News from Collegeville Economic Development Corporation

Collegeville Connects

a publication of Collegeville Main Street

November 1, 2008

What Do You Think?

Help us to learn what you want in your community. Please visit
www.collegevilledevelopment.org

and fill out the quick, 5-question survey.

Ginny Simon
Main Street Manager

Collegeville

PS - Be sure to check out the NCAA Field Hockey schedule!

In This Issue

Vereb and Rafferty Join Forces

Protecting Water Resources

Collegeville Wing Bowl

Cycle Against Cancer

NCAA Field Hockey

Field Hockey Comes Home!

Mark Your Calendars!

Article Headline

Vereb and Rafferty Join Forces to Update Wiretap Law

Legislation sponsored by Sen. John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) and Rep. Mike Vereb (R-Montgomery) that protects and expands personal rights under Pennsylvania's Wiretap Law in regard to the access of private phone records passed the General Assembly today. "Today, the Pennsylvania Legislature voted to further protect privacy rights of the Commonwealth's citizens," Vereb said. "The loopholes that existed in the former law put the safety of police officers, prosecutors, crime victims and everyday citizens at risk. I'm glad my House and Senate colleagues realized the importance of this bill and voted to protect privacy rights."

Rafferty added, "The wiretap law is one of law enforcements' most important tools in fighting crime, yet it is important that we protect the privacy rights of our state residents. This bill does both. This bill gives the Pennsylvania State Police and the Attorney General the continued authority to pursue criminal activity and has helped in the investigations and prosecution of drug operations, illegal gambling and organized crime."

Protecting Water Resources

Ten Things You and Your

Community Can Do

1. Maintain open, forested floodplains. (Filling floodplains shortchanges the filtering power of natural areas and increases flooding elsewhere.)
2. Plant trees and maintain streamside buffers. (Streamside trees and native vegetation help filter stormwater run-off and help hold streambank soils in place.)
3. Promote clustering where new development is likely. (Clustered developments require less pavement for roads and sidewalks and keep
more of the overall parcel as natural open space.)
4. Disconnect your downspout from the street drain. (Rainwater from your roof is just as damaging to creeks and streams as run-off from a parking lot. Let your yard help filter out impurities and infiltrate
stormwater back into your aquifer.)
5. Convert large yards or public spaces from mown grass to meadows. (The typical suburban lawn is nearly as impervious as a parking lot! Native meadow grasses infiltrate stormwater better and
provide critical habitat for grassland birds.)
6. Convert a corner of your yard to a rain garden. (A wet area in your yard can be considered a nuisance or an amenity, depending on how you manage it. If its wet, look for native plants that like "wet feet' and
create a visual focal point.)
7. Maintain a naturally vegetated edge between creeks and pastures or cultivated fields. (A naturally vegetated stream buffer will filter out excess fertilizers and pesticides from adjacent farm fields.)
8. Cut back on lawn fertilizers and pesticides. (Much of the fertilizer you apply in the spring flows directly into the local creeks because the grass is not ready to absorb it. Set your mower height at 3 inches and
use a mulching mower to create a healthy, organic lawn. Fertilize only in the fall!)
9. Pick up after your pets and keep livestock out of streams. (Pet and animal wastes carry many harmful bacteria and possible diseases. They make creeks less amenable to native critters and require expensive
water treatment for human uses.)
10. Keep your paved surfaces at a minimum. (Patios and parking spaces can be created with attractive pervious materials that allow stormwater infiltration to the soils below.)

(From the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy)

Collegeville Wing Bowl

Fill your Belly for Philabundance!

Who: You!

What: Enter the 2008 Collegeville Wing Bowl for your chance to win a TV -- for only a $15 entry fee! Not interested in eating, but would like to watch? Sure! We will be raffling off gift baskets (Eagles basket, spa basket, food basket) through the night and also will be selling awesome T-Shirts for only $10! There will also be a $15, 2-hour open bar!**

Where: Trappe Tavern

When: Tuesday, November 11, 2008 at 9 pm.

How: Contact Sapaulus@ursinus.edu for more information regarding tickets, entry fees, or to just make donations to Philabundance. Raffle tickets may be purchased prior or during the event. Entry fee for Wing Bowl must be paid prior to event. Raffle winners will be revealed after the Wing Bowl.

All proceeds will go to Philabundance.

*Open Bar discount only offered to Students of Ursinus College with valid school ID.
**You must be 21 or over in order to enter the Trappe Tavern and to participate.

Cycle Against Cancer

Bike-A-Thon

Sunday, November 16, 2008

The event will begin at Ursinus College and follow the Perkiomen Trail to Lower Perkiomen Valley Park where we will celebrate our achievements with food, prizes, and fun! All students are asked to raise at least $35 and adults $50, all of which will support LAF.

All funds support Lance Armstrong's LiveStrong Foundation.

If you are interested in participating or making a donation, please contact Kaitlyn Myers at kamyers@ursinus.edu.

Participants will have the option of riding either 6 or 10 miles.

A FINAL THOUGHT

We hope that this information is of interest to you. If you have any suggestions, or would like to add an event, just e-mail ginny@collegevilledevelopment.org.

Sincerely,

Ginny Simon

Collegeville Main Street

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