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JONBENET RAMSEY INVESTIGATOR BRINGS NATIONAL SEMINAR SERIES TO CHESTER COUNTY WITH STOP BULLYING TODAY PROGRAM Dale Yeager a criminal analyst, who worked for the Boulder District Attorney’s office in 1997 on the original murder investigation of JonBenet Ramsey, is bringing his national seminar series to Chester County. "We are excited that Mr. Yeager will be coming to Franklin Commons with his STOP BULLYING TODAY - A child and parent seminar for children ages 4-12," says Director of Events and Public Relations Teri Eide. "This is a serious issue and Mr. Yeager is the definitive national expert on this subject." The 90 minute seminar will be held for parents and their children on March 2, 2011 7- 8:30 pm at Franklin Commons located at 400 Franklin Ave., Phoenixville, PA. The seminar is free of charge , but parents must pre register their children by calling or emailing Laura Collins at 866-468-7962 ext 802 or info@seraph.net . The Instructor: Criminal Analys...

Unfortunately, this event was cancelled .

On Saturday, March 19th, fans of 610 WIP's Joe Conklin and Big Daddy Graham will have the chance to see them perform live in Phoenixville. JOE CONKLIN, friend to the HKMS is going to be hilariously live at Phoenixville Area Middle School on March 19, 7pm. He'll be joined by another funny Philly guy, Big Daddy Graham. This riotous show is just $25 with proceeds benefiting Phoenixville High School Baseball. For more information or to buy tickets please visit https://tix2.seatyourself.biz/webstore/webstore.html?domain=phantoms

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills announces two spinning workshops to be held in March and April. The first workshop, Spinning with a Drop Spindle, will be held Saturday, March 5, 2011 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Craft Shop at Camphill Kimberton in Kimberton , Pa. Participants will learn to spin your own yarn as the nomadic people of the world do. Registration cost is $45 in advance and $50 the day of and includes materials and your own drop spindle to take away and spin with. The second event, Beginning Spinning with a Wheel, will be Saturday, April 2, 2011 from 9 a.m. to noon at the Craft Shop at Camphill Kimberton in Kimberton , Pa. Learn to card, spin and ply wool using a spinning wheel. Registration cost is $45 in advance and $50 on the day. For further information and to reserve a place, please call Felicity at 610-935-0350. Register for both workshops in advance for $80.

Over the next couple of months, Freedom Valley YMCA will be hosting three separate 5Ks throughout the area: Three Freedom Five 3FF - 5K Run/Walks RACE FOR A CAUSE! Last year 600 walkers and runners helped raise over $14,300 - 100% of proceeds benefited the Y Cares program, providing members the advantage of programs, services and the value of a Freedom Valley YMCA membership. Governed by our 5 branches; the Y Cares program raises funds to ensure that anyone, regardless of their ability to pay, can take advantage of the healthy lifestyle benefits, services and life-changing programming the YMCA provides. Run ONE or ALL THREE!

On the fourth Monday of every month, Phoenixville Hospital offers free Tobacco Free Support Meetings. Meetings are held at 7pm in the hospital cafeteria. Below is some information on the upcoming meetings: Join us on February 28 @ 7:00 PM for a discussion about "Quitting for Love” Join us on March 28 @ 7:00 PM to explore the "Benefits of Yoga" For more information or to reserve a spot, please call 610-983-1288.

Those of you who were downtown yesterday evening may have seen some film trucks on the 200 block of Bridge Street. 6-12 was the backdrop for a Newsday Commercial that was filming in Phoenixville at around 5pm. Two huge cameras were positioned adjacent to the dining room entrance of the Bistro on Bridge. For the full story and pictures, visit our friends at oneninefoursixzero.com .

Planning Commission member Jennifer Mayo has been appointed to Borough Council, taking the seat of Michael Handwerk who resigned his position in January. From The Phoenix: Phoenixville Borough Council appointed Jennifer Mayo as its newest member Tuesday night with a vote of 4-3, filling the seat recently vacated with the resignation of Councilman Michael Handwerk. Members Marc Reber, David Gautreau and Kendrick Buckwalter voted against the appointment of Mayo. Council President Richard Kirkner said members had three candidates vie for the middle ward seat, with Mayo coming out on top. Mayo has been an “active member” in borough government, serving for four years as a member on the borough’s planning commission, a year as a planning commission representative on the Historical Architectural Review Board and a member of the economic development committee, Kirkner said. “She has a good understanding of what government can and can’t do,” Kirkner said. Read the full article here ....

Neumann University, located in the Franklin Commons building in Phoenixville, will host a re-employment project using the Five O’Clock Club model. The program begins February 28 th with the orientation meeting that day. The program will run for 10 weeks, every Monday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and is designed to work with individuals who are looking to get back to work quickly in their industry or transition to another industry. “What differentiates this re-employment program from other public, private and commercial programs in the area is the focused concentration on the individual,” says Gail Fletcher of the Phoenixville Community Health Foundation Leadership Academy. “The program is a cross between a graduate school curriculum and boot camp and has a rigorous syllabus to follow, with weekly high-powered guest speakers to kick off the day’s program.”

Between now and March 8th, you can help rescued victims of sex slavery in the United States by donating purses in new or like-new condition to the Phoenixville Purse Drive. Purse donation sites include: Phoenixville Chamber of Commerce 171 Bridge St.; Citadel Credit Union, 558 Kimberton Rd. (Rural Rt113); Snyder Family Chiropractic, 1003A Egypt Rd.; Konell Insurance, 444 Valley Forge Rd.; Country Nails, 255 Schuylkill Rd.; The Bistro at Franklin Commons, 400 Franklin St.; and, in Eagleville, Minuteman Press, 2938 West Ridge Pike. Collected purses in new or like-new condition will be donated to Change Purse, an organization raising awareness about human trafficking and investing in the lives of rescued women and children through purses at www.changepurse.org . The Department of Justice estimates that nearly 300,000 children are forcibly prostituted in the United States at any given time. Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant Sylvia Dana Atkinson is coordinating this project as...

Saturday, February 26, 2011 will be a busy day at Camphill Village Kimberton Hills as two artistic events are being held at the village in the same afternoon.

On Saturday, April 2nd, Phoenxiville Area Community Services is hosting its first American Classics Festival. The event will feature a High School Show Choir Competition, a classic car show and family activities. Highlighting the event will be Phoenixville's first Jerry Blavat Dance Party: Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS) proudly brings you Phoenixville's first Jerry Blavat Dance Party featuring the one and only "Geator with the Heater" - the "Boss with the Red Hot Sauce!!" Grab your favorite partner and prepare to dance the night away with the sounds of soul, doo-wop and rock and roll on Saturday night, April 2nd. The party starts at 7:00 pm and lasts until midnight at Franklin Commons. Tickets are only $35 per person and include a fabulous night of dancing, light refreshments and fun!! Bring all your friends and neighbors to this event that is sure to be the talk of Phoenixville and the entire region! For more information or to purcha...

A blog has been started to keep people updated on progress being made towards the development of Lot 'O' of the Steel Site, the project the DeMutis Group has submitted to the Planning Commission . The site currently has renderings of what the proposed site would look like as well as a history of the Steel Site. More is sure to come. Visit the site at thephoenixvillesteelsite.blogspot.com .

On Friday, March 25, Phoenixville Area Community Services (PACS) will be hosting their 4th Annual Murder Mystery Comedy Dinner Theatre & Silent Auction. This years event will be held from 6-11pm at RiverCrest Golf Club & Preserve, 100 Golf Club Drive, Phoenixville, PA. Tickets are $75 per person and include hors d’oeuvres, cash bar, choice of entree, dessert, coffee, Murder Mystery show and silent auction. Click here for more information, including a list of items available to bid on, and to register.

Looking to celebrate St. Patrick's Day but don't want to take a day off of work? Well, you're in luck, as Phoenixville will be playing host to both a pre and post St. Patrick's Day Pub Crawl, the later being preceded by a 'Hair of the Dog' 5K. The Pre-Saint Patty's Day Pub Crawl is being held of Saturday, March 12th from 12-6pm. Organized by Bistro on Bridge , the event features all of the Bridge Street bars who will each have a different selection of micro-brews to choose from. For more information, click on the flyer to your left or visit the Facebook Event page . Unable to make it on the 12th or looking to make your St. Patrick's Day a week long celebration? Then the Hair of the Dog 5K and Pub Crawl is for you. Taking place on Saturday, March 19th, the day will begin with an optional 5K (run starts at 11:30 AM at the clock in Reeves Park) and continues with a pub crawl throughout Phoenixville. This is an unofficial event and details are s...

Last week, Manny DeMutis and Barry Cassidy presented new plans for the Steel Site. From downtownphoenixvillenews.blogspot.com : Phoenixville Developer Manny DeMutis presented his vision of the steel site development last night to the phoenixville planning commission. The plan got a amicable reception as members of the commission were given a preview of the proposed development. DeMutis stated that the project did not have a name yet and he asked for input from the commission. The project will include a 30,000 square foot office building, 80,000 square feet of retail and 275 apartments located above the retail. The project will also include a parking garage to enable those residents and business owners to park on site. DeMutis has assembled a private equity group and has purchased a portion of the steel property. He will now seek to secure approvals for mixed use development. “What we are proposing is a series of buildings replicating the infill construction completed on the Iro...

This summer, Rock & Roll After School will be offering several Summer Band Camps. Dates of the camps are: July 11 - 15 July - 18 - 22 August 8 - 12 August 15 - 19 Join a band, write a song and perform on stage. No prior music experience necessary. Bands rehearse from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm each day with no-cost, supervised extended care until 6:00 pm. All for only $300 per week! For more information, visit http://www.rockandrollafterschool.com/camp/ .

The Phoenixville Public Library is hosting several events over the next month: PECO Smart Home E-Audit Presentation PECO , an Exelon Company, will offer a free presentation of their no-cost online energy audit tool, the PECO Smart Home E-Audit, on Thursday, February 24 at 7:00 PM at Phoenixville Public Library. Attendees who bring their 10-digit PECO account number with them will receive a free analysis of their home’s energy use. This event is free and open to the public. Reservations are required. Investing in Recovery, Part 2: Tools Financial advisor Eric Lanshe of Merrill Lynch Wealth Management will present the second in his three-part series of financial literacy seminars for investors at Phoenixville Public Library. “Investing in Recovery: A Guide to Portfolio Repair: Tools” will be presented on Monday, February 28 at 7:00 PM in the Library’s Community Room. Participants will learn about the different asset types they can use to build a diversified portfolio. Stocks, ...

For the third time in a little under a year, a borough councilman has resigned. On January 25th, middle-ward councilman Mike Handwerk tendered his resignation. The resignation was accepted at Tuesday's council meeting. From The Phoenix : A special borough council meeting has been scheduled for 8 p.m. Feb. 22 to interview candidates and appoint a new member, since the next regularly scheduled meeting is on March 8, falling well after the 30-day parameter set by law to select a new member, Council President Richard Kirkner said. Currently, only two applications have been submitted to the borough, so those interested in the position can apply in person or send a letter of interest to Krack, Kirkner said.

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills is hosting a Nuno Felting Workshop on Saturday, February 12 from 9 a.m. to noon. At this hands-on craft workshop, you will learn to use silk and wool to create unique handmade scarves. The registration fee is $50 in advance, $60 the day of the workshop, and includes materials to make your own scarf. For more information or to reserve your space, contact Felicity at 610-935-0350. Camphill Kimberton is located at 1601 Pughtown Road , Kimberton , PA. For more information, visit them at www.camphillkimberton.org .

Villanova, Pennsylvania — As an international authority on finance, planning, space flight, and computer systems, Dr. Rocco Leonard Martino recently published his latest novel, 9-11-11: The Tenth Anniversary Attack . Prompted by recent terrorist instances, Dr. Martino wrote this political thriller to address the need to avoid complacency and to counterattack with Cyber Warfare. The timeliness of this novel transcends its reference to the upcoming tenth anniversary of 9/11. Dr. Martino reveals, “In my doctoral thesis, I worried about the re-entry of space vehicles. In this novel, I worry about how to defeat the terrorists and their deadly obsession. In this work of fiction, I propose some ideas.” 9/11/11: The Tenth Anniversary Attack triggers an undeniable awareness that calls readers to consider the future and act immediately. It depicts Cyber Warfare against the terrorists. About the Book Mark Striker is an extremely successful cyber consultant, avid sailor, and world traveler. ...

Forge Theatre opens David Lindsay-Abaire drama, RABBIT HOLE, on February 25 Becca and Howie had the perfect life – a great marriage, a beautiful house, and a lovely son. But a tragic accident forces them to move beyond their personal grief and explore a range of emotions as they try to find new meaning in the life that remains. Heartbreaking and improbably funny, this drama of a family in crisis won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize in Drama for playwright David Lindsay-Abaire, who has adapted his script for the recently-released film version starring Oscar-nominee Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. Forge Theatre in Phoenixville is proud to present RABBIT HOLE. Directed by Aaron Gould, the play features Heather Reese, Eric Jarrell, DeeDee Mann, Kevin Fennell, and Deb Braak. On Sunday, March 6, immediately following the 2:00 matinee performance, audience members are invited to join the cast and crew for a post-show discussion exploring the issues and emotions that the play addresses. The...

2011 Brides Choice Winner-Wedding Photography, Based in Philadelphia, Pa PHOENIXVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA - February 01, 2011 (PRLEAP.COM) February 1, 2011 - WeddingWire, the nation’s leading wedding technology company, is thrilled to announce Philadelphia based Laura Keen Photography for Wedding Photography Recognition for the Bride’s Choice Awards™ 2011 is determined by recent reviews and extensive surveys from over 750,000 WeddingWire newlyweds. Our past clients are among those that shared their experiences on WeddingWire, the largest wedding review site in the nation. Laura Keen Photography stands among the top five percent of wedding professionals in the WeddingWire community, representing quality and service excellence within the wedding industry. Awards were given to the top wedding professionals across 20 service categories, from wedding venues to wedding photographers, and were based on the overall professional achievements throughout the past year. "WeddingWire is honore...

During the month of January, Neumann University will be offering free computer classes at their Franklin Commons location. Schedule as follows: Microsoft Word - Intermediate level Offered Feb 9th, Wed., 6-8 PM AND Feb 11th, Friday 1-3PM Microsoft Excel - Intermediate level Offered Feb 16th, Wed., 6-8 PM AND Feb 18th, Friday 1-3PM Microsoft Excel - Advanced level Offered Feb 23th, Wed., 6-8 PM AND Feb 25th, Friday 1-3PM To reserve a spot in any of these classes, email info-pxv@neumann.edu or call 484-832-0523.