New section of trail opened

News Intern Ben Dalton covered a dedication of the Schuylkill River Trail's new section in Birdsboro on Friday, July 25. The section was incomplete from Reading to Pottstown before the addition.

I haven't been to the section of the trail yet, but I invite you to check it out. There's not a whole lot to do in Birdsboro (and correct me if you think I'm wrong) so the opening of the trail is definitely beneficial to the area.

Also check out other recreation areas in Berks County: Antietam Lake (Mt. Penn area), Monocacy Hill in Amity Township and the Union Township Recreation Area off of Route 724. I've been to both Monocacy Hill and the Union Township Park and they are great for people who enjoy hiking or just being outdoors.

If you like hiking and history, also check out Valley Forge Park. I went there a few months ago and had a great time. My boyfriend and I looked at the war memorial there. I want to go back and take my camera next time.

For more information, check out these web sites:

Schuylkill River Heritage Area: www.schuylkillriver.org
Antietam Lake: www.berkscountyweb.com/Antietam_Lake.htm
Monocacy Hill: www.monocacyhill.org
Union Township: www.co.berks.pa.us/Union
Valley Forge: www.nps.gov/vafo

A sad time for the southern Berks area

Photo: Dylan Brown


I'm very sad to report that there have been three people in the area that have died in the last couple of weeks.

Dylan Brown, an Exeter Township student, died July 14 after a two-year-battle with cancer. Brown was an inspiration to his teachers, his fellow students and community members. He would come to school even if he wasn't feeling well and was an honorary member of several local sports teams.

Accordingto police reports, A Fleetwood student, Ian Kanegawa, died just a few days ago in a tractor trailer accident along Route 422.

Also, Kenneth Lang, a Birdsboro resident and principal at High Point Baptist Academy, died in Outer Banks, N.C. last Thursday. His obituary states that he accidentally drowned. A friend said that Lang had a positive influence on students and students have been leaving messages on Facebook, a social Web site, about him.

For more information, read The Southern Berks News.

The Southern Berks News looking for community columnists

Our sports editor who used to be the Southern Berks News editor told me we used to have a community member in Amity Township who wrote a gossip column. It was called "Amity Tidbits" and was mostly about comical or other happenings around Amity Township.

I would like to have a few community columnists write for The News now. They wouldn't have to be the most professional writers; just someone who is active in the community, knows a lot about what is going on and likes to write.

If you are interested in becoming a community columnist, e-mail me, htassmer@berksmontnews.com or call 610-367-6041 ext 225.

The community unites to help Boone Area Library

Community members have really shown how much they care about the Boone Area Library.

The Boone Area Library was in danger of closing in October but after the director talked to the Borough of Birdsboro officials, the borough council decided to provide $25,000 to the library.

Wanda Druzba, president of the library’s board of trustees, said that this should help the library stay open until the end of the year.

Two sisters who volunteer at the library have also been working hard to keep it open. Payton and Lauren Haines, students at Immaculate Conception Academy, have been setting up a lemonade stand every couple of weeks to raise money.

It’s so heartwarming to see everyone working together to save the library.

To find out more information about the library, pick up this week’s news or read about it on our web site, www.berksmontnews.com.

The Boone Area Library's Web site is www.berks.lib.pa.us/birdsborocl.

Exeter graduate news

This week I'm planning on running two stories relating to the Exeter Township School District. One is about an Exeter graduate and another is about the Exeter Alumni Association. If you have any story ideas about Exeter graduates, please call or e-mail me. My e-mail is htassmer@berksmontnews.com and my number is 610-367-6041 ext 225. The Southern Berks News also covers the Daniel Boone Area and Antietam school districts so if you have any stories about graduates from those areas, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

Day Trip: Dorney Park

Photo by Antoinette Colon

Antoinette Colon, Berks-Mont editor (The Community Connection), recently visited Dorney Park and Wildwater Kingdom in Allentown. Read about her adventure in this week's News.

Colon wrote that the drive was only 40 minutes from her house (which is located in the Southern Berks area.) The article she wrote is part of series she is working on about day trips. Since gas prices are going up, a lot of families are resorting to day trips.

I have fond memories of Dorney Park. When I was in middle school, all the grades went there for a trip at the end of each year. I went on my first rollercoaster there. Can't remember the name right now....but I do remember the terrifying Hercules, a wooden roller coaster there. I also enjoyed the ride called Hang Tough or something like that where you are strapped into the ride and flip upside down.

If you have a day trip destination (in the region-Berks County, Philadelphia, etc) you want people to check out, e-mail alcolon@berksmontnews.com or htassmer@berksmontnews.com.

Taz's Book Bits-'Baby Proof' Review

Inside the mind of a 'Baby Proof' woman


Some women can’t wait to become mothers. Claudia Parr, the main character of “Baby Proof,” isn’t one of them.

“Baby Proof” is a book written by Emily Giffin and published by St. Martin’s Press.

Claudia is married, has nieces and nephews, but still those elements don’t cause her to have any intention of having children. She and her husband agree on their first date that neither of them want to raise kids.Ben changes his mind when their best friends have a baby and keeps on pressuring Claudia to change her mind too.

Claudia is an editor at a publishing company and doesn’t want to give up her career. She and Ben live in an apartment in Manhattan and she doesn’t want to give that up either. Plus, she doesn’t want to have to be burdened being awakened by a screaming baby at 2 a.m.

This is the second Emily Giffin book I’ve read and have found that she has a way of creating suspense in the very beginning that keeps you reading. I wanted to know how the ending was going to be so badly that I read the book in about three days.
While I was reading the book, I understood the reasons why Claudia didn’t want to have a baby but still thought it was kind of strange. I know balancing a marriage, children and a career is tough but people do it every day, so why stress about it? I also wondered why Claudia and her husband didn’t start out with a pet first, just to test out what adding a member to their family would feel like.

Claudia and Ben separate and then she begins a relationship with someone new. Although she is happy with the new guy, she wonders if the relationship is just a fling and starts to have doubts about giving up married life. These doubts along with marital and family problems with her sisters, definitely made me continue reading at a fast speed.

I won’t tell you the way the book ends, but I can tell you that this book gave me a different view on relationships and reminded me that it’s important to be open to new experiences and not have your life, goals set in stone when you get serious with someone. This book shows that people’s ideals can change and shake up a marriage.

Heather Tassmer is the editor of The Southern Berks News. She can be reached at htassmer@berksmontnews.com or 610-367-6041 ext 225.

Book review on the way

Since there isn't much on TV, summer is a perfect time to catch up on reading. Well, at least for me it is.
In this upcoming edition (or the one after that) of The Southern Berks News, you will see a review for "Baby Proof" I wrote. "Baby Proof" is definitely "Chick Lit" or a book that is written for women. The book, written by Emily Giffin, is about a woman who doesn't want children having her world turned upside down by her husband who one day decides he does want kids. The book was so good that I read it in about three days.
I'm planning on reading "My Sister's Keeper" next. I'm going to the beach in August so I am hoping it will give me a chance to jump right into that one.
I'd also suggest that you read "Marley and Me." I published my review of that book in the fall. It is also being made into a movie and will star Jennifer Aniston and Owen Wilson. If you're an animal lover, you'll definitely love it.
If you have just read an interesting book, let me know. I'm always looking for books to read. E-mail me at htassmer@berksmontnews.com or post a comment on this blog.

Yay for summer interns!!

Another production day has passed at The Southern Berks News.

“Production Day” is journalism jargon for the process of putting the paper together-formatting pictures, editing, and laying out the paper.

This week I decided to spotlight Exeter Township yet again.

Our new intern, Ben Dalton, talked to the Concerned Citizens of Exeter Township and a township supervisor about a fund to restore trees cut down for the Exeter Commons project. Citizens are concerned the money won’t be spent on the environment. Township officials are offended that people don’t trust them and are in the process of deciding how the money given to them by the Exeter Commons developers for the trees will be spent.

Ben also did a great job on writing about two church anniversaries. One church celebrated its 215th anniversary and another celebrated its 10th anniversary. Ben snapped a great picture of a child competing in a pie eating contest.

Mark Eddinger is another college student interning at Berks-Mont’s Boyertown office. Mark has also been doing a phenomenal job for us. We are definitely going to miss both of the interns when they go back to school in August.

I’m probably going to be tackling the economy/gas price issue in the near future. If you would like to share how you’re coping with gas prices, send me an e-mail htassmer@berksmontnews.com or call 610-367-6041 ext 225. You can also write a letter to the editor and send it to Heather Tassmer, 124 N. Chestnut Street, P.O. Box 565 Boyertown, Pa. 19512.

I hope everyone has a great and safe holiday for July 4th. I’m headed back to Lancaster County for mine and am looking forward to a cookout.

For some reason, Ben's awesome photo won't load:( so I'm headed out.