Category: Delco

Delco Council Commends Honor Flight Philly

Honor Flight’s year-old Philadelphia hub was commended, today, Aug. 22, by Delaware County Council for its work in honoring veterans. Honor Flight gives veterans trips to Washington D.C. for a day in which they tour their memorials and are treated with special honor. There is no cost to them. As of now, the trips are restricted to World War II and terminally ill veterans although the group soon expects to be including veterans from the Korean War. Delco Council Commends Honor Flight Philly
Delco Council Commends Honor Flight PhillyPresenting the certificate is Councilman Mario Civera Jr., who is the council’s liaison to the county’s Department of Veterans Affairs and an Air Force veteran. Flanking him are World War II veterans Carmen Laino of Springfield and Ed Pizzi of Newtown Square who will be participants in Honor Flight Philadelphia’s Sept. 9 trip. With them in the front row are (from left) Honor Flight members Rick Megaro of Springfield, Marie Martinelli of Havertown, group president and founder Andrew Schiavello of Springfield, Grace Amen of Philadelphia and Bill Lawrence of Springfield. In back are county council members John P. McBlain, Dave White, Tom McGarrigle and Colleen Morrone.
Delco Council Commends Honor Flight Philly

Bee Mites Cancel Grange Honey Harvest

Due to an infestation of bee mites and white moths, there will not be a “honey harvest” at the Historic Grange Estate this summer.

However, the Grange beekeepers will hold a “Bee Demonstration,” 1 p.m., July 21, that will include the six new hives — two Russian and four Carniolan hives — recently built and relocated on the property, a visit to the “bee house” to see the tools and clothing used by the beekeepers and observing live bees in a plexiglass box to see how they operate in the hive.

For questions or more information, call the Grange office at 610-446-4958 or e-mail grangeest@verizon.net.

The Historic Grange Estate is at 143 Myrtle Ave., Havertown, Pa. 19083

Hat tip Cathy Martin

Bee Mites Cancel Grange Honey Harvest

Bee Mites Cancel Grange Honey Harvest

Mitt Romney In Chester Township

Mitt Romney In Chester Township — Here is a close up taken by the McGrane sisters of Springfield of Mitt Romney greeting supporters at the April 23 event in Chester Township. He may be our next president.Mitt Romney In Chester Township

 

Mitt Romney In Chester Township

 

 

Credit Republicans If Refineries Are Saved

Credit Republicans If Refineries Are Saved — A state cabinet member told the House Appropriations Committee, Feb. 27, that there is a strong likelihood that two of the three Philadelphia area refineries scheduled for shut-down may be saved.

C. Alan Walker, secretary of Department of Commerce and Economic Development, told the legislators that an angel in form of United Refining Co. of Warren, Pa. may be interested in buying the Sunoco ones in Philadelphia and Marcus Hook.
Apparently a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes. Note the work appears to be being done by the Republican Corbett administration.
Hopefully, someone can be found to find save the idled ConocoPhillips plant in Trainer.
It might be bargain. If the administration changes in Washington, relief would be expected from the regulatory burdens largely responsible for its closure that had been imposed by the religious zealots who have taken over the Obama-run EPA.

Faith Ryan Whittlesey, Whatever Happened To?

Remember Faith Ryan Whittlesey, the Delaware County councilwoman and 166th District state representative in the 1970s who became a high ranking staffer in the Reagan Administration and eventually ambassador to Switzerland?

Well she just wrote this column for Newsmax.com vigorously defending Newt Gingrich against the charges being levied that he was somehow anti-Reagan.

Whatever Happened To Faith Ryan Whittlesey?

Whatever Happened To Faith Ryan Whittlesey?

Meehan Only Hero In ConocoPhillips Tragedy

Meehan Only Hero In ConocoPhillips Tragedy — ConocoPhillips announced billions in profits, yesterday, shortly before it was expected to layoff its workforce at its refinery in Trainer, Pa.

This has resulted in outrage, and there should be outrage. Not just an employer but a major part of our industrial infrastructure is shutting down.

Where is the attempt to save it?

ConocoPhillips spokesman Rich Johnson explained the reasoning for the closing as being “based on the level of investment required to remain competitive in the U.S. East Coast refining market that has been under severe market pressure for several years.”

He cited product imports, weakness in motor fuel demand and costly regulatory requirements as the cause of this market pressure.

Where were our politicians in demanding relief from these requirements? Congressman Pat Meehan (R-7) is the closest thing we have to a hero on this and even he could have been a lot louder.

Congressmen Bob Brady (D-1) and Chaka Fattah (D-2) have been dead silent on the issue. One of the similarly endangered Sunoco refineries is in Fattah’s district and Brady’s district includes many of refinery workers.

How about the union leaders? Notice Johnson was not blaming labor costs for the closings? Why do they continue to support politicians who want to regulate away our industry?

Our senators Pat Toomey (R) and Bob Casey (D) haven’t been particularly outspoken on providing relief for the refineries and their workers.

And of course there is President Obama. Obama didn’t even make the feeblest effort to save them and it would have been likely been all that it would have taken. Does Obama want to destroy our industry? I fear the answer to that.

So outrage is warranted but don’t direct it all at the oil company.

Feds Shut American Eagle Savings Bank

Feds Shut American Eagle Savings Bank — American Eagle Savings Bank, whose only branch was at 3915 Chichester Ave. in Upper Chichester, Pa., was shut by the feds Friday.

Capital Bank of Rockville, Md. has agreed to purchase its assets   from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

American Eagle had about $19.6 million in assets and $17.7 million in deposits as of Sept. 30.

Hat tip, Tom C.

 

Feds Shut American Eagle Savings Bank

Feds Shut American Eagle Savings Bank

23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration

23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration — I just returned from the  23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration held at the First United Methodist Church of Media. It was chaired by Dr. Cecelia Evans, one of my favorite people.

The Media Area Interfaith Choir directed by Christine Schroth was fantastic, albeit may have been outdone by 9-year-old Emmanuel Armstrong’s reading of “What Do You Know About Dr. King?”. Emmanuel got a standing O.

Emmanuel, however, may have been out done by his grandmother Viola Benson’s solo singing.

The welcome was given by Maria Kotch, president of the Media Fellowship House and the invocation by Rabbi Linda Potemken of Congregation Beth Israel. Media’s excellent mayor, Bob McMahon, welcomed the community and asked for prayers for the children of the Chester School District whose teachers are working without pay as powers-that-be try to work out their budget issues. It’s almost like a teachers strike in reverse.

The only downside to the night was keynote speaker Annette John-Hall, a columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, who gave an unnecessarily political and divisive speech. Mrs. John-Hall made no attempt to hide where she was coming from and strongly implied that all  who disagreed with her were filled with hate and possibly racist.

Quick question Annette, that poor woman fearful of losing her food stamps as she is about to pay her high property tax, why is her property tax so high? How about her energy costs? Wouldn’t it be great if she paid less for her gas because the supply was a bit closer to home?

And Annette, a lot of those people turning against President Obama voted for him. Are they racists now but were not racists then?

On a day to celebrate a great man who was dedicated to unity and inclusiveness there is a word to describe your speech, and that word is irony. Check this video from Jon Stewart’s Daily Show and see if you can pick up on what I mean (foul language warning).

You made it clear you thought yourself a Christian and I believe you. There are a who lot of people, however who think themselves Christians, but don’t agree with you on anything. It’s not because they hate but because they love, and this includes poor people and minorities. And it’s not because they don’t understand your reasoning but it’s because they do and have concluded it doesn’t make sense.

Ask yourselves questions like these:  What is the point of money? Why do people start businesses? Why do they hire people? How does food get to the supermarket? Why do I drive the kind of car I drive?

Ask yourself, why the people of Greece can’t get aspirin?

The benediction was given by Rev. Kevin S. West who is associate pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Chester where Rev. King served his internship. Rev. West ended the night by leading the crowd with “We Shall Overcome.” Jacob Manny provided a trumpet solo.

The sponsors of  the event were the Media Fellowship House, the Media  Area Unit NAACP, the Unitarian University Church of Delaware County, the Reformation Lutheran Church, Congregation Beth Israel, the Second Baptist Church of Media, Media Friends Meeting and First United Methodist Church of Media.

23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration

The Lights Of The Barry Or Things You Don’t Know About Delco

That a quasi-popular musician has actually written a song called  Lights of The Commodore Barry is tidbit about which most people living in Delaware County are unaware.

The musician is Matthew Ryan — who shares the name with both the late speaker of the State House and Chesco-born quarterback of the Atlanta Falcons. Ryan was born in Chester in 1971 and his style of music is described as alternative country.

While he may not have had any popular chart toppers his songs have been featured on numerous television shows including One Tree Hill and House.

And while we can’t find Lights of The Commodore Barry on the web here are the lyrics.

Here is Ryan’s Follow The Leader.


Rogers Howard Has Unveiling Before Delco Pats

G. Rogers Howard, the man who hopes to replace Majority Leader Dominic Pileggi as the senator for Pennsylvania’s 9th District told an enthusiastic crowd of 60 at The Delaware County Patriots, tonight, Jan. 11, that it was his grandchildren who are motivating him to run.

Howard said the state plus its municipalities are $125 billion in debt and that this debt is a form of taxation without representation on the unborn and the young which include his grandchildren all of whom are under 7 years old.

He said that the state Republican establishment is quite happy with the status quo regardless of what suffering should occur, and that this especially applies to Pileggi. He noted that the GOP took over  the executive and legislative branches of state government  last year after sweeping the 2010 elections.

“You expect to see the reform legislation that occured in Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana,” he said. He said what we got though were long discussions about “red light cameras in Chester.”

Howard, who will be using Roger as his first name throughout the campaign, pointed out that Pennsylvania gets about $27 billion in revenue annually but actually spends about $65 billion. The money to cover the gap comes from bond issues, and regarding bond issues he said the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is basically just a huge slush fund.

The program which was begun with $400 million in 1986 was given the ability to borrow up to $700 million in 1993 which was increased to $1.2 billion in 1999 and with continued periodic increases now stands at $4.05 billion.

The program is used to give Aker Philadelphia Shipyard its annual $42 million payoff to keep from closing. It’s also used to fund things like the Arlen Specter Library and the John Murtha Library which have each received grants of $10 million apiece and the Comcast Center which has gotten a grant for $35 million.  Howard explained that the actual cost of that $10 million grant is $33 million when funded with a 30-year bond.

Howard lives in Unionville, has a Ph.d in chemistry and served in the 82nd Airborne Division. He has pledged not to participate in the state pension system. He answered audience questions in which he spoke out in opposition to teachers strikes and in favor of the right to work. He said he is against gay marriage.

He says he will be getting a better website.

In other business, the Patriots passed out flyers regarding legislation passed by the State House that is being held up in the Senate run by Pileggi including HB 42, a bill that would make parts of ObamaCare impossible to enforce in the state.

Regina Scheerer announced that 12 members of the Pats including herself were running for committee seats — most against party wishes — and that help and funding were needed. She also issued a plea for help and funding for Howard.