reading on the rise issue #11

West Reading * Wyomissing * Shillington * Exeter * Muhlenberg * Sinking Spring * Mt. Penn

The Youngest Bar Owners in City History

CONTENTS Reading On The Rise Magazine supports the

"Community" Not just the city, but all of the communities across the bridge and over the

mountain. We would like to be the beacon of light for our friends and our neighbors.

We choose to stand strong and unite under one "Community Pride" banner. Join us as we march

towards progress, enlightenment, and unity.

8 Super Healthy

Foods

27 Criminal

record expunged 7 Athena’s Story

10 Soul Food

Recipe

13 Berks Real

Estate on the rise

13 Contractor

charged with fraud

Founder/Publisher

Earl Lucas

Contributors

Lynn Travillion Reyes

Maribel Cosme

For Advertisement

484-256-7258 Email [email protected]

Readingontherise.com Facebook Reading on the Rise Magazine

WWWelcome to the 11th Issue of Reading on

the Rise Magazine. Here you will find your

source for Entertainment, Local Businesses

and other areas of interest in the Reading area. Reading on the Rise welcomes all your

advertising needs. We offer custom advertis-

ing and Graphic work. We offer product

placement and helpful ideas to make your

business grow. Utilizing our Extensive Net-

work of Websites, Print Publications, Pro-

motional Tools and Events is a great way to

increase your exposure and drive traffic to

your business.

Reading on the Rise is also a great way to

make all of your Personal Announcements

such as Birthdays, Anniversaries, Reunions,

Weddings, Birth Announcements and much

more!! We are much more than an Adver-

tising Magazine. We publish helpful and

knowledgeable information to empower our

communities. So when it comes to making

the choice for your Advertising ,,,Stick with

the Magazine that is in your Community and

about your Community.

22 Wanted

Reward

27 Advertisement In-

fo

27 Borough

Contact Information

20 bctv.org

Reading on the Rise 4 www.Readingontherise.com


Deep-Dish Peach Cobbler Recipe

for the filling:

6 cups peeled and sliced peaches (about 8 peaches)

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons butter

¼ cup all-purpose flour

for the dough:

6 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons salt

2 cups Crisco

2 eggs

In a deep, covered pan, combine all of the filling ingredients. Add ½

cup water and mix well. Cook over medium-high heat until

the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes. Decrease

the heat to a simmer and cover.

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, combine the flour

and salt. Cut the Crisco into the mixture with a fork or pastry

blender until it has the texture of coarse meal. Add the eggs

and ¾ cup water. Mix well until the dough holds together in a

ball and divide it into two equal parts.

Turn one part out onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a

rectangle about ¼ inch thick and shaped to fit a 9 by 13-inch

baking dish with enough overlap to form the side crust. Trans-

fer the dough to a 9 by 13-inch baking dish and trim the edges

to fit the pan. Press the dough into the pan, making sure to

get the corners.

Pour the warm peach mixture into the pan, spreading evenly.

Roll the second part of the dough into a rectangle the same

size as the first. Using a sharp knife, cut four ½-inch strips

lengthwise. lay each strip evenly apart on top of the peach

mixture, trimming the edges and tucking them underneath

the bottom crust. Re-roll the dough if needed, and cut four

more ½-inch strips widthwise.

Lay the strips across the first four, creating a lattice pattern.

Trim any overhang and tuck the strips underneath the bot-

tom crust.

Bake the cobbler in the lower portion of the oven for about 30

minutes, until the peach mixture bubbles and the dough is

golden brown. Cool until the cobbler sets, about 20 minutes.


Carlinda Purcell, the new Reading School District superinten- dent, has plans to restructure the

district’s leadership.

Purcell, who began July 1, will need to fill many top spots.

And she has recommended that the school board create four new positions:

Executive director of assessment, research and evaluation

Director of professional development

Risk management and employee benefits

Budget director

Purcell did not return phone calls from bctv.org.

The new positions are subject to board approval, said Frank Denbowski, a school board member.

Denbowski said the recommended positions are justified and are a first step toward improving finances

and academics.

“Without a team in place, the district will not have the ability to move forward,” Denbowski said.

Two of the new positions – executive director of assessment, research and evaluation, and director of professional development – would be paid

for by reducing compensation for budgeted positions that are vacant.

The risk-management position would be funded by not replacing a secretary and from anticipated savings from improved management.

The budget director would be funded by cutting compensation for the controller and director of operations.

Each new position conforms to the district strategic plan, adopted last July, Denbowski said.

He said job descriptions included elements of the strategic plan, aimed at improving test scores and other student and teacher performance.

“By putting bits and pieces of it (the strategic plan) in job descriptions it assigns ownership,” Denbowski said.

Robert Peters, the district director of financial services, said that his team must include a budget director, a director of operations and a control-

ler.

“It’s absolutely necessary if we are going to do this right,” Peters said.

Board member Isamac Torres-Figueroa said that right now she is uncomfortable with Purcell’s recommendation to create the new positions be-

cause so many teachers and staff were furloughed.

After the jobs were advertised, Torres- Figueroa said, she got complaints from the public about the “audacity” of the district to let so many em-

ployees go and then seek new administrators.

“There’s been a lot of talk about it,” Torres-Figueroa said.

She also questions about how they will be funded.

“I have not heard that they are budgeted for,” Torres-Figueroa said. “I want to speak with Dr. Purcell directly.”

According to Purcell’s office, applicants will be screened shortly.

According to recent advertisements, the district is looking for nine administrators:

Chief academic, achievement and accountability officer

Executive director of assessment, research and evaluation

Executive director of elementary education

Executive director of secondary education

Director of special education

Director of student services

Director of professional development

Director of communications

Director of diversity and equity

The deadline to apply for the positions was Friday, July 20, although the ad was still posted Thursday, July 26.

An ad on the district’s website shows 14 vacancies.

Another list of positions on the district website shows five vacancies.

Linda Greth is the temporary director of communications.

After hundreds of district employees were furloughed, Denbowski said, he would like to see past employees apply for the jobs.

“We’re looking for the most qualified candidates,” Denbowski said. “The only thing I can hope is that teachers and administrators interested in

these positions apply.”

Students return to school Aug. 27.

That’s when they will find out how the new administration will deal with challenges such as closing schools, restructuring grades, and dealing

with hundreds of fewer positions.

School officials furloughed more than 200 teachers and staff to close a budget shortfall of nearly $40 million — so classroom sizes may be larger.

http://bctv.org

http://www.bctv.org/reading-school-district-s-strategic-plan/pdf_91fc9ea8-af11-11e0-a8e1-001cc4c03286.html

http://www.topschooljobs.org/jobs/100272-49789/Multiple-Leadership-Vacancies-Reading-School-District-Reading-PA-USA

http://www.readingsd.net/site_res_view_folder.aspx?id=22549f7f-9522-436e-ac67-3d5f586e3a31

http://www.readingsd.net/site_res_view_template.aspx?id=04d5ea5b-75f6-4dbb-9111-22c5d7ea0d10

http://www.bctv.org/special_reports/education/reading-school-district-plans-to-spend-percent-less-than/article_17560dbc-c08e-11e1-b80a-0019bb2963f4.html

http://www.bctv.org/special_reports/education/with-vote-set-reading-school-board-members-say-they-haven/article_43b953ae-c08a-11e1-8b22-0019bb2963f4.html


This is an update on the Criminal Record Expungement Clinic that was held

on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 at 6:00pm in Birdsboro.

Diana Rivera-O’Bryant and Al Dunn were the presenters. Two attorneys, Michael Lee

and Ryan Hancock travelled from Philadelphia to Birdsboro to explain how to have old,

aging criminal records expunged. Old, aging criminal records are a barrier to employ-

ment. Step by step, they presented websites and documents to prepare ex-offenders

who are seeking gainful employment.

The audience included ethnic backgrounds that were White, Black, Hispanic, and per-

sons with disabilities. 70-85 people attended this event. The stories were so heartfelt

that the need for more record expungement clinics in the area was immediately

established.

Future Criminal Record Expungement Clinics will be held in Boyertown, Pottstown, and

Reading. Other communities who are interested in sponsoring a clinic can contact Di-

ana Rivera O’Bryant at (610)374-6769 or Al Dunn at (484)400-6699.

The Service is Free.

reading on the rise issue #11

Documents

issue of reading

facebook reading

west reading

reading area

rise magazine

cup water

teaspoons salt

cups crisco