Week That Was: Twp. Labor Deal Vote Delayed; Barnes Back in Court

Selections from last week’s news and features (Aug. 1 through Aug. 7):

Monday

The Barnes Foundation was back in the news, with that despite appearances, the move to the Benjamin Franklin Parkway is not a fait accompli. Attorney Samuel Stretton told Montgomery County Orphans Court Judge Stanley Ott that former Pennsylvania Attorney General Mike Fisher misused his office, evidenced by clips from the 2010 documentary “The Art of the Steal,” and urged Ott to re-open proceedings to keep the art in Merion. Attorneys representing the Barnes trustees said there is no new evidence. : Ott is expected to issue a ruling on the matter by autumn.

Merion Station ranked first on the Main Line in the median price of homes sold in the first six months of this year compared to 2010, with a 24.1 percent increase, Villanova was second (up 18 percent), followed by Ardmore (14.3 percent). The news is a mixed bag, though—Ardmore, for instance, had the largest decrease, year over year, in the number of home sales.

After one of the hottest and most miserable Julys on record, August came in like a lion which had just stuck his paw in an electrical outlet, with Monday night. A big poplar in Merion on Orchard Way came down, one of several big trees around the township.

The Lower Merion Police Department, in its weekly incident briefing, said , as they remain a popular target for thieves.

Tuesday

The big national news, of course, was that the House and Senate finally passed a bill on the debt ceiling, signed by President Obama on Tuesday. Pennsylvania Sens. Bob Casey and Pat Toomey weighed in, too, naturally.

Tuesday evening was the 28th National Night Out, an event . Held in the parking lot at Suburban Square in Ardmore, there were rides, funnel cake, smiling politicians, and police officers handing out safety literature and posing for photos with residents. The Phillie Phanatic was there, too. .           

Wednesday

It was a long and woolly Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners meeting. The BOC’s Administrative and Resources Committee , the township's employee union. Nonetheless, hours of discussion from the commissioners and the public followed, reporter Alicia Guide recounted. Keep an eye on this story—there are non-trivial financial and political implications at play that could easily mushroom into Lower Merion’s own little version of the debt ceiling talks.

Also Wednesday evening, a paralegal representing the NAACP Pennsylvania State Conference went before the Lower Merion Township Board of Commissioners and regarding promotions. Responding to the NAACP representative, BOC President Liz Rogan said the Police Department “is under investigation and we’re not going to be able to get back to you until we have the results of the investigation.” Again, more to come, for sure, on this story.

Montgomery County received confirmation of the county’s coveted “Aaa” bond rating from Moody’s Investors Service, cam with the caveat that it is under review for a possible downgrade related to the federal government’s credit ratings, and how they might relate to county finances.

Depression in combat veterans and professional athletes is still mired in stigma, reporter who is the staff psychologist for the Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Also interviewed is Taylor Buchholz, a pitcher for the New York Mets and a graduate of Springfield High in Delaware County, who has been a victim of depression and is now an unofficial spokesman for dealing with the problem.

Thursday

Rep. Jim Gerlach (R-PA), along with Patrick Meehan (R-PA), visited the Francisvale Shelter for Smaller Animals in Radnor to promote and protect pet owners.

Is It Really Cheaper to Eat Out Than at Home? In the wake of a recent Bureau of Labor Statistics report saying just that, The answer? Read the article to find out, and then let us know what you think in the comments box below it.

Friday

Despite all that rain and heavy weather from earlier in the week, the The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection issued a drought watch alert for Montgomery County.

On a related note, the Montgomery County Health Department announced it plans to spray pesticide at in the hopes of killing off some of the mosquito population and lowering the risk of West Nile virus.

The First Friday Main Line event was held in downtown Ardmore from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. There were sparse (blame it on the dog ays of August) but lively crowds, and (We also profiled , who is showing through Thursday, Aug. 11.)

Saturday-Sunday

Some 45,000 Verizon and Fios workers went on strike at 12:01 a.m. Sunday morning. . (If you do get service interruptions, be sure to let us know.)