Are they playoff pretenders or contenders?

That's a question General Manager Ruben Amaro must figure out within the next month regarding his Philadelphia Phillies team, which seems like it might finally be starting to heat up after slumbering through April and May.

Outfielder Domonic Brown has paced the Phillies by blossoming into a potential All-Star while leading the National League in home runs and grabbing Player of the Month honors for May.

And because of him, the team is starting to show signs of life.

Even Cole Hamels is starting to win games, an ace who had fallen from grace the first two months of the year.

Meanwhile, Delmon Young is starting to shake off the rust and offer some solid production in right field and some pop in his bat.

The heroics of John Mayberry Jr. the other night against the Miami Marlins with a home run to tie the game and a grand slam to win it just may be an indicator not to give up the Fightins for dead yet.

After all, there's still plenty of baseball to be played.

Cliff Lee and Kyle Kendrick continue to anchor the rotation with standout contributions from Jonathan Pettibone and Tyler Cloyd. And injured pitcher Roy Halladay might give this team a lift, saying he's going to return at some point from shoulder surgery.

The bullpen is also rounding into form. Mike Adams is back healthy to set up for Jonathan Papelbon, who has been his usual perfect self. Antonio Bastardo can now be called upon and counted upon as well.

If Ryan Howard comes to life and Jimmy Rollins and Michael Young follow, then this is a team to be reckoned with, as Manager Charlie Manuel might say. Even centerfielder Ben Revere is starting to figure out that he's playing in the Major Leagues and not Little League.

Now get a healthy Carlos Ruiz and Chase Utley back into the lineup and maybe Amaro starts wheeling and dealing for a playoff push instead of packing up the tent and selling off the stars.

It's only early June, but these past few weeks are showing that the Philadelphia Phillies are finally realizing that there's a baseball season being played. We'll see where they stand come the All-Star break.

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A stretch of Montgomery Avenue in Bala Cynwyd reopened Thursday night after a lengthy closure forced by a downed tree that took out a traffic light, power lines, and a utility poll earlier in the afternoon.

For the entirety of Thursday's rush hour, the road was closed between Winding Way and Meeting House Lane. As of Thursday at 9 p.m., Merion Road remained closed from Montgomery to Bowman avenues.

A utility worker told Patch that the tree, which has been in the yard of a home on the corner of Merion Road and Montgomery Avenue across from Waldron Mercy Academy, fell into a stoplight at approximately 1 p.m., knocking it into power lines, which in turn snapped the utility pole the cables were supported by.

Animals, so the old wives' tales go, can tell when it's about to rain. So can their owners.

Because of the expected thunderstorms, Friday's NarBark Dog Parade has been pushed back a week, according to the Narberth Business Association.

The rescheduled date is next Friday, June 14, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. 

For more information, visit www.narberthonline.com.

While "keep your children away from alligators" is a truism most parents can agree on even in this polarized age, on Saturday the Ludington Library is hosting an event that probably qualifies as an exception.

From 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the 5 S. Bryn Mawr Avenue library is hosting Melvin, a gator hatchling the Adventure Aquarium is bringing around to drum up interest in Melvin's (much larger, and apparently mightier) cousin Mighty Mike—an 800-pound, 14-foot-long American alligator that will be at the Adventure Aquarium through Labor Day.

Families will get an up close view of baby Melvin on Saturday, all under the watchful eye of a trained expert who will answer questions about gators and, at the end of the day, give away four free tickets to the aquarium.

With a group of agitated constituents watching, the Lower Merion Board of Commissioners voted 9-2 Wednesday night to approve a liquor license transfer that will allow Iron Hill Brewery to open a new location in Ardmore Plaza.

Before the votes were cast, there was a spirited public comment. Attending members of the Ardmore business community came out uniformly in favor of bringing the restaurant to Greenfield Street, while a loose coalition of south Ardmore neighbors, led by church leaders, reiterated their firm opposition.

"My parishioners have to run for their lives sometimes to cross the street," said Zion Baptist Church pastor James Pollard, suggesting the addition of a new 10,000-square-foot, 250-seat restaurant would only worsen area traffic problems he says are already unbearable. "Is there anyone who would want to live in a situation like this?"

Pollard closed by asking the commissioners to consider the Golden Rule, which drew an emphatic "Amen" from a sympathetic crowd member. Bethel AME Ardmore and Bryn Mawr pastors Albert Johnson and Carlos Rounds expressed similar sentiments.

The business community, represented by members of the Ardmore Initiative and the Ardmore Business Association, said the community had long tried to get a restaurant of Iron Hill's caliber into Ardmore, and turning them down now would send a clear message to other prospective restaurateurs: Lower Merion is anti-business.

"It's sad to see members of the community take such a hard-line against Iron Hill," said Ardmore Business Association president emeritus Nancy Gold, who went on enumerate the advantages of allowing the restaurant to move in; among them jobs, upscale clientele, and an increased tax base. She added that opponents of the restaurant seem to like the idea, but "not on my block."

Iron Hill did agree to a set of concessions in the weeks before the vote. In a meeting between restaurant and Ardmore Plaza representatives, Lower Merion Building and Planning director Bob Duncan, commissioner Lindner, and community leaders, the restaurant said it would take steps to quell concerns about parking and security. For starters, Ardmore Plaza has ramped up illegal parking enforcement, while Iron Hill brokered a deal with a plumbing supply company across the street to use their 15-20 spots during the evening. 

The reason township approval was necessitated is Iron Hill was unable to find a liquor license to buy within Lower Merion Township. In cases like this businesses are able to purchase a license from outside the municipality and transfer it in—and then only if it is purchased within the county—but the maneuver requires municipal approval.

Ward 12 representative Brian Gordon and Ward 4 representative Steven Lindner were the lone "no" votes—Lindner citing a lack of data demonstrating the impact of the business, Gordon explaining that the restaurant simply wouldn't fit in that space—while commissioners Liz Rogan, Jane Dellheim, and Phil Rosenzweig did not attend the special meeting.

Iron Hill is coming. Are you excited? Worried about the traffic impact? Just plain don't care? Let us know in the comments below.

Philadelphia native Robert DiGiacomo will be signing copies of his debut novel The Boxed Angel at The Greeks Tavern in Narberth on Saturday.

Should be an interesting guy to meet: DiGacomo was a general contractor on the Main Line for 25 years before turning to the pen.

According to his website, the idea for The Boxed Angel—a novel centered around the life and times of Ben Franklin—came to DiGiacomo during his commute:

As I was driving back from Jersey on the Ben Franklin Bridge on one of many thousands of times I was stuck in traffic at the base. I had a lot of time to stare at that giant steel key and lightning bolt with its awkward steel guy wires holding it in place. A thought or epiphany hit me - like a bolt of lightning. “I will write about the key, Bens key, the key that discovered electricity.” I said out loud to no one. Once I got home I started writing (long hand) my story about Ben’s key

The event starts June 8 at 6 p.m. at 239 Haverford Avenue in Narberth. Copies of The Boxed Angel will be available for purchase at the event, or can be bought online here.

With the 2013 U.S. Open, and a consequent parking squeeze, fast approaching, A la Maison Bistro owner Ted Miller has opened an 80-car parking lot to accommodate the expected influx.

According to Main Line Media News, Miller said the lot—located at the corner of Ardmore and Lancaster avenues—is owned by a customer at his restaurant, and the two of them worked out an arrangement.

Miller is offering day-long parking, with shuttle service to the course, for $55 a day and $65 on the weekend during the Open, the paper is reporting.

Read the full story here, or, if you know of any other opportunistic U.S. Open entrepreneurs in the area, tell us about them in the comments.

Lower Merion School District transportation director Jerry Rineer will sit on an expert panel at an upcoming Department of Energy conference celebrating the proliferation of renewable fuels, Philly.com is reporting.

According to the paper, in 1995 the district began replacing its diesel buses with natural gas-fueled vehicles, and now has the largest alternative energy fleet of any school district on the East Coast.

The DOE told the paper that Rineer was a "pioneer" and added that Lower Merion's green efforts have been "critical to our success."

Read the full story here.

Pennsylvania Army National Guardsman Scott Ball was killed while serving in Afghanistan on August 27, 2007. On Friday, the Commonwealth honored his legacy by naming a street after him in Ardmore.

The former Lower Merion police officer, and state trooper, lost his life when, according to the township, the embedded training team he served with was ambushed in the Kunar province while assisting the Afghan National Army.

He was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his attempt to rescue two fallen soldiers while under heavy fire. 

In a Friday morning ceremony in the township building, the Commonwealth designated the area of Lancaster Avenue from Church Road to Rittenhouse Place as "Master Sergeant Scott Ball Memorial Avenue."

To learn more about the fallen hero, visit the Scott Ball Memorial Society here.

Teresa Decker describes her new store, Eastcote Lane, as a "working shop and art space."

Located on Lancaster Avenue in Wayne, the bright, airy shop, which opened in May, is a place for Decker to refinish antique and vintage furniture, while also providing a venue for other local artists. 

"I have oil paintings from a woman in Narberth, ceramics from a gentleman in Bala Cynwyd. I have hand-poured soy candles from a girl in Chester," she said.

Her favorite item in the store? The Union Jack dresser in the window. The store's British theme is not an affectation—Decker grew up in the United Kingdom.

"I was opening a home store, [and] home to me is Eastcote Lane," Teresa Decker said.

Eastcote Lane is located in Harrow, a suburban borough in northwest London. A self-described Army brat, Decker lived there before moving to the United States at 13.

Now a Havertown resident, she splits her time between the new store and her other job, bar manager at McShea's Restaurant in Narberth.

Eastcote Lane is located at 751 W. Lancaster Avenue, with parking available next to Toppers Salon. The store will set up shop at the Clover Market in Ardmore this summer, as well as the Narberth Music and Arts Festival.

Eastcote Lane
751 W. Lancaster Ave
Wayne PA 19087

484-580-6421

Facebook page

Store hours, according to the website:

Weds 12-5
Thursday 11-7
Friday 11-6
Saturday 10-6
Sunday 11-4

Crews continue to pull victims from the rubble left by the collapse of a four-story building under demolition, which fell onto a Salvation Army thrift store in Center City Philadelphia Wednesday morning.

Mayor Michael Nutter confirmed in a news conference Wednesday night that six people are dead and 13 people were pulled from the rubble injured, but alive.

A woman was pulled alive from the rubble 13 hours after the collapse and after Nutter's press conference, making it 14 survivors, according to Philadelphia media and PhillyFireNews.

Nutter would not give details on any of the deceased. Earlier in the day, city authorities said an unidentified 35-year-old woman was among those killed in the collapse.

Rescuers continue to search for people that may remain trapped in the rubble.

Click here to see pictures posted to Twitter of the building collapse.

Watch video of Nutter's press conference or listen to audio of crews being dispatched to the disaster scene by clicking on the videos aboe.

The collapse happened about 10:45 a.m. at 2136-2138 and 2140 Market St., at the major Center City artery's intersection with 22nd Street.

Nutter said a wall fell from the shell of the taller building onto the store, which was occupied at the time by an unknown number of staff and customers.

Rescue workers worked for hours to free people trapped under the rubble. Nutter and Fire Commissioner Lloyd Ayers said rescue workers would cycle in and out as the search and rescue continues through Thursday. Rescue dogs are involved.

"We will be on the pile again, removing a little bit at a time," Ayers said. "It is an active search and rescue right now."

"Our forces will be out overnight," Nutter said. "We will be here through (Thursday), to make sure we have everyone out. ... We do not know how many people were actually in the thrift store this morning when the wall collapsed on the building."

Licenses and Inspections Commissioner Carlton Williams said a demolition permit was pulled in February for work in the four-story building, and all work was being done legally.

Philly.com reported the demolition contractor, Griffin Campbell, of North Philadelphia, pleaded guilty to insurance fraud and theft in 2009. 

City officials established a "restricted area" around the collapse site with the following boundaries: the Schuylkill River to the west, Ben Franklin Parkway to the north, 20th Street to the east, Chestnut Street to the south.

For updates on traffic and transit issues related to the collapse and the search/rescue operation, follow SEPTA's Twitter feed and the Philadelphia Police Twitter feed.

Patch will continue to update this story as more information is released.

What’s going on at CBS 3?

A video has gone viral consisting of a montage of awkward tosses between CBS 3 anchor Nicole Brewer and meteorologist Carol Erickson.

The Philly Post calls it a “catfight,” while Gawker is more mild, saying the two women “can barely hide their disdain for each other.”

A representative from CBS 3 told Philly.com that the clips were taken out of context and “give a totally false impression.”

On Twitter, both Erickson and Brewer say they're friends.

"I know the truth is boring but the truth is, we REALLY are such good friends! Lets send her some love!!" tweeted Erickson.

"If you know @CarolCBS3 and me, you know there's only love between us. So, we're going to keep having fun. #HalosForever," tweeted Brewer.

What do you think? Does this make you more or less likely to watch CBS 3?

The Montgomery County Commissioners in conjunction with the Waste Authority of Eastern Montgomery County and Shred One Security Corp. are sponsoring a community paper shredding event on Saturday, June 8 from 9 a.m. to noon at Montgomery County Community College in Blue Bell.

Montgomery County residents who have paper and documents that should be shredded are encouraged to take advantage of this free event.  No businesses are permitted.  Residents are urged to make sure that the materials they present for shredding do not include plastic, cardboard or metal.  However, there is no need to remove staples, paper clips hanging folders etc.

“Shredding of documents has become important in our lives today for several reasons, not the least of which is the threat of identity theft,” said Josh Shapiro, chairman of the Montgomery County Commissioners.  “We believe this service is useful, necessary and will be appreciated by our residents, and we are very grateful to Shred One and the Waste Authority for their assistance.”

Residents should enter the Montgomery County Community College Green parking area from Morris Road, just east of DeKalb Pike (Route 202).

Shred One regularly participates in community shredding events.  The company’s mobile trucks perform all of the paper shredding as you watch.  All shredded paper is recycled by Shred One and the company is currently recycling paper at a rate that saves over 70,000 trees annually.

The Lower Merion Building and Planning Committee will consider a liquor license transfer request on Wednesday night that would allow an Iron Hill Brewery to move into Ardmore Plaza.

While supporters of the project say the restaurant will bring dollars, and jobs, to the area, a group of neighbors maintain the business will only aggravate traffic, parking, and public safety issues in south Ardmore.

“I’m here to say right now our community is oversaturated, densely congested with traffic,” said Rev. James Pollard, pastor of West Spring Avenue's Zion Baptist Church and a leader of the opposition to the restaurant.

(For more details on the opposition to Iron Hill, check out our May 6 story here.)

Pollard, and those who agree with him, will get their say before a vote is cast. Before the Building and Planning Committee convenes, the Board of Commissioners is holding what promises to be a contentious public comment.

The meeting begins at 6:10 p.m. on the second floor of the township's 75 E. Lancaster Ave. administration building.

Would you like to see Iron Hill come to Ardmore? Are the concerns of the neighbors valid? Tell us what you think in the comments.

The Five Points Intersection billboard will stay down.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania denied Adsmart Outdoor Advertising's petition for an allowance of appeal, putting what looks to be an end to the longstanding controversy over the billboard that was removed last spring.

"It’s the final nail in the coffin for the Bryn Mawr billboard," Lower Merion's Ward 10 Commissioner Scott Zelov told his constituents in an email. "This is another victory against unwanted billboards that don’t belong in our suburban community."

The billboard in question, once located at the Five Points intersection of Lower Merion and Radnor townships, was removed in March of 2012, after the Lower Merion Zoning Board, Court of Common Pleas, County Court and the Commonwealth Court issued rulings against it.

AdSmart shares the same owners as Bartkowski Investment Group, an organization that had designs on erecting five billboards in Haverford Township, including two along Lancaster Avenue that would overlook the Bryn Mawr section of Lower Merion

While the fate of the Five Points billboard is, apparently, sealed, the larger conflict isn't over yet. According to Zelov, the denial of the other billboard proposal in Bryn Mawr, this one on Lancaster Avenue, has been appealed to a county court and will be argued in August.

"It’s a long battle against unwanted billboards in Bryn Mawr, but so far every legal decision has been against the billboards," the commissioner added.

Previous Patch Coverage of the Billboard Controversy

• Five Points Billboard Update: State Court Affirms Prohibition
• Five Points Billboard Appeal Filed
• Five Points Billboard Comes Down
• Appeals Court Orders Removal of Five Points Billboard, Yet Sign Remains
• Judge: Five Points Billboard Must Come Down
• Zoning Board Votes No On Billboards
• BIG Owner Shares Thoughts As Billboard Vote Looms
• Court Rules with Lower Merion on Five Points Billboard
• Closing Arguments Made in Billboard Case on Township's Border
• BIG Expert's Billboard Report Released
• BIG Expert Admits Not Doing Thorough Job On Billboard Report
• Residents: We Don’t Want Billboards
• BIG Presents Engineer to Testify in Billboard Hearing
• Lower Merion Residents Speak Out Against Haverford Billboards
• Billboard Debate on Township's Border Persists
• Billboard Debate Continues in Haverford Township

I have some exciting news to share about Patch–we’re getting a whole new look. It’s coming in a couple weeks and it’s going to make Ardmore-Merion-Wynnewood Patch easier to use, and a better place to connect and share.  The best part? You’ll be able to see it all on your mobile phone.

Here’s what you need to know:  

Our site is being rebuilt from the ground up. The news will look better and be commenting will be easier. And, you’ll find more local voices to keep you in the loop with the latest know-how and opinion.

We’re adding Boards to make it easier for you to connect with each other, debate an issue, or announce your garage sale, graduation, or find a lost pet.

More to say? It will be easier to start your own blog, too. You’ll soon be able to start your own blog anytime, so you can have a stronger voice in the community or just share your expertise and opinion. And if you’re already a Local Voices blogger, you’ll find the tools are much more streamlined and straightforward.

You’ll see all of this (and more) on Patch next week. For a sneak peek, check out Stonington-Mystic Patch.  

Questions? Please email ardmore@patch.com.

The following roads in the area will be under construction through June. Check out the information below to see what roads are being worked on and see more on Pennsylvania Department of Transportation's website.

County Line Road in Lower Merion will see lane restrictions between Thomas Avenue and Old Lancaster Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June 5.

The right lane of 76/Schuylkill Expressway westbound will be closed between I-476 and the Gulph Mills exit from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on June 5. 

Additionally, the shoulder of 76/Schuylkill Expressway in both directions between Conshohocken and City Line Avenue will be closed due to maintenance from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. until June 7. 

The 76/Schuylkill Expressway east and westbound lanes will see closures between 26th Street and City Line Avenue from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June 7.

Old Marple Road will see shoulder closures between Maple Woods Road and 476/Blue Route, as well as between Old Mill and Crum Creek Roads from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June 7.  

West Chester Pike in Marple Township will see lane closures due to milling and paving through June 7. The closures will take place between 7 p.m. and 5 a.m.

US 1 North in Marple will see shoulder closures between State Street and Collins Drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June 7.

PA 352 in Middletown will see lane closures due to mill and paving through June 7. The closures will take place between 7 p.m. and 5 p.m.

Powell Road in Springfield will be closed between Saxer Avenue and Springfield Road through September 13 due to utility installation. Construction work will take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ferry Lane in Schuylkill Township will see lane restrictions between PA 23 and Pawlings Road from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through June 7.

US 202: The following ramps will be closed on US 202  in East Whiteland and Tredyffrin.

• southbound on and off ramps from 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. on June 7
• northbound ramp to PA 401 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on June 6 

Additionally, 202 North will be reduced from two lanes to one between PA 401 and PA 29 from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. on June 6. 

202 North and South will see lane closures between Boot Road and Lancaster Avenue and US 30 and Boot Road from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June 6. 

N. Valley Road in Tredyffrin will see lane restrictions between Central Avenue and Knobb Hill Lane from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. through June 6.  

West Chester Pike in West Goshen, East Goshen and Westtown will see intermittent lane closures between Five Points Road and Westtown Way between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. through June 7. 

Although more than 16,000 satellite parking spaces have been secured for some of the anticipated 175,000 spectators at next week's U.S. Open, people living near the Merion Golf Club are opening up their parking spaces at a price.

While some neighbors are making thousands for the use of their homes, others are charging anywhere from $50 a day to $500 for an entire week of parking in a private driveway within walking distance of the event, according to ads on Craigslist.

This ad seems to be from some laid-back and welcoming people because they will "also include a round of beers at the end of a hot day. Stay as long as you like, also walking distance to downtown Ardmore shops/restaurants."

This ad for parking on Blackburn Lane shows some serious planning with tiered pricing and an option for food and drink packages.

This ad looks to be a steal for only $30 a day.

“There will be no championship parking for general spectators in the immediate vicinity of Merion Golf Club," said John Viola, deputy chief of the Haverford Township Police.

The majority of people will be using complimentary general spectator parking at Rose Tree Park (RED Lot) in Media and PPL Park (BLUE Lot) in Chester. About 175 complimentary shuttle buses will take them to and from Merion Golf Club and will run continuously from 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day of the championship, according to officials.

Handicap-accessible parking spaces will be available at all championship parking areas for vehicles displaying appropriate HP/DP license plates or placards, states the the United States Golf Association.

Spectators and local residents wishing to be dropped off at the championship will use the Passenger, Taxi or Limousine Drop-Off area located on Hannum Drive in Ardmore. That street will also serve as the site for bicycle parking at the championship, in addition to the satellite parking lots, according to the USGA.

U.S. Open News

USGA Announces Traffic, Parking Guidelines for 2013 U.S. Open

25,000 People Expected Daily at U.S. Open

USGA 'Building a City' for U.S. Open in Haverford

Tiger Woods Played Merion in the Rain Tuesday

From 1934: The History of U.S. Open at Merion

Turning a Logo Into a Sweet Treat

A Bite Only Merion Members Will Taste

Win Tickets to the U.S. Open With Your Putting Skills

OpenTable.com has a list of the 10 best restaurants of Philadelphia’s “Western Suburbs,” which runs from the Main Line area as far out as Limerick and Phoenixville.

The website has complied its top 10 list based on voted from more than 800,000 users. The restaurants below are ranked in the category of “Hot Spots.”

Check out the list below and see more from OpenTable here.

1. Mas Mexicali Cantina, West Chester
2. Nectar, Berwyn
3. Limoncello, Chester Springs
4. Azie, Media
5. Limoncello, West Chester
6. White Dog Cafe, Wayne
7. Gullifty's Restaurant, Bryn Mawr
8. Cantina Feliz, Flourtown
9. Azie on Main, Villanova
10. Teca Restaurant, West Chester