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At the Februray 24, 2021, Board of Supervisors (BOS) meeting, Fire Chief Glenn Forstythe presented the January 2021 Newtown Fire & Emergency Services Incident Report, which breaks down incidents by type, by township in which they occurred, and which incidents were handled by the volunteer Newtown Fire Association (NFA) and which by the paid Newtown Emergency Services Department (NESD).
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One of the earliest challenges for local governments during the coronavirus pandemic was holding open public meetings while maintaining social distancing. Rep. Perry Warren, D-31, said this week that legislative rules allowing online meetings are still a concern for local officials in his district even after nearly a year of grappling with the issue. Warren, a Newtown Borough resident, said in-person public meetings seem to be the preference among local officials here, but that might not mean remote meetings have to leave with the pandemic. "The question will remain, given the technology ... will we be looking at local governments changing their methods of meetings? ... That's something we're going to have to talk about, both at the legislative level and with our borough councils and township boards of supervisors," Warren added. Under state law, public meetings require a majority of a governing body be physically present in order to vote on any business before the board. Emergency legislative rules gave municipalities leeway to hold online meetings during the disaster proclamation first signed by Gov. Tom Wolf on March 6, 2020. The 90-day disaster declaration has been renewed multiple times, most recently on Feb. 19. Warren was recently appointed the minority chair of the House Local Government Committee's Subcommittee on Boroughs, a body that reviews the impact of local governance bills. In addition to federal and state COVID-19 relief bills, Warren said he expects the 2021-2022 legislative session in the General Assembly to see legislation on online meetings and other pandemic policies that might work better than pre-pandemic rules.
Please REGISTER if you are interested in attending a Zoom meeting on Thursday, March 11, at 7:30 PM, to celebrate/commemorate the passage of Newtown Township's "Love is Love" Resolution in support of LGBTQ + minority youth on March 11, 2020 (read "Newtown Township Passes Revised Love is Love Resolution"). Although it took several tries and a modified version to get a resolution passed, I believe the process raised awareness and educated the public regarding the unique trials and tribulations of LGBTQ + minority youth. The goal of this Zoom meeting is to continue to raise awareness. Several activists and students (see below) will be guest speakers, many of whom will tell their personal stories of being bullied, harassed, and discriminated against because of their race and/or gender identity. Invited Speakers include: - Marianne Alt - Kidsbridge Tolerance Center
- Kevin L Antoine, JD - Chief Diversity Equity Inclusion Officer at Bucks County Community College
- Council Rock and George School students
- Karen Downer, President of the Bucks County NAACP
- Kristin Mallon - sponsor of the Council Rock North School Gay Straight Alliance
- Marlene Pray – founder and director of the Rainbow Room
- Others TBD
REGISTER NOW! This meeting is being hosted by John Mack, a Newtown Township Supervisor. It is NOT a Newtown public meeting and attendance is not guaranteed. The opinions expressed here are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
With the COVID-19 pandemic to blame, local-area municipalities will receive less shares of PennDOT’s liquid fuels payments this year. The funds are derived from the gas tax, but PennDOT officials noted that less fuel purchased last year due to the pandemic impacted revenues. The state went from $487.5 million in liquid fuels payments in 2020 to $320.8 million in liquid fuels payments this year, according to PennDOT data. Below is how much local towns will get: - Falls Township – $874,821.44 (Last Year: $944,743.96)
- Langhorne Borough – $37,233.20 (Last Year: $40,099.93)
- Penndel Borough – $57,586.54 (Last Year: $62,022.90)
- Middletown Township – $1,238,758.53 (Last Year: $1,334,255.66)
[Listen to this audio clip from the meeting where a resident lashes out at Supervisor Mack for voting in favor of the settlement: http://bit.ly/GoldvMack]. With legal fees mounting, the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors on Feb. 24 voted 4 to 1 to approve a revised settlement agreement with the Arcadia Land Company. The vote will allow the Philadelphia-based land developer to build 60 single family detached homes in the $700,000 price range behind the Newtown Reformed Church at Route 532 and the Newtown Bypass. That’s 16 homes fewer than Arcadia had originally sought to build. The settlement ends all court litigation, including a suit filed by the Eagle Ridge community over a writ of mandamus filed by the developer claiming a clerical error by the township’s solicitor resulted in a deemed approval of the plan. The writ was subsequently deemed approved by a Bucks County Judge [read “Newtown Township Supervisors Say "No Means No" When It Comes to Arcadia Green III Planned Residential Development”; http://sco.lt/5qmEfw]. The agreement also attempts to resolve traffic concerns related to the entrance to the development on Buck Road and its location within yards of the Newtown Bypass. The plan shows traffic from the new development utilizing an existing service road that parallels the bypass and is currently posted as a right turn in and right turn out only at Buck Road. Under the settlement agreement Arcadia has agreed to ask PennDOT to allow right-turn access into and out of the site directly from the Newtown Bypass. Chairman Phil Calabro joined Supervisors John Mack, Dennis Fisher and David Oxley in voting for the settlement. “Even though many may not be happy with the result, it has been long, tedious and has involved a lot of residents, which is the right way to do things. Not everyone is going to be on the same boat,” said Mack. “We’ll have to see how this works out. As far as the traffic is concern[ed], I know PennDOT doesn’t have a problem with the u-turn. I hope the improvements to Buck Road will make that feasible. “The township has spent a lot of money on this,” Mack continued. “I was surprised at our last meeting when (Eagle Ridge Attorney) Stephen Harris told us that he didn’t believe any of these fights against this will be successful in court. But we have to face the reality.” Republican Supervisor Kyle Davis broke with the four Democrats on the board, casting the lone vote against the deal. He urged the board to continue the fight. “I’m not in favor of this settlement agreement,” he said. “There are a lot of promises in here. A lot of what if’s. The only real tangible item would be the reduction of homes. It’s going to be a nightmare for traffic for not just those living in the area, but those going through on 532. It’s worth the fight to try to stop this from going in there.” Pete Ancona, the president of the Newtown Crossing HOA, said while the HOA has worked hard to find an acceptable solution, a good percentage of residents are not happy with the agreement. “For Newtown Crossing, besides wanting to see the lots preserved as open space forever, our concerns have always been traffic and safety ...,” said Ancona. “Obviously we would all like to see the ground stay open forever, but short of someone buying the property and donating it to the township as a park, it’s not going to happen.” During the Zoom meeting, 13 residents from Newtown Crossing, Crown Point and Eagle Ridge spoke publicly urging the supervisors to vote against the settlement, many of them praising Davis for taking a stand against the settlement, but blasting the solicitor over the clerical error. [Listen to this audio clip from the meeting where a resident lashes out at Supervisor Mack for voting in favor of the settlement: http://bit.ly/GoldvMack]
When David Oxley took the oath of office one year ago he broke ground as the township’s first African American supervisor. “I like to define myself as just David Oxley, the individual, but it is a fact that I am the first African American Supervisor in Newtown Township history. And that’s an honor,” he said. “I appreciate the board appointing me. To be selected, I was deeply moved. And I’m proud of it,” said Oxley, who considers himself a voice on the board for the people of color who live in the township. “I’m happy that I can do a lot of work here in our township that can affect change economically, but also socially,” said Oxley. “Socially is very important because we do have a robust African American population here in Newtown. It’s important for them to have a voice, someone who understands and can express their concerns ... and move forward with issues that are important.” His dad instilled the idea of public service in his children, always challenging and encouraging them to do better in whatever they pursued and making sure they knew how to properly present themselves. His sons followed in their dad’s footsteps with Oxley’s older brother becoming a Justice of the Peace and a Notary and Oxley himself becoming a notary at one point and now a township supervisor. A year ago when Oxley stepped onto the board in early 2020 he had no idea that life was about to change so dramatically. [Read “David Oxley Appointed Newtown Township Supervisor”; http://sco.lt/5MGZmq] The year ahead not only brought the challenges of COVID-19, it sparked outrage across the nation with the death of George Floyd at the hands of the police in Minneapolis, Minn., on Memorial Day. Oxley, who was deeply affected by the images and what he saw on TV and was concerned about the well being of African Americans in general, was in Chief John Hearn’s office the next day in an attempt to understand how something like that could happen. “I talked with him at length for an hour or more about my feelings and how uncomfortable it made me and he assured me that if he ever had a police officer with that thought process they would be out. He made me feel comfortable and was willing to do a Town Hall with me and take resident input about how to improve relationships,” he continued. Throughout his life, Oxley said most of his experiences with the police have been positive except for one incident in college when he was handcuffed for “fitting a description.” “I was literally standing outside of my dorm at the University of Hartford and because I fit a description that was the grounds for me being detained. I felt less of a person because all of my white suite mates were standing there. They were outraged because they knew David. They were just losing their minds. It was sad. You can let it eat you up inside or you can just dust it off and move on.” Oxley cites former President Barack Obama as his role model and the African American he admires the most. Obama’s election, said Oxley, “gave me all the hope in the world that anything is achievable. “President Obama managed to fight through all the noise, all the nonsense and never waivered. He navigated through Congress and Mitch McConnell and everyone who had a target on his back. And then to be re-elected for another four years, you have to be doing something right. “I believe he gave me and a lot of people out there, white or black, the ability to know that public service can be cool, that public service is not for the faint of heart, but that it’s always better to affect change rather than sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing.” Since joining the board of supervisors, Oxley has followed that example, dedicating his time to making a difference and affecting change in the area of economic development, which he sees as the long term solution to the township’s budgetary challenges. He was appointed by Chairman Phil Calabro to serve as liaison to the township’s Economic Development Committee. During budget discussions, he lobbied strongly for the position of assistant township manager who, among other duties, will devote time to economic development, which Oxley sees as the financial path forward for the township without putting the strain on township taxpayers. Oxley and the committee, for example, recently made a presentation to the board of supervisors of ideas and ways to make the Newtown Business Commons more attractive to prospective tenants with the introduction of new uses and other amenities. [Read “Newtown Township Supervisors Discuss Ways To Attract New Business to the Newtown Business Commons District”; http://sco.lt/4ibWc4] “I’m only as good as my team,” said Oxley, crediting the members of the EDC for its ideas and hard work behind the scenes. “The EDC is a strong group of individuals who are entrenched in the community and know Newtown. They do a tremendous job.” Oxley said he hasn’t decided yet whether he’ll be running for a six year seat on the board when his seat expires.
State Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County will become the first Republican in the Pennsylvania legislature to sponsor a bill that would legalize marijuana use and possession for adults 21 years and older. - Bill would allow residents 21 years and older to legally possess 30 grams of cannabis flower
- Bill would also allow licensed medical marijuana patients to grow up to five plants in their home
- Anyone convicted of a non-violent marijuana offense would have their criminal records expunged
- To date, 14 states and Washington D.C. have legalized recreational marijuana
Laughlin, of Millcreek, R-49th Dist., plans to roll out the Adult Use Cannabis and Economic Recovery bill on Wednesday with state Sen. Sharif Street, of Philadelphia, D-3rd Dist.
"I view this as the most responsible approach," he said. "We've already legalized medical marijuana and regulating adult use takes a huge bite out of the black market. It also allows people that already use this product to do it in a more responsible manner and buy it from a safe source with accurate labeling."
Laughlin's support of legalizing marijuana for non-medical use marks a potential shift within the state GOP on an issue that it has largely avoided.
Newtown Township, a suburban community of approximately 20,000 residents situated in desirable Bucks County, Pennsylvania, is seeking a Director of Parks and Recreation. This is a Full-Time Exempt position. Job responsibilities include: overseeing and coordinating the planning and development of park facilities, investigating and pursuing viable park and recreation grant opportunities, establishing and maintaining working relationships with volunteer and nonprofit organizations, and coordinating the organization, implementation, operation and evaluation of recreation programs. Position works in cooperation with the Public Works Department to ensure the proper maintenance of the Township’s park facilities. Position supervises employees assigned to the Park and Recreation Department, seasonal recreational program employees, and summer camps. Position attends public meetings and serves as a liaison to the Parks and Recreation Board. Experience with municipal budgeting to prepare the department’s annual budget and general knowledge of public bidding and procurement processes are required. Starting salary range is between $75,000 and $80,000 annually. Compensation includes a comprehensive benefit package. The qualified candidate should hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Parks and Recreation or a related field, and 5-10 years professional experience in a Parks and Recreation management position or an equivalent combination of education and related experience. Applicant must be proficient in computer programs and applications, such as Microsoft office (Word, Excel, Publisher), Google, and various social media platforms. Must have a valid driver’s license. Applicant must successfully pass a background check and drug screening. Letter of interest and resume should be submitted to Olivia Kivenko at Newtown Township, 100 Municipal Drive, Newtown, PA 18940 or oliviak@newtownpa.gov. Resume’s will be accepted until Friday, March 19, 2021 or until the position is filled. Newtown Township is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Click here for application form.
A franchised dog day care and kennel has presented plans to open a luxury pet resort in Newtown Township. New Jersey-based K-9 Resorts, which has 13 locations across the country and two in southeastern Pennsylvania, in Horsham and Malvern, is planning to lease an 8,000 square foot space on a 3-acre lot at 8 Pheasant Run, located in the Newtown Business Commons. The space will be outfitted with indoor and outdoor play areas using artificial outdoor turf designed for dogs, which can be hosed down and kept clean, according to Tim Katsch, Vice President of Operations for K-9 Resorts, who first presented plans for the business to the Newtown Township Planning Commission last month. Planning commission vice chair Peggy Driscoll said that if concerns about noise, traffic and parking are addressed, the board of supervisors would welcome the addition of a dog day center to the business commons. … nearby residents of the Newtown Gate community have obtained legal counsel as they express concerns over the center's close proximity to its neighborhood. "This seems like this is being done very surreptitiously and being misrepresented to the community," Fred Kurtz, president of the Newtown Gates Homeowners Association, told the planning commission on Tuesday. While the facility will be able to house up to 120 dogs at one time, their centers typically have up to ten dogs for boarding along with 30 to 40 daycare dogs on a given day, Katsch said. The project will be reviewed by the township engineer and may be discussed at the planning commission's next meeting on March 2.
At a recent Newtown Township Board of Supervisors meeting, local officials discussed ways to create a more business-friendly environment in the township. [See my notes from that meeting: http://bit.ly/16FebMackNotes] The discussion comes on the heels of the first tax increase for the township in several years, brought on partly by losses in revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supervisors centered much of their discussion on the Light Industrial (LI) and Office-Light Industrial (O-LI) districts. "If you notice the surrounding areas around the township, there's a little more economic development going on and we want to get some of that," Supervisor David Oxley said at the Tuesday board of supervisors' meeting. "This has been a conversation for the past 20 years," Supervisor Phil Calabro said. Supervisors also discussed the challenge of increasing the walkability of the business commons, which is currently lacking in sidewalks. Other options include allowing for more multi-family housing and expanding building heights to allow for more three and four-story buildings. Planning Commission Chair Allen Fidler said the township could benefit from contracting with an economic development expert to identify types of uses that have been successful in neighboring communities "so we don't have to reinvent the wheel."
Looking for something to do on a late winter Sunday afternoon? The Newtown Historic Association has announced plans for its second Virtual Pub Quiz to be held via Zoom on Sunday, March 7 from 3 to 5 p.m. A Pub Quiz seemed like a natural for the NHA, which is headquartered inside the Court Inn (Half Moon Inn), an historic 1700s tavern dating back to the days when Newtown was the county seat and where folks would gather to catch up on the latest news and gossip and to conduct County and town business off hours. The Newtown [Pub Quiz] will take place entirely on line due to the pandemic with contestants answering questions via an email link. The first to reply correctly wins points with the team at the end of the contest with the most points winning the quiz. Registration is easy. Just visit the NHA website at NewtownHistoric.org and fill in your name, address and number of entries requested. Entries are due by March 5 at 11:59 p.m. The quiz is open to teams of one to five players. And the cost to compete is $10 per person, which benefits the NHA and its work to preserve the history of Newtown. In preparation for the quiz, participants may want to brush up on their knowledge of Newtown by visiting NewtownHistoric.org. The website offers a wealth of information about the history of the community, which was given its name by William Penn who called the area his “New Town.” The quiz will include four rounds with contestants answering questions about the history of Newtown, general knowledge and major U.S. cities. They will also be asked to identify photographs taken in and around Newtown. The Pub Quiz promises to be a fun way to learn about Newtown’s interesting past while supporting the nonprofit Newtown Historic Association, which, like many nonprofits, has struggled to make ends meet during the pandemic. In addition to supporting a Newtown institution, winners will take home valuable prizes and gift cards donated by the Newtown business community. “It’s a fun thing to do,” said NHA volunteer Kenya Crawford. “Have some pub drinks ready and some snacks. You’re going to learn about local history and have a great afternoon.”
Two Newtown natives have developed an app to help independent coffee shops reach potential customers. Nikolai Derek and Sean McLean, who now live in Manayunk are the team behind Passport Coffee Club, which launched about four weeks ago. Participating coffee shops can be featured on the app at no cost. Derek and McLean, both Newtown natives and Council Rock North graduates, came up with the idea early in the pandemic while walking in Manayunk and thinking about how businesses and coffee shops were effected by the coronavirus. The app allows shops to offer loyalty reward programs to customers, and ideally new customers. The app also features a discount program that users can choose to get 10 percent discounts. Users can sign up for the discount on a yearly or monthly basis for just 75 cents and 99 cents, respectively, per month. "We figured we could create a loyalty program to help [coffee shops]," Derek told Patch. Current shops on board with the app are GET Café in Narberth, Trail's End Café in Bala Cynwyd, Coffee Room in Newtown (Bucks County), Mammoth Coffee in Philadelphia, Keswick Coffee House in Glenside, Java & Friends in East Greenville, and AFAF Coffee in Sharon Hill.
A former employee of a lawn care business is accused of stealing more than $4,000 from his boss, according to the Newtown Township Police Department.
Bradley Cohen, 64, who worked for Weed Man in Newtown Township, is alleged to have cashed checks that were made out to his employer and pocketed the money for himself.
Police have issued an arrest warrant for Cohen, who was last known to be staying at a hotel in the Fieldsboro, New Jersey area and was last known to be driving a gray Mini Cooper.
For Valentine's Day, we asked them to open up about their "meet cute" stories, romances and the secret recipe to keeping the love alive, even during a pandemic. Priya first met her husband, Ashnikumar Guru, 14 years ago when he worked at Mirch Masala in Bensalem and she ordered his Paneer Lacha. She fell in love with the dish and later fell for the chef. Priya would frequent the restaurant to order it again — and talk to the chef. But when the restaurant shut down, and Ashnikumar moved to New York, Priya searched for a Paneer Lacha that would match his for four years. Paneer Lacha is shredded paneer cooked with ginger and onions in a thick gravy. “So, I tell everyone that’s the dish I married the man for,” Priya said. In 2014, Ashnikumar came back to Pennsylvania for a visit and reconnected with Priya with the help of his ex-boss, and finally took her out on a date. “It took him seven years to realize how much I flirted,” Priya recalled laughing. In 2015, the couple had their Anand Karaj, the Sikh marriage ceremony, in Robbinsville, New Jersey, followed by a Gujarati wedding in Morrisville. That same year they opened Guru’s Indian Cuisine in Newtown. The couple bought a new location in November of 2018 after their landlord refused to renew the restaurant's lease. In April of 2019, after renovations and new permits, they moved Guru’s to its current location at 203 North Sycamore St. Because of the renovations, they were four months behind on their mortgage. They were able to make it up to only two months behind, finally settling down by December of 2019. Priya saw her first paycheck in two and half years, thinking, “finally, it’s all worth it.” But then the pandemic hit in March, and restaurants shut down. “My husband — he’s very calm and believes, whatever happens, happens for a reason, and on the other hand, me, I’m a panic person,” Priya said. “So as soon as the pandemic hit, I was like, that’s it, the restaurant is shut down.” When takeout was permitted, their staff wasn’t ready to come back to work. So, the couple worked together to get the business back up and running. “In 2020, we revisited 2015 like 'How we started the restaurant?,' him cooking and me packing and serving and picking up the phones,” Priya said. “The only difference was I was a little more experienced than I was in 2015.” The two started cooking for hospital workers and first responders, partnered with Neighbor in Need in Yardley and delivered food to families quarantining due to COVID to help the community. By August, outdoor seating reopened, and the couple had two to three months of steady business till the cold came, and they had to go back to takeout and delivery. “It’s been a rollercoaster,” Priya said. “So, I tell everybody, don’t worry, if I don’t have a place, I’ll cook from my house.”
The Wrightstown Board of Supervisors granted final approval for [a Dunkin' Donuts store] to set up shop at 811 Durham Road/Route 413, situated in what is often referred to as the Five Points intersection. The 2,000 square foot single story café, which will include a drive-thru window, will be located near the former Penn Community Bank near the intersection of Route 413, Route 232 and Park Avenue. The three-member board voted 2-0 to approve the project, with Supervisor Jane Magne abstaining, citing concerns over the impact the project will have on a neighboring residential property. "I cannot in good conscience vote for a project that's going to potentially have a really profound effect on one of our township residents," Magne said. "The property owner is likely going to be bombarded with idling trucks, cars, engines, and music from radios. I don't think anyone should have to endure that. I don't feel assured that these problems will be resolvable although I sure hope that they can be. Therefore I'm going to abstain from this vote."
In a unanimous vote Thursday, February 4,2021, the school board voted to approve a preliminary spending plan for the 2021-2022 school year. Bill Stone, director of business administration, said the district is anticipating revenues of around $249.2 million and expenditures of $259.5 million, leaving a $10.3 million dollar budget deficit for next year. Superintendent Robert Fraser emphasized that the preliminary budget is more of a rough draft than a final spending plan, as the school board can make revisions as needed before approval of the final budget in June. "This is very, very early in the process, based on nothing more than broad strokes and assumptions at this point," Fraser said. The preliminary budget assumes a 3 percent increase in the real estate tax, which makes up about 80 percent of the district's total local revenue. "Overall our revenues are projected to be mostly flat when compared to the prior year other than that real estate tax," Stone said. "The majority of the increases in the expenditure budget are due to contractual obligations as well as mandated expenditures from the state and federal government."
At the February 3, 2021, Bucks County Commissioners meeting, Evan J. Stone, Executive Director of the Bucks County Planning Commission (BCPC), presented a summary of an Alternative Energy Ordinance that BCPC put forward as a model for Bucks County municipalities to use when adopting their own ordinances. Currently, only about 55% of Bucks County municipalities have some kind of alternative energy ordinances on the books.
Listen to the 7.5 minute audio recording of this presentation... Download the Ordinance
With the mayoral seat in Newtown Borough up for grabs, a second resident has announced her candidacy in the November election. Rebecca Bancroft, a 27-year resident of resident of Newtown, would become the borough's first female mayor if elected. She is running on the Democratic ticket with a focus on public safety, local businesses and rebuilding community ties. She brings ten years of experience as a small business owner and as a business manager for several companies in Philadelphia, coupled with her volunteer work with Council Rock schools and Borough projects. The current mayor, Charles F. Swartz III, a Republican, was elected in 2013 and re-elected in 2017. He announced last week that he would not seek re-election and endorsed Newtown Borough Constable John Burke, who is running on the Republican ticket.
Tiffany Thomas-Smith is hoping to make history as the first Black female judge to serve on the Bucks County Court of Common Pleas. The Lower Makefield resident is one of four candidates seeking the Democratic Party nomination in the upcoming primary election on May 8. The Newtown attorney received her law degree from Howard Law School in 1996 and has been practicing family and criminal law in the Philadelphia region for more than two decades, first in the Philadelphia Public Defender's Office, then as a clerk for Judge Thomas Smith (no relation) in Mount Hawley, New Jersey and finally as the owner and managing partner of her own outfit, the Thomas Smith Firm, P.C. law firm in Newtown. She uses the term "compassionate justice" to describe the focus of her campaign. "What that means to me is having understanding and empathy for others and intersecting that fair application of the law to reach the best results," she said. As for the court system, Thomas-Smith said she sees room for improvement. For one, there is the issue of diversity. "The reality of it is there's been no African-American woman that has run for this position," Thomas-Smith said. "I think it's time for that, not because of the issue of race but for the recognition of diversity as an educational tool. The more we know about one another the better off we are as a community." Thomas-Smith and three other candidates for the judge seat will outline their platforms and answer questions from the public in a virtual forum hosted by Bucks Voices at 7 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 25. Click here for more information: http://bit.ly/39VXyod
A former Newtown Borough councilman has announced he is running for Mayor of Newtown Borough in the upcoming 2021 election. John Burke, 52, who currently serves as a constable for Newtown Borough, announced his candidacy Thursday. Burke was elected to Newtown Borough Council in 2009 and served on the borough's Environmental Advisory Committee. He was elected constable in 2015. As a manager of Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Burke said he will bring his experience in the private sector to find solutions to real-world challenges. "My goal as Mayor is simple: bring common sense to our local government and achieve positive results on everyday issues ranging from improving our roads to providing for our police, firefighters and emergency responders, to ensuring our small businesses are able to survive and thrive," he said. "I know we can achieve great successes in our community if we all work as one for our community, and that is the effort I will lead as Mayor."
The commissioner of the Pennsylvania State Police said Tuesday that his department began collecting data during traffic stops at the beginning of the year as part of a program to identify any racial or ethnic disparities and recommend remedies if they do exist. “Troopers take an oath to enforce the law ‘without any consideration of class, color, creed or condition,” and this data collection effort is one way to show the public we are upholding that oath,” Col. Robert Evanchick said in a statement. “Regular and ongoing analysis by a neutral third party is a critical part of this program that emphasizes our department’s commitment to transparency and continuous improvement,” he said. Evanchick said State Police will collect data for 30 fields, including driver and passenger ages, gender, race and ethnicity, as well the length of the stop, any searches and search results. Data will be analyzed by University of Cincinnati researchers to determine patterns of racial or ethnic disparity any recommendations for changes to State Police policies or training, Evanchick said. A final statistical analysis report will be released in April 2022, police said.
Several offensive emails were sent from a student's email account to high school students and staff members in the district. In an email to Council Rock families, Superintendent Robert Fraser said the district has turned the matter over to local police. "We are operating on extremely limited information at this time, and I ask everyone to reserve forming any conclusions until this matter can be fully investigated," Fraser said. "Regardless of the results of this investigation, I am sorry that many of you have received such an offensive email. The Council Rock School District takes this matter seriously, and we will keep you informed as we learn more." The email, which was received by numerous students from both Council Rock high schools and by Council Rock staff members, was turned over to authorities out of concern that one or more student's email accounts was hacked and because the content of the email "possibly included anti-Semitic messaging," Fraser said. "We treat anti-Semitic language and hate speech of any kind with the greatest seriousness, as it directly goes against our belief system as an inclusive school district," he said.
At the January 13, 2021, Newtown Board of Supervisors Zoom meeting township resident Frank McCarron made a case for increased diversity in the Newtown Police Department (NTPD). Currently, all 29 or so NTPD police officers are white. Mr. McCarron suggested that all 3 officers that are planned to be hired in 2021 should be officers of color. Listen to a 5-minute audio clip from the Zoom meeting that includes Mr. McCarron’s comments and Chief John Hearn's response when asked by Supervisor David Oxley to respond. What do you think? Do you favor the hiring of police officers of color to diversify the racial/ethnic composition of the Newtown Township Police force? TAKE MY SURVEY NOW!
[Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, a former FBI special agent, suggested Worthington call an attorney.] Special agents from the FBI have visited multiple Bucks Countians as part of their investigations following last week’s attack on the U.S. Capitol Two law enforcement sources and a political insider have confirmed to LevittownNow.com that special agents have visited residents in the county, including in the lower end. A law enforcement source said it was their understanding that the visits were part of due diligence on tips received. Two organized bus trips from Bucks County went down to Washington D.C. last Wednesday for a rally featuring President Donald Trump and allies airing grievances about President-Elect Joe Biden’s win. No one connected to the buses is known to be facing charges and organizers for the one bus convoy said the group went to hear Trump speak at the rally a short distance from the capitol complex. Jim Worthington, the owner of the Newtown Athletic Club and a supporter of Trump who organized the one bus group, said on The Conservative Voice radio program Friday that the FBI visited him Wednesday. He said his girlfriend was at his Bucks County home and put the special agents in touch with Worthington. Worthington, who personally and as a business owner has faced backlash for his support of Trump, said he spoke with the special agents with his attorney present. He said the FBI special agents asked about his whereabouts last Wednesday and he showed them video while describing he was just feet from Trump during his speech at the rally and not at the capitol. The businessman, who runs the People4Trump group, said in a statement last Saturday that the people on his buses did not break the law. He added during the radio interview that he was not on the buses and was in his car headed home while the attack was happening. Worthington noted he knows of another person who was at the rally who was visited by federal agents.
Restaurant owners have had to get creative during the COVID-19 pandemic, building heated, outdoor tents, patios and igloos to keep customers warm but safe during their dining experience. As owner of the Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar chain of restaurants, Dave Magrogan is no stranger to the ups and downs of the industry. The restauranteur laid off hundreds of workers in March following the COVID-19 shutdown. When restrictions were lifted in June, the Newtown location began offering outdoor dining, but cold weather has proved to another hurdle for most restaurants. While the cold weather may deter most people from eating outside, Magrogan is hoping to draw in more customers by deploying heated outdoor igloos at his area restaurants, including 12 pods at his restaurant in the Village at Newtown. Most of the pods can comfortably seat six to eight guests, he said.
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Curated by johnmacknewtown
I am a retired small businessman who has lived in Newtown Township PA since 1995. The opinions expressed here are solely mine and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
Other Topics
Anti Discrimination
This board is dedicated to promoting the value of diversity and addressing discrimination based on age, race, color, gender, religion, creed, culture, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, ancestry, national origin and disability. These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
Good Government
A good government is an open government where transparency reigns supreme. These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
Newtown Area News
These Scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources. Please click on the "From" link to access the full original article. Any opinions and "insights" appended to these article summaries are solely those of John Mack and do not represent the opinions of any other person or entity.
Newtown Government Business
These scoops include summaries of Newtown Township public meetings meetings of the Board of Supervisors and various committees based on official minutes and/or audio and video recordings. Also included is information about ordinances, resolutions, etc.
Public Health & Safety
These scoops are excerpts from articles published in local newspapers and other sources. They focus on public health issues such as opioid addiction, water and air quality, environmental issues, emergency services, traffic, crime, etc.
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The image shows the location of ALL the planned restaurants in Lot #1 of the Shopping Center. Bomba has not yet come before the Twp for approval.