A New Day, A New Business

I started my first business in December, 1988. I was all of 25. I thought I knew everything, I knew nothing. Today, 22 years later, I start another one. While most, and even me sometimes, think I need my head examined, this business feels awesome. The space is done, and with the help of some great supporters, looks great, the signage is snappy (again with help from a great friend and my first business Hoff Communications) and, most importantly, we are ready!

Art Space Lansdowne is ready! ASL is committed to artists. The ones who teach and the ones who want to learn. We are equally committed to the fabulous, talented artist as to the fabulous, learning artist. We are not in the judgment business, we are in the "Art is a really good thing business".  Art is good for the soul of humans and its good for the soul of communities.

Come pay us a visit. Now...I am off to have my head examined!

Greatness

Unless you have been under a rock or on a deserted island, you know that Roy Halladay pitched a no hitter last night. An amazing feat, made quite frankly even more amazing, by his humbleness shown by his verbal gratitude to his catcher and his team. Yes, in 2010, an amazing athlete deflected the shine of the camera lights to his comrades. Now that is class.

There are others that show equal greatness. They are not athletes. They are not even famous, but for that brief space in time, they take the glare of the bright lights. They say words or take action and in doing so they help others. They help people they do not even know by standing tall and proud, and for that moment, they are head and shoulders above even the most amazing athletes.

Who are these folks? Here are just two.

Chris Armstrong, the University of Michigan's first gay student body president, who said recent suicides by gay teens have led him to talk about his being targeted by a lawyer in the Michigan attorney general's office. Read the story.

Victor Perez chased after a vehicle suspected of carrying an abducted 8-year-old girl in Fresno, California. A construction carpenter by trade until work slowed down, Perez has been recently cutting wine grapes, earning minimum wage. Victor's single action saved that little girl. Read the story.

Ordinary people, doing extra ordinary things.  Roy was amazing to watch, but to tell you the truth Chris and Victor give me real hope and a real reason to smile.

Welcome Back and Good Kids...

Hmmm, where did the time go. Sorry I haven't been around since July 4th. Looks like life just slipped away from me. There is nothing like school starting (and a gentle note from an editor) to get things rolling again.

September is such an interesting month around my house. The calmness of summer slips away to be greeted by the sometimes deafening noise of books, home work, band, soccer, Phillies baseball and renewed religious obligations. It all happens at once. The first sound of that alarm at 5:50 am is just shocking, by now that same alarm has you praying for June.

Enough about me. I want to talk about kids, and they are not even mine. If you do not know it, I am a School Board member in the much maligned William Penn School District. It's the much maligned part that I just don't get. Are we perfect, no, certainly not. Are we getting better, every single day, yes we are. Our kids and teachers are with great exception amazing. We are on a plan to fix our schools, including some of the most aggressive renovations to our energy infrastructure in the county. I am so proud of what is going on and I see the results in the eyes of our children every day.

Today, I am proud to share an email that our district got last week. I think it summarizes the spirit that makes us Penn Wood Proud.

>>>>>>>>>>>>
Mr. Greene,

I am not sure that you are the right person that I should be writing to, but I thought that I would take a chance anyway. :-)  My daughter attended a volleyball tournament this past weekend at Octorara High
School in Atglen, Pennsylvania and they said that they met a "bunch" of girls from some school called Penn Wood.  My daughter said that Penn Wood came in last place, but they were still the nicest, funniest kids that they had ever met at any tournament in volleyball.  I know that in today's society we often hear only about the bad things that kids do, so I wanted to let you know that the girls from Penn Wood was the first thing that my daughter mentioned when she came home that evening from
the tournament.  They took a group picture together and it is now my daughter's Facebook profile picture. :-)  If you could let the volleyball coach know that I wanted to thank her and the girls for
being such good kids, I would appreciate it.

Sincerely,

Marie
>>>>>>>>>>>>

The first time I read this note I got goose-bumps...even when I read it now, it makes me teary. Yes, it means that much. I love when our students are recognized for who they really are, not what people think they are. I love when we go some place and people get to see us. When what they have read and what they see, conflict in mid-air. Our well kept secret is getting out and our entire community is going to win.

So here is a big "atta boy" to the Lady Patriots Volleyball team. You aren't the best volleyball team, although congratulations on your first win this week(!), but you rocked the house with your spirit. That is the biggest win of all!

Watch out world the community of the William Penn School District is Penn Wood Proud and we aim to show you exactly why.

Property Taxes for Education and Sewers, Not a Good Idea!

Happy Fourth of July!

I value my independence very much. Its also my sons birthday which makes the day one of the most special of the year for me. The Forth for me is about courage and community. Those two traits make America great for me and my family and for that I am eternally grateful.

If you read my piece on Property Taxes, here is some information that I think is worth your reading.

The PA Costing Out Study

Which comes from this site.

The folks Of Good Schools Pennsylvania are part of the solution in my opinion. Their site is absolutely worth a peak.

First Suburbs also gets it. These stories are about their efforts in Pottstown.

I will add more resources shortly. I am going to go surround myself with my family. Happy Fourth folks!

THE Storm

Wow!

I have been a bad blogger, not writing for awhile so apparently I need a storm to send me back to blogging.

What a mess! My neighbors 2 trees decided that the perfect landing place would be our back yard. The trees did have the good sense to not hit our house! Just missed the house by 5 feet. My entire backyard and pool area are entangled with trucks, branches and leaves. Not complaining though, there are folks that have it way worse than us. The family is all okay, the house is in one piece...nothing else to ask for.

Wanna see the pictures...go here.

This is the time to get out there to check on and help you neighbors, so please do so if you can.

Feel free to post you picture and comments here. Be well folks.

Ah, yes, Memorial Day weekend is just about here. It's the official start of the unofficial start of summer, and will be a quite busy weekend bustling with activities for everyone here in Lansdowne, starting with the return of the Lansdowne Farmers Market on Saturday morning. The weather should be perfect for some terrific shopping and a great time, featuring fresh, locally-grown fruits, veggies, meats, bread and more, as well as live music and artists. The market is open from 9 am to 1 pm and takes place in the parking lot across from the Lansdowne Theater (30 N. Lansdowne Avenue).

For me the market morning will inevitably lead to an afternoon of my own type of farming (actually just lawn mowing and weed-pulling), but following a day of rest, relaxation and chores on Sunday, I will be resting up that night for a jam packed morning of activity on Memorial Day.

At 8:30 am Monday, the Lansdowne Memorial Day 5K will see plenty of folks of all fitness levels participate in a furious dash (or perhaps a not-so-fast stroll) to the finish line. The route begins in front of the municipal parking lot across from the Lansdowne Theater and makes its way through the historic residential areas and central business district. Following the race, the Memorial Day parade offers a celebratory yet poignant reminder of the true reason for the holiday – a tribute to those men and women who lost their lives while preserving our freedoms. This parade begins at Lansdowne and LaCrosse Avenues and wraps up with a ceremony at the Penn Wood High School field on Green Avenue. I encourage anyone with an appreciation for the many freedoms we enjoy as Americans to come out.

After all that early-morning activity, it's time to get something to eat, and where better than right next to the parade route, where the Lansdowne Baptist Church will hold an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast from 8 am to noon. If you've got kids under five, they eat for free, but the prices are more than affordable otherwise, with a $20 per family maximum. Proceeds from the breakfast go to the Aaron Royal Scholarship fund, which benefits members or regular attendees of the church or students who live within the William Penn School District. It's a good cause, and a good time, so try to stop by for a bite.

Did I miss anything? I know my schedule is probably already busy enough, but if there's something else going on locally that I missed, feel free to drop me a note and let me know. Thanks for reading, and hope you have a great holiday weekend, whatever you choose to do!

Happening this Weekend in Lansdowne, May 22-23

There's only one more week until the big Memorial Day weekend and the return of the Lansdowne Farmers Market.

With so much to look forward to next weekend, it's hard to believe that there's actually a somewhat busy slate of events this weekend, but here it is -- a quick rundown of the sights and scenes you may want to check out this weekend:

A quick 5K Update: Even though the early registration deadline has passed, there's still plenty of time to sign up for the Lansdowne Memorial Day 5K. Remember, five kilometers is only a bit more than three miles, so even if you haven't spent the entire winter burning up your treadmill you can still get yourself across the finish line without too much training.

SATURDAY: Penn Wood High School Flea Market

Bargain hunters alert - Penn Wood High School hosts a flea market from 8 am to 4 pm Saturday at the school, 100 Green Avenue. Proceeeds from this market benefits the Scholarship Fund of the PWHS Home and School Association.

SATURDAY: Movie Night in the Park

The Lansdowne Parks & Recreation Department presents Movie Night in the Park featuring the 2009 Disney-Pixar animated feature Up. This free event will be held at Hoffman Park on Scottdale Road (weather permitting) at 8:30 pm. Refreshments will be
available for purchase.

SUNDAY: No Place for Hate Film: The Times of Harvey Milk

At 1:30 pm on Sunday, the Lansdowne No Place for Hate group will present this award-winning documentary at the Lansdowne Library. The film will be followed by a discussion on the hatred and threats that public servants are targets of. Joining the discussion will be Judge Dan Anders, the first openly gay male to be appointed to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Popcorn provided, bring your own beverage. more info

Craving more data on Primary Day, 2010?

Upon review of my Philadelphia Inquirer and Delco Times this morning, I noticed that the local media did not have the numbers I craved about the "other" voting that took place. Yes, I completely understand that its a primary and if there is no real contest (one D and one R) the numbers don't really matter but I just wanted the facts, and I wanted all of them.

I will give you links to all the data on PA Primary Day, 2010 (5/18/10) but first a small rant.

My Rant:
Only 10% of folks went out to vote yesterday. I find that number pretty depressive. Not everyone has the right to vote in our world, and to give up your right to vote just seems absurd to me.
Rant Over.

Here are a couple of great links that just give numbers, not MSNBC or Fox analysis, just data. I love raw data (I know you are thinking NERD!). These numbers breakdown the state by county, our county, and our county by Borough or Township. Enjoy...Now you can do your own analysis of what ever you want!

2010 General Primary, Delaware County

2010 General Primary, Delaware County, by Borough or Township

2010 General Primary, Whole State Numbers

If you have other links, please share them.

Happening this Weekend in Lansdowne, May 15-16

Despite the kooky weather we had last weekend, the rain actually held out for last Saturday’s huge Town-Wide Yard Sale in Lansdowne. I know that I sure enjoyed it, along with my family, as we trekked around town for bargains (and we sure did find a few!). While I didn’t get any official numbers, my instincts tell me that it just might have been the biggest day of yard sales ever in Lansdowne! Oh, and did I mention that one of the best things about your kids growing up is their ability (and willingness) to help carry large items home, even in some seriously strong winds.

For those of you who like to run (or walk, or just collect interesting t-shirts from local events) now is a good time to let you know about the early registration deadline for the Lansdowne Memorial Day 5K. All persons registering by May 17 will enjoy two benefits -- a free t-shirt commemorating the event and a discounted registration rate. Sure, you could wait until the last minute to sign up, but why not save a few bucks and free up that valuable stretching time on the day of the race?

Anyway, we’re approaching yet another exciting weekend in Lansdowne, and this one features lots of fun stuff for everyone. The weather should be positively spring-like on Saturday, and will be the perfect time to add a little diversity to your garden by participating in the Community Plant Exchange held by the Gays, Lesbians, and Friends of Lansdowne. The exchange takes place in the municipal parking lot on North Lansdowne Avenue – the same location as the Lansdowne Farmers Market. Bring plants starting at 10:15 am; the exchange will last from 10:30 am to noon. For every plant someone brings, they will receive a ticket good for one plant to take home. Beginning at 11:45 any remaining plants may be available for purchase for $1 each for those who don’t have plants to bring.

Also on Saturday, two local schools are hosting separate events that will offer a little something for the entire family. From 10 am to 3 pm, the Lansdowne Friends School’s May Fair celebration is an active day of family fun featuring a maypole, food, live music, vendors, face painting, moonbounce, crafts, plenty of kids activities, and more! Join Lansdowne Friends School families, teachers, alumni and friends from 10 am to 3 pm at the school, located at 110 North Lansdowne Avenue.

From there, you’re just a couple blocks away from the St. Philomena’s School’s Arts and Crafts Fair, which takes place from 10 am to 4 pm. The fair will bring more than 25 professional artist vendors and 175 student artists to the Marian Hall Gymnasium for a day of fun and festivities. Admission is free. St. Philomena’s School is at 13 N. Highland Avenue, across from the Lansdowne Fire Station.

Finally, if the kids aren’t completely worn out, there’s more to do on Sunday, when Celebration Theater of Lansdowne presents the hilarious antics of Hatman! Last seen at the Lansdowne Arts Festival, the furiously funny Hatman will bring his famed collection of far-out and fabulous headwear. Enjoy story readings, audience interaction and of course, a Best Hat Contest! Prizes will be awarded for the funniest, the most creative and the biggest hats.

So that about wraps up my outlook for the weekend, but if you know of something else going on in the neighborhood, let us know in the comments section below. Hope to see you around town soon!

FREE Music From OUR Students!

Do you love Music? If you do, I highly suggest taking in our own William Penn School District Spring concert. Its FREE although maybe the students will inspire you to make a generous donation. All donations benefit our growing Music program and the fabulous students that make such great music!

See you there!

Penn Wood High School Music Department Presents
The Annual Spring Concert
Featuring Performances by:
Concert Choir
Concert Band
Jazz Band
Thursday May 13th at 7:00 pm
Penn Wood High School Auditorium Green Avenue Campus
100 Green Avenue, Lansdowne, PA
Admission is Free
(donations are gratefully accepted)

Happening this Weekend in Lansdowne, May 8

Bargain Shoppers Alert: It's the Town-Wide Yard Sale

If you haven't yet taken some time to stroll the friendly streets of Lansdowne, this Saturday would be a great day to go for a trek through the neighborhood. Why this Saturday, you ask? Because it's the ninth annual Town-Wide Yard Sale here in Lansdowne, and will feature upwards of 100 different yard sales, all within the borders of our one square mile.

As of right now, the weather forecast is looking pretty decent (not too hot, with some chance of occasional rain), so why not put on some comfortable shoes and hunt for bargains. It's probably the day when there are more out-of towners in Lansdowne than any other day of the year, so it's also an excellent opportunity to meet friends and neighbors both old and new. While it may not be possible to hit every yard sale, you can plan your route for maximum efficiency with the latest map of this Saturday's sales at the Google map online or in this printable version.

In addition to the yard sales, there will be a couple other happenings in and around the business district. Fuel up for the day with a hearty hoagie, sold by the Ladies Auxiliary of the Lansdowne Fire Company. Their annual hoagie sale takes place from 9 am to 1 pm at the fire station, 26 N. Highland Ave. Plus, the Spring Tea event at Secret Garden (in the Simpson Gardens building 84 N. Lansdowne Ave.) is an opportunity to enjoy sweets, savories, scones in an elegant setting at 1 pm.

For what it's worth, I'll be among those hitting up the yard sales in search of a _________ . If you happen to be in the borough and spot one, let me know!

Built to Last: First Suburbs Fights to Keep the Inner Ring Thriving

It's a pretty powerful thing to be in a room with 200 like-minded people, as I found myself in while attending the First Suburbs meeting on Thursday night, April 29.  First Suburbs is a non-profit advocacy group that focuses on issues facing the inner-ring suburbs (literally, the "First" Suburbs) and advocates to make their issues a priority for our elected officials.   
 
First Suburbs focuses on Housing, Infrastructure, and School Funding, since Federal and State policies on these issues tend to favor (and financially benefit) the newer, farther-out suburbs. By promoting the sprawl of these new suburbs, these policies deplete the resources of the older communities that make up the inner-ring suburbs. 

What I find most interesting at these meetings is the tenacity of the First Suburbs membership. Their questions are direct and to the point, they present their issues clearly, and they are not the least bit shy when asking invited politicians to support their agenda. Usually, a politician's choice not to attend a First Suburb meeting in the first place speaks volumes. If you are a smart politician and disagree with the group's policy points, you're probably not going to show up at the event anyway. 

 
Nonetheless, below is a summary of some of the question and answer sessions between these parties at last night's meeting:
 
 
---
 
Question on Housing presented to Diane Lello, Acting Regional Director of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and John Pickett, Executive Director of the Delaware County Office of Housing and Community Development
 
QUESTION: Will you both work with the First Suburbs Project to make housing equity and mobility a priority in Delaware and Chester Counties by convening representatives of the Housing Authorities to: 1) Explore ways to use existing programs to promote housing choice and mobility, and 2) propose new ways to promote housing choice and mobility including a joint application to HUD for any new programs designed to increase housing choice for low income and families with special needs? 
 

Further, as we explore existing programs we need to look at how the current fair market rent calculations are reducing choice and mobility for section 8 voucher holders. We believe that can and should be changed. Will the HUD office agree to review how the fair market rent is calculated so as to better promote mobility and freedom of choice? 

ANSWER: Yes.

---

Question on Infrastructure presented to State Senator Ted Erickson and Representatives Ronald Waters and Bryan Lentz
 
QUESTION: Will you work with First Suburbs to build support with the legislative representatives on the PENNVEST board to create a separate “fix it first” funding mechanism for sewers within PENNVEST?
 
ANSWER: Yes.

---

Question on Education presented to State Senator Ted Erickson and Representative Ronald Waters and Senator Anthony WIlliams (via Rep. Waters)
 
QUESTION: Can we count on you to be champions for our school districts and work with us to:
 
- challenge efforts to weaken the formula in ways that undermine our communities?

- advocate to improve the formula so that is also addresses the costs of special education?

- advocate to make sure we have an adequate level of funding without taxing our communities out of existence?

ANSWER: Yes.

---

I'm fully aware that there are probably not any elected officials that would come to the First Suburbs meeting and answer “no” to questions like those posed above. However, as someone in the audience with many of those same concerns, I found it very encouraging to hear affirmative answers from the officials present at the meeting. Straight answers are usually a rarity among elected officials, aside from a select few, often at a very local level. And while the succinct Yes/No answers can turn to convoluted grey areas in many instances, last night I heard nothing but resounding a "Yes" in all of their answers. 

I would like to give an big "atta boy" to the politicos that showed up last night. It took courage and conviction, and I really respect that. Nonetheless, I do wonder why a lot of other regional officials that represent constituents in the inner-ring suburbs were not there. Noticeably missing were State Senator Dominic Pileggi, State Representative Nick Micozzie, and State Representative William Adolph. I do realize and understand that our elected officials have a long list of groups that request their attendance and plenty of work to do, but I come from the “must be willing to move a mountain" crowd. So while the three named above probably had a legitimate reason not to be there last night, I do hope that by not being there, they now have an even better reason to be there next time. 

As for me, I can't wait until the next First Suburbs event. I am thrilled that I went last night, and was pleased to see that the meeting was so well organized and ended up being a productive experience for all involved. It is very reassuring to know that the First Suburbs organization, with its massive support, is actually having a positive impact on our inner-ring communities.

Line up your friends for next time! If you are interested in joining a group of folks who love their homes and communities as much as you do at the next First Suburbs meeting, please call or email me. 

 

 

Happening this Weekend in Lansdowne, May 1

The Great Things that Spring Brings

Just a reminder to make sure your calendar is clear for this Saturday. In case you didn't know, this week marks the first really big Saturday of the season in terms of things to do in Lansdowne, so be sure to include some of the events listed below in your plans. Bring your friends, too!

Lansdowne Arts & Crafts Show: The third annual Lansdowne Arts and Crafts Show will take place from 9 am to 3 pm in the North LansdowneAvenue parking lot next to the PNC Bank. Rain date is Sunday, May 2. Enjoy Arts, Crafts, Music, Food and Fun - See what Downtown Lansdowne
has to offer! See our list of artists here.

The Dream of a Darby Creek Greenway Centennial Celebration: This year marks the 100th anniversary for Arthur Shrigley, President of the Natural History Club of Lansdowne, to publicly suggest the idea of a green way of protected and preserved beauty along the Darby Creek. The
Darby Creek Valley Association will honor this by celebrating the continued progress on the development of this greenway at the Twentieth Century Club on Saturday, May 1 from 10 am to noon. more

At The Garden Church: Yard Sale; All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast sponsored by Epiphany House: Fuel up for the big day at The Garden Church, Lansdowne and Stratford Avenues, from 7:30 to 11:00 am. Adults $7, kids 5 to 17 $5, and kids under 5 free. And don't miss the church's Spring Yard Sale, which takes place from 9 am to 3 pm.

Red, White and Bluesy Spring Social

The Union Athletic Association hosts its second annual Red, White and Bluesy spring social fundraiser at 7 pm, featuring live music from the Joe Stephenson Trio and the Overbrook String Band. The $30 admission includes refreshments and a full buffet. Wrap up your day with a night of celebration and good times at the Twentieth Century Club. Proceeds from this event support the Union AA's Fourth of July fireworks and celebration. More info

10 things I love about Lansdowne, in no order really...

1. People: Lansdowne folks are friendly, helpful, and active participants in the community. Wherever you are, you can usually expect a friendly "Hi," even from passing strangers.

2. Food: Regency Cafe, Sycamore, Provisions, Doyle's Deli & Grille, Paul Revere Pizza, My Old Place Bakery, Travers Food Market, Mar-Win Shop n Bag...no matter what you're hungry for, there's something good to eat nearby.

3. Lansdowne Farmers Market: Twenty-six Saturdays filled with local and organic fruits and veggies, live music, and artists. It's a place to socialize, meet new friends, and shop. What could be better? It starts May 29, 2010, so mark your calendars!

4. Lansdowne Arts Festival: Three days of art and music at the Twentieth Century Club in Lansdowne. September 10, 11 and 12, 2010.

5. Lansdowne Arts and Crafts Show: Just days away – Saturday, May 1, from 9 am to 3 pm in the parking lot across from the theater (Google "30 North Lansdowne Avenue" for directions). Over 30 artists out in the fresh air – a great way to kick off Spring in Lansdowne!

6. Walking: A truly walkable community, Lansdowne boasts parks, shopping, dining and some fabulous residential neighborhoods within its one square mile, and is well served by public transit. Want to see the highlights? A walking map is right here. And if running is more your thing, join us for the Memorial Day 5k on May 31, 2010.

7. No Place For Hate: There is not a lot of drama in Lansdowne and we like it that way. We get along, like good neighbors should. No matter who you are, or what you are there is a community group for you, and all volunteers are welcomed.

8. Leadership: Jayne Young is the hardest working mayor in Delaware County! You couldn't ask for a better town cheerleader. She is surrounded by similarly hard-working elected officials, who use common sense when running our community. It's good local government in action.

9. Music: Whether is the Lansdowne Folk Club, the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, music at the Lansdowne Farmers Market and the Arts Festival, or the Lansdowne Summer Concert Series, there's something worth hearing. Most of Lansdowne's musical events are planned by the talented Bob Beach, a living, breathing Lansdowne treasure who even hosts concerts in his house!

10. Communication. We have our own email newsletter, Discover Lansdowne. Written with a healthy dash of wit by one of Lansdowne's finest volunteers, Grace Caputo, the newsletter is funny, sharp and quirky. It's an easy read and and an entertaining way to find out what's going on in town. Sign up for the newsletter here.

Did I miss something? Do you know of a person, place, or event in Lansdowne that deserves mention? Feel free to let me know what you love about Lansdowne!

An Invitation: The First Suburbs project

The First Suburbs project is hosting an event next Thursday, April 29th at the Media
Community Center. The details are below but, in short, the premise is that First
Suburbs is an advocacy group that has chosen the 3 issues that affect inner ring suburbs like ours. The 3 policy points are: Housing, Education Finance, and Infrastructure.

The purpose of these events is to gather as many people as possible and to invite our legislatures to see the crowd we can gather. The crowd impresses upon our elected officials that we are all voters, and that these issues are important to us hence they should listen to us.

Its pretty powerful stuff and I have seen real progress in my favorite topic of all,
Education, although, honestly, as a resident of a inner ring suburb, all the issues are important to my family and community.

I am asking you to attend this event with me. Its a very structured event and I am betting you get a good feeling from the positiveness in the room.

Thanks ahead for considering my ask...

Event Details:

April 29, 2010 , 7:00-8:30 PM
Location: Media Community Center, 301 N. Jackson Street, Media, PA 19063

First Suburbs has these meetings because:
The First Suburbs Project will hold three regional public meetings throughout southeastern Pennsylvania between April and June. Each public meeting will address our unified issue agenda and secure support from key decision-makers for specific policy that impacts our communities. Legislators, administrators and gubernatorial candidates will be asked to join with us to ensure that infrastructure, housing, and education policies and funding mechanisms recognize that stabilizing and revitalizing our older developed suburbs is vital to the prosperity of our communities and of our entire region. Building on our most recent large public forum and drill and give emphasis to current specific policy and opportunities. The public meetings are designed to get our voices heard and demonstrate the power of our communities and our coalition. All organizations and community members who care about the future of our townships and boroughs should be present.

The First Suburbs message is:
The message that we’ve taken to our elected leaders is that policies proposed in legislation must take into consideration the needs of older built-out suburbs like those in southeastern Pennsylvania. We are emphasizing that the entire metropolitan area’s health and vitality is tied to the prosperity of the older suburbs. In the past, federal policies in housing, transportation, infrastructure and education – the issues that we’ve adopted as our own – have focused on addressing problems in the urban center and in expanding opportunities in the newer suburbs, skipping over the older suburbs. The Brookings Institution refers to this as a "policy blind spot" because it ignores the plight of our older first-ring suburbs. In our efforts to educate policymakers, we can change this practice and ensure that appropriate policies help guide federal funding through strategic priorities designed to strengthen older, asset rich communities like ours.

For more information on the First Suburbs Project, contact Angela Clinton
Southeastern PA First Suburbs Project, 267.977.9654, angela.firstsuburbs@gmail.com

The Lansdowne Theater is Alive!

It was my absolute pleasure to volunteer at the Lansdowne Theater yesterday. It was the first time that a show took place in the Theater since 1987 and yesterdays act, an acapella group named Straight, No Chaser, was a great start. About 1100 people came from near and far to see the theater and hear the harmonious sounds of 10 well-tuned voices. Built in 1927, the Theater's Moorish architecture clearly showed it's once splendor. The show was fabulous...an amazing experience to see the seats filled and to see folks moving about the grand foyer.

The revitalization of the Theater has been the project of the Historic Lansdowne Theater Corporation since 2005. If you do not know the history of Lansdowne's beloved theater, I would encourage you to learn more at their site.

The Theater is one of the cogs in the wheel of economic development in Lansdowne. It's very important to Lansdowne's future and I am thrilled that is in such good hands. Please donate to the revitalization, if you can. The Lansdowne Theater is worth saving, it represents a link to a grand time in our history, and its a key to our even grander future.

Please if you have any stories about the Theater, please share them with us. I was lucky to be in the company of folks yesterday that used to go as young teens...one gentleman even shared how he used to sneak in with his friends (lol).

Ah yes, one more reason to love Lansdowne...we have a Theater!

Clean Up and then the THEATER!!!

There is a good reason to clean!

Lansdowne begins spring with a Saturday clean up of the Central Business District. Come out and help, if you can. Its starts in the Parking Lot at 30 North Lansdowne Avenue (right across from the theater) at 9 am. Bring your gloves, supplies will be provided.

THE THEATER!!!
The Lansdowne Theater will open its doors to an audience for the first time since 1987. For this special night, the a cappella group Straight No Chaser takes to the stage to perform the first of what could be several fundraisers. For more on this exciting event, see the DelcoTimes.com article.

Do you have a story to share about the theater...
Did you go there when you were a kid? Did you make-out in the back row during a movie? What was the theater like? What role did it play in your life? Please share you stories....

Lost for Words, and Words of the Lost

I am not usually one to be stuck for the right words, but the senseless shooting of a promising 18-year-old man has me really searching. Not only did a young man lose his life, but the upward trajectory of violence among and against our youth continues to take its toll on our entire community.

Yesterday's event took the life of a young man that was a member of our community and by many accounts had a lot to look forward to. While the loss of Mohamed Kamara may be seen as merely a statistic to some, it is without question that far too many children are taken before they even have a chance to make their mark in this world.

The other piece of this sad story is the hate-speak that follows such a tragedy. As I followed the story at DelcoTimes.com today, the hate speech started coming out quickly in the comments section. Words like "those kids", "that school", "those people who moved in" and "that community used to be" were used far too often. People are so quick to make assumptions and don't give a second thought to judging someone that they clearly know nothing about. To stoop to such a shallow level of discourse, and I use that term loosely, is beyond scary to me.

Violence amongst our youth is everywhere. Rich or poor, black or white, in the city or the 'burbs, our kids are in the crosshairs far too often. It is nothing less than an epidemic, and hate speech does nothing to help matters. In fact, I will argue that the hate speech actually promotes more violence, and those blaming others for being violent are actually perpetuating the violence through their words.

What has me frustrated the most is that I do not know of any solution. I am tired of the violence, yet I am even more tired of the hate speech. Children need our love, they need our hugs, but they definitely do not need judgment and hate.

Those who share my opinion, and there are undoubtedly plenty within this community who do, need to make their voices louder. We need to stand together for all of our children before it is too late. I am sure that I speak for many when I say that our prayers go out to the family and friends of Mohamed Kamara. Please know that the pain of your loss is not felt alone.

Thanks for listening.

Jennifer

P.S. To those who speak negatively about the Penn Wood High School and the William Penn School District:
With rare exception, the students of WPSD are amazingly beautiful, talented and promising. I, as a WPSD board member, and more importantly, a Lansdowne resident, will not allow OUR 5,500+ children to be judged by people that do not know them. If you are interested in really getting to know our students, watch this blog for events that are open to the public and come out and see them for yourself. If you are not open to OUR children, please, by all means move from our community. Lansdowne is NO PLACE FOR HATE and we mean those words.

Hey, I'm Home...and I learned some things while I was away...

You might not know it but as School Directors, of which I am one, we have a small budget for Professional Development. That means, that the job we were elected to do is enormous and comes with very little training so we set aside some funds to educate ourselves. Luckily, I am a business owner and have some ideas about running a business, not an $80+ million one, but nonetheless, I do understand businesses. That is what your school district is, right, a business where the product is educated kids.

Well, I just got back from 3 days of School Board director immersion at the National School Board Directors Conference. Yes, this trip is paid for by the taxpayers, and I will argue until the day I am un-elected to serve (which I hope is never because I truly love the job of school board director as I get to be in the fore front of helping 5500 children), that the more I know about being a School Director the better the taxpayers and students of William Penn School District will be.

But I digress...here is what I learned, in brief and more details will be forthcoming...I plan to share lots.

This is what you should know about education in our country and in WPSD:
1. Unfunded mandates run rampant. The No Child Left Behind legislation is being changed, goals and time lines moved, and while we might have thought Obama got it...he and Education Secretary Arnie Duncan might really do some damage.
2. We, as a country, have almost no plan on how to best educate kids in poverty or in rural areas. They are asking good folks like Geoffrey Canada, president and CEO of the Harlem Children’s Zone in Harlem, New York, an organization whose goal is to increase high school and college graduation rates among students in Harlem, but our Nations plan is really not developed. For more on Canada see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Canada
3. WPSD is doing some things really right, but clearly our work is going to become even more challenging as we wrestle with funding, mandates from up above and pensions.
4. We are not alone...many, many school districts have issues very much like ours.

I come home tired and, quite frankly, pretty depressed that there is so little to help kids in poverty learn, but I also come home angry. Angry that we spend more on our jail system then our education system, angry that the job of school districts is made so difficult by top-down legislation that professes to help and yet, supplies no help, just pages and pages of rules and mandates, that even the experts are not sure what they mean or how to best implement them.

Bottom line, its frustrating, but I am way smarter then I was 3 days ago. I intend to take those smarts right into our schools. ALL children are our future, not just the middle class and upper class ones...we need to act like it. We need our country to get it, as a lack of a national commitment to educating EVERY child works its way to little Lansdowne with a huge effects.

It arrived...me and my iPad meet.

It was 10:30 am. The dogs started barking. I looked outside and saw the vision I had been thinking about for the last 30 days. Yes, the UPS driver was walking up my driveway. Much to my glee, under his arm was my iPad!

I enter the house, screaming of my good fortune. Carefully, I open the box. There it was.

It's smaller than I thought. It's a little heavier too. I had no idea 1.5 pounds could weigh so much. It easily synced to my Mac and in mere minutes I was ready to go. I spent the next hour arraigning my icons, re-arranging my icons. Then I explored the 1000s of applications for my new iPad. I downloaded a movie. I held it like a new child.

Guess what happened next. My kids demanded a turn. I turned to my iPhone. Why? To post my new arrival on Facebook! Not only do I love my iPad, I also wanted my friends to be jealous!

Lansdowne: An Introduction

Hi all,

My name is Jennifer Hoff and I am a new Community Journalist for the Delaware County Times. It will be my mission to keep you up to date on our 'Downe town (thanks Grace!).

Right from the get-go, I will tell you that there are a couple of Lansdowne sites that I think are worth bookmarking and checking very regularly.

Lansdowne Borough
The Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation
The Lansdowne Farmers Market
Go Penn Wood!

Lets make this a many-way conversation too. Feel free to ask for information about Lansdowne. If I don't know the answer, I will turn investigator and try to get the information.

I will hopefully have some guest Journalists too so feel free to offer up yourself for a blog, or even better, offer up some unsuspecting person who you think has something valuable to say.

Okay, I am off for the evening. More very soon.

Jennifer

PS. Your feedback is always welcomed...so bring it on!!!