Ten people died and 361 others were injured in 712 crashes investigated by the Pennsylvania State Police during the four-day Fourth of July holiday driving period, Commissioner Frank E. Pawlowski said today.

Seven of those killed were not wearing seat belts, Pawlowski said. He noted that 72 of the crashes were alcohol-related, including three of the fatal crashes.

During the holiday driving period that covered Friday, July 2, through Monday, July 5, troopers arrested 339 persons for driving under the influence, issued 7,877 speeding citations, cited 723 for failing to wear seatbelts, and issued 129 citations for not securing children in safety seats.

During last year’s Fourth of July holiday travel period, which covered only three days (July 3-5, 2009), nine people died and 206 others were injured in 447 crashes investigated by troopers, Pawlowski added.

The statistics include only those incidents investigated by state police and do not include data from incidents to which other law enforcement agencies responded.

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The Montgomery County Commissioners and the President Judge were joined by state and local officials and area police chiefs recently to break ground on a major expansion at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.

The dormitory-style expansion is designed to accommodate 512 prisoners on work release or serving sentences for DUI and other non-violent offenses. It will alleviate significant overcrowding in the existing prison.

The Correctional Facility was originally built to house 1,240 inmates and later expanded to accommodate 1,500, but the population has exceeded 1,700 prisoners in recent years.

President Judge Richard J. Hodgson noted the overcrowding persisted even though the court system and prison staff created a task force to develop innovative programs to reduce overcrowding, including Earned Early Release, Drug Court and Behavioral Health Court. Those programs will continue after the expansion is complete, he said.

“As the shovels meet the dirt today, let’s hope that the new addition will provide the necessary relief to ensure the efficient and safe operation of the Montgomery County Correctional Facility for years to come,” Hodgson said.

This is just the latest in a long line of public safety investments Montgomery County has undertaken in recent years, including an expansion of the Public Safety Operations Center, construction of the new Tactical Response Training Center, deployment of a wireless silent-alarm “panic button” system throughout all schools in the County and a new high-rise addition to the Structural Fire Building to train firefighters, Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews said.

“Those were all good to achieve, but they weren’t mandatory,” Matthews said. “This is a compulsory move. We owe it to Warden Algarin and his staff.”

The prison expansion will cost $24 million to construct and is expected to take about a year to complete.

The prison recently increased fees at the prison, including work-release fees, which will generate about $300,000 annually to help defray the debt service of about $1.7 million a year.

Prison administrators will also contact federal authorities once the expansion is complete about the possibility of housing immigration violators awaiting deportation to further help with the costs of the project.

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June is National Safety Month.  Throughout the month there are nationwide activities that address safety risks and include injury prevention tips pertinent to the workplace, driving, the home and community.

To celebrate National Safety Month, Montgomery County will again be hosting the Safety Fair. Our aim is to continue educating employees and the residents of Montgomery County on how to prevent accidental injury and death through demonstrations and educational information and to influence them to adopt and maintain safe and healthy practices and behaviors in all aspects of their lives.

This Safety Fair serves as an opportunity to raise awareness of employees and the community of the resources available for home and workplace health and safety.

What: Montgomery County Safety Fair

Where: Human Services Center
1430 DeKalb Street, Norristown, PA
Community Room and A/B Conference Room

When: June 30, 2010, 10am to 2pm

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POTTSTOWN, PA – Limerick Generating Station is proud to once again sponsor the 2010 Exelon Nuclear Summer Concert Series in Lower Pottsgrove Township. The concert series runs through Aug. 15 at the Sanatoga Park Band Shell.

“Limerick Generating Station has been a friend to Lower Pottsgrove Township for many years and their continuing support of our summer concert series is a testament to their commitment to the local community,” said Township Manager Rod Hawthorne.

“At Exelon we know the important role that the performing arts and live music have in making our community a great place to live and work,” said Bill Maguire, Limerick site vice president. “We are pleased that we can continue to partner with Lower Pottsgrove Township to make these free musical performances possible.”

“This is another wonderful demonstration of the sense of community we all enjoy in Lower
Pottsgrove,” said Jon Spadt, president, Lower Pottsgrove Board of Commissioners.
The free musical performances, covering an array of genres, are held at Sanatoga Park, located at 200 South Sanatoga Road in Lower Pottsgrove. Listed below is the schedule of concerts for the 2010 Exelon Nuclear Summer Concert Series.

Sunday, June 27th, 6 PM – Bill Koss Combo
Sunday, July 11th, 6 PM – O’Such Rhythm and Music
Sunday, July 18th, 6 PM – Mango Men
Sunday, July 25th, 6 PM – Barbone Street Jazz Band
Sunday, August 1st, 6 PM – Flamin Dick and the Hot Rods
Sunday, August 8th, 6 PM – MESA
Sunday, August 15th, 6 PM – Pottsgrove Community Band

All concerts are weather permitting and the rain date is the following evening at 7 PM.
For more information about the Exelon Nuclear Summer Concert Series, visit www.lowerpottsgrove.org or call (610) 323-0436 x207.

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Exelon Corporation is one of the nation’s largest electric utilities. The company has one of the industry’s largest portfolios of electricity generation capacity, with a nationwide reach and strong positions in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Exelon distributes electricity to approximately 5.4 million customers in northern Illinois and southeastern Pennsylvania and natural gas to approximately 486,000 customers in the Philadelphia area. Exelon is headquartered in Chicago and trades on the NYSE under the ticker EXC.

Agents from the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit have arrested a Lehigh County man who arrived at a pre-determined location yesterday to meet what he believed was a 15-year old girl. The “girl” was actually an undercover agent.

Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Norman Hutchko, 25, 432 S. Leh St., Allentown.

Corbett said that on May 29, 2010 Hutchko allegedly contacted a 15-year old girl using the online social networking site MySpace.

According to the criminal complaint, the teen’s mother contacted the South Whitehall Police Department to report that her daughter had been contacted by a 25-year old man who made inappropriate comments.

“Every parent needs to understand the threat Internet predators pose to their child’s safety online,” Corbett said. “This case is the perfect example of a parent knowing and understanding the dangers associated with social networking sites.”

The charges state that the teen’s mother received an instant message through her daughter’s MySpace account and got Hutchko’s phone number, which she used to frequently text him pretending to be her daughter.

Corbett said that Hutchko texted the teen’s cell phone saying “prob to old for u. I’m 25″ and suggested meeting saying “don’t tell them my age cause they’ll prob not let you.”

According to the criminal complaint Hutchko also told the teen through text messages that they could drink together sending a message saying “I have Smirnoff. We can watch a movie or two. And snuggle. After a dew smirnoffs you’ll get a buz. We can also do what u said earlier. Me.”

On June 1, 2010 agents with the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit began an instant message conversation with Hutchko, which quickly turned graphic in nature.

Corbett said that Hutchko was very graphic and specific in his conversations with the girl and repeatedly asked her when they could meet for the purpose of having sex.

Hutchko was taken into custody on June 15 after he arrived at a pre-determined location in Allentown and was preliminarily arraigned before Allentown Magisterial District Judge Jacob Hammond. He was released on $100,000 cash bail.

Hutchko is charged with two counts of unlawful contact with a minor and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Hutchko will be prosecuted in Lehigh County by Deputy Attorney General Christopher Jones of the Attorney General’s Child Predator Unit.

Corbett thanked the South Whitehall Police Department and the Lehigh County Detectives for their assistance with the investigation.

Internet Safety

“Online predators do not care how long it might take to establish a relationship with a child or how far they must travel if they find a vulnerable victim – especially during summer vacation, when more young teens are home alone or unsupervised for longer periods of time,” Corbett said.

Corbett said that summer typically triggers a jump in the number of incidents involving Internet predators. Last year, our Child Predator Unit arrested 32 people during the spring and summer months, including men who traveled to Pennsylvania from as far away as Texas, Massachusetts, North Carolina, Maryland, New Jersey and Ohio, all hoping to sexually victimize children.

Corbett recommended that parents and other caregivers should also monitor how kids are using the Internet, including:

* Checking the websites they use frequently.
* Searching the social networking sites they visit.
* Asking them to show you their online profiles on Facebook, MySpace and other websites and discussing the items they may be posting online.

Corbett added that parents and kids need to understand that safety concerns now extend beyond home computers.

“Many cell phones and game systems can be used to send and receive messages or photos and can also be used to access websites,” Corbett said. “The same safety rules need to be applied to all of these devices.”

Corbett said that parents should also emphasize that kids should not share personal information online, like full names, ages, addresses, phone numbers and school information, and should be especially cautious about strangers who approach them online.

Suspected internet predators can be reported to the Attorney General’s Office by clicking on the “Report a Predator” link, located on the front page of the Attorney General’s website, at www.attorneygeneral.gov or by calling the toll-free Child Predator Hotline at 1-800-385-1044.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission reports that at 12:01 a.m. Monday morning, June 21, it will make another dedicated “E-ZPass Only” lane available to E-ZPass customers exiting the Turnpike mainline (I-276) at the Willow Grove (Exit #343) Interchange. Lanes 5, 7 and 9 will now be “E-ZPass Only.”

Prior to the changes on June 21, there were two (2) “E-ZPass Only” and four (4)”Cash Only” lanes available. Turnpike officials hope to ease congestion at the toll plaza by adding the third “E-ZPass Only” lane and maintaining lanes 6, 8 and 10 for cash customers.

Starting this week (June 14-21) Turnpike travelers in the vicinity of the Willow Grove Interchange are being alerted to the new lane configurations via message boards or by tuning to the Turnpike’s Highway Advisory Radio (1640 AM).

Turnpike officials emphasized that motorists must pay close attention to the overhead signs when approaching the toll plaza. Cash-paying customers mistakenly entering an E-ZPass only lane should not attempt to stop, pull over or back up. A camera will photograph license plates of non-E-ZPass vehicles and a notice will be sent in the mail. When the notice arrives, motorists can appeal the violation by returning the accompanying form along with an explanation of what happened and their toll ticket and payment of the toll due.

If the Turnpike’s Highway Advisory Radio is activated, as indicated by yellow flashing lights, please tune to Radio 1640 AM for updates. Motorists can also get real-time Pa. Turnpike alerts by calling 866-976-8747 (TRIP). The toll-free, voice-activated TRIP line has frequent updates and provides targeted audio alerts for specific Turnpike sections.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is committed to distributing complete and accurate travel information. Get Turnpike news releases, traffic bulletins and other information at www.paturnpike.com.

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The image to the left shows what Pottstown and surrounding would look like as of June 15, 2010 if it were centered on 19464.

An explosion on the BP operated Deepwater Horizon oil rig killed eleven crew members on April 20, 2010, sparking the greatest environmental disaster in United States history. In combination with the Texas City Refinery Explosion and the Prudohoe Bay Oil Spill, this marks the third serious incident involving BP in the United States in the last five years. Current estimates put the amount of oil being discharged from the broken well at above 1,050,000 US gallons per day! There are over 400 different species of animals living in the area affected by the spill. 330 sea turtles and 39 dolphins have been found dead within the spill area (NOAA). BP is operating oil skimmers and other cleanup tools to try to remove oil from the water and Louisiana is building oil containment berms to halt the spread of oil. Experts are uncertain what effect, if any, these efforts will have.

View what your town would look like here.

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The Pa Insurance Department is investigating Pennsylvania’s nine largest health insurance companies to determine the reasons behind a pattern of controversial rate increases, and especially the extent to which those increases are driven by the use of questionable health profiling tools.

“Federal health reform brings many opportunities for health insurance companies, starting with 32 million new customers,” Governor Rendell said. “So I am disappointed to see these companies hiking premiums for those most in need of health care, especially when they know that all discrimination against sick people will be prohibited in 2014 under the federal reform law.”

Earlier this week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced a new grant program to help states strengthen oversight of insurance premiums and rate hikes. The grants, worth $1 million, will be awarded to states that demonstrate how the grant funds will be used to develop or enhance their processes of reviewing and approving, disapproving or modifying health insurance premium requests. Pennsylvania will apply for a grant by the July 7 deadline.

“We need a smooth transition into 2014, but instead, we are seeing some truly exorbitant rate increases — with some small businesses seeing annual increases in excess of 50 percent,” the Governor added. “This level of increase is not about passing on increases in health spending, which average in the 5 percent to 10 percent range; this is about companies trying to get the highest possible rates before the federal reforms take effect.”

“Recent market surveillance work, including a department survey and reports from brokers, suggest that some companies are expanding the use of individualized medical questionnaires and drug profiling in the small group market,” Insurance Commissioner Joel Ario added. “The two largest health insurance companies, Highmark and Independence Blue Cross (IBC) do not use these tools, but the next seven largest insurance companies all do.”

“We expected to see some improvement last month when we secured Highmark’s agreement to hold off on its previously announced intent to introduce medical questionnaires in the small group market,” said Ario. “Instead, we’ve seen increased competition to identify and drive premiums up for the most vulnerable groups.”

Pennsylvania has some of the weakest protections in the nation against rate increases for small businesses, with no cap on rate increases simply because someone in the group has a serious health condition.  However, the law will change in 2014 when individuals and small businesses can buy health insurance through exchanges that will prohibit any premium differences based on health status.

“The stories coming in from disadvantaged groups are heartbreaking,” the Governor said.  “I urge the General Assembly to give the commissioner the authority needed to stop these rate increases, or we’ll likely see a lot more disruption between now and 2014.”

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Now in its 61st year, the folk festival is a one-of-a-kind experience that gathers together the Oxenfords and some 200 of America’s finest traditional craftsmen, as well as blends the old and the new in comfortable surroundings. This year’s festival has been designated one of the top 100 events in the country by the American Bus Association.

The 2010 Kutztown Folk Festival runs from July 3-11 at the Kutztown Fairgrounds. Hours daily are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For a free brochure, please call 1-888-674-6136 or 610-683-1597.

Renowned for her Early American tole and decorative paintings–and Ray Oxenford, an accomplished traditional tinsmith, will make their 15th straight appearance at the Kutztown Folk Festival from July 3 through July 11, 2010. They will also participate in several other guild, craft and arts shows throughout the remainder of 2010.

Pat Oxenford designs and decorates all types of tinware including trays, document boxes, coffee and teapots, spice canisters and more using authentic 18th, 19th and 20th century designs. She is very much in demand for her work and knowledge and frequently offers toleware and tole painting seminars at the festival. Her specialty is recreating old-world German bride’s boxes and personalizing them for clients for weddings, anniversaries and other occasions. She has done numerous commissions and teaches at the Kutztown, Pa. German Cultural Heritage Center  and at the Harleysville, Pa. Mennonite Museum.

At this year’s festival, she will be introducing three smaller versions of her Jonas Weber chests and new Lehnware turnings. She will also exhibit her bride’s boxes, toleware, Weber-style miniature chests, wooden wall shelves, pipe boxes and wall sconces. She will also sign and sell her book, “Heritage Crafts Today—Tole Painting” (Stackpole Books) at their festival booth (A-1) in the A Building.

Pat Oxenford is also featured in photographer Sally Wiener Grotta’s traveling exhibit “American Hands,” a celebration of Americans who are keeping alive the functional skills that helped build the country.  It will be offered at various locations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.(www.AmHands.com)

Ray Oxenford, who collaborates with his wife and makes all of their wooden items including the bride’s, salt, candle, Bible and pipe boxes and Weber-style chests, has more than 45 years experience in the antiques business, as well as being a tinsmith and woodworker. He creates his own tinware using authentic 18th and 19th century patterns and designs and restores old tinware. The couple often recreates an early tin shop as part of their shows.

The Oxenfords will also appear at these 2010 events:

• The Historic East Berlin 36th Annual Colonial Day on Sat., Sept. 11 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is being held rain or shine on West King Street in East Berlin, Pa.

• The Applebutter Frolic at Harleysville, Pa., on Sat., Oct. 2, sponsored by the Harleysville Mennonite Museum, where Pat Oxenford also teaches and exhibits.

• The 42nd Annual Traditional Craft and Folk Art Sale, South Heidelberg Township Municipal Building, Wernersville, Pa., on Sat., Oct. 16.  It runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine.

• The 61st Annual Reading-Berks Guild of Craftsmen Juried Holiday Craft Festival on Nov. 6 and 7 at Keystone Hall, Kutztown university, Kutztown, Pa. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Visit the Oxenfords’ website at www.paoxenford.com or the festival website at www.kutztownfestival.com.

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