DRUGS: The Epidemic Some Choose To Ignore

For some inexplicable reason, the “powers that be” in Pottstown seem to think that ignoring rampant drug use in the borough will make it go away.  As a blogger who posts news from around the state on a regular basis, I see how this problem has invaded the Commonwealth.  Drugs have crept into our smallest and remotest towns.

Drug use and drug dependence seem bring with them crime and violence.  Shootings, stabbings, burglaries etc…  I have made a point of posting articles along these lines so that anyone who reads this blog will see the alarming rise of drug use and drug related violence in our state.   Our Attorney General, Kathleen Kane has been particularly supportive in trying to ferret out drug dealers through various “sting operations” which have taken down a large numbers of dealers around the state.

One drug in particular is making an alarming comeback.  Heroin.  Pottstown is not immune to this trend.

Our story for today comes from a friend of mine who lives in Pottstown.  This person has “walked the talk” by being a public servant for a several years and is also a Mom.

Walking to school this morning, my son tells me he has seen two “thermometers” outside.  I stop, dead in my tracks, red flag warning.   I turn and retrace my steps.  Sure enough, two hypodermic needles are there on the sidewalk adjacent to the cemetery between 6th & 7th streets!  I picked them up and turned them in to the school office.  I did not want a young child walking to school to pick them up thinking they were “thermometers” also and possibly stick themselves.

So our lesson for today is that no matter how hard we wish something wasn’t a problem, it will not make it go away.

Thank goodness this Mom had the sense to retrace her steps and remove the threat, thereby protecting many other children.  Because of the neighborhood our courageous Mom lives in she unfortunately knows about such things.  Honestly, I would not have put two and two together and thought syringe.

So to the “powers that be” I say, “WAKE UP!”

To our courageous Mom I say, “Thank you!”

Pottstown Schools Building A Better Report Card With Exercise And Play

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

POTTSTOWN — When fifth graders arrive at the middle school for the first time at the start of the school year, they’ll discover some new play equipment that also doubles as fitness equipment.

Recently installed, the equipment is open to the public for use during non-school hours and is already being tried out by a dedicated group of district employees under the watchful eye of David Genova.

This is the first year that Genova, the district’s wellness coordinator — whose salary is covered by the Pottstown Area Health and Wellness Foundation — will be working full time and he is off to an early start, convincing a cohort of staffers to brave the recent heat wave and work the circuit.

It started off with 13 exercisers, but is now down to six, although, Genova said with a smile, that the group dwindled more because of vacations than because of motivational problems that correspond with 103-degree heat.

Read more:   http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130801/NEWS01/130809992/pottstown-schools-building-a-better-report-card-with-exercise-and-play