly Saturday at her home in the borough.

She was 65.

“This is truly a loss to the Pottstown community,” Crystal Williams, former director at the Ricketts Community Center, posted on The Mercury Facebook page.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131231/parks-director-loss-mourned-in-pottstown

Investigation Continuing Into Homicide At Pottstown Apartment

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

POTTSTOWN, PA — One man was killed and another man injured early Friday in a middle of the night shooting in the King Street Commons apartments at King and Charlotte streets.

The victim was identified Friday as George Hashimbey, 22, who was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Walter Hofman.

Court records obtained by The Mercury show Hashimbey with addresses in Pottstown and in Philadelphia.

Hofman said Hashimbey died of a gunshot wound to the stomach and chest area. Hofman ruled the death a homicide after the autopsy was completed Friday.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131227/updated-pottstown-shooting-victim-identified

Coventry Mall Kohl’s Security Officer Arrested For Assaulting Photographer

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

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, PA — Police have charged a woman working as a loss prevention officer for Kohl’s at the Coventry Mall with assault of a local photographer.

Sarah Roller, 36, from Collegeville, reported she saw a man in his vehicle taking video of “police and her activity” while she was helping search for a suspect in a retail theft from Boscov’s, police said.

Roller is accused of approaching the photographer, Tom Kelly III, and attempted to take his camera “by force.”  Kelly is a former Mercury staff photographer and frequently does work as a free-lancer for The Mercury and its related websites.

“During the struggle over the camera, the victim was struck in the face,” the report said.  “He sustained an injury to his eye and is also being treated for neck and shoulder pain.”

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130909/NEWS01/130909490/coventry-mall-kohl-s-security-officer-arrested-for-assaulting-photographer#full_story

Car Severely Damaged In Pottstown Drive-By Shooting

Editor’s note:  I think the headline says it all.  Pottstown leadership needs to take the bull by the horns and get tough on crime.  The incident happened while there was a group of community leaders gathered at the Ricketts Center trying to form a plan to clean up the core neighborhood.  How ironic.  

Here are some comments from Facebook on the subject:

WE WERE AT THE RICKETTS CENTER when the shooting happened, for that CARES Pottstown meeting – the Let’s Clean Up Ward 1 meeting????  Yeah…let’s do.  Is the boro going to hand out bullet proof vests to all the good people cleaning up?  It’s the least they could do.

All other efforts to make things better in this ward pale and seem superficial by the fact that there appears to be no real effort to clean up the root cause of the problems.

The mentality is-cite the property owner for a crack in the sidewalk.  All else doesn’t matter.

I’m beyond irritated by this.  We heard what we thought was illegal fireworks (again) last night. Didn’t look out the window until we went out last night.  Opened the door to find the intersection of Beech and Washington roped off and multiple police cars and officers out and about.  They were talking to people on my block.  We didn’t see anything but were told that it stemmed from an earlier incident that began at the Ricketts Center in the afternoon.

Here’s the paragraph in the Mercury regarding the shooting:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130626/NEWS01/130629487/car-severely-damaged-in-pottstown-drive-by-shooting

Police Investigating Pottstown Codes Worker Regarding Landlord’s Check

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

POTTSTOWN — An employee of the borough codes office was escorted out of borough hall by police last week and her removal is likely connected to an investigation of whether the employee received a check from a developer and landlord for personal use, The Mercury has confirmed.

Several sources confirmed that Michelle Fry, formerly Michelle Borzick, a “zoning work leader” in the codes office, was escorted from the borough hall code office on Feb. 13.

Contacted Tuesday and asked for comment, Borough Manager Mark Flanders said, “We don’t comment on personnel matters.”

In an e-mail, Fry wrote Tuesday that she also had “no comment.”

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130219/NEWS01/130219304/police-investigating-pottstown-codes-worker-regarding-landlord-s-check#full_story

Many Questions About Jason Bobst’s Departure

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  Below is a Letter to the Editor in today’s Fishwrap.  We give two big Roy’s Rants thumbs up to Glenn Mooney of Pottstown for raising his very valid points.  There is far more to Jason’s story, but unfortunately we will never know all the details.  Pottstown politics are nasty and people get tired of beating their head against a wall.  Sometimes you just have to walk away to preserve your own sanity.  Mr. Toroney has learned nothing from Jason’s departure.  We can only hope enough new people get on Council in November to pick a new Council President.  It’s time to clean house!

Referring to the most recent Mercury article by Evan Brandt, dated Aug. 15, I have some questions not about his report but about the mayor and borough council’s account of losing Jason Bobst.  Let me understand, Councilman Toroney stated, and I quote from the article, “He did a fantastic job for us.  But age and experience were not on his side.  He didn’t have the battle scars.  We need someone with experience who has the wherewithal to do a good job for us.”  My bet is Jason could elaborate quite a bit about battle scars!

This sounds a little funny regarding whose choice it was for his leaving Pottstown?  Then we have Mayor Bonnie Heath and Jeff Chomnuk stating that the borough has begun to gain traction in its recovery efforts, due largely to the efforts of Bobst and Finance Director Janice Lee.  Hhmm?  These comments were to help justify going outside to hire a new manager at a 30-percent higher salary.  Then Mayor Heath stated and I quote, “It’s actually kind of an awkward fact that we were paying Jason less than $100,000.”

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20120901/OPINION02/120909989/many-questions-about-jason-bobst-s-departure

Citizen’s For Pottstown’s Revitalization (CPR) – Thoughts For The New Year And Upcoming Events

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I am pleased to pass on this important information from CPR!

Happy New Year All!!

The start of a new year brings the promise of renewed hope and energy into revitalizing Pottstown.  This momentum  is pushing us towards new possibilities and uncharted territory of growth and progress.  The winter’s festivities brought in an unprecedented number of revelers, proving that Pottstown still has heart and promise.  Despite our many differences of opinion and spirited discourses we ultimately share the same goal; to live in a safe environment.  The way we achieve this goal is to stay involved!  You can now stay in touch with the Pottstown Neighborhood Watch through Facebook- search Citizens for Pottstown’s Revitalization (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Citizens-For-Pottstowns-Revitilization/143692659014127?v=wall). Please join us at the following events listed below.

January 16, 2011 @ 1PM : Female Safety Clinic (PKC-21 North Hanover St.) Space is limited so please RSPV to  610 327 1321 and leave a message.

February 18, 2011 @ 7PM : Neighborhood Watch Meeting (146 King St. PAL Bldg.) 

March 2011 (Date to be determined) Witness Training by Pottstown Police.      

I hope this new year brings each of you happiness, health and the energy to take back our town!! 

  

Anna Johnson 

 

 

 

 

 

The Mercury Leaves Out Important Details On Lebanon Crash Involving Pottstown Woman

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I suppose this should not really be a great surprise for anyone but the Mercury’s condensed version of the Lebanon Daily News coverage of an accident on Route 322 in South Annville Township, that involved a Pottstown woman, has some key facts missing.

What the Mercury fails to point out is:

“Burton’s vehicle was pushed into the eastbound lane when it was struck from the rear by a Chevy Equinox driven by Amber Dumond, 32, of 117 E. Cherry St., Palmyra, he said.”  The quote is from South Annville Township Police Chief Ben Sutcliffe

The Mercury tells us Burton’s children were in the car at the time of the accident.  According to the Lebanon Daily News “Burton’s front-seat passenger was Elizabeth Hain, 36, also of Pottstown, Sutcliffe said. She was released after treatment at the hospital. In the back seat were Hain’s children, Dharia, 13, and Delanie, 7. Both were listed in fair condition at HMC, a hospital spokesman said.”

Here is the entire Lebanon Daily News article for you to read and get the correct information.  A friend of Faith Burton’s brought this to my attention so we here in Pottstown have the correct information regarding this tragic event.

 http://www.ldnews.com/ci_17038737

What Exactly Is The Mercury’s Agenda These Days??

It is not just me noticing this stuff!  Please check out the latest article from SavePottstown! regarding the Mercury:

http://savepottstown.com/2010/07/the-mercury-promotes-hatred-and-violence/

Please click on these posts of mine regarding the same issue from April:

https://roysrants.wordpress.com/2010/04/21/sound-off-2/

https://roysrants.wordpress.com/2010/04/19/sound-off/

Sound Off

I think the Mercury needs to be more careful with the Sound Off comments they print.  Many of these comments are highly inappropriate and are very negative against Pottstown.  Many are based on stereotypes and generalities. 

Freedom of speech is one thing but many of these comments are hate speech.  Who monitors these comments?  More editorial discretion needs to be applied.  Every utterance does not need to be given credence and printed. 

There are more creative ways to increase newspaper sales than printing hateful comments from anonymous people.