CD bus drivers to be furloughed?

The Patriot-News reported this afternoon that Central Dauphin School District bus drivers received letters today notifying them they will be furloughed Nov. 9.

The new transportation contractor, Durham School Services, now is under the gun to hire a full complement of bus drivers next week so buses can roll on Nov. 9.

The bus drivers' association will file an injunction with Dauphin County Court on Monday to halt the move, said Eric Epstein, the association's business agent.

Community news, 10.28.09

Do bears like pancakes? … Coco, mascot of the Hershey Bears hockey team, is scheduled to make an appearance at Linglestown Fire Company’s annual all-you-can-eat Pancake Breakfast this Saturday, Oct. 31 from 7 am–noon. He will be at the fire hall (brick building) from 9–10 am for photos. Plus, the American Hockey League championship award, the Calder Cup, won by the Hershey Bears last season will be available for pictures. The donation requested for the pancake meal is $7 for adults, $5 for children under 10 (no charge for children age 3 and under.)

Come out, touch the Cup, bring the kids to meet Coco and support the Linglestown Fire Company.

Hot stuff … Linglestown firefighter Lorne Hicks was selected to appear in the 2010 Hottest Of charity calendar. Congrats!

Attention merchants … Linglestown Football Association is seeking items or money to purchase prizes for a raffle table at its annual banquet for children and their families. The event will be held Nov. 14. Contributors will be recognized during the event. To participate, contact Heather Steavens-Jones at 919-7799.

Linglestown makeover set to start

Dirt is expected to fly very soon on the long-anticipated Linglestown improvement project – possibly later this week.

Most of the activity this fall will be on the west end of the village where a bypass road will be constructed between Linglestown Road and Blue Mountain Parkway. There will be some traffic interruptions, but two-way traffic will be maintained into early 2010.

Things will get interesting in late winter or early spring next year when detours on Linglestown Road and one-way traffic through the village will start.

CLICK HERE for more details provided by community watchdog group SWAN.
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Click on the photo of to view a larger version. The planned improvements are shown in yellow.

CD breaks contract with bus drivers

CLICK HERE for details from The Patriot-News, HERE for a statement by Eric Epstein, business manager for the bus drivers association, and HERE for a video report from WGAL TV-8.

Comedy, puppet shows coming to Linglestown

Amy Barnes and Jerry Miner are bringing over twenty years of comedy experience to Linglestown Life, 1430 N. Mountain Road, Harrisburg (1/2 block north of the square in Linglestown) on Saturday, October 31 in two shows at 6:00 and 8:00 pm. Amy and Jerry have over 25 national television appearances – including Comedy Central and HBO – and have written for Jack Black, Bonnie Hunt, Jay Leno and Bill Cosby.

Linglestown Life's own band, Diadem, will open the show with a blend of contemporary music that will get you ready to enjoy an evening of laughter.

The 6:00 pm show will also feature a separate children's program by Messiah College's Puppet Praise. This energetic group of Messiah students will provide an evening of fun for kids of all ages. Admission is included in the price of adult admission.

Tickets are available in advance by contacting the church at 717-545-5200 or by e-mail. Advance tickets are $12 per person and $15 at the door. Refreshments will be provided. Doors open at 5:30 and 7:40 pm.

Lower Paxton seeks funding for solar farm

Click the above headline to link to a Patriot-News article.

Linglestown merchants’ Fall Festival this weekend

Visit the merchants for special promotions and enter a drawing to win gift certificates Friday, Oct. 23 through Sunday, Oct. 25.

*** Saturday’s lineup of special events ***

* Fall Hair and Make-up Trends seminar by Shag, A Hair Salon and First Impressions Boutique & Day Spa. 9:30-11 am – SOLD OUT

* Apple dumplings & pumpkin pies for sale by Linglestown Church of God. They will be on sale on the front porch at Olivia’s Tea Room, 10 am until sold out

* Also on Olivia's front porch... Sylvan Learning Center's prize wheel, 12:30–2 pm

* Family fun at Olivia's Tea Room – face painting, crafts, cookies and gourmet teas – no pre-registration required, 11 am–2 pm

* Capitol Opera Harrisburg’s youth chorus will perform excerpts from Hansel & Gretel in the sanctuary at Linglestown Life Church, 1 pm

* St. Thomas Roasters will be featuring pumpkin spice coffee by Java Geof

* The Humane Society Of Harrisburg will have man’s best friends on the front porch at First Impressions, 11:30 am–2:30 pm

* Metro Bank … It's a bird, it's a plane. No, it's METRO MAN! Meet him 11 am–3 pm

* Please donate blood! Central PA Blood Mobile Unit will be accepting blood donations, noon–4 pm
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Festival organized by Linglestown Merchants Association

You're invited to a Star Party

Harrisburg Sylvan Learning Center will hold a free Star Party on Thursday, October 22, starting at 7:30 pm. The center is located in front of Linglestown Middle School at 1100 N. Mountain Road.

Visitors will be able to use telescopes to view some of the same objects that Galileo studied 400 years ago, weather permitting. Sylvan’s Star Party is part of an international weekend of events called Galilean Nights.

Trick-or-Treat scheduled

Trick-or-Treat Night in Lower Paxton Twp. will take place on Thursday, October 29 from 6–8 pm.

Legendary music coming to CD

Central Dauphin Band Boosters Association will welcome the legendary sound of the Artie Shaw Orchestra to the Central Dauphin High School for one night only on Tuesday, October 20 at 7 pm. Tickets are $9 for students and seniors, $12 for adults.

Concerts like this one provide excellent entertainment for the community and give students a chance to meet professional musicians.

Ticket information is available online or by calling (717) 979-2312.

Meeting set on Linglestown improvements

A public meeting to discuss the Linglestown improvement project – better known as the square project – will be held this Thursday, October 15 at 7 pm in the St. Thomas Social Hall at the old firehouse.

Although there have been several tentative starting dates that have come and gone in recent years, it appears to be the real thing this time around.

PennDOT has awarded a $4 million construction bid to Leon E. Wintermyer Co. of Etters to put in place improvements that aim to improve traffic flow and put a new face on the village. Groundbreaking is expected to happen this fall.

Bingo’s back in Linglestown

Following a short summer recess, the excitement of bingo games has returned to Linglestown.

Bingo has been a weekly part of the activities of the Linglestown Fire Company for more than 60 years, and now this event is back for a new season of fun and entertainment. New games and higher payouts will greet the players who attend.

Games begin every Tuesday evening at 7 pm in the St. Thomas Social Hall in the brick firehouse, 5901 Linglestown Road, located at the west end of the village. Doors open at 5 pm so you can feast on refreshments of homemade soup, sandwiches, and baked goods provided by the Ladies Auxiliary.

Linglestown firefighters appreciated

Linglestown Fire Company members worked into the wee hours of the morning last Wednesday fighting a house fire on Rockford Drive near Linglestown.

Gazette reader Jason Mansure passed along the following words of appreciation for the volunteer firefighters who responded to the emergency call:

I am completely impressed and appreciative of the hard work the responding emergency team had accomplished. Within minutes the sky that was filled with raging orange and yellow flames seemed to be under control. I realize a lot of these brave men and women are volunteers and I hope they know how much they are appreciated.

Every year during the holidays these same brave men and women come to different neighborhoods in our area and help spread the holiday spirit with gifts and their time for the neighborhood children, including my two girls.

Lower Paxton top cop promoted to executive post

David Johnson, Lower Paxton's acting police chief, has been appointed as the township public safety director, a newly created position. CLICK HERE for the story from The Patriot-News.

Finding pain relief in Linglestown

Check out the video below to hear how Pat found relief from injuries sustained in a car accident by receiving care at Homza Chiropractic Wellness & Rehab in Linglestown.

You'll also meet Dr. Josee Homza who is celebrating who her 20th year in practice. Dr. Homza has a distinct accent, and that's because she spent her formative years living in Canada.



Note from B² – I am currently receiving wellness care at Homza Chiropractic in exchange for blog posts like this one. Dr. Josee Homza and her husband John helped me recover from a very stiff neck earlier this year.
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CLICK HERE for a video tour of the Homza Chiropractic office.

Save the date!

Coming to Linglestown in two weeks ...

THE LINGLESTOWN MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION
FALL FESTIVAL
OCTOBER 23, 24 & 25, 2009

Celebrate the fall season and join the fun!

Fun for kids on tap Saturday

A Children's Block Party is scheduled in the Linglestown area this Saturday, October 10, from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm. It will be held in the parking lot of the Charlton United Methodist Church at the intersection of North Mountain and Old Jonestown roads, next to Karns Foods.

There will be free food, games, and entertainment for children and their families!

Lower Paxton watchdog, 10.05.09

Lower Paxton Twp. supervisors will conduct their first business meeting of October on Tuesday, 7:30 pm, at the Municipal Center. The meeting will be broadcast live on Comcast channel 20.

A key issue up for a vote is an early retirement option for non-uniformed township employees, a proposal that stems from the township's budgetary woes. (agenda)

Check back for highlights from recent township meetings that are provided by community watchdog group SWAN.

Saturday backyard news, 10.03.09

* Guitar player and vocalist Paul Zavinsky of Hummelstown will be appearing at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house tonight, 8–10 pm, no cover.




* ABC News correspondent Bob Woodruff was in town last week for a story about the future of nuclear energy. Woodruff, right, interviewed Lower Paxton resident and nuclear watchdog Eric Epstein, left, at Kuppy's Diner in Middletown.

The 30-minute show will air on Planet Green (Comcast channel 113) later this month: Oct. 14, 10:30 pm; Oct. 15, 6:30 am and 2:30 pm.

– Debra Schell of the (Middletown) Press And Journal

Weekend happenings

Music at Roasters … I received word that Linglestown resident and former WINK 104 radio host Tim Burns is going to be jammin’ with a few of his friends Friday evening, Oct. 2, at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown. His group, appropriately called St. Thomas Jam, will be on stage 8–10 pm, no cover.

Fall fest … Boy Scout Troop 10 will be hosting their annual Apple/Pumpkin Festival at the Linglestown Legion on N. Mountain Road, Saturday and Sunday, 9 am to 3 pm.

Yummy soup … Linglestown Fire Company has a small supply of their locally famous chicken corn soup available for sale.