Robin J. Gray has been engaged in the
practice of law for over ten years. She is licensed in
Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey for both state and federal
court and was managing attorney of a Philadelphia law firm for four
years. Ms. Gray's primary areas of practice are Divorce,
Support, Custody, Adoptions, Sexual Harassment and Employment
Discrimination Law, DUI litigation, Real Estate, Personal Injury,
Aviation law, Wills, Trusts, Contract law and General
Litigation. Ms. Gray will soon be offering assistance in
Marine law as well as acceptance in the Maryland Bar. Ms. Gray
is a classically trained pianist and resides in Reading with her
husband, Emil Schanzenbach, Jr., two cats and two birds.
Founded in 1856, Albright College is
a nationally ranked, private, liberal arts college with a tradition
of excellence in the sciences and pre-professional programs.
With a student body of about 1,600 and a student/faculty ratio of
only 13:1, Albright offers a personalized educational
experience. Special programs include the opportunity for dual
and individualized majors, and Albright's unique Alpha Program, a
structured exploration of options before students declare a
major. Albright's Graduate and Professional Division focuses
on adult students, including Accelerated Degree Start and
Accelerated Degree Completion programs, as well as certificate and
master's degree programs. Albright Computer Training and
Consulting Services offers a wide variety of technology training,
classes and consulting services for business and industry. For
more information about Albright College, call 1-800-252-1856 or
visit www.albright.edu.
and
The 50th Annual Best
of Berks Reading Antiques Show
This year the Riveredge will be
hosting the best and most popular antique event of the year - The
Antique Dealers Association of Berks County's 50th Greater Reading
Antique Show! Friday, 7/20 from 11am to 8pm and Saturday, 7/21
from 9am to 3pm. Admission for the two-day event is
$5.00. For more information contact John W. Bartley, Show
Committee, Berks County Antique Dealers Association, Phone: (610)
779-0705, Fax: (610) 779-5066.
Center-city Reading
as seen from the
summit of Mount Penn.
Reading's
mountaintop landmark, the Pagoda, as seen in a view on this postcard
from 1907.
Looking west
on Washington Street in center-city Reading.
The "Kiddie
Castle" in Penn's Common provides the foreground for this view
of downtown Reading.
THE FACTS: It could
have been "Finneytown...or even Scullsville...really!"
It was around 1733 when Joseph Finney settled just east of the
Schuylkill River shores and staked claim to a parcel of land that
became the first residence in what is now Reading. In about
1743, Thomas Penn came up with an idea for a town upstream from
Philadelphia along the Schuylkill River. The enterprising son
of William Penn (with some silent support from his brother, Richard)
hired William Parsons to survey the land. Based on Parson's
work, Thomas Penn sketched out building lots around 1746 and by 1748
the first streets were named and a town was born. Nobody lived
on those streets, though, until the first new house was built in the
new town of Reading in 1750. It's interesting to note,
however, that a man named Nicholas Scull had also planned a town in
the same area as early as 1734, and until Thomas Penn named his new
town after his home city in Berkshire, England, it was known to
passers-by as "Widow Finney's," because old Joe's widow
had the only place around at the time!
THE FIGURES:
Reading is
the County seat of Berks County, and has been so since 1760.
While the city boomed in the early 20th century with a population
that topped 110,000, its population has dropped to about 75,700 at
last count. Those folks are packed in 9.8 square miles of
space, filled with a wide variety of home styles, businesses,
industry, governmental and financial interests, and offices.
THE FUN STUFF:
One of
the most historically-interesting cities in Pennsylvania, Reading
has been a prisoner of war camp during the Revolutionary War (and,
it is said that Gen. Washington wanted to bring his troops to
Reading for the winter instead of Valley Forge-but he was overruled
by other generals); the base of operations for one of the nation's
largest railroads (the Reading Railroad put the city's name on the
Monopoly game board); and the home of one of the largest
pretzel-baking companies in the world. It's public high
school's unique design and location has caused it to be known as the
"Castle on the Hill," and on that hill is also a peculiar
building known as the Pagoda. It is, indeed, an Asian
pagoda-shaped building which was meant to be a hotel, but never
quite made it as such. It's now a fine observation area from
which a sprawling view of the city and Schuylkill Valley may be
had. The pagoda is also the home of the Berks County Arts
Council which is very active in the presentation of the arts in
Berks County. Their annual JazzFest has attracted thousands of
patrons to Berks County from all over the country. These days,
Reading is known to the sports world for the Reading Phillies, one
of the best minor league baseball teams in the country (which plays
in one of the best minor league baseball stadiums in the country)
and as the birthplace and home of factory outlet shopping.
Thanks to WEEU's Charles J. Adams III for help
in compiling this material.
Cherry's Flowers of
Reading presents the "Make Life Sweeter" Bouquet, and
$5.00 from each arrangement sold will go to the Berks County Humane
Society. The arrangement features red and white carnations and
pompons with holly and Christmas trim in a centerpiece. Each
arrangement includes a gingerbread keepsake ornament.
Ornaments may be purchased separately with $1.00 going to the Humane
Society for its projects. If you would like to help the Berks
County Humane Society in this way, call Cherry's Flowers of Reading
to find out more at (610) 921-2348. Or visit them on the web
by clicking on their name here: Cherry's
Flowers, or visit Berks
County Humane Society.
34 North Fourth Street, Reading, PA 19601
Phone: 610-376-7335 Fax: 610-376-7756
E-mail: weeu@weeu.com
Robin J. Gray has been engaged in the
practice of law for over ten years. She is licensed in
Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey for both state and federal
court and was managing attorney of a Philadelphia law firm for four
years. Ms. Gray's primary areas of practice are Divorce,
Support, Custody, Adoptions, Sexual Harassment and Employment
Discrimination Law, DUI litigation, Real Estate, Personal Injury,
Aviation law, Wills, Trusts, Contract law and General
Litigation. Ms. Gray will soon be offering assistance in
Marine law as well as acceptance in the Maryland Bar. Ms. Gray
is a classically trained pianist and resides in Reading with her
husband, Emil Schanzenbach, Jr., two cats and two birds.
