Pattye Benson

Community Matters

Tredyffrin Township

It’s Official . . . Martini’s Italian Market Open!

November 18, 2010
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It’s official . . . Martini’s Italian Market is now open in Paoli Village Shoppes.

Many of us have been watching over the last few months as Bill DiMartini created a slice of Italy in our own backyard. For those who have lived in the area for a long time (and have a good memory!) Bill’s folks owned Martini’s resturant on Lancaster Avenue in Devon . . . a local Italian neighborhood restuarant where neighbors met neighbors.

I recently visited Martiini’s and was surprised to find that Paoli’s newest offering is much more than ‘just an Italian market’. With a touch of DiMartini family magic, Bill has created a place to purchase your traditional Italian favorites . . . cannolis, cheese, fresh pastas, olive oils, vinegars, and of course a wide selection of Italian hoagies. Offering help with holiday gift-giving, Martini’s can create special gift baskets for your family and friends. In addition to the special food selections, Martini’s offers a wide selection of unique gift items, including a selection of imported Vietri pottery and glassware.

Although open for a few weeks, Martini’s official Grand Opening is Saturday, November 20. The day promises tastings, discounts on pottery, special promises and a place for neighbors to meet neighbors!

The hours at Martini’s Italian Market are Monday – Saturday, 9 AM – 7 PM and Sunday, 9 AM – 1 PM.

Best wishes for the long-anticipated Martini’s Italian Market . . . may the DiMartini’s enjoy another family success!

Philadelphia International Airport — Intimate Pat-Down or Full-Body Scan . . . Not Much of a Choice!

November 17, 2010
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Have any of you flown since TSA (Transportation Security Administration) installed Advancing Imaging Technology (AIT) body scanners at Philadelphia International Airport? I had not really paid much attention to the body scanner news until I started to think about my own upcoming travel plans. In a few days, my husband and I will be heading off to Budapest, and in the midst of locating our passports and checking weather forecasts, the news of a ‘National Opt Out Day’ hit the headlines.

A grassroots organization, We Won’t Fly has big plans for November 24, the day before Thanksgiving — and the most-travelled day on the calendar. The airline boycott effort by the organization is organizing the National Opt Out Day; a mass x-ray scanner opt outs at airports around the nation.

We Won’t Fly wants to highlight the health and privacy dangers of TSA’s x-ray airport scanners. The protests to x-ray scanners range from privacy issues to concerns over increased radiation risks. Part of the privacy issue stems from what amounts to a nude picture of each traveler. For the record, the AIT scanner cannot store, transmit or print the body images; and they are deleted immediately once viewed and they have zero storage capacity.

Another variable for passengers is not knowing ahead of time if they will be required to pass through the AIT machines. Some airports require all passengers to pass through, others choose randomly, and still other airports (for example, Harrisburg International Airport) say the AIT machine is “optional”. Officials at Harrisburg International Airports rationalize that if passenger follows procedure and clears through the normal metal detector, the full body scanner is optional. If a passenger sets off the traditional metal detector, they have a chance to check their pockets and go through the metal detector once more before they are required to go through a held-held metal scanner.

I did a bit of checking and the AIT scanners have been at the Philadelphia International Airport for about 3 weeks, and by all reports Philadelphia has opted for a stricter process than some of the other airports. If the AIT is offered at the checkpoint lane that you are in, passengers will be asked to go through the AIT. At the Philadelphia Airport, if you opt out of the AIT scanner process, the passenger is required instead to go through an intimate pat down by a TSA officer, beyond the more traditional hand-held metal detector. I will not discuss the specific pat down details, except to say that for most this personal body touching is probably not a viable option. Here is the choices as I see it for travelers at Philadelphia Airport – (1) the full-body AIT scan; (2) the intimate pat down or (3) you do not fly.

Unite PA, a Lancaster-based Tea Party group is taking an extreme stand, claiming that the pat down and AIT machines are ‘sexual assault’, even if TSA is a government agency. Unite PA is promoting Opt Out Day on November 24, even if it means the traveler forfeiting their Thanksgiving by not traveling. As a heads-up, the Opt Out Day organization is planning a demonstration at Philadelphia airport for Nov. 24. Travel is going to be a nightmare during the upcoming holiday travel season and I think we can anticipate additional delay.

What I don’t understand is why do the airports vary on the AIT requirement . . . ? Where is the Federal regulation, why should some airports (Harrisburg) that have AIT scanners, be permitted to continue to use the traditional hand-held metal detector. The question I need to ask myself is why we are flying to Hungary from Philadelphia instead of Harrisburg! I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has traveled from Philadelphia International Airport in the last 3 weeks.

Judy DiFilippo Honored for Community Service . . . Her Name Added to Tredyffrin’s Wall of Honor

November 16, 2010
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Last night at the Board of Supervisors meeting, former township supervisor Judy DiFilippo was honored for her many years of community service. Following the reading of the official resolution by Bob Lamina, the audience witnessed the unveiling of Judy’s name on the Wall of Honor plaque in the township building lobby. (Click here to read the complete text of the resolution.)

Audience members and guests were invited to attend a reception in Judy’s honor sponsored by the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust. A long-standing supporter of historic preservation in the community, members of the Trust’s Board of Directors join the community in thanking Judy for her many years of community service. The next time you are in the township building, please take a look at the Wall of Honor.

Congratulations Judy!

TESD Facilities Committee Meeting – Presentation of $3 Million Plan to Upgrade IT Network

November 12, 2010
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Ray Clarke attended the school district’s Facilities Committee meeting and graciously sent me notes. Although I have been married to a computer marketing guru for 30 years, I certainly don’t claim to have any understanding of the IT world. However, it is almost certain that when organizations make significant IT changes/upgrades — they are nearly out of date by the time they are installed. Because computer technology is constantly changing and advancing in today’s world, it can be difficult (and costly) to stay current. Technology experts — we could use your thoughts on the school district’s IT network upgrade plans.

Ray Clarke’s TESD Facilities Committee Meeting Notes . . .

Friday’s TESD Facilities Committee meeting was most notable for a presentation of a $3 million plan to upgrade the IT network. Happily, the Committee gave approval for only initial consultant planning work. Hopefully more of the community can be present for that report to learn what exactly is to be done, when, and what the practical user benefits will be.

The basic argument went as follows: “Text books and teaching materials are becoming more available electronically. Therefore we need a) higher speeds in the district network, and b) wireless network availability throughout the high school (already in place?), the middle schools and eventually the elementary schools.” The consultant waved his iPad, and stated it was useless without a network. But, is the converse also true?

Are we therefore setting the District up for an ongoing cascade of expenditure? The Committee was adamantly against the provision of mobile devices to students. Will they therefore be able to bring their own? Will our classrooms come to resemble the Ivy League class my wife and I sat in on, where 90% of the students were on Facebook, playing video games, IM’ing their buddies a few rows down, etc.?

The $3 million will expand the network speed from 1 to 10 gigabtyes per second. That’s nice. Is the network slow now? What’s the current capacity? What’s the correlation between capacity and response time perceived by the user? How much capacity does a “multi-media-rich, interactive web-based” class need? How many such classes could the current network support? What would happen if every class had one of those presentations at the same time? (And if they did, what would that say about our ability to have our students actually engage in stimulating discussion with the teacher and their peers, and actually learn to THINK?)

We’ll know the temperature and humidity in the switch closets. Also nice to know, but are we having sauna/steam room problems now? Further, it would be nice to have every phone in the school have immediate emergency power before the generators kick in, but what problems are created by the current situation?

I trust that there are answers to these and other questions. Dr Motel and the Committee were absolutely right in not giving carte blanche to this proposal and in asking for a real plan. Perhaps the bottom line question should be: How will our students benefit?

The 10 year capital plan – without solutions for district storage and maintenance facilities and with no provision for ongoing IT needs – shows the $15 million from last year’s bond being used up during 2014/15. The next tranche of bond funds at the same interest rate would be available just in time (I think (?)). Otherwise that $9 million designated for capital in the General Fund (if indeed it’s still there) would be needed.

Not much leeway, it seems to me.

Asking for Support for Paoli & Berwyn Fire Companies . . . Celebrating 100 Years, a New Building & a Turkey Raffle!

November 12, 2010
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Special events coming up from Paoli & Berwyn Fire Companies. The community is invited to celebrate the first 100 years of the Paoli Fire Company and the dedication of their new firehouse on Saturday, November 13. The Berwyn Fire Company is asking the public to participate in their Annual Turkey Raffle on Wednesday, November 17. I encourage all to support our local volunteer firefighters!

Paoli Fire Company Celebrating 100 Years + A New Fire House!
100th Anniversary & Building Dedication
Paoli Fire Company
69 Darby Road, Paoli, PA
Saturday, November 13
1 PM – 4 PM

Tomorrow’s Open House at Paoli Fire Company marks 2 milestones . . . the celebration of the fire company’s first 100 years + the dedication of their new fire house. The Paoli Fire Company is opening their doors to the community to help celebrate the dedication of their new building and their first 100 years of history!

If you like fire trucks, you don’t want to miss this opportunity. Surrounding fire companies will bring their trucks to the tomorrow’s celebration. It promises to be a special day with tours of the firehouse, food, souvenirs and plenty of fun for the entire family.

If you are interested in the history of the first 100 years of the Paoli Fire Company, George Mathias wrote the article, “The Early Years of the Paoli Fire Company” for the Winter 1978 Volume 16 Number 4 edition of the Tredyffrin Easttown Historical Society’s Quarterly. (Click here for the full article)

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Berwyn Fire Company
Annual Turkey Raffle Fundraiser
Wednesday, November 17
7:00 PM – 9:30 PM

Berwyn Fire Company’s Annual Turkey Raffle is the fire company’s largest fundraising event of the year. In past years, the event has raised as much as $10,000 and we want to make sure that 2010 is no different. The Turkey Raffle will be held on Wednesday, November 17, 7 – 9:30 PM. This annual event is a fun family evening with great door prizes and free food. There are chances to purchase for a 50/50 raffle and 65 turkeys are available for the raffle. If you are unable to attend but want to help – sponsor a turkey for $25. The turkeys will feature your name (or company) and all sponsors will be posted on the station wall the night of the event.

Questions: Kathy Clark, fundraising coordinator, at kpgclark@comcast.net or call Berwyn Fire Company, 610-644-6050. Visit: www.berwynfireco.org

Privatize Pennsylvania’s Liquor Stores? Why not . . . Could provide $2 Billion Revenue for 2011

November 12, 2010
10 Comments

Should Pennsylvania sell the state liquor control system to help balance the state’s budget?

For years, there has been discussion about the privatization of Pennsylvania’s state liquor stores. Having moved here from California, it was an adjustment for me to Pennsylvania’s liquor stores; it seemed a rather ineffective, antiquated way of doing business. The state’s monopoly on liquor stores removes the convenience, efficiency and competition that would be created in a private marketplace – I was mystified why the system remained ‘status quo’.

Apparently, there is now renewed interest in the privatizing concept of the state’s 621 liquor stores by Governor-elect Corbett. It is believed that by leasing the state liquor stores, there would be $2 billion up-front revenue gain in 2011. A projection of 850 businesses would be created by the privatizing the state-run stores and that number does not include the new jobs that would be created by the expansion of the wine and liquor industry in Pennsylvania.

House Bill 2350 was introduced last spring by State Rep. Mike Turzai (R – Allegheny) which calls for the auctioning of 750 retail licenses and 100 wholesale licenses “to the highest responsible bidder with a reserve based upon the fair market value” to replace the current state-run system of liquor stores. This bill is set to expire on Nov. 30 but it is possible a similar plan will be introduced next year.

At first thought, one could wonder what happens to the state employee jobs in the liquor stores but those jobs should not go away. The liquor stores will continue to exist and they will continue to need employees – the difference is that the state will not have the employees on the payroll but rather the jobs shift to the private sector. It is also possible that there could be an increase in private jobs with the change, depending on the demand.

I have long thought that the state’s monopoly on liquor sales needs to change. Look at UPS and FedEx vs the Federal post office. Private companies have a profit motive to deliver products at a price the consumer desires and with the convenience that the consumer demands. Look at the way the postal costs have continually risen over the last decade. Why should sales of liquor in Pennsylvania be any different?

The liquor store debate is a problem of two dimensions. First, let’s consider ridding the state of this government controlled monopoly, its associated abuses and watch prices reflect true free market conditions. Second, the state could cash in on the value of this government monopoly by selling it. Pennsylvania’s government always needs money and the proceeds of the sale could be thrown at the most needy — in the instant case, the state budget.

What do you think — should Pennsylvania sell the state liquor control system to help the state’s budget issues?

Veteran’s Day

November 11, 2010
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As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.
~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

A bit of Veteran’s Day history . . .

In 1918, on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day in the eleventh month, the world rejoiced and celebrated. After four years of bitter war, an armistice was signed. At that time the war was called The Great War, or The War to End All Wars. The armistice between the Allied nations and the Central Powers went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of the year 1918.

November 11, 1919 was set aside as Armistice Day in the United States, to remember the sacrifices that men and women made during World War I in order to ensure a lasting peace. On Armistice Day, soldiers who survived the war marched in a parade through their home towns. Politicians and veteran officers gave speeches and held ceremonies of thanks for the peace they had won.

Congress voted Armistice Day a federal holiday in 1938, 20 years after the war ended. But Americans realized that the previous war would not be the last one. After the Second World War, Armistice Day continued to be observed on November 11.

After World War II and the Korean War, in 1953 townspeople in Emporia, Kansas called the holiday Veterans’ Day in gratitude to the veterans in their town. Soon after, Congress passed a bill introduced by a Kansas congressman renaming the federal holiday to Veterans’ Day. This day marked the beginning of the tradition of honoring all those Americans who participated in various wars for the United States, and not just the World War I veterans alone.

Though it was initially decided that the 11th day of the 11th month of every year will be observed as the Veterans Day, in 1971 under President Nixon, the day was shifted to fourth Monday of the October month. As per the new change, the Veterans Day was celebrated on 25th October in 1971. This change, however, resulted in great deal of confusion, and eventually Veterans Day was shifted back to 11th November in 1978. In 2001,

Today as we celebrate Veterans Day and the men and women who bravely served our great nation, we remember those soldiers still serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans Day is set aside to remember and honor the bravery of our men and women in uniform, but it’s something we as Americans should try to do everyday.

Consider this statistic as you observe Veteran’s Day — between Sept. 9 and Oct. 29 of this year, the Department of Defense announced the deaths of 87 men and women while serving in Afghanistan and Iraq. During that same period, we have heard plenty of talk about celebrity divorces and scandals, but how much did we hear about these 87 brave Americans?

PA State Rep. Paul Drucker Reports House Will Hold Voting Session Nov. 15

November 10, 2010
63 Comments

After much debate and discussion, PA State Rep Paul Drucker is reporting that the house will reconvene for voting session on November. Here is the press release:

House to hold voting session Nov. 15

I am pleased to inform you that legislative leaders have announced that the state House will reconvene voting session on Monday, Nov. 15.

This means that the House will be able to complete work on important, bipartisan bills and send them to the governor for his signature. I am pleased that legislative leaders listened to rank-and-file members and are allowing us to finish the job we were elected to do.

As you know, my colleagues and I urged leaders to come back into session after voting session days that had been scheduled for Nov. 8, 9, 10, 15 and 16 were canceled.

Several House bills, including pension reform legislation, will now get the attention they deserve.

Tis the Season to Buy Local . . . Neighborhood Toy Store Day, Saturday, November 13

November 10, 2010
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Tis the Season to Buy Local

With the holidays quickly approaching, we know that shopping is around the corner. More important than ever, this holiday season it really does matter where you shop; especially to struggling small business communities across the country. As a small business owner myself, I strongly support those independents or family-owned business which are struggling to keep their doors open under less than ideal economic times.

When you shop local, you invest in your community, in your neighbors, and in yourselves. Whether it is the local hardware, independent book store, family-owned restaurant, neighborhood barber shop . . . in this economic climate, the best return on investment is in local business. It is estimated that for every dollar you spend, twice as much will be reinvested in the community by a local store than a national store.

Working with independent toy stores across the country is my friend, Debbie Bookstaber. Through Debbie, I found out about Neighborhood Toy Store Day (website: www.neighborhoodtoystoreday.com or Facebook, http://www.facebook.com/astratoy ) on Saturday, November 13, which will highlight the importance of independent toy stores not only to children and their families – but to their local areas as well. Independent toy stores are important to their local communities and provide a resource for families. In Philadelphia, there is a large celebration planned on Saturday at the Please Touch Museum in honor of Neighborhood Toy Store Day.

Did you know that Tredyffrin has an independent toy store – yes, Lucky Duck Toys is our own neighborhood toy store. Lucky Duck Toys advertises that their “. . . goal is to provide toys that will challenge the minds of children, stimulate their imaginations and encourage them to be creative. We are always on the lookout for new and exciting products, and do our best to offer a wide range of interesting and awe-inspiring items.”

There are two Lucky Duck Toy stores, one in Wayne and the Tredyffrin store in Berwyn is located at 428 Swedesford Road near the PathMark grocery store. To celebrate Neighborhood Toy Store Day on Saturday, special activities are planned at the independent toy stores. If you are looking for a birthday or holiday gift for that special little person in your life . . . shop local and visit Lucky Duck Toys in Berwyn – they have 10,000 toys in stock!

Lucky Duck Toys: http://www.luckyducktoys.com/

Hours: Monday-Friday 10am-6pm. Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm, Sundays 12-4pm,

Location: 428 W. Swedesford Rd, Berwyn, PA

Tel: 610-695-6300

Great Valley Association Annual Meeting – Wednesday, November 10

November 9, 2010
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A reminder that the Great Valley Association’s Annual Meeting is tomorrow night, Wednesday, November 15, 7 PM at the township building. One of the major topic of discussions at the meeting will be the Pennsylvania Turnpike Open House scheduled for next week, November 16. The Great Valley Association has been actively involved with the turnpike expansion project and the Rt. 29 slip ramp.

For an update on the project and discussion of the upcoming open house, the public is invited to attend tomorrow night’s Great Valley Association meeting.

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