Another Busy Week In N-Town

A variety of events coming up: music, fairs, 5K runs, food, classes, flu shots and meetings on all sorts of topics.

Saturday, Oct 1, 8:30 am-2 pm, Elmwood Park Zoo's 1st annual Flea Market and Craft Fair in lower parking lot. Concessions will be available for purchase. FREE admission

Saturday, 9 am-noon, Municipal Hall. Council will meet regarding the 2017 budget. (Note-I only saw this listed on one calendar, not even on the Municipal Website Calendar, so check before you go.)

Saturday, 9-10 am Firehouse Yoga at Five Saints Distillery (Green and Main) $10.00/attendee payable at the distillery.  Doors open at 8:30am. Yoga instructor Regina Rama ge.

Saturday from 5-9 pm at Five Saints Distillery, Larry and the Curbside Cafe Food Truck. Shrimp Platter, Crab Cakes, Flounder, Lobster, Fish Sandwiches, Grilled Salmon and much more.

Saturday, 6-10 pm at Five Saints, Peggy Keller performs live.

Sunday, 9-noon, Elmwood Park Zoo. RSVP of Montgomery County will hold their annual "Run Wild" 5K Run/1 Mile Walk at Elmwood Park Zoo, in support of RSVP's Children's Literacy Programs and Elmwood Park Zoo's Conservation Programs. The event will feature awards, t-shirts for all participants, refreshments, and more. Registration begins at 8 am. The race will be held rain or shine. Register at http://bit.ly/2aZXJyZ Registration includes free t-shirt and zoo admission. For more information, contact Guest Services at 610-277-3825 x222.

Sunday, 2-5 pm, Elmwood Park Zoo. FREE admission for Norristown residents with photo ID.

Monday, Oct 3 through Nov. 2, The Norristown Police Department will be collecting winter hats and gloves for boys and girls in need at 3 locations See flyer.


Tuesdays in October at 6 pm at the Norristown Library (Powell and Swede) ~ Nutrition Matters presented by Komal Shah from Penn State Extension. Begins Oct 11, but you need to register. Visit or call the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library Reference Desk at 610-278-5100 extension 2.

Tuesday, 6:30 pm at Alfredo's Restaurant, organizational meeting of a Norristown River Recreation advocacy group. The purpose is to give Norristown more and better access to their river and the Schuylkill River Trail, address real and perceived safety issues, and find ways that bringing people to the river can help the local economy. If you're interested, RSVP to Elena at missmaggietests@gmail.com

Tuesday, 6:30 pm at Municipal Hall (235 E Airy), Council meeting. No agenda yet.

Thursday, 12:30 pm and 6 pm at Municipal Hall, public meetings about Norristown's Capital Improvement Plan. Norristown residents are invited to participate in determining which projects to focus on.

Thursday, 2:30-5:30 pm at the Montco-Norristown Public Library Community Room. FREE Flu Shots for all county residents.

Thursdays, 5-10 pm at Five Saints Distilling. Open Mic.

Thursday, 5 pm at Historical Society of Mont. Co. (Dekalb and Roberts), The Life and Legacy of Dick Allen. Free program. Join Mitchell Nathanson, author of “The Life and Legacy of Dick Allen” and baseball historian, as he examines some of the off-field issues and the perceptions and conclusions that grew from them which may have kept Phillies player Dick Allen out of the Hall of Fame. For info, contact Barry Rauhauser, 610-272-0297, contact@hsmcpa.org

Thursday, 7 pm, Centre Theater (208 Dekalb). Blak Kanvus presents "Expressions" ~ spoken word, music, live painting, art for sale. Admission $10. Platters $5.

Friday, Oct 7, 8 am-10 am. National Coffee with A Cop Day. Weather permitting, the NPD will offer free coffee and conversation in the parking lot behind the police station at 235 E Airy.
 
Next Saturday, October 8, 9 am at the Norristown Farm Park (Whitehall Rd). 3rd Annual Sole Harvest 5K Run/Walk, benefiting the Norristown Ministries Hospitality Center (530 Church St). Register at this link. Fee $20-$35. Contact Denise, Volunteer Race Director, 610-275-4585, poboxhall@gmail.com

Also next Saturday, 10 am-6 pm, downtown, Norristown Car Show.

Also next Saturday, 6-10 pm, Ghost Tours at Selma Mansion. Quiet, candlelit tours of the mansion featuring its history and infamous ghost tales. Adults $5, Children 5-12, veterans and seniors, $3; Active military, Norristown Police and Fire personnel, FREE with ID. All proceed benefit the restoration of the mansion. All children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.   

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EVENTS WHERE YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING IN ADVANCE

Montgomery County OIC is hosting their fall Spanish in the Workplace series beginning October 10th. The beginner session will be Mondays from 5-6:30, intermediate session for returning students 6:45-8:15pm. Cost of the full 6 week session is $50. First come first serve. To register or for more information, call 610-279-9700.

Tickets for Theatre Horizon's first play of the new season ~ a musical titled "A New Brain" ~ are now on sale at this link  The show will run October 13 through November 6.

Martha's Choice Marketplace, 353 E Johnson Highway (St Paul's Church) will hold their Fall Harvest Fest on November 3, 6-8 pm. They're looking for vendors~non-profits or local restaurants. If interested, contact Eli Wenger at ewnger@chs-adphila.org. Space is limited so contact them now.

The Norristown Preservation Society will be hosting their 1st Annual Holiday Craft Show at Selma Mansion on November 19th. They're looking for vendors. $15 a spot or 2 for $25. Must supply own table. This will be held inside the mansion. Santa and Christmas Carolers will be making a visit. To reserve a vendor space, call or text Dee Kirkpatrick at 484-860-2533. Also, mark your calendars for the annual Haunted House at Selma on October 29. Details in the coming weeks.

A Full Slate of Events This Week

So many events are happening in town on Saturday that chances are you're within walking distance of one of them. Besides the fun stuff, there are a couple of events with the NPD this week ~ tonight and Wednesday  ~ to help you stay informed. Get out and enjoy the cooler weather. And remember to register to vote.

Tonight, Friday, September 23 at 7 pm at Mt Zion Church (1312 Willow), Community Awareness Forum with the NPD.

Friday and Saturday from 5-9 pm, Bryan Butler will be at Five Saints Distillery serving up Norristown-style burgers, Wings, Chicken fingers, fries and more.

Saturday, 9-10 am FIREHOUSE YOGA at Five Saints Distillery (Green and Main) $10.00/attendee payable at the distillery.  Doors open at 8:30am.  yoga instructor Regina Rama ge.

Saturday, September 24, 10 am to 3 pm, Norristown State Hospital Community Room and Lounge (1001 Sterigere Street, Gate 2, Bldg 33),  Dreamscapes, a standard flower show will be held for one day only. Free and open to the public Follow the white flower show signs. Presented by The Norristown Garden Club. Blue ribbon floral exhibits, vendors and crafters. Light lunch available for purchase between the hours of 11:30 am to 1:30 pm.

Saturday, 10 am-2 pm, Riverfront Park, 1 Haws Ave. Wild Edibles Foraging Tour: Lynn Landes from Wild Foodies of Philadelphia, who will be leading an edible wild plant identification tour near the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. Meet in Riverfront Park. Wear sturdy shoes and bring something to keep you hydrated.

Saturday, 11 am-9 pm, Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd, TAPPED Philadelphia invites you to Tap out on your weekend fun with unlimited tastings of Beer, Wine and Cider. A live DJ will spin your favorite tunes while you sip on local, regional and national craft beers, wines and ciders. Rock out as you compete against your friends with our Giant Jenga, Corn Hole, Giant Beer Pong and Foosball games. Beer, Food, Music and Games. Get your tickets at http://bit.ly/TappedEP

Saturday, 2-6 pm, at 249 Jacoby St, Norristown Voter Registration Block Party. Music by The Now Generation. If you want to register, have move recently and need to update your registration or will turn 18 before November 8th, please come out to register on Saturday.

Saturday, 7 pm at ACPPA Community Art Center in Grace Hall (Grace Lutheran Church Haws Ave) ACPPA is celebrating its 10th birthday. Party for all ages. DJ and dancing, raffle games for the adults and kids, pizza and drinks, awards, party favors and more. $10 advance admission or $12 at the door. Space is limited, please RSVP at this link, or by calling 610-277-2270.

Saturday, 7 pm (doors open), Centre Theater, Rich Flow in concert. $10 all ages. Complimentary food, beer and wine.

Saturday, 7:30-10:30 pm at Five Saints, Carrie Evangeline will perform.

Saturday, 8 pm, August Moon, Crying Sam Entertainment presents one of Philly's finest Jazz drummers, Harry "Butch" Reed, featuring Latin jazz giants SoulFuego. Rhythmic and high-energy blend of Latin jazz, funk and soul inspired by the dance rhythms of Cuba and Puerto Rico.

Tuesday, 9am-1pm or 4-8pm at the Montco Intermediate Unit (2 W Lafayette), Landlord Expo. FREE event for landlords or anyone thinking of becoming a landlord. Food and refreshments provided.


Tuesday, 7 pm at Municipal Hall (235 E Airy), Zoning Board Hearing. The agenda is at this link.

Wednesday, 6 pm at Municipal Hall (Council Chambers). Public COMPSTAT meeting by the Norristown Police. Come hear about crime strategies in Norristown.

Wednesday, 6 pm at the Norristown Library (Powell and Swede), Understanding Medicare Supplement Insurance

Wednesday, 7 pm at Municipal Hall (Conference Room), HARB meeting.

Thursday from 11 am-2:30 pm, Main st. between Swede and Dekalb. Farmers market. Produce from Lone Wolf Farms. For more info, call CADCOM at 610-277-6363

Thursdays, 5-10 pm at Five Saints Distilling. Open Mic.

Thursday, 6 pm at the Montco Intermediate Unit, the first of 3 public meetings about Norristown's Capital Improvement Plan. Norristown residents are invited to participate in determining which projects to focus on. The other 2 meetings will be October 6 at 12:30 pm and 6 pm, both at Municipal Hall.

Next Saturday, Oct 1, 8:30 am-2 pm, Elmwood Park Zoo's 1st annual Flea Market and Craft Fair in one lower parking lot. Concessions will be available for purchase. FREE admission.

Tickets for Theatre Horizon's first play of the new season ~ a musical titled "A New Brain" ~ are now on sale at this link  The show will run October 13 through November 6.

The Norristown Preservation Society will be hosting their 1st Annual Holiday Craft Show at Selma Mansion on November 19th. They're looking for vendors. $15 a spot or 2 for $25. Must supply own table. This will be held inside the mansion. Santa and Christmas Carolers will be making a visit. To reserve a vendor space, call or text Dee Kirkpatrick at 484-860-2533   Also, mark your calendars for Selma Ghost Tours on October 8 and the annual Haunted House on October 29. Details in the coming weeks.

ROCK THE BLOCK this Weekend

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY's Rock The Block is the big event in town this weekend. A whole day of volunteering to help revitalize a part of N-town. See details below.

Friday, September 16, 9 am-2 pm. PARK(ing) day. In Norristown, four parking spaces in front of the Montgomery County Courthouse will be transformed into public spaces (by the county, one presumes--and they don't say if they mean Main Street or Swede). PARK(ing) Day's mission is to “call attention to the need for more urban open space, to generate critical debate around how public space is created and allocated, and to improve the quality of urban human habitat." Once again, the county waited until the last minute to publicize this, but according to the PARK(ing) Day website, anyone willing to pay the meter on a space is eligible to take part. In fact, you can do it anywhere in town, especially if there's a meter, because as long as you pay, no one can tell you to move along. Create a 9x18 foot public park.

Friday, 8 pm at Coffee Talk (507 W Marshall). Evening with Songwriters and Performers, featuring James Pelusi, Daniel Truxton, Eric Sollenberger.

Saturday, 7 am-4 pm, Powell and Swede. Habitat For Humanity's Rock The Block. Event volunteers will help with set-up and break-down as well as with registration, lunch and construction crew assistance. Construction crew volunteers are needed for light repair/preservation projects. If you or your civic, faith-based, school or professional group would like to participate in Rock the Block 2016, please contact Cara Przybylowicz, Volunteer and Community Relations Manager, at Cara@habitatmontco.org or 610-278-7710 ext. 114.

Sunday, Noon-4 pm at Coffee Talk (507 W Marshall). Open Mic.

Monday, 7-9 pm, Montgomery County Human Services, 1430 Dekalb. Free class on Money Management sponsored by Genesis Housing.

Tuesday, 6:30 pm, Municipal Hall. Council Workshop Meeting. No agenda yet.

Wednesday, 5-6 pm, Montgomery County OIC, 1101 Arch. Join Greener Partners for a free cooking demonstration. Staff from their Longview Farm will host a cooking demo using seasonal vegetables. Participants will be able to sample the recipe as well. No registration required.

Thursday from 11 am-2:30 pm, Main st. between Swede and Dekalb. Farmers market. Produce from Lone Wolf Farms. For more info, call CADCOM at 610-277-6363

Thursdays, 5-10 pm at Five Saints Distilling. Open Mic.

Next Saturday, Sept 24, 10 am-2 pm, Riverfront Park, 1 Haws Ave. Wild Edibles Foraging Tour: Lynn Landes from Wild Foodies of Philadelphia, who will be leading an edible wild plant identification tour near the Schuylkill River Trail in Norristown. Meet in Riverfront Park. Wear sturdy shoes and bring something to keep you hydrated. Register at https://srtp.ticketleap.com/

Also next Saturday, 11 am-9 pm, Elmwood Park Zoo, 1661 Harding Blvd, TAPPED Philadelphia invites you to Tap out on your weekend fun with unlimited tastings of Beer, Wine and Cider. A live DJ will spin your favorite tunes while you sip on local, regional and national craft beers, wines and ciders. Rock out as you compete against your friends with our Giant Jenga, Corn Hole, Giant Beer Pong and Foosball games. Beer, Food, Music and Games. Get your tickets at http://bit.ly/TappedEP

Also next Saturday, 7 pm at ACPPA Community Art Center in Grace Hall (Grace Lutheran Church Haws Ave) ACPPA is celebrating its 10th birthday. Party for all ages. DJ and dancing, raffle games for the adults and kids, pizza and drinks, awards, party favors and more. $10 advance admission or $12 at the door. Space is limited, please RSVP at this link, or by calling 610-277-2270.

Tickets for Theatre Horizon's first play of the new season ~ a musical titled "A New Brain" ~ are now on sale at this link. The show will run October 13 through November 6.

Community Policing

If you read my blog, it's likely you try to keep abreast of what's going on in Norristown, so you've probably heard the term "community policing" sometime in the last 3 years. The problem is, very few people know what it really means.

From conversations I've had with residents in person and on social media like Facebook and Nextdoor, most of us have this idea that community policing means the police are talking to the residents more, but everyone still feels the NPD is in charge of policing. The community is being policed. With a clear cut line between the two. When a bad thing happens, you hear a lot of folks say, "Where were the police?"

One person last week posted that the police ought to sit on side streets and in alleyways to catch the bad guys in town (he seemed to also imagine that there was a bad guy in EVERY alleyway in town). Think about how many officers we'd need to accomplish this all over town on all three workshifts. If we raised taxes to hire a thousand officers, some of the same people yelling loudly for more police would then start yelling about taxes.

Here's the real meaning of community policing ~ the community protects itself (without, of course, being vigilantes). The speaker at last night's observation skills workshop said it best: WE are responsible for keeping our own neighborhoods safe. The police are merely the service we use to accomplish this. We shouldn't be asking "Where were the police?" but "Where were the neighbors?"

We know (or SHOULD know) our neighborhoods better than any police officer. If you see someone walking around a neighbor's house, checking the windows, you'll probably know if that's a family member or someone you've never seen before. You know what activity is normal for your street and what isn't. If you see a stranger on your block trying to talk to kids, are you going to wait for a patrol car to go by on its own? No, you're going to call 911, and while you wait for them, why not go out and chat with the stranger yourself?

When you walk around town by yourself, do you wear ear buds? Do you text or play games on your phone? Do you look down at the ground as you walk, thinking about something you need to do for work, or about a family problem? If you answered yes to any of these questions, do you assume the police will magically appear if you get into trouble? Or if you do have the presence of mind to dial 911, do you assume your attacker will be patient until the cops come?

Just looking alert and aware of your surroundings can prevent you from becoming a victim. As you walk along, look at people you pass on the street. Smile and say "hi" (most people will smile back, at least). The more people who do this in town, the less crime we'll have. Why? Because the last thing criminals want is to engage with other people who can later ID them. They'll avoid blocks where people regularly catch the eye of and talk to passers-by. Friendliness is a great crime deterrent. And hey, it would also help give N-town residents a reputation for hospitality.

Crimes from 3/7 to 3/13

This sort of community policing is the reason crime is down in Norristown 35% since Chief Talbot took over. Residents are now partnering with the NPD to not only catch criminals, but prevent crimes altogether. You can help. Get to know our police officers, at least by sight if not by name. Go to the Coffee With A Cop events and introduce yourself, or to programs like the one at the library last night, or to the COMPSTAT meetings, or the occasional NPD Town Halls. I'm taking the 10-week Citizens Police Academy course this fall and I highly recommend it.

For the latest info on what crimes are being committed around town, go to this link. The site shows that most of our crimes at the moment are drug violations (blue on the map) and thefts from buildings or stores (dollar signs on the map--these aren't robberies, which is when the robber faces the victim and steals. Theft is when the victim isn't there or is unaware of the crime, like a break-in to an empty house or shoplifting).

Take responsibility for keeping your small part of your block safe. Keep an eye on not only your property, but the parts of the street, alley and neighbors' yards you can see from your house. If everyone in town did this, our crime rate would really plummet. Report crimes to 911. Report non-emergency activity to 610-270-0977.  If you can, join our Town Watch by calling 610-270-0459. 

Riverfest, Heroes Run, Mexican Festival, and Much More

BIG celebrations in N-town this weekend: Riverfest Saturday, Mexican Festival Sunday, plus the block party on Main following the Heroes 5K Run on Sunday. Come downtown and see the Budweiser Clydesdales. Lots of other events, too.

Friday, September 9, 8-10 pm, another Drive-In Movie Night at Elmwood Park Zoo. This time "Zootopia." Gates open at 8 pm. Movie starts at 9. Please purchase tickets in advance at this link. $20/car for non-members, $15/car for zoo members, $5 for lawn seats.

Saturday, 8-9 am at Five Saints Distilling (Main and Green) in the Distillery Front Tasting Room/Bar ~Yoga with Instructor Regina Ramage $10 per attendee payable at the distillery on Saturday morning.  The doors open at 7:30 am to set up.

Saturday, 10 am-1 pm, ACPPA's Annual Open House, featuring many creative activities led by volunteers from Vanguard, tours of the facilities, opportunities to meet teaching staff, and the opportunity to get deep discounts on our already affordable visual and performing arts classes.

Also Saturday from 2-6 pm at Riverfront Park (1 Haws Ave) - RIVERFEST. Pirates are returning to Riverfront. Cardboard boat contest and races. Free instruction and rides in dragon boats and outriggers. Breast Cancer Rose Ceremony. Food and Music. And the official opening of Norristown's new floating dock.

Saturday from noon-7 pm, Five Saints Distillery (Green and Main) Perky BBQ Truck will be parked right in front of Five Saints front bays for your dining pleasure. From 7-11 pm, Matt Plasted will perform favorites from the '60s through present day.

Sunday, starting at 9 am, 9/11 HEROES RUN downtown. Course Map available for download at this link  The race begins at 9 am sharp. Please be advised that streets in the race route will be closed at 8:30am. After the race, the World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales will march down Main Street starting at 9:20 am, beginning at the 700 Block of Main Street (East or West was NOT listed, probably east), ending at the Courthouse. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early for a good spot. Parking will be limited, street parking IS free on weekends, the Septa-Norristown Transportation Center parking lot and the County lot will also be open for a charge. A block party will follow the run and parade, featuring live entertainment, DJ, petting zoo area and various vendors such as Five Saints Distilling, Chickie's & Pete's, Stella Artois and much more.

Sunday, 1-6 pm at St. Patrick's Parish Hall and parking lot. Mexican Independence Day Festival. Authentic food, beer, music, vendors, dancing. Featuring the Mexican Kids Dancers.

Sunday, 1-8 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell. Music for Kids' Sake concert. FREE event. Bring a blanket of lawn chair. The snack stand will be open.

Tuesday, 6-7:30 pm, Norristown Public Library (Powell and Swede), the NPD presents Observation Skills Training. Learn how to be aware of your surrounding, be able to give a good description, help NPD keep your neighborhood safe. Note: the lower parking lot at the library is still closed. Park on the street on in the upper lot on Powell. Questions, contact Gina Davies at 610-270-0490 or gdavies@norristown.org.

Tuesday, 7 pm, Municipal Hall. Planning Commission Meeting. No agenda yet.

Thursday from 11 am-2:30 pm, Main St. between Swede and Dekalb. Farmers market. Produce from Lone Wolf Farms. For more info, call CADCOM at 610-277-6363

Thursdays, 5-10 pm at Five Saints Distilling. Open Mic.

Thursday, 5-6:30 pm at the Historical Society of Montgomery County (1654 Dekalb). Gene Pisasale presents a "Living Biography" of Alexander Hamilton: Architect of the American Financial System. Pisasale is a historical mystery writer and avid history buff from Philadelphia's Main Line. This program is free and open to the public. For information: 610-272-0297 or contact@hsmcpa.org

Thursday, 5-7 pm, Art Exhibit Opening Reception at Municipal Hall. Please join us as we kick-off Hispanic Heritage Month with a FREE opening reception of the art exhibit featuring various pieces by CCATE - RevoluciónArte Gallery. Enjoy food, live music and a chance to meet the artists. This event is open to the public. The Art Exhibit will run from September 15th - October 13th on the 1st floor of Municipal Hall.

Tickets for Theatre Horizon's first play of the new season ~ a musical titled "A New Brain" ~ are now on sale at this link  The show will run October 13 through November 6.

Norristown River Update

It's been a while since I've reported on what's going on down at our riverfront. Half of Norristown is only vaguely aware that we HAVE a riverfront, or a river, for that matter. Meanwhile other communities like Conshohocken, Phoenixville and Manayunk have active groups advocating for more river recreation opportunities for their residents. Hey, Norristown, as summers get hotter, spending time down by, or on, the nice cool river is going to sound pretty inviting.

Currently, all our river recreation is centered at Riverfront Park (at the end of Haws Avenue) with events led mostly by the Dragon Boat Club of Norristown. One such event, very family-friendly, is this Saturday: RIVERFEST, from 2-6 pm. FREE event, with FREE boat rides in the dragon boats and outrigger canoes, cardboard boat judging contest and races, kids games and music. The DBC will have their grill fired up for hotdogs and other food for purchase. And lots of pirates will be wandering around. In fact, if you have an inner pirate, dress him/her up that day. Everyone is welcome. If you haven't been down to Riverfront Park, this is a great reason to visit.

One other thing, this Saturday, at 2:30 pm, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will open the new floating dock. Norristown Municipality installed this to make access to small boats easier. It's not just for the Dragon Club, but for the community--anyone with a canoe or kayak or rowboat can use it. You can fish off of it (just clean up after yourself, please--leftover fish guts and bait won't help others enjoy the river). You can just sit and dangle your toes in the cool water.

Another improvement you'll see Saturday is the Youth Dragon Boat Team. This was begun last spring. The kids trained and went on to medal in the races they attended. (In the photo above, that's GOLD medals the kids are wearing.) The Youth Team not only trains at the river, they participate in all kinds of fun activities ~ water balloon fights, tubing, etc. They do fundraisers through the year and they're currently working on a secret project which will be unveiled at Riverfest. They're always looking for new members. If you know a kid who might be interested, bring him/her along on Saturday.

One Youth Team member who turned 17 has decided to go on to train for Team USA. How cool would it be to have a native Norristonian on a USA dragon boat team at the World Championships? (It's not an Olympic sport yet, though there's been talk of including it.)

So there you have it, your river update. Come out Saturday and check it out for yourself. Bring your kids and your friends.

But also, start thinking beyond Saturday. Once the Lafayette Extension Project is completed and the section of our riverfront between Markley and Ford is opened for development, we can let developers tell us what that riverfront will look like, or we can start planning now what WE want for our riverfront. A walking path along the water? A picnic area? A fishing dock? A beach? A place to put in paddle boats? Maybe vendors for renting canoes and kayaks or selling food? A nice, inviting park the whole length of the riverfront, for our community to have and pass on to our children? And to entice visitors from communities without a river to come and spend money here?

Think about it. See you Saturday at Riverfront.

Council's New Agenda

Tonight, Council meets at 7:30 pm at Municipal Hall. You can view the agenda at this link.

First, I'd like to welcome our new Council-at-Large rep, Suanne Gardiner, who will fill the vacancy left by Marlon Millner.

At last Friday's special meeting, there was a discussion (egged on my me) about transparency in Council affairs. I actually never said the word transparency in my remarks. What I said was that they needed better communication with the public. This isn't really the same thing. But I did say that lack of communication was leading to rumors flying around that Council was being secretive. I gave agendas as an example ~ frequently they listed no explanations of the motions being voted on. If Council doesn't discuss the issue and no one asks questions, they might vote without telling even the residents present what the motion was for. Intelligent Public Comments were impossible.

I'm happy to report that this week's agenda has an explanation of each item. So thank you, Council, for making an attempt to address that problem.

Derrick Perry stated that residents should feel free to contact any of the council reps for info on any issue. So let's say you read tonight's agenda and come to the item that reads "Recommendation to Council to approve Resolution 16-144 of 2016 Requiring Council's certification of market rate - owner occupied - housing projects as necessary to be eligible for a reduced sewer system tapping fee offered by the NMWA." And you think "What's this about reduced sewer rates for owner-occupied housing? Is that for everyone, or only new housing projects? And if it isn't for everyone, why not?" You can email or call any council rep right now, and they'll give you the answer, hopefully before the meeting tonight, so you can make your views known before the vote.

You can find all the council reps' contact info (at least phone numbers, except for Suanne, who isn't on the list yet) at http://www.norristown.org/municipal-council.html. I'm not sure why only President and Vice President have email addresses. They all used to have them. It would help communication if they still did.

One last tidbit, Municipal Administrator Crandall Jones said they're installing new software that will allow for annotation of the agendas after the meetings, to explain the votes and any discussion, and also to make any documents public that pertain to the issues. Legally, though, the documents can't be made public before the meetings.

So there you have it, Council's plans for keeping us better informed. If you have trouble getting information about any issue, or understanding the agendas, or communicating with any council rep, let me know.

Special Council Meeting, Then The Fun Stuff

Tonight, Friday, September 2, 6 pm at Municipal Hall. SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING to appoint "a resident" to the at-large council seat vacated by Marlon Milner. I'm wondering why Council isn't announcing the name of the resident before the meeting, why they're doing this on the Friday evening of a holiday weekend when the seat has been vacant since August 3, and why they only gave residents one day's notice. If I find out any of these answers, I'll let you know.

Friday and Saturday, Montco Fair at Norristown High School. 6-10 pm both nights.

Saturday, 8-9 am at Five Saints Distilling (Main and Green) in the Distillery Front Tasting Room/Bar --Yoga with Instructor Regina Ramage $10 per attendee payable at the distillery on Saturday morning.  The doors open at 7:30 am to set up.

Saturday, 1-9 pm, Five Saints Distillery (Green and Main) The Curbside Cafe Food Truck will be parked right in front of Five Saints front bays for your dining pleasure.  Ryan Conroy, singer/songwriter, will perform from 7-10 pm.

Sunday, 1-4 pm, Coffee Talk (507 W Marshall), Open Mic. $5 donation.

Sunday, (raindate 9/11), NPD Thomas Barone Memorial Car Show at Norristown Maenner-chor Club , 920 Haws Ave. Breakfast 8:30 am, Registration begins at 9 am. Show is from 11 am-3 pm. Pre-registration $15, $20 day of show. Food, drinks, music, door prizes. Cars, motorcycles, trucks, tuners. Proceeds benefit the Thomas Barone Scholarship Fund. Info, contact Rich at 610-585-7115,
raceitch3@verizon.net.

Sunday, 2-5 pm, FREE admission to Elmwood Park Zoo for all residents that present a valid photo ID.

Sunday, 2-9 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell: Labor Day Weekend Music Fest begins. 2 pm Monkeephiles, 7 pm Kicking Down Doors (Beatles). FREE Event. Bring a blanket of lawn chair. The snack stand will be open.

Monday, 6-9 pm at Elmwood Park Bandshell: Labor Day Weekend Music Fest, part 2. Wildflower performs.  FREE Event. Bring a blanket of lawn chair. The snack stand will be open.

Tuesdays in September (6-27), 6-7:30 pm, Historical Society of Montgomery County (1654 Dekalb) presents Intermediate Genealogy Workshop, presented by Genealogist Rose Brown. 4 week workshop for researchers who want to expand their skills beyond the basics. Pre-registration is required. Seating is limited; registration will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. $10 member/$40 nonmembers, non-refundable materials fee. For information or to reserve a seat: 610-272-0297 or contact@hsmcpa.org.  http://www.hsmcpa.org

Tuesday, 7:30 pm, Municipal Hall. Council Meeting. No agenda yet, of course.

Wednesday, 10 am, Job Corps Information Session at the Health & Human Services Building, 1430 Dekalb, Main Entrance. Career Training and Education. Job Corps is free to eligible low-income persons ages 16-24. Call 1-800-733-JOBS [5627] or go to the website www.recruiting.jobcorps.gov or facebook page www.facebook.com/doljobcorps

UPDATE: Thursday, 9-10 am, Diva’s Kitchen (9 W Main), Meet your PA State Rep, Matt Bradford for a light breakfast and hear about the issues.

Thursday from 11 am-2:30 pm, Main st. between Swede and Dekalb. Farmers market. Produce from Lone Wolf Farms. For more info, call CADCOM at 610-277-6363

Thursday, 1:30-4:30 pm at Elmwood Park Zoo. Volunteer Open House. Are you looking for a way to meet new people, get involved in your community, and share your talents? Volunteer at the Zoo. Come to learn about the variety of ways that you can make a difference. Light refreshments will be served. This event is free to attend but please register at http://bit.ly/2bVHxmG. Then check in at the admissions window upon arrival.

Friday, September 9, 8-10 pm, another Drive-In Movie Night at Elmwood Park Zoo, featuring."Zootopia." Gates open at 8 pm. Movie starts at 9. Please purchase tickets in advance at this link. $20/car for non-members, $15/car for zoo members, $5 for lawn seats.

Next Saturday, September 10, 10 am-1 pm, ACPPA's Annual Open House, featuring many creative activities led by volunteers from Vanguard, tours of the facilities, opportunities to meet teaching staff, and the opportunity to get deep discounts on our already affordable visual and performing arts classes.

Also next Saturday from 2-8 pm at Riverfront Park (1 Haws Ave) - RIVERFEST. Pirates are returning to Riverfront. Cardboard boat races. Free instruction and rides in dragon boats, kayaks, outriggers. Breast Cancer Rose Ceremony. Live music, food for purchase.

Tickets for Theatre Horizon's first play of the new season ~ a musical titled "A New Brain" ~ are now on sale at this link  The show will run October 13 through November 6.