Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardLatino Norristown School Board members launch write-in campaign after losing local party’s supportDemocrats refused to endorse Chris Jaramillo and Tessi Ruiz for reelection and the candidates were subsequently removed from the ballot following legal challenges to their petitions Earlier this year, the Democratic committee in Norristown and West Norriton voted to endorse a slate of newcomers and party leader Bill Caldwell for the five open school board positions currently the only candidates on the ballot for either party the school board would lose all of its Latino representation As reports spread of immigration detainments in Norristown and the rest of the Philadelphia area it is essential for Latino students and parents in the district to have representatives who share their culture and experiences Democrats in Norristown, he said, have failed to adequately denounce President Donald Trump’s policies on immigration “They’re not speaking out against these issues that are impacting the community we serve,” Jaramillo said in an interview “It’s important that we continue to push for this write-in ballot for everyone in the community because this representation is crucial.” Jaramillo has insisted that local Democrats dropped their support of him and Ruiz solely because they voted last year to reject a tax abatement for an affordable housing development in Norristown. The project received support from Norristown and Montgomery County leaders and an executive at the development firm was a large donor to Pennsylvania House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D. Jaramillo said Thursday that the party chose to target himself and Ruiz Caldwell said the tax abatement was a factor in his refusal to support Jaramillo’s reelection bid But he called it an example of broad concerns about Jaramillo’s leadership of the board and growing tensions between the school board and other local leaders In addition to his role leading the local Democratic committee Caldwell is a former Norristown supervisor and a first deputy in the Montgomery County Treasurer’s Office Caldwell did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Jaramillo and Ruiz’s write-in bid Latino leaders in Norristown were frustrated by the local party’s refusal to support Jaramillo and Ruiz arguing the party had ignored the needs of Latino students and parents had been instrumental in representing Latino families on the board and ensuring their voices were heard would be especially important as the Trump administration increases immigration enforcement across the country “At a time when our Latino community is under attack it is imperative Jaramillo and Ruiz are re-elected This is an equity and justice issue,” Stephanie Vincent said in a news release announcing the campaign Vincent’s organization is backing the write-in effort Caldwell said the slate would advocate for Latino students and was a diverse group of candidates We do come from a background where we get being not the majority in a room,” he said 2025 at 12:07 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A woman was arrested after stealing packages in Norristown Monday PA — A woman was arrested after stealing numerous Amazon packages in Norristown The incidents occurred on the 100 block of Hartranft Avenue during the afternoon of Monday Police are asking the area residents to review security footage and check for missing packages She was not identified publicly by police in a statement issued Tuesday contact the Norristown Police Department at (610) 270-0977 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Cloudy with more rounds of showers and possibly some downpours or a t-storm. NBC News says she is scheduled to be arraigned in West Palm Beach on Thursday morning. NORRISTOWN, Pa. - A Montgomery County woman was charged with trespassing at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate Saturday. Adrienne Tajirian, 58, of Norristown, had first been issued a trespass warning while attempting to enter Mar-a-Lago at 12:21 a.m. ET on Saturday, according to NBC News, citing court records. Tajirian tried to enter the resort "in an effort to speak with President Trump," the arrest report said. Hours later, at 10:10 p.m. ET on Saturday, she was stopped in a vehicle at a security tent manned by Secret Service personnel and Palm Beach sheriff's deputies and arrested for violating the written trespass warning, according to NBC News. According to NBC News, she said afterward she came back to the property because “she felt she was invited to have dinner with Donald Trump Jr.” NBC News says she is scheduled to be arraigned in West Palm Beach on Thursday morning and was ordered by the court to not have any contact with Mar-a-Lago and Trump. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device. Go behind the headlines: From the economy and healthcare to politics and the environment - and so much more - On Point talks with newsmakers and real people about the issues that matter most. On Point is produced by WBUR for NPR. Leaders have organized a buy-in and protest this Saturday to support immigrant-owned and immigrant-serving businesses in Norristown. Eli Nogueda, owner of Adelita's Mexican Market, said his sales have fallen by around 40% since December. (Emily Neil/WHYY) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Community For Change (@communityforchangemontcopa) Temple student Aidan Steigelmann is charged with impersonating a public servant and has been placed on interim suspension by the university said the store has also seen a decline in sales and is now offering to deliver groceries to customers’ homes we have to do what we have to do,” he said The state of fear is a departure from the norm in a borough where more than 30% of the population is Latino, and 17.7% of residents are foreign-born “Marshall is full of people but now there’s almost nobody,” Aleyda Benitez Benitez has lived in Norristown for 15 years She said the fear she sees now is different “I feel a little sad because I see the difference,” Benitez said the executive director of Norristown-based ACLAMO who was recently named as Montgomery County’s first director of immigrant affairs said it’s important for local leaders and residents to recognize the economic importance of immigrants in the region we have been attached to negative comments that have influenced how people see immigrant communities but people don’t remember the economic impact Jiménez-Arévalo is also urging residents to be cautious about sharing information on social media about ICE sightings to avoid generating more fear “It’s important to be prepared and not and we cannot panic I always tell people when they start posting information Did you personally witness that transaction Were they looking for someone who committed a crime and have a warrant or they were only like looking for whoever And I think educating the community on that and not causing more issues is going to be important moving forward.” The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. The Trump administration has flirted with the idea of selling the U.S Postal workers in the Philly region believe it's a bad idea Sheriff Fred Harran said the agreement will “enhance public safety.” Immigrant rights advocates are pushing back “News of these revocations is unsettling not just for the impacted individuals but for our entire community,” University President John Fry said Emily Neil is a WHYY News reporter covering Bucks and Montgomery counties Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardNorristown area Democrats refused to support the local school board president’s reelection bid It may result in the loss of Latino representationFrustration between school board members and the local party centers around opposition to a tax abatement School Board President Chris Jaramillo had the support of Democratic leaders in Norristown East Norriton and West Norriton when he was appointed in 2020 and sought his first full term in 2021 But now local Democratic leaders have refused to back Jaramillo or anyone on his slate of aligned candidates Party leaders cited broad concerns with Jaramillo’s leadership But Jaramillo has said party leaders are retaliating for his refusal to bow to countywide pressure campaign for tax abatements that would deny potential revenue for the school district The Democratic committee in the Norristown area has endorsed a new slate of candidates that includes the area leader for the local party while lacking Latino representation which included incumbent board member Tessi Ruiz including the husband of the Democratic municipal chair for West Norriton challenged their candidacy in court for insufficient paperwork Leaders in Norristown worry the lost representation will mean less of a voice for Latino students and parents He said the relationship between the district and Latino parents has improved since Jaramillo and Ruiz joined the board the board voted earlier this year to approve a “welcoming-school” ordinance prohibiting immigration agents from carrying out enforcement actions on school grounds “For the first time they saw themselves represented I am afraid that that participation and that trustability that was gained could be lost,” Arango said at a time when increased federal immigration enforcement has spread fear through the community a 21-year-old graduate of Norristown Area High School who joined the district when he was 11 after immigrating from Mexico said he believed he might have felt more connected to his school if there were Latino members of the board before his senior year Dircio has remained involved in the community and said he’s been impressed with the work the school board has done to advocate for diversity He said his heart breaks to see that representation eliminated “It feels like we’re taking two steps backward,” he said they now won’t have a board member who even speaks their language “That perspective won’t be heard,” she worried while urging Latino parents to continue to speak up the county treasurer and chair of the county Democratic Party Lemke and Alexander declined to comment for this story who said he joined the slate to add political experience “Those schools have got to be safe places where kids can put as much of the stuff as is going on away and do their learning,” Caldwell He said the incoming slate was still “enormously diverse.” executive director at PA Youth Vote and a former president of the NAACP of Norristown said that by refusing to endorse the existing slate the Democratic Party in the Norristown area has broken trust with minority communities “It’s a disgrace and it’s a continuation of and these parties that really use this process as a way of just disenfranchising people,” Hinton said “This has been a continued problem in Montgomery County.” what makes matters more frustrating is the belief that the party rejected Jaramillo’s slate for the school board because of a proposed tax abatement not anything related to education or his work on the board Jaramillo says he lost the party’s support because of one vote he and the rest of the board made in July 2024 to reject a tax abatement for an affordable housing project for seniors in Norristown While the county party made reforms to address concerns many of the same leaders hold power countywide and allegations of an unfair system have persisted or have permeated into these local elections and to school board,” he said the Norristown Council and the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners approved a local economic revitalization tax assistance abatement (LERTA) for Elon Development to expand work on the housing project and a belief that the project could move forward without public assistance including tense meetings with township and county leaders as well as Democratic state Rep Greg Scott and House Majority Leader Matt Bradford Bradford received a $25,000 donation from an executive in the development firm earlier that year Bradford didn’t respond to a request for comment on the school board race his involvement in meetings about the tax abatement or the donations he’d received from the development firm Representatives of the company did not respond to a request for comment and Jaramillo said when he met with Caldwell to discuss his plans to seek reelection Caldwell told him the party would not support him if he did not reconsider the tax abatement “I thought I was on the pathway of doing what needed to be done as a school board director.” Caldwell said the rejected tax abatement was an example of the broader concerns he had with the school board but not his sole reason for refusing to support Jaramillo and his slate He said there was “constant friction” between the Norristown School Board and township leaders in Norristown “I was very clear with all of them that I was not prepared personally not prepared to support them unless they were prepared to support the municipalities in another way,” said Caldwell “And that conversation started about two years ago and it went nowhere.” The decision to “dig your heels in” on a tax abatement for an affordable housing project need to use economic incentives like LERTAs to bring in development and because the project in question was a senior housing facility it wouldn’t have cost the district money in terms of more students to serve there’s little reason for borough leaders to help the school board he hoped to leverage his political experience to repair relationships he says are damaged and broken Jaramillo dismissed the broad criticisms of his leadership and said his commitment to his community was “unwavering.” “It is unfortunate that they are deflecting by questioning my leadership Those who know me well have witnessed my work ethic and understand the values I hold,” he said Caldwell said the firm’s connections didn’t factor into frustrations over the school board’s vote He said the school board race has been a local fight that hasn’t involved the state or county-level Democratic parties Other members of the local Democratic committee said they were aware of the LERTA but that it wasn’t necessarily the guiding force in their endorsement vote cited concerns about Jaramillo’s lack of engagement with parents the municipal chair for West Norriton who also serves on the West Norriton Board of Supervisors said Jaramillo had failed to foster relationships with other local leaders leaving opportunities for collaboration on the table and wasn’t sufficiently supportive of other Democrats was that Jaramillo missed the high school graduation last year raised yet another flag questioning whether the board would support West Norriton if it was seeking a tax abatement for a project Milazzo said she would have supported Ruiz if she had been willing to run on a new slate rather than with Jaramillo “We found some other candidates who wanted to run and we feel that they will be more willing to deal with us and interact with us,” Milazzo said underscored the barriers that exist to candidates from marginalized backgrounds He said he had been encouraged to run a write-in campaign but had not yet made a decision is such a significant component of this,” Jaramillo said “That contributes to the barriers of write-in campaigns or campaigns that don’t come from affluent backgrounds or don’t have the financial capital.” Officials sign off on Norristown State Hospital transformation projectNORRISTOWN Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Plans are moving forward in the Montgomery County seat with what is being called the largest development project in the borough's history Officials signed off on a deal that will help transform Norristown State Hospital will convert nearly 70 acres into more than 700 townhomes and apartment units Construction is expected to be complete by 2032 2025 at 3:25 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Anthony Lamont Bell of Norristown is among eight men arrested and charged in a series of recent robberies and carjackings (Montgomery County District Attorney's Office)NORRISTOWN PA — Eight men have been arrested for a series of violent carjackings and robberies throughout Norristown the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office announced Friday The arrests follow a months-long investigation into the group which hails from Norristown and whose members range in age from 17 to 26 "The arrest of these individuals marks a significant step in reducing violent crime in our communities,” DA Kevin Steele said in a statement 25 after police found a social media video of Anthony Lamont Bell posting a video inside a stolen Chevrolet Cruze Bell used the stolen Cruze to carjack a silver Infinit QX80 in Philadelphia Bell then drove the stolen QX80 back to Norristown and used it during a shooting incident on the 200 block of East Oak Street at around 6:16 p.m. Bell crashed the QX80 into another vehicle while trying to flee the scene Bell and several others — including 17-year-old Micus Golson and 26-year-old Jhalil Allen — worked together to carjack a fourth vehicle in Philadelphia The victim told police that four armed and masked men approached him and demanded he get out police tracked the stolen Nissan Rogue to the 200 block of Chain Street in Norristown where they said it was being driven by Bell he fled at a high rate of speed and nearly ran over two state troopers Bell made it to I-76 but he crashed into another vehicle Moments after they were taken into custody officers saw the stolen Chevrolet Cruze heading onto I-76 from Conshohocken fleeing until they crashed near mile marker 335.9 They added that they later placed Allen at this crash site using phone records he and Demko were involved in a shooting on the 500 block of Stanbridge Street in Norristown while the middle school was being dismissed Once again they fled at a high rate of speed where they again tried to flee on foot but were captured Police said they found Glocks with machine gun conversion devices on both of their persons Police said they found five more illegal firearms at the homes of the suspects when they completed search warrants The weapons were analyzed by the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network which were connected to nine separate incidents of gun violence in Norristown An arrest warrant has been issued for Collazo contact Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3368 while the others are in the process of being arrested 2025 at 1:59 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The search for a new Norristown police chief has been narrowed to a top three PA — Norristown's ongoing search for a new police chief is still on track to be completed by June but the municipal council is continuing with the process of narrowing down the top three candidates All three of those candidates remain in the interview stage and there will be a community meeting open to the public for the candidates to meet residents before the end of the month Specifics on exactly who the candidates are have not yet been revealed Council last said in mid-March that they had narrowed the field to a top 10 A final selection is expected by some point in May and the swearing-in will be held on June 3 The municipality has been in search mode since last fall when former Jacqueline Bailey-Davis was put on administrative leave for reasons that were never disclosed Norristown is now seeking their fourth new police chief in as many years Bailey-Davis's departure follows nearly a year of Captain Michael Bishop holding the role as active chief and another one year tenure of former Chief Derrick Wood James Angelucci is serving as acting police chief in Norristown while the search is underway 2025 at 12:35 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Norristown has renamed a key intersection after hometown Olympic hero Josh Culbreath PA — Norristown is honoring one of its hometown heroes and trailblazer who paved the way for countless others in his sport The intersection of Brown Street and Coolidge Boulevard has officially been renamed Josh Culbreath Boulevard The municipality will honor Culbreath during a special ceremony on Wednesday Culbreath was born and raised in Norristown and won a bronze medal in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic games Culbreath won three USA national titles and three Penn Relays 400 meter hurdles titles from 1953 to 1955 two Pan American Games gold medals in 1955 and 1959 and set the world record in the event in 1957 "I made a difference representing my country," Culbreath later said in a biography, 'The Olympian Leap.' "And I think I represented it well." A special red street sign has already been installed at the intersection 2025 at 11:03 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A massive new development is coming to Norristown PA — The massive redevelopment project to bring affordable housing to a part of the former Norristown State Hospital grounds is moving forward Municipal and county authorities officially signed on the $4.7 million deal with the developer The proposal will bring a sprawling multi-use residential and retail area on the 70 acre swath of the hospital that was deeded to the municipality and county from the state in 2023 including 453 townhomes and 288 apartments There is also roughly 70,000 square feet of commercial space and what they're calling an "office/industrial tech complex" that they're hoping would attract major employers The tech office space would cover about 200,000 square feet discussions of a mixed use apartment building has been floated for the state hospital grounds Norristown will see a huge boon in real estate and other local taxes possibly up to tens of millions of dollars Wolf's administration originally reached an agreement in December 2017 with the municipality to vacate two buildings on the state hospital grounds by 2022 opening the door for the long-discussed possibility of redevelopment The announcement came after controversy stewed over the state was forced to begin construction at the state hospital to add more beds following a lawsuit after the civil rights organization alleged that individuals with severe mental illness had "languished" for extensive periods of time in jail cells when they should have been receiving care DHS previously stated that due to the settlement the state faces millions in fines if it does not provide the needed space in a timely manner Norristown was reluctant to comply with the state's demands until the state put together a plan for the future deeding of the hospital to local authorities The state hospital will remain open into the future at a lower capacity, with altered uses for some of its buildings. There remain 137 beds for forensic patients, and a new forensic facility began construction in 2022 2025 at 12:18 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A total of 18 bags of trash were gathered during a weekend cleanup event in Norristown PA — A group of volunteers braved the rain and mud over the weekend in Norristown to help beautify and clean up Riverfront Park one of the community's bedrock gathering spaces The group of 11 volunteers worked with Montgomery County Planning Commission staff members to gather various debris and detritus and give the park a makeover the group gathered some 18 large bags of trash and several other bulky items The event was supported by the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy which works to protect and clean up various regional waterways and various other trash items that are illegally left in public green spaces used by local residents as gathering spaces and local wildlife as critical habitat Officials said the Perkiomen Stream Cleanup is the largest organization of its kind in Pennsylvania More than 200 sites were part of the 2025 event 2025 at 1:14 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A man in a blue sweatshirt fired several shots into a vehicle parking in Norristown Thursday night (Montgomery County District Attorney's Office)NORRISTOWN PA — A man was shot and killed on the street in Norristown on Thursday night and authorities have posted a reward for the public to help them track down the suspect the Montgomery County district attorney's office announced Video surveillance footage captured the shooting was parking his vehicle outside of a home when the shooter ran across the street and fired multiple gunshots into the driver's side window The video shows that the shooter was waiting in a nearby stairwell for at least five minutes before Flores-Diaz arrived The video shows the shooter then fleeing on foot north on George Street Flores-Diaz was dead when officers arrived on the scene The DA's office is offering a $5,000 reward for information on the suspect who is identified from the video only as a man with a blue backpack and a "distinctive gate," according to officials contact Montgomery County Detectives at 610-278-3386 or Norristown Police at 610-270-0977 2025 at 2:27 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Norristown issued guidance to their municipal departments on immigrations issues this week PA — Norristown has announced it will only comply with immigrations and customs enforcement (ICE) requests from the federal government to the extent that it is required by law The statements come as President Trump's administration has begun a nationwide crackdown on immigration and an increase in deportations "The Municipality will not honor ICE detainer requests unless accompanied by a validly executed judicial warrant," a memorandum issued by Norristown on Jan are discouraged from collecting or sharing information about an individual's immigration status unless required by law or necessary for a specific criminal investigation." Municipal Administrator Leonard Lightner noted the importance of sharing municipal policies in light of the diverse community of Norristown Norristown is actually not a sanctuary city which refers to municipalities whose laws expressly protect undocumented individuals from deportation or prosecution the municipality does not collect information on the legal status of residents Lightner will work will each of Norristown's municipal department directors and managers so that all branches of local government follow municipal guidance on the issue Norristown said they will also conduct educational outreach throughout the municipality to inform local residents on their rights To read the full memorandum issued by the municipality, see here. 2025 at 9:32 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Norristown will set up dumpsters for free bulk disposal around town next month PA — Norristown will set up dumpsters around town next month for a free event that allows local residents to dispose of bulk items for free 30-cubic yard dumpsters for residents to discard bulk trash and other non-electronic and non-hazardous waste Contractors are not permitted to use the dumpsters Dumpsters will be in the following locations: Electronic waste can be disposed of separately at these county-run events. 2025 at 4:11 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Marquan "Trey" Banks has been charged with first degree murder in a recent Norristown incident PA — One man has been arrested and another man remains wanted following a fatal shooting in Norristown over the weekend the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said Thursday And a warrant has been issued for Isaiah Bell who is wanted on firearms and theft charges related to crimes committed during the killing was walking with Bell toward Airy Street when they approached another group of men The groups were familiar with each other to some degree but eventually Banks pulled out a firearm and fatally shot Pierce and then stood up and fired shots at Bell's group as they ran Pierce was dead on the street when first responders arrived on the scene Banks was captured in the city Chester at around 1 p.m and Chester Police said they took him into custody without incident Officials booked Banks at Montgomery County Correctional Facility on first degree murder charges without bail contact Montgomery County Detective Anthony Caso at 610-278-3472 or Norristown Police Detective Stephen Sowell at 610-270-0977 2025 at 5:01 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A deer cull will be held this March and April in Norristown Farm Park PA — Norristown Farm Park will organize a deer cull this spring to help improve the park's ecosystem will take place throughout March and April It's believed there are about 90 deer currently living in the area down sharply from 133 in 2023 and 122 in 2024 The 90 deer within the one square mile of Norristown Farm Park is still about triple what wildlife biologists recommend for a healthy habitat The hunt this year will be conducted by "highly trained" USDA Wildlife Services personnel during the park's overnight hours The park will be patrolled during the hunt to ensure public safety but no impacts to local residents or park visitors are expected Montgomery County Parks said that the 2024 hunt produced about 1,440 pounds of venison all of which was donated to local food banks The county and federal partners have conducted some form of a cull every year in the park since 2005 Such close management also helps prevent the spread of wildlife borne illnesses while also keeping the remaining members of the herd healthy 2025 at 12:23 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Norristown's Elmwood Park Zoo is looking to grow a centerpiece of Norristown and one of the suburban Philadelphia area's most popular attractions The zoo just completed a massive renovation and reconstruction involving the addition of a world-class animal hospital and new welcome center But that was only stage one of a proposed three-pronged redevelopment that could bring a host of changes to the area Related: With Renovations, Elmwood Zoo Aims To Become 'World Class' Institution Elmwood has filed a conditional use application with Norristown's municipal council for the expansion The municipality's planning commission will discuss the proposal at their meeting Tuesday night The application calls for an expansion of facilities within the zoo's existing 72-acre property all to be completed in three phases," according to municipal documents The zoo's own master plan outlines further details on this proposed second phase including construction of a bridge over Stony Creek to allow easier access to open space on other parts of the property The Genuardi Family Foundation has already donated $1 million to that project Other projects in phase two include a new Amur tiger exhibit and new exhibits for the zoo's hoofstock which would be on the other side of the new Stony Creek Bridge The planning commission meeting is open to the public and will begin at 7 p.m 2024Authorities say the man who was rescued was taken to the hospital in critical condition after suffering from smoke inhalation.NORRISTOWN (WPVI) -- Crews pulled a man from a burning home in Norristown in Montgomery County The fire broke out just before midnight on Sunday along the 400 block of Moore Street It took firefighters an hour to get the flames under control Authorities say the man who was rescued was taken to the hospital in critical condition after suffering from smoke inhalation 2025 at 4:07 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Montgomery County has an abundance of trail networks to explore a friendly competition to encourage residents to visit green spaces and spend time exploring outside offers various rewards to participants for recording visits to five “Montgomery County’s trails cover every corner of the County from Valley Forge to Green Lane and from Philadelphia to Pottstown and beyond,” Montgomery County Commissioner Tom DiBello said in a statement "The Trail Challenge is the perfect excuse to find a new place to discover as well as to revisit family-favorite spots And many of the trails connect to our popular parks where you can experience all kinds of activities and events all year round." Montgomery County has more than 100 miles of trails ranging from the Schuylkill River Trail and Cross County Trail to networks along the Perkiomen Creek This year's challenge includes the county's newest trails the seven miles located around Twining Valley Park in Upper Dublin which feature dog parks 2025 at 3:04 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A free electronics recycling event will be held in Norristown on March 24 PA — Norristown is hosting a free electronics recycling event at Elmwood Park Zoo next week on Monday The event will be held in the zoo's upper parking lots near the intersection of Johnson Highway and Harding Boulevard The municipality is partnering with the Pennsylvania Resources Council and several local organizations to host the event 2025 at 10:16 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Montgomery County is working to improve its electric vehicle infrastructure PA — Montgomery County has launched a new online tool that maps the location of all electric vehicle chargers in the county Montgomery County Planning Commission officials say the goal of the map is to help communities build new EV stations strategically and safely “It’s clear that our residents are moving toward electric vehicles which improve air quality for all of us and create cleaner quieter streets,” Montgomery County Commissioner Neil K “This is a great example of the role we play as a County and how we can support municipalities and others who are trying to advance sustainability through EV charging infrastructure." Check out the FullyCharged! tool online here. Montgomery County is a state leader in electric vehicle registrations The new map gives residents and local governments details on electric vehicles and offers model ordinances that can be adapted by each municipality It also identifies areas that might be opportunities for future charging stations The county recently voted to install 18 new EV charging stations at five county-owned facilities It's part of a larger initiative to transition all of the county's vehicles to electric 2025 at 3:57 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}John Richards has been charged with attempted institutional sexual assault in Montgomery County PA — A Norristown middle school teacher who authorities said repeatedly tried to get a 13-year-old girl to kiss him has been arrested has been charged with attempted institutional sexual assault who teaches eighth grade at Blockson Middle School called the girl back to his desk in the middle of class He then showed her a typed message on his phone telling her that he wanted to kiss her two times on an upcoming field trip which he was chaperoning “Let me know yes or no before (you) have to get off the bus," the text read according to the district attorney's office and the school resource officer to report the incident When police confiscated Richards's cell phone they found another message to the girl apologizing When you are around I find myself staring without meaning to I wonder what your lips taste like and I hope to god there’s a chance for me to find out I don’t know what else to say besides I think you’re amazing.” Richards turned himself in to Norristown police on Wednesday morning He was released on $10,000 bail on the condition he not contact the victim or any minors 2025 at 12:33 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Two Montgomery County Walmarts are among hundreds nationwide that will be extensively remodeled PA — Two Montgomery County Walmarts are among hundreds around the country that will see an extensive remodel over the coming months Some 650 locations nationwide will be refurbished The overhaul to the Montgomery County stores will include a "refreshed" look expanded online pickup and delivery services and significant changes to store pharmacies including private screening rooms "Our stores often serve as the heartbeat of the communities we operate in and these remodels are a testament to our dedication to enhancing that role,” Annie Walker While there are 159 Walmarts in Pennsylvania only 26 are getting the refurbishments now The company did not detail a plan for the cosmetic future of the other establishments With reporting from Patch correspondent Eric Heyl 2025 at 3:41 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;} Isaiah Bell PA — Law enforcement continues to search for a man who is wanted for committing crimes during a fatal shooting in Norristown earlier this month who is wanted on firearms and theft charges but police said he was walking with the victim when he was shot Further investigation revealed other crimes committed during the incident Kevin Tyrone Johnson, 38, of the 500 block of West Airy Street in Norristown, pleaded guilty to having indecent contact with an underage girl in the borough between January and September 2020, Mainline Media News reported Johnson has a June 27 sentencing hearing on felony charges of indecent assault of a child under 13 years old and corruption of a minor He faces a possible maximum sentence of 7 to 14 years in prison He also faces a lifetime requirement to report his address to state police in order to comply with the state’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act An investigation began in September 2020 when the mother of a 12-year-old girl reported to Norristown police that her daughter said that Johnson had indecent contact with her on multiple occasions at the victim’s borough residence The incidents involved indecent touching and other inappropriate contact 2025 at 4:02 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Police are still searching for the suspect in a killing in Norristown on Feb PA — As the manhunt for the killer in a recent Norristown shooting comes to the end of its first week authorities continue to ask the public for their assistance in tracking the suspect down The man has only been identified by his blue backpack and black hooded sweatshirt in surveillance videos thus far The district attorney's office has also said that he has a "distinct walk." A $5,000 reward has been posted for anyone with information that can help identify or arrest the killer See original story: Norristown Killing Thursday Night Caught On Camera: DA Surveillance footage shows that the shooter was waiting in a nearby stairwell for at least five minutes before Flores-Diaz arrived they can also contact the Consulate of Mexico in Philadelphia to report a tip at 215-266-3740 2025 at 10:45 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Hurricane Ida left significant damage to Montgomery County PA — Montgomery County has received more than $9 million in federal disaster relief to help rebuild housing and infrastructure devastated by Hurricane Ida a major storm exacerbated by climate change The funding comes more than three years after the storm that battered the area with high winds destroying homes and community centers and historic floods ripping through local watersheds and floodplains so we can anticipate an increased frequency in damaging storms like Ida,” Montgomery County Commissioner Neil K "This funding not only helps residents and communities continue to pick up the pieces but it also allows us to implement protective measures." About $7.2 million of the funds will be put into housing rehabilitation efforts around the county Another $1.8 million will be used for infrastructure and community projects The federal aid is administered at the state level and was awarded to Montgomery County as a Community Development Block Grant $3.6 million will be used for repair needs for homeowners not covered by insurance Another $3.6 million will assist with buying property from homeowners in "high risk" flood areas where is either not safe or sustainable to embark on a rebuild The following municipalities will receive targeted funding for projects: 2025 at 10:18 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Norristown councilwoman Lauren Hughes has resigned to run for judge of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas PA — Norristown councilwoman Lauren Hughes resigned during the municipal council meeting on Tuesday night citing her choice to run for judge of the Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas who was first elected to her post in the April 16 The council will now appoint a replacement to fill out her term "Thank you for your unwavering support and for being a part of some tough but necessary conversations," Hughes told those gathered at the meeting "Your voices have always been a guiding force and I'm grateful for the opportunity to serve you." Hughes also thanked all the borough employees she worked with and promised she would continue to be active in council meetings and community issues Council President Rebecca Smith said Hughes would be sorely missed "You truly embody the commitment to community and public service," she said and whenever I ask myself what would Lauren Hughes do Hughes as already accrued endorsements from State Sen "This campaign is about building a judiciary that serves our community with transparency respect and impartiality," she shared in a social media post "I look forward to sharing my vision and engaging with you throughout this journey." Hughes is actually second council member that now needs to be replaced