Coatesville Dems

SEPTA SILVERLINER V

2012-01-28T13:44:00.003-05:00

What commuters bound for points east of Coatesville to Philadelphia can expect to board at the new Coatesville train station in 2015.

State of the Art Green Buildings are in Philly, Why not Coatesville too?

2012-01-27T15:44:00.002-05:00

SEE RIVERSEEKERBLOG:

State of the Art Green Buildings are in Philly, Why not Coatesville too?

Canceling redistricting frees up people for other stuff

2012-01-26T11:20:00.000-05:00

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 2012

High court upends Dems' agenda

FBI Public Corruption Update

2012-01-26T10:41:00.001-05:00

"THE FBI RANKS PUBLIC CORRUPTION AS OUR TOP CRIMINAL PRIORITY"

"Currently, the FBI—with our partners—is working more than 2,000 corruption investigations involving public officials around the country. These investigative efforts certainly pay off—during fiscal year 2010, our cases led to more than 1,330 informations/indictments and over 900 convictions (primarily at the federal level but also some at the local level).Our ability to use sophisticated investigative tools and methods—like undercover operations—is one of the reasons why the FBI is in a unique position to investigate allegations of corruption. These tools and methods often give investigators a front-row seat to witness the actual exchange of bribe money or a handshake that seals an illegal deal.Bribery is the most common form of corruption the Bureau investigates. But there are plenty more crimes—including extortion, embezzlement, racketeering, kickbacks, money laundering, and all sorts of fraud. A significant portion of our cases involve border corruption.

At the end of the day, the majority of public officials are honest, hard-working individuals determined to improve the lives of their fellow citizens. But a small number of elected, appointed, or contracted officials are only focused on their own good. The actions of corrupt officials—often with the help of private sector accomplices—undermine democratic institutions and threaten national security, which is why the FBI ranks public corruption as our top criminal priority."

FROM:

FBI Public Corruption Update

"“Violent crimes like this are a stark reminder of why Coatesville needs a strong and fully staffed police department.”

2012-01-25T21:47:00.002-05:00

“Violent crimes like this are a stark reminder of why Coatesville needs a strong and fully staffed police department.”
Tom Hogan
From the Daily Local News

DA: Coatesville shooting death is first county homicide of 2012

Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Another shooting in Coatesville near Oak St. around midnight Tuesday.

2012-01-25T09:35:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I wonder which side some Coatesville City Council members and especially our new city manager is on; the drug dealers or the good people of Coatesville. Rawlings and City Council are busily making the Coatesville PD less effective.

Is Rawlings trying to make Coatesville the Mecca for drug dealers in the Middle Atlantic States?

Update:
I'm hearing its a homicide.
Update:
It's a confirmed homicide

Update from the Daily Local News:

Coatesville shooting leaves man dead

Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Another Update:

From what I know Tre Leonis Davis was not what I call a bad kid. He might have been a little volatile. He had some reckless endangerment, damage to property and a simple assault charge. All of them in Magisterial Court. Nothing in Common Pleas Court. I'm pretty sure that I met him briefly. He was only 19.

Take A Survey About Coatesville’s Economic Future.

2012-01-24T21:33:00.002-05:00

If you are reading this you are interested in the City of Coatesville. So how about taking a few minutes and letting your thoughts known in a survey about Coatesville's economic future?

From Ken Knickerbocker at Parkesburg Today:

Take A Survey About Coatesville’s Economic Future.

Econsult has been hired by Coatesville to conduct a study to get ideas about Coatesville today and what people would like Coatesville to look in 5 to 10 years. As part of the study, Econsult will gather citizen and stakeholder input on three main areas:

What types of buildings and uses are appropriate downtown;
What kind of retail options are most valuable; and
What kind of amenities would help make Coatesville a better place to live, work, and play

Did Rawlings can the bio-metric time clocks vs. the “clocking in your buddy” manual time clocks?

2012-01-20T15:03:00.000-05:00

Did Stacy Bjorhus resist banning the bio-metric clocks?

Is this another reason for firing her?

The City allegedly was almost finished implementing the bio-metric time clock when Coatesville City Manager Gary Rawlings allegedly canned the whole idea and went back to manual time cards. Before she was fired, Coatesville Finance Director Stacy Bjorhus allegedly overruled him on this and said that she had the authority to do so via the ordinance in the Coatesville City Charter.

The Coatesville City Council will vote to change the City’s Finance Director Ordinance at the next meeting on January 23, 2012.

Keep in mind this quote from the Daily Local News; "However, Rawlings argued the ordinance can hamper his authority. Solicitor John Carnes said one area that could hamstring Rawlings is a provision that allows the finance director to investigate any potential wrongdoings in the department." The moral of that story seems to be, “We don’t want no stinking investigations into stealing the peoples money.”

SEE:

Who stole the people's money?

Hmm. Did some city employees pressure Rawlings to can the bio-metric clocks because they messed with their work place “style”? The bio-metric clocks were tied to the ADP payroll system the City uses. Very cost effective and also great with eliminating fraud for the 'clocking in your buddy' syndrome. If these were implemented the data would should exactly reflect the actual hours employees worked which would cut down the overtime and the fraud.

But I believe that a lot more than just “clocking in your buddy” may be happening at city hall. The city council didn't seem concerned about which City of Coatesville employees pocketed the $162,000 in 2008. After all, they allegedly fired the two people; Stacy Bjorhus and Manny Dechter that discovered that the money that was missing was cash payments at the front desk at city hall and that money never made into the city’s coffers.

Coatesville's General Ledger Specialist Raj Kalaria suddenly left the USA, SEE; Can the FBI, in India, interview people that worked in the USA? for a recording of Ms. Bjorhus statements concerning Mr. Kalaria at a Coatesville RDA meeting.

Since Mr. Kalaria left there are 2 people left that received cash payments at the front desk at city hall during 2008. One of those two people also had some control over the city’s finances and city time card records.

It just seems like anyone who messes with City of Coatesville employee’s “style” gets canned. Even if that “style” may include allegedly pocketing cash payments that were supposed to go to the city to the tune of $162,000.

"Biometric time clocks have proven return on investment:

· Reduction of payroll preparation time and human error.

· Elimination of time card and badge expenses – materials, printing, replacements, etc.

· Elimination of conflicts over hours worked and time accrual benefits.

· Significant reduction in overtime payments.

Proven results, strong market growth, and demonstrable bottom line performance continue to drive Mainstream adoption of biometric-based WFM solutions. Biometric time clocks provide accurate, reliable, and auditable real-time labor data. Biometric time clocks are the only effective means of directly linking an individual worker to their labor data while providing an irrefutable labor record. Biometric time clocks increase the integrity and security of labor records while reducing administrative costs of reviewing and updating payroll information."

From the document below:

RED TAILS The Tuskegee Airmen OPENS FRIDAY

2012-01-16T14:46:00.002-05:00

"The world needs to know the story."

Anthony Hemingway director, Red Tails

Hemingway was formerly with "The Wire".

When you are a part of history as we are and you think back to what made us a part of history. Tuskegee Institute was an island of hope where we could defeat segregation by our achievement.

Col. Spann L. Watson

In the air there's no black or white or green or whatever, you're a pilot.

Captain Roscoe C. Brown Jr.

"If we are to have no democracy at home, it does not make a great deal of difference what happens abroad.

Victory for democracy abroad means beating the armies of Hitler, Mussolini, and The Mikado.

Victory for democracy at home means beating disfranchisement, racial pollution laws, residential segregation, economic discrimination based on color, Jim-Crowism, social and educational inequalities, and all efforts to curtail or abolish the safeguards of the Bill of Rights."

From:

AMERICAN SOCIAL HISTORY PROJECT · CENTER FOR MEDIA AND LEARNING

The Pittsburgh Courier Demands Victory Over Fascism Abroad and Victory Over Racism at Home

FRIDAY, JULY 29, 2011

"RED TAILS" Tuskegee Airmen January 20, 2012

We have at least one “Red Tail” or Tuskegee Airman in Coatesville and lots of people related to Tuskegee Airmen; including Ingrid Jones’ relative Percy Sutton.

REGAL THEATER DOWNINGTOWN
Red Tails
Opens Friday, January 20, 2012 | Runtime:2 hr. 0 min.

It's an honor to know Joe Carroll

2012-01-13T13:08:00.000-05:00

Known for his low profile, Carroll broke that pattern infrequently. The most dramatic example was in late 2008, when he lashed out at officials in Coatesville - Chester County's impoverished crime capital - for ignoring public safety."

From:

High praise in Chesco for retired prosecutor

Former D.A. honored for his decades of public service.

By Kathleen Brady Shea

Inquirer Staff Writer

I've spent a lot of time with Joe; he is one of the most laid back, attentive, just plain nicest people I know.
A lot of people came to talk with Joe when he lived in the house on 8th. Avenue in Coatesville. Some people would stay late after most people went home because what they wanted to say was full of very heavy grief and fear. At one of those late nights tears came to my eyes as I listened to a crime victim's story in Joe's dining room. I told him "I don't know how you do it, listening to so many grief stricken frightened people."

At the Coatesville City Council meeting mentioned by Ms. Brady Shea in the article above Joe was so angry his hands shook. This is the only time I saw him angry:

.

I came a little bit early to the meeting. I knew that about 200 police officers and public officials were on their way from a staging area and would march two by two into Coatesville City Hall. I spoke briefly to Harry Walker outside city hall on my way in. Harry said it would be a good meeting, he had no idea.
SEE:

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 19, 2009

Lieutenant Gordon and "Lieutenant Legree"

Who stole the people's money?

2012-01-13T10:00:00.001-05:00

WHO STOLE THE PEOPLE'S MONEY? T WAS HIM!

Is the Coatesville City Council setting up Mr. Rawlings to be the final resting place of the finger that points to "Who stole the people's money?

Coatesville council wrangles with finance director ordinance

Published: Wednesday, January 11, 2012

I think this excerpt from the Daily Local News article above holds the key words. I added bold italic to the key words:

"However, Rawlings argued the ordinance can hamper his authority. Solicitor John Carnes said one area that could hamstring Rawlings is a provision that allows the finance director to investigate any potential wrongdoings in the department."

As the legislation stands right now two people have control over the City of Coatesville’s finances, the city manager and the city finance director.

The proposed legislation, in my view, puts control of the city finances in one person, the city manager.

Right now there are checks and balances between the city manager and the city finance director. Some people might view the new legislation as a LICENSE FOR THE CITY MANAGER TO STEAL.

I don't believe the city council intended to arouse suspicions about any future dealings of Mr. Rawlings or any future Coatesville City Manager. I believe they did not think things through.

This is why I believe some city council members are pushing to give the city manager total control of the city's finances:

The Coatesville City Council cannot very easily fire the Coatesville Finance Director. The City Council can fire the Coatesville City Manager. If some city council members have unpaid tax bills or are otherwise miss-behaving and the city manager finds out; he can keep quiet and keep his job or make it public and pack his bags.

I think the new finance director ordinance was conjured up because the former fired Finance Director Stacy Bjorhus carefully did her job and working independently but in tandem with Manny Dechter, the forensic auditor suggested by then District Attorney Joe Carroll, found that $168,000 or $162,000 (I’m not sure which is correct) was missing from cash receipts that were collected at the City’s pay window.

See:

Is Stacy Bjorhus the Coatesville whistle blower being fired because she is a whistle blower?

And:

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

August 22, 2011, I asked “Is it true that Raj from the Finance Department didn’t show up to work today and that he is on his way to India?

Raj went off to India. I believe that for some reason people inside and outside of City of Coatesville government appear to be protecting the 2 individuals that still working at city hall that handled the cash receipts in 2008.

Mr. Dechter found that some Coatesville City Council members did not pay their trash collection bills. Jarrell Brazzle received benefits as a part time City of Coatesville employee. Allegedly, he was not entitled to those benefits.

I believe all of this vitriol, rage and revenge of certain city council members concerning the former Coatesville Finance Director Stacy Bjorhus and the outing of certain Coatesville City Council members may be miss-directed.

Below is an excerpt from former Coatesville City Councilperson Karl Marking's blog. I again put what I think are important phrases in bold italic. Read it carefully. I don't believe Ms. Bjorhus publicly revealed the unpaid bills of city council members or the over payments to City Council member Jarrell Brazzle. I think it that information came from Manny Dechter. And that Karl Marking published it:

"The 2008 audit highlighted issues with payroll; no changes to the process were made and no checks-and-balances were put in place.
The person who audited records the summer of 2010 brought all manner of concerns and irregularities to Council’s attention in October 2010.
I overheard this same person tell the Honorable Mr. Brazzle in the hallway of City Hall directly on 10/11/10 that he had received benefits he wasn’t entitled to in 2009 and I watched the honorable Mr. Brazzle’s non-committal reaction.
The finance director also notified the city’s management, the then President of council (Ed Simpson) and I (as VP at the time) of payroll irregularities around entitlements for both part-time and full-time staff in October of 2010.

Yet to my knowledge, no one has been reprimanded, no one has offered repayment, and the only employee who seems to be chastised with any regularity in council meetings is the same person who raised the issue of payroll irregularities in the first place; Stacy Bjorhus, the current finance director. I find the details of Ms. Bjorhus’ detractors and supporters very interesting. The question I find myself asking is: Why would anyone have an issue with the person asking for supporting documentation when irregularities are discovered; especially when it is her job to do so? There’s only a handful of reasons I can think of."

FROM:

A penny saved is a penny…not taken out of your pocket in taxes

The person who audited records in the summer of 2010 was Manny Dechter. Mr. Dechter was allegedly fired by the Coatesville City Council members present in a heated argument when the unpaid bills of the city council members were discussed. I do not believe that he was entirely finished with the forensic audit. You might also ask Mr. Dechter if he thinks that working in the Coatesville City Hall was a bruising experience.

Sorry guys but the stuff you are doing makes it easy to compare you to Tammany Hall.

The political cartoon is by the great cartoonist Tomas Nast from:

“Two Great Questions”

Source: Harper’s Weekly

Date: August 19, 1871, p. 764

"La Banca Della Cosa Nostra"

2012-01-12T13:58:00.003-05:00

All this news on the Wall Street Journal about Mafia takeover of the Italian banking system is old news; it’s headline news because most of the English language press and virtually all of the press in the USA ignores news about our Mafia/Banking connections. Maybe the press doesn't want to question the Republican anti-regulation ideology.

The SEC operates mostly as a trade organization for Wall Street companies. The SEC illegally and routinely destroys MUIs (Matters Under Inquiry), preliminary investigations that don't lead to a full blown investigation. See VIDEO below. The FBI is concentrating on terrorism. So there is a perfect vacuum for organized crime to virtually take over our unregulated Investment Banking in the USA and internationally.

Locally Nicky Scarfo tried but I think his boys didn’t have the smarts for Wall Street:

Scarfo's alleged companies:

Rutgers Investment Group, LLC

121 North Wayne Avenue
Suite 210
Wayne, PA 19087
(DON'T KNOCK NOBODY'S HOME)

And:

Firstplus Financial Group, Inc.

SEE:

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2008

Will FirstPlus Financial Group be part ofPaulson's bailout?

Posted on Wed, Jun. 18, 2008

Daidone pleads guilty to probation violation

By George Anastasia

"Mob associate Daniel Daidone, who served nearly three years in prison for his role in a Camden City corruption case, pleaded guilty yesterday to violating the terms of his supervised release by associating with convicted felons...

His illegal contacts surfaced during a multistate FBI financial fraud investigation that has targeted FirstPlus Financial Group, a Texas company with alleged ties to Salvatore Pelullo, an Elkins Park businessman with two fraud convictions, and mobster Nicodemo S. Scarfo."

MarketBeat

WSJ.com's inside look at the markets

JANUARY 11, 2012, 11:30 AM

LaBanca Della Cosa Nostra

By Paul Vigna

So, when’s the mob putting in for its bailout?

One of the ramifications of Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis is playing out in southern Italy, where people who need loans and can’t find them from banks are turning to mob loansharks, which have taken a stranglehold on many small businesses. This has been such a windfall for La Cosa Nostra that it has become in essence Italy’s largest bank, a new report says.

In fact, according to this report from the Telegraph, This Thing of Ours is the country’s biggest business, period.

But those Italian mobsters in expensive suits with iPhones and iPads have international banking connections.

SEE:

“Drugs money worth billions of dollars kept the financial system afloat at the height of the global crisis, the United Nations' drugs and crime tsar has told the Observer.

Antonio Maria Costa, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said he has seen evidence that the proceeds of organised crime were "the only liquid investment capital" available to some banks on the brink of collapse last year. He said that a majority of the $352bn (£216bn) of drugs profits was absorbed into the economic system as a result.

This will raise questions about crime's influence on the economic system at times of crisis. It will also prompt further examination of the banking sector as world leaders, including Barack Obama and Gordon Brown, call for new International Monetary Fund regulations.

Speaking from his office in Vienna, Costa said evidence that illegal money was being absorbed into the financial system was first drawn to his attention by intelligence agencies and prosecutors around 18 months ago. "In many instances, the money from drugs was the only liquid investment capital. In the second half of 2008, liquidity was the banking system's main problem and hence liquid capital became an important factor," he said.Some of the evidence put before his office indicated that gang money was used to save some banks from collapse when lending seized up, he said.‘Inter-bank loans were funded by money that originated from the drugs trade and other illegal activities... There were signs that some banks were rescued that way.’ Costa declined to identify countries or banks that may have received any drugs money, saying that would be inappropriate because his office is supposed to address the problem, not apportion blame. But he said the money is now a part of the official system and had been effectively laundered.

‘That was the moment [last year] when the system was basically paralysed because of the unwillingness of banks to lend money to one another. The progressive liquidisation to the system and the progressive improvement by some banks of their share values [has meant that] the problem [of illegal money] has become much less serious than it was,' he said."

Drug money saved banks in global crisis,claims UN advisor

Drugs and crime chief says $352bn in criminal proceeds was effectively laundered by financial institutions

Rajeev Syal

The Observer, Saturday 12 December 2009

Organized Retail Theft

2012-01-12T11:40:00.000-05:00

Booster stores are where you can buy goods “boosted” (stolen) from retail stores and then resold at huge discounts. I have heard rumors of booster stores operating in Coatesville.

Some people said that a person once known as a major drug seller in Chester County “moved on”. I think he moved on to something bigger than a local booster store. I think he became a player in a nationwide retail theft ring.

Organized Retail Theft

A $30 Billion-a-Year Industry

"It’s a telling case: a few years ago, members of two criminal organizations in California were charged for their role in a large-scale fencing operation to buy and sell over-the-counter health and beauty products—as well as other items like camera film, batteries, and infant formula—that had been stolen from major retail chain stores. The merchandise was then passed off to crooked out-of-state wholesale distributors, who just sold it back to unsuspecting retailers."

SEE:

http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/january/retail_010311

Weymouth Securities Limited SureInvestment investment scheme shut down (Crosby Wood)

2012-01-11T13:23:00.000-05:00

I'm following the SureInvestment "unauthorized collective investment scheme". It is in now in the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, UK awaiting adjudication. I update when more information is available.

It is of interest to Chester County residents because Crosby Wood, who has an office in Coatesville, PA, is a "principal of Sure" (SureInvestment, LLC See, "Before the National Futures Association, in the Matter of SureInvestment and Crosby Wood" below.

Crosby Wood was at one time the developer for the National Velodrome in Coatesville.

I don't believe the investigation of the "unauthorized collective investment scheme" has any effect on the National Velodrome other than the National Velodrome's need to find new developers. The developers the National Velodrome Center, LP and Velodrome Management Group, LLC now have look very good. And I think finding new developers of such high caliber on short notice shows the high level of professionalism of the National Velodrome. SEE:

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2012

The National Velodrome’s new developers look very good

SureInvestment shut down

BY ANDREW PENMAN ON NOVEMBER 23, 2011 1:00 PM IN INVESTMENTS

Weymouth Securities Limited was shut down in the High Court today for running an unauthorised collective investment scheme.

The firm, run by 32-year-old Benjamin Wilson of Poole of Dorset and trading as SureInvestment, had been ordered to pay the Financial Services Authority £11million in three installments, but the first installment of £3.9 million was paid the late and others not at all.

More At Mirror.com UK Opinion:

SureInvestment shut down

High Court of Justice Chancery Division UK

http://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/CaseDocument.aspx?seqnum=2989

Commodities Futures Trading is a high risk endeavor. SEE:

We got Gary Rawlings as the Coatesville City Manager.

2012-01-10T19:01:00.000-05:00

A 3 person team interviewed potential city manager candidates. They allegedly thought that Gary Rawlings was the kind of nuts and bolts experienced man they wanted. I think we got a bureaucrat.

It's my understanding that Barry Cassidy was willing to take a pay cut and work as Coatesville City Manager because he sees the potential of Coatesville and he likes the City.

The three person City Council interviewing team turned down Barry Cassidy for City Manager as not experienced? As I understand it without even giving Barry a chance to talk. Where were their heads living at the time?

Well maybe it worked out better this way. Barry may be able to do more for our entire area as a PA State Legislator.

But I think the Coatesville City Council should dump Rawlings before he lays off 10 Coatesville PD officers and brings a new crime wave to our city. And remember, the last time it was not just a crime wave it was an arson wave too.

SEE:
http://www.barrycassidy.com/

City of Coatesville Authorities, Board, Commissions, and Committees

2012-01-10T10:13:00.000-05:00

It’s that time again when people for Authorities, Board, Commissions, and Committees in the City of Coatesville’s government are being considered.

In the past with the fights over "Saving our Farm" and some politically inclined people that I think represented the drug dealer community made it physically dangerous for some people to be part of a City of Coatesville, Authority, Board, Commission or Committee. See:

MONDAY, JANUARY 4, 2010

We have been living four year long nightmare in the City of Coatesville

AND:

FRIDAY, JUNE 24, 2011

About Dogs, threats and Chester County Politics.

I think, I hope, that the influence of the drug business among Chester County public officials as it pertains to Coatesville is waning. And when the economic development of our long put off revitalization of Coatesville finally begins it will be much harder for street dealers to operate in Coatesville. I think that the "drug community" will do it's damnedest to put people on Coatesville Authorities, Boards, Commissions and Committees in an effort to stop economic development but I think the "drug community" does not have the clout it once had in Chester County politics. And most importantly I think that ordinary non-drug dealer connected people can serve their community without much worry about threats.

If any person serving Coatesville on an Authority, Board, Commission, or Committee feels threatened call Tom Hogan at the Chester County District Attorney's office right away. Let him decide what to do about it.

In 2010 former Coatesville City Councilman Karl Marking (wish he was still there) put a thorough accounting of the Authorities, Boards, Commissions, and Committees detailing total number of seats/alternates, term lengths, residency requirements. Most but not all positions require residency within the City of Coatesville. This document is useful for term limits and requirements but it is not up to date.

As to who is currently serving and what positions are open refer to the City of Coatesville website and look through the individual Authorities, Boards, Commissions and Committees. There are a considerable number of vacancies.

The National Velodrome’s new developers look very good

2012-01-07T00:22:00.000-05:00

Considering the many obstacles beyond their control that National Velodrome Center, LP and Velodrome Management Group, LLC has faced and the promise the National Velodrome brings to the City of Coatesville and surrounding areas, I believe that the City of Coatesville RDA and the Coatesville City Council should show them a little extra consideration.

I believe the project now has 1st class developers.

Read below to see what I mean:

The National Velodrome’s new developers:

Michael Bailkin

“Michael Bailkin has experience in the area of public sector incentives for private projects, primarily representing developers, companies, and institutions. Michael has worked with clients on projects that utilized over $3 billion in incentives, in a number of jurisdictions. He also has significant experience in land use enhancements, including major rezonings for a number of large scale urban projects.

Michael has served as Chairman of the Corporate Outreach Program at the Wharton School's Real Estate Center. He was also a member of the Legislative Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York and the National Policy Committee of the Urban Land Institute. Michael has written and lectured extensively on real estate and economic development, and was a contributing editor to the Journal of Real Estate Finance. As a Peace Corps volunteer in India, Michael started the first Urban Community Development Program in Asia.”

Michael has served as Chairman of the Corporate Outreach Program at the Wharton School's Real Estate Center. He was also a member of the Legislative Committee of the Real Estate Board of New York and the National Policy Committee of the Urban Land Institute. Michael has written and lectured extensively on real estate and economic development, and was a contributing editor to the Journal of Real Estate Finance. As a Peace Corps volunteer in India, Michael started the first Urban Community Development Program in Asia.”

http://www.akerman.com/bios/bio.asp?id=1092

“Keith D. Coe, Chief Executive Officer VF Hotels

Mr. Coe guides the oversight and direction of VF Hotels. He is responsible for all aspects of hotel property and project development and acquisition— including site selection, feasibility studies, development incentives, municipal approvals, branding, equity placement and debt financing. Prior to joining Valley Forge Investment Corporation in 1999, Mr. Coe was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for Omni Hotels. Prior to that position, Mr. Coe served as the General Counsel for Red Lion Hotels and Inns.

In addition to his legal and developmental experience, Mr. Coe has an extensive background in hotel operational divisions, including risk management, human resources and asset management. Mr. Coe holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Utah and a law degree from Northwestern School of Law at Lewis and Clark College.”

From:

VF Hotels

SEE:

National Velodrome Center Names New Developers

· Written By: PCT Admin

11-23-2011

National Velodrome Center Names New Developers

Seasoned Executives Brought on to Drive Coatesville Project

On the other side I believe that the National Velodrome may have asked Crosby Wood to step aside because of this:

http://www.nfa.futures.org/basicnet/CaseDocument.aspx?seqnum=2989

I think the National Velodrome got jammed up, but they came out swinging. They deserve another chance.

I'm just trying to figure out what is going on. For what it's worth some stuff from the United Kingdom:

"Who does the FSA’s intervention affect?

Investors who have paid money to SureInvestment.

Can I get my money back?

The court order that freezes the assets of Mr Wilson and Weymouth Securities remains in place until trial or further order. This order prevents Mr Wilson and Weymouth Securities from paying funds out to investors.

If Mr Wilson and Weymouth Securities have operated without FSA authorisation, investors will not have access to the Financial Ombudsman Service if they wish to make a complaint. Furthermore, they will not be covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme.

We are seeking to ensure that the interests of investors and consumers generally are protected throughout the Court process and ongoing investigation. However, it is for the Court to determine whether Mr Wilson and/or Weymouth Securities have broken the law and, if so, the appropriate response. This means that the matter is subject to the Court timetable, which is outside of our control. So we are unable to estimate when those proceedings will end and whether funds might be returned to investors.

At the current time, the law limits the amount of information we can make available on the case. However, we can say that since the Court granted the injunction, we have been liaising with the solicitors to Mr Wilson and Weymouth Securities in an attempt to progress things as quickly as possible. We will give further updates as and when we can.

Last updated: 3 February 2011"\

FROM:

Freezing order against unauthorised individual suspected of operating collective investment scheme

Mr Benjamin Edward Weymouth Wilson
Address
Russell House Oxford Road
Bournemouth
Dorset
BH8 8EX
Company Summary
Company Name Company Status
THE SUREINVESTMENT FOUNDATION
Active
WEYMOUTH SECURITIES LIMITED
In Liquidation
WEYMOUTH SECURITIES LIMITED

My personal take on the Chester County Housing Authority is that it’s a cesspool of public corruption that is beginning to smell better.

2012-01-03T09:24:00.003-05:00

The CCHA has been sticking Coatesville and other low income areas of Chester County with Section 8 Housing for decades. In the video below Barry Cassidy as the Main Street Manager of Phoenixville in 2008 is telling his opinion of the CCHA’s efforts to increase the density of Section 8 housing in a particular spot in Phoenixville.

The section about the Housing Authority begins at 4:33 in the video below:

The Chester County Housing Authority has been segregating low income people and creating what might be called ghettos for decades doing the exact opposite of the intent of Section 8 housing. That may be changing. I believe the Obama Administration has begun a clean up of HUD and the CCHA is basically the administrator of the HUD program in Chester County.

”The rationale behind Section 8 Vouchers is to give low income people a chance to move to middle income areas where hopefully their family will have a better chance for a good education, access to jobs and maybe most importantly a chance to socialize with higher income people. President Reagan put the kibosh on that when he cut the Section 8 Voucher funds in half. From then on Section 8 Vouchers were basically only usable in areas with low real estate values. Another important fact is that the Section 8 Voucher amount is the same all across Pennsylvania and can be used anywhere in Pennsylvania.Right now just about the only place in Chester County that Section 8 Vouchers can be used is Coatesville. Most of the rest of Chester County has property values too high for Section 8 Vouchers to be usable.”

SEE:

MONDAY, APRIL 11, 2011

Section 8 Housing Turning NIMBY on its head and Coatesville is exquisitely positioned to be the epicenter of the next real estate boom of Chester County

Coatesville is poised to rise from the ashes in 2012

2012-01-01T01:32:00.002-05:00

The new 45^th District will finally give us a state representative who does more than sit on his ass. If Barry Cassidy does one half of what he did for Phoenixville our Route 30 Corridor will be a booming economic center. And maybe, just maybe he will do a lot more than Hennessey did to get the drug dealers out of Coatesville. (See Lisa Johnson)

The new SEPTA and Amtrak train station will be here sometime in 2015. The Hotel will open in 2012. And I haven't given up on the Velodrome.

The only fly in the ointment is Coatesville City Manager Gary Rawlings plan to lay off Coatesville Police. That would make the drug business good again in Coatesville, with people digging bullets out of their kitchen walls and the SUR 13 gangs coming up from southern Chester County recruiting Coatesville's youth again.

This is not the time to give Coatesville back to the drug dealers

Our national economy is finally moving out of the ditch the GOP bankers put us in. The Republican plan to kill our economy by putting police, firefighters and teachers out of work is not stopping our economy from coming back.

Coatesville will get a new train station and a Marriott Courtyard Hotel.

The fires are over and crime is down in Coatesville because our Police Department was rebuilt. Coatesville is the best real estate value in Chester County and we are attracting new middle class residents.

The Republican Congress has cut off Federal support for local police. All over the country police are being laid off. In Coatesville and Mr. Rawlings is poised to balance the budget on the backs of the City of Coatesville Police.

But just when Coatesville is finally coming back is not the time to give our city back to the drug dealers and national gangs.

In 2008 a bunch of Coatesville retail businesses had enough of the armed robberies and closed but some long time businesses waited for the "Bloc of Four's" inferno of terror to end. But if a store owner has a gun pointed to his head while his cash register is emptied one more time he might decide that it's time to close up.

Armed robberies, muggings and traffic stopped waiting for drug sales doesn't fit with attracting legitimate businesses to Coatesville Putting drug dealers back in control of Coatesville's streets might send businesses looking to invest in Coatesville running away.

Hopefully the Coatesville City Council will have the good sense to ignore Rawlings and take money out of the water authority sale fund to keep police working. And maybe the city council will admit that hiring Rawlings was a big mistake, buy out his contract and send him off to play golf. Who knows, maybe that’s what he had in mind when he came here.

WE ARE THE MANY MAKANA

2011-12-31T14:40:00.001-05:00

New original songs are coming out of the Occupy Movement. Really good stuff:

Ron Paul for President and hard core hate groups

2011-12-31T13:26:00.000-05:00

For a long time Ron Paul has been associated with hard core hate groups. I’m not very much concerned what Ron Paul thinks but I believe that some or maybe a lot of his followers are White Nationalists. I am referring to people that I have encountered in person locally. The White Nationalist websites are increasingly chattering about achieving their ends through violence. It’s just something to be aware of.

Ron Paul’s White Supremacist Radio Connections

Written by Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger on December 30, 2011 1:01 pm

Stormfront Founder Don Black Says White Supremacists Thought Ron Paul Was ‘One of Us’

By Hunter Walker 12/28 10:42am

Republican ideologically pure drive to eliminate public employees may stimulate organized crime & crime in general

2011-12-30T18:01:00.000-05:00

All across the nation Republican controlled states are eliminating public employees including police. Cutbacks at the Federal and state level here in Pennsylvania are forcing many Pennsylvania municipalities to lay off police.

I believe that in their ideological fever Tea Party Republicans are assisting organized crime. I think that crime organizations and criminals in general will respond to the opportunity the Republican Party has put into their laps.

The Camorra is said to be not a significant Mafia in the USA at this time but they have been and still do appear to be making an effort to control the Port of New York. Do you remember seeing mountains of trash in Italy on TV a few years ago? In 2008 Italy and Europe woke up to the fact that the Camorra operates and controls most of the trash in Italy and that it is dumped illegally in the Campania region.

The Camorra allegedly has absolute control of the largest Port of Central Europe, The Port of Naples. In his book Gomorrah Roberto Saviano claims that the Camorra controls about one half of the goods coming in and out of the Port of Naples. The Camorra is not organized top down as the Sicilian Mafias and their US counterparts are. The Camorra clans operate independently. I think that makes the Camorra difficult for law enforcement to track.

I believe that organized crime Mafia’s have control and influence that public officials are not willing to admit to and may not be aware of. Check out this article from the Guardian:

"Drug money saved banks in global crisis, claims UN advisor

Drugs and crime chief says $352bn in criminal proceeds was effectively laundered by financial institutions

· Rajeev Syal

· The Observer, Saturday 12 December 2009

Drugs money worth billions of dollars kept the financial system afloat at the height of the global crisis, the United Nations' drugs and crime tsar has told the Observer.

Antonio Maria Costa, head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, said he has seen evidence that the proceeds of organised crime were "the only liquid investment capital" available to some banks on the brink of collapse last year. He said that a majority of the $352bn (£216bn) of drugs profits was absorbed into the economic system as a result.

This will raise questions about crime's influence on the economic system at times of crisis. It will also prompt further examination of the banking sector as world leaders, including Barack Obama and Gordon Brown, call for new International Monetary Fund regulations. Speaking from his office in Vienna, Costa said evidence that illegal money was being absorbed into the financial system was first drawn to his attention by intelligence agencies and prosecutors around 18 months ago. "In many instances, the money from drugs was the only liquid investment capital. In the second half of 2008, liquidity was the banking system's main problem and hence liquid capital became an important factor," he said."

More at:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2009/dec/13/drug-money-banks-saved-un-cfief-claims

With the universal ideological inspired Republican cutbacks in law enforcement nationwide, maybe the Camorra will be successful in their efforts to control the Port of New York.

And closer to home; if the Rawlings Administration is successful in laying of Coatesville Police we will most likely return to the days of 2006/08 and the late 1990s when drug dealers ran the City of Coatesville.

We The People are angry and who can blame us for being angry?

2011-12-27T18:34:00.003-05:00

AFL-CIO President Rich Trumka, Take Back the American Dream conference in October, calling for "a massive, militant movement":

“We The People are angry and who can blame us for being angry? So the question becomes where will that anger go; toward hatred and extremism or toward building a future that works for everyone who lives and works here in America.
Today we have a “Tea Party” a “Tea Party” inspired Right Wing that’s banking on an “Upside-down America” for its path to political power.

They got a four part plan:

They do everything they can to keep our economy on the rocks. No money for jobs, no way, keep people hurting and keep them angry.
They fan the flames of anti government angst by making sure that our government looks dysfunctional, gridlocked and lurching; from funding deadlines to phony crisis deadlines
They’re ginning up this seasons version of divide and conquer; set taxpayers against public employees, jobless Americans against immigrants
They’re doing their damnedest to make sure that the electorate in 2012 looks nothing like the electorate in 2008; disenfranchising new voters with voter ID laws, suppressing student voters and a whole lot more.”

See Nation of Change “What Next in the Fight Over Who Our Economy is For”

Not just progressive voters get cancer.

2011-12-23T13:01:00.000-05:00

A technical glitch makes it possible for Federal authorities to arrest Medical Marijuana users and sellers in California. It’s obvious that President Obama’s campaign staff is attacking Medical Marijuana in an effort to appear tough on crime and appeal to independent and right wing voters. But his campaign staff is missing something very important; independent voters, right wing voters and progressive voters all get cancer and can benefit from Medical Marijuana.

SEE:

Legal and political analysis of Regulate Marijuana Like Wine

by STEVE KUBBY on DECEMBER 19, 2011 in NEWS UPDATES

I have no use for Medical Marijuana at this time. But cancer may be a part of my future like it is for so many others. I would like to have the option of using Medical Marijuana. I think everyone should have that option.

There is another very important reason for allowing the use of Medical Marijuana. The “War on Drugs” is a total failure. Just as the Prohibition of Alcohol was a total failure.

Enforcing the Federal laws concerning marijuana only benefits drug cartels, gunrunners and the public officials that make selling illegal drugs feasible. We lost the “War on Drugs” years ago. The more we put into enforcement the more drug cartels profits and power increases. Prohibition of Alcohol created worldwide organized crime and Prohibition of marijuana and other drugs perpetuates organized crime. Organized crime is now at least a $128 Billion industry worldwide.

I believe that the profits and flow of money in illegal drugs and other organized crime in Chester County make organized crime a major industry in Chester County. In the City of Coatesville it may be “THE” major industry.

Prohibition and the inflation of drugs value caused by Prohibition is the pot of gold that finances all other aspects of the business of organized crime. The most violent, inhuman acts and sheer terror in the world is in the hands of organized crime. The “War on Drugs” is a total failure. We need to find a way to make all drugs legal and regulated, cut off organized crimes money supply and break the back of organized crime. Legalizing Medical Marijuana is a good start.

SEE:

SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2011

I am just learning about an organization called LAW ENFORCEMENT AGAINST PROHIBITION

Heroes

2011-12-22T20:57:00.000-05:00

A friend gave me a copy of Tom Brokaw’s “The Greatest Generation” to read while I was in the hospital. It was hard to put down. It’s a very emotionally charged book for me. Many of the people in it are like the people I grew up with in Coatesville.

I grew up surrounded by heroes.

As a boy it seemed ordinary to live among so many adults that lived through World War II and the Depression. I knew my uncle Fred and Uncle Lou were solders in WWII. But I really didn’t appreciate what they did until sometime in the 1990s. I think it was because of the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Maybe it was Steven Ambrose’s book on D-Day.

I knew my Uncle Lou Pilotti was in Patton’s Army, he talked about the War a little. Things like hearing the Germans sing Christmas carols in the next hedgerow in France. He got lost for days during the Battle of the Bulge and ran to the sound of a tank. He said he was starving and cold and didn’t care if it was German or American. The tank commander asked who won the 1942 World Series. My Uncle said, “Hell, I don’t know, I’m an American." He said an officer told him and another man to take a young German prisoner of war into the woods and shoot him. I guess they had no way to hold prisoners. Uncle Lou said he couldn’t pull the trigger on his gun. Uncle Lou must have had a really difficult time. But he didn’t keep it all inside and he had a loving family. It was different with my Uncle Fred. In a hushed tone my Uncle Lou said, “Freddy had it real bad”.

I started to ask about just what Uncle Fred did during the war. He would hardly say a word about it. I learned that he was a Combat Engineer. His duties would have been to clear paths for vehicles and troops through obstructions and minefields. He was in such constant combat that he was unable to take off his wet boots for 3 months. A painful fungus developed on one foot that is still with him to this day. The fungus wasn’t the only thing that stayed with Uncle Fred. He had to have what we now call PTST.

I believe it was at Christmas time 10 or 15 years ago, I was at the kitchen table with some of my aunts and uncles. My Uncle Lou and Uncle Fred were there. Out of the blue I said, "Thanks for what you did." My uncle Lou said, "What do you mean?” I said, "If you hadn't of did what you did during the war we might all be speaking German right now." Uncle Lou smiled a little in appreciation. It seemed to hit Uncle Fred hard, he left the room. On that evening at the kitchen table I had the privilege to sit with heroes. They have a special place in my heart.

Uncle Fred is now receiving nursing home care at the Coatesville VA Medical Center.

When my uncles came back from WWII everyone was aware of their service. Nearly every family in the USA had a family member in the service or served in some other capacity. The Veterans of World War II had the gratitude of the entire nation. Today the burden of war is carried by just a few families. The Iraq War is finally over and troops are coming home. And right now some people may not even know that we are waging a war in Afghanistan.

“New PTSD cases are coming in at a rate of more than 3,000 a month, even as the United States completed its withdrawal from Iraq over the weekend and continues the longest conflict in the nation's history in Afghanistan…‘Unable to cope, some service members end up taking their lives. ‘Eighteen veterans commit suicide every day," said Rene Campos, deputy director of government affairs of the Military Officers Association of America, the nation's largest officers association with 370,000 members from every military branch.

‘That's one every 80 minutes,’ she told a congressional subcommittee this month. ‘Twenty-two percent of all suicides in the U.S. are former service members.’

More than 2,200 active-duty military members took their lives from 2001 through 2010, officials said. Last year, 293 killed themselves.”

FROM:

As troops come home, VA reaches out to those suffering stress of war

“The values that drive every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine to serve America must also drive the way we treat our veterans. Hire them, welcome them home, and do what you can.

In the end, service is about putting our country ahead of politics and following the example set by our commander-in-chief by honoring the service of all who sacrificed more than we'll ever know. We must all do our part.”

FROM:

Honor service of those who sacrificed

By Patrick J. Murphy

Most Veterans have a family to support them but many do not. Some need medical monitoring. Many of the Veterans that you occasionally see here on the streets in Coatesville are getting assisted living in group homes in Coatesville with support from the VA Medical Center.

There are a variety of services available to Veterans at the:

Coatesville VA Medical Center

If you’re interested there may be a volunteer opportunity for you at the VA Center:

VA Voluntary Service

Some Resources for Veterans:

“Make the Connection” Shared experiences and support for Veterans.

If you have PTSD or just want to understand it see this book and a companion website.
My Back to the Wall