The unfortunate fate of Bucks County Playhouse

The following is a message from Ralph Miller of the Bucks County Playhouse.

It is with profound sadness that I must announce the end of my tenure as the owner/producer of the Bucks County Playhouse at the close of “A Christmas Carol” the final show of the 2010 season. These past 35 years have allowed me to know personally many faithful customers as well as the 4 generations of children who have “cut their theatrical teeth” on my stage. Unfortunately, the pressures of this recession and our mortgage lender have taken the drive from me that is needed to keep the playhouse operating. Allow me to explain; (more…)

Fall back into winter (and get an extra hour of sleep!)

Don't forget to change your clocks!

It’s that time of year again, to “fall back.” Officially you can change your clocks back one hour, this Sunday, November 7th. But what is all the history behind daylight savings time? Most of us (myself included) probably have no clue of its history and fun facts! Well, I decided it was about time to do some investigating.

Daylight savings time was actually not enacted until March 19, 1918 but proved to be “unpopular” due to people waking up earlier and going to bed earlier. For years and years, daylight savings time was very inconsistent and became an option to cities and states. Can you imagine the confusion? Even with the Interstate Commerce Commission getting involved in the early 60′s, because would still not follow the rules. Farmers debated the issues, and state governments could not agree. (more…)

A BH EXCLUSIVE!! Interview with Food Inc.’s Rob Kenner

Jon Stewart, CNN, and BH!

For loyal readers of Bucks Happening, you will know that we have often highlighted the local food movement that has swept not only Bucks County, but the nation and really the entire world; Farm to Table events, farmers’ markets and food co-ops abound.  We have often mentioned the Academy Award nominated film Food Inc., which, by the way, sold more DVDs on Amazon last year than any the movie.

But we had no idea that Food Inc. producer and director Rob Kenner had ties to Bucks County!!  And when we learned that we would have the distinct honor of interviewing him at his Alma Mater here in Bucks County, we were beyond thrilled!! (more…)

Tap into The Tubby Olive

The Tubby Olive, Newtown

I don’t know about you, but I love taste testing.  It turns the often uneventful task of food shopping into a culinary experience, not to mention helps you make an educated decision as a consumer.  While oils & vinegars are among the key ingrediants in a majority recipes, many shoppers fail to take advantage of the vast array of choices and flavors available. Luckily ,the The Tubby Olive, a one of a kind store packed with culinary treats, has arrived in Newtown. Located in the heart of town on State Street, the Tubby Olive opened its doors for the first time to the public on September 7th.   (more…)

Have bugs been driving you batty lately?

Bats. We usually associate bats with Halloween, vampires, attics and even Batman himself. Unfortunately, Hollywood has misconstrued the real benefit of bats. The little brown bat eats roughly 4,500 bugs a night. With over 1 million bats being effected by White Nose Syndrome, that’s roughly 4,500,000,000 extra bugs you have to worry about crawling into your house, destroying crops, or biting you. So why is everyone scared of these little non-aggressive creatures that help so much?

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Newtown Park Skates on By

After years of working towards a skate park in Newtown, PA, the township & community have banded together to make it happen. The new park, to be located behind the Staples and Bed, Bath, & Beyond in Newtown, is expected to open this fall.  Just this past Wednesday, the township officially approved the final contracts necessary to turn the vision into a reality.  All that’s left is a mere $3,000 needed to cover the final costs.

For almost two years, the Newtown Skatepark fundraising committee has been campaigning and raising money for the Newtown Skate Park. Members include Michael Iapalucci, Christine Edmonds, Perry Katz, Denis D’Arcy, and Val & Kyle Davis.  With the township offering to match all donations on a 4 to 1 basis, many residents and businesses have responded to the call from the committee, the Newtown Athletic Club being a major sponsor.  Committee members expressed their gratitude for the community’s involvement in the project, pointing out that a majority of donations came from dedicated individuals and even reporting that other boroughs have donated to this Newtown-based project. (more…)

Bucks County Movie reveals horrific footage

On Wednesday August 4^th, 2010 Bucks County police department released raw and disturbing footage to the public to raise awareness about a killer who remains on the loose.  Tapes found at the scene of a birthday party reveal a bit more about the slaughter that took place.  Interspersed with interviews conducted by FBI and Bucks County police, “Bucks County” recreates the tension that built itself up between the unsuspecting partygoers and their eventual killer.

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Hats off to you, smarty pants!!

It is a Philadelphia-area tradition that our local ABC station (WPVI) every year does a salute to the “Best of the Class.”  For the 28th presentation, presented by Drexel University, more than 230 of the area’s top high school students will be honored. During the special ½ hour broadcast ( I was unable to find the time on the WPVI website), hosts Matt O’Donnell and Tamala Edwards will interview these students. Where are they going to college? What will their major be? What are their hopes and dreams for the future? Additionally, the station will air a series of commercial spots that will feature the portraits of these top acheivers.  These special extended spots will air on Saturday evenings at 7:55 pm starting May 29th. Please check the WPVI website for a schedule of when each portrait will appear. (more…)

Bucks & Montgomery Living Magazine Feature: With Spring Comes New Hope

This May, Bucks & Montgomery Living Magazine is featuring the town of New Hope and asked us at Bucks Happening to head into town to get the inside scoop.  Last month, the magazine became one of a handful of publications to debut the ground-breaking Microsoft Tags technology in their issues.  Now, with any smart phone you can access tons of extra information online by simply holding your camera-phone over the tag in the magazine (download app here). Their New Hope article will be linking directly to this video; how cool is that?! Check out their May issue which hits stands today.

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Love Your Local Food Clubs

It seems like everywhere I go lately, there is buzz about local food movements.  After the mainstream success of films like “Supersize Me” and “Food, Inc.,” (view trailer here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0) people are starting to question where exactly their food is coming from.  Bucks County has traditionally offered a variety of farmer’s market that occur on a regular basis, but it wasn’t until recently that the demand for local food gained enough momentum to make a real change in the local food environment.  Whereas for many years people have fought to maintain farmlands in Bucks County, now the community is taking the next step to maintain the farming businesses by adopting healthier lifestyles.

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