PhilaNet.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jane Douglass, REALTOR, with Prudential Fox and Roach in Blue Bell PA
presents a c.1906 Victorian home for sale in Fort Washington PA.

Welcome to this meticulously maintained C 1906 colonial revival with a Victorian flavor built by Charles B. Camburn featuring a Queen Anne wrap style around porch entry, situated on one of the most desirable streets in Fort Washington. This wonderful bright sunny home offers a large living room accented with wood floors & built in cabinets, formal dining room & built in windowed China cabinet; eat in kitchen with wood cabinets, entry to the back porch & views of the gardens & its traditional old fashio flora. There are five bedrooms, 2 baths, a second flr sun room, wood floors, elaborate wood trim, high ceilings. Basement, 2 car detached garage. Possible in-law suite. “Sunny, warm, spacious & comfortable is a good description of this charming home.” Convenient to the train & PA Turnpike.

Ms. Douglass is a 25+ year Marketing Veteran of Luxury Estates, Manor Homes, & Classic Pennsylvania Farm Houses in Southeastern PA.

She specializes in the Philadelphia Area the includes Montgomery County, & Bucks County PA.

She is also a member of The Historic Real Estate Program of the National Trust For Historic Preservation.

Jane offers the professional experience, confidence, & heartfelt concern needed to meet the needs of home sellers, purchasers, & transferees.

If you need an extraordinary Realtor to find an outstanding property for you, please Contact Jane Douglass at (215)542-2200.

Fellow Recyclers,

The next collection of #5 plastics will be this coming Saturday, March 20, from 10am to 1pm.

In response to requests from observant Jewish friends, we’ll also have a collection the following day, Sunday, March 21, from 11am to 1pm. We urge everyone who can make it on Saturday to do so, as we won’t have a full crew of workers on Sunday.

Both collections will take place at our usual location: the garage of the Weavers Way Co-op, at 542 Carpenter Lane, Mt. Airy, Philadlephia, which is across the street and a bit further down the block from the Big Blue Marble bookstore.

Please review the guidelines for the materials collected below.

See you next weekend!

Stevik
- for the Weavers Way Environment Committee

Gimme 5 Collection Guidelines

The #5 plastics category includes yogurt cups, sour cream containers, hummus tubs, some medicine bottles, and more. Your recyclables must be clean and dry to be accepted. Check to make sure there are no other materials (paper, screws, other number plastics) on the items you bring in. Impurities of any kind compromise the recycling process and usually lead to the discarding of an entire batch. Exclude any lids unless they are clearly marked #5. (Most lids from #5 containers are #4 plastic, but this is not always the case.)

We ask recyclers for a small donation to cover postage costs of mailing the recyclables to the Gimme 5 processing facility in New York.

Before bringing your #5s to the collection, be sure that they meet the requirements for Gimme 5:

* All items must be CLEAN and DRY. If they contained food or any oily or dirty product, make sure they have been washed, not just rinsed. Items stacked when wet tend to stay wet, so allow washed items to dry fully before stacking or packing.

* The #5 stamp needs to be visible on each item. Lids are separate items. Don’ t assume lids are the same number plastic as the container; sometimes they are but usually they are not. Check to make sure there are no other materials (labels, paper, other number plastics, metal) on the items you bring in.

Brita filters are also welcome! Let them air dry for several days to make sure they are completely dry.

PHILADELPHIA, PA — In a ceremony today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $149,992 grant to the West Chester Area School District for a project to help local businesses conserve energy, save money and cut harmful greenhouse gases.

The District’s Student Conservation Corps, made up of high school students concerned about the environment, will encourage and teach area businesses simple, no-cost measures to achieve 10 percent reductions in their energy usage and emissions of greenhouse gases. The project is one of 20 nationwide funded by EPA to showcase how communities are fighting climate change.

“EPA is proud to support students who are taking responsibility for the future of our environment,” said Shawn M. Garvin, EPA’s mid-Atlantic regional administrator. “Their efforts to engage businesses in conserving energy will have pay offs economically and for the larger community by improved air quality.”

The district already has an energy efficiency program, started and implemented by students, in operation in its 16 school buildings. The district spends $3 million a year for electricity. Last year, B. Reed Henderson High School, where today’s ceremony was held, used $300,000 of electricity. Now, as a result of its “Power Down Fridays” program the school has reduced its energy use by 22 percent – saving the taxpayers $60,000 annually.

Dr. Jim Scanlon, the district’s Superintendent, expressed excitement about this grant and in particular the way it is structured. “Our students are a great resource for ideas and care so much about the future of our community. That’s why they’re a key part of the implementation strategy.”

As a part of this EPA-funded project, the district plans to broaden its conservation efforts district-wide to achieve an additional 10 percent cut in energy use and greenhouse gases. Preliminary calculations estimate that by 2012 about 1,960 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions will be reduced annually through efforts by the businesses and the school district.

EPA will monitor the progress of grant recipients and will post quarterly updates about each recipient online.

More information on the grants and the grant recipients: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/local/showcase/

More information about the program: http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate, and visit the website of the West Chester Area School District: http://www.wcasd.net

Whole Foods Market Plymouth Meeting
500 W. Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462
phone 610-832-0020
wholefoods.com/stores/plymouthmeeting

Whole Planet Foundation International Sampling and Silent Auction
Monday, March 22nd
5 pm – 7 pm
Let’s change the world together. Help raise $1.5 million to empower poor women with the opportunity to lift themselves out of poverty. Join us for a sampling and silent auction, with all proceeds benefiting Whole Foods Market’s own nonprofit organization, the Whole Planet Foundation. Simply donate anywhere from $1 – $100+ at the door, and we will give you a plate. Bring that plate around the store, and our vendors will dish up some international cuisine for your sampling pleasure. You’ll also have the chance to bid on fantastic items during our silent auction. We’ll have everything from gifts from Ryah Yoga and Health to Whole Foods Market goodie bags. All proceeds from this evening will benefit the Whole Planet Foundation!

Mix.Mingle.Music
Friday, March 26th
5 pm – 7 pm
Listen to the sounds of live music in our café, and relax with an ice cold beer or a glass of wine at the Cold Point Pub. If you spend $20 or more on a wine bar card-whether you’re purchasing a new one, or loading up a used one-you will receive one free Whole Foods Market Plymouth Meeting wine glass. Limit one glass per person, while supplies last. Cheers!

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Through a brand new electronics recycling certification program, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is taking steps to ensure that electronics recyclers adhere to highly protective standards for workers and the environment in processing pre-owned electronics.

This new certification process also means that recycled materials will not be shipped overseas without the consent of the designated country.

Three companies nationwide have received this new designation – called Responsible Recycling Practices Certification. The first, and only certified recycler in the mid-Atlantic region is E-structors, Inc. of Elkridge, Md. TechTurn of Austin, Texas, and Waste Management of Minnesota were also certified as electronic recycling firms.

E-Structors, founded in 2003, operates primarily on a contractual basis with organizations that have significant volumes of pre-owned electronics to recycle. As a certified recycler, the company follows a business model of reuse, refurbishment and recycling of electronics.

“This new e-cycling certification program will take the guesswork out of choosing a responsible recycler,” said EPA Regional Administrator Shawn M. Garvin. “Recycling is an important tool in our arsenal and we need to make sure it’s done correctly to prevent environmental harm and ensure the safe re-use of materials. We strongly encourage other electronic recyclers to obtain the certification to ensure that public health and the environment receive the highest protection available.”

The protocols required of certified recyclers help to reduce energy and natural resource consumption, greenhouse gases and hazardous waste. Recyclers are not permitted to burn or landfill certain materials. If electronics are going to be sold for reuse, the recycler must show that all personal data has been cleared or destroyed, that the equipment has been tested and is in working condition, and that the equipment is packaged properly. A recycler must exercise due diligence to ensure appropriate management of the materials throughout the recycling chain, whether domestic or international.

To apply for certification, electronics recyclers should contact either SGS or Perry Johnson Registrars to receive certification, provided they meet the rigorous certification standards. Both SGS and Perry Johnson Registrars are leading inspection, verification, testing and certification companies. As accredited certifying bodies for certification, SGS and Perry Johnson Registrars are required to list companies they have certified on their respective websites.

Links:

For information on disposing of single or small numbers of units, go to:
http://www.epa.gov/reg3wcmd/eCycling/index.htm. or Earth911.org

Daylight savings time begins on March 14 and the Philadelphia Office of Emergency Management reminds the public to refresh their emergency supplies when changing their clocks with its “Get Ready: Set Your Clocks, Check Your Stocks” campaign.

“Make sure you have all of the necessary emergency supplies in your kits, and check the expiration dates on food, water as well as radio and flashlight batteries,” said Deputy Managing Director for Emergency Management MaryAnn E. Tierney. “If you haven’t put together a family preparedness kit or a Go Bag of emergency supplies if you need to evacuate, do so now. The time to start planning for an emergency is not in the middle of one.”

Be sure that you have at least a three-day supply of bottled water, non-perishable foods and essential medications set aside for each member of your family. Remember your pets are part of the family too, so include some emergency supplies for them. And as always, don’t forget to check the batteries in your smoke alarms! As we prepare for the arrival of spring, make sure you and your loved ones are prepared for emergencies.

It’s also a good idea to sign up for ReadyNotifyPA, the region’s emergency text and email alert system, by logging on to www.readynotifypa.org.

For more information on emergency preparedness, ReadyNotifyPA, or for a list of emergency supplies for a family preparedness kit and Go Bag, visit www.phila.gov/ready or call 3-1-1.

When talking about emergencies, most first responders say, “It’s not if an emergency happens, but when.” Be ready in 2010.

Prints Link Philadelphia in City Hall North Portal

Wind Prints: It’s In the Air
Prints Link Philadelphia
March 8 – April 9, 2010
City Hall, North Portal
Opening Reception: March 20, 1-3 pm
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Art In City Hall is pleased to present Wind Prints: It’s in the Air, March15 – April16. The exhibition by Prints Link Philadelphia will take place in City Hall’s North Portal. A reception open to the general public will be held on March 20 from 1-3 pm.

Wind Prints: It’s in the Air consists of eight banners, each eight feet by ten feet, printed by children and teens. The banners will form a canopy over City Hall’s North Portal. Wind Prints is an exhibition of Prints Link Philadelphia (PLP), an open membership coalition of community arts organizations, art centers, museums, schools and teaching artists dedicated to promote and teach printmaking to children and teens in the Philadelphia region. Founded in May 2009, Prints Link Philadelphia is the only independent project of Philagrafika Festival 2010 dedicated to printmaking by children and teens. Visit: http://www.philagrafika2010.org/node/220.

The nine groups and their art educator representatives are: The Attic Youth Center (Beth Pulcinella), Germantown Academy (David Love), Haverford High School (Mark Wangberg). Hill-Freeman School (Valerie Van Pham), Independence Charter School (Rachel Schaffran), Nueva Esperanza Academy (Amy Diaz Newman), Norris Square Neighborhood Project Prodigies (Cathryn Carkhuff), Philadelphia Museum of Art (Carly Wiley), and Russell Byers Charter School (Amy Jared). Wendy Osterweil at Tyler School of Art/Temple University is the PLP Coordinator.

Art In City Hall hours are 8 – 5pm weekdays, closed weekends and holidays. For more information, please contact: Tu Huynh, artincityhall@phila.gov, (215) 686-9912.

Art In City Hall is a collaborative effort between the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy and Philadelphia’s arts community. It is supported by an independent Advisory Council made up of arts professionals and private citizens. Since the program began in 1984, over 2000 emerging artists have shown their talents in the hallways of City Hall through juried group exhibitions based on specific themes. In addition to these exhibitions, the program also displays artwork from Philadelphia’s schools, other city agencies, local non-profits, and community arts organizations. For more information, visit: www.phila.gov/artincityhall or join us on

City of Philadelphia,
Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy
116 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: 215-686-9912
Fax: 215-686-4520
www.phila.gov/artincityhall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty Wins Multiple Awards in 2009

CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty, with offices in Springfield, Ridley Park and West Chester, PA, received Top Awards from CENTURY 21 Corporation for 2009

* Top 20 In Gross Closed Commissions & Units – Springfield office
* Top 20 In Gross Closed Commissions & Units – Ridley Park office
* CENTURY 21 Gold Medallion Award, Springfield office
* CENTURY 21 Quality Service Award, Springfield office
* Ranked in the Top 10 Companies in the Pennsylvania Region in Gross Closed Commissions

The Broker Owners of CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty are Stan Lesniak, Dave Stinson, Ray McKinney & Vance Coulston.

CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty Recognized their top producing agents for 2009 at an Awards Breakfast on January 30, 2010 at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield. Congratulations to all the Award Winners!

For real estate career info, contact
Linda Johnson, H/R Director/REALTOR
CENTURY 21 Absolute Realty

The Intelligencer.com, by David W. Myers

A new law limits the amount that home buyers can be charged for the expenses involved in getting a loan, but some prospective borrowers don’t know how the complicated guidelines work.

Dear Mr. Meyers: We agreed to buy a house, and our lender provided a statement showing our loan’s estimated closing costs. The estimate for the cost of a title search and title insurance policy from a company recommended by the lender totaled $1,127, but we decided to use a differnet company because we thought it would save us money. When the deal closed last week, the final settlement statement showed that the company we chose charged us $1,640 for its services – more than 40 percent over the bank’s estimates. Isn’t the illegal, because the new law that you wrote about a few months ago says that the actual closing costs cannot be higher than 10 percent of the lender’s original estiamtes?

ANSWER: I’m afraid that you misread that earlier column.

Under a new federal law that took effect Jan. 1, all lenders are now required to provide prospective borrowers with a standardized, three-page “good faith estimate” of their closing costs. The law essentially divides these costs into three seperate categories: Those that cannot change from the bank’s estimates, those that can rise by as much as 10 percent, and those that can change without limit.

Read more…