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We Can't Start The Fires (For Now)
Welcome to the first edition of Central Bucks Now's weekly newsletter
James Kratch
October 31, 2024
Photo by James Short
Welcome to the first edition of Central Bucks Now's weekly newsletter! We will start with an FYI: The Warrington Lions Club and Cowhey Family ShopRite of Warminster are running a Thanksgiving food drive benefitting the Warminster Food Bank this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the supermarket. Shoppers will receive a list of needed goods at the doors.
Since this is our first send, expect us to experiment and improve rapidly. Have a comment or suggestion? Just reply to this email.
Let’s get going!
In This Week's Newsletter:
📆 Upcoming Nearby Events
Saturday, Nov. 2
🚙 Cars and Coffee | Harrigan’s Pub in Hatboro | 8-10 a.m., more details here
🍓 Doylestown Farmers Market | South Hamilton St. | 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., more details here
🫧 Backyard Bubble Party | Bucks County Free Library in Doylestown | 10-11 a.m., more details here
🎤 Joe Conklin | Sellersville Theater | 5-7 p.m. and 8-10 p.m., more details here
Saturday, Nov. 2 and Sunday, Nov. 3
🍎 Apple Festival | Peddler’s Village in Lahaska | 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., more details here
Sunday, Nov. 3
💐 Harvest Home Floral Box | The Rhoads Garden in North Wales | 1-2 p.m., more details here
🔥 Local Burn Bans Issued
The Central Bucks area is experiencing a historic drought, the longest in 150 years. The lack of rainfall has led to several local blaze bans as brush fires seemingly pop up everywhere.
Bucks County officials instituted a 30-day county-wide burn prohibition effective last Sunday (Oct. 27) with the support of fire officials. Individual municipalities have also established bans. Lower Frederick, Montgomery Township, North Wales and Schwenksville are among them, while Horsham has asked residents to conserve water.
Here's what you need to know about the county ban:
The ban restricts all open burning, including burn barrels, fire rings and on-ground fires to dispose of garbage, leaves, paper, twigs and other materials.
Gas or propane stoves and charcoal briquet grills are not covered by the ban.
Campfires are permissible within designated campground rings; they must be properly contained with flammable materials cleared within a five-foot radius.
Fines for violations start at $100, according to state law.
Local firefighters have had to battle numerous significant blazes in recent days. An outbuilding behind a home in Buckingham was destroyed last Saturday as fire crews had to go into the woods and across a creek to put out the fire. A brush and leaf fire also broke out in New Britain on Tuesday along New Galena Road.
Some good news: Warminster recently hired two new firefighters, a 40% boost in manpower that should greatly improve response times and capabilities.
👮♂️ A Tragic Accident
A Phoenixville police officer died in last Sunday's fatal motorcycle crash in Warminster.
Officer Arthur "Art" Scena IV was riding his Harley-Davidson when a car hit him on West Street Road at St. David's Street right before 8 p.m. The incident remains under investigation; witnesses say Scena was hit when he attempted to make a left-hand turn.
The Elkins Park native and Cheltenham High graduate was headed home from the funeral of a fellow officer who died of cancer. Scena, 39, is survived by his wife, Amanda, a young daughter, Reece, and a young stepdaughter, Riley, as well as other loved ones. His obituary can be found here.
A life celebration will be held Nov. 6 from 9-12 a.m. at Our Lady of Guadeloupe Church in Doylestown. Interment will be private. A GoFundMe has been established for Scena’s family; it has already raised over $80,000 toward a $90,000 goal. Donations can also be mailed to: Officer Arthur "Art" Scena Memorial Fund c/o Phoenixville Federal Bank and Trust, P.O. Box 1046, Kimberton, PA 19442.
🗞️ News Links
🚨 Swipin’ To The Oldies
We know some people swear by vinyl, but this is a bit extreme. A Doylestown man faces felony burglary and criminal trespassing charges after allegedly breaking into a home to steal a record player valued at $160. He also faces misdemeanor stalking and trespassing charges after repeatedly menacing
🍽️ New Restaurants On The Way
Vernafern, a new “approachable” fine dining spot with seasonal American dishes made from scratch, is set to open sometime in early November in Doylestown’s Main Street Marketplace. It will be a collaboration between chef Justin McClain and Amanda Havier, the general manager of neighboring Hops/Scotch.
And if you are still looking for something a bit more buttoned down: Golden Corral has identified a potential future location in Warminster. But there is no timeframe on when the national buffet chain may arrive.
👻 Check Out Some Spooky Sights
Halloween is today, which means you still have one last chance to get out and see some of the creative displays lining the region!
Photo by James Short
🚔 He Wasn’t Lying
When Hilltown police finally pulled over a DUI suspect -- after he had lost two of the wheels on his pickup truck and nearly caused an accident -- he informed him he would fail a preliminary breath test and “the results will blow your mind.”
Well, his BAC was eventually clocked at 0.34%, or more than four times the legal limit. You can read more about the incident at North Penn Now, the sibling site of Central Bucks Now. NPN and Wiss Now, another sibling site, also have weekly newsletters.
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🏘️ In Other Nearby News
🏟️ Play Ball
For more on local sports, subscribe to our Philly sports newsletter, On Pattison (sent 5x per week):
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🗳️ Take Note
A video appearing to show the destruction of a Bucks County mail-in ballot with votes for Republican candidates went viral on social media. Officials have said the footage is fake.
🐶 Rescue Dog of the Week
Meet KitKat, a 12-week-old Labrador Retriever mix. He is currently being fostered in Furlong through Home At Last Dog Rescue. KitKat is a very happy puppy who loves to meet new people and snuggle. He gets along with other dogs, is making good progress on being crate- and house trained and would be a great addition to almost any type of home.
If you are interested in adopting KitKat or would like more information, you can reach out to Home At Last Dog Rescue at [email protected] or visit its website.
Photo by James Short
Thanks for reading! See you next week.
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