Courier Times: Residents ask solicitor to abstain

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Courier Times

COUNCIL ROCK - More than 10 angry Upper Makefield residents appeared at the Council Rock school board meeting Thursday night to ask the district's solicitor to recuse himself from any dealings with Toll Brothers and to answer allegations of back-room dealings with the builder.

Jane Johnson, the only resident who spoke for the group during public comment at the beginning of the meeting, expressed her opposition to Toll Brothers' attempt to rezone the district-owned Melsky property and another tract of land, both on Dolington Road, for high-density housing.

Johnson told the board that hundreds of Upper Makefield residents have signed a petition against the sale of the district's property to the developers.

She asked board solicitor Derek Reid to recuse himself from any district business dealing with Toll and the properties, because Reid's business partner represents Toll Brothers in the land-purchasing litigation.

“The sale of the Melsky tract by the Council Rock School District to Toll Brothers is not in the best interest of the taxpayers of this community,” Johnson said. “The very fact that your firm represents Toll Brothers in this very litigation puts you in a direct position of conflict representing the interests of the taxpayers you were hired to serve.”

Johnson alleged that Reid had a more direct role in the development of the properties.

“Mr. Robert West, an Upper Makefield supervisor, said at last night's township meeting that you, Mr. Reid, were approached by a representative of Toll Brothers in August of last year to purchase the Melsky tract with money that Toll Brothers would receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 200 acres of the Dolington Land tract,” she said.

Reid refused to comment on the accusations.

The school board meeting was the second time in two days where issues revolving around the development along Dolington Road were addressed.

At their Wednesday night meeting, the Upper Makefield Board of Supervisors, in a move to force Toll Brothers to the table, withdrew a land rezoning ordinance that would have allowed the veterans cemetery and the proposed 210 Toll homes to progress.

Supervisor Dan Rattigan said the plan for 210 homes is more than what is allowed and that Toll should follow the current zoning instead of requesting rezoning.

Seth Goldstein, a freelance writer, can be reached at news@phillyBurbs.com.

Courier Times: Board restricts where sex offenders can live

By: SETH GOLDSTEIN
Courier Times

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP - The Newtown Township Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday night to pass an ordinance to restrict where sex offenders can live in the township.

According to the law, sex offenders must be allowed to live in the township, said Paul Beckert Jr., the township solicitor. The ordinance restricts offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any school, childcare facility, common open space, public park, recreation area or community center.

Fourteen Lower Bucks towns have adopted similar ordinances, and seven are considering them.

“Over the past few meetings, the supervisors have used maps to make sure that there were places where [the offenders] could live,” Beckert said. “There are substantial areas within the township where they can reside.”

Supervisor Jerry Schenkman said the restrictions are in place to protect the residents of the community.

“The residents of the township have the right to feel safe in their homes and feel that their children are safe from sexual predators,” he said. “But we are all aware that sexual predators are more active on the Internet, so even with these restrictions we hope that parents are aware of what their children are doing online and who they are talking to to make sure they are safe.”

Anne Goren, supervisors chairwoman, said it had to be done.

“It was a necessary step to accomplish,” she said. “We discussed it at length over the last few meetings, because we wanted to make sure it was legally defendable.”

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer. He can be reached at news@phillyBurbs.com.

Courier Times: TOTAL Lab is breaking the mold

A new class at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Township campus teaches a variety of computer applications.


By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

With the fast pace of daily life getting ever quicker, finding time to learn new skills or work on a degree is getting harder.

With college courses notorious for set schedules and having strict syllabi, many returning and busy students have a more difficult time making the classes fit their lives.

A new class at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Township campus has changed all that.

The Technology Office Training Access Learning Lab, also known as the TOTAL Lab, is breaking the mold of the classic college course.

With the guise of flexibility in mind, Professors Marynell Zieziula and Anita Manders, both of the Business Studies Department, started the lab in the spring of last year to teach a variety of computer applications, such as keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, searching the Web and learning how to make Web sites using programs like Dreamweaver. There are a total 17 classes.

“The idea is to make learning these programs comfortable, by letting the students work at their own pace,” Zieziula said.

Students are able to take the classes over the Internet from home or they can come in and work in the lab anytime during lab hours, she said. There is always a staff member available to help if the student needs it. They’re required to be on campus only for testing and the initial orientation.

“Because there are no size limitations to the classes, the classes will always run,” Manders said. “This way if a student needs to take a class in Word or Excel, but only two people sign up for the class, it won’t be cancelled.”

Another advantage of the TOTAL Lab is the interaction between the student and the instructors.

“It’s almost like tutoring one-on-one,” Zieziula said. “Those students who are really independent and more advanced can work from home. Sometimes some students even finish their class before the end of the semester.”

Each student is given a training packet with the course, Manders explained. Since there is no schedule, it’s all self-paced.

“The idea was to have the courses fit into the student’s life styles,” she said. “If they finish a class ahead of time, students have the advantage of signing up for another TOTAL course as late as midterm.”

There is also a one semester accelerated skills certificate that’s worth nine credits, said Manders. The idea of this class is to help those who have been downsized at their companies and need to learn the new technology to get a new job.

Funding for the class is provided by the Bucks County Community College foundation and the Carl Perkins Grant.

TOTAL Lab student Donna Simpson, a returning student worked for 15 years in advertising before going back to school to change professions and learn the skills she would need.

“The courses are great,” Simpson said, as she worked on improving her typing skills. “We can take them at our own pace. The faculty is very helpful and the teaching program is very helpful. When I started the typing class, I was terrible. I’ve improved so much in just two weeks.”

Rosemarie LeNoir, works at the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office in Newtown Township, she’s taking the lab to help her in her job.

“I think it’s great,” she added. “It fits in my schedule. I can take the course at home after I take care of my kids at my own pace.”

For more information about the TOTAL Lab check out its Web site at http://www.bucks.edu/total/. Summer registration for classes begins May 22.

Courier Times: Studying to be a master sommelier

“It’s a whole lot harder for someone my age to become a master than someone who starts at a young age,” Michael Stevens, a Newtown Township resident, said. “But, I’m determined to become one.”

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

Some people have a passion for cars, other for sports, but Michael Stevens’ passion is wine.

Stevens, a lifelong resident of Newtown Township, is the sommelier at the Yardley Inn.

“I’ve always loved wine,” Stevens said. “After graduating from Penn State, I couldn’t get a job so I became a bartender.”

After stints in real estate and commercial photography, he went back into the restaurant business eventually ending up at the Yardley Inn as a waiter.

“I was waiting tables at the inn when the owner took the staff on a field trip to London,” Stevens said. “When we were over there I would always order the wine. The boss came over to me one night and told me that when we got back he wanted me to take a (sommelier) class and that’s how it started.”

Since then Stevens has taken classes with world-renowned sommeliers across the country and is currently in his second of three years working toward becoming a master sommelier.

“It’s a whole lot harder for someone my age to become a master than someone who starts at a young age,” Stevens said. “But, I’m determined to become one.”

To most people the thought of tasting wine and learning about what makes one wine different from another might not sound hard, but it’s harder than it seems, he said.

“Right now, it’s mostly self-study,” Stevens said. “You need to know everything about wine and tasting it to be a master sommelier.”

In college, he said he began to develop a taste for wine, but it wasn’t until after graduation that he really started developing a taste for it.

“I drank beer too,” Stevens admitted, grinning. “When you’re in college you can’t afford the wine, but when I got out, I got exposed to it. The more exposure you get to something, the more you begin to like it. For me it was wine.”

When it comes to picking a favorite wine, Stevens said he can’t just choose one.

“I love them all,” he said. “When I started, I really liked full-bodied red (cabernets), but now I love them all. Each one has a different quality to it. When I started studying them, I had to blind taste each of them and I became exposed to all kinds of wines, so I learned to appreciate each one.”

And as his wine taste grows, Stevens even admits that he’s started liking white wines.

As the sommelier at the Yardley Inn, he has a variety of jobs.

Stevens is responsible for maintaining the wine selection and wine lists; purchasing new wines; keeping the variety up-to-date, current and trendy; as well as setting up wine dinners.

“Anything having to do wine at the Yardley Inn is me,” he said. “I want to help people enjoy and appreciate wine.”

Another feature of his job is to aid the customers in picking the right wine that they’ll enjoy and will fit their budget.

Right now, there are 90 different kinds of wine at the inn, Stevens said. There normally would be a bigger selection, but because of last years flood, the restaurant is still recovering.

“Looking down the road, there are so many difference trends in wine,” he said. “I’m planning to come up with different programs to feature some of the newer selections.”

For those who want to become sommeliers, Stevens suggests that trying all different types of wines is the best way to get started.

“Start young, becoming a master sommelier gets harder the older you get,” Stevens said. “The easiest way to learn about wine is to taste. You can’t learn about wine by reading about it. Once you know you want to become a sommelier start taking classes and learn as much as you can. It’s pretty intense.”


Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Easter and chocolate bunnies go together

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

Easter wouldn’t be the same without chocolate bunnies and other assorted chocolate farm animals.

With the holiday upon us, Donna and Doug Haines are ready. They are the owners of Newtown Chocolate Shoppe at 156 N. State St. in Newtown.

This shoppe has been at its current location for about two years and business is booming.

“Business is always good, but around Easter and the other holidays it really picks up,” he said.

Upon entering the sweet oasis of chocolate euphoria, the senses are greeted by the smooth sweet smell of chocolates. There is a glass display case filled with truffles and chocolate bark set off cattycorner from the entrance and in the window sits the largest of the chocolate bunnies made by the couple.

It weighs in at two pounds and can be purchased for $38. If that’s too much bunny, they also offer the chocolate critters, which are a four-ounce solid standing bunny.

“The two-pounder is hollow, it would be one massive bunny if it were solid,” he said. “For the Easter season the bunnies are definitely our biggest sellers. We only sell the traditional bunnies. None of ours are goofy looking riding a motorcycle.”

Other Easter favorites are the chocolate dipped marshmallow peeps, chocolate hens on a chocolate nest, lamps and chocolate crosses for all different occasions.

And when it’s not Easter, the shoppe’s biggest sellers the chocolate covered pretzels, the mocha almond bark and the vanilla chocolate crèmes. They also have a wide assortment of non-chocolate candies, including red and black raspberries candies, licorice and marzipan.

The couple has only been in the chocolate business for four years.

“I used to be a sales rep in the electronics industry and needed a change,” Haines said. “I saw no future; the electronics industry is dying in the U.S.”

While on vacation in the Pocono’s they stopped at Donna Haines’ favorite chocolate shop, Callie’s Candy Kitchen, Doug Haines said. After talking to the owner, they decided they wanted to get into the business.

“We got a lot of advice from Mr. Callie,” he said. “When we started out we were only making chocolates for corporations and functions. While doing this our friends kept telling us that we should open up a shop, so about a year later we opened up or first shop above the Velvet Slipper in Newtown.”

The Haines’s soon grew out of that space and moved down the street to their current location.

Starting their own operation wasn’t too hard, he said.

“Everyone in the industry is very friendly and helpful,” he said. “Everyone helps each other out.”

The shop is completely family operated, Donna Haines said. Their 23-year-old daughter works part time.

“We’re definitely a classic mom and pop shop, she’s mom and I’m pop,” he added pointing to his wife grinning.

Newtown Chocolate Shoppe can be found on the Web at www.newtownchocolates.com, where customers can find directions and shop online. The shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 215-579-2333.

Courier Times: It’s been showing movies since 1906

The Newtown Theatre is owned by the citizens of Newtown and is operated and maintained by the Newtown’s Community Welfare Council. It is currently undergoing renovations to restore it to how it was in the 1920s, but with some modern touches.

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

The Newtown Theatre is celebrating its 100th year of showing movies and with the 100 years comes some much needed renovations.

“The building itself is actually much older,” said Eric Johnson, chairman of the theater restoration committee. “But it’s been showing movies since 1906. We’re celebrating this year by showing special matinees of classic films.”

Some of the movies include, “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Sound of Music” and “Casablanca.”

The theater which was originally built in 1831 was rebuilt in 1883, Johnson said. It can hold about 325, between the lower area and the balcony, but some seats have been taken out to make the audience more comfortable.

The plan, if enough money can be raised, is to replace the seats all together with more comfortable ones, he said.

The theater is owned by the citizens of Newtown and is operated and maintained by the Newtown’s Community Welfare Council, a non-profit organization, which is made up of local residents and local business owners, Johnson explained. Though the borough council has donated some money to the theater project, the council is completely independent of the borough.

The theater is currently undergoing renovations to restore it to how it was in the 1920s.

Upon walking into the theater, guests are greeted in the lobby by original movie posters on the walls and an old fashioned ticket booth. Inside the theater the movie seats are a dull grayish blue and the curtains and carpet is a faded maroon. In the right corner is a big, bold, analog clock next to an American flag. Art deco light fixtures adorn the walls along with decorations from the same period.

The theater gives off the feeling of going back in time, Johnson said. The majority of the decorations are original.

“One of the renovations we’re all excited about is the drapes,” Johnson explained. “There haven’t been drapes in here since before I can remember coming here when I was kid, and that was 50-some years ago.”

When the drapes are installed, they will cover the screen until the movie starts. Then they will automatically pull back, just like they did in the theater’s heyday.

Some of the theater’s past was also discovered during the recent renovations, Johnson said. While working on the stage they found an old backdrop used for theatre productions.

One of the more significant renovations was the installation of a trolley track system for the screen, he said. Now the movie screen will be able move back on the stage to allow for live performances.

Even with all these renovations, Johnson said it still amazes him that not many people know the theater exists.

“There are many times, when there are only a handful of people watching a movie here,” he said. “It would be great if people started coming more often. It’s a historic landmark and there aren’t many independent movie theaters like this anymore.”

There is a whole laundry list of things that need to be done to fully restore the theater, Johnson said. The money for the restoration comes from donations and from grants.

The goal is to get the theater back into a good working condition in order to try and get an endowment fund setup to take care of the building and keep it in good repair once it’s restored, he said.

“We have a huge amount of money to raise,” Johnson said. “To say we have a goal, I can’t say that. The renovations are an ongoing project. As we raise the money we renovate more areas of the theater.”

To find out more about the Newtown Theatre go to its Web site, www.newtowntheatre.com. For more information or how to make a donation call 215-968-3878.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Gotta dance, Gotta dance

With help from their adviser, Irene Rodgers and Al Gamble and Nathan Scott, assistant principals, the Council Rock High-North Dance Company, known as Vibe, performed recently in front of 76ers fans at the pre-game festivities at the Wachovia Center.


By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

For Council Rock High School-North 11th graders, Shoey Sun and Nupur Nischal, dancing has been an important part of their lives for as long as they can remember.

With the surrounding school districts having dance teams, the young dancers felt that Council Rock needed to have one as well.

“It’s a big part of our lives,” said Nischal, who started dancing when she was 5. “We wanted to introduce our love of the art to our school and classmates.”

With help from their adviser, Irene Rodgers and Al Gamble and Nathan Scott, assistant principals, the Council Rock Dance Company, known as Vibe, performed recently in front of 76ers fans at the pre-game festivities at the Wachovia Center in South Philadelphia.

The group started in October after Nischal and Sun went to Rodgers to ask if she would be their adviser.

“I jumped at the chance,” Rodgers said. “I’ve danced my whole life. They’re working so hard.”

Nischal and Sun thought to ask Rodgers after she substituted the year before for the teacher who was teaching the dance club.

“I met Shoey and Nupur there and they really wanted to perform outside of school and at school events,” Rodgers said. “It was all their idea.”

The Vibe Dance Company mixes traditional tribal beat driven music with other ethnic sounds and songs to give the dancers energetic music to perform to.

During their practice two days prior to their appearance at the 76ers game, members of the group were still working out the kinks in their routine.

As Nischal and Sun coached the core group, Rodgers took aside individual dancers to work on key elements of the routine.

“You guys need to feel the excitement,” Nischal tells the group. “It’s natural to be nervous, but you can’t let people see that. You’ve got to mask that with excitement.”

The music was turned back on and dancers began to move in sync. Every few moments a dancer would run across in front of the group leap into the air and rejoin the group of rhythmic dancers.

“If you make a mistake, make it look like you meant to do it,” Sun yells over the music.

It’s hard work getting a routine perfect in such a short amount of time, Rodgers said. But they’re doing a good job.

The Vibe Dance Company has performed at a number of high school sporting events and recently completed a competition sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia.

Without any help from Rodgers, Sun, who has danced since was 9, choreographed a dance routine to honor the survivors the Holocaust called “Hope Prevails.”

The group’s performance was video taped at the high school and sent into the judges at the federation.

“They did an amazing job,” Rodgers said. “Hopefully we’ll win.”

Having heard about the groups dance, local synagogues in the area have asked the students to perform it at their temples during Holocaust Remembrance Week, which was last month.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.