Newspaper Endorses Bruce Castor, Jenny Brown for Montgomery County Commissioner

Two candidates in the Nov. 8 election are best suited to guide Montgomery County during difficult fiscal times.

From an editorial in The Doylestown Intelligencer:

It's our belief the Republicans have the stronger, more credible game plan. That's why our endorsement goes to Bruce Castor and Jenny Brown.

For commissioner in Montgomery County: Bruce Castor and Jenny Brown - phillyBurbs.com: The Intelligencer

Alleged stalker of Jennifer Aniston traveled to L.A. from Pa.

From a story by Carl Hessler Jr. in today's edition of The Mercury:

A West Norriton man who allegedly drove cross-country, stalked and professed his love for actress Jennifer Aniston previously faced eerily similar charges of stalking a township woman.

Jason Peyton, 24, formerly of Reagan Court, during a trial in Montgomery County Court in April 2009, was determined to be not guilty by reason of insanity in connection with charges he harassed and stalked a township woman, who he claimed was "in love" with him, on numerous occasions in 2008, according to court records.

Norristown defense lawyer Richard D. Winters, who represented Peyton in the Montgomery County case, confirmed on Wednesday that Peyton is the same man now being held under an emergency mental health commitment in California in connection with his alleged obsession with Aniston, a star of the former hit TV show "Friends."

Read the full story at the link below:

Alleged stalker of Jennifer Aniston traveled to L.A. from Montco (VIDEO) - The Mercury (pottsmerc.com)

The terrorist living next door

Don't look know but terrorists may be operating right next door.

The Associated Press is reporting that a Montgomery County woman has been indicted for recruiting jihadists online.

The woman, identified in court documents at Colleen R. LaRose, aka "Fatima LaRose," aka "JihadJane," is believed to be from the Pennsburg area in rural northwestern Montgomery County.

LaRose has been charged with conspiracy to provide material support to terrorists, conspiracy to kill in a foreign country, making false statements to a government official, and attempted identity theft. In addition to LaRose, who is an American citizen, the court papers refer to five unindicted co-conspirators.

From The Associated Press:

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman has been charged with using the Internet to recruit jihadist fighters and help terrorists overseas.
Authorities say the case shows how terror groups are looking to recruit Americans to help carry out their goals.

A federal indictment charges Colleen R. LaRose with agreeing to kill a Swedish citizen on orders from the terrorists and traveling to Europe to carry out the killing. It doesn't say whether the Swede was killed.

U.S. Attorney Michael Levy tells The Associated Press the indictment doesn't link LaRose to any organized terror groups.

The indictment describes LaRose as in her 40s and from Montgomery County, in suburban Philadelphia. LaRose has been in custody since Oct. 15.

The U.S. Attorney's Office has also posted a press release online and the full 11-page indictment.

Look for a full story in Wednesday's edition of The Mercury.

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

Phoenixville councilman running for 157th House seat

Freshman Democrat state Rep. Paul Drucker will have a challenger for the 157th House District.

Phoenixville Borough Councilman Kendrick Buckwalter told The Mercury he is seeking the Republican nomination to run for the 157th state House District.

Buckwalter told reporter Dennis Wright he is a mainstream conservative who takes constitutional government seriously.

A Phoenixville resident, Buckwalter is a small businessman and 15-year veteran of municipal government in the borough. He has served as chairman of Phoenixville's zoning hearing board, and has been elected to two terms on Borough Council, where he currently serves. He has also volunteered as a firefighter.

The district includes Phoenixville, Schuylkill and Tredyffrin townships in Chester County, and portions of Lower Providence and West Norriton in Montgomery County.

The seat was held by Rep. Carole Rubley from 1993 until her retirement in 2008. Political insiders blame Rubley's failure to endorse the Republican candidate as her successor for handing the seat to the Democrats in 2008. Drucker beat GOP challenger Guy Ciarrocchi by a margin of 50.9% to 49.1%.

Read more about Buckwalter in The Mercury.

For more on Buckwalter, check out his campaign Web site, http://buckwalterforpa.com/

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

Rep. Quigley Votes Against 'Pet Projects' Included in Table Games Bill

State Rep. Tom Quigley (R-146th Dist.) released the following statement regarding his 'No' vote on Senate Bill 711, which would legalize table games in Pennsylvania:

"This legislation is bad public policy for Pennsylvania. Allowing table games will only compound the many problems we have already seen from the slots parlor law and does not include the necessary reforms to ensure that Pennsylvania residents are protected from corruption. The answers to our state’s financial woes do not lie in preying upon the most vulnerable citizens, who are the most likely to suffer from a gambling addiction and who often have lower incomes.

"One aspect I found particularly troublesome were the pet projects written into the language. There are very specific earmarks being funded, which are unfair to the other worthy causes that were left out. It is another example of "pet projects" that we have seen in bills like the federal health care reform legislation. This kind of pork is contrary to good government.

"Speaking of worthy causes, this bill does not include a dime for property tax relief. The majority of the revenue from this bill will go into the General Fund, leaving taxpayers out in the cold. Homeowners are still waiting for the meaningful property tax relief they were promised when slot machines were approved, and their concerns were still not addressed in this legislation. If it were up to me, every dollar of revenue collected would go to offset school property taxes.

"Finally, this is bad public policy because it expands gaming before much-needed reforms are considered. If you have a high rise that has a faulty structural system, you don’t add more floors until you address the safety issues. Without those necessary reforms, Pennsylvania is opening itself up to more cases of corruption involving gaming, when everything could have been avoided by taking up these issues in the proper order."

The controversial table games bill passed the House Wednesday by a vote of 103-89, with mostly Democrats supporting the measure.

Strong GOP field for Montco judge races

The Montgomery County Republican Party is fielding seven excellent candidates for seven open seats on the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas.

The video above introduces the candidates to voters. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

Voters toss incumbents

Incumbents typically have the advantage in any election, but not when voters are angry and want change.

Here's a sampling of some of the incumbents in Berks, Chester and Montgomery counties who were kicked out by voters in Tuesday's primary election:

Reading School Board President Pierre Cooper

5 current members of the Owen J. Roberts School Board

Limerick Township Supervisor Renee K. Chesler

2 current members of the Pottstown School Board

2 current Exeter Township Supervisors

Lower Providence Township Supervisor Craig Dininny

Chester County Treasurer Alan Randzin

Chester County Clerk of Courts Teena Peters

Norristown Borough Councilman David Hodo

East Norriton Township Supervisor Lewis McQuirns

1 current member of the Boyertown School Board

1 current member of the Wyomissing School Board

Coatesville City Council members Patsy Ray and Kurt Schenk

Originally posted at TONY PHYRILLAS

Primary Election candidates in Montgomery County

The pundits consider this an "off-year" election because there are no big contests for president or Congress or governor.

But the people who are elected this year will have the biggest impact on your wallet.

Pennsylvania's May 19 Primary Election will help decide candidates for school board and local government offices. Since school taxes make up about 80 percent of your property tax bill, the people you elect to your local school board will decide how much you will pay each year.

The Pottstown Mercury has published a list of school board and municipal candidates in its coverage area in western Montgomery County.

Check out the list at the newspaper's Web site.