Tullytown cops Jeff Wagner, Justin Grotz, Andrew Seltzer, Mayor David Cutchineal, Andrew Houser, Kyle Heasley pose with Mickey before delivering the dog to the Lawrence family.
Credit: Alex Lloyd Gross/ LevittownNow.com

Zaikil Lawrence listens to instructions on how to take care of his new dog.
Credit: Alex Lloyd Gross/ LevittownNow.com

The Christmas morning actions of the Tullytown Borough Police Department were called “community policing at it’s finest” by Mayor David Cutchineal.

The entire department of part- and full-time officers banded together to get one borough family a new dog after their original dog was killed by an errant driver on Main Street less than two weeks ago.

The previous dog, Nyla, was with the family for almost five years before the accident, said Chaneka Lawrence.

The Lawrence family, including young children, were devastated after their beloved dog’s death.

Little did Lawrence know, but officers who responded to the initial crash were planning something special for her family.

“I was asked to contact the police and I had no idea what it was about. When I was told what they wanted to do I burst into tears,” Lawrence said.

Within a few days, Lawrence accompanied an officer to the Women’s Humane Society where they picked out Mickey, a pit bull mix puppy with a beautiful disposition.  They filled out the paperwork but kept it a secret from Lawrence’s youngest child Cincere, Officer Justin Grotz said.

After a short time, all of the adoption fees were taken care of and Mickey went to live with some of the officers for a few days.

Officer Andrew Houser and Grotz took turns feeding Mickey and playing with her. Houser kept in contact with the family and told Lawrence when to expect the dog.

Cincere Lawrence, Zaikil Lawrence, Tabrea Lawrence and Chaneka Lawrence pose with Tullytown officers Andrew Seltzer and Andrew Houser and, of course, Mickey the dog.
Credit: Alex Lloyd Gross/ LevittownNow.com

Lawrence’s oldest son Zaikil knew about Mickey but kept it a secret from his younger sibling.

On Christmas Eve, the Tullytown road crew gave her a bath with doggy shampoo and let her play with donated toys. Petsmart also donated a collar and leash, as well as a $25 gift card.

By 10 a.m. Christmas morning, several members of the police department boarded their patrol cars. While Mickey would not fit on Santa’s sleigh,  she fit perfectly into a patrol car for the short ride from the police station to the Lawrence household.

The mayor accompanied Mickey and police to the Lawrence house.

Zaikil stood outside waiting and could hardly contain himself as he was given his new playmate, who is a bundle of energy and will keep playing until tuckered out.

The dog immediately took to the family and smothered Zaikil and the rest of the Lawrence family with kisses.

Mickey was surrendered to the Women’s Humane Society due to his previous owner not knowing how to properly take care of her.

The post After Beloved Family Dog Dies, Police Surprise Family appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

file photo
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

A Horsham, Montgomery County woman was charged earlier this month after allegedly recording phone calls with several individuals without their consent.

Gloria Sujean Krezel, 25, is accusing of making recordings of phone calls with Falls Township District Judge Jan Vislosky, staff at the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and employees at a local Christian school, according to court papers filed by Tullytown Chief of Police Daniel Doyle and Sgt. Phillip Kulan.

The recordings were discovered on Krezel’s phone after her husband was detained during a separate investigation.

While at the police station, Krezel’s phone, which her husband had at the time, kept ringing. She was calling to make sure he was okay. After Krezel’s husband was allowed to answer the phone to tell his wife he was safe, an officer noted a message popped up on the phone asking if the recording of the call was to be saved, police said.

It was discovered that an app called ACR was on the phone. Krezel’s husband admitted he knew about the app and that his wife recorded phone calls, police said.

Over 200 recordings of calls were discovered on the phone. Vislosky, members of the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office and staff at the school all told investigators they did not consent to being recorded, as is required by state law, court papers state.

Krezel was charged with three counts of felony intercept communications. She was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to have a preliminary hearing on January 26.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.

The post Cops: Woman Make Illegal Recordings Of Judge, District Attorney’s Office appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

File photo
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

When a Levittown man applied to buy a gun from the Tullytown Walmart in November 2014, he signed paperwork making untrue claims that have landed him in hot water, according to court documents filed by police.

On the application to purchase a rifle from the Walmart store, Kenneth Rizzo, 40, filled in all the information as necessary. He then signed off on a form indicating that all information listed by the applicant, Rizzo, was true, said official documents.

In addition to standard identifying information such as social security information and driver’s license information, the application also asks applicants to answer “yes” or “no” questions regarding whether or not the applicant can purchase a weapon legally, the probable cause affidavit filed by Tullytown police said.

Rizzo stated in his application that he has never been ruled mentally defective in regards of owning a firearm, court papers said. When his mental health record was examined, it was found that Rizzo was involuntarily committed in 2006, which would make him ineligible to possess a firearm.

Rizzo is facing a third degree felony charge for providing a materially false written statement regarding the purchase of a firearm, two misdemeanors involving prohibited possession of a firearm and making a statement under penalty.

Rizzo was released on his own recognizance. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for Jan. 5 at 9 a.m. at Judge Robert Wagner’s court.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.

The post Cops: Man Provides False Statement On Gun Purchase Application appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

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A dispute over payment for a concert led to criminal charges.

James McNulty, 53, of Bristol, was charged last Wednesday with theft of services and writing bad checks. McNulty remains on $50,000 unsecured bail.

Tullytown Borough police said they were contacted on December 1 by an individual who runs a talent, entertainment and events agency out of New York. The business operator stated that back in July, after ending a contract with McNulty for an event at Snipes Farm, he received a bad check for his services.

The business operator said that McNulty was to provide a 50 percent deposit for the July 25 event on or by April 17, and the remaining half on the day of the event, according to a probable cause affidavit. While the first half of services were paid for April 14 in the amount of $23,662.50, McNulty informed the business operator the day of the event that he “did not have time to go to the bank for another’s cashier check for the remaining balance, but would pay cash,” police said.

The business operator, not comfortable with being paid in cash, decided to still honor the contract and not pull the event’s performers, with promise from McNulty that a personal check would be provided. While the personal check was provided, the check reportedly bounced, according to court documents.

The business operator told police according to documents that he has been unsuccessful in recouping the money still owed to him.

At first, McNulty reportedly told the man the check was in mail. He later said that he would be refinancing his home, even though McNulty was living in an apartment. The 53 year old also said he had sent the check accidentally to the wrong address. McNulty than had a document notarized that he would pay 3,692.50 to the victim by October 1.

The victim alleges that McNulty still owes his company $23,662.50, plus an additional $12 for the cost of the bounced check.

According to online listings, an oldies concert took place July 25 at Snipes Farm. The event featured oldies artists, a car show and flea market.

When police spoke with McNulty, he admitted the victim’s statement was true and that when he made out the check there was not enough money in the account to cover the funds.

He awaits a preliminary hearing set with District Judge Robert Wagner Jr. for January 12.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.

The post Cops: Concert Organizer Wrote Bad Check appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Credit: Louis Carl Peggs Jr./Submitted

A driver will be cited after a crash on Levittown Parkway in Tullytown.

The male driver of a that van made a left-hand turn into oncoming traffic around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday will receive a citation, police told LevittownNow.com.

The van overturned after colliding with a on-coming vehicle. The van was heading east and turning north when the wreck happened near Kenwood Drive, Chief of Police Daniel Doyle said.

The driver of the van was helped out of the vehicle through the sunroof, the chief said.

The drivers of the two vehicles that collided were not seriously injured.

The post Van Overturns In Levittown Parkway Crash appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

A large trailer filled with trash can be seen dumping its load at the landfill in 2013.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

The Tullytown Landfill class-action lawsuit has ended with Waste Management agreeing to pay $2 million to settle.

The tentative settlement agreement with landfill operator Waste Management states $1.4 million of the $2 million settlement will be set aside for residents in Lower Bucks County and Burlington County, New Jersey. Attorney fees will reach as high as $600,000.

The settlement came after the class-action lawsuit was filed by property owners and residents on both sides of the Delaware River in 2014. The residents complained the odor from the Tullytown Landfill has hurt the values of the properties and the right to enjoy their properties.

“The Defendant (Waste Management) has denied and continues to deny all claims of wrongdoing or liability arising out of the allegations and claims asserted in the lawsuit,” according to the law firm that represented the plaintiffs.

As part of the agreement, which still needs final approval from a federal judge, Waste Management will install and operate two turbine odor misting systems, work to apply odor control on weekends, power wash the docks and walkways at the Florence Township Marina bi-monthly and not seek to modify the permit to accept wastewater treatment sludges for disposal at the Tullytown Resource Recovery Facility. The improvements will cost Waste Management more than $600,000.

“We remain committed to being a good neighbor and this commitment will continue while we complete our disposal operations at Tullytown by May 2017 and during all future operations here in Bucks County,” Waste Management spokesman John Hambrose told NJ.com.

The smell from the Tullytown landfill made national news in 2014 when the lawsuit was filed.

Months later, Waste Management announced the Tullytown Landfill would close May 22, 2019. Several other landfills in Falls Township will remain open and are expanding.

In summer 2015, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection fined Waste Management $528,000 for violations at its Bucks County landfills. Officials from the DEP said various penalties are being assessed due to odor nuisance violations at Tullytown Landfill and leachate storage violations at GROWS, GROWS North and Tullytown Landfills.

Residents who live in certain sections of Bristol Township, Falls, Tullytown and Burlington County will be able to fill out a claim form to apply to receive a settlement. The Burlington County Times reports the settlement amount per qualifying properties will be $83.

Click here to see the claim form.

The claim form needs to be postmarked to law firm of Liddle and Dubin by February 3.

A final fairness hearing on the tentative settlement agreement will be held March 2.

Below is a map of the area eligible for the class-action settlement:

The post Settlement In Tullytown Landfill Class-Action Suit Reached appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

File photo
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Police are investigating a burglary at a popular store in Tullytown.

The Beer-A-Rama on Levittown Parkway was broken into through a back door overnight. The crime was discovered Wednesday morning, police said.

Investigators said the burglar(s) ended up making off with roughly $30,000 worth of goods and cash from the beer distributor that has been a staple in the community for more than four decades.

“This was a pretty big one,” Chief of Police Daniel Doyle said. “We’re working on some leads right now.”

As of 4 p.m., no arrests in the case were made.

The post Police Investigate Pricey Burglary At Beer Distributor appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertnelson/

Local gun shop owners are dealing with an increase in local gun sales since President Barack Obama enacted an executive order in the name of gun control last week.

The executive actions, which the administration called “commonsense”, have been designed to expand background checks and reduce gun violence throughout the country.

“Some of the gaps in our country’s gun laws can only be fixed through legislation, which is why the President continues to call on Congress to pass the kind of commonsense gun safety reforms supported by a majority of the American people,” notes The Office of the Press Secretary in a January 4 release. “Gun violence has taken a heartbreaking toll on too many communities across the country. Over the past decade in America, more than 100,000 people have been killed as a result of gun violence—and millions more have been the victim of assaults, robberies, and other crimes involving a gun.”

The executive order outlines four specific actions that the administration plans to take to help curb the nation’s issue; including: keeping guns out of the wrong hands through background checks, making communities safer from gun violence, increasing mental health treatment, and shaping the future of gun safety technology.

According to the White House release, the FBI is overhauling the background check system to make it more efficient. “The envisioned improvements include processing background checks 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and improving notification of local authorities when certain prohibited persons unlawfully attempt to buy a gun.” To read the full executive order click here. 

The executive order will also ensure that such background checks are given regardless of where gun sales are made – in an attempt to keep guns out of the hands of those who cannot pass a standard background check through a gun shop.

Mike’s Gun Shop on Levittown Parkway in Tullytown has seen more than just a steady flow of regular customers. While the owner declined to comment on his feelings regarding the executive action, he said business has been booming. “Just like with any tragedy or incident like this gun sales soar,” he said. “I barely have time now to talk to you, we have been so busy.”

Those employed at Surplus City in Feasterville and Johnston’s Sporting Goods in Croydon both declined to comment on the action.

It was estimated that gun sales would soar after the executive action last week, being that they’ve also increased after instances throughout the country when gun violence has come to a head.

Ahead of Obama’s announcement last week, shares in the firearm empire Smith and Wesson rose to their highest value since 1999. The number of background checks has also risen, according to a BBC report.

The post Local Gun Sales Boom After Obama’s Executive Order appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

A PennDOT plow truck makes its way through Langhorne. File photo.
Credit: LevittownNow.com

Government plow crews, emergency responders and PECO officials aren’t taking any chances with a large snow storm barreling toward Levittown.

Officials from multiple Levittown-area towns have said their crews are ready to take on the snow and battle the elements.

Bristol Township Manager Bill McCauley said Thursday night that public works trucks were out on the roads spraying a brine solution. He also said the township’s new salt shed was stocked for the impending storm.

PennDOT officials said more than 700 state and contracted plow trucks will be ready to hit the roads once the flakes begin to fall. On Thursday, PennDOT trucks were spotted on Route 1 and West Lincoln Highway applying brine.

“Whenever there’s any type of precipitation, drivers need to adjust their speeds and travel plans accordingly,” PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards said. “Our crews are out around the clock during storms, but roads won’t be bare while it’s snowing. We ask the public to join us in making roads safer by postponing unnecessary travel and, if they must drive during storms, to plan for extra time and drive according to the conditions on the road.”

In Middletown, the township’s volunteer fire companies and ambulance squad were preparing extra staffing to deal with the large snow storm expected to begin Friday night and end Sunday morning. Fire officials said most fire companies in the area will have volunteers at their stations during the storm to expedite response times.

Police and other responders in Tullytown were prepared for the storm and ready to respond to emergencies during the storm, Chief of Police Daniel Doyle said.

See What Towns Have Declared A Snow Emergency

Middletown Fire Marshal Jim McGuire said the town’s office of emergency management was prepared and will checking on residents during the storm. He said the Emergency Operations Center would be prepared and opened if needed.

In Bristol Borough, public works crews were spraying brine on the streets Friday morning. Inside the borough hall, the Emergency Operations Center was being prepared for the weekend, Borough Manager James Dillon said.

Officials in several towns were asking residents to move their vehicles off the roadways and clear basketball nets from the sides of the roads.

With the storm expected to bring wet, heavy snow to Bucks County, PECO officials said they have placed crews and personnel on standby and secured local contractors and other assistance from its sister utility ComEd, in Chicago. The utility provider has 2,400 employees and more than 500 additional contractors are prepared to respond to storm damage.

On Thursday, Gov. Tom Wolf declared a State of Emergency for Pennsylvania in advance of the storm. The declaration allows local, county and state government to acquire resources to deal with storm response in a more timely fashion.

“This is not a time to panic or overreact to forecasts,” Richard Flinn Jr., director of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, said. “We know this storm is coming, and every Pennsylvanian can take advantage of the time we have to make sure they and their families are ready with home and car emergency kits.”

Officials have warned residents not to try to heat their homes with a generator, stove, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device that is inside. Those heat sources can cause carbon monoxide to build up inside homes and kill people inside.

PECO officials warned residents to stay away from downed wires, damaged electric equipment and tree limbs and branches that are contacting electrical equipment.

To report power outages, PECO says use their PECO Smart Mobile On-The-Go app or call 1-800-841-4141. Natural gas problems are to be reported to 1-800-841-4141.

The post Local Towns, PECO Prepared For Snow appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Last Update: Sunday, 9:15 p.m.

A school bus travels down Trenton Road in Middletown.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Schools

– Officials from the Bristol Borough School District announced school is closed for Monday.

– Bristol Township School District has decided to close schools for Monday. Offices will open two hours late.

– Bucks County Technical High School in Bristol Township has cancelled school for Monday.

– Pennsbury School District is closed Monday.

– Schools in the Neshaminy School District will be closed Monday. Offices will open two hours late.

– Conwell-Egan High School announced classes are canceled for Monday.

Government offices and services

– Bucks County government offices and courts will be closed.

Colleges and universities

– Bucks County Community College has cancelled all Monday classes. A decision on night classes has not yet been made.

– Cairn University has cancelled all daytime classes for Monday. A determination about evening classes will be made by 1 p.m.

– All day and evening classes at Delaware Valley University are cancelled.

Community events

Other

The post Monday: Snow Closings, Delays for the Levittown Area appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

The officer helping the man.
Credit: Submitted

A Tullytown police officer went above and beyond Monday morning when he helped a handicapped man.

Officer Nate Aldsworth was traveling along Mill Creek Parkway in Falls Township while on- duty when he spotted a wheelchair-bound man stranded in the middle of the busy road. The officer checked on the man and found out his wheelchair had broken down.

“He was stuck and trying to push his wheelchair, but he was handicapped and couldn’t push through that ice and snow,”  Aldsworth, a 12-year veterans of the department, said.  “I was worried he might be hit by a car.”

The officer not only helped the man out of the busy road but he took the man to the nearby 7-Eleven by Falls-Tullytown Road and eventually to the man’s home in the North Park neighborhood. Aldsworth told LevittownNow.com that good Samaritans also assisted during the trek, including one person who drove the officer back to his patrol car.

Tullytown police Chief Daniel Doyle said he was proud of Aldsworth’s actions.

For Aldsworth, it was just a another day on the job. He joked about the exercise he received during the walk.

“What a workout!”

The post Officer, Good Samaritans Help Push Wheelchair-Bound Man Home appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Police leading the suspect from court.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

A 34-year-old Falls Township man pleaded guilty Tuesday to firebombing a church, damaging a park, vandalizing school and slashing tires on 18 vehicles.

One-man crime spree John Paul Serina Jr. admitted to charges including arson, institutional vandalism, criminal mischief, loitering and prowling and possession of controlled substances and drug paraphernalia, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.

Serina lit a series of arson fires at Restoration Church on Pinewood Drive in Levittown, which is right near his home, on April 19. The church suffered fire damage in a bathroom, an outdoor playground and a cross in front of the church. Police at the time said a molotov cocktail was thrown through the window of the bathroom.

The 34 year old was also responsible slashing the tires of 18 vehicles in the Pinewood section, defacing Pinewood Community Pool, vandalizing Walt Disney Elementary School twice and firing a BB gun at a resident.

“School workers discovered three spray-paint cans on the roof of the school. Two of the three cans were found to have been purchased at a nearby Walmart store. Police obtained store surveillance video showing a man resembling Serina purchasing the cans of paint and leaving the parking lot in a white SUV,” a news release from the district attorney’s office said.

Surveillance video from one of the crime scenes linked Serina to  at least one of the incidents. Police made the break in their case of June 10.

John Paul Serina Jr.
Credit: Falls Police

After the BB gun incident on June 11, officers from Falls and Tullytown apprehended Serina and he later admitted to investigators he was behind the crime spree.

Ross Manders, pastor at Restoration Church, told LevittownNow.com last year that Serina told him the day of the firebombing that he spotted the blaze and even tried to extinguish it.

Serina told fire officials that he returned home from walking his dog when he smelled smoke in the area of the church. They characterized his mood as “excited and agitated.”

The church held services for several weeks outside while the damage was repaired. Dozens of items used by a daycare at the church had to be trashed due to smoke damage.

At the time of the crime, Serina was already on a multi-year state parole, slated to end in 2025, for a 2008 booze-fueled kidnapping of two teenagers in Levittown. The kidnapping ended with Serina firing a handgun in the air and a police standoff on Post Lane. In the time since, Serina has remained quiet and only had a few traffic-related interactions with officers, police said.

Serina’s bail was revoked by Boylan after his guilty plea.

The post Man Accused Of Firebombing Church, Slashing Tires, Damaging Public Facilities Admits To Crimes appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Popular retailer Five Below is currently building out a storefront at the Levittown Town Center shopping plaza in Tullytown.

Five Below, which currently operates a store in The Court at Oxford Valley in Falls Township, has not yet released a grand opening date for the store but signs have begun to go up around the shopping center.

Just like it’s name, Five Below sells all items on the shelves for $5 or less. Most of the items at the store are at targeted to teenagers and children.

The Philadelphia-based retailer operates roughly 500 stores and is expected to grow in the coming years.

The post Five Below Plans To Open Levittown Store appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

File photo
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

A 17-year-old Bensalem girl was arrested by Tullytown police Wednesday morning after she allegedly posted a shooting threat on social media.

The teen wrote the threat about shooting up the Center for Student Learning Charter School on Lakeside Drive and tweeted it to her followers, borough Chief Daniel Doyle said.

Falls Township police received intelligence about the tweet Wednesday morning and alerted Tullytown officers.

Doyle said his department rushed to the school, which was placed on a lockdown, around 11 a.m. Officers pulled the teen from her class after a staff member identified her based on her Twitter profile photo.

The teen and her mother were interviewed. The girl admitted to posting the threat and was charged as a juvenile with terroristic threats, the chief said.

Doyle told LevittownNow.com it appeared the teen used a school laptop during class to access the Twitter account.

The post Tweet About Shooting School Up Causes Lockdown, Arrest appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Provided by Pennsbury High School’s Theater Program:

Over 55 cast members, a 25-piece student orchestra, and a technical crew of more than 45 students will be presenting Cole Porter’s “Anything Goes” at Pennsbury High School on Friday, February 5th at 7:30 pm, Saturday, February 6th at 7:30 pm, and Sunday, February 7th at 2:00 pm. All performances will take place at Pennsbury High School’s East campus located at 705 Hood Blvd. in Fairless Hills, PA. Ticket prices are $15 for orchestra seating, $10 for lower balcony and $7 for upper balcony/gallery seating.

Anything Goes is a family friendly musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book, written by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, was heavily revised for Broadway by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse.

The story is about the madcap antics aboard an ocean liner, the SS American, bound from New York to England. The musical introduced now classic popular songs including: “Anything Goes”, “You’re The Top”, “It’s De’ Lovely” and “I Get a Kick out of You.”

Since its 1934 Broadway debut, the musical has been revived several times in the United States and Great Britain, and has been filmed twice. The musical has long been a popular choice for school and community productions.

Advance ticket sales will be available for purchase on Saturday, January 30th 10:30-11:30am, Tuesday, February 2nd and Wednesday, February 3rd from 6:30 – 8:30 pm in the PHS East Lobby.

For more information on ordering tickets, please contact 215-949-6780, extension 71686. (Please note that this extension is a dedicated phone line for information only; tickets cannot be purchased over the phone.) For best seating, advanced ticket purchase is recommended.

Tickets will also be sold at the door beginning 1 ½ hours before all performances.

Anything Goes is directed by PHS alumnus and Charles Boehm Middle School Vocal Music teacher, Matthew South. The show is produced by James D. Moyer, Director of Choral Activities at PHS. The Music Director is PHS Vocal Music Teacher, Lindsey Bruno who will be assisted by David Reimschussel . Brian Krajcik is the orchestra conductor. Frank Mazzeo, instrumental music teacher at PHS, is selecting the students for the pit orchestra. The show will be choreographed by Dani Tucci-Juraga, of Downstage Center Dance Studio in Morrisville.

Seniors with Pennsbury Gold Cards are entitled to free gallery seating, or may purchase tickets at a $7 discount. Pennsbury High School’s past musical theater productions have spawned several talented musical theater careers on Broadway.

Come out and see the future stars of Broadway perform!

The post Pennsbury High School Students Performance Of ‘Anything Goes’ To Set Sail appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

The construction zone of Route 13 in Bristol Township late Thursday afternoon.
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

The completion date for the 4.3-mile Route 13 project has been pushed back once again.

Multiple officials have confirmed to LevittownNow.com that the completion date has been pushed from July 1 to October 10. PennDOT spokesperson Charles Metzger said the postponement comes with no additional cost to taxpayers and was negotiated by the project contractor, James D. Morrissey Inc.

The project’s website, Safer13.com, showed a message Thursday that blamed the delay on “unforeseen conditions encountered during the past two construction seasons that have negatively impacted the project schedule.”

Metzger said the biggest problem was improperly marked utilities, mainly between Green Lane and Levittown Parkway, that caused Morrissey to negotiate a new end day for the Route 13 revamp that began in March 2013. The problems with utility markers involves contractors finding electric, water, cable and traffic light connections in spots they weren’t supported to be, at least according to maps of the buried utilities. In response, crews spent months extra relocating the utilities so they would be in the correct locations.

According to Metzger, the contractor’s delay will not cost taxpayers any more than the $36 million already budgeted for the work. If Morrissey did not negotiate an amended competition date, they would have owed PennDOT money for not finishing the project on time.

The relocation of the utilities delayed work by about one full season, Metzger said. In addition, a bitter winter in 2014 caused numerous days of lost work for crews, officials have said previously.

The northern part of the project is mostly completed and work continues on the southern end, which is between Green Lane and Veterans Highway (Route 413.) The bulk of the work includes working on the median, left lanes, curbs and sidewalks.

With nearly all the utility relocation work done, contractors have completed the linked traffic signal system that will stretch Route 13 through Bristol Borough, Bristol Township and Tullytown. The new system is expected to be live once the entire project is completed.

Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

Along much of Route 13, asphalt has replaced the recognizable tan concrete road surface that made up most of Route 13. PennDOT’s plans called for shifting to asphalt from concrete for the project due to its lower cost and ease of maintenance and repair, officials have previously stated.

The goal behind the road work is to make the heavily-used roadway friendlier for pedestrians, businesses and commuters.

Gone will be the jug handles at many of the roadways intersections. In their place, left turn lanes will be added.

“I think it has the potential to change the character of Route 13 from a kind of industrial highway to a more commercial parkway,” Tom Kerins of Urban Engineers Inc., the construction manager on the project, said in September.

Metzger said he anticipates no more major delays in the completion of the project.

The post Route 13 Project Completion Date Pushed Back By Several Months appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

The 2016 Ford Police Interceptor Utility
Credit: Ford

Tullytown police will be receiving three new patrol vehicles.

At their January meeting, Tullytown Council voted to approve a lease-to-own deal that will provide the borough will three new 2016 Ford Interceptor Utility SUVs from Milham Ford.

The new police vehicles will cost $39,315 per vehicle and will be paid off over three years. At the end of the three years, the borough will own the SUVs, Chief Daniel Doyle said.

Equipment from three aging cars will be transferred to the new SUVs at no cost, the chief told council.

The new council and mayor.
Credit: Submitted

The meeting was the first for newly-elected council members Tina Grady and Joe Shellenberger. To fill the seat held by late council president Rick Adams, who passed away last month after a long illness, resident Linda Slemmer was appointed by council.

Councilwoman May Kutcher was appointed to be the new council president and Shellenberger will serve as vice president.

Solicitor Mike Sellers was picked to serve the council for 2016.

The council will meet Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Borough Hall on Main Street. Click here to see the agenda.

The post Lease-To-Own Program Will Provide Tullytown With Three New Police SUVs appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Falls Township has done what other townships haven’t been able to figure out for several years.

The municipality’s board of supervisors voted last month to enact an amendment to govern group, recovery, half-way and “sober living” homes. The new measures allow for residents of the homes to live in a safe environment and outside of the Falls’ low-density residential zoning district.

The change to township zoning laws will require group, recovery, half-way and “sober living” homes with six or more residents to be established in the highway commercial district, which already includes numerous residential uses and a neighborhood environment, according to Board Chairman Bob Harvie. The ordinance would not allow group homes in its low density residential district.

“This has been an issue in Falls and other townships nearby,” said Harvie.

Falls, which has very few known recovery homes and no recent complaints against the homes, according to Township Manager Peter Gray, has called the new ordinance “proactive” and said already established homes would be “grandfathered [in]” and not have to consider moving to a different zoning district within the township.

In adjoining Bristol Township – an area that’s been chaotic as council members, residents, and administration disagree with how best to combat the issue – council recently approved township Solicitor Randy Flager to draw up a potential ordinance, one he hopes to present at the end of the month.

According to Flager, the ordinance will not be a flat-out moratorium on recovery homes, which he’s warned the council against. It would instead take a measured approach and place “reasonable regulations” on existing and future recovery and sober-living homes.

Vice President Amber Longhitano, who has long pushed for a moratorium type of action, pushed forward a failed attempt at the township’s last council meeting to hire Montgomery County Sheriff and Attorney Sean Kilkenny as special counsel to handle the recovery house issue, hoping the recovery home issue would be pushed in a different direction rather than the direction Flager has proposed. While Longhitano and Councilman Patrick Antonello were in favor of hiring Kilkenny, who represents Morrisville Borough and the Falls’ Zoning Hearing Board, the motion was withdrawn before a vote.

A moratorium has initiated worries over violations of federal laws on fair housing and discrimination and have scared towns like Bristol Township away from ordinances on recovery homes over the last few years. During that time, the number of recovery homes in Lower Bucks County, especially Bristol Township, has exploded past 100.

While Flager said the goal of the information he will present to council will be to change ordinances within the confines of the law; Falls officials have maintained that their recently passed ordinance is legal and sets standards in place to make sure recovery homes and their surrounding neighbors are safe.

Recently, Republican Congressman Mike Fitzpatrick (PA-8), Democratic State Rep. Tina Davis, and Democratic State Rep. John Galloway met with Falls officials and Longhitano to discuss possible solutions for the recovery home epidemic. The state representatives and Fitzpatrick’s office have been researching housing laws and working to find solutions for towns dealing with poorly-run recovery homes, often referred to as “rogue homes.” Davis is expected to announce a proposed bill that would allow recovery home owners to ensure their quality through a voluntary certification process.

As the recovery house issue surges up, those on the board of Tullytown Council are expected to consider authorizing their solicitor to research the issue.

The post Towns Work To Govern Recovery Homes appeared first on LevittownNow.com.

Provided by the Pennsbury School District: 

The Pennsbury School District building in Fallsington – file photo
Credit: Tom Sofield/LevittownNow.com

There is more cause for celebration and Falcon Pride

The School District is pleased to announce that six schools were recently named 2016 State Schools of Character by the Pennsylvania affiliate of Character.org, a national advocate and leader for the character education movement based in Washington, D.C. These schools include Pennsbury High School and the folloSix wing elementary schools: Eleanor Roosevelt, Makefield, Manor, Penn Valley, and Walt Disney. These schools will now be considered by the national organization for National School of Character distinction.

In 2015, seven Pennsbury schools were also recognized as State and National Schools of Character, including Afton, Edgewood, Fallsington, Oxford Valley, and Quarry Hill elementary schools, as well as Pennwood and William Penn middle schools. Pennsbury School District was also named a State and National School District of Character in 2015. Charles Boehm Middle School earned State and National School of Character honors in 2014.

The State Schools and Districts of Character program recognizes growth and excellence in the area of student character development through the 11 Principles of Effective Character Education framework.

“In Pennsbury, we are committed to increasing student achievement and improving school culture through character education in all of our schools,” said Dr. Donna Dunar, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction, who leads the character education initiative in Pennsbury. “We are thrilled with this special state recognition of our work.”

According to Dr. Gregg Amore, the Chair of Student Affairs and Professor of Psychology at DeSales University who leads the Pennsylvania affiliate of Character.org, “It has been a great pleasure and phenomenal experience to work with Dr. Dunar and the entire team at Pennsbury. What they have accomplished is unprecedented in the history of Character.org. Pennsbury has taken every school in the district and the district as a whole to State School of Character status in just three short years. Also, each Pennsbury school named in 2014 and 2015 was recognized as a National School of Character during the first year of application. This feat is unprecedented in the history of Character.org.”

Dr. Dunar continued: “Our goal is to help students feel safe and happy to learn. Developing the “whole child” is a priority District Goal. It is of the utmost importance that we address resiliency, conflict resolution, ethical thinking, and performance in an intentional manner. I am so proud of all of our principals, teachers, and students in each of these schools being recognized in 2016.”

An important outcome of this collaborative effort is the focus on creating a “culture of caring” in the Pennsbury schools, according to Dr. Dunar. “This recognition is an uplifting affirmation that as a District, we are fulfilling our mission to develop the ‘whole child’ and increase student achievement for ALL students.” Practices that are considered aspects of character education that lead to such positive results include:

• Community engagement
• Pro-social skills training
• Peer mediation programs
• Bully prevention initiatives
• Service learning
• Student leadership K-12
• Cultivation of the growth mindset
• Expectations of excellence
• Positive reward systems
• Reflections on one’s behavior and attitude
• Infusion of critical thinking and ethics in curriculum
• No Place for Hate designations
• Restorative practices (secondary level)
• “Responsive classroom” approach to teaching

The individual Pennsbury schools selected as 2016 State Schools of Character appear below, with brief highlights of the schools’ site-based character education initiatives:

Eleanor Roosevelt Elementary School in Falls Township

Eleanor Roosevelt is the home of the “Falcon Five.” This group of superheroes helps to develop, recognize, and reward character traits that are important to the ER school community.

Highlights of Eleanor Roosevelt’s school-wide culture of character include:

Two committees that oversee character programming:

• ER Character Committee – includes educators from all grade levels and specialty areas
• ER Character Council – made up of ER 5th grade students with teacher advisors (Mr. Miller and Mr. Perlman). The student group is new at ER this year, and they were responsible for conceptualizing the “Falcon Five.” They also collect data and maintain the ER Five Falcon Feathers Program.

Three school initiatives submitted to Character.org for consideration as Promising Practices in the 2015-16 school year include:

• The Five Falcon Feathers – Kindness, Responsibility, Respect, Cooperation, and Effort in Achievement are rewarded with Falcon Feathers each week to students who exhibit these character traits. Any staff member in the building may reward 2 with a feather. This includes the Golden Feather award– A golden feather (in the form of a spirit stick) is awarded to a student who receives three or more Falcon Feathers.
• Word of the Week – Each week a character-related word is read and defined during the morning announcements. Students have the chance to practice the word throughout the school and earn a Falcon Feather.
• The Falcon Five – A Student Character Council was initiated this year with eleven 5th grade students who work to continue the development and practice of the school’s character initiatives. The group worked with Mr. Kean to design an original logo and the five superhero comic characters were born: Effort Man, Cooperation Dude, Responsibility Woman, Respect Girl, and Kindness Guy. Mr. Miller worked with these students to create two short videos that captured ER’s character programming. These videos were shared at two character assembles held this year. In addition, coloring books with the superhero characters were also presented to the school. Currently, the 5th graders are working on The Falcon Five Trading Cards to continue the programming to develop good character. The students are also creating backstories for these character superheroes. The school community’s goal is to get to use these character traits each day. T-shirts with the school’s Character Superheroes are also planned.

Makefield Elementary School in Lower Makefield

Building on their long-championed school theme, “Makefield is a Great Place to Grow and Learn,” the team at Makefield Elementary created the acronym, GROW, which stands for G-Giving to Others, R-Respect and Responsibility, O-Own Your Behavior and W-Work to Build Your Character.

Highlights of Makefield’s school-wide culture of character include:

• Core values of GROW reinforced through signage, stakeholder interactions, classroom discussions, quarterly school-wide assemblies, and other means of nurturing students to become caring citizens
• Daily opportunities for students to earn a character leaf
• Weekly character messages through morning announcements called Kid Witness News
• Building Community through Literature program.
• Community service projects that cultivate caring: Walk to Remember/Garden of Reflection, M & M’s Closet of Sunshine, Donation Station, Penndel Food Pantry, Soup for the Super Bowl, Candy for the Troops, Lucky Charms Breakfast for MS, a school community garden and outdoor classroom, and Autism Awareness Month.
• Strong interconnectedness among families, school personnel, and the community.
• Makefield’s spirit and pride emanate through inspired art work, a learning garden, in the classrooms and in each member of the school community.

Manor Elementary School in Falls Township

“Manor Strong” is the overall theme of the character education initiative at this school, with emphasis on helping students to be “Respectful, Responsible, and Safe.” The school-wide positive behavior plan was created to provide a positive school climate, to foster a supportive environment, and to create productive, global citizens.

Highlights of Manor’s school-wide culture of character include:

• Community-centered initiatives, such as Operation Gratitude, “Souper” Bowl, Giving Tree, holiday caroling, Thanksgiving baskets, canned food drive, yard sale, Election Day raffle baskets, and a PJ drive
• Family activities, including Barnes and Noble book fair, ice cream social, Fall festival, Chick-fil-A night, holiday craft and reading night, Spring concert, Reading Olympics, Art Fair, Trenton Thunder Night, Field Day, and school picnics at the beginning and end of the year
• Continuous reinforcement throughout the year of the belief that a caring, positive school climate fosters the learning process The “Manor Strong” logo, posted prominently throughout the school, incorporates the words Academics, Behavior, and Character, symbolizing the balance of all three to create productive, global citizens.

Penn Valley Elementary School in Falls Township

The Penn Valley community developed the WE R PV acronym to promote excellence in education, respecting yourself and others, pride in the school and community, and valuing the pillars of character.

Highlights of Penn Valley’s school-wide culture of character include:

• The Pillars of Character displayed in the school lobby
• Daily character education messages to start and end the school day
• Pillars of Character awards at monthly meetings
• Core values of WE R PV reinforced through signage, faculty interactions and classroom discussion
• Embedded themes of character education in classroom lessons
• Community outreach and service learning opportunities with local agencies
• Assemblies to promote bully prevention, encouragement, and empathy

Walt Disney Elementary School in Tullytown

The Walt Disney team developed the acronym, DREAM to represent “We are Diverse, Respectful, Responsible and Safe, Empathetic, Academically Driven, Motivated.” The overarching theme is that Disney students are Respectful, Responsible, and Safe.

Highlights of Disney’s school-wide culture of character include:

• A Character Education Team comprised of committed teachers from across grade levels and disciplines
• Principal’s 100 Board (daily meeting)
• Paying it Forward (Food drive – 30 Thanksgiving Meals to needy families, Winter Necessities Collection, Jump Rope for Heart, Pennies for Patients, Give-A-Christmas)
• Core values of Respect, Responsibility and Safety reinforced through signage, stakeholder interactions, classroom discussions, and other means of nurturing students to become caring citizens
• Strong interconnectedness among families, school personnel, and the community
• No Place for Hate Recognition
• School Spirit Days (all wear No Place for Hate T-shirts)

Pennsbury High School in Falls Township

With a population exceeding 3,000 students in grades 9-12, Pennsbury High School is the largest high school in Bucks County and one of the largest in Pennsylvania. A team of devoted administrators, teachers, and students established the “Pennsbury PEACE Challenge” to promote the core values of PEACE as a basis for the school’s character education initiative. This acronym stands for: Persevere + Grow, Embrace Diversity, Advocate for Self and Others, Cultivate Relationships, and Exemplify Kindness.

Highlights of Pennsbury High School’s school-wide culture of character include:

• A puzzle mural that demonstrates how each club, organization, and team promotes
• The PEACE Advisory Council (PAC), a group that is comprised of students and
• Core Values of the Pennsbury PEACE Challenge reinforced through signage, daily
• Students demonstrating the core values of the Pennsbury PEACE Challenge are
• Various service learning activities provided to students daily: Athletes Helping
• Recognized as Promising Practices by Character.org: Cinderella’s Closet, Peer
• Application submitted for Promising Practices for the 2015-2016 are Wall of Honor
• Local police officer visits all 9th grade health classes to discuss good decision-making
• The LYFT Pennsbury Character Award recognizes students each month who the Pennsbury PEACE Challenge through respective activities faculty from various subgroups from the high school community (steering committee for all of the high school’s character education initiatives) morning announcements, theme songs of the day, student-generated public service announcements, and classroom discussions recognized by faculty and staff and can receive PEACE Points Athletes, elementary school partnerships, Multi-Cultural Youth Leaders club, Toys for Tots Christmas stockings, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen, Wink-For-Pink, National Honor Society Peer to Peer Tutoring Opportunities, and several more Mentoring Program, and Senior Citizen Holiday Dinner and Freshman Orientation demonstrate a specific character trait

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