By Amanda Cregan Staff Writer PhillyBurbs.com updated 1/23/2012 12:45:49 AM ET
(part 1) School districts have been ordered to trim the fat off those bulging tax bills.
State lawmakers have tightened Act 1, a mandate that determines the maximum tax increase a district can levy before seeking exceptions or a voter referendum.
A bill to limit those exceptions was approved this summer, but essentially goes into effect this month as school boards across the state decide if they will stay within this year’s Act 1 index of 1.7 percent.
“Act 1 was first enacted to put the taxpayers on equal footing with the school districts and give them some voice regarding tax increases,” said state Sen. Bob Mensch, R-29, who co-sponsored the bill.
State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-12, was also a co-sponsor.
Since 2006, districts have had 10 exceptions they could apply for without receiving voter approval.
Now, only four exceptions are allowed: pension, special education, prior school construction and grandfathered debt.
The exceptions that have been eliminated are health care benefits, maintenance of local tax revenue, maintenance of selected revenue sources, school improvement plan, and school construction of both academic and non-academic buildings.
Both pension and special education exceptions have also been limited in their scope.
(part 2) “We had to crank back on the exceptions,” said Mensch. With so many loopholes, a law originally designed to provide taxpayers with relief “didn’t have any teeth,” he said.
Each district must get approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education anytime they seek these budgetary exceptions.
“Never was there one exception that was denied by PDE,” said Mensch, noting that some districts would seek exceptions even though they didn’t need the additional funds.
This month, school districts are hashing out their preliminary 2012-13 budgets. As part of the draft budget, school boards must decide if they will seek exceptions.
In our region, Pennsbury’s school board voted to limit any tax increase to 1.7 percent of the district’s current millage rate of 150.3 mills. Bristol Township also plans to stay within its index rate. Morrisville’s did also.
Bensalem, Centennial, Council Rock and Neshaminy school districts have decided against declaring that they will keep any tax increase below the 1.7 index rate. As per Act 1, the four districts are now developing preliminary budgets that could include potential exceptions in their calculations.
Bensalem, for example, is seeking a pension exception from Act 1. Centennial will seek the grandfathered debt and pension exceptions, which could hike taxes by 3.79 percent.
Bristol’s board hasn’t indicated how it plans to handle their respective budget process for the next school year.
In June, districts will approve their final budgets, and homeowners will get the final word on how much their tax bills will increase for the 2012-13 school year.
In a time when families are suffering from stagnant wages and job loss, the Act 1 changes are a move in the right direction, said Mensch.
“We keep turning to them and saying, ‘Hey, you’ve got to pony up the money,” he said, of the cost of education.
“I think every level of government needs to be more responsible and more accountable to the taxpayers,” said Mensch. “You can’t just keep spending and spending and turn to the taxpayers every time.”
Palisades school board member Stephen Kunkel says Pennsylvania’s school districts are not to blame for rising tax bills. He points the finger back at Mensch and his fellow legislators, and says they are unwilling to fund education and continue to place it on the backs of local homeowners.
“I don’t think the state should put any constraints on school boards,” said Kunkel, who opposes the cuts to Act 1 exceptions. “I think they should fund schools fairly.”
Schools should be funded through more equitable sources of funding — such as sales taxes — rather than placing the primary burden on homeowners, he said.
As school districts shoulder more limitations from the state, the aches and pains are beginning to show, said Kunkel, pointing to the crisis at Chester-Upland. The financially strapped Delaware County school district recently appealed to the state for emergency help because it lacks the immediate funds to even pay its teachers and staff.
“No one should be surprised that school districts are under stress,” said Kunkel.
Warts and all...by this measurement, let's excuse the excesses done by the Stay on Coarse people. Have the Morrisville Matters people resign and have their places taken by the previous board members.
Pedophilia is a predatory crime on innocents and if you don't have the cojones to stand up to it and condemn it in the strongest possible voice, turn in your man card to someone who can.
The School Board is currently forming advisory panels to discuss various issues facing the district. The Board is inviting members of the community to participate on these panels and offer their input. At this time; two panels, which will be comprised of up to 5 members, are being formed that will work with their respective Board Committees. One panel is for facilities and the other is financial. Please submit a letter of interest to Barbara Bucuy; her office is located near the front office of the high school by Wednesday February 8th if you are interested in being considered for this commission. This same information can be found on the school district's website at www.mv.org.
Morrisville 5th grade student, David Lin, took top honors in the Sum Dog Internet math contest sponsored by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.
For his effort and skill in the website math game David received an engraved trophy, while four other students in teacher Richard Boats’ 5th grade math class finished in the Top Ten. They are: Luz Jimenez, Lena Wang, Dave Jn Pierre and Derek Reid.
Along with the trophy and four certificates of merit, Mr. Boats said the classroom also won a Yenka Mathematics site license worth $750 and a $330 license for winning one of the daily contests.
“The students worked really hard and had a great time competing. It’s a joy to see such enthusiasm in mathematics,” Mr. Boats said.
After one week of practice, the 5th grade students entered the contest sponsored by the Bucks I.U. And they competed against five other area schools last month. A total of 88 students from Morrisville’s 5th grade classes were involved in the game.
Sum Dog is a free website where students play games to sharpen their math skills. And they can participate against other students in the school, country, or the world – either in school or at home.
Anonymous said...if you don't have the cojones to stand up to it and condemn it in the strongest possible voice, turn in your man card to someone who can.
Good one from the anonymous bleachers!!
I'm not an apologist, but amazes me that we live in a country where Michael Jackson is still celebrated and missed and Joe Paterno is the devil. I have no love for Paterno, but seriously? He wasn't the one diddling the kids. People choose interesting avenues for their hatred.
Oh, and any insights into why this is the first online opinion poll I’ve seen from Fitzpatrick and why it’s on this topic as opposed to scores of others seemingly more far reaching and consequential, such as his vote in favor of the Paul Ryan (R- WI) Budget Plan or the Debt Ceiling Summer Budget Madness that resulted in a totally unnecessary and avoidable S&P downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, etc.?
Fitz didn't need polls on those or anything else like jobs bills etc. He knew what was best for us.Internet piracy is the most important issue facing us today.
SOPA/PIPA --- heavy-handed gov't intrusion and overreach by the people who complain about too much heavy-handed job-killing instrusive gov't overreach and who love free speech when it's in the form of big corporate money.
I suggest use of Free Speech to tell Fitz and the bill's main US House sponsor Lamar S. Smith (R-TX) to stay out of our computers in get back into our bedrooms where they belong.
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Posted: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 10:50 am
Pa. House panel OKs plan to shrink chamber Associated Press | 0 comments
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania state House of Representatives panel is advancing a bill that would slash the chamber's membership from 203 to 153.
The House State Government Committee's vote Tuesday was the first step of a very long process to amend the state constitution, which is required for such a change.
Committee members debated the bill sponsored by House Speaker Sam Smith for 90 minutes. The idea's projected benefits include more efficient lawmaking and lower taxpayer costs, but critics say it lessens the clout of rural residents, opens more doors to influence by campaign donors and reduces the one-on-one contact with constituents.
The House currently has 203 members. Each House member currently represents about 63,000 people, which would expand to about 80,000 under the bill.
SOPA/PIPa are both horrible. This blog would be shut down because people occasionally link to videos or songs that are copyrighted. Also,just linking to a website that links to other sites can get you in trouble. It's analogous to outlawing cars because they've been used in bank robberies.It's an atom bomb solution to a problem that requires a scalpel.
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis today said 57 learning institutions including Norristown’s public schools will receive grants as part of a $20.9 million 21st Century Community Learning Challenge Grant. The money will pay for community learning centers to provide educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools," Tomalis said. Their work will complement classroom learning. The federally-funded grant was established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. "The community learning centers which applied for funding were required to provide students with a variety of enrichment opportunities that they might not receive at school or at home," Tomalis said. "Applicants provide academic, cultural or artistic activities for children, as well as services to the families of participating students." The Pennsylvania Department of Education received 119 applications. One provision was that the awardees had to represent eight geographical regions of the state. Those chosen to receive the federal funding include: 19 community-based organizations; 17 school districts; 10 charter schools; five intermediate units; three institutes of higher education; and three faith-based organizations. "Throughout Pennsylvania, there are countless students who are trapped in schools that are not meeting their academic, social and emotional needs," Tomalis said. "Efforts are being made to transform Pennsylvania’s educational establishment for the benefit of every student - however change is not occurring fast enough for a generation of students who we are failing.” He thanked groups and community leaders who continue to support students “after the school bell rings." Grants to the suburban Philadelphia counties included: * Chester County Widener Partnership Charter School - $179,992 * Bucks County Lower Bucks Family YMCA - $500,000; Morrisville Borough School District - $499,175; United Way of Bucks County - $420,000 * Delaware County Chester Community Charter School - $500,000; Chester-Upland School District - $480,000; Southeast Delco School District - $480,000 * Montgomery County Norristown Area School District - $294,000
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and S. 968, the Protect IP Act (PIPA). It is an honor to serve as your representative in Congress and I appreciate you sharing your views on this controversial bill.
I received thousands of emails, letters, and phone calls from constituents like you, Peter. The overwhelming majority opposed this bill because of fears that it will lead to government censorship of the internet. I believe it is my responsibility to represent the will and the best interests of my constituents. You will be pleased to know that it I will not support these bills.
SOPA and PIPA are too broad and will give the federal government unprecedented power to regulate the internet. This could very well lead to censorship of many legitimate and popular websites. Other websites may be forced to be taken down, unable to meet the requirements of this legislation and concerned over liability. We must find a solution that maintains the purity of the internet's open market character, its free flow of commerce, services and communication, while minimizing the threat of theft of intellectual and real property.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has decided to postpone a Senate vote on PIPA and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) has decided to not move forward with SOPA in the House of Representatives without wider agreement. I believe the decisions to stop these bills were correct.
If you would like to receive periodic updates on SOPA and PIPA, as well as other legislation I am working on in the House of Representatives, please sign up for my e-newsletter by visiting this website: http://fitzpatrick.house.gov/contact-me/newsletter.
Again, thank you for sharing your concerns. If you haven't weighed in on my SOPA/PIPA poll yet, you can do so here: SOPA/PIPA POLL (Poll is located under the Email-me form at the bottom of the page).
Value $950? Grrr... we paid over two grand for David's two saxes. I know that the guitar had cost the kid's family over $700. More on the mark would be that each instrument is valued at $950, but I understand that it is what it is. - Janet
Here's what I know. Hellman did screen before the county Republican Committee to go up against Steve Santarsiero for the state rep seat in the upcoming election. Since then, the supreme court threw out the redistricting plan at this time. I'll post an article about this after this post. I believe it is desired to redistrict in an "off" year rather than an election year. So John Galloway will remain Morrisville Borough's state rep for now. I like both John and Steve and feel that they are both positive for Morrisville.
As for Bill Hellman, I see it like this: As with his power monger, puppetmaster, Jane Burger, there is only a very slim chance of success in running. But even if there was absolutely no chance, it would happen anyway because in doing so there is a thorn in the side of the real candidate making them work harder and spend more money to be re-elected. And then there is the off chance that they will actually obtain the seat as with Debbie Smith and the council seat. I would not at all be surprised if Hellman gives it a try the next time around. Thankfully, his track record gives his opponent a lot to work with.
Court ruling that threw out Pa. legislative election map causes turmoil for 2012 contests
MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press First Posted: January 26, 2012 - 11:14 am Last Updated: January 26, 2012 - 6:26 pm
part 1
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania state lawmakers, potential candidates and political strategists began a scramble to adapt on Thursday, a day after a state Supreme Court ruling threw out a map of legislative districts drawn up with the latest census figures.
Many were not waiting to see the details of the court's reasoning in a written opinion that will not be available until next week, at the earliest, because the three-week period to circulate nominating petitions to get on the ballot has just begun.
The court voted 4-3 to declare the Legislative Reapportionment Commission's map of 50 Senate and 203 House districts invalid, a decision that raised the real possibility it could be months or longer until a new plan is enacted.
Before the decision was announced late Wednesday, Rep. Nick Kotik thought he was facing a primary battle against a fellow Democratic incumbent in Allegheny County, but he immediately shifted gears to focus his efforts on running in his existing district.
The court said the 2001 map remains in force until a new one can pass muster.
"It was a shocker, I'll say that," Kotik said. "If you look at it strictly from a partisan viewpoint, it's not supposed to go that way. Four is four and three is three, and that's what I assumed it would be."
There are four Republican justices on the seven-member court, but Chief Justice Ronald Castille, the Republican former district attorney of Philadelphia, sided with the three Democrats to reject the plan. It had been approved by the commission on a 4-1 vote, supported by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate, and House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody. The fifth member, an appointed judge, also a Republican, voted for it. Only Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa voted "no," and he challenged it in court.
Justice Max Baer, who voted to invalidate the new district map, said Thursday the justices and their staff were working on the opinion. He declined to say whether candidates should assume this year's contests will be run under the 2001 map or a new one.
"We're working as hard as we can, and if we get something out and the political powers and the secretary of the commonwealth think they can go on the new one, that's up to them," Baer said in a phone interview. "That's none of our business. Our only job is to assess (whether) the commission's plan meets constitutional criteria."
He said the issues are the compactness of districts and the state constitutional requirement that municipalities do not get split up unless absolutely necessary.
The decision sent shockwaves through the state's political establishment, coming as it did in the early days of the two-year legislative election cycle.
"A lot of times people overuse superlatives," said Philadelphia Rep. Brendan Boyle, who coordinates campaigns for the House Democratic caucus. "It's a case like this in which it's warranted. This really is a total bombshell."
"This is a new ballgame," said Franklin & Marshall College political scientist Terry Madonna. "This is a huge decision that's going to have significant repercussions."
Baer said he was surprised by the reaction, which included front-page play on newspapers across the state.
"I think it's just a process. I think we were given a job to do," said Baer, who said it was possible the majority opinion could get five or six "yes" votes once it's written. "At the end of the day, the sky is not falling."
Republican state Rep. Mario Scavello had been making plans to run for a newly created Senate seat in Monroe County, a district that was moved clear across Pennsylvania from Allegheny County, where Democratic Sen. Jim Brewster had been representing it.
But if this year's races are run based on the 2001 map, Scavello said, he will seek to retain his House seat. He is avoiding decisions until he can digest the yet-unreleased court opinion.
"Our Supreme Court's going to say now we're going to delay (redistricting) for two years?" Scavello said. "It's wrong, it's absolutely wrong."
Brewster said his campaign supporters jumped into action Thursday to help him run to retain the seat.
"I felt that the high court would see the logic that I was seeing, and that politics would not be the deciding factor," he said. "I can't begin to tell you the message this will send to 12 million people in Pennsylvania — that sometimes we get it right."
House Republican campaign coordinator Rep. Dave Reed of Indiana County was telling candidates on Thursday to circulate nominating petitions in areas that overlap both the old and new districts, to be safe.
"Most folks are trying to sit back and wait to see what, exactly, the court's going to order before reacting," Reed said.
Party strategists found themselves besieged Thursday by candidates and potential candidates trying to sort out the implications.
The map the court threw out would have moved a Republican seat in Philadelphia, held most recently by Rep. Dennis O'Brien, to a reliably Republican area of York County. Three people interested in running as Democrats in Philadelphia contacted Boyle on Thursday to ask about the district, which has a 55 percent Democratic voting performance, he said.
"They're back interested," Boyle said. "It's a wild situation — especially since petitions are now due 21 days from today."
Boyle said the rejected plan had improved Republican registration figures for every potentially vulnerable GOP incumbent in the House. In the Senate, Democratic campaign coordinator Daylin Leach said that under the 2001 map, there are eight Republican districts with at least 48 percent Democratic performance.
If President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey run well, and turnout is high, Leach said, Democrats could "come back close" to majority status in the Senate.
If the court demands minor changes, it's possible the Legislative Reapportionment Commission could quickly produce new maps that, for example, would reunite a divided borough into a single district. But if the justices announce new standards for all districts, and require the commission to justify each of the more than 100 municipal splits in the rejected plan, the process could slow to a crawl. The primary is April 24.
The guy couldn't even hold onto a school board seat despite holding the line on taxes and hiring a political operative as PR director at taxpayer expense. Who or what does he blame that on? If he makes like every Scooby Doo villain and blames it on blogs and some meddling kids, what does that say about him and his ability to win a bigger league election? Just wondering.
Ah, the memories. My first job. Got it back in October 1980. I was 16. Neshaminy School District had just gone on strike. A couple of friends and I decided we should get jobs and make a little money because it seemed like the strike was going to last. It did. 13 weeks. I am not advocating a strike for Morrisville School District. It's a lousy reason for a kid to go get a job.
Seafood Shanty making a comeback
Thursday, January 26, 2012 By Crissa Shoemaker DeBree Staff writer
Seafood Shanty, the former restaurant chain known for its fish dishes and nautical-themed dining rooms, is returning to the market under new ownership. Longtime customer Eddie Riegel, a restaurant industry veteran from Berks County, plans to open the first Seafood Shanty restaurant since the chain closed in 1996 in Wyomissing. Eventually, he said, he hopes to bring the eatery back to Bucks County, where it was based. “Everybody for years said, ‘I miss Seafood Shanty,’ “ Riegel said this week. “I did, too. I thought if I opened an iconic brand again and rebranded it, it would already have name recognition. It would be enough to start grassroots marketing. That’s why I figured I could get away with opening up a restaurant that was successful years ago in today’s economy.” There were more than a dozen Seafood Shanty restaurants operating in 1990, when Bucks County businessman and owner Joseph Gentile filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The first one to close was the original location in Middletown, across from the Oxford Valley Mall. The bankruptcy case was converted to Chapter 7 and all the restaurants, including those in Warrington, Quakertown and Willow Grove, were liquidated to repay debts. In 1996, Gentile was charged with failing to pay sales taxes and payroll taxes and writing bad checks; he was sentenced to probation and ordered to repay the money. Riegel, a former general manager for Red Lobster in Berks County, said he knew Gentile. And he has fond memories of Seafood Shanty, where he and his wife, Bonnie, used to go on dates. Riegel said he had several ideas for a new restaurant before deciding to purchase the Seafood Shanty name, logo and recipes. “The pricing was great,” he said. “The food quality was great. Joe Gentile was way ahead of his time. It was a great concept.” Riegel will open his first Seafood Shanty on Feb. 7 in Berks County. He hopes to open his next two in Bucks County, and has been looking at locations in the Langhorne area and Bensalem in Bucks, Willow Grove and Abington in Montgomery County, and Northeast Philadelphia. Riegel said the nautical-themed decor will return. So will many beloved menu items, mixed with new features like a raw bar. Of the 185 new employees of the Berks County restaurant, about 20 are Seafood Shanty alumni, according to Riegel, who said he’s communicating with several hundred former employees on the Web. Riegel said the response has been “unbelievable.” “The grassroots marketing and the buzz of the concept is incredible,” he said. “I had a line the first day we started selling gift certificates; 250 people were in line the first day waiting. We sold more than I could ever imagine.”
Congratulations to Kievanna Lacey on Scoring her 1,000 point on January 30th at Bristol High School. Kievanna is the 5th girl in School History to reach the 1,000 point Mark. Kievanna is leading the 15-1 Lady Bulldogs as they march onwards towards the Bicentennial Athletic League title.
But will the Seafood Shanty be serving Crabby Patties? What about Kelp Fries? Sponges and stars everywhere are lining up, although I hear that a single celled organism across the street is plotting to undermine the grand re-opening. Where is Mermaid-Man when you need him?
Congratulations to students from the Morrisville Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA) who were in the “spotlight” at the Jan. 25th meeting of the Morrisville School Board.
Club advisor, teacher Drew King, said 12 of the club’s 16 members attended the Region 12 FBLA Competition last month. More than 800 Bucks County FBLA students took part in various competitive events, that included speech, marketing and cyber security.
It was quite an achievement for Morrisville FBLA members who finished in the Top 5. They are: Emily Meyer, Shalay Johnson, Casey Hollopeter and Kathryn Woolf.
Mr. King has been a Morrisville teacher for 23 years and a club advisor for the last 20 years. He also noted that teacher Kevin Jones contributes to the success of the club as a volunteer assistant advisor.
Morrisville’s chapter is celebrating the FBLA club’s 40th anniversary this year. But the goal is the same -- encourage students to become leaders in their schools and communities, with an emphasis on business.
(The school board plans to publicly acknowledge, or “spotlight,” the achievements of Morrisville students at their regular monthly board meetings.)
Don't forget the Tech schools Cinderellas Closet begins tomorrow and runs Thursday and Friday.....
Mark Your Calendars... The Bucks County Tech School will be holding their annual Cinderellas closet dress sale...info reposted below from Parent Boosters President...... Just wanted to let you know that the Boosters will be holding their annual Cinderella's Closet Gown Sale on February 1st, 2nd, and 3rd from 6:00 to 7...:30 PM each night at the Tech School. Our Cinderella's Closet has 100's of new and used gowns and dresses that would be perfect for the upcoming formal dance and prom season. Each gown is $20.00!!! If anyone has any clean gowns that they'd like to donate, please drop them off at the Main Office at the school or bring them on the sale nights. Spread the word-there are really beautiful gowns available for rock bottom prices!
Kievanna Lacey scored 24 points and Morrisville drubbed Bristol 58-34 in a Bicentennial Athletic League girls basketball game on Monday. In the fourth quarter, Lacey scored the 1,000th point of her career.
Also for the Bulldogs (15-1), Cassandra Gainey scored 18 points.
For Bristol, Morgan Cullen scored 15 points, while Daniella Reilly added 11.
Posted: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:42 am, Wed Feb 1, 2012.
Morrisville prevails in defensive struggle By Bill McFarland Correspondent Calkins Media, Inc. | 0 comments
BRISTOL — Coaches who preach defense might want to request a tape of this game.
Morrisville eventually came away with the 23-20 victory in a Bicentennial Athletic League boys basketball clash that went to overtime Tuesday night at Bristol.
“They played most of the game in a 1-3-1 (defense), and we did not shoot well tonight,” said Warriors coach Frank Sciolla. “We took 23 3-point shots, which was way too many. We’re not good enough to take all of those ‘3’s.”
Part of the problem was the Bulldogs’ defense. When Bristol couldn’t find a way to penetrate, it kept firing away from beyond the 3-point line.
“That’s what we wanted them to do,” said Morrisville coach Oreck Smith. “We wanted to force them to stay on the outside.”
“I don’t think we even looked to try to penetrate,” said Sciolla. “We’re not the best shooting team, so we have to attack. We had some real good wide-open looks, but we didn’t hit the shots.
“Then we got a little tentative. Morrisville did a good job tonight.”
Both sides took plenty of shots, but few of them sank. The Warriors actually hit eight baskets, two of them from 3-point range, and the Bulldogs connected on just six buckets, three of them from beyond the arc.
“When the ball is not falling, we have to stay tough on defense,” said Smith, acknowledging that his opponent wasn’t going to back down.
“Their defense is tremendous,” Smith continued. “They play traps, and they switch around a lot. If you play Bristol, Bristol is going to play defense for 32 minutes.”
Trailing 13-8 at halftime, Morrisville got the upper hand by opening the second half with a 10-point run, all of the points scored by Ricky Melendez. Ryan Rigsby scored with about a minute left to bring Bristol to within three points (18-15) heading into the final frame.
The Warriors reversed that trend in the fourth quarter when Chad Palmer scored all five of his points. The last one was the back end of a two-shot foul, which evened the score at 20 with two minutes left in regulation.
Bristol had the last possession as the clock ran out, but Murray Kanneh’s 3-point shot failed.
Kanneh opened the overtime with another 3-point attempt that missed. Morrisville got the rebound and brought the ball down the court. During something of a small melee under the boards, the Warriors’ Sean Coughlin fouled Nick Castillo, who made both shots to give the Bulldogs the lead they would not relinquish.
Melendez went to the line twice more and made one of three attempts to account for the last point. His 12 points led all scorers. Palmer’s five points led Bristol.
The Morrisville Marching Band (and I believe the Color Guard) will be performing tomorrow night at the Trenton Titans Ice Hockey Game at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton at 7pm. They will be playing the National Anthem as well as performing at half time. Please come out to support your school tomorrow night. It is a cheap night for your family and great fun for the students. Tix start at $12
Posted: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:31 am, Wed Feb 1, 2012.
Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis recently announced $4 million in grants coming to Bucks County to help at-risk students.
The funding is part of $64.4 million statewide through the 21st Century Community Learning Challenge Grant, a federally-funded grant established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
The Lower Bucks Family YMCA in Bristol Township will receive $1.5 million; Morrisville School District will get $1.49 million; and the United Way of Bucks County was awarded $1.26 million.
"The purpose of these grants is to fund the establishment and sustainability of community learning centers that provide educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools," Tomalis said in a news release. "The entities which were selected to receive funding from the 21st Century Community Learning Challenge provide educational experiences that complement, supplement and fill-in the gaps of the work being done in the classroom."
Jennifer Ritorto, Lower Bucks Family YMCA membership and marketing director, said the Y and the Bristol Township School District "will continue to work together to support academic success, positive youth development, prevention education and life skills and to provide students and families in Bristol Township the opportunity to be part of a caring and supportive environment that will allow them to develop appropriate social and academic skills."
This is an open forum for all community members to come out and meet with the Superintendent in a casual environment, ask questions, discuss concerns and no topic is off limit and no question is dumb. Be sure to come out and join the meeting.
Our nation's debt and out of control spending is the greatest issue of our time.
Not jobs, not anything else.
It is imperative that we immediately and massively reduce this spending.
All I ask of my fellow Americans is that all of the massive spending cuts come from areas other than those that benefit me personally, because that would be tragic.
The most likely cause of Minder's drug cost increase is the drug company increased the price.
If thats the case, will Socialist Minder bash the free-market pharma corporation thats just trying to make a profit for all its troubles?
Minder really needs to let COngressman Fitzpatrick know about his problems. Now there's a guy who fights for the struggling common man! His vote for Repub. colleague Paul Ryan's Medicare Plan would do wonders for Minder's drug costs.
Just take your annual medical voucher, spend it until its used up (probably by July) and pay for any excess costs out of your own pocket.
62 comments:
R.I.P. Joe Paterno
RIP great coach, humanitarian and pedophile-enabler.
We're all complicated beings.
Yes we are ... Penn State!
Warts and all.
Tightening up tax bills
By Amanda Cregan Staff Writer
PhillyBurbs.com
updated 1/23/2012 12:45:49 AM ET
(part 1)
School districts have been ordered to trim the fat off those bulging tax bills.
State lawmakers have tightened Act 1, a mandate that determines the maximum tax increase a district can levy before seeking exceptions or a voter referendum.
A bill to limit those exceptions was approved this summer, but essentially goes into effect this month as school boards across the state decide if they will stay within this year’s Act 1 index of 1.7 percent.
“Act 1 was first enacted to put the taxpayers on equal footing with the school districts and give them some voice regarding tax increases,” said state Sen. Bob Mensch, R-29, who co-sponsored the bill.
State Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-12, was also a co-sponsor.
Since 2006, districts have had 10 exceptions they could apply for without receiving voter approval.
Now, only four exceptions are allowed: pension, special education, prior school construction and grandfathered debt.
The exceptions that have been eliminated are health care benefits, maintenance of local tax revenue, maintenance of selected revenue sources, school improvement plan, and school construction of both academic and non-academic buildings.
Both pension and special education exceptions have also been limited in their scope.
(part 2)
“We had to crank back on the exceptions,” said Mensch. With so many loopholes, a law originally designed to provide taxpayers with relief “didn’t have any teeth,” he said.
Each district must get approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education anytime they seek these budgetary exceptions.
“Never was there one exception that was denied by PDE,” said Mensch, noting that some districts would seek exceptions even though they didn’t need the additional funds.
This month, school districts are hashing out their preliminary 2012-13 budgets. As part of the draft budget, school boards must decide if they will seek exceptions.
In our region, Pennsbury’s school board voted to limit any tax increase to 1.7 percent of the district’s current millage rate of 150.3 mills. Bristol Township also plans to stay within its index rate. Morrisville’s did also.
Bensalem, Centennial, Council Rock and Neshaminy school districts have decided against declaring that they will keep any tax increase below the 1.7 index rate. As per Act 1, the four districts are now developing preliminary budgets that could include potential exceptions in their calculations.
Bensalem, for example, is seeking a pension exception from Act 1. Centennial will seek the grandfathered debt and pension exceptions, which could hike taxes by 3.79 percent.
Bristol’s board hasn’t indicated how it plans to handle their respective budget process for the next school year.
In June, districts will approve their final budgets, and homeowners will get the final word on how much their tax bills will increase for the 2012-13 school year.
In a time when families are suffering from stagnant wages and job loss, the Act 1 changes are a move in the right direction, said Mensch.
“We keep turning to them and saying, ‘Hey, you’ve got to pony up the money,” he said, of the cost of education.
“I think every level of government needs to be more responsible and more accountable to the taxpayers,” said Mensch. “You can’t just keep spending and spending and turn to the taxpayers every time.”
Palisades school board member Stephen Kunkel says Pennsylvania’s school districts are not to blame for rising tax bills. He points the finger back at Mensch and his fellow legislators, and says they are unwilling to fund education and continue to place it on the backs of local homeowners.
“I don’t think the state should put any constraints on school boards,” said Kunkel, who opposes the cuts to Act 1 exceptions. “I think they should fund schools fairly.”
Schools should be funded through more equitable sources of funding — such as sales taxes — rather than placing the primary burden on homeowners, he said.
As school districts shoulder more limitations from the state, the aches and pains are beginning to show, said Kunkel, pointing to the crisis at Chester-Upland. The financially strapped Delaware County school district recently appealed to the state for emergency help because it lacks the immediate funds to even pay its teachers and staff.
“No one should be surprised that school districts are under stress,” said Kunkel.
Warts and all...by this measurement, let's excuse the excesses done by the Stay on Coarse people. Have the Morrisville Matters people resign and have their places taken by the previous board members.
Pedophilia is a predatory crime on innocents and if you don't have the cojones to stand up to it and condemn it in the strongest possible voice, turn in your man card to someone who can.
By this measure, with a Vatican twist, Stay on Coarse board members should be reassigned to school boards in another districts.
Reassign them all to Neshaminy! Let the teachers union be Mihocked!
I'm not glad he died and my prayers are with the family but I am so tired of the Saint JoePa of Happy Valley bullcrap.
Fitz is taking an opinion poll regarding HR3261 (SOPA/PIPA). You can participate in the poll at this link:
http://fitzpatrick.house.gov/contact-me/email-me
...and for what it's worth, if you do participate in Fitz's poll you will get a nice, noncommittal, automated reply on real, digital letterhead!
The School Board is currently forming advisory panels to discuss various issues facing the district. The Board is inviting members of the community to participate on these panels and offer their input. At this time; two panels, which will be comprised of up to 5 members, are being formed that will work with their respective Board Committees. One panel is for facilities and the other is financial. Please submit a letter of interest to Barbara Bucuy; her office is located near the front office of the high school by Wednesday February 8th if you are interested in being considered for this commission. This same information can be found on the school district's website at www.mv.org.
From the district website:
Morrisville Students Excel in Math Contest
Morrisville 5th grade student, David Lin, took top honors in the Sum Dog Internet math contest sponsored by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.
For his effort and skill in the website math game David received an engraved trophy, while four other students in teacher Richard Boats’ 5th grade math class finished in the Top Ten. They are: Luz Jimenez, Lena Wang, Dave Jn Pierre and Derek Reid.
Along with the trophy and four certificates of merit, Mr. Boats said the classroom also won a Yenka Mathematics site license worth $750 and a $330 license for winning one of the daily contests.
“The students worked really hard and had a great time competing. It’s a joy to see such enthusiasm in mathematics,” Mr. Boats said.
After one week of practice, the 5th grade students entered the contest sponsored by the Bucks I.U. And they competed against five other area schools last month. A total of 88 students from Morrisville’s 5th grade classes were involved in the game.
Sum Dog is a free website where students play games to sharpen their math skills. And they can participate against other students in the school, country, or the world – either in school or at home.
The January edition of the Morrisville School District Newsletter has been posted to the district website.
Here is the link to copy and paste to your browser.
http://www.mv.org/files/news/january%20%20newsletter%202012%2D2%2Epdf
Anonymous said...if you don't have the cojones to stand up to it and condemn it in the strongest possible voice, turn in your man card to someone who can.
Good one from the anonymous bleachers!!
I'm not an apologist, but amazes me that we live in a country where Michael Jackson is still celebrated and missed and Joe Paterno is the devil. I have no love for Paterno, but seriously? He wasn't the one diddling the kids. People choose interesting avenues for their hatred.
Thanks, Peter. Good stuff, Damon.
I got the same thing from Fitzpatrick. Any insights into whether the SOPA/PIPA bills are good, bad, or indifferent and why?
Oh, and any insights into why this is the first online opinion poll I’ve seen from Fitzpatrick and why it’s on this topic as opposed to scores of others seemingly more far reaching and consequential, such as his vote in favor of the Paul Ryan (R- WI) Budget Plan or the Debt Ceiling Summer Budget Madness that resulted in a totally unnecessary and avoidable S&P downgrade of the U.S. credit rating, etc.?
Fitz didn't need polls on those or anything else like jobs bills etc. He knew what was best for us.Internet piracy is the most important issue facing us today.
SOPA/PIPA --- heavy-handed gov't intrusion and overreach by the people who complain about too much heavy-handed job-killing instrusive gov't overreach and who love free speech when it's in the form of big corporate money.
I suggest use of Free Speech to tell Fitz and the bill's main US House sponsor Lamar S. Smith (R-TX) to stay out of our computers in get back into our bedrooms where they belong.
Pa. House panel OKs plan to shrink chamber
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Posted: Tuesday, January 24, 2012 10:50 am
Pa. House panel OKs plan to shrink chamber Associated Press | 0 comments
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania state House of Representatives panel is advancing a bill that would slash the chamber's membership from 203 to 153.
The House State Government Committee's vote Tuesday was the first step of a very long process to amend the state constitution, which is required for such a change.
Committee members debated the bill sponsored by House Speaker Sam Smith for 90 minutes. The idea's projected benefits include more efficient lawmaking and lower taxpayer costs, but critics say it lessens the clout of rural residents, opens more doors to influence by campaign donors and reduces the one-on-one contact with constituents.
The House currently has 203 members. Each House member currently represents about 63,000 people, which would expand to about 80,000 under the bill.
The bill doesn't change the 50-member Senate.
Don't you hate it when your chamber shrinks?
SOPA/PIPa are both horrible. This blog would be shut down because people occasionally link to videos or songs that are copyrighted. Also,just linking to a website that links to other sites can get you in trouble. It's analogous to outlawing cars because they've been used in bank robberies.It's an atom bomb solution to a problem that requires a scalpel.
If this blog gets shut down then i'm all for it. I'm all about my own free speech but other people's?Not so much.
from: philly.com
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Norristown schools to get $294,000 federal grant
Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis today said 57 learning institutions including Norristown’s public schools will receive grants as part of a $20.9 million 21st Century Community Learning Challenge Grant.
The money will pay for community learning centers to provide educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools," Tomalis said.
Their work will complement classroom learning.
The federally-funded grant was established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
"The community learning centers which applied for funding were required to provide students with a variety of enrichment opportunities that they might not receive at school or at home," Tomalis said. "Applicants provide academic, cultural or artistic activities for children, as well as services to the families of participating students."
The Pennsylvania Department of Education received 119 applications. One provision was that the awardees had to represent eight geographical regions of the state.
Those chosen to receive the federal funding include: 19 community-based organizations; 17 school districts; 10 charter schools; five intermediate units; three institutes of higher education; and three faith-based organizations.
"Throughout Pennsylvania, there are countless students who are trapped in schools that are not meeting their academic, social and emotional needs," Tomalis said. "Efforts are being made to transform Pennsylvania’s educational establishment for the benefit of every student - however change is not occurring fast enough for a generation of students who we are failing.”
He thanked groups and community leaders who continue to support students “after the school bell rings."
Grants to the suburban Philadelphia counties included:
* Chester County Widener Partnership Charter School - $179,992
* Bucks County Lower Bucks Family YMCA - $500,000; Morrisville Borough School District - $499,175; United Way of Bucks County - $420,000
* Delaware County Chester Community Charter School - $500,000; Chester-Upland School District - $480,000; Southeast Delco School District - $480,000
* Montgomery County Norristown Area School District - $294,000
Got my response from Fitz. He got this one right.
**********************************
Thank you for contacting me regarding H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and S. 968, the Protect IP Act (PIPA). It is an honor to serve as your representative in Congress and I appreciate you sharing your views on this controversial bill.
I received thousands of emails, letters, and phone calls from constituents like you, Peter. The overwhelming majority opposed this bill because of fears that it will lead to government censorship of the internet. I believe it is my responsibility to represent the will and the best interests of my constituents. You will be pleased to know that it I will not support these bills.
SOPA and PIPA are too broad and will give the federal government unprecedented power to regulate the internet. This could very well lead to censorship of many legitimate and popular websites. Other websites may be forced to be taken down, unable to meet the requirements of this legislation and concerned over liability. We must find a solution that maintains the purity of the internet's open market character, its free flow of commerce, services and communication, while minimizing the threat of theft of intellectual and real property.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has decided to postpone a Senate vote on PIPA and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-TX) has decided to not move forward with SOPA in the House of Representatives without wider agreement. I believe the decisions to stop these bills were correct.
If you would like to receive periodic updates on SOPA and PIPA, as well as other legislation I am working on in the House of Representatives, please sign up for my e-newsletter by visiting this website: http://fitzpatrick.house.gov/contact-me/newsletter.
Again, thank you for sharing your concerns. If you haven't weighed in on my SOPA/PIPA poll yet, you can do so here: SOPA/PIPA POLL (Poll is located under the Email-me form at the bottom of the page).
Sincerely,
Mike Fitzpatrick
Member of Congress
Public Safety Log - Jan 24
MORRISVILLE
Theft
500 block W. Palmer Ave., Morrisville High School, 11:14 a.m. Wed, trombone, tenor sax, 2 alto saxes, guitar from music room, $950 value.
Value $950? Grrr... we paid over two grand for David's two saxes. I know that the guitar had cost the kid's family over $700. More on the mark would be that each instrument is valued at $950, but I understand that it is what it is.
- Janet
http://news.yahoo.com/low-iq-conservative-beliefs-linked-prejudice-180403506.html
Sorry about the stolen instruments, Janet and everyone else affected. I hope insurance can cover some, most, or all of the costs?
perhaps the newspaper reported it incorrectly?
Hellman, C.P.A. running for State rep??? You gotta be you know whattin' me.
Is there any truth to this or is it a horrible, vicious rumor?
If true its fantastic news for his opponent.
Here's what I know. Hellman did screen before the county Republican Committee to go up against Steve Santarsiero for the state rep seat in the upcoming election. Since then, the supreme court threw out the redistricting plan at this time. I'll post an article about this after this post. I believe it is desired to redistrict in an "off" year rather than an election year. So John Galloway will remain Morrisville Borough's state rep for now. I like both John and Steve and feel that they are both positive for Morrisville.
As for Bill Hellman, I see it like this: As with his power monger, puppetmaster, Jane Burger, there is only a very slim chance of success in running. But even if there was absolutely no chance, it would happen anyway because in doing so there is a thorn in the side of the real candidate making them work harder and spend more money to be re-elected. And then there is the off chance that they will actually obtain the seat as with Debbie Smith and the council seat. I would not at all be surprised if Hellman gives it a try the next time around. Thankfully, his track record gives his opponent a lot to work with.
Court ruling that threw out Pa. legislative election map causes turmoil for 2012 contests
MARK SCOLFORO Associated Press
First Posted: January 26, 2012 - 11:14 am
Last Updated: January 26, 2012 - 6:26 pm
part 1
HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania state lawmakers, potential candidates and political strategists began a scramble to adapt on Thursday, a day after a state Supreme Court ruling threw out a map of legislative districts drawn up with the latest census figures.
Many were not waiting to see the details of the court's reasoning in a written opinion that will not be available until next week, at the earliest, because the three-week period to circulate nominating petitions to get on the ballot has just begun.
The court voted 4-3 to declare the Legislative Reapportionment Commission's map of 50 Senate and 203 House districts invalid, a decision that raised the real possibility it could be months or longer until a new plan is enacted.
Before the decision was announced late Wednesday, Rep. Nick Kotik thought he was facing a primary battle against a fellow Democratic incumbent in Allegheny County, but he immediately shifted gears to focus his efforts on running in his existing district.
The court said the 2001 map remains in force until a new one can pass muster.
"It was a shocker, I'll say that," Kotik said. "If you look at it strictly from a partisan viewpoint, it's not supposed to go that way. Four is four and three is three, and that's what I assumed it would be."
There are four Republican justices on the seven-member court, but Chief Justice Ronald Castille, the Republican former district attorney of Philadelphia, sided with the three Democrats to reject the plan. It had been approved by the commission on a 4-1 vote, supported by the Republican leaders of the House and Senate, and House Democratic Leader Frank Dermody. The fifth member, an appointed judge, also a Republican, voted for it. Only Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa voted "no," and he challenged it in court.
Justice Max Baer, who voted to invalidate the new district map, said Thursday the justices and their staff were working on the opinion. He declined to say whether candidates should assume this year's contests will be run under the 2001 map or a new one.
"We're working as hard as we can, and if we get something out and the political powers and the secretary of the commonwealth think they can go on the new one, that's up to them," Baer said in a phone interview. "That's none of our business. Our only job is to assess (whether) the commission's plan meets constitutional criteria."
part 2
He said the issues are the compactness of districts and the state constitutional requirement that municipalities do not get split up unless absolutely necessary.
The decision sent shockwaves through the state's political establishment, coming as it did in the early days of the two-year legislative election cycle.
"A lot of times people overuse superlatives," said Philadelphia Rep. Brendan Boyle, who coordinates campaigns for the House Democratic caucus. "It's a case like this in which it's warranted. This really is a total bombshell."
"This is a new ballgame," said Franklin & Marshall College political scientist Terry Madonna. "This is a huge decision that's going to have significant repercussions."
Baer said he was surprised by the reaction, which included front-page play on newspapers across the state.
"I think it's just a process. I think we were given a job to do," said Baer, who said it was possible the majority opinion could get five or six "yes" votes once it's written. "At the end of the day, the sky is not falling."
Republican state Rep. Mario Scavello had been making plans to run for a newly created Senate seat in Monroe County, a district that was moved clear across Pennsylvania from Allegheny County, where Democratic Sen. Jim Brewster had been representing it.
But if this year's races are run based on the 2001 map, Scavello said, he will seek to retain his House seat. He is avoiding decisions until he can digest the yet-unreleased court opinion.
"Our Supreme Court's going to say now we're going to delay (redistricting) for two years?" Scavello said. "It's wrong, it's absolutely wrong."
Brewster said his campaign supporters jumped into action Thursday to help him run to retain the seat.
"I felt that the high court would see the logic that I was seeing, and that politics would not be the deciding factor," he said. "I can't begin to tell you the message this will send to 12 million people in Pennsylvania — that sometimes we get it right."
House Republican campaign coordinator Rep. Dave Reed of Indiana County was telling candidates on Thursday to circulate nominating petitions in areas that overlap both the old and new districts, to be safe.
"Most folks are trying to sit back and wait to see what, exactly, the court's going to order before reacting," Reed said.
Party strategists found themselves besieged Thursday by candidates and potential candidates trying to sort out the implications.
The map the court threw out would have moved a Republican seat in Philadelphia, held most recently by Rep. Dennis O'Brien, to a reliably Republican area of York County. Three people interested in running as Democrats in Philadelphia contacted Boyle on Thursday to ask about the district, which has a 55 percent Democratic voting performance, he said.
"They're back interested," Boyle said. "It's a wild situation — especially since petitions are now due 21 days from today."
Boyle said the rejected plan had improved Republican registration figures for every potentially vulnerable GOP incumbent in the House. In the Senate, Democratic campaign coordinator Daylin Leach said that under the 2001 map, there are eight Republican districts with at least 48 percent Democratic performance.
If President Barack Obama and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey run well, and turnout is high, Leach said, Democrats could "come back close" to majority status in the Senate.
If the court demands minor changes, it's possible the Legislative Reapportionment Commission could quickly produce new maps that, for example, would reunite a divided borough into a single district. But if the justices announce new standards for all districts, and require the commission to justify each of the more than 100 municipal splits in the rejected plan, the process could slow to a crawl. The primary is April 24.
Bill Hellmann, C.P.A. (Career Politician Aspirant).
The guy couldn't even hold onto a school board seat despite holding the line on taxes and hiring a political operative as PR director at taxpayer expense.
Who or what does he blame that on?
If he makes like every Scooby Doo villain and blames it on blogs and some meddling kids, what does that say about him and his ability to win a bigger league election?
Just wondering.
How about some good news?
For instance, the Bulldogs Girls Basketball team is tearing it up. They're like 13-1!
Ah, the memories. My first job. Got it back in October 1980. I was 16. Neshaminy School District had just gone on strike. A couple of friends and I decided we should get jobs and make a little money because it seemed like the strike was going to last. It did. 13 weeks. I am not advocating a strike for Morrisville School District. It's a lousy reason for a kid to go get a job.
Seafood Shanty making a comeback
Thursday, January 26, 2012
By Crissa Shoemaker DeBree Staff writer
Seafood Shanty, the former restaurant chain known for its fish dishes and nautical-themed dining rooms, is returning to the market under new ownership.
Longtime customer Eddie Riegel, a restaurant industry veteran from Berks County, plans to open the first Seafood Shanty restaurant since the chain closed in 1996 in Wyomissing. Eventually, he said, he hopes to bring the eatery back to Bucks County, where it was based.
“Everybody for years said, ‘I miss Seafood Shanty,’ “ Riegel said this week. “I did, too. I thought if I opened an iconic brand again and rebranded it, it would already have name recognition. It would be enough to start grassroots marketing. That’s why I figured I could get away with opening up a restaurant that was successful years ago in today’s economy.”
There were more than a dozen Seafood Shanty restaurants operating in 1990, when Bucks County businessman and owner Joseph Gentile filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The first one to close was the original location in Middletown, across from the Oxford Valley Mall.
The bankruptcy case was converted to Chapter 7 and all the restaurants, including those in Warrington, Quakertown and Willow Grove, were liquidated to repay debts. In 1996, Gentile was charged with failing to pay sales taxes and payroll taxes and writing bad checks; he was sentenced to probation and ordered to repay the money.
Riegel, a former general manager for Red Lobster in Berks County, said he knew Gentile. And he has fond memories of Seafood Shanty, where he and his wife, Bonnie, used to go on dates.
Riegel said he had several ideas for a new restaurant before deciding to purchase the Seafood Shanty name, logo and recipes.
“The pricing was great,” he said. “The food quality was great. Joe Gentile was way ahead of his time. It was a great concept.”
Riegel will open his first Seafood Shanty on Feb. 7 in Berks County. He hopes to open his next two in Bucks County, and has been looking at locations in the Langhorne area and Bensalem in Bucks, Willow Grove and Abington in Montgomery County, and Northeast Philadelphia.
Riegel said the nautical-themed decor will return. So will many beloved menu items, mixed with new features like a raw bar.
Of the 185 new employees of the Berks County restaurant, about 20 are Seafood Shanty alumni, according to Riegel, who said he’s communicating with several hundred former employees on the Web. Riegel said the response has been “unbelievable.”
“The grassroots marketing and the buzz of the concept is incredible,” he said. “I had a line the first day we started selling gift certificates; 250 people were in line the first day waiting. We sold more than I could ever imagine.”
Public posting:
On Wednesday, February 1, 2012 there will be a Joint Board/Borough Council meeting held at 7pm in the LGI room at the high school.
The public is invited to attend which is the first of the new joint committee.
Committee members from the School Board include:
John DeWilde
Wanda Kartal
Damon Miller
Committee members from the Borough Council include:
Jeffrey Johnson
Todd Sanford
Nancy Sherlock
Congratulations to Kievanna Lacey on Scoring her 1,000 point on January 30th at Bristol High School. Kievanna is the 5th girl in School History to reach the 1,000 point Mark. Kievanna is leading the 15-1 Lady Bulldogs as they march onwards towards the Bicentennial Athletic League title.
But will the Seafood Shanty be serving Crabby Patties? What about Kelp Fries? Sponges and stars everywhere are lining up, although I hear that a single celled organism across the street is plotting to undermine the grand re-opening. Where is Mermaid-Man when you need him?
Morrisville High School’s Business Club
Congratulations to students from the Morrisville Chapter of the Future Business Leaders of America Club (FBLA) who were in the “spotlight” at the Jan. 25th meeting of the Morrisville School Board.
Club advisor, teacher Drew King, said 12 of the club’s 16 members attended the Region 12 FBLA Competition last month. More than 800 Bucks County FBLA students took part in various competitive events, that included speech, marketing and cyber security.
It was quite an achievement for Morrisville FBLA members who finished in the Top 5. They are: Emily Meyer, Shalay Johnson, Casey Hollopeter and Kathryn Woolf.
Mr. King has been a Morrisville teacher for 23 years and a club advisor for the last 20 years. He also noted that teacher Kevin Jones contributes to the success of the club as a volunteer assistant advisor.
Morrisville’s chapter is celebrating the FBLA club’s 40th anniversary this year. But the goal is the same -- encourage students to become leaders in their schools and communities, with an emphasis on business.
(The school board plans to publicly acknowledge, or “spotlight,” the achievements of Morrisville students at their regular monthly board meetings.)
Thanks, Wanda. You too, Plankton!
Don't forget the Tech schools Cinderellas Closet begins tomorrow and runs Thursday and Friday.....
Mark Your Calendars... The Bucks County Tech School will be holding their annual Cinderellas closet dress sale...info reposted below from Parent Boosters President...... Just wanted to let you know that the Boosters will be holding their annual Cinderella's Closet Gown Sale on February 1st, 2nd, and 3rd from 6:00 to 7...:30 PM each night at the Tech School. Our Cinderella's Closet has 100's of new and used gowns and dresses that would be perfect for the upcoming formal dance and prom season. Each gown is $20.00!!! If anyone has any clean gowns that they'd like to donate, please drop them off at the Main Office at the school or bring them on the sale nights. Spread the word-there are really beautiful gowns available for rock bottom prices!
Lacey hits 1,000, Morrisvile routs Bristol
Jan 31, 2012.
Kievanna Lacey scored 24 points and Morrisville drubbed Bristol 58-34 in a Bicentennial Athletic League girls basketball game on Monday.
In the fourth quarter, Lacey scored the 1,000th point of her career.
Also for the Bulldogs (15-1), Cassandra Gainey scored 18 points.
For Bristol, Morgan Cullen scored 15 points, while Daniella Reilly added 11.
Posted: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:42 am, Wed Feb 1, 2012.
Morrisville prevails in defensive struggle By Bill McFarland Correspondent Calkins Media, Inc. | 0 comments
BRISTOL — Coaches who preach defense might want to request a tape of this game.
Morrisville eventually came away with the 23-20 victory in a Bicentennial Athletic League boys basketball clash that went to overtime Tuesday night at Bristol.
“They played most of the game in a 1-3-1 (defense), and we did not shoot well tonight,” said Warriors coach Frank Sciolla. “We took 23 3-point shots, which was way too many. We’re not good enough to take all of those ‘3’s.”
Part of the problem was the Bulldogs’ defense. When Bristol couldn’t find a way to penetrate, it kept firing away from beyond the 3-point line.
“That’s what we wanted them to do,” said Morrisville coach Oreck Smith. “We wanted to force them to stay on the outside.”
“I don’t think we even looked to try to penetrate,” said Sciolla. “We’re not the best shooting team, so we have to attack. We had some real good wide-open looks, but we didn’t hit the shots.
“Then we got a little tentative. Morrisville did a good job tonight.”
Both sides took plenty of shots, but few of them sank. The Warriors actually hit eight baskets, two of them from 3-point range, and the Bulldogs connected on just six buckets, three of them from beyond the arc.
“When the ball is not falling, we have to stay tough on defense,” said Smith, acknowledging that his opponent wasn’t going to back down.
“Their defense is tremendous,” Smith continued. “They play traps, and they switch around a lot. If you play Bristol, Bristol is going to play defense for 32 minutes.”
Trailing 13-8 at halftime, Morrisville got the upper hand by opening the second half with a 10-point run, all of the points scored by Ricky Melendez. Ryan Rigsby scored with about a minute left to bring Bristol to within three points (18-15) heading into the final frame.
The Warriors reversed that trend in the fourth quarter when Chad Palmer scored all five of his points. The last one was the back end of a two-shot foul, which evened the score at 20 with two minutes left in regulation.
Bristol had the last possession as the clock ran out, but Murray Kanneh’s 3-point shot failed.
Kanneh opened the overtime with another 3-point attempt that missed. Morrisville got the rebound and brought the ball down the court. During something of a small melee under the boards, the Warriors’ Sean Coughlin fouled Nick Castillo, who made both shots to give the Bulldogs the lead they would not relinquish.
Melendez went to the line twice more and made one of three attempts to account for the last point. His 12 points led all scorers. Palmer’s five points led Bristol.
The Morrisville Marching Band (and I believe the Color Guard) will be performing tomorrow night at the Trenton Titans Ice Hockey Game at the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton at 7pm. They will be playing the National Anthem as well as performing at half time. Please come out to support your school tomorrow night. It is a cheap night for your family and great fun for the students. Tix start at $12
$4 million in grants to help at-risk students
Posted: Wednesday, February 1, 2012 12:00 am | Updated: 6:31 am, Wed Feb 1, 2012.
Pennsylvania's Secretary of Education Ron Tomalis recently announced $4 million in grants coming to Bucks County to help at-risk students.
The funding is part of $64.4 million statewide through the 21st Century Community Learning Challenge Grant, a federally-funded grant established under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
The Lower Bucks Family YMCA in Bristol Township will receive $1.5 million; Morrisville School District will get $1.49 million; and the United Way of Bucks County was awarded $1.26 million.
"The purpose of these grants is to fund the establishment and sustainability of community learning centers that provide educational services to students in high-poverty and low-performing schools," Tomalis said in a news release. "The entities which were selected to receive funding from the 21st Century Community Learning Challenge provide educational experiences that complement, supplement and fill-in the gaps of the work being done in the classroom."
Jennifer Ritorto, Lower Bucks Family YMCA membership and marketing director, said the Y and the Bristol Township School District "will continue to work together to support academic success, positive youth development, prevention education and life skills and to provide students and families in Bristol Township the opportunity to be part of a caring and supportive environment that will allow them to develop appropriate social and academic skills."
Wow! $1.49 million for MSD. That's fantastic news. Does anyone know over what time period it can be applied? 1 year? 5 years?
District Event
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Cheer leading Competition in the Gym
Site: DIST
Start Time: 8:00 AM
End Time: 3:00 PM
Come out to support the MHS cheerleaders in their competition at our Gym.
District Event
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Superintendents Advisory in the LGI
Site: DIST
... Start Time: 7:00 PM
End Time: 9:00 PM
This is an open forum for all community members to come out and meet with the Superintendent in a casual environment, ask questions, discuss concerns and no topic is off limit and no question is dumb. Be sure to come out and join the meeting.
the 1.2mil is Cohort 6 funding which is $499,000+ a year for 3 years
Thanks for the response!
The Vent
My prescription cost $7 in December and a renewal in January cost $42. Is this OBAMACARE?
Bill Minder, Morrisville
No, Mr. Minder, I think it's Mother Nature trying to tell you how irrational and misguided you are.
Hey at least he can't be denied anymore for a preexisting condition of unbridled ignorance.
I just want to beat the tar out of the Minder guy
He should've earned more and planned better for his old age instead of constantly venting with his hand out.
Don't worry Mr. Minder, President Romney, whom you will surely vote for, gives not one rat's butt about your derriere of subpar intelligence.
Our nation's debt and out of control spending is the greatest issue of our time.
Not jobs, not anything else.
It is imperative that we immediately and massively reduce this spending.
All I ask of my fellow Americans is that all of the massive spending cuts come from areas other than those that benefit me personally, because that would be tragic.
For me.
http://mv.org/files/news/february%20newsletter%202012%20.pdf
Link to the new February MSD online Newsletter. copy/paste into your browser or go to Mv.org and it is on the front page
The most likely cause of Minder's drug cost increase is the drug company increased the price.
If thats the case, will Socialist Minder bash the free-market pharma corporation thats just trying to make a profit for all its troubles?
Minder really needs to let COngressman Fitzpatrick know about his problems. Now there's a guy who fights for the struggling common man! His vote for Repub. colleague Paul Ryan's Medicare Plan would do wonders for Minder's drug costs.
Just take your annual medical voucher, spend it until its used up (probably by July) and pay for any excess costs out of your own pocket.
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