Good Morning. Here are some of the top stories from around the region.
WEATHER
The heat is on … for one more day. Expect another steamy one as we reach a high of about 93 degrees with the sun beating down. We get back to more seasonal weather next week.
CLICK HERE to check your local forecast.
NEWS
Will Crozer reverse mental health cutbacks?
On Wednesday, Crozer Health CEO Kevin Spiegel held an internal town hall, telling employees the behavioral and substance abuse services slated to close would remain open, as Delaware County Council announced it filed a civil suit seeking an injunction to continue those services. Requests for comment from Crozer Health Friday met no response. On Friday, Peggy Malone, president of Chester Crozer Nurses Association and behavioral health nurse, said Spiegel held a Zoom town hall with behavioral health employees
Morale at low ebb at Chester County 911 Center
The Chester County Department of Emergency Services’ 911 Center is experiencing an unprecedented loss of emergency dispatchers that has left a significant gap in the county’s public safety system and has forced the county to scramble to fill slots left vacant over the past several months. Since January, a total of 13 telecommunicators — the 911 staff members who take emergency and non-emergency calls from the public and then dispatch police, fire or ambulance personnel to address the situation — most with senior-level status, have left the county’s employ. In the same time period, only seven new employees have been hired.
‘Shoe guys’ critical to success of Wine, Women & Shoes fundraiser for homeless shelter
There’s at least one day other than Thanksgiving that men in Berks County take over a kitchen to prepare a meal for dozens of people. It’s in the spring at Opportunity House in Reading. On May 9, a group whose nickname doesn’t suggest culinary skills cooked and served a turkey dinner at the shelter in Reading then toured the facility. They’re the “shoe guys,” prominent men in the business, education, government, and nonprofit communities in Berks. They play a crucial role in the annual Wine, Women & Shoes gala — the premier fundraising event for Opportunity House — scheduled for Thursday evening at DoubleTree by Hilton hotel along Penn Street downtown.
Amid pandemic, student participation crucial in Central Montco Technical High School mural project
For the students and staff working on a mural project at Central Montco Technical High School, it’s so much more than an art instillation. “It allowed us to bring back our community after the whole pandemic, and bringing back everybody to help out and come along,” said Jaiona Johnson, a senior in the school’s teacher academy. “It was really fun. It kind of allowed us to bring each other’s voices back in one piece.” The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on communities for more than two years. Schools were shuttered over health and safety concerns as educators pivoted to remote learning. Virtual, hybrid and in-person education models were introduced as the ebbs and flows of the ongoing global public health crisis continued.
Pottstown church offers prayers for mass shooting victims
A year or so ago, Whittina Gregory would not have lain down on the sofa, even though she was tired. “I would have pushed through it, because that’s how I am,” she said. But she said she is trying to listen to her body more, so she laid on the sofa for 20 minutes. That nap likely saved her life and the life of her niece.
SPORTS
Betts falls triple shy of cycle, leads Dodgers past Phillies
Mookie Betts stumbled rounding second base – a rare misstep for one of baseball’s most all-around All-Stars — and braced his fall with his left hand. Betts popped up clutching his left arm as he bounced back to second. Betts homered, doubled and singled, knocked in three runs, threw out the potential go-ahead run at the plate and sparked the Los Angeles Dodgers to their seventh straight win, 7-4 over the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday night.
ENTERTAINMENT
This spring, Longwood Gardens draws visitors from around the world to Chester County
People from around the world are joining with American friends to visit Longwood Gardens. This spring the world-renowned botanical landmark, located off Route 1 just north of Kennett Square, is abuzz with visitors enjoying a vast array of vibrant displays of flora and fauna. Seniors are taking walks along the grounds, children are discovering there are many types of cactus on this planet, and families are beaming with smiles as they explore Longwood Gardens together.
