The 23rd Annual Pottstown Rumble Is June 19-22 2014

The Pottstown Rumble is a 4 day fun-filled event – Thursday June 19 to Sunday, June 22, 2014. Along with amazing competition at all levels of the tournament, we also offer plenty of other activities. The Rumble starts off Thursday with the Pottstown Rumble Juniors Clinic hosted by 2 time Rumble finalist Eric Lucas, 2 time Rumble Champ Svetlana Simic, and indoor professional Remy McBain as well as other high level volleyball players and coaches serving as assistant instructors. Friday brings our Pottstown Rumble Juniors Grass Doubles Tournament. Saturday morning starts off with a bang with a beefed up fireworks show as over 2,000 players eagerly wait to start their day. Saturday afternoon brings Women’s Pro Finals to center court while the Men’s Pro division wraps up Sunday afternoon competing for the $5,000 first place price. There will be food and clothing vendors, an on-site massage therapist, and high-energy music throughout the weekend. All visitors welcome!!

All registrations are first come first serve! You will be notified prior to registering if you are NOT at the main field. Anyone registering after June 15 will be charged a late fee of $20 per entry, this includes walk-on’s if space is available. Walk-on’s will most certainly be playing on satellite fields.

PART Rumble Schedule

Free Pottstown Rumble shuttle service is available from PART. Click here for the schedule.

The website for the Rumble contains all the schedules and information you will need to know, click here: https://pottstownrumble.com/index.php

SEPTA Regional Rail Strike Begins; Corbett To Seek Federal Help

SEPTA logo with text (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SEPTA railroad engineers and electrical workers went on strike early Saturday, halting commuter rail service in the Philadelphia region, after last-ditch efforts by federal mediators failed to break an impasse in the long-running labor dispute.

The strike shut down 13 Regional Rail lines that provide 60,000 passengers with 126,000 rides on a typical weekday. That promised to snarl already clogged highways with additional cars and to hamper commuters and their employers throughout the region.

Service on SEPTA’s buses, subways, trolleys and the Norristown High-Speed Line – which carry about 85 percent of SEPTA’s riders – were not affected.

Gov. Corbett was prepared to ask President Obama to quickly appoint a presidential emergency board to mediate the rail labor dispute. Under federal railroad law, the creation of such a board would compel the workers to return to the job for 240 days.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20140614_Last-ditch_talks_pending_as_Regional_Rail_strike_looms.html#v26c8poq4F1xhoJB.99

Cuts In Suburban Pittsburgh Bus Routes Changed Lives

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

A couple years ago, when Gloria Jefferson of McKeesport wanted to go somewhere, she walked to a bus stop near her house.

Then, in 2011, her commute became much less convenient. During a round of cuts to fix a budget deficit, the Port Authority canceled her route, which ran through the middle of McKeesport. Now, Ms. Jefferson, who is 80, has to walk a mile downhill to another stop.

The walk is tough for her, especially when she’s carrying grocery bags. Sometimes, she pays for a ride there or avoids going places. She wonders whether she’ll still be able to make the walk when she gets older.

“Right now, I feel good. How long it’s going to last, I don’t know,” she said. “I keep on praying that one day they’ll turn it around and bring the bus back up the hill.”

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2014/04/06/Cuts-in-suburban-bus-routes-changed-lives/stories/201404060065#ixzz2y9vjCoPz

SEPTA Warns Of ‘Devastating’ Cuts

SEPTA logo with text (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

With a showdown looming in Harrisburg, SEPTA officials made a final pitch Thursday for millions more in state aid to avoid a “devastating” cutback in service.

A House vote is expected as early as next week on statewide transportation funding, and SEPTA says it is prepared to enact a doomsday plan to eliminate nine of its 13 rail lines, close a subway line, and convert all trolley routes to bus lines.

Deputy general manager Jeffrey Knueppel told the SEPTA board that old rail bridges, power stations, vehicles, and train stations could no longer be maintained and must be replaced.

Without more state funding for those capital needs, SEPTA will begin a “rational progression” of cutbacks over a decade, starting next year, Kneuppel said.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20130927_SEPTA_warns_of__devastating__cuts.html#0mpGuZ38YSbrJSk6.99

SEPTA Fares Will Increase July 1st

ATTENTION SEPTA USERS:

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) will increase fares for trolleys, buses and the subway effective July 1, 2010. 

The price of a bus / subway token will increase .10 cents to $1.55 from the current $1.45, the cost of a weekly transit pass will rise $1.25 to $22 from the current $20.75, and a monthly Zone 3 commuter rail pass will jump $12.50 to $155.00 versus $142.50.  Transfers for subway, bus and trolley riders will increase to $1.00.  Currently a transfer is .75 cents.

The vote was divided to increase fares, however, SEPTA representatives  unanimously approved their $300,000,000.00 budget for the coming year.