Norristown
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Norristown Stage Designer Leaves Acting to Go Behind the Scenes, Recalls ‘I Hated Auditioning’
Theater professional Chris Haig, who grew up in Norristown, benefited from his parents’ talent as watercolorists. Suzi Nash explained how in the Philadelphia Gay News. The artistic interest of Haig’s parents extended to the theater. Excursions into Philadelphia for road-show performances were common, and Haig was a willing participant. Those experiences yielded in him a…
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Montco-Accessible Dog Parks: Great for Laps with Labradors and Strolls with Staffordshires
Generally, canine exercise is difficult in winters, as cold, snow, and ice make traditional walks hazardous to both canines and their accompanying humans. Winter 2023, however, is a different story. The mild weather not only supports a good, daily stroll, it also has kept Montgomery County dog parks accessible.The Philadelphia Inquirer list of worthy ones…
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Norristown’s First Black Schoolteacher Remembered for Bolstering Young Readers
Alice Davenport — Norristown‘s first Black schoolteacher and founding director of Montgomery County’s Equal Opportunity Program — died on Feb. 1 at age 103. Gary Miles covered the loss in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Davenport was also a beloved guidance counselor, volunteer, and mentor. She grew up in Washington D.C. She relocated to Norristown in 1950…
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Ahead of Software Fix, Norristown Police Department Offers Hardware Car-Theft Solution
The Norristown Police Department is providing free wheel locks to specific car owners in the municipality. Nina Baratti explained why — and how to get one — for KYW Newsradio. The offer applies to purchasers of 2015–2022 Hyundais and 2011–2022 Kias, whose vehicles use conventional keys. Millions of these cars are absent an important antitheft…
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Valley Forge Tourism Board to Lead Rousing ‘Huzzah’ in Support of the Eagles
Staff and leadership from the Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board invite the public to an Eagles Super Bowl LVII pep rally, Friday (Feb. 10), at 10 AM. The event takes place on the steps of the Montgomery County Courthouse, 2 East Airy Street, Norristown. Invited attendees include: The tourism organization held a similar event…
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Norristown Sheriff’s Office Employee Pat Giambrone Retires Yet Again — It’s Her Third Try
Pat Giambrone “retired” from Norristown’s Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) twice before, but she kept being lured back. Oscar Gamble covered her third attempt Main Line Media News. Giambrone — the longest tenured MCSO employee — worked several part-time positions elsewhere that didn’t suit her. But when she landed at the MCSO, her skills made…
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After Being Disrespected by His Teacher, Norristown Native Passed on Pro Sports Career to Become Historian
As a child, Norristown native Charles Blockson was told by a teacher that his heritage had no history worth learning, writes Avi Wolfman-Arent for Billy Penn. “Negros were born to serve white people,” the teacher said. The horrific comment put young Blockson on a mission to chronicle and preserve anything related to Black history that…
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Norristown-Born Broadcaster Remembered as the Portland Trail Blazers’ Version of Eagles’ Merrill Reese
Broadcaster Bill Schonely, the voice of the Portland Trail Blazers who hailed from Norristown, has passed away at 93. Anne M. Peterson covered the silencing of his distinct baritone for The Columbian. Nicknamed “The Schonz,” Schonely’s coverage in Portland became as linked with the basketball franchise as that of the Phillies and Harry Kalas or…
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Sheriff’s Office Mourns Passing of Bikkel, the Only Bomb-Sniffing K-9 in Montgomery County
The Jan. 20 meeting of the Montgomery County Commissioners in Norristown included a heartfelt pause to remember Bikkel, a Montgomery County K-9 officer. Rachel Ravina chronicled the emotional moment in The Reporter. Bikkel, 10, was a Belgian Malinois, a sturdy, hardworking European herding dog whose appearance is often confused with that of a German Shepherd.…
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Montco Seeks Advocates for Outdoors, Wildlife, and Horticulture to Complete Master Naturalist Training
Norristown Farm Park on Upper Farm Road in Norristown has opened registration for a springtime course that will instruct participants in the science and conservation details of Master Naturalist training. The 50-hour course stretches from Apr. 5 to June 21, meeting weekly on Wednesday evenings and four Saturdays at the park. Following the classroom study,…
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Craftsman behind Norristown’s Five Saints Distillery Is a Graduate of Good Ol’ MU: Moonshine University
When John George retired from the pharmaceutical industry and decided to take up commercial distilling, he needed to learn the craft. Marilyn Johnson reported his educational source — Moonshine University — for Philly Grub. George new virtually nothing about the science of distilling spirits when he redirected his career. Fortunately, Moonshine University, Louisville, was available…
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Former Sacred Heart Hospital Building in Norristown Sells for $22.5 Million
The Sacred Heart Hospital building in Norristown has sold to an undisclosed, out-of-state purchaser for $22.5 million. Ryan Mulligan reported the purchase in the Philadelphia Business Journal. The five-story structure’s current tenants work for the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. The owner was King of Prussia’s Silverang Development Co., which obtained ownership…
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Cultural Cross-Pollination Results in Rock Musical with 16th Century Plot at Norristown Theatre
Head over Heels, the Broadway adaptation of a 16th Century long-prose pastoral romance, is coming to Norristown. The show is a mash-up of the narrative from English poet Sir Philip Sidney (1554–1586) and a 1980s score from the legendary all-woman rock band The Go-Go’s. Justin Udo detailed these disparate sources for KYW Newsradio. The unique…
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Elmwood Park Zoo’s Adopted Cougars Heading to Saint Louis
Two cougar cubs — orphans Russet and Yukon — are moving from the Elmwood Park Zoo in Norristown to the Saint Louis Zoo. Justin Heinze covered their upcoming road trip in the Norristown Patch. The pair were found in Idaho in February 2017, according to an Elmwood Park Zoo Facebook post. Their presence was brought…
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Slow Supply Chains, Fast Rise in Need Affect Montgomery County’s Food Insecurity Outreaches
Like their counterparts across the Philadelphia region, Montgomery County providers of emergency food services are struggling against an ongoing convergence of negatives: supply-chain delays in an inflationary economy at a time of increased demand. Erin McCarthy reported the difficulties in The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Share Food Program that serves seniors in Montgomery, Philadelphia, and Chester…
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Norristown State Hospital, Back in the Hands of Norristown, Has Chance to ‘Change the Narrative’
A recent, onsite event at the former Norristown State Hospital grounds included state and local officials heralding the oncoming redevelopment, even as details continue to evolve. Jim Melwert reported the latest discussions on area social services for KYW Newsradio. Property ownership recently shifted from the state back to Norristown borough, a move negotiated by Pa.…
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Final Approval Granted to Develop Long-Vacant Site of Former Catholic School in Norristown
Norristown Municipal Council has granted final approval for large-scale development at the site of the former Kennedy-Kenrick Catholic High School, writes Rachel Ravina for The Times Herald. Developer Sarah Peck aims to break ground on the 325-unit, multifamily residential complex, spread across 14.5 acres, in the spring. “This corner is going to change Norristown,” former…
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Montgomery County 2023 Job Market Characterized as ‘Optimistic’
The deputy director of the Montgomery County Commerce Department, Workforce Development division, Jennifer Butler, has analyzed regional projections for the 2023 job market. The numbers indicate a continuance of 2022 trends, as reported by Chris Ullery in the Bucks County Courier Times. The environment appears to be ongoing good news for job seekers and career…
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