Rec basketball sign-up dates

Attention youth basketball players ...

Registration sessions for the 2008 Linglestown Rec Basketball season will be held on three consecutive Monday evenings, October 13, 20 and 27, from 6–8 pm at the Linglestown Baseball Clubhouse located behind home plate at the midget baseball field in Koons Park – Instructional league for Boys and Girls ages 6 and 7; Pony, Midget and High School leagues for boys ages 8–18 (as of 12/31/08). Proof of age required for first-year players.

Questions regarding sign-ups, please contact sffcoach@verizon.net.

Nyes Road to get long-awaited traffic light

Plans are in the works to address the notorious traffic bottleneck at Nyes Road and Locust Lane. If all goes as planned, a traffic light could be installed at the intersection sometime over the next two years.

PennDOT is working with Lower Paxton Twp. on a project to install the light and widen a two-mile stretch of Nyes Road, from N. Highland Drive to Willoughby Road, according to PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny.

At the traffic signal, the northbound lane of Nyes Road will be widened to allow motorists to make left-hand turns onto Locust Lane.

Currently, Lower Paxton Twp. is awaiting approval of an environmental report by state and federal highway agencies. If it is approved, the township’s engineering firm for the project, Buchart Horn, Inc. of York, can begin work on the project’s final design.

Construction of the estimated $7.5 million project is tentatively expected to start late spring or early summer next year and end sometime in 2010, said Penny.
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Hat tip to Gazette reader Rich Krampe for notifying me about a meeting PennDOT held with residents on Sept. 3 to discuss the Nyes Road improvement project.

Backyard news, 09.29.08

* The Gazette mowing contest count is up to 25 with only one month to go – projected final count is 30. I’m still searching high and low for items to include in the prize package. Linglestown merchants, this is a great opportunity for you to get some publicity and possibly get a few new people to try out whatever you offer. E-mail Gazette publisher B2 for more info on how to get one of the limited prize package slots.

* Local blogger floor9.com tries in his latest post to decipher why the traffic light at the intersection of Linglestown Road and Colonial Road always turns red when he approaches it. He ends the post with a conspiracy theory that involves Sheetz having a hand in developing the interstate highway system and infiltrating PennDOT. The piece reads like a Stephen King novel. I rate it five-stars, a must-read. Be sure to check out my comment.

* Linglestown Fire Chief Bill Payne told me that the fire company plans to provide Linglestown Gazette with monthly reports on fire calls. Also, I got to tell you that the firefighters sure make delicious chicken corn soup – be sure to give it a taste the next time they have a sale.

* Speaking of soup, New Hope Church, 584 Colonial Club Drive, is starting a weekly bread and soup lunch that is preceded by a Bible study with Pastor Vern Bosserman this Friday, Oct. 3, 11 am. Call the church office at 545-3400 for additional info.

* On the local government front, both the Lower Paxton Twp. supervisors and the CD school board have no meetings scheduled this week. The supervisors will meet next Tuesday, Oct. 7, and the school board is off until Monday, Oct. 13.

Colts stampede Indians in youth football

All three Linglestown Colts varsity teams defeated Susquehanna Indians squads Sunday at soggy Koons Park. This was the second time this season the Colts earned a clean sweep over their opponents. The Colts Pee-Wee squad still remains undefeated, with a record of 6–0. Below are the game scores with the Colts win-loss records in parentheses:

Linglestown Pee-Wee 6 – Susquehanna Pee-Wee 0 (2–0 conference; 6–0 overall)
Linglestown Pony 25 – Susquehanna Pony 19 (0–2 conference; 4–2 overall)
Linglestown Midget 12 – Susquehanna 6 (0–2 conference; 2–4 overall)

The Colts will go on the road Sunday, Oct. 5, to play the Paxton Panthers on the rug at Landis Field in Colonial Park. The Colts Smurf White team will start off the games at 11:30 am. Kickoff for the first of three varsity games is scheduled at 1 pm.

The Colts Blue junior varsity teams will play their final home games at Koon’s Park this Saturday, Oct. 4, starting at 9:00 am with the Pee-Wees.
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Report filed by Eileen Arnold

A call to help hurting neighbors

I doubt many Gazette readers are being severely pinched by the Wall Street crisis, but I'm confident some residents in the greater Linglestown area are experiencing problems, an issue that won't get much play, if any, by the local media.

Sadly, the Wall Street and banking crisis has been caused in part by a huge percentage of U.S. citizens being financially illiterate.

Please take a couple minutes to view my commentary. If you read Linglestown Gazette at work and are unable to view this video, please send this post to a personal e-mail address and view it at home.



Video links: Soup kitchen faces money drain (The Patriot-News, 09.28.08); Downtown Daily Bread; Central PA Food Bank; e-mail B²

Fire company serves up yummy soup

I stopped by Linglestown Fire Co. today to donate blood and buy chicken corn soup that was cooked up by the crew pictured below. Getting stuck was nearly painless and the soup was so good that I purchased extra to chow down on over the weekend.

Sordid details revealed about murder suspect

Today's Patriot-News has background information on the murder suspect who fled from police early Thursday near Paxtonia Elementary.
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Related post: LP police incident gets multistate attention

Backyard news, TGIF edition, 09.26.08

* Isn’t this pushing the season a bit? Earlier this week while walking my dog, Buddy, I spotted a glowing jack-o-lantern on the porch of a home in the Whisper Wood townhome community located off of Wenrich Street.


* Linglestown blogger Kim has posted tips on frugal living, a timely topic given all the fuss and muss about our nation’s economy.

Like Kim, I’m a big fan of living the simple life. Here’s a sample of my musings on the topic.

* Judy Hirsch, the Democratic candidate for state Senate who is challenging longtime officeholder Jeffrey Piccola, has a TV ad.

* Get to know Jesse Rawls Jr., the new principal at CD East High, by reading a profile penned by Patriot-News beat reporter T.W. Burger.

LP police incident gets multistate attention

Yesterday's crime incident near Paxtonia Elementary school has received widespread media attention thanks to the Associated Press putting it out on the wire. The Patriot-News has a full account of what took place.
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The Patriot-News – Woman found in trunk was strangled, Dauphin County coroner reports

WHP TV-21 exclusive video report – Exclusive: Murder victim's sister filed protective order against suspect Lastra

WGAL TV-8 video report

Linglestown weekend happenings, Sept. 26-28

Friday–Sunday … Fall Festival hosted by several Linglestown merchants

Saturday … Corn soup dinner and blood drive at Linglestown Fire Co. (brick building), 11 am until soup is sold out

Saturday … Red Bird Mission Appalachian Crafts Fair at Linglestown Life church, 9 am to 2 pm

Saturday … Music at St. Thomas Roasters presents Marie Smith, 8–10 pm, no cover

Sunday … Linglestown Colts youth football hosts the Susquehanna Indians at Koons Park, first of three game kicks off at 1 pm

Village merchants' Fall Festival starts Friday

The Merchants of Linglestown will be hosting a Fall Festival this Friday through Sunday, Sept. 26–28. The shops and eateries listed below are located just west of the famous flagpole in the historic village.

* Linglestown Chocolate Cafe
* St. Thomas Roasters
* First Impressions
* Linglestown Flowers and Gifts
* Hunter Valley Wines outlet store (winery is in Liverpool, Perry County)
* Olivia’s Tea Room

Police incident delays CD school day

Central Dauphin school officials issued a two-hour school delay this morning after police found a woman's body in the trunk of a car near Paxtonia Elementary.

2 pm update ... The car stolen by the suspect after he eluded police in Lower Paxton Twp. has been recovered in Baltimore.

(Source: The Patriot-News)
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WHP TV-21 video report

'Stick and slurp' to help fire company

More details about the Corn Soup Dinner and Blood Drive at Linglestown Fire Company, Saturday, Sept. 27, starting at 11 am.

Backyard news, 09.24.08

* Longtime Linglestown barber Ron Stine gets some press thanks to T.W. Burger of The Patriot-New.

* FiOS TV watch: It looks like Derry Twp. will be the first East Shore municipality to approve a cable TV franchise agreement with Verizon.

* Central Dauphin Area Basketball Association programs for boys and girls in grades K–12 (including private schools and home-schoolers) are now open for registration. CLICK HERE to register online.

* "Water… Water… EVERYWHERE!" screams a front-page headline in this week’s Paxton Herald. Annette Antoun, the paper’s publisher, reports that Centennial Acres residents are “terrified” that existing water runoff problems will be exasperated if McNaughton Homes gets approval to build 91 luxury homes on the slopes of Blue Mountain. Centennial Acres residents plan to file a lawsuit if McNaughton's proposal is not amended to provide a significant buffer of existing trees and vegetation between their development and the new homes, according to Antoun. She ends the article with this message for Francis McNaughton, the development company’s head: "Hey, Fran, pull back your plan, reconfigure it, and give these residents a break!"

After McNaughton met with residents in late August to hear their concerns about the housing project, company officials agreed to give the township more time to review the plan known as the Estates of Autumn Oaks. Earlier this month, McNaughton made a few changes to the plan but decided to stick with a 10-foot buffer between the two developments.

Lower Paxton Twp. supervisors need to vote on the plan no later than November 10. The township’s consulting engineering firm, HRG, has determined that the current plan meets all township requirements.

Backyard news, 09.23.08

* Today’s Patriot-News includes a story by Lower Paxton Twp. beat reporter T.W. Burger that recaps the $5 million Linglestown improvement project that could break ground in March or April.

There’s one issue the article does not mention – the project could be delayed if construction bids significantly exceed funds earmarked for the project. This is a distinct possibility because construction costs have skyrocketed since federal government funding for the project was secured a few years ago.

On a related note, the Village of Linglestown Committee canceled its meeting last week, so there’s nothing new to report about the project at this time.

* There is an ongoing debate in these parts about the boundaries of modern-day Linglestown. I’m not going to dig into this issue in this post, but I can confidently say that a WHP TV-21 report wrongly says a stretch of Linglestown Road in Susquehanna Twp. is in Linglestown.

* I have some good news to pass along about Koons Pool. Some new faces have joined the pool’s board of directors and planning for next year is already under way. Also, a Web site for the pool is in the works.

* The congressional race in our area is heating up as Democratic U.S. Rep. Tim Holden decided not to debate Republican challenger Toni Gilhooley next month in Lebanon County. The editorial board of the Lebanon Daily News called Holden’s decision “regrettable.”

* A few weeks ago I penned a letter to state Rep. Ron Marsico about a planned dog park in Lower Paxton Twp. As of today, I have not received a response to my Sept. 2 e-mail or the letter that I personally delivered on Sept. 15 to Marsico’s district office on Linglestown Road.

* I’m declaring today’s blogging experiment a success – one loyal Gazette reader showed up for the meet-up at The Eagle.

* Attention mowing contest entrants – Today I toured the yard at Gazette HQ pushing my trusty Honda lawn mower for the 24th time this season.

And, the pressure is on the put together a prize package for the winner. This is a great opportunity for Linglestown-area merchants to get some publicity. I plan to do a video with the winner and try to get media coverage. Please send me an e-mail or call 512-0722 if you want to donate a prize.

Unique craft fair on tap Saturday

I’ve been to dozens of craft fairs during my married life. My wife loves to go to them in hopes of finding something unique to decorate our home, and I usually serve as her chauffeur. To me, if I've seen one craft fair, I've seen them all. But a notice crossed my desk today about one that just might go way beyond what normally is offered at local events. Check this out …

Linglestown Life church will host the Red Bird Mission Appalachian Crafts Fair this Saturday, September 27, from 9 am to 2 pm.

Red Bird Mission, started in 1921, serves over 14,00 residents in the Appalachian mountains of Southeastern Kentucky each year by providing educational, health, and community outreach ministries. The mission's craft program helps artisans that live within a sixty-mile radius of the mission in marketing their crafts and increasing their income.

A partial listing of crafts for sale may include … baskets made of native creekwillow and honeysuckle; cornshuck flowers, dolls and angels; jewelry made with custom pewter pieces; leather earrings; turned wooden utensils and pottery; wooden pull toys; soft dolls; woven placemats and coaster.

Linglestown Life is located at 1430 N. Mountain Road just ½ block north of the flagpole in the village of Linglestown.

Suspected mall gunman nabbed

Lower Paxton Twp. police report that the suspect who fired a shot in the air last week while fleeing from department store security officers at the Colonial Park Mall has been arrested based on citizen tips received following the release of surveillance photos to the media. The weapon used in the incident has not been recovered as of yet.

Josue Rivera-Benitez, age 18, of the 3500 block of Mobile Rd. in Harrisburg has been arrested and charged with robbery and possessing instruments of crime. He was arraigned in Dauphin County Night Court before District Justice LaVon Postelle and released on $10,000 unsecured bail under the supervision of Pretrial Services.

Meet B² at the Eagle this evening

Gazette readers are invited to join me for an informal meet-up early this evening (Tuesday, Sept. 23) at the Eagle Hotel. I'll be there at 5:30 pm – look for the guy wearing a Linglestown Gazette sports shirt.

Please note that the Gazette is a low-budget operation, so "separate checks" will be in play.

Linglestown Colts team wins big game

The Linglestown Colts Pee-Wee varsity team continued its unbeaten streak Sunday at Koons Park by rolling over arch rival Cumberland Valley Eagles by a count of 19–6, running their record to 2–0 in conference play, 5–0 overall. Below are other scores from Sunday’s varsity games – Colts team records shown in parentheses:

Pony: Linglestown 28 – CV 36 (0–2 conference; 3–2 overall)
Midget: Linglestown 6 – CV 25 (0–2 conference; 1–4 overall)

The Colts varsity teams will play their last home games of the regular season at Koons Park this Sunday, Sept. 28, against the Susquehanna Indians; first of three games kicks off at 1 pm.
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Scores submitted by Eileen Arnold

Linglestown eatery updates

* The Linglestown Chocolate Cafe received a pair of favorable reviews from patrons who attended the deck expansion party Friday:

We went to the cafe to sample the Troegs beer Friday night on the new outdoor patio. They have a very nice set up with dining tables, outdoor lights and a water fountain. Very relaxing. Tried the desserts and they were fantastic. Great wait staff, very friendly and truly seemed to really enjoy being there and their jobs. Would go back again. – glassygirl

Source: PennLive’s Linglestown forum, see thread #440

#####

The place was fairly busy, busier than they had planned for. We sat outside on the new patio expansion. I like what they did with the new part. It's too bad the deck/patio had just been completed, would have been a nice summer destination.

We ordered a cup of the lobster bisque and a grilled chicken ceasar salad. Soup was excellent! Salad was pretty good as well. The Troeg's beer tasting consisted of Sandy, the owner (very nice guy by the way), pouring samples of different bottled Troeg's beer that was on display. Chocolate Cafe does not have a liquor license, so a free tasting is the only way they can provide alcohol.

Looking forward to going again and looking forward to the patio during warmer days. Heard that business has been fairly slow, so with this beer tasting and expansion they are hoping to increase business and also try to get some of the younger crowd to come check the place out – they are looking into some different advertising in order to do that. – Q-Tip

* Another Q-Tip: Smoke-free Eagle Hotel is A-OK:

I gotta say, love the smoking ban. Went to the Eagle (twice since the ban) and it is just a world of difference. Also heard their business has increased since they limited the smoking to the bar area before the ban and is looking like another increase since the ban. How about that Cantone's!

* St. Thomas Roasters coffee house is hosting a book signing for Joanne Strobert, author of Exploring Beauty: It Isn’t Only Skin Deep, this Thursday, Sept. 25, 6–8 pm.

CD school board to review tech plan

The Central Dauphin school board is scheduled to review the district’s technology plan for 2009-2012 and hear a student discipline case Monday during a meeting that will be held in the Lecture Hall at CD East High, 7 pm.

To review the agenda, go to the board’s Web site – the technology plan is located under agenda item “Unfinished Business.” (Click the + sign to the left of meeting date 09/22/2008, and then click the + signs located beside agenda items to review each issue that will be discussed.)

Backyard news, 09.19.08 TGIF edition

* I’ve been told that a local developer wants to purchase the former gas station on N. Mountain Rd. in Linglestown (pictured) and build a car wash on it. The buyer needs a zoning change and special permission to build a car wash on a half-acre lot (township regulations require a minimum one-acre lot). Citizen watchdog group SWAN is lobbying township officials to turn down the zoning change.

* An anonymous commenter on this blog took exception with SWAN pushing for additional tests at a hazardous waste site in Lower Paxton Twp., and widely known community, nuclear power and political activist Eric Epstein has taken a stab at setting the record straight. Check out the blog post and comments, and then read Epstein’s response.

* A Lower Paxton Twp. man will be spending more time behind bars for making online threats.

* Look for The Paxton Herald to side with Centennial Acres residents who are seeking changes to a mountainside housing development proposed by McNaughton Homes.

* For those of you chomping at the bit for a new cable TV option, look for the Lower Paxton Twp. Board of Supervisors to take action during October on a proposed franchise agreement negotiated by Capital Region Council of Governments that will enable Verizon to launch its FiOS digital TV service in the township. Verizon already has the channel lineup for LP posted on the Web.

Wine and cheese gathering attracts crowd

The seating area at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown was standing-room-only Thursday evening for wine and cheese tasting. The event featured a spread of specialty cheeses supplied by Jeff Katcher, a Linglestown-area resident who operates the Cheesetopia shop in Camp Hill. Darlene Kvaternik of Hunters Valley Winery in Liverpool shared wines that are available at an outlet store located at Linglestown Flowers and Gifts.

Pictured: TOP, cheesemonger Jeff Katcher, left, and vintner Darlene Kvaternik, right. BOTTOM, some of the participants at Roaster's wine and cheese fest.
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Gazette bonus link – Cheesemonger doing his thing courtesy of Wine Library TV.

Thief shoots gun at Colonial Park Mall

After being observed shoplifting a pair of headphones, a man who was being pursued by store security officers Thursday evening fired a handgun into the air outside Colonial Park Mall.

Lower Paxton Twp. police are asking the public's help in identifying the suspect who is described as a black male, 16–22 years old, short black hair, average height and build, wearing jeans and a blue t-shirt.

If you have information on this case, contact the LP police at (717) 657-5656, or the Tip-Line at (717) 635-2606.
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Click on photo to view larger version.

Patriot-News brief

BB AnswerLine: Tracking down bad guys

Question ... Linglestown Gazette reader Rich Krampe wants to know why the Lower Paxton Twp. police waited 40+ days to enlist the public's help in seeking a thief? (This week the police distributed a press release about a shoplifting incident that occurred on Aug. 6, 2008.)

B² answer ... Excellent question, Rich. In many instances, retail stores, especially the big box variety, are to blame because they fail to provide surveillance video to the police on a timely basis, according to my LP police contact. Delays also occur when the one LP police officer that works with video evidence is snowed under with work. In other cases, police are not in a position to immediately send information to the media because a suspect is linked to cases that are being investigated by police detectives in other municipalities. I guess my findings explain why many crooks get away with their dirty deeds.
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BB AnswerLine is a free service provided by Linglestown Gazette and its subsidiary Linglestown TV. CLICK HERE to submit a question via e-mail – please put “BB AnswerLine” in subject line.

LP weekend happenings, Sept. 19-21

Friday ... Deck expansion celebration at The Linglestown Chocolate Cafe, beer tasting 7–9 pm by Troegs Brewery, music until 10 pm

Saturday … Multi-family yard sale at the corner of Elmer and Elaine avenues in Linglestown, 7 am to ??

Saturday … Central Dauphin High School Ram Marching Band will host top local high school and college marching bands at the 27th annual Band-a-RAMa, Landis Field, 7 pm

Sunday … One Month to Live series continues at Linglestown Life

Sunday … Linglestown Colts youth football, varsity teams host Cumberland Valley, Koons Park, first of three games starts at 1 pm

Ongoing through Oct 4 … Scarecrow Contest sponsored by Linglestown Life and village merchants

-- Upcoming events --

Friday–Sunday, Sept. 26–28 … Fall Festival sponsored by the Merchants of Linglestown

Saturday, Sept. 27 … Corn soup dinner and blood drive at Linglestown Fire Co.

Saturday, Sept. 27 … Flea market at Linglestown Church of God located across from the Linglestown Fire Co.

Saturday, Sept. 27 … Music at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house presents the artistry of Marie Smith, 8–10 pm, no cover
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It's easy to get upcoming events in Lower Paxton Twp. posted on Linglestown Gazette – just send an e-mail to B².

Tasty time on tap in Lingletown

The place to be in Linglestown after work Thursday, Sept. 18, is St. Thomas Roasters coffee house where Java Geof will be hosting a demonstration of various wines from Hunters Valley Winery starting at 6 pm.

To complement the wine, Geof has invited Cheesetopia of Camp Hill to share their love of cheese.

And, as a bonus to the evening, First Impressions Boutique, a neighboring business of the coffee house, will be giving away a fabulous door prize – a Chic Wine Carrier, an item that will come in handy for the winner's next BYOB outing.

Arrest made in LP child death case

Local police today charged Ana Cuoco, 24, a Brazilian nanny whose son recently died in the basement of a Lower Paxton Twp. home, with one count of criminal homicide. Cuoco had previously been charged in this incident for concealing the death of a child and abuse of a corpse.

The additional charge was filed after completion of forensic investigation by the Dauphin County coroner's office. An autopsy determined that the child was breathing at the time of birth.

The Dauphin County District Attorney's office reviewed both the police and coroner's investigation and directed that Cuoco be charged with criminal homicide.

Cuoco was arraigned today before District Judge Joseph Lindsey on the additional charge and was remanded to Dauphin County Prison pending a preliminary hearing set for October 23 at 9:00 am. No bail was set because criminal homicide is a non-bailable offense.
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Patriot-News article

Highway to stupidity

Lower Paxton man tries out for NASCAR circuit – on Route 15 near Dillsburg.

Citizen group working to prevent watershed pollution

Updated 09.19.08 at 4:02 pm ...

Government watchdog group SWAN (Stray Wind Area Neighbors) has requested that state environmental officials conduct soil tests at the site of a former asphalt company on McIntosh Road in Lower Paxton Twp.

The group is concerned that the Paxton Creek and land adjacent to the Baltimore Tar hazardous waste site could be contaminated with benzene, which the federal Environmental Protection Agency has classified as a known human carcinogen.

“It is difficult to imagine that decades worth of hazardous waste activity on a site that slopes into the Paxton Creek would not infect the watershed,” said SWAN chairman Eric Epstein in a letter to the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP).

The cleanup plan being backed by DEP would not remove pollution to a level good enough for residential uses.

SWAN disagrees with DEP's plan because the waste site is located on the Stray Winds Farm tract that has been approved for a housing development with over 400 dwelling units.
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On Sept. 19, SWAN chairman Eric Epstein sent me a response to an anonymous comment filed under this post.

Seen this thief?

Lower Paxton Twp. police are trying to identify the man shown above who is suspected of ripping off a GPS unit from the Circuit City store at Paxton Towne Centre. If you have one of those “Oh my god, it’s [fill in the person’s name]” moments, please call the police at (717) 657-5656, or make an anonymous call to the department’s Tip-Line at (717) 635-2606.

LP government watchdog

On local the local government front this week, there are two township meetings and a citizens group gathering on tap:

* Tuesday, Board of Supervisors meeting, Municipal Center, 7:30 pm (meeting agenda; meeting will be televised on Comcast channel 20)

* Wednesday, the public is invited to attend the monthly meeting of citizen watchdog group SWAN at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 1100 Colonial Road, 7 pm

* Thursday, Village of Linglestown Committee will meet to discuss the planned square and village improvement project, Linglestown Fire Co. (brick building, front meeting room), 7 pm

Colts win two of three against Steelton

The scores from our Linglestown Colts varsity games Saturday evening at. Steelton were:

Colts PeeWees won 27-0 (conference record 1-0; overall 4-0)

Colts Ponies won 32-0 (conference record 0-1; overall 3-1)

Colts Midgets lost 6-19 (conference record 0-1; overall 1-3)

The Colts PeeWees are in first place in their division. The next games played will be this Sunday, Sept. 21, against arch rival Cumberland Valley at Koon's Park, first game kicks off at 1 pm. Sunday also is Parent’s Day, and all players and cheerleaders will be introduced. Children who have participated in Linglestown Football Association programs for four years will be presented with a four-year jacket.
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Report filed by Eileen Arnold

Linglestown traffic advisory

Crews working on the sewer line replacement project under way along Linglestown Road (Route 39) east of the historic village of Linglestown will close the road tonight from 9 pm to 5 am. Eastbound traffic will be detoured at the square, and westbound traffic will be detoured at Piketown Road. Also, the entrance to Linglestown Road on Balthaser Street and Margaret Avenue will be blocked.

The nighttime road closure most likely will continue for most of this week.

New stuff in Linglestown

The Linglestown Chocolate Cafe is putting the finishing touches on a deck expansion. The eatery will hold a party to celebrate the opening of the new outdoor dining area this Friday, Sept. 19. The evening will feature Troegs beer tasting from 7 – 9 pm, rain or shine.

The new municipal parking lot located behind Linglestown Chocolate Cafe is nearly completed. Only a pair of light standards need to be erected and wired. The lot was constructed to help offset the loss of parking spaces along Linglestown Road that will occur as a result of the planned village improvement project.

Lawmaker holds trio of town meetings

Our state senator, Jeffrey Piccola, experienced a busy Saturday morning by holding separate town meetings in East Hanover, West Hanover and Lower Paxton townships. I attended the one held at the East Shore Library in Colonial Park. He addressed the following issues that were raised by some of the 30 citizens in attendance:

* Status of a planned traffic light at Nyes Road and Locust Lane – Piccola said he would contact state transportation officials for an update on the project.

* Idea to lease the Pennsylvania Turnpike to raise revenues for highway and bridge repairs and to fund mass transit systems – Piccola isn’t for leasing the turnpike and doesn’t see the General Assembly addressing the issue during the remainder of the current legislative session that ends in November.

* Elimination of school property taxes – “Public education shouldn’t be funded with a 19th century tax,” said Piccola. “It will take a governor to lead on the issue to make it happen.”

* There was a lengthy debate on what is driving the state’s shortage of nurses. A retired nurse insisted the crisis is a result of the closure of nearly all nursing schools operated by hospitals, while Piccola said he’s been told that too few people want to work as a nurse.

* Piccola also fielded questions about electric rates, his effort to stage a state constitutional convention, a sinkhole on Locust Lane and accessibility of polls to handicapped voters.

Piccola, a Republican, is running re-election and is being challenged Democrat Judy Hirsh in the Nov. 4 general election.

Backyard news and links, 09.12.08

Eatery thumbs nose at smoking ban … Cantone's Southern Italian Restaurant in Colonial Park has received significant media coverage for openly not enforcing the state’s new indoor smoking ban that became effective Thursday. Cantone's could be fined if a customer decides to report the eatery by calling a state help line at 877-835-9535. A first offense carries a fine of up to $250, a second offense, $500, and a third, $1,000. The publicity Cantone’s has received for just saying no to government meddling with his business has been worth far more than geting slapped with a few fines – although some nonsmokers probably won’t step inside the place.

Shopping for school chief … CD school board has hired a firm to help search for a new schools chief.

People of peace ... CD East High parents and community members are invited to attend a meeting of a group called PEACE, which stands for People Engaged And Committed to the East community. The powwow will take place Monday, Sept. 15, 7 pm at the cafeteria in CD East High. (Source: Lower Paxton forum, PennLive.com, thread #178)

Village merchant does the Web … Olivia’s Tea Room, 5939 Linglestown Road, has launched a nice looking Web site. The shop, which includes a photography business, is located on the second floor of the building that houses Linglestown Flowers and Gifts – use the rear entrance to visit the tea room.

Mowing contest update … I blew the dust off my trusty Honda push mower and whacked my green stuff Thursday for the first time since way back on August 4. The mowing was the 22nd time this season I’ve done this non-green task at Gazette headquarters. The wet weather of late is greening things up, and I think there’s a very good chance the count could break 30 by the time the contest ends on November 1. Sorry DRM – I think your guess of 27 is toast.

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LP weekend happenings, Sept. 12-14

Updated 9/14/08, 12:56 pm ...

Friday–Saturday … Kids Market will set up shop once again at New Hope Church

Saturday … Town meeting with state Senator Jeff Piccola, 11 am–noon, East Shore Area Library

Saturday … Car wash sponsored by Boy Scout Troop 11, Linglestown Fire Co., 9 am–2 pm, rain or shine (a truck bay at the firehouse will be used), vehicles will be hand washed and drive, $5 donation per vehicle. Plus, there will be a selection of eats and drinks for purchase while you wait.

Saturday … Music at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house on the square in Linglestown features the jazz sounds of Shoeless Grooves, 8-10 pm, no cover

Sunday … One Month to Live series continues at Linglestown Life

Ongoing through Oct 4 … Scarecrow Contest sponsored by Linglestown Life and village merchants

-- Upcoming events --

Tuesday, Sept. 16 … Concert by the world famous Glenn Miller Orchestra sponsored by the Central Dauphin Ram Band Boosters, 7 pm. This event is almost SOLD OUT, so purchase tickets ASAP. Call (717) 979-2312 to check ticket availability.

Thursday, Sept. 18 ... Wine and cheese tasting at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house, 6 pm

Friday, Sept. 19 ... Deck expansion celebration at Chocolate Cafe, beer tasting 7–9 pm by Troegs Brewery, music until 10 pm (Q-Tip)

Saturday, Sept. 20 … Multi-family yard sale at the corner of Elmer and Elaine avenues in Linglestown, 7 am to ??

Saturday, Sept. 20 … Central Dauphin High School Ram Marching Band will host top local high school and college marching bands at the 27th annual Band-a-RAMa, Landis Field, 7 pm

Friday–Sunday, Sept. 26–28 … Fall Festival sponsored by the Merchants of Linglestown

Saturday, Sept. 27 … Corn soup dinner and blood drive at Linglestown Fire Co.

Saturday, Sept. 27 … Flea market at Linglestown Church of God located across from the Linglestown Fire Co.

Koons Pool seeks dollars from LP

Koons Pool representatives went before the Lower Paxton Twp. supervisors Tuesday evening seeking a $5,000 grant to erase a budget deficit from the season that just ended.

The supervisors likely will approve the request if the pool group can document the losses and outline their plans for maintaining the facility, township sources said after the meeting.

Township Supervisor Bill Seeds said that he wants to see the pool become self-sufficient starting next season, especially since pool officials claim they only need 100 family memberships to break even.

The township gave the pool over $10,000 in 2007 that was used to offset regular operating expenses and to replace a pump on an emergency basis.

Developing story …

Hearing on sex case delayed

A court hearing on the alleged child sex case that caused a stir in Linglestown earlier this summer has been delayed.

Jimmy Melton, 45, of Nassau Road, was scheduled to appear before Lingelstown Magisterial District Judge William C. Wenner last Tuesday on charges of unlawful contact with a minor, indecent exposure and corruption of minors, but the preliminary hearing was rescheduled to Nov. 25 at 10 am.

Developing story …

BB AnswerLine: How to identify a fake cop

Gazette reader Gwen Robbins submitted the following question related to "fake cop" incidents reported in the Harrisburg region:

Do the police have any advice for how young girls (or anyone) should react when being pulled over if there is a doubt about the identity of the person pulling them over? Should they put on hazard lights and go to a lighted area? Call 911 to confirm that it is the police pulling them over?

I posed the question to a Pennsylvania State Police spokeswoman who gave me the following tips:

The key thing to remember is to ask the officer some common-sense questions if you suspect that you might be dealing with a fake cop. Always, always ask the officer for identification, especially if the he or she is in plain clothes. If you are dealing with a city or borough police officer, ask for the police department’s name and telephone number. If you are dealing with a “real” officer, they will quickly put you in your place when you start asking these questions.

If the officer is unable to produce identification or has trouble answering basic questions, the best thing to do is end the conversation and drive away.

In the case that recently happened in part in Lower Paxton Twp., the teen became suspicious when she was asked about her marital status. She only opened her window an inch and sent a text message to her mom before driving away. Police praised the teen for wisely handling the situation.

Also, it’s good to know that state troopers are required to wear their hat when approaching citizens, while not all local police departments have a hat requirement.
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BB AnswerLine is a free service provided by Linglestown Gazette and its subsidiary Linglestown TV. CLICK HERE to submit a question via e-mail – please put “BB AnswerLine” in subject line.

Scarecrow contest is under way

Linglestown Life church is sponsoring a scarecrow contest that young and old are invited to enter. Here’s what you need to do:

Pick up a scarecrow frame at Linglestown Life weekdays 8 am–4 pm, or on Saturday, Sept. 13 from 8 am–noon, and then decorate the scarecrow using your own materials and return it to the church sometime between Sept. 21-24.

Residents are invited to cast votes for a favorite scarecrow at Linglestown Life on Saturday, Oct. 4 from 8 am–4 pm. Prizes donated by participating businesses will be awarded in several age categories.

Prior to the casting your vote, you can get a look at all the creations by visiting the Fall Festival that will be held Friday–Saturday, Sept. 26–28, at the following Linglestown merchants:

Olivia’s Tea Room and Kelli Wyland Photography
The Chocolate Cafe
Linglestown Flowers & Gifts
St. Thomas Roasters
First Impressions Boutique, Gifts & Day Spa
Hunters Valley Winery

For more details, contact Linglestown Life at 545-5200 or send an e-mail to the church.

LP sewerage update

You may remember that Lower Paxton Twp. held a meeting last month in Linglestown with residents to answer questions about upcoming sewage repair projects. Here’s what’s in the works:

Letters were sent to 430 homeowners along or near Earl Drive, which is located between N. Lockwillow Ave. and Colonial Road, to attend the meeting to learn about plans to replace sewage lines, including ones that run from the street into homes, that will take place early in 2009. (The Paxton Herald article didn’t specify this info and several people from other areas attended the meeting.) Currently, the main sewer line that runs along western end of Earl Drive is being replaced.

The same type of project will eventually will happen in Linglestown and other areas of the township. Letters will be sent to homeowners before dirt starts flying.

The township has agreed to replace sewer lines as part of state-mandated repairs to prevent groundwater from getting into the sewage collection system, a situation that causes the overloading of pump stations and the sewage treatment plant. In the past, work was done to replace faulty connection points of sewer lines under the streets and ones that run out of homes, but those repairs have not stopped clear water from getting into the sewage system.

Replacing asbestos-cement lines that were installed when the system was first constructed in the 1950s with PVC lines is needed because the asbestos lines become brittle as they age and eventually fail, said a sewer department staffer.

Residents will not be billed for installation of new lines, but sewer rates are expected to climb to almost $200 per quarter over the next 20 years.

Backyard news and links, 09.08.08

Good vibrations about roundabouts … Gazette reader Lance Zaring submitted a link to a Times magazine article that is sure to make you a believer in using roundabouts instead of stoplights. As most of you know, a pair of roundabouts is included in planned improvements in the village of Linglestown.

Probe of baby’s death in LP continues … More charges might be filed against a Brazilian nanny whose son recently died in the basement of a Lower Paxton Twp. home, says Dauphin County District Attorney Edward Marsico Jr.

Citizens leaflet neighborhood … Centennial Acres residents, with the help of watchdog group SWAN, distributed leaflets urging homeowners to attend a Lower Paxton Twp. meeting Tuesday that will include a discussion about a controversial housing community proposed by McNaughton Homes. The residents will present a list of changes they want incorporated into the plan to protect their properties from potential problems posed by the location of storm water basins.

Grass mowing contest update … BB's yard-mowing count has been stuck at 21 since way back on August 4. The contest ends on November 1 and then the big prize will be awarded to a lucky someone.