Upland Tables Vacant Building Fine — Upland Boro, tonight, June 11 tabled a series of ordinances that would have fined owners of vacant properties after resident and landlord Jim Criswell explained the law would also be applied to responsible property owners.
Criswell owns 10 rental properties in Upland two of which are vacant but undergoing renovations. He noted that the the fee schedule would mean he would be hit $500 fines for each building neither of which is blighted. Obviously, a building under repair cannot be occupied.
He pointed out the law also applies to new home buyers who want to renovate before moving in.
Council President Christine Peterson said the law was aimed at 10 blighted homes in the borough including two on Main Street. She said Criswell made good points, though, and agreed to postpone a vote for the ordinances to be reviewed.
Joy Schwartz of Upper Darby addressed the board as a former Delaware County Council candidate and pointed out that the county has created a “land bank” that gives it first dibs on any property it deems blighted.
Such a policy could give a rogue government a powerful tool for social engineering.
It had been noted earlier by the board that Pennsylvania’s state government is also pushing municipalities to take over properties it deems blighted.
One wonders why code enforcement and sheriff sales can’t address the problem.
70-Year-Old Man Risks Prison To See 99-Year-Old Mom — The nightmare for Arthur started in May 2021 when his older sister filed a petition seeking guardianship of his mom, Jane.
It was two days after Jane’s 96th birthday.
Arthur, now 70, had moved into mom’s sprawling home in Franconia, Montgomery County, Pa., two years earlier, mostly to keep her company.
Jane, a window of 12 years, was independent, active and even still driving.
Arthur was doing the shopping, though. It was the height of Covid and he was hoping to keep her isolated.
Arthur represented himself at a hearing in July. Sis had her own lawyer and the courts assigned attorney David Jaskowiak to represent Jane.
Jane accepted Jaskowiak because she was told he came free, Arthur said.
Spoiler: He didn’t.
Arthur said he suggested that Jaskowiak have Jane’s doctor of 21 years as a witness to her competency, as well as her CPA, investment advisors and hairdresser.
For some reason, Jaskowiak called no witnesses, Arthur said.
His sister dropped out as discovery started and that should have meant Arthur got the job, one would think.
But no.
Jaskowiak said that because Arthur and Sis didn’t get along, the court would have to appoint a guardian. Judge Gail Weilheimer tapped Duane Logie for the job.
Logie turned out to be a friend of Jaskowiak, says Arthur. He would be both guardian of estate, which is responsible for financial matters, and guardian of person who is task for caring for the living conditions and medical things.
When the same person is both there is no check and balance, says Arthur.
Jane stayed in her familiar home for a week after the court declared her incapacitated. Logie said the health care manager wanted to meet Jane at her house. A date was arranged but rather than a health care manager it was local police who showed along with Logie and Arthur’s sister.
Police physically restrained Arthur on the front porch. He said he heard his mother screaming inside. The cops held him as his sister and Logie took the 96-year-old woman in tears to his sister’s car.
Sis sent an email to Arthur warning him not to come to her house else he’d be arrested, he said. She wouldn’t let Jane call him.
Sister kept Jane at her house for 10 days before she fell unconscious and an ambulance had to be called. She spent six weeks in the hospital being treated for starvation, Arthur said.
Arthur said the treatment included sticking a needle 42 times in the stomach to prevent blood clots.
Oh, and while there she finally did catch Covid.
When that ordeal ended Jane was dumped at Manatawny Manor in Pottstown. Arthur describes it as a low-rated nursing home in Pottstown.
Manatawny Manor had just reopened after a Covid shut down.
Arthur says Judge Weilheimer initially allowed him one hour visitation three times a week but soon reduced it to one-hour per month in retaliation for the questions he was asking.
He said his visits started becoming supervised. He was forbidden to take cell phone video of his mom.
What honest reason could there be for that restriction?
Arthur says he now finds it lucky to be able to see his mother. The last time was in December.
He says Jane, who is now 99, was able to recognize him and could still dress herself.
He said he could have spent 16,300 waking hours with his mother between August 2021 and June 2024. As it was, he got but 224 hours.
Arthur says the powers-that-be have a financial incentive for keeping his mom. He says Jaskowiak charges $300 per hour. He said the guardian who replaced Logie — and who he says is also friends of Jaskowiak — got $125 per hour. Further, Arthur says she hired her husband to do legal work on Jane’s behalf for which he got $400 per hour. Further, Arthur says, the hubby hired four other lawyers who also charge $400 per hour.
“When one talks to the other, they charge the estate $800,” said Arthur.
Arthur says the court charges the estate $90,000 per year for the nursing home and accepted the yearly cost — which includes things like insurance and taxes — of Jane living at her home at $16,500.
He says he never see invoices.
Arthur has been in prison three times for defending his mom.
The first one was when he placed a story on his website ProtectMyParents.us that included information Weilheimer wanted hidden. Arthur said Jane was fine with what he wrote, but no matter.
Weilheimer sentenced him to six months in Montgomery County Prison or until he removed the material. He says he thinks she expected him serve the full six months as there were no computers in prison to fix it. A friend, though, came to his rescue and removed the offending information which let him go free after 10 days.
The second incarceration happened after he rewrote and published the story leaving out all names. He did, however, include a link to an archived copy of the original. This prison stint was just a week before his computer friend could fix things.
Both contempt orders were instigated by Jaskowiak.
He said a third contempt attempt in December by Jaskowiak failed. Jaskowiak said one of the those monitoring his visits said he used his cell phone camera to record his mother. A reasonable person would find such a prohibition curious, but nevermind, the judge said it was a no-no.
Arthur, however, did not do this vile transgression and proved it at a March 20 hearing.
Arthur has a new judge, by the way, who is Melissa Sterling.
Now, the most recent battle.
Arthur learned where Jaskowiak lived in New Britain in Bucks County.
He composed a two-page letter concerning his views about guardianship corruption, and put copies under every doormat on Jaskowiak’s street on April 10.
On April 23, he began picketing in front his house. A State Trooper who lived on the street said he was on private property. Arthur said that he was on the sidewalk. The trooper said it was private property and he would arrest him if he stayed.
Arthur was getting tired of jail so he left but went to the township building and confirmed the sidewalk was public.
He returned on April 27. His sign contained Jaskowiak’s name; and the words “human traffic” and “sex pervert”.
The traffic concerned what Arthur considers to be the kidnapping of his mom. He says the “sex pervert” is in reference to a instructional video he found of Jaskowiak reportedly describing strategic use of contempt of court complaints and the threat of being sodomized in prison.
After two hours of picketing, Arthur was arrested and charged with harassment. The judge set his bail at $100,000 of which he needed to raise $10,000 to be free.
Arthur points out that he lives out of his car and receives welfare.
After five weeks in Bucks County Prison, the bail was lowered to 10 percent of $10,000 and friends managed to get him out.
Before he retired, Arthur trained and practiced voice stress analysis, which is a type of lie detection. For 41-years, he tested criminal suspects, potential employees and helped investigate insurance fraud. His clients included the military, police and major corporations. He traveled the nation and the world.
Arthur notes that there are no standards or requirements as to what constitutes an accurate evaluation of a person that will determine incapacitation in Pennsylvania. He also points out that court psychologists don’t record sessions and have no proof as to how a person answered.
Arthur says he hasn’t seen his mom for a half of a year.
“I don’t know what my mother is thinking,” he said. “Does she think I’m dead? Does she think I don’t love her anymore?”
Sick, stupid and cruel people are in charge of America.
Ed. Note: We have left out Arthur’s last name as he fears using it will give the Montco courts an excuse to throw him back in prison.
Arthur at the March Montco Commissioners Meeting
70-Year-Old Man Risks Prison To See 99-Year-Old Mom
We received an email, June 4, from the Reform Party of the United States that they had joined other “alternative” parties in nominating Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., as their presidential candidate.
The Reform Party was formed by Ross Perot in 1995. In 2004 they nominated Ralph Nader and Pat Buchanan in 2000.
Kennedy’s nomination by the Reform Party allows his campaign to raise “up to $48,000 per donor in Florida, six times as much as he could raise as in independent candidate.”
Kennedy cited the Reform Party’s motto, “it’s time to put people first”.
Other alternative parties that have nominated RFK, Jr. include California’s American Independent Party and Michigan’s Natural Law Party.
The Reform Party website has 15 separate items on their platform, many of which are worth reading They also state “It’s time to end the two-party system and return to government for the people”.
If only.
Kennedy has already gained ballot access in seven states; California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Oklahoma, Texas, and Utah.
According to his campaign, they have sufficient signatures, to be on nine other states, barring the inevitable challenges. These are Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, and Ohio. He’s already on the ballot in two of the “swing states”,
Michigan and Nevada. Pennsylvania has a deadline of Aug. 1 but, as they always say “All dates in this calendar are subject to change without notice.”
RFKJ says that Biden is worse for Democracy than Trump.
He also says Biden is spoiler for his campaign and calls for him to drop out.
We should add that there are now even RFK, Jr commercials on cable TV which we find truly amazing.
There is also a UK Reform Party, they way. , ReformUK, is a pro-Brexit, anti Covid-19 lockdown party whose most famous candidate, and leader, is one Nigel Farage, who will be standing for Parliament on their next general election, on July 4th, a date one would think the British would rather not remember.
Delco Actress Susan Wefel Gets Deserved Tribute — Advertising artist and actress extraordinaire Betty Lou Roselle has written a piece about fellow thespian Susan Wefel, who, until her recent layoff, has appeared in numerous productions over four decades at Hedgerow Theater in Rose Valley, Pa..
Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone) has been around for a longggg longggg time. See Madonna’s 50 Greatest Songs.
She’s still touring at age 65.
The last (free) stop on her “Celebration” tour, was not a cause for celebration for many conservative Christians who felt the “licentious” concert on Rio De Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach, on May 4, caused the devastating floods in Rio Grande de Sul.
Another Christian influencer pointed out that Rio Grande do Sul is one of the states with the highest number of centers of Umbanda and Candomblé, which are African Brazilian religions associated by many evangelical Christians with the devil,
So these faithful types, who believe in the almighty power of God, are ascribing equal power to Madonna? Are you hearing yourselves?
Meanwhile, Justen Lipeles attended Madonna’s March 7 Concert then filed a class action suit due to, among other things, “intentional infliction of emotional distress” , “pornography without warning” and “topless women on stage stimulating sex acts”.
While looking up Billy Graham, we discovered that in the 1953 Chattanooga Crusade he personally tore down the dividing ropes between the races, even though the head usher had insisted on segregation. This was two years before the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Would we consider this “woke” today and do we need to reconsider previous historical determinations?
Your God my God William Lawrence Sr Cryptowit 6-10-24
Sxqhqsjuh, dej syhskcijqdsui, cqaui jxu cqd. Reeauh J. Mqixydwjed
Answer to yesterday’s puzzle: Entreat me not to leave you or to return from following you; for where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God my God Ruth1:16
If They Entrust Themselves Completely — “Look at the birds of the air,” says Jesus. What a splendid example of our faith to follow! If God’s providence bestows an unfailing supply of food on the birds of the air who neither sow nor reap, we ought to realize that the reason for people’s supply running short is human greed. The fruits of the earth were given to feed all without distinction and nobody can claim any particular rights. Instead, we have lost the sense of the communion of goods, rushing to turn these goods into private property. The birds do not know famine because they do not claim anything specially for themselves and neither do they have any envy of others.
“Consider the lilies of the field: not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these. If God so clothes the grass which is alive today and tomorrow is cast into the oven, how much more will he clothe one of you!”
Listen to these stupendous and uplifting words. With this parable of flowers and grass the Lord urges us to hope that God will also be merciful to us.
Nothing is more persuasive than a glance at unthinking creatures who have received such beautiful dress from providence. Surely we should be all the more ready to believe that human beings, if they entrust themselves completely to God and free themselves of all their worries will not lack anything.
Attorney General Honchos Meet On Connolly Record Request — Sean Connolly of Collegeville tells us that Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry wants to have an in camera or secret interview before deciding the open records request he submitted in March.
There is a June 13 deadline.
Who is she going to interview?
A bunch of people in the attorney general’s office apparently including Sharon K. Maitland, who is the right to know officer; Chief Deputy Attorney General John Abel; A.G. Chief of Staff Jodi L. Lobel.
All three have submitted unsworn affidavits as to why Connolly shouldn’t get what he wants.
Why were the affidavits unsworn?
Don’t know, but you can fib a little bit without getting in trouble with them.
Will they take oaths in the interview to tell the whole truth?
Don’t know. It’s going to be secret.
Say what you want but Sean certainly got the attention of the bigwigs with his little request for transparency.
What Connolly wants to know includes:
Communications between the AG office and attorneys Jennifer Horn and Carter Williamson of Horn Williamson relating to Toll Brothers
Financial records relating to use of special agents used to contact Greg Stenstrom and Leah Hoopes, both of Delaware County, after they reported election irregularities in November 2020 to former US Attorney Bill McSwain
All communications sent to Dr. Scott Rifkin who is an advisor to now Gov. Shapiro.
Really, what’s the big secret? There must be something big else the bigwigs wouldn’t be powwowing as to how to make it go away.
Connolly started down the rabbit hole after buying an expensive but crap-constructed Toll Brothers home in 2017 and found himself strangely stonewalled by all levels of government while trying to get resolution.
He found things far, far, far worse than he could ever have imagined