Thursday, April 12, 2012
Officer Michael Jenkins was also promoted Monday night
And Jake Beebe makes four. The 22-year-old Shoemakersville resident and Atlanta, Georgia native became the fourth newest recruit to Montgomery Township Police Monday night. “I want to do the best I can for this department. This is a great opportunity,” said Beebe. The newest officer has always had a desire to be in law enforcement by the time he hit sixth grade. “I’ve always wanted to be a police officer. Ever since middle school that’s the only thing I could ever think that I ever wanted to do,” he said. “So I put my mind to it and it brought me here.” Montgomery Township Police Chief Richard Brady said a vacancy occurred within the police department when Lt. Mark Houghtaling retired after 32 years of service. Brady said a recruit testing…
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Montgomery Township will spend $2,500 to mail out information booklets to residents and businesses twice a year
Montgomery Township will be updating its community guide from a four-fold map to a multi-page magazine-style booklet. Supervisors gave direction to Stacey Crandell to have Hometown Press in Perkasie print the booklets and then mail them out to residents and businesses twice a year. The cost of postage to mail out the booklets is around $2,500. The costs are subsidized by advertisers in the booklet. Crandell told supervisors at the March 26 meeting that the community map/guide is updated every two years. "When we met with Hometown Press, we talked about some different options," she said. "Instead of doing a map, there is an option to do a booklet that will be sent out to all residents. It will have a map inside, and it will still have ads. …
Friday, April 6, 2012
Two billboard owners questioned the changes to the township's Billboard Overlay District
Of all the things Montgomery Township's Billboard Overlay District amendment changed on Monday night for the future use of digital billboards, the rate of changeable copy and the size of digital pixels on a billboard raised some questions from billboard owners. Supervisors eventually approved the amendments to the Billboard Overlay District zoning ordinance 4-0 to get the law on the books. Supervisors said the debates brought up at the meeting could lead to amending the ordinance in the near future. One of the two major changes to the district were extending it 1,500 feet on the easterly side to include one existing, non-conforming billboard. Since 2003-04, the overlay district has accommodated two billboards, according to land planner E. …
Friday, March 30, 2012
Police said an employee was robbed at gunpoint outside at the Montgomery Township business
Montgomery Township Police are investigating the armed robbery outside the LumenOptix corporate headquarters early Friday morning. Police said the robbery occurred a little before 6:20 a.m. at the business located at 203 Progress Drive. Three employees arriving for work were approached by two unidentified male suspects dressed in dark clothing, police said. There were no further descriptions of the suspects. The suspects exited a small white vehicle, police said. As the suspects approached the employees, one brandished a handgun and demanded money from one of the employees, police said. After receiving a small amount of cash from the victim, the suspects returned to the car and fled the scene, police said. Witnesses to the robbery or to …
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Proposals from architectural firms to design and build a community and recreation center at Stump and Horsham roads are due to the township by April 20
Montgomery Township Supervisors are on a roll with bringing a community and recreation center to its newly-acquired property at Stump and Horsham roads, diagonal from the administration building. Requests for Proposals were sent out today to various architectural firms, following Monday night’s 4-0 approval of the solicitation of the RFPs. Supervisors Chairwoman Candyce Chimera was not in attendance. On March 12, supervisors held a workshop meeting to discuss proceeding with a needs assessment and feasibility study for the property, which the township purchased for $1.5 million. Township Manager Larry Gregan said comments made at that meeting by supervisors and residents were collected and the RFP was redrafted. The plan is to have RFPs …
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Scott Neiswender faces 35 charges at county arraignment in connection to his alleged burglarization of nine homes in four municipalities between October and December
Twelve victims took the stand Tuesday afternoon in the courtroom of District Judge Andrea Duffy and told how their jewelry, cash and livelihoods were stolen from their homes over the course of three months. The alleged culprit, according to police, is Scott Joseph Neiswender, 27, whose last know address was 825 Shaw Avenue in Lansdale. Neiswender had 35 charges of varying statutes held against him for county arraignment April 25. Neiswender faces seven counts of felony burglary, seven counts of felony criminal trespass, seven counts of felony theft by unlawful taking, one count of attempted burglary, six counts of criminal mischief and seven counts of receiving stolen property, according to court documents. Police accuse Neiswender of …
Monday, March 5, 2012
Where's the best spot to eat with your family? Voting ends at 9 a.m. Friday
This week, our Readers' Choice series wants you to think with your stomach. What do you think is the best family-friendly restaurant in our area? Maybe you like the hometown taste and cooking at Roy Ann Diner in Sellersville? American Star Diner in Montgomery Township is 24 hours. Convenient? Family friendly? You tell us. The Sharp Family puts passion in its meals at West Main Diner. Do you agree? Pumpernick's is known for its deli, restaurant and pickle bar. Does your family like it too? Perhaps you prefer chain restaurants like Applebee's at Ralph's Corner or in Montgomeryville; Chili's in Montgomeryville; or Friendly's in Montgomeryville and Lansdale. Italian cooking and family go hand-in-hand. There's Valentino's Bistro in Lansdale, …
Friday, March 2, 2012
The credit union is located in the Hillcrest Shopping Center
In the span of five days, Patch readers voted in a poll for their favorite bank. Polling closed at 9 a.m. Friday. In the end, with 228 votes out of a total 436 votes, or 52 percent, Freedom Credit Union was named best bank in the Montgomeryville-Lansdale area. Freedom Credit Union is located at Hillcrest Shopping Center on East Main Street in Lansdale. Runner up, with 90 votes, was National Penn Bank on North Broad Street in Lansdale. American Heritage Federal Credit Union came in at 30 votes. Thank you to everyone who voted and congratulations to Freedom Credit Union! Next week: Reader's Choice for Best Family-Friendly Restaurant, beginning Monday at 5 a.m.
William Harrison, 58, of Philadelphia was arrested for the Feb. 8 robbery in Montgomery Township
William Harrison, 58, of Philadelphia, was arrested Feb. 17 following a joint investigation involving the FBI, Philadelphia Police Department (Northwest Detectives), Montgomery Township Police, and other law enforcement agencies for the Feb. 8 robbery of Radio Shack at the Montgomery Commons Shopping Center, in Montgomery Township. Police said Harrison was also identified in several other armed robberies of Radio Shack stores in the Philadelphia area since December 2011. Harrison was taken into custody by Philadelphia Police without incident, police said. Harrison faces federal charges on several robbery and gun related charges. You can read about the Feb. 8 robbery at 8:19 p.m. at this link.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
The township will purchase gas, diesel, heating oil and kerosene from Riggins Inc. through the Southeastern PA Counties Cooperative Purchasing Board contract
Montgomery Township Public Works Director Kevin Costello and Finance Director Shannon Drosnock have found a way to save $15,000 a year in fuel costs – join the party. Supervisors Monday night approved purchasing gasoline, diesel, #2 heating oil and kerosene from an 18-month cooperative purchasing contract awarded to Riggins Inc., of New Jersey, through the Southeastern Pennsylvania Counties Cooperative Purchasing Board. “One of my favorite things is any kind of cost savings for the township,” said Costello. “This year, there is a cost savings opportunity to the township to purchase petroleum products from the cooperative purchase contract.” Costello said a cost savings analysis resulted in $10,500 per year on gasoline and $2,500 per year …
Kevin S
1:03 pm on Wednesday, April 11, 2012
You would think that in the age where everyone is concerned about drivers being distracted by texting or making phone calls, why on earth would they make a huge sign that screams "STARE AT ME AND NOT THE ROAD". On a side note, Distracted Drivers week begins Sunday... more ›