Local/Regional

A 12-and-a half foot piece of steel from one of the Twin Towers, destroyed in the attacks on September 11th of 2001, is now on display in Whitpain Township. The second Alarmers Retrieval team arrived at hanger-17 in New York last Wednesday morning and returned late Wednesday afternoon with the 3,000  pound piece of steel. Executive
Director, Jamie Haddon says, the beam of steel, which will be made into a monument, has special significance.

“One of our brothers John Kulick, Hatboro Firefighter and career firefighter for Whitpain Township Fire Department enlisted in the military reserves after he saw everything we saw on September 11th and he was deployed to Iraq and unfortunately he lost his life. So bringing the monument back to the Montgomery County area and being able to put it as a new focal point to our new building, our new Whitpain Township that we’re fund raising for, it’s just a great opportunity for us to honor him and everyone else who allow us to enjoy the freedoms that we have.”


Haddon adds, 11-hundred other fire departments requested the piece of steel. The steel will eventually be placed outside the new Whitpain Township Emergency Services
Center. The Cost of the new facility is estimated at 1-million dollars Dollars. 500-grand has already been raised for the project. They hope to have the monument
finished by September 11th

While Montgomery County officials consider updating the county’s public safety communication system, one borough likes the idea. North Wales Borough recently passed a resolution to encourage the county to move forward with upgrading the county’s emergency communication system. The cost of the plan, if lawmakers ever agree to install a newer system, would cost the county 48-million dollars. Some elected officials believe the system can be constructed for less than the estimated price. North Wales Solicitor, Greg Gifford says the county should make the move and get it right the first time, should it become a reality. The North Wales Resolution also asks State Lawmakers to get involved by assessing a 9-1-1 fee to cell phones.

A rabies clinic will make a stop tomorrow morning between 9 and 11 in the Indian Valley at Encore Experiences in Harleysville. Montgomery County Health Department’s Mike Baysinger says there’s something people should know if they recently adopted a cat or dog.

 “They needed to be vaccinated after the age of 12 weeks. Depending on the vaccine they receive from their vet, that vaccine is either good for one year or three years.”

 A clinic is held each Saturday in June at various locations in Montgomery County.  Encore Experiences is located on Alumni avenue just off Main Street.

Consumer prices are moving in the wrong direction. The cost of food, housing and vehicles have seen the largest jump in

close to three years.  Univest Investments Senior Vice President, Bill Van Sant says, consumers can rest easy for now.

 “I  wouldn’t get too worried about it. It’s a lower inflationary environment. There’s pockets in there that are certainly accelerating than others a bit more than other. I think that’s more than an issue for investors.”

 Van Sant was a guest Wednesday afternoon on WNPV’S Comment, Please.