Superintendents Advisory meeting is this Weds. 7pm in the LGI room at the high school. Come out and get to know other parents nad the superintendent one on one, ask questions in a relaxed environment.
Posted: Monday, March 12, 2012 12:09 pm | Updated: 6:30 pm, Mon Mar 12, 2012. By Chris English Staff Writer | 1 comment
MORRISVILLE — A Morrisville couple is searching for its missing red heifer cow that escaped from the Active Acres Farm in Upper Makefield where it was boarding.
Yvonne Ruthrauff said she and her husband, Karl, had just bought the 760-pound cow in Lancaster on Friday and that on Saturday it broke through a fence and escaped from Active Acres, which is at Dolington and Woodside roads near the Veterans Cemetery.
Ruthrauff described the animal as red or brownish bronze with a white face. The couple is offering a $150 reward for anyone with information that leads to recovery of the cow. Anyone with information should call them at 267-402-7311 or 215-428-9327.
Not to horn in here but this is a serious issue. Why would the cow hide? Was it sirloined in the dark of night or was it just mooved? We may milk this for humor but the owners really have a steak in this. I don't have a beef here but I wonder if this is the way all of the SOC farm-out projects work.
Doubt it. If you could, SOC would have tried it already. Besides, it's anti-democratic.Diet Pepsi poppin Mihok's First Amendment Freedom of Speech is helping to speed her journey down the bowl of public opinion.
Board to consider universal full-day kindergarten By DANNY ADLER Staff writer Bensalem’s school board might consider jumpstarting a universal full-day kindergarten program for next school year in as early as two weeks.
During a meeting Wednesday night, the board discussed what some members said were the benefits of full-day kindergarten, while others asked from where the additional funding for the program would come.
Bensalem holds a lottery for kids looking to get into full-day kindergarten, which has one class at each of the district’s six elementary schools.
As of today, 119 full-day kindergarten students and 331 half-day K students were enrolled in Bensalem elementary schools, according to district spokeswoman Susan Phy.
During a meeting last month, Superintendent David Baugh said instituting universal full-day kindergarten topped his list of priorities.
Officials say that such a move would cost the Bensalem Township School District an additional $500,000 to $600,000 next year.
“The data from full-day kindergarten programs strongly suggests that this is a huge investment in the future,” Baugh told the board of school directors.
Full-day kindergarten “makes us fully competitive and gives our kids the edge they need,” he said.
A document on the district’s website outlines what it claims are the benefits of full-day kindergarten: Children in full-day kindergarten learn more in reading and math; have higher achievement scores and higher academic marks in primary and middle school years; and is more beneficial for kids emotionally and socially.
Additionally, district administrators said that by having the children in class longer, educators have a better opportunity to get to know the students and identify any learning issues.
School board director Kevin McKay said that while he’s told by administrators that sufficient budget cuts have been made to pay for the program, he has not seen them.
Baugh said, “We’ve discussed a number of issues that will more than likely help fund this. A lot of plates are still in the air at the moment, in all honesty. ... We believe that we found the savings; we just have to cross a couple of T’s and dot a couple of I’s and I’ll be happy to share that with you as those occur.”
Jack Myers, director of business operations, said the district “has identified cost savings that would accommodate that.”
School board director Kim Rivera said a lot of parents place their kids in charter schools for kindergarten because the charters offer a full-day program.
“You want to keep up with the charter schools, we need to offer full-day kindergarten,” she said.
School board director Wayne Lewis urged board members to forward their questions to school board President Heather Nicholas so the issue can get on the agenda of the board’s next meeting.
Lewis said he previously opposed full-day kindergarten, but the district’s full-day pilot program and presentations by administrators underscoring its benefits have made him believe “this is something this district has to do.”
Board member Elizabeth Cerasi said that moving to full-day kindergarten “will be taking away choice” from parents who want to send their kids to a half-day program. She wanted to know if people would withdraw from district’s schools if universal full-day kindergarten was offered.
“I’m not quite sure where they would go to have a half day, because everybody has full day,” Baugh responded.
The district hasn’t asked how many parents want a half-day program, but when the district surveyed people the last two years, 90 percent and 92 percent, respectively, wanted full day, Baugh said.
Also at the meeting, former full-day kindergarten teacher Natalie Hartman said full-day kindergarten has led to students’ advanced writing skills.
Four parents supported a full-day program during public comment.
“More time means more practice. More practice means better performance,” said Margo Mocarski.
She called full-day kindergarten “the new standard.”
Anyone else disturbed by the fact that if you shopped at Sears Hardware recently, and I have, you probably interacted with a person currently accused of murder? And a HS female at that? I knew that Plaza Blvd was a sketchy place, as the Police blotter regularly includes incidents from there, but this goes beyond the pale. Five teenagers (OK I am guessing about the 3 males, but they are probably no older than early 20s, go to this guys house, shoot him at point blank range, and they didn't even manage to steal anything. What sort of sociopaths are we raising around here?
Often times when something happens, it is forgotten that there is a difference between Morrisville Borough and Morrisville, Falls Twp. When we moved into the borough many years ago it didn't take long to realize that when something bad happens newspapers like to imply it was in the borough when it was actually in Falls Twp. Its unfortunate but anyone living in the borough long enough has surely come across this many times.
Morrisville fire victims still need help By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | Posted: Friday, March 16, 2012 5:00 am
MORRISVILLE — Families whose homes were destroyed in Morrisville's blaze in late February still need help.
Although some have found new homes and others are staying with relatives and friends, they still don't have much since all their belongings were lost in the blaze. About 12 children are among those affected as part of the fire that burned down about 17 homes.
The community continues to rally to help them.
The Morrisville YMCA and The Ivins Outreach Center are taking donations, such as Walmart and Giant gift cards, cleaning supplies and toiletries. Clothing is not needed at this time. For more information, call Kim at 215-501-6686 or 215-736-8077 or email kakane369@aol.com.
The Ivins Outreach Center is accepting cash and check donations. Checks should specify "Morrisville Fire Victims." The Ivins Outreach Center is at 80 W. Trenton Ave. in Morrisville. The Morrisville YMCA is located at 200 N. Pennsylvania Ave., also in the borough.
The local YMCA is also hosting a Burger King Family Fun Night fundraiser with part of the proceeds to help the fire victims. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Burger King at 344 W. Trenton Road in Morrisville.
Paper tickets must be presented when placing food orders. The tickets are available at the YMCA.
Gov. Tom Corbett on pre-abortion ultrasounds: 'Close your eyes'
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has waded into the controversy over pre-abortion ultrasounds, saying that women who object to the procedure should just "close your eyes." (Christopher Millette / Erie Times-News / March 16, 2012) By David Zucchino March 16, 2012, 12:32 p.m. Just when you thought the national abortion debate over fetal ultrasounds couldn’t get more heated -- what with furious political sniping and a controversial series of "Doonesbury" cartoons -- here comes Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.
At a news conference this week, Corbett was asked about a state bill that would require women seeking abortions to undergo a mandatory fetal ultrasound. The governor said he would support the bill as long as it wasn’t "obtrusive."
Then Corbett said that for any woman who might object to the procedure, well, "you just have to close your eyes."
Corbett had been asked by a reporter if requiring a woman to view an ultrasound went "too far." The governor replied in full:
"I’m not making anybody watch, OK? Because you just have to close your eyes. As long as it’s on the exterior and not the interior."
The comments lit a new fire in the ultrasound wars, prompting a fresh wave of commentary on Twitter and other social media, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. And the Democratic Governors Assn. launched a petition drive asking people to join in "telling Governor Corbett to stop the repugnant attacks on women’s health."
Some of the comments pouring into the Inquirer’s website were, were shall we say, provocative:
"Every murderer should be forced to look at their victim before killing them."
"Let him watch when he’s getting his next colonoscopy."
"Kudos to Governor Corbett, if people took responsibility for their actions no innocent life would be at stake."
"Corbett is a clown. He also belongs to satan.”
And so on.
Earlier this month, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law a bill requiring women to have an ultrasound before undergoing an abortion, and at least 20 states regulate some aspect of ultrasounds for women seeking abortions.
Some states require abortion providers to give women the option to view the fetal image or listen to the heartbeat if an ultrasound is performed. Similar legislation is pending in almost a dozen other states.
A law passed in Texas this year goes even further. It requires women seeking abortions to undergo an ultrasound and, if a woman declines to view the fetal image or listen to the heartbeat, abortion providers are required to read a description of the fetus – an action mocked in a Doonesbury cartoon published in newspapers this week. (A Doonesbury character listening to a Texas doctor’s description worries that her fetus will grow up wanting to be another Rick Perry, the Texas governor and a vocal proponent of the new law).
Anti-abortion groups say that such laws help women make more informed decisions. They also point out that ultrasounds are used routinely in healthcare settings.
Opponents of ultrasound laws say they're intrusive, insulting and an infringement on a woman’s right to control her own reproductive health.
Sunday, March 18, 2012 By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer A split Pennsbury school board has hired Fox Rothschild LLP to handle all of its legal issues at $30 an hour more than the outgoing board solicitor. Board President Allan Weisel, Vice President Simon Campbell, Christopher Cridge, Stephan Kosmorsky and Kathleen Zawacki voted Thursday night to hire the Philadelphia-based firm at a rate of $185 per hour.
The arrangement with Fox Rothschild LLP gives one hourly rate, regardless of whether a firm partner, an associate, a paralegal or a legal secretary does the work, board member Gary Sanderson said. The agreement with Wisler Pearlstine LLP, the outgoing solicitor, had called for the hourly rate of $155 for work done by the firm’s partners, $140 for associates’ work and $75 per hour for paralegal work. In addition to the hourly fee, Wisler Pearlstine was slated in 2011-2012 to receive a $16,000 retainer, officials said. Fox Rothschild will receive a prorated retainer of $6,125 for the remainder of the school year and $24,500 for 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015. The change comes a few months after the new majority of Weisel, Campbell, Cridge, Kosmorsky and Zawacki took control of the board in December. They had appointed a committee made up of Weisel, Campbell and Sanderson to investigate whether changing solicitors could save the district some money. Campbell explained Thursday night that during the investigation he realized that the board needed to consider more than just the proposed cost of legal services. “It just became clear to me that with all that we have going on in the district we should get (legal services) from one firm,” Campbell said Thursday night. “I think the process was good and very transparent.” Prior to Thursday night’s vote, Wisler Pearlstine handled numerous responsibilities including board solicitor, general legal services, special education law and assessment appeals, district spokeswoman Ann Langtry said. In addition, Curtin & Heefner LLP served as bond counsel, Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein P.C. served as construction litigation counsel and Fox Rothschild served as special council for labor negotiations, Langtry said. Previous school boards appointed the firms based on their expertise and asking price, officials said. With the change, Fox Rothschild will continue to handle the district’s labor issues as well as all other legal issues that come before the board, officials said. Jeffrey Sultanik, who has long been the board’s chief labor negotiator, will also begin to serve as the board’s solicitor in April. Other members of the practice will handle district legal issues depending on their area of expertise, Weisel said. Since the new board majority took over, Fox Rothschild has charged the district more than $10,000 for work done on collective bargaining issues, according to invoices obtained by the newspaper. The firm charged the district $200 per hour. Contacts listed on the invoices included district administrators, Weisel, Campbell and the board’s “Employee Relations Committee” chairman. Campbell had been assigned in December to head up that committee, but Weisel announced Thursday night that it was being disbanded since it hadn’t met in a couple of years. Sanderson, who voted with Howard Goldberg, John Palmer and Jacqueline Redner against the change in solicitors, questioned whether the change will save the district money. “We are getting a Lamborghini when we only need a Camry,” Sanderson said. Campbell said he believes Fox Rothschild could end up charging for fewer hours than the previous solicitors because the large, national firm has so many “synergies” to offer. “I am very comfortable in moving in this direction for the school district,” Campbell, the board vice president, said.
Fox Rothschild has more than 500 attorneys working in 16 offices across the United States, including five in Pennsylvania, according to its website. “We are a law firm built to serve business leaders. They come to us for guidance because we understand their issues, their priorities, and the way they think,” Fox Rothschild representatives said on the firm website. “Our job is to help our clients manage risk and make better business decisions by offering practical, innovative advice.” The practice handles “a full range of legal services” including litigation, corporate, labor, employment, intellectual property and tech and venture finance, according to the website. Like Sanderson, Goldberg voiced concerns that the bigger firm isn’t necessarily better. “At the end of the year we will find out,” Goldberg said. “I just have a feeling its going to be a little more costly.” Weisel said the board could revise the legal services set-up if the new arrangement proves to be more expensive than the old one. District residents who attended the board meeting questioned the move to one law firm with higher fees than the previous arrangement. “You people are more intelligent than that. You are putting in something that is not in the best interest for us,” Norma Lindblom said. To accommodate Sultanik’s schedule, the board voted to move its meetings to the first and second Thursday of the month. The meetings had been the second and third Thursday of the month. The school directors will only meet on April 12 next month because Passover begins at sundown on the first Thursday of the month. Palmer, Redner and Sanderson voted against changing the meeting schedule.
I almost hate to ask and risk unfair branding as a wretched pay to play partisan by that Myhock lady, but did our school board send out the request for bids on legal services?
In January of 2012, Morrisville Borough Council also voted to hire a firm to serve as solicitor for the borough at a greater price than the then existing firm. Voting in favor of this move to spend more of our money was Eileen, Todd, Debbie, & Vic. Even after all these years, some people STILL do not understand that Morrisville Borough does not have any money to throw around or waste needlessly.
Stay on Coarse boro council members, I hope you get our money's worth. How is it Okay to switch lawyers here but not on the School Board? It's not even Okay to think about switching lawyers, or collect relevant quals and pricing on other lawyers. Never mind. I think I know. Do as I say not as I do.
Fitzpatrick raises cash at exclusive Florida resort StoryComments ShareShare Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2012 7:00 pm | Updated: 7:35 pm, Mon Mar 19, 2012.
Fitzpatrick raises cash at exclusive Florida resort By Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 0 comments
A hidden-camera report by a network news show last week brought viewers to a Key Largo resort where Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick and 11 House representatives were raising campaign money by entertaining donors, including lobbyists, who paid a $10,000 minimum to attend.
Recorded at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., the CBS News footage did not show Fitzpatrick, but focused on the fundraiser's hosts, Reps. Spencer Bachus of Alabama and Pete Sessions of Texas, and freshmen Quico Canseco of Texas and Cory Gardner of Colorado.
With golf, gourmet dining, a private beach lagoon and drinks at the resort bar, "special interests got the kind of access ordinary Americans can only dream of," the report suggests. Reportedly the money raised will be split among the 12 representatives, who will have to account for the funds in an upcoming campaign finance report.
Fitzpatrick, the 8th District Republican, defended his attendance at the event, saying "a great majority of the fundraising I do comes from my donors right here in Pennsylvania."
Two years ago, running against incumbent Democrat Patrick Murphy, Fitzpatrick was outspent $4.3 million to $2.1 million. That race included $3.2 million in outside spending, about $2.6 million on Murphy's behalf.
"I expect national Democrats to redouble their efforts, and I'm going to do everything I can to defend this seat," he said.
Democrat Kathy Boockvar, an attorney from Doylestown, is running against Fitzpatrick. She has received the backing of EMILY's List, a political powerhouse for fundraising.
According to CBS, nine of the Key Largo congressmen are on the committee that regulates banks, including Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
An individual could legally give up to $46,200 for the Key Largo joint fundraiser, it was reported.
What does a donor get for that type of money? Fitzpatrick said: "A Republican House of Representatives ... and we are the only ones standing up against the avalanche of government spending and the mountain of debt Democrats are trying to force upon our children and grandchildren."
The contribution will be used "against Democrats who have made it clear they have targeted Bucks County," Fitzpatrick said. "They'll use resources from all over the country to try and get this seat back for Nancy Pelosi."
Bill Allison, editorial director of The Sunlight Foundation, a government watchdog organization, said "when you see something like this, lobbyists, trade associations and labor unions, mingling (with lawmakers), getting wined and dined, you ask, 'What's the quid pro quo?' "
He said the special interests don't necessarily care which party is in power, "they're just looking to who can apply pressure to get done what they want done."
That's why incumbents have a huge advantage, he said. "They can get a favor right now. The fact that Fitzpatrick is a Republican is secondary."
Said Boockvar, "Is it any wonder the American people have lost faith with Congress? Why would nine of the members of the Financial Services Committee be in Key Largo with lobbyists from the banking industry?
"You're hanging out at a luxury resort yacht club with Wall Street and banking financiers who you're supposed to be overseeing. That raises some serious concerns about being in the deep pockets of special interests. ... There's very definitely a conflict of interest."
Districts weigh potential health insurance savings
March 19, 2012
By Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer
Area school districts are looking at a new health care insurance consortium as a way to save on a cost that’s been chomping on budgets at an increasing rate. The newly formed Bucks/Montgomery County Schools Joint Labor Management Health Care Consortium claims it will be able to slow the rising cost of insurance premiums, thus helping taxpayers, while at the same time maintaining the quality coverage school employees have enjoyed. Mike Casey, a consortium consultant, recently told the Quakertown school board that through the group, individual employees would be able to better navigate the health care system and manage chronic conditions to “bend the cost curve.” Casey said employees would see no change in their coverage. “They’ll get a Blue Cross card with a different group number,” he said. Bristol Township School District Superintendent Samuel Lee is a proponent of the proposal. He estimates his district could save $947,000 in health care costs next year as a charter member of the group. During an interview last week, Lee was asked if the plan, with lower costs and no change in coverage, seemed too good to be true. “If I was paid every time I’ve asked that question, I’d be rich,” he said. “I’ve asked it everywhere and to everybody just to make sure we were thorough and did our due diligence.” In the broad sense, the consortium idea is similar to proposals for the regionalization of police forces in which cutting out redundancy in administration could save on costs. In addition, by pooling the resources of several school districts, consortia can leverage their greater purchasing power to obtain lower premiums and spread potential losses over a larger numbers of employees. The self-funded consortium acts as a trust. Each school district that signs on before July 1 would have a trustee at the table to vote. The labor unions would have an equal number of trustees. The consortium would find the best network and the trustees would decide the preferred plans to offer. Consortium consultants have reviewed the health benefits plans offered by 20 different districts in the region and discovered that most have Blue Cross and most are just variations of three or four basic plans. The coverage is the same but the co-pays and deductibles differ. In addition to Bristol Township, those considering joining the consortium include Bristol Borough, Centennial, Central Bucks, New Hope-Solebury, Neshaminy, Quakertown, Abington, Lower Merion, Methacton, Norristown, North Penn, Perkiomen Valley, Upper Dublin, Upper Merion and Wissahickon school districts, as well as Bucks County Intermediate Unit No. 22, Bucks County Technical High School, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology and Central Montco Technical High School. Morrisville was recently given a presentation by the consortium. Teachers unions have pushed the concept, recognizing that escalating health care costs for districts are lowering raises for their members. Greg Moll of the Pennsylvania State Education Association said the idea of a consortium “is something we strongly favor. One of biggest obstacles our school districts are facing is the overwhelming cost of health care. If we can work together to address this issue, where both labor and management have a seat at that table, we feel those numbers will reduce drastically.” Said Lee, “It’s been a collaborative effort with our employees and the board to minimize the burden on our taxpayers without compromising the quality of health care coverage for our employees.” The idea of a health care consortium may be new to area districts, but they’ve been around in Pennsylvania for more than 30 years. Moll said the local trust is modeled after the Allegheny County Schools Health Insurance Consortium, which was formed in 1987, and is used by 41 school districts and more than 18,000 employees and retirees.
Districts in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties are part of the Lincoln Benefit Trust, which began in 1979. It represents 9,000 employees from 22 districts, two technical schools and one intermediate unit. “In our area we have small, rural schools,” said Tricia McVicker, Lincoln’s trust manager. “It’s challenging to get competitive rates and manage health plans when you only have a couple hundred employees. We’ve been able to take advantage of economies of scale.” She said no client has ever left the trust. “I think this is the best model for school districts. I fully support the idea, just as long as it’s done correctly. Not all trusts are structured the same. You need to work with actuaries and consultants to structure a sound plan.” Besides the PSEA, the Pennsylvania School Board Association and state Department of Education are supportive of the consortium concept. Tim Eller, spokesman for the DOE, said consortia do reduce costs “because they broaden the pool of participants. We applaud school entities for thinking innovatively with the ultimate goal of reducing costs for taxpayers.” A 2009 study by the New York State School Boards Association said while “health insurance consortiums represent a long-term cost containment strategy ... school boards should closely examine health insurance consortiums in their area before making the decision to join. While districts in some areas of the state may show significant savings, districts in other areas will not.” But if dozens of districts joining forces saves money, wouldn’t a statewide health insurance plan that insures all 500 hundred districts save more? There’s no consensus that would be the case. Former Gov. Ed Rendell pushed such a legislative proposal in 2007. But it stalled in committee and died when the General Assembly’s session concluded that year. He said a statewide plan would help control school employee health benefit costs by spreading the risk more widely, managing benefits better and lowering school administrative costs. In a trade-off, employee unions would give up the right to bargain for better health insurance benefits during contract negotiations. “We supported Gov. Rendell’s efforts,” said PSEA spokesman Wythe Keever. “We still think it makes sense. It would help achieve savings for school districts and take a contentious issue off the bargaining table.” Beth Winters, director of legislative services for the PSBA, said her organization wanted proof there would be savings “but there was nothing in the bill that would allow for a reputable study. For us, the first step would be to make sure there were savings to be had.” According to Eller, Gov. Tom Corbett is not in favor of a statewide approach. “Local officials should retain the authority to make decisions that are best for their areas,” Eller said. In 2009, Rendell’s plan was resuscitated by House Democrats, but some districts claimed the proposal would cost them money. Blackhawk School District in Beaver County said a statewide consortium would increase its costs by $700,000 annually. The business manager for Hopewell Area School District said it and all other Beaver County school districts but Blackhawk formed a consortium several years ago. The group plan dramatically reduced Hopewell’s costs for several years and it had no interest in a state consortium. That’s something districts in Bucks and Montgomery counties hope they’ll be saying in the coming years. savings
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2012 5:30 pm | Updated: 9:13 pm, Mon Mar 19, 2012.
Proof of student vaccinations due by May 1 or else By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 6 comments
The clock is ticking for families of school children across the state to show that their kids are up to date on their immunizations, officials said, including more than 400 Pennsbury High School students.
The students risk being barred from attending school as of May 1 if they don't show proof of the shots or exemptions from the immunizations for medical reasons or religious beliefs, the officials said.
The immunizations include those that the state health department added in August to more closely match recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the advisory committee on immunization practices.
For example, the state is requiring seventh-graders to get one dose of the meningococcal vaccine. Plus, all students in kindergarten through 12th grade should have a second dose of the chicken pox vaccine if they have not had the disease, state health officials said.
The state has given families nine months, since its Aug. 1 mandate, to show that students are up to date on their immunizations.
"This is very serious business," Pennsbury Superintendent Kevin J. McHugh said last week at the district school board meeting. "We want (families) to take this very seriously."
More than 400 students at Pennsbury High School have yet to provide the needed documentation, he said.
"If they don't they will be excluded from all activities at the high school, including the prom," McHugh said.
Administrators also are trying to obtain the needed documents from several hundred district middle school students and a handful of kids at each of Pennsbury's 11 elementary schools, spokeswoman Ann Langtry said.
District nurses have contacted the family of each student who has not turned in an immunization form to let them know about the impending deadline, said Sherwood Taylor, Pennsbury's director of administrative services.
Nurses in the Bensalem, Bristol Township, Centennial and Council Rock school districts have sent out similar letters to hundreds of families who have not turned in the needed immunization forms, officials said.
They are trying to make it clear to families that kids "are in danger of being sent home on May 1 if they do not have their shots up to date," Bristol Township spokeswoman Eileen Kelliher said on Monday.
Centennial has also hosted two free shot clinics.
"We will be doing two more rounds of letters and phone calls. We want to make sure we can still welcome all of our students through our doors on May 1," Centennial Superintendent Jennifer Cressman said.
She encouraged parents who have questions about the new requirements to contact their school nurse or building principal.
Districts also are sending out warnings via their email systems and have posted information about the shots on their respective websites, officials said.
In addition, the county is staging two free vaccination clinics before the May 1 deadline.
The first clinic will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 21 in the county health office, 1282 Almshouse Road, Doylestown Township. The second clinic is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28 in the county health office, 7321 New Falls Road, Bristol Township.
The county also is scheduled to stage additional immunization clinics at health department offices throughout Bucks. For more information, go to www.buckscounty.org/government/departments/HumanServices/HealthDepartment and click onto the immunization clinics link.
Fitzpatrick, the 8th District Republican, defended his attendance at the event, saying "a great majority of the fundraising I do comes from my donors right here in Pennsylvania."
Thats political-speak for "GTF out of here. I'm a Republican and can do as I please. Suck it liberals!"
Lemme make sure I got this straight: organized labor special interest money bad, fat cat Wall St. bank and big corporate special interest money good. Right??
The republitards and demoncrats are equally sleazy and corrupt. It's easy to take the low hanging fruit and repeat soundbites from our sensationalistic media. It takes a bit more work to gain a real understanding of what is happening.
Unfortunately, in the era of "reality TV" and short attention spans, informed discourse doesn't stand a chance. I weep for the future of this country.
MORRISVILLE, Pa. - March 25, 2012 (WPVI) -- One man is in critical condition after he was shot multiple times outside a Bucks County apartment complex.
It happened late Saturday night in Morrisville.
Gunfire erupted outside Building 6 of the Pennsbury Court Apartments on Plaza Boulevard.
Related Content More: Sendit.6abc.com More: Send a Breaking News alert More: Report a typo More: Sign up for 6abc Newsletters More: See more Action News slideshows The male victim was struck several times. He was taken to St. Mary's Medical Hospital in Langhorne.
One person was taken into questioning but so far no word on any charges.
Posted: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 10:00 am | Updated: 6:00 pm, Wed Mar 21, 2012.
Man charged with rape By DANNY ADLER Staff writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 1 comment
A Morrisville man is charged with raping a woman Tuesday morning at his apartment behind the auto body shop where he works.
James M. Armstead, 59, of the 200 block of West Philadelphia Avenue, faces first-degree felony charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual assault and related offenses. He was sent to Bucks County prison in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Armstead steadfastly denied the charges as he was arraigned before District Judge Michael Burns on Tuesday afternoon.
“I would never do such a thing,” Armstead told the judge. “I’ll take a lie detector test, anything. It was not me. I don’t do stuff life like this.”
In court records, police said that Armstead took a woman to his place of business, Good Zone Auto, to fix her bike and smoke crack cocaine. Police said that while they were there, Armstead pulled out a knife before taking her to his room and forcing her to have sex. The woman also told police he sexually assaulted her with tools. Court records said the incident happened at about 6 a.m.
Afterward, the woman went to a store on East Bridge Street and called police to report the incident. Police located Armstead outside the area of the business. Police said he fit the description the woman gave authorities.
Police said Armstead told authorities he was at a Morrisville bar, then went to a friend’s house and later returned to the auto body shop. He denied being with anyone else, according to court records.
When questioned again, Armstead told police that he was in Trenton where he picked up a prostitute and took her back to the shop, police said. He denied smoking drugs with the prostitute, and denied picking her up with a bike, according to court records.
While emptying Armstead’s pockets at lock up, police found what appeared to be a used screen with suspected cocaine residue, along with a white rock substance believed to be crack cocaine, police said.
Pavel Bourtsev, who owns Good Zone Auto, said that Armstead was a good worker who stayed out of trouble.
During Armstead’s arraignment, Burns sentenced Armstead to 19 days in prison to pay off nearly $800 owed to the court for years-old traffic citations.
Morrisville man dies after multiple gun shot wounds Story Comments (2) ShareShare Print Create a hardcopy of this page Font Size: Default font size Larger font size
Posted: Monday, March 26, 2012 5:30 am | Updated: 6:55 am, Mon Mar 26, 2012. By DANNY ADLER Staff writer | 2 comments A Morrisville man died just hours after he was shot multiple times in the chest late Saturday night, authorities said. Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler identified the victim as 25-year-old Erick Stephens, who lived at the Pennsbury Court Apartments on Plaza Boulevard off West Trenton Avenue in Morrisville. Stephens and his girlfriend went out to dinner earlier Saturday night and had returned to his apartment. Sometime around 11:25 p.m., they were planning to go out again. Stephens’ girlfriend waited in the car as Stephens ran back inside his apartment to grab cigarettes. As he walked through the parking lot to return to the car, an unknown man walked up to within 5 feet of Stephens and shot him with a handgun three times, Heckler said. Stephens was rushed to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown. He was pronounced dead at 1:39 a.m. Sunday, according to Heckler and Bucks County Coroner Dr. Joseph Campbell. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday morning, Campbell said. Heckler described the shooter as a “relatively young-looking” black male wearing a gray hoodie. After the shooting, the assailant fled the area on foot. “At this point, we do not have a person of interest,” Heckler told the newspaper Sunday afternoon. Investigators have talked to Stephens’ girlfriend, who is “being very helpful in the investigation,” and people who were in the neighborhood at the time. Authorities also canvassed the area looking for cameras that may have captured an image of the shooter. Anyone with information is urged to contact Morrisville police at 215-295-8111 or the District Attorney’s Office at 215-348-6345.
49 comments:
Superintendents Advisory meeting is this Weds. 7pm in the LGI room at the high school. Come out and get to know other parents nad the superintendent one on one, ask questions in a relaxed environment.
I wonder who the genius is at the PDE that chose the day after we change the clocks to be the first day of PSSAs. Nice move.
"I'll tell ya what, I'm not a big fan of the PDE", he said, with right shoulder rockin and pointed finger jabbin ...
Couple looking for their missing cow
Posted: Monday, March 12, 2012 12:09 pm | Updated: 6:30 pm, Mon Mar 12, 2012.
By Chris English Staff Writer | 1 comment
MORRISVILLE — A Morrisville couple is searching for its missing red heifer cow that escaped from the Active Acres Farm in Upper Makefield where it was boarding.
Yvonne Ruthrauff said she and her husband, Karl, had just bought the 760-pound cow in Lancaster on Friday and that on Saturday it broke through a fence and escaped from Active Acres, which is at Dolington and Woodside roads near the Veterans Cemetery.
Ruthrauff described the animal as red or brownish bronze with a white face. The couple is offering a $150 reward for anyone with information that leads to recovery of the cow. Anyone with information should call them at 267-402-7311 or 215-428-9327.
so funny on the missing cow
Oh for the days when the police reports included missing cows and chickens, and there was horse poop in the streets.
Moo!
THANK GOD we cleaned up the toxic bull s#!t that overflowed into the streets after a stay on track stay on coarse school board meeting
A Ruthrauff rustled some campaign signs. Surely, a Ruthrauff can rustle up one head of cattle.
Iffin you think Ima gonna fire up this Big Ole Combine for one little ear of corn you gotta nuther thing coming!!!!
Whens the beef n beer?
The cow says, "Moo!"
The SOC says,"______"
You fill in the blank.
A. Thank GOD!
B. Just cooperate!
C. I will never never ever be responsible for any child because I am a school board member
D. Whatever Jane Burger tell us to say
E. All of the above
the cow was last seen by 1 Hillcrest ave.
Not to horn in here but this is a serious issue. Why would the cow hide? Was it sirloined in the dark of night or was it just mooved? We may milk this for humor but the owners really have a steak in this. I don't have a beef here but I wonder if this is the way all of the SOC farm-out projects work.
thank God for the Morrisville residents who voted to get her off the MHS School board!!
Can the morrisville residents also vote to keep them out of the public altogther
Doubt it. If you could, SOC would have tried it already. Besides, it's anti-democratic.Diet Pepsi poppin Mihok's First Amendment Freedom of Speech is helping to speed her journey down the bowl of public opinion.
It may not be utter failure for Yvonne. Maybe the cow just got sent to an alternative....farm.
Q: What is a cow's favorate subject
A: Moooosic. Good thing she didn't bring it to Morrisville.
Two Cows
SOCIALISM: You have two cows. State takes one and give it to someone else.
COMMUNISM: You have two cows. State takes both of them and gives you milk.
FASCISM: You have two cows. State takes both of them and sell you milk.
NAZISM: You have two cows. State takes both of them and shoot you.
BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. State takes both of them, kill one and spill the milk in system of sewage.
CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.
Uh, any noteworthy news from last nite's Superintendent's Meeting?
Or last week's Joint Board-Boro Council Meeting?
Board to consider universal full-day kindergarten
By DANNY ADLER Staff writer
Bensalem’s school board might consider jumpstarting a universal full-day kindergarten program for next school year in as early as two weeks.
During a meeting Wednesday night, the board discussed what some members said were the benefits of full-day kindergarten, while others asked from where the additional funding for the program would come.
Bensalem holds a lottery for kids looking to get into full-day kindergarten, which has one class at each of the district’s six elementary schools.
As of today, 119 full-day kindergarten students and 331 half-day K students were enrolled in Bensalem elementary schools, according to district spokeswoman Susan Phy.
During a meeting last month, Superintendent David Baugh said instituting universal full-day kindergarten topped his list of priorities.
Officials say that such a move would cost the Bensalem Township School District an additional $500,000 to $600,000 next year.
“The data from full-day kindergarten programs strongly suggests that this is a huge investment in the future,” Baugh told the board of school directors.
Full-day kindergarten “makes us fully competitive and gives our kids the edge they need,” he said.
A document on the district’s website outlines what it claims are the benefits of full-day kindergarten: Children in full-day kindergarten learn more in reading and math; have higher achievement scores and higher academic marks in primary and middle school years; and is more beneficial for kids emotionally and socially.
Additionally, district administrators said that by having the children in class longer, educators have a better opportunity to get to know the students and identify any learning issues.
School board director Kevin McKay said that while he’s told by administrators that sufficient budget cuts have been made to pay for the program, he has not seen them.
Baugh said, “We’ve discussed a number of issues that will more than likely help fund this. A lot of plates are still in the air at the moment, in all honesty. ... We believe that we found the savings; we just have to cross a couple of T’s and dot a couple of I’s and I’ll be happy to share that with you as those occur.”
Jack Myers, director of business operations, said the district “has identified cost savings that would accommodate that.”
School board director Kim Rivera said a lot of parents place their kids in charter schools for kindergarten because the charters offer a full-day program.
“You want to keep up with the charter schools, we need to offer full-day kindergarten,” she said.
School board director Wayne Lewis urged board members to forward their questions to school board President Heather Nicholas so the issue can get on the agenda of the board’s next meeting.
Lewis said he previously opposed full-day kindergarten, but the district’s full-day pilot program and presentations by administrators underscoring its benefits have made him believe “this is something this district has to do.”
Board member Elizabeth Cerasi said that moving to full-day kindergarten “will be taking away choice” from parents who want to send their kids to a half-day program. She wanted to know if people would withdraw from district’s schools if universal full-day kindergarten was offered.
“I’m not quite sure where they would go to have a half day, because everybody has full day,” Baugh responded.
The district hasn’t asked how many parents want a half-day program, but when the district surveyed people the last two years, 90 percent and 92 percent, respectively, wanted full day, Baugh said.
Also at the meeting, former full-day kindergarten teacher Natalie Hartman said full-day kindergarten has led to students’ advanced writing skills.
Four parents supported a full-day program during public comment.
“More time means more practice. More practice means better performance,” said Margo Mocarski.
She called full-day kindergarten “the new standard.”
Anyone else disturbed by the fact that if you shopped at Sears Hardware recently, and I have, you probably interacted with a person currently accused of murder? And a HS female at that? I knew that Plaza Blvd was a sketchy place, as the Police blotter regularly includes incidents from there, but this goes beyond the pale. Five teenagers (OK I am guessing about the 3 males, but they are probably no older than early 20s, go to this guys house, shoot him at point blank range, and they didn't even manage to steal anything. What sort of sociopaths are we raising around here?
Very disturbing. The 'Morrisville' suspect lives in the Falls Twp part of Plaza Blvd and so they went to Pennsbury HS.
Often times when something happens, it is forgotten that there is a difference between Morrisville Borough and Morrisville, Falls Twp. When we moved into the borough many years ago it didn't take long to realize that when something bad happens newspapers like to imply it was in the borough when it was actually in Falls Twp. Its unfortunate but anyone living in the borough long enough has surely come across this many times.
Saw this in today's BCCT.
Morrisville fire victims still need help
By GEMA MARIA DUARTE Staff writer | Posted: Friday, March 16, 2012 5:00 am
MORRISVILLE — Families whose homes were destroyed in Morrisville's blaze in late February still need help.
Although some have found new homes and others are staying with relatives and friends, they still don't have much since all their belongings were lost in the blaze. About 12 children are among those affected as part of the fire that burned down about 17 homes.
The community continues to rally to help them.
The Morrisville YMCA and The Ivins Outreach Center are taking donations, such as Walmart and Giant gift cards, cleaning supplies and toiletries. Clothing is not needed at this time. For more information, call Kim at 215-501-6686 or 215-736-8077 or email kakane369@aol.com.
The Ivins Outreach Center is accepting cash and check donations. Checks should specify "Morrisville Fire Victims." The Ivins Outreach Center is at 80 W. Trenton Ave. in Morrisville. The Morrisville YMCA is located at 200 N. Pennsylvania Ave., also in the borough.
The local YMCA is also hosting a Burger King Family Fun Night fundraiser with part of the proceeds to help the fire victims. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday at the Burger King at 344 W. Trenton Road in Morrisville.
Paper tickets must be presented when placing food orders. The tickets are available at the YMCA.
Privatization.The answer to everything.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/news/local/courier_times_news/privatizing-school-transportation-is-more-expensive-for-taxpayers/article_5bab1091-d08f-5909-ad51-89d52e5df4f4.html
Our Gov. sez: close your eyes, ladies!
Gov. Tom Corbett on pre-abortion ultrasounds: 'Close your eyes'
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett has waded into the controversy over pre-abortion ultrasounds, saying that women who object to the procedure should just "close your eyes." (Christopher Millette / Erie Times-News / March 16, 2012)
By David Zucchino
March 16, 2012, 12:32 p.m.
Just when you thought the national abortion debate over fetal ultrasounds couldn’t get more heated -- what with furious political sniping and a controversial series of "Doonesbury" cartoons -- here comes Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett.
At a news conference this week, Corbett was asked about a state bill that would require women seeking abortions to undergo a mandatory fetal ultrasound. The governor said he would support the bill as long as it wasn’t "obtrusive."
Then Corbett said that for any woman who might object to the procedure, well, "you just have to close your eyes."
Corbett had been asked by a reporter if requiring a woman to view an ultrasound went "too far." The governor replied in full:
"I’m not making anybody watch, OK? Because you just have to close your eyes. As long as it’s on the exterior and not the interior."
The comments lit a new fire in the ultrasound wars, prompting a fresh wave of commentary on Twitter and other social media, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. And the Democratic Governors Assn. launched a petition drive asking people to join in "telling Governor Corbett to stop the repugnant attacks on women’s health."
Some of the comments pouring into the Inquirer’s website were, were shall we say, provocative:
"Every murderer should be forced to look at their victim before killing them."
"Let him watch when he’s getting his next colonoscopy."
"Kudos to Governor Corbett, if people took responsibility for their actions no innocent life would be at stake."
"Corbett is a clown. He also belongs to satan.”
And so on.
Earlier this month, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell signed into law a bill requiring women to have an ultrasound before undergoing an abortion, and at least 20 states regulate some aspect of ultrasounds for women seeking abortions.
Some states require abortion providers to give women the option to view the fetal image or listen to the heartbeat if an ultrasound is performed. Similar legislation is pending in almost a dozen other states.
A law passed in Texas this year goes even further. It requires women seeking abortions to undergo an ultrasound and, if a woman declines to view the fetal image or listen to the heartbeat, abortion providers are required to read a description of the fetus – an action mocked in a Doonesbury cartoon published in newspapers this week. (A Doonesbury character listening to a Texas doctor’s description worries that her fetus will grow up wanting to be another Rick Perry, the Texas governor and a vocal proponent of the new law).
Anti-abortion groups say that such laws help women make more informed decisions. They also point out that ultrasounds are used routinely in healthcare settings.
Opponents of ultrasound laws say they're intrusive, insulting and an infringement on a woman’s right to control her own reproductive health.
Pennsbury Schools
One law firm to do it all
Sunday, March 18, 2012
By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer
A split Pennsbury school board has hired Fox Rothschild LLP to handle all of its legal issues at $30 an hour more than the outgoing board solicitor.
Board President Allan Weisel, Vice President Simon Campbell, Christopher Cridge, Stephan Kosmorsky and Kathleen Zawacki voted Thursday night to hire the Philadelphia-based firm at a rate of $185 per hour.
The arrangement with Fox Rothschild LLP gives one hourly rate, regardless of whether a firm partner, an associate, a paralegal or a legal secretary does the work, board member Gary Sanderson said.
The agreement with Wisler Pearlstine LLP, the outgoing solicitor, had called for the hourly rate of $155 for work done by the firm’s partners, $140 for associates’ work and $75 per hour for paralegal work.
In addition to the hourly fee, Wisler Pearlstine was slated in 2011-2012 to receive a $16,000 retainer, officials said. Fox Rothschild will receive a prorated retainer of $6,125 for the remainder of the school year and $24,500 for 2012-2013, 2013-2014 and 2014-2015.
The change comes a few months after the new majority of Weisel, Campbell, Cridge, Kosmorsky and Zawacki took control of the board in December. They had appointed a committee made up of Weisel, Campbell and Sanderson to investigate whether changing solicitors could save the district some money.
Campbell explained Thursday night that during the investigation he realized that the board needed to consider more than just the proposed cost of legal services.
“It just became clear to me that with all that we have going on in the district we should get (legal services) from one firm,” Campbell said Thursday night. “I think the process was good and very transparent.”
Prior to Thursday night’s vote, Wisler Pearlstine handled numerous responsibilities including board solicitor, general legal services, special education law and assessment appeals, district spokeswoman Ann Langtry said.
In addition, Curtin & Heefner LLP served as bond counsel, Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein P.C. served as construction litigation counsel and Fox Rothschild served as special council for labor negotiations, Langtry said.
Previous school boards appointed the firms based on their expertise and asking price, officials said.
With the change, Fox Rothschild will continue to handle the district’s labor issues as well as all other legal issues that come before the board, officials said. Jeffrey Sultanik, who has long been the board’s chief labor negotiator, will also begin to serve as the board’s solicitor in April.
Other members of the practice will handle district legal issues depending on their area of expertise, Weisel said.
Since the new board majority took over, Fox Rothschild has charged the district more than $10,000 for work done on collective bargaining issues, according to invoices obtained by the newspaper. The firm charged the district $200 per hour.
Contacts listed on the invoices included district administrators, Weisel, Campbell and the board’s “Employee Relations Committee” chairman. Campbell had been assigned in December to head up that committee, but Weisel announced Thursday night that it was being disbanded since it hadn’t met in a couple of years.
Sanderson, who voted with Howard Goldberg, John Palmer and Jacqueline Redner against the change in solicitors, questioned whether the change will save the district money.
“We are getting a Lamborghini when we only need a Camry,” Sanderson said.
Campbell said he believes Fox Rothschild could end up charging for fewer hours than the previous solicitors because the large, national firm has so many “synergies” to offer. “I am very comfortable in moving in this direction for the school district,” Campbell, the board vice president, said.
...the rest...
Fox Rothschild has more than 500 attorneys working in 16 offices across the United States, including five in Pennsylvania, according to its website.
“We are a law firm built to serve business leaders. They come to us for guidance because we understand their issues, their priorities, and the way they think,” Fox Rothschild representatives said on the firm website. “Our job is to help our clients manage risk and make better business decisions by offering practical, innovative advice.”
The practice handles “a full range of legal services” including litigation, corporate, labor, employment, intellectual property and tech and venture finance, according to the website.
Like Sanderson, Goldberg voiced concerns that the bigger firm isn’t necessarily better.
“At the end of the year we will find out,” Goldberg said. “I just have a feeling its going to be a little more costly.”
Weisel said the board could revise the legal services set-up if the new arrangement proves to be more expensive than the old one.
District residents who attended the board meeting questioned the move to one law firm with higher fees than the previous arrangement.
“You people are more intelligent than that. You are putting in something that is not in the best interest for us,” Norma Lindblom said.
To accommodate Sultanik’s schedule, the board voted to move its meetings to the first and second Thursday of the month. The meetings had been the second and third Thursday of the month.
The school directors will only meet on April 12 next month because Passover begins at sundown on the first Thursday of the month.
Palmer, Redner and Sanderson voted against changing the meeting schedule.
The headline should be
'SOC's Pennsbury Heroes Switch to More Expensive Lawyers'.
I almost hate to ask and risk unfair branding as a wretched pay to play partisan by that Myhock lady, but did our school board send out the request for bids on legal services?
In January of 2012, Morrisville Borough Council also voted to hire a firm to serve as solicitor for the borough at a greater price than the then existing firm. Voting in favor of this move to spend more of our money was Eileen, Todd, Debbie, & Vic. Even after all these years, some people STILL do not understand that Morrisville Borough does not have any money to throw around or waste needlessly.
Stay on Coarse boro council members, I hope you get our money's worth. How is it Okay to switch lawyers here but not on the School Board? It's not even Okay to think about switching lawyers, or collect relevant quals and pricing on other lawyers.
Never mind. I think I know. Do as I say not as I do.
Fitzpatrick raises cash at exclusive Florida resort
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Posted: Monday, March 19, 2012 7:00 pm | Updated: 7:35 pm, Mon Mar 19, 2012.
Fitzpatrick raises cash at exclusive Florida resort By Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 0 comments
A hidden-camera report by a network news show last week brought viewers to a Key Largo resort where Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick and 11 House representatives were raising campaign money by entertaining donors, including lobbyists, who paid a $10,000 minimum to attend.
Recorded at the Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Fla., the CBS News footage did not show Fitzpatrick, but focused on the fundraiser's hosts, Reps. Spencer Bachus of Alabama and Pete Sessions of Texas, and freshmen Quico Canseco of Texas and Cory Gardner of Colorado.
With golf, gourmet dining, a private beach lagoon and drinks at the resort bar, "special interests got the kind of access ordinary Americans can only dream of," the report suggests. Reportedly the money raised will be split among the 12 representatives, who will have to account for the funds in an upcoming campaign finance report.
Fitzpatrick, the 8th District Republican, defended his attendance at the event, saying "a great majority of the fundraising I do comes from my donors right here in Pennsylvania."
Two years ago, running against incumbent Democrat Patrick Murphy, Fitzpatrick was outspent $4.3 million to $2.1 million. That race included $3.2 million in outside spending, about $2.6 million on Murphy's behalf.
"I expect national Democrats to redouble their efforts, and I'm going to do everything I can to defend this seat," he said.
Democrat Kathy Boockvar, an attorney from Doylestown, is running against Fitzpatrick. She has received the backing of EMILY's List, a political powerhouse for fundraising.
According to CBS, nine of the Key Largo congressmen are on the committee that regulates banks, including Fitzpatrick, a member of the House Committee on Financial Services and vice chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.
An individual could legally give up to $46,200 for the Key Largo joint fundraiser, it was reported.
What does a donor get for that type of money? Fitzpatrick said: "A Republican House of Representatives ... and we are the only ones standing up against the avalanche of government spending and the mountain of debt Democrats are trying to force upon our children and grandchildren."
The contribution will be used "against Democrats who have made it clear they have targeted Bucks County," Fitzpatrick said. "They'll use resources from all over the country to try and get this seat back for Nancy Pelosi."
Bill Allison, editorial director of The Sunlight Foundation, a government watchdog organization, said "when you see something like this, lobbyists, trade associations and labor unions, mingling (with lawmakers), getting wined and dined, you ask, 'What's the quid pro quo?' "
He said the special interests don't necessarily care which party is in power, "they're just looking to who can apply pressure to get done what they want done."
That's why incumbents have a huge advantage, he said. "They can get a favor right now. The fact that Fitzpatrick is a Republican is secondary."
Said Boockvar, "Is it any wonder the American people have lost faith with Congress? Why would nine of the members of the Financial Services Committee be in Key Largo with lobbyists from the banking industry?
"You're hanging out at a luxury resort yacht club with Wall Street and banking financiers who you're supposed to be overseeing. That raises some serious concerns about being in the deep pockets of special interests. ... There's very definitely a conflict of interest."
Districts weigh potential health insurance savings
March 19, 2012
By Gary Weckselblatt Staff Writer
Area school districts are looking at a new health care insurance consortium as a way to save on a cost that’s been chomping on budgets at an increasing rate.
The newly formed Bucks/Montgomery County Schools Joint Labor Management Health Care Consortium claims it will be able to slow the rising cost of insurance premiums, thus helping taxpayers, while at the same time maintaining the quality coverage school employees have enjoyed.
Mike Casey, a consortium consultant, recently told the Quakertown school board that through the group, individual employees would be able to better navigate the health care system and manage chronic conditions to “bend the cost curve.”
Casey said employees would see no change in their coverage. “They’ll get a Blue Cross card with a different group number,” he said.
Bristol Township School District Superintendent Samuel Lee is a proponent of the proposal. He estimates his district could save $947,000 in health care costs next year as a charter member of the group.
During an interview last week, Lee was asked if the plan, with lower costs and no change in coverage, seemed too good to be true.
“If I was paid every time I’ve asked that question, I’d be rich,” he said. “I’ve asked it everywhere and to everybody just to make sure we were thorough and did our due diligence.”
In the broad sense, the consortium idea is similar to proposals for the regionalization of police forces in which cutting out redundancy in administration could save on costs. In addition, by pooling the resources of several school districts, consortia can leverage their greater purchasing power to obtain lower premiums and spread potential losses over a larger numbers of employees.
The self-funded consortium acts as a trust. Each school district that signs on before July 1 would have a trustee at the table to vote. The labor unions would have an equal number of trustees. The consortium would find the best network and the trustees would decide the preferred plans to offer.
Consortium consultants have reviewed the health benefits plans offered by 20 different districts in the region and discovered that most have Blue Cross and most are just variations of three or four basic plans. The coverage is the same but the co-pays and deductibles differ.
In addition to Bristol Township, those considering joining the consortium include Bristol Borough, Centennial, Central Bucks, New Hope-Solebury, Neshaminy, Quakertown, Abington, Lower Merion, Methacton, Norristown, North Penn, Perkiomen Valley, Upper Dublin, Upper Merion and Wissahickon school districts, as well as Bucks County Intermediate Unit No. 22, Bucks County Technical High School, Middle Bucks Institute of Technology and Central Montco Technical High School. Morrisville was recently given a presentation by the consortium.
Teachers unions have pushed the concept, recognizing that escalating health care costs for districts are lowering raises for their members.
Greg Moll of the Pennsylvania State Education Association said the idea of a consortium “is something we strongly favor. One of biggest obstacles our school districts are facing is the overwhelming cost of health care. If we can work together to address this issue, where both labor and management have a seat at that table, we feel those numbers will reduce drastically.”
Said Lee, “It’s been a collaborative effort with our employees and the board to minimize the burden on our taxpayers without compromising the quality of health care coverage for our employees.”
The idea of a health care consortium may be new to area districts, but they’ve been around in Pennsylvania for more than 30 years. Moll said the local trust is modeled after the Allegheny County Schools Health Insurance Consortium, which was formed in 1987, and is used by 41 school districts and more than 18,000 employees and retirees.
Districts in Adams, Franklin, Lancaster and York counties are part of the Lincoln Benefit Trust, which began in 1979. It represents 9,000 employees from 22 districts, two technical schools and one intermediate unit.
“In our area we have small, rural schools,” said Tricia McVicker, Lincoln’s trust manager. “It’s challenging to get competitive rates and manage health plans when you only have a couple hundred employees. We’ve been able to take advantage of economies of scale.”
She said no client has ever left the trust. “I think this is the best model for school districts. I fully support the idea, just as long as it’s done correctly. Not all trusts are structured the same. You need to work with actuaries and consultants to structure a sound plan.”
Besides the PSEA, the Pennsylvania School Board Association and state Department of Education are supportive of the consortium concept.
Tim Eller, spokesman for the DOE, said consortia do reduce costs “because they broaden the pool of participants. We applaud school entities for thinking innovatively with the ultimate goal of reducing costs for taxpayers.”
A 2009 study by the New York State School Boards Association said while “health insurance consortiums represent a long-term cost containment strategy ... school boards should closely examine health insurance consortiums in their area before making the decision to join. While districts in some areas of the state may show significant savings, districts in other areas will not.”
But if dozens of districts joining forces saves money, wouldn’t a statewide health insurance plan that insures all 500 hundred districts save more? There’s no consensus that would be the case.
Former Gov. Ed Rendell pushed such a legislative proposal in 2007. But it stalled in committee and died when the General Assembly’s session concluded that year. He said a statewide plan would help control school employee health benefit costs by spreading the risk more widely, managing benefits better and lowering school administrative costs. In a trade-off, employee unions would give up the right to bargain for better health insurance benefits during contract negotiations.
“We supported Gov. Rendell’s efforts,” said PSEA spokesman Wythe Keever. “We still think it makes sense. It would help achieve savings for school districts and take a contentious issue off the bargaining table.”
Beth Winters, director of legislative services for the PSBA, said her organization wanted proof there would be savings “but there was nothing in the bill that would allow for a reputable study. For us, the first step would be to make sure there were savings to be had.”
According to Eller, Gov. Tom Corbett is not in favor of a statewide approach. “Local officials should retain the authority to make decisions that are best for their areas,” Eller said.
In 2009, Rendell’s plan was resuscitated by House Democrats, but some districts claimed the proposal would cost them money.
Blackhawk School District in Beaver County said a statewide consortium would increase its costs by $700,000 annually.
The business manager for Hopewell Area School District said it and all other Beaver County school districts but Blackhawk formed a consortium several years ago. The group plan dramatically reduced Hopewell’s costs for several years and it had no interest in a state consortium.
That’s something districts in Bucks and Montgomery counties hope they’ll be saying in the coming years.
savings
Posted: Monday, March 19, 2012 5:30 pm | Updated: 9:13 pm, Mon Mar 19, 2012.
Proof of student vaccinations due by May 1 or else By Joan Hellyer Staff Writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 6 comments
The clock is ticking for families of school children across the state to show that their kids are up to date on their immunizations, officials said, including more than 400 Pennsbury High School students.
The students risk being barred from attending school as of May 1 if they don't show proof of the shots or exemptions from the immunizations for medical reasons or religious beliefs, the officials said.
The immunizations include those that the state health department added in August to more closely match recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the advisory committee on immunization practices.
For example, the state is requiring seventh-graders to get one dose of the meningococcal vaccine. Plus, all students in kindergarten through 12th grade should have a second dose of the chicken pox vaccine if they have not had the disease, state health officials said.
The state has given families nine months, since its Aug. 1 mandate, to show that students are up to date on their immunizations.
"This is very serious business," Pennsbury Superintendent Kevin J. McHugh said last week at the district school board meeting. "We want (families) to take this very seriously."
More than 400 students at Pennsbury High School have yet to provide the needed documentation, he said.
"If they don't they will be excluded from all activities at the high school, including the prom," McHugh said.
Administrators also are trying to obtain the needed documents from several hundred district middle school students and a handful of kids at each of Pennsbury's 11 elementary schools, spokeswoman Ann Langtry said.
District nurses have contacted the family of each student who has not turned in an immunization form to let them know about the impending deadline, said Sherwood Taylor, Pennsbury's director of administrative services.
Nurses in the Bensalem, Bristol Township, Centennial and Council Rock school districts have sent out similar letters to hundreds of families who have not turned in the needed immunization forms, officials said.
They are trying to make it clear to families that kids "are in danger of being sent home on May 1 if they do not have their shots up to date," Bristol Township spokeswoman Eileen Kelliher said on Monday.
Centennial has also hosted two free shot clinics.
"We will be doing two more rounds of letters and phone calls. We want to make sure we can still welcome all of our students through our doors on May 1," Centennial Superintendent Jennifer Cressman said.
She encouraged parents who have questions about the new requirements to contact their school nurse or building principal.
Districts also are sending out warnings via their email systems and have posted information about the shots on their respective websites, officials said.
In addition, the county is staging two free vaccination clinics before the May 1 deadline.
The first clinic will be from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 21 in the county health office, 1282 Almshouse Road, Doylestown Township. The second clinic is set for 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 28 in the county health office, 7321 New Falls Road, Bristol Township.
The county also is scheduled to stage additional immunization clinics at health department offices throughout Bucks. For more information, go to www.buckscounty.org/government/departments/HumanServices/HealthDepartment and click onto the immunization clinics link.
Fitzpatrick, the 8th District Republican, defended his attendance at the event, saying "a great majority of the fundraising I do comes from my donors right here in Pennsylvania."
Thats political-speak for "GTF out of here. I'm a Republican and can do as I please. Suck it liberals!"
Lemme make sure I got this straight: organized labor special interest money bad, fat cat Wall St. bank and big corporate special interest money good. Right??
"Corporations are people too my friends!"
So says RomneyBot9000
The republitards and demoncrats are equally sleazy and corrupt. It's easy to take the low hanging fruit and repeat soundbites from our sensationalistic media. It takes a bit more work to gain a real understanding of what is happening.
Unfortunately, in the era of "reality TV" and short attention spans, informed discourse doesn't stand a chance. I weep for the future of this country.
Lay some of that work to gain a real understanding of what is happening on us.
For I have a hard time liking where Mikey Fitz stands on a lot of issues.
Easter Egg Hunt Sunday April 1st 3:00pm
at First Baptist Church 50 N Penna Ave
for ages 3 through 6th grade
MORRISVILLE, Pa. - March 25, 2012 (WPVI) -- One man is in critical condition after he was shot multiple times outside a Bucks County apartment complex.
It happened late Saturday night in Morrisville.
Gunfire erupted outside Building 6 of the Pennsbury Court Apartments on Plaza Boulevard.
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The male victim was struck several times. He was taken to St. Mary's Medical Hospital in Langhorne.
One person was taken into questioning but so far no word on any charges.
(Copyright ©2012 WPVI-TV/DT.
MORRISVILLE
Man charged with rape
Posted: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 10:00 am | Updated: 6:00 pm, Wed Mar 21, 2012.
Man charged with rape By DANNY ADLER Staff writer Calkins Media, Inc. | 1 comment
A Morrisville man is charged with raping a woman Tuesday morning at his apartment behind the auto body shop where he works.
James M. Armstead, 59, of the 200 block of West Philadelphia Avenue, faces first-degree felony charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual assault and related offenses. He was sent to Bucks County prison in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Armstead steadfastly denied the charges as he was arraigned before District Judge Michael Burns on Tuesday afternoon.
“I would never do such a thing,” Armstead told the judge. “I’ll take a lie detector test, anything. It was not me. I don’t do stuff life like this.”
In court records, police said that Armstead took a woman to his place of business, Good Zone Auto, to fix her bike and smoke crack cocaine. Police said that while they were there, Armstead pulled out a knife before taking her to his room and forcing her to have sex. The woman also told police he sexually assaulted her with tools. Court records said the incident happened at about 6 a.m.
Afterward, the woman went to a store on East Bridge Street and called police to report the incident. Police located Armstead outside the area of the business. Police said he fit the description the woman gave authorities.
Police said Armstead told authorities he was at a Morrisville bar, then went to a friend’s house and later returned to the auto body shop. He denied being with anyone else, according to court records.
When questioned again, Armstead told police that he was in Trenton where he picked up a prostitute and took her back to the shop, police said. He denied smoking drugs with the prostitute, and denied picking her up with a bike, according to court records.
While emptying Armstead’s pockets at lock up, police found what appeared to be a used screen with suspected cocaine residue, along with a white rock substance believed to be crack cocaine, police said.
Pavel Bourtsev, who owns Good Zone Auto, said that Armstead was a good worker who stayed out of trouble.
During Armstead’s arraignment, Burns sentenced Armstead to 19 days in prison to pay off nearly $800 owed to the court for years-old traffic citations.
Morrisville man dies after multiple gun shot wounds
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Posted: Monday, March 26, 2012 5:30 am | Updated: 6:55 am, Mon Mar 26, 2012.
By DANNY ADLER Staff writer | 2 comments
A Morrisville man died just hours after he was shot multiple times in the chest late Saturday night, authorities said.
Bucks County District Attorney David Heckler identified the victim as 25-year-old Erick Stephens, who lived at the Pennsbury Court Apartments on Plaza Boulevard off West Trenton Avenue in Morrisville.
Stephens and his girlfriend went out to dinner earlier Saturday night and had returned to his apartment. Sometime around 11:25 p.m., they were planning to go out again. Stephens’ girlfriend waited in the car as Stephens ran back inside his apartment to grab cigarettes. As he walked through the parking lot to return to the car, an unknown man walked up to within 5 feet of Stephens and shot him with a handgun three times, Heckler said.
Stephens was rushed to St. Mary Medical Center in Middletown. He was pronounced dead at 1:39 a.m. Sunday, according to Heckler and Bucks County Coroner Dr. Joseph Campbell.
An autopsy is scheduled for Monday morning, Campbell said.
Heckler described the shooter as a “relatively young-looking” black male wearing a gray hoodie. After the shooting, the assailant fled the area on foot.
“At this point, we do not have a person of interest,” Heckler told the newspaper Sunday afternoon.
Investigators have talked to Stephens’ girlfriend, who is “being very helpful in the investigation,” and people who were in the neighborhood at the time. Authorities also canvassed the area looking for cameras that may have captured an image of the shooter.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Morrisville police at 215-295-8111 or the District Attorney’s Office at 215-348-6345.
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