Cheltenham News!

Cheltenham Police Announce Two Arrests in Recent Vehicle Break-ins
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Cheltenham Township Police have recently arrested two (2) individuals for a 
series of Theft from Auto incidents which occurred in late October and early November, 
2010.  The suspects were developed through evidence which was recovered inside 
vehicles which had been broken into during overnight hours.  Arrested were:

Alexandra OROZCO-BLANDON
- H/F, 1019 E. Luzerne St, Philadelphia, Pa. 19124, 01/07/1992

OROZCO-BLANDON was arrested for (2) TFA incidents committed on October 22nd 
2010.
She was identified via fingerprint evidence lifted from the scene.
·There are approx. (10) other TFA's in that area which she is possibly connected
 with. On-going Investigation.  OROZCO-BLANDON is currently out on bail

Dina CONCERT

- W/F, 45 Chelfield Rd, Glenside, Pa. 19038, 03/09/1976

Dina CONCERT was arrested for committing a Theft from Auto incident on 
11/07/2010 in the Glenside section.  A search warrant was executed at CONCERT's residence 
and the victim's property was recovered.  CONCERT is currently incarcerated at 
Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

Contact Information
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Phone:
EMERGENCY: 911
Police Business: 215-885-1600
Non-Emergency:     Ext. 460
Community Policing: Ext. 482
Detective Division:  Ext. 499
Highway Safety:     Ext. 474
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Cheltenham Township | 8230 Old York Road | Township Administration Building | 
Elkins
Park | PA | 19027
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Crime Report

WYNCOTE CIVIC ASSOCIATION MEETING

The Wyncote Civic Association is pleased to present

Sergeant John Slavin
Cheltenham Township Police Department

Wyncote Crime Report

A report on the latest crime trends affecting Wyncote followed
by a discussion on how you can better protect your family, home
and property.

All Hallows Church Hall

Greenwood Avenue and Bent Road

Monday, November 8, 2010

7:30 pm
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Cheltenham Chamber of Citizens
A Pennsylvania Nonprofit
www.CheltenhamChamberofCitizens.com
E-mail: CheltenhamChamberofCitizens@gmail.com
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Cheltenham News

Hello Neighbors
 co
There are two properties on the Zoning Hearing Board agenda for 11/08/10 at 7:30 PM at Curtis Hall:

1) The business located at 1627 W. Cheltenham Avenue (it's the auto repair station at the corner of Sycamore and Cheltenham Avenue) wants to engage in a commercial truck rental business.

2) 1831 Cheltenham Ave. (doctor's office) wishes to change the zoning of the building.

Both of these applications were not brought in front of the La Mott BHAR.

Pass on the information.

We all can not make all the meetings, but we need to attend this one.  

Remember to check you Township Calendar for dates of meetings

courtesy of Darlene Melton. 

"Black Soldiers In Blue" - Film Documentary

Saturday, November 6, 2010

at 1:30 pm at the LaMott Community Center / Library

"Black Soldiers in Blue"

This movie tells the story of the soldiers at Camp William Penn, the first and largest training camp for black soldiers during the Civil War. (not rated)

Drawing to win a DVD and light refreshments served.

Sponsored by the Friends of La Mott Library.

The Dominican Retreat House May Be In Trouble!

Located in Elkins Park the property formerly known as the Dominican Retreat House may be facing some financial difficulty.

The property was purchased by the Land Conservancy of Elkins Park Inc. but it may be facing foreclosure.

The former owners of the property, The Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine de Ricci, have taken legal action to foreclose on the property because multiple mortgage payments have not been made.

Both sides are hoping to come to some sort of agreement.

source
The Times Chronicle

Election Day 2010!

Well its election day here in our little area!

I got off to a late start and didn't get in to vote until around 2:30 this afternoon. At this time of the day the turn out was light but and there was no line to wait in. BUT there were people coming in at a very steady pace!

One (actually I should say the only) issue on the ballot box (besides the candidates running) has to do with lowering the percentage number of area registered voters needed to be able to vote / enact on ordinances in this area. Currently a 30% number of area registered voters are needed but the ballot question asks to lower that percentage number to 7%.

Of course I won't tell you how I voted (however I will mention that I have been disappointed with some of this area's local politicians!) but what I will tell you is that election day here in LaMott is always a busy kind of day! Neighbors meet and greet each other here and we get to see neighbors that we haven't seen in a while and even meet some new ones!

So if you haven't gone out to vote yet you have until 8pm tonight!

Remember our polling place is the LaMott Community Center at Willow and Sycamore Aves.

For more information, remember that our polling place is:

The LaMott Community Center
7420 Sycamore Ave
LaMott, PA 19027
(215)635-3255

I Actually Saw A Deer Running Through The Back Of The Houses!

Over the weekend I actually saw a deer running through the backyards outside my kitchen window!

It actually quite scared me because while I have heard stories about there being deers that are in the community garden at night I had never actually seen one!

Since I work from home I was having some lunch and I was looking outside my kitchen window and that is when I saw the deer! It was moving quite fast and jumping over the fences with quite a lot of ease!

It was a beautiful-looking brown deer and though it really quite scared me to see it later I thought how nice it was to see it.

Now comes the "hard" part! Even though it was quite lovely to see the deer I hope I don't see it when I'm walking around the neighborhood! The deer was quite big and I can imagine that it is also quite strong! They move so fast and I noticed that when it thought that it heard a noise it moved even faster. As a matter of fact the deer was moving towards the Cheltenham Avenue area and I kind of fear for it!

Where did I see this deer moving towards the back of the houses? It was on Cedar Avenues, Willow Avenue and also the 1800 and 1900 blocks of Graham Lane.

I wonder where it finally ended up?

What Does This Sticker Mean?

Imagine my surprise when I came home and found this sticker attached to my mailbox!


All kinds of thoughts were going through my head! I was thinking of some kind of big disaster or something like that! (I also noticed that the sticker was on a few other houses as well)

So what I did was that I decided to look it up on the Internet and this is what I found out about it!

It seems that the postal service is implementing some kind of tracking system to improve the quality of their postal service.

The sticker says "managed service point" and it seems that it's relatively harmless - so far!

Community Meeting!

There will be a community meeting at the LaMott Community Center on Sunday, September 12, at 3pm.



This will be a chance for the residents of the LaMott community to bring up important issues and concerns about the community.

Attendence is free!

Blood Donation Event

On Monday, August 30th from 1:30 pm - 7:30 pm there will be a blood drive at the LaMott Community Center, 7420 Sycamore Ave.

Appointments are preferred. For an appointment please call

215-635-3255

Or you can sign up at:

redcrossblood.org.

The need is constant. The gratification is instant. Give blood.

LaMott Community Garden Update!

In a letter dated May 20th, 2010 a letter was sent to Ms. Ann Weaver Hart, President of Temple University regarding the LaMott Community Meeting held June 6, 2010.

"Dear President Hart:

On behalf of the residents of the community of LaMott, you or representatives of Temple University are cordially invited to attend a LaMott Community Meeting on Sunday, June 6, 2010, at 3p at the LaMott Community Center to discuss the possible sale of the temple Tyler School of Art property and the future of the LaMott Community Garden, which Temple University has allowed to exist on a portion of the school's property for many decades.

I, and the residents of LaMott, look forward to having you or a designated representative at the meeting to discuss the future of the Tyler School of Art property."

The above letter was sent by Harvey Portner who is the Commissioner of Ward 3 which is located in Cheltenham Township.

I personally attended this meeting! And Temple sent a representative to attend the meeting. They sent Charles Duncan who works in Government, Community & Public Affairs for Temple University.

At the time the property mentioned above was being considered for sale but the final details of the sale were not finalized.

at the present time and as far as I know the property has not been sold to any one as of yet.

Please stay tuned for more details! I will post them as soon as I can!

Latest Update

• Although Temple representatives were not present at the last community meeting they did send one of their lawyers to represent them.
  
  
• Re: property taxes - The garden plot / tract (which is 1.8 acres) is taxed $2100 per year and the plot / tract itself is valued at being worth $500,000.
  
  
• The next Temple Board of Trustees next scheduled meeting will be at the Ambler Campus on June 17th 2010.
  
  
• The Land Conservacy of Elkins Park which is a non-profit organization, is interested in buying the Temple Estate (which would include the garden plot / tract). 42 acres of the Dominican Republic are owned by the Land Conservacy of Elkins Park.
  
  
• The acting president of the LaMott Community Gardins is Diane Williams.

Burglaries - Beware!

Recent Burglaries in our Neighborhoods

Last night a house in the Homes of Elkins Park development was broken into when noone was home. After ransacking the house, "they" rang the doorbell of the house next to it to see if it was also empty, but fled when the occupants accidently set off their alarm.

In another case, a "light skinned" man wearing a backpack rang a neighbor's doorbell during the day. When the door opened, he fled.

There have been other break-ins throughout the area. In one, "they" broke in the front door, setting off an alarm, grabbed some jewelry, and were out by time the police arrived 6 minutes later.

IF YOU SEE SOMETHING SUSPICIOUS, CALL 911.

Don't worry about being mistaken. Better Safe Than Sorry.

This is Cheltenham! The police will respond! They want you to call.

Form the police website:

Cheltenham Township Police need your help with investigating a series of Burglaries taking place throughout the Township. Residents are encouraged to be extra vigilant and to lock their vehicles when parked overnight. Please report suspicious activity to Cheltenham Police Radio Via 9-1-1 or at 215-885-1600, ext. 1. Residents are encouraged to immediately report suspicious persons or activities to Police.

Residents are encouraged to come forward with information, as always your information will be kept confidential, also all tips can be anonymous. No one knows your neighborhood better than you. Help out your neighbors and report suspicious activity to the police, 24-hours a day, via 9-1-1.

Anonymous Tips Line -
The Cheltenham Police Department has an “Anonymous Tip Line” in place so that residents can anonymously report suspicions on drug and criminal activities There are two anonymous methods available for reporting these activities to Police. You can leave a voice message by contacting (215) 885-1600 ext. 777, or you can log onto the Cheltenham Township Web Page at www.cheltenhamtownship.org anonymous tip link is at the top of the page.

The Cheltenham Police Department needs the public’s help in identifying problems, so we can help to improve the quality of life in our community.

source
Chelsea Chats

Guitar Hero 5 Tournament!

On Monday, June 14, 2010 from 6 to 8 pm The LaMott Library will be having a designed for Children Gaming Day. Join us the LaMott Library for a 'Guitar Hero 5' Tournament and Video Game Showcase! REGISTRATION FOR 'Guitar Hero 5' BEGAN MAY 26 AND IS LIMITED TO THE FIRST 16 PEOPLE AGES 7 AND UP. A GameStop Gift Card will be awarded and light refreshments will be served. For more info please call 215-635-4419.

The LaMott Library is located inside the LaMott Community Center located at:

7420 Sycamore Ave. (La Mott Community Center)

La Mott, PA 19027

(215) 635-4419

Health & Human Services Day!

Health & Human Service Day

For families in the 4th Senatorial District

This event will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2010 from noon - 3pm at

John Russell Park (Penrose & Willow Avenues, LaMott / Cheltenham Township

FREE refreshments, games, raffle, Prizes and a gospel choir will perform.

This is a Drug & Alcohol Free Event

Rain Date will be Sunday, June 13, 2010 from 2 - 5pm

LaMott Community Meetings!

Please attend the Commmisioner's Community Meetings on June 6th at 3:00 PM, at the La Mott Community Center.

Invitations have also been extended to Temple University and The Land Conservancy of Elkins Park.

I Didn't Know That There Were So Many Stores Nearby!

As long as I have lived here in LaMott I have known that there were a few stores near the area. Usually I do my shopping at the Shoprite at the Cheltenham Mall but sometimes I will go to the Rite Aid at Broad and Cheltenham.

You see LaMott is mostly a residential area and the closest thing that we have to a store is the LaMott Cleaners that is located right across the street from the LaMott Community Center.

However there are some stores nearby where you can do some of your shopping.


First there are several stores right at the little mall location at Cheltenham Avenue and Penrose Ave.

There is of course a cleaners located here but there is also a pool hall that has been there for quite a while now. There is also a Domino's Pizza place that is now there where you can walk in or have your pizza delivered. There is also a type of 7-Eleven-ish store that is located there where you can buy beer, buy a lottery ticket and they even have an eat-in section where you can order and eat your food.

What I was surprised to find out is that there is also a bakery located there as well as a seafood place. I'm also told that at the far end of the mall is a Korean supermarket.

Next of course you have your Rite Aid that is located at Broad and Cheltenham Ave.

A little further down from there at Cheltenham Avenue and Old York Road is another Korean mall that has a number of smaller boutique-like stores and there is also a supermarket there as well!



For more information about other local businesses in the area visit The LaMott Directory.

Commercial Property For Sale!

Unfortunately the property that houses the The Printing Place on Cheltenham Avenue is up for sale. They are looking for a buyer.

Here is the information that has been provided by the realtor:




Commercial Property For Sale

1726 W. Cheltenham Ave

If you know of any savvy investors or entreprenuers that are interested in this mixed use commercial property with great income possibilities then you are urged to contact the realtor who is connected with this property.

The first floor is open space with two offices. There is great potential for a beauty salon, restaurant/deli and other kinds of commercial business for this property located in a high traffic area.

The second floor is a two bedroom, tenant occupied apartment.

Centrally located between Cheltenham Mall and Broad St. on a corner lot which is perfect exposure for a potential business.

---

Update!

As of August 2012 it seems that the property has been bought and the Printing Place is currently still there.

An Afternoon Of Health And Wellness

The LaMott Library is proud to bring you an Afternoon of Health and Wellness. 2 Speakers Will Be Speaking Dr. Carole Simmons who will share an empowering story about her life as a 40 year vegetarian and how making Healthy Food Choces can positively impact the quality of your life. Ms. Sandra McAllister will be speaking in the area of Going Green with your household cleaning products. This even will be held at: May 22, 2010 from 1pm - 3pm at: The LaMott Library 7420 Sycamore Ave. Elkins Park, PA 19027

The Friends Of The LaMott Free Library

The Friends of the LaMott Free Library is a group of dedicated volunteers who believe the library is a vital part of the community. They work to champion the LaMott Free Library and its patrons by encouraging library awareness, sponsoring educational programs, fundraising and financing special purchases.

They welcome your membership and support.

For more information about the Friends, call the library at:

215-635-4419

You can also support the Friends of the LaMott Free Library by requesting and filling out a form and returning the form along with your contribution.

A Patron account is $50

A Contributing account is $25

However contributions of all amounts are welcomed.

Also please remember that your contribution is tax-deductible!

School Supply Drive!

The Cheltenham Township Library System will be holding a school supply drive from Sunday, April 18th through Saturday, April 24th.

The following items are needed:

• Pencils
  
  
• Paper
  
  
• Playdoh
  
  
• French/Spanish dictionaries
  
  
• Colored pencils
  
  
• Construction paper
  

• Children's memory games (without words or in Spanish)
  

• Glue
  
  
• Scissors
  

• Other school supplies (or small toys) appropriate for children ages 2-8

You can make a child's future brighter by dropping off these items at the LaMott Library.

Storytime For Children

On Thursday, April 29, 2010 at 11:15 am at the LaMott Library there will be a storytime hours designed for preschool children ages 3-5. Carolyn Turner-Harris, Branch Manager 7420 Sycamore Ave. (La Mott Community Center) LaMott, PA 19027 (215) 635-4419 LaMott is located just outside of Philadelphia and just inside Cheltenham Township

The Magical Illusions Of Kyle And Kelly!

On Saturday, April 17th at 2pm the LaMott Library will be featuring "The Magical Illusions Of Kyle & Kelly"

Come and celebrate 'National Library Week' with the

Reading is Magic Show"

Saturday, April 17, 2010
Time: 2PM

at:

The LaMott Library
7420 Sycamore Ave.
LaMott, PA 19027
215-635-4419

This event is for all ages!

Please Participate In A Survey For Our Local Community Library

I was visiting our local LaMott library's website and I see that there is a link to a survey that they would like people to participate in. I took the survey myself. It is free and it won't cost you anything but a little bit of your time. It also has a suggestion / comment box at the end so that you can add your own comments and suggestions.

Personally I think that our local library is great and on a scale of one to ten it definitely ranks a ten!





Here is a link to the survey website:

Cheltenham Township Library System Survey

Harriet Tubman - Living History Experience

The LaMott Community Center, LaMott Library and Friends of LaMott Library present:




Harriet Tubman

Living History Experience

The Harriet Tubman Living History Experience highlights and heightens public awareness of the Underground Railroad, Civil War, and the life of one of the 19th century's most celebrated figures: Harriet Tubman.

Millicent sparks has portrayed Harriet Tubman throughout the region for schools, churches, colleges, senior centers, museums, women's shelters, corporations, state and local governments, community groups and special events since 2002.

This event will take place at the LaMott Community Center

7420 Sycamore Avenue

LaMott, PA 19027

On Saturday, March 27th at 2pm

The cost to attend is free and everyone is invited to attend.

The LaMott Community Garden Club

Public Works Committee Meeting

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

at 7:30 pm

at Curtis Hall
1250 W. Church Rd
Wynocte PA 19095

Come voice your support for Cheltenham Township's commissioners's support in facilitating Temple University's donation of the land tract, on Graham Lane between Cedar Lane and B-D Street, for continued use as a garden.

Citizens from Cheltenham Township communities, neighboring townships and counties are expressing their support, with letters and telephone calls to Temple University, requesting Temple's donation of the garden tract to a community based non-profit corporation created specifically for the La Mott Community Garden.

Each of us is a gardener. Our seeds of love, help, and assistance honor our ancestors, families, friends and neighbors. Continuing the cultivation of the La Mott Community Garden is in keeping with 80+ years of local tradition within the historic distric of La Mott. Our garden is a brilliant green thread, naturally woven into the essential content, the fabric of our La Mott community.

Volunteer drivers are needed to help some residents get to the meetings. You can visit The La Mott Community Garden Website for contact information. If you can volunteer a ride or need a ride please visit the website for more contact information.

"Lest We Forget - The Black Holocaust"

The LaMott Community Center,

LaMott Library

and Friends of LaMott

present

'Lest We Forget - The Black Holocaust'

A Private Collection of Slavery Artifacts

and Jim Crow Memorabilia

from the

National Underground Railroad Family Reunion Festival.

at the

LaMott Community Center

7420 Sycamore Ave.

LaMott, PA 19027

On Saturday, February 6, 2010

From 3 - 5 pm

Cost is free

For more information please call

The LaMott Community Center at:

(215) 635 - 3255

The Cheltenham Unemployed Meetup Group!

Here is an interesting group that I have found online! It is called the Cheltenham Unemployed Meetup Group.

While it is supposed to be a group to help the unemployed find work, I have found that there are a few members on there that are using the group for their own purposes. However I don't think that this should spoil the main reasoning behind this group which is to help people find work - preferably in the Cheltenham and / or Philadelphia area.

Even though I work from home, I found this to be a very intriguing group and from time to time I do hear of job openings so this would be a great place to post such information.

If you would like to join this group you have to register to be a member but there is no charge to become a member. Here is a link to this group:

The Cheltenham Unemployed Meetup Group!

The Cheltenham Bus Is In Trouble!

Just in case you haven't heard, our beloved Cheltenham Bus is in danger of being cancelled!

On Wednesday, December 16, 2009 the board of commissioners had a public hearing that was listed on the Cheltenham calendar. The next day a notice was printed stating it was the decision of the board to not continue the Cheltenham Transit Bus. As an alternative the board has recommended that residents and seniors - especially seniors - take either Septa or another form of transportation called TransNet.

When it was learned of the board's decision to cut the Cheltenham Transit bus residents of the area started a petition to get the signatures of both the residents of Cheltenham and LaMott, Lynnewood Gardens and stores and businesses that are along the route that the Cheltenham bus travels including the Shoprite of Cheltenham, the Cedarbrook and Cheltenham Malls and the area apartment complexes.

So far over 100 signatures have been gotten!

It is planned to present this petition to the board during a meeting that is scheduled for January 6, 2010. The petition was going to be presented to the commissioner board yesterday but for some reason none of the commissioners were present that day!

In a related piece of news it was found out that the contract for the Abington transit service would be renewed!

This news about the Cheltenham Bus service is still relatively new and all the details aren't known yet but what IS known is that the more people that show support for the Cheltenham Bus the better the chance that the residents will be able to continue to have it!

To show your support for the Cheltenham Bus service please call the Township Building at:

215-887-1000

I will post more news about this as I get it.

On Wednesday, January 6, 2010 a public meeting will be held at Curtis Hall 1250 W. church Road 215-887-1000 215-887-1561 is the Fax number If you are not able to attend the meeting then we ask that you please show your support by sending a fax explaining your support of keeping the Cheltenham Township Bus running. You can also show your support by contacting the commissioners for the area and telling them of your support for the Cheltenham Transit Bus. Board Of Commissioners Michael J. Swavola - Ward 5 1115 Coventry Avenue Cheltenham, PA 19012 email: mswavola@cheltenham-township.org Charles D. McKeown, Sr. - Ward 7 424 Township Line Road Cheltenham, PA 19012 email: cmckeown@cheltenham-township.org Harvey Portner - Ward 3 Melrose Court Apartments 1308 Willow Ave Elkins Park, PA 19027 email: hportner@cheltenham-township.org Public Information Officer - Nancy Gibson 215-887-1000

Update!

January 8, 2010!

The results of the meeting above resulted in the fact that the Cheltenham Board of Commissioners have scheduled another meeting to discuss further the fate of the Cheltenham Transit Bus. The exact date and time of the meeting is not yet known.

Please continue to email, phone and fax your commissioners to let them know that you are in support of keeping the Cheltenham Transit Bus!

Update - February 11, 2010! A 3rd meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 17th at 7:30 at Curtis Hall. It has come to my attention that at the 2nd meeting more residents showed up to protest the canceling of the Cheltenham Transit Bus. At the end of this meeting a vote / poll was taken from the commissioners and 3 out of 7 voted for bringing back the Cheltenham Bus. One of those commissioners that voted in favor of the Cheltenham Transit Bus was Harvey Portner. So yet another meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 17, 2010 and the more residents and potential riders that show up - the better! We still face a very good chance of being able to save our beloved Cheltenham Transit Bus!

Update March 2010!

Although the details are a little sketchy to me, it seems that the commissioners' board has decided to give Transnet a try. It is supposed to be a trial period kind of thing and it will start in April 2010.

However this solution requires that residents call and make a reservation first. And this is one of many negatives about this chosen decision.

It is very unfortunate that the public hearings for the Cheltenham Township bus were held during the evening at a location - to my knowledge - that is not accessible by public transportation. Another fact is that the seniors who have taken the Cheltenham bus had no way to get to these meetings because they do not have cars and some of the meetings were held during the coldest days of the winter here in Philadelphiawith some snow involved. It is very ironic that the very bus that could have taken the seniors to the public hearings was the very same bus that was cancelled by the commissioners.

However please do not consider this issue a closed one! I strongly urge all the residents of LaMott and Cheltenham to keep this issue opened! Just because the commissioner's board has made this trial period decision it doesn't mean that the issue is over. I encourage everyone to call their ward commissioners, send them a fax, send them an email, write them a letter stating your support of the Cheltenham Transit Bus.

We can still get our beloved Cheltenham Transit Bus BACK!



April 2010! - Unfortunately these new transit rules do not include the residents Cheltenham that are under the age of 55/65 who are not disabled!

Like I have said before We can still get our beloved Cheltenham Transit Bus BACK!

A Message From The Cheltenham Library System

It costs money to run free public libraries.


While we are busier than ever in this economic downturn, our state funding would be cut under both Governor Rendell's proposed budget and Senate Bill (SB) 850 proposed by the Senate Republicans. SB 850 would result in a 50% cut in state aid to public libraries and would eliminate programs such as the POWER Library. Its adoption would mean a loss of almost $200,000 for CTLS and severe cuts in programs that are provided by our library partners at the county and state levels. Cuts in state funding would also result in the loss of millions of dollars in federal library grants. There is a domino effect when budgets get cut.


We are a safety net for people who have lost their jobs and for families who are struggling to make ends meet. The bad news for Cheltenham Township residents is that cuts in funding translate to cuts in services.


Some rollbacks in services that we pass on will not be of our own making but will be a result of cuts to District Center and State library budgets. For example, delivery services that provide easy access to over 2 million items in library collections to all Montgomery County residents, are funded through our District Center in Norristown. The Philadelphia Inquirer, Tumblebooks, Reference USA, Learning Express and downloadable audiobooks are online resources that are provided at the county level.


The public library is a truly democratic institution. There is no fee to walk through the door or visit us online. Information and entertainment are readily available regardless of one's economic status.


If you believe libraries are more important than ever, we need your help. Please contact elected officials and request level funding for public libraries.


More information is available from the Pennsylvania Library Association. A comparison of the budget proposals is also available on their website along with an explanation of the issues. It is so important that people who use and love libraries speak up!

Thank you.


Link to Budget Comparisons:
Link to Budget Comparison .pdf file

* Please be advised that this is a link to a .pdf file.

---

Link to find your Legislator:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/session.cfm

Link to Pennsylvania Library Association: http://www.palibraries.org

The Cheltenham Township Library System's Facebook Page

Halloween Party!

There is going to be a Halloween Party on Saturday, October 31st (which just happens to be Halloween Day!) at the LaMott Community Center located on Willow and Sycamore Aves. The party will begin at 6pm and end at 8pm.



For more information about this event you can contact the community center by calling (215) 635-3255.



The LaMott Community Center is located at Willow and Sycamore Avenues in LaMott, PA 19027.

The Cheltenham Crafting Club!

I didn't find out until just now but did you know that there is a Cheltenham Crafting Club? Here is more information about it:

Calling all crafty people. If you crochet, knit, or do other crafts, stop by the East Cheltenham Library on June 10th for the first meeting of the Cheltenham Crafting Club. Basic crochet lessons and some supplies will be provided. Meeting starts at 3:30. To register, stop by the library or call 215-379-2077

Since the date for the first meeting has already passed, I'm sure that they would welcome new members who can do crafts such as the ones mentioned above. So if you're interested, be sure to give them a call for more information.



I got this information from the website of Cheltenham Township Library system. They have a Facebook site that you can get to by clicking here.

If you decide to join then you will see the latest events and happenings that will be going on in our area.

A Rash Of Burglaries Has Hit This Area

It seems that there have been a number of burglaries here in our local area! You can read one person's personal account of an attempted burglary that took place in their own home by clicking here.

You can also read the latest news story about this by clicking here.

Cheltenham, Pa. police are asking for help from the public as they try to solve a series of home burglaries -- five of them in a span of about eight hours over this past weekend.

Here is a recent video account of the story:



The police consider the thieves "well organized and they are looking for any information or tip that can help them catch the thieves.

LaMott Civic Association Meeting

The LaMott Civic Association

will be holding a meeting

on

Thursday, September 24, 2009

at

7:30pm

at

The LaMott Community Center

Important message from Montgomery County Public Safety

This is a test of Cheltenham Township's Montco Ready alerting system. Please encourage your friends and neighbors to sign up today. Happy Holiday

Sent to Cheltenham Township (e-mail accounts, pagers, Cell phones) through Montgomery County ReadyNotifyPA
... powered by RSAN dba Cooper Notification.

Tell a friend/co-worker about ReadyNotifyPA! Forward this message to them and have them register for this free service at https://montco.alertpa.org/register.php

Forwarded from another Cheltenham neighbor
Jim Butt

The 15th Annual LaMott Fair!

The 15Th Annual LaMott Fair

will be held on

Saturday, September 19, 2009

from Noon to 6pm

at

The LaMott Community Center

Sycamore & Willow Avenues

LaMott, PA 19027

with

Great Food

Fantastic Music

Library Book Sale

and

Childrens' Games!

Neighbors, Families and Friends Are Invited!

The LaMott Library Will Be Closed This Labor Day Weekend

Thought that I would just give you a friendly reminder that our LaMott library will be closed this Labor Day weekend. It will be open tomorrow - Friday - but it won't be open on Saturday.

If you have one of the community calendars then you will see this noted for the Labor Day weekend. (And since I'm blogging about this I should also mention that since it will be a holiday weekend - including Monday - that the trash pickups will be a day later.)

If you don't have one of the community calendars for our area you should be able to pick one up at the community center. They are free and they list all the events and happenings in the LaMott / Cheltenham area.

If you think that everyone would already know that our library would be closed this holiday weekend then you would be wrong! I, myself remember going to the library on one beautiful Saturday afternoon to return some library books and found out that the library was closed for the weekend. And as I walked down the steps to start walking back home, up came a van with 2 women who were also returning some library books and they didn't know that the library was closed either.

I guess that's just a sign of how much we love our local library - we always think that it will be open - LOL!

But the staff that works there deserve to have some time off to enjoy the holiday weekend because they do work hard and I think they love the library about just as much as we the residents do!

I Found A Mailbox (sort of) Close By!

Well I miss the mailbox that was at the corner of Willow Ave. and Cedar Lane. That was one of my "exercise" routes - to help me feel better by taking a walk and calling it one of my exercise routines.

However I found another mailbox that is relatively close and it is at the corner of 19th and Cheltenham Ave. right outside the Dollar Store that is on the corner.

While the mailbox that used to be at Cedar Lane was more closer to me, at least the one at 19th and Cheltenham is within walking distance for me (and it can still be considered a good exercise walk!)

I have also noticed that there are a couple of mailboxes in the Lynnewood Gardens complex for those that live in that area.

So at least not ALL of the mailboxes in our area are gone - thank goodness!

Event - Saying Goodbye To The Glenside Elementary School!

You are invited to say Goodbye to Glenside on Tuesday, June 23rd in Glenside Elementary's lobby.

6:00 pm to all staff - present and past
6:30 pm to all students, families and community -
present and past.

Share memories, see old friends and walk through the school one last time. Refreshments will be served. Keepsakes will be available.

Glenside will be torn down and replaced by a new building. It’s our last chance to see the place where memories were made.

Mrs.Cindy Goldberg is pulling this event together to give the staff, community and all associated with Glenside a chance to remember our building and the good times we have all had there.

Please come if you can and spread the word to all in our community. Please try to get the word out to all alumni - young and old, former staff, neighbors, etc.

Event! - Arts In The Park"

The 14th Annual Arts in the Park! This fundraising event is being held for the "Friends of High School Park" on Sunday June 7, at 10am! at High School Park

I Found Out What Happened To The Mailboxes!

Imagine my surprise when I found out that the mailbox at Willow and Sycamore was gone! Not only that but it seems that the mailbox at the corner of 19th and Cheltenham is gone too as well as the one above the LaMott Firehouse #1 on Penrose Avanue! So what's up with that!


I have since come to find out that the post has gotten rid of these mailboxes because it seems that these mailboxes were not being used enough.

So now what are our options supposed to be? Well I was told that you could leave your mail at your home's mailbox so that the mailperson can pick it up when they deliver your mail, you can go online and request a pickup (I asked them if you could call the post office by phone and request a pickup but I was told that you would have to do it online so that it could be in the computer records) or you could mail your mail at the post office itself.

This whole thing seems quite ludicrous to me! Why would they get rid of the mailboxes?

And its not just happening here in our own little area! I have come to find out that the post office is getting rid of many, many mailboxes all over the United States! Now I can understand some of the reasons cited such as people putting other objects in the mailboxes and the "waste" of manpower going to mailboxes that only have a few (if any) pieces of mail. I can understand that kind of reasoning but I do not agree with it.

I am a big fan of computers myself but I don't think that the increased use of emailing and paying bills online is going to determine that there is no need for the actual mailboxes. I still mail things by hand and quite frankly I kind of enjoyed the walk to the mailbox!

Just in case you are curious there are some people who have fought for their mailboxes and managed to have them put back. You can read an article about it by clicking here.

Want to see what others' opinions are about this issue? Just click here.

Oh, and for the record I don't agree with this decision at all!

Cheltenham Township Police Alert!

It seems that there has been a rash of burglaries from automobiles in our local area. The Cheltenham Township police have issued an online flyer that talks about this more!

Actually the thefts are happening in and around this area as well.

It seems that cars parked at the Melrose Train station are being targeted and the police are advising people to take out or either hide all valuables located within one's car. The bulletin also offers some helpful tips to help you to not become a victim of one of these kinds of thefts.

Cheltenham Township Police Flyer - Theft Alert!

Trying To File My Local Taxes Online?

I thought I could save the cost of a stamp by filing my local tax return online but it doesn't seem to be as easy as they say it is!

First of all since I'm self-employed I have to fill out a different set of tax forms which makes it even more difficult.

I went to the company's on-line site that handles the local income tax for our area and found out a few interesting things! First of all if you are sending in a payment it of course has to be via a credit card and there is a FEE for that. Here is an excerpt:

"For credit card payments there is a 3% processing fee charged by Official Payments Corporation for each transaction. There is a minimum fee of $1.00.

Ok, that's one reason I'm not liking right there!

Since I didn't owe anything for my final return (because I paid it quarterly) I thought that I could save some time and money by filing my taxes online but it looks as though I won't be able to do it. The forms do some automatic calculations for you and some of the blocks are shaded in and those are the boxes that are for the calculations. The clear boxes are for you to enter in your numbers and some of those I couldn't even fill out!

So it looks as though I will be filing the local income tax the regular way - by snail mail - which may not be a bad thing after all! I wonder if you have to pay the fee when you pay quarterly?...............................

Why Is Tyler Leaving!

I just saw on our local news tonight that Temple University was showing off their new Tyler Arts Center that is to be located in the city of Philadelphia.

If you are a resident here in LaMott / Cheltenham, then you may know that there is already a Tyler School of Art right here in Cheltenham and it is a part of Temple University. But apparently Temple wanted their students to attend their classes at the heart of their main campus which is in Philadelphia.

For a time there were some protests from both the students and their parents because both of them liked the atmosphere of the area here as opposed to being in the city. Personally, after a while and after I got used to it, I didn't mind the students so much either.

There have been so many rumors going back and forth about the Tyler campus here and what was going to become of it.

Now that I have seen the news story on TV about Temple finally finishing their new Tyler School of Art in the city I can't help but wonder what is going to happen to the buildings and the dorms that are here now?

Area Ordinance - Fencing In Your Property!

I didn't know it until recently that our local area has an ordinance about the type of fencing that one can put around one's home. Apparently the fence has to be see-through - at least partially - meaning that while some aspects of the fence have to be see-through, it doesn't have to be that way on all four (or two) sides. I'm guessing that this is because of the fact that the police in the area would like to be able to see what is going on in the neighborhood and they will have a better view of things going on in the area if their views are not obstructed.


In a way this makes sense to me because I have heard stories from neighbors in the area about attempted thefts in and around their properties, so I can see why this area would this kind of ordinance.

What happens if you don't follow this ordinance and you build a solid fence or fencing around your property? You could get fined and have to pay a fee!

Citizen's Police Academy Class Event Planned

Friends,

I was passed this message from John Slavin of the Cheltenham Township Police Department. I thought some might be interested. Take it away, John!

...

I am planning another Citizen's Police Academy Class in March and I am looking for a group of 10-15 residents who would be interested in learning about the Cheltenham Police Department and some of our special units. This is a FREE program. The program is held at the Cheltenham Police Administration Building.

This is a great opportunity to get a first-hand look at the Police Department policies, procedures, training and equipment during the two-hour evening classes. Coordinated by the Community Policing Unit, the academy offers instruction from more than a dozen Officers in topics like crime scene investigation, car stops, narcotics investigations, K-9 unit, ethics, SWAT, and more. Our local District Justices will provide instruction in both criminal law and civil law procedures, and will explain their role in the Criminal Justice System.

This is both a fun and informative program. Please pass this on to your neighbors.

2009 Township County, Sewer & Refuse Bill in mail this month

This information comes straight from the LaMott, PA Group at Yahoo.com.

If you haven't received this bill yet you should wait until at least the end of the month before you call the township to request a copy.

Do we like the same books?

Just a friendly reminder that I invited you to Shelfari. Come see the books I love and see if we have any in common. Then pick my next book so I can keep on reading.

Join me on Shelfari!

http://www.shelfari.com/

Rose

Shelfari is a free site that lets you share book ratings and reviews with friends and meet people who have similar tastes in books. It also lets you build an online bookshelf, join book clubs, and get good book recommendations from friends.

You have received this email because Rose (Roseb44170@aol.com) directly invited you to join his or her community on Shelfari.

It is against Shelfari's policies to invite people who you don't know directly. Follow this link to prevent future invitations to this address. If you believe you do not know this person, you may view his or her Shelfari page or report him or her in our feedback section.

Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

Do we like the same books?

I just joined Shelfari to connect with other book lovers. Come see the books I love and see if we have any in common. Then pick my next book so I can keep on reading.

Join me on Shelfari!

http://www.shelfari.com/

Rose

Shelfari is a free site that lets you share book ratings and reviews with friends and meet people who have similar tastes in books. It also lets you build an online bookshelf, join book clubs, and get good book recommendations from friends.

You have received this email because Rose (Roseb44170@aol.com) directly invited you to join his or her community on Shelfari.

It is against Shelfari's policies to invite people who you don't know directly. Follow this link to prevent future invitations to this address. If you believe you do not know this person, you may view his or her Shelfari page or report him or her in our feedback section.

Amazon.com, 701 Fifth Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104

The LaMott Directory!

As I posted about this before in my blog, I'm currently moving my LaMott-related pages to another webhost. My most current transfer is:

The LaMott Directory

This is a listing of the businesses, organizations and other entities that are in the Cheltenham / LaMott area.

If you would like to add your listing you can find out more about how to do that by visiting the link above.

Just Because I Haven't Posted In A While Doesn't Mean That There Isn't A Lot Going On In LaMott......

The weather is definitely COLD outside and we're just melting from some of the thick ice that has stayed on the ground! For the last 2 days we have had temperatures in the 50's - which is kind of hard to believe in itself!

When the weather is colder, the activities outside are much less but we residents are still getting along - though we may walk a little faster in order to get home and out of the cold.

I have been getting some comments and emails about the community meeting(s) that was held at the LaMott Community Center dealing with the LaMott Civic Association. I was at the very first meeting and have the literature that was provided at the meeting and I intend on posting some of it here.

I have also had to deal with moving my website from AOL to another hosting site and it will take a little time to transfer the information to the new hosting site. But believe me I still have my original page information that includes information about LaMott and Cheltenham including events both past and present and other area-related information as well. Once everything is transferred I will be providing links to them from here.

Changes In The Cheltenham Bus Schedule? - Let's Put The Rumors To Rest!

The Cheltenham Bus schedule has changed in only one way!

The last scheduled run that ran one-way has been discontinued as of January 2009. Everything else about the schedule remains the same!

I had been hearing rumors about the schedule being changed but I have talked to the township and found out that the ONLY thing that has changed was that last scheduled run (around 4-5pm) has been discontinued.

So for those of you that ride the Cheltenham Bus (and for those of you who are hopefully considering taking it), there are still the 3 remaining scheduled round trip runs on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

Cold Winds Blowing!

Cold winds are definitely blowing today!

I don't know about you but what comes with living in an older house is that the more windy it gets the more drafty the inside of one's house gets! - especially when that house is around 100 years old - LOL!

A lot of the homes in this area are older homes and that is part of the charm!

We're right in the midst of winter and the wind that is blowing now is surely blowing cold!

Another Resident Comments!

Hey, I live in LaMott too. Are you aware of LaMott Town Center proposal?
I hear taxes are going up again for the next year. And economic development around and possibly in the LaMott residential area itself is in the works.
I am all for making the area more beautiful but more retail stores and/ or apartment buildings are a NO for me. I think they have their eyes on John Russell Park.

The above is a comment that was left on my blog. I felt that it was important to include it as a blog entry because there are so many things going on in this area and a lot of residents aren't aware of it!

I realize that its very hard to keep abreast of things in one's own local area - especially when you are out working every day!

There are so many rumors (and unfortunately some of them are true!) going on that it's important to be able to know which news is rumors and which ones are facts!

If you have a concern, want to voice your opinion or just want to know more about what's going on in this area then please be sure to continue to visit (and comment) on this blog. I'm still working on a way to provide links and other related information about this area and what is (and is not) going on in this area!

Event! - Used Electronics Drive!

Event: Used Electronics Drive - Ethical Recycling

("If you saw the 60 Minutes report 4 weeks ago, you better read this")


What: Fundraiser


Host: Cheltenham Township, Pennsylvania


Start Time: Saturday, December 6 at 11:00am


End Time: Saturday, December 6 at 2:00pm


Where: Cedarbrook Middle School

To see more details and RSVP, just click here

LaMott In The Fall

Here is a picture that I took with my camera phone while walking to a local store!

It is during the fall season, probably just before Thanksgiving.

It is around the 1800 block of Willow Avenue!

Event! - High School And Ogontz Parks

Review the new Ecological Restoration Master Plan for High School & Ogontz Parks Wednesday, December 3, 2008, 7:00- 8:30pm Curtis Hall, Church Road & Greenwood Avenue, Wyncote, PA Please attend this important public meeting. Learn about native plant restoration plans, park signage, landscaping & other improvements. Offer your feedback. We've been working diligently to prepare a 10 year plan to continue restoring our beloved park. Your participation in this meeting would greatly add to our enthusiasm and confidence going forward. Please come out and show your support. Refreshments will be served. The first 25 people will receive a gift from the Friends of High School Park. For more information please call FHSP 215-782-8082 or email info@fhsp.org

Election Day In LaMott!

Yes the big day had arrived and it was time to cast my vote! And YES I did cast my vote today!

Because of where I live, my voting place was the LaMott Community Center!



It was an interesting (and very busy) day all day long!

I started the day quite early and started listening to the local community radio station, WURD, just to hear what was going on!

First of all it seems that the polling places had long lines even before they opened! But I figured since LaMott was such a small area that the same thing wouldn't apply! Boy was I wrong! I heard stories from those who were at the community center that there was a long line even before the voting was supposed to start!

I didn't arrive until the afternoon around 1pm because I heard that the late morning and early afternoon was the best time to avoid waiting in long lines! So by the time that I got there there was no waiting. I walked in, cast my vote and was finished!

But I decided to stay a little while. Did you know that LaMott has a constable? I was talking to him for quite a while!

A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. Constable - Historically, a constable could also be someone in charge of the defence of a castle. Even today, there is a Constable of the Tower of London. source Wikipedia

During the course of the early afternoon there were a trickle of people coming to vote! A lot of them were voting for the first time and there were volunteers there waiting and ready to help them!

What was also nice was the fact that the community center is just that - a place where the community gathers! People spent some time (after they voted) chatting with the other residents - including me!

We all were having a great time and even the weather didn't darken our moods!

I decided to leave a few hours later before it got too crowded! But it was a very pleasant day indeed!

LaMott Radio - Decision

Live365 which is where the LaMott Radio station was housed has raised their monthly fee so I'm still deciding whether
or not to continue to have the radio station. Having it and managing it are still a lot of fun and I may decide to continue with it

I have decided that I am going to resume the LaMott Radio

Definitely One Of The Sure Fire Sounds Of Autumn!

You can tell its definitely autumn when you hear that Temple University school bus driving by!

Actually I kind of like it!

But there is a rumor going around that this will be the last year that the students will be using The Tyler School of Art

which is something that I DON'T like!



Goodness knows what is going to happen to the building and what it will be used for!

Feeling The Need To Fish!

In the past I have made a post about a fishing derby that is held every June in this area for the kids!

This got me to thinking about how much I missed fishing myself! So I did a little calling around and found out that as long as I have been living in the area there is a lot about it that I don't know!

The annual Fishing Derby is held at the Tookany Creek Park but what I didn't know is that one could fish there other times as well! - DUH!

Now I'm going to have to find out more about that! I'll let you know what I have found out!

The Community Garden(s) - Part 2

Since we are technically still in the middle of summer, here's another picture that I took of the community garden.

Technically-speaking the land actually belongs to Temple University (at least I think it does) and for as long as I have been living up here (about 25 years) the community garden has always been there!

The people that have gardens there are mostly residents of the community and since Temple has campuses in Philadelphia, I think some of the students use the gardens as well! Everyone I have met there has been very nice and I really think that they are a great bunch of people. My guide to the gardens used to be a man named Brooks Cropper who has since passed away.

The community garden is really a something to see as everyone is growing all different types of vegetables. I guess the most prominent of the vegetables are the tomatoe plants that most of the gardeners seem to be growing. I say this because for the most part tomatoe plants should be staked and it's interesting to see the different ways (and different materials ) that the gardeners use to stake the tomatoes.

Now I have been hearing all sorts of different stories about whether or not Temple will be moving their art students back into the city of Philadelphia, about how the students dcn't like that and about how their parents don't like that either! I have heard stories about how Temple is going to sell off the property(s)...etc....et al! The latest story I have been told is that the year 2008 - 2009 will be the last semester for the art students here at the Tyler School of Art. After that the students will have to go to the campus located in Philadelphia.

I really don't know how all of this is going to affect the community garden so I guess that we should just really enjoy the pleasure of having it now.

Earned Income Tax Reminder!

Just received a notification from The LaMott Group on Yahoo reminding me that the quarterly earned
income tax is due on July 31st! (I mailed mine in last week!)

Just in case you didn't know it is a quarterly tax that is due every 4 months and it is a tax levied on one's earned income.

When you submit your quarterly tax you have to pay a 1% tax on the money you have earned for the past three months! If it is already taken out of your paycheck then you should be fine - BUT it is best to call the township to make sure!

Property Taxes - Boy Are They High!

I saw a property tax bill for a property in Philadelphia and I can't believe the HUGE difference between the dollar amount of property taxes in Philadelphia as opposed to the dollar amount of property taxes in Cheltenham!

If my math is correct then Cheltenham's property taxes are TEN TIMES the amount of property taxes in Philadelphia!

Of course this doesn't take in account for the differences between the two properties being taxed. But I still don't see why the property tax should be so huge in Cheltenham township!

Actually residents of Cheltenham pay 2 taxes. I guess one could "officially be called the property tax and I believe that that one is the one that has the things like the sewer and other property-related things that go towards the property tax bill that the residents get.

The other is the school tax bill which is sometimes twice the amount of the property tax!

I do know that there is an organization that opposes such a high school tax and when I find out more about them I will post about them here.

What happens if you don't pay your property tax(es)? You lose your property!

Even Philadelphia has a more lenient stand towards this than Cheltenham Township does!

I'm sad to say that I know of neighbors who have lost their property just for this reason! And it is a very sad thing to report about - especially for the residents that have been living here for a very long time - only to lose their homes because of the high property taxes here!

Philadelphia, PA: (Mar-13-08) A class action lawsuit was brought against the law firm of Portnoff Law Associates, by a group of Pennsylvania real property owners, alleging that they received delinquent tax communications from the law firm and were charged unauthorized fees, interest, penalties or attorney fees. Court records show that the case went to trial for ten days in September, 2007 and was handled before the Honorable Mark I. Bernstein.