Gearing up for National Night Out - Tue., Aug. 1

The big tent is ready to go for Lower Paxton National Night Out tomorrow evening from 6 - 9 pm at Koons Park in the village of Linglestown.

Community Calendar, News

Activities

* July 27, 28 & 29 – Grantville Volunteer Fire Company carnival; nightly entertainment; amusement rides; bring a lawn chair; gates open at 5:30 pm on July 27 & 28, and 5 pm on July 29

* Tuesday, August 1, 6 - 9 pm – Lower Paxton National Night Out at Koons Park in the village of Linglestown

Trips

* Friday, Nov. 10 – Holiday Trip to Hunderdon Hills Playhouse, sponsored by Linglestown Garden Club, $76, call Helen Drothler at 234-8979

News Brief

* To promote National Garden Week, the Harrisburg Area Civic Garden Center recently planted two purple plum trees in Koons Park in the village of Linglestown.

History Byte #2

Story behind village name ...

Linglestown was founded in 1765 by Thomas Lingle, who came to this area from Berks County, Pa. After purchasing the land and laying out the town, he named it "The Town of St. Thomas." However, because it was Mr. Lingle who founded the town, many people began calling it "Lingle’s Town." In 1811, Thomas Lingle died and was buried in the St. Thomas (Wenrich’s) church Cemetery. After his death the former name of the town was dropped, and the name was changed, unofficially, to Linglestown.

Source: Lower Paxton Township Bi-centennial 1767-1967, Triangle Press (Harrisburg, Pa.), 1967

Music update

* Friday, July 21, 7:00-8:30 pm – Steven Courtney Band will be featured at Lower Paxton Township’s T.G.I.F. Concert at Brightbill Park, free.

* CANCELED, TO BE RESCHEDULED - Saturday, July 22, 8 pm – Socks and Sandals, featuring Josh Nolt and Dave Kaprocki, will appear at St. Thomas Roasters coffee shop in the village of Linglestown, free.

Skateboarder gets press

Dylan Windemaker of Linglestown is featured in a story about skateboarding in Section B of today's The Patriot-News. CLICK HERE to read "Leap of faith: Teen uses skateboarding to talk about Christianity."

Today's paper also overviews Lower Paxton Township's plan to build a skate park in the new George Park off Nyes Road. This is the park that's home to the newly built Possibility Place playground.

LP gets new zoning regs

Lower Paxton Township supervisors unanimously approved new zoning regulations Tuesday night. What does this mean for the Linglestown area?

The village of Linglestown should retain its current look … New development in the village is supposed to fit in with the character of the historic community.

Farmland could grow houses … Residential housing developments with small lots – minimum of 0.5 acre – could dot the farmland north of the village, and homes with larger lots – mimimum of 1.5 acres – are allowed on the farmland east of the village located south of Linglestown Road/Route 39.

If building plans are filed with the township, Linglestown residents will have opportunities to get involved in the plan review process.

Linglestown Gazette will regularly check with the township for information on new developments that are in the review pipeline.
____________________
CLICK HERE for more details from The Patriot-News.

Farmland north of the village of Linglestown. Picture was taken near the intersection Margaret Avenue and Route 39.

Community Calendar, News

Music

* July 15, 5-8 pm – New Orleans Relief Jazz Jamboree, outdoor concert at St. Thomas United Church of Christ located east of the village on Linglestown Rd.; tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for senior citizens and youth, children under 5 are free; in the event of rain, concert will be held indoors at Colonial Park United Church of Christ, 5000 Devonshire Rd.

Meetings

* TONIGHT, 7 pm - Lower Paxton Township supervisors will conduct a public hearing at the Township Municipal Center on a new zoning ordinance. CLICK HERE for more details.

Youth Activities

* July 15, 9 am to noon - Linglestown Football Association will hold a summer registration session for youth football players and cheerleaders at the Koons Park main pavilion. CLICK HERE for more details.

Trips

* Friday, Nov. 10 – Holiday Trip to Hunderdon Hills Playhouse, sponsored by Linglestown Garden Club, $76, call Helen Drothler at 234-8979

News Briefs

* Pennsylvania Partnership Abroad, a nonprofit humanitarian organization based in Linglestown and Wroclaw, Poland, is seeking donations of educational materials for English-language instruction in Poland. Donated materials go to 83 Polish schools and colleges and two city libraries. To make donations, contact Bill Minsker at 545-9574.

* Weis Markets has received an OK from the Lower Paxton Township Planning Commission to expand its store at Colonial and Linglestown roads by 12,070 square feet.

* Lower Paxton Township supervisors recently honored the following Linglestown firefighters for their continued dedication and community service (number shown with each name denotes emergency calls answered in 2005):

Chuck Hoffer - 358; Shawn Magaro - 337; Ray Magaro - 325; Joe Crum - 292; Dan Crum - 262; Tony Bernatos - 262; Edward Crum -259; Bill Payne - 223; Bill Minsker - 173; Matthew Coyne - 170; Jeff Phillips - 170; Josh King - 160

* Linglestown square - Lower Paxton Township supervisors approved a supplement to an agreement with Arora & Associates for design services for the square improvement project. The services will include land acquisition for road improvements, as well as bidding of the project.

Green space, zoning and you

As you’ve probably noticed, green space – sometimes referred to as open space – is rapidly disappearing in the Linglestown area and throughout Lower Paxton Township.

According to a recent newspaper story, township officials and residents have been working for more than a year to come up with revised zoning regulations to save green space. (Zoning determines what kind of development is allowed in various sections of Lower Paxton.)

“[The proposal] does a better job at protecting neighborhoods from incompatible development. It protects Blue Mountain. It protects the village of Linglestown,” said Frederick W. Lighty, chairman of the township planning commission.

The township supervisors will hold a public on the proposed zoning rules on Tuesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. in the Township Municipal Center, 425 Prince Street.

Be advised that the township supervisors can vote on the zoning changes Tuesday night immediately after the public hearing.

CLICK HERE for more from The Patriot-News.
______________
Pictured is an office building under construction in the village of Linglestown along North Mountain Road near the middle school.

Youth football, cheerleading sign-ups on tap

Linglestown Football Association will hold summer registration sessions for youth football players and cheerleaders the next two Saturdays - July 8 and 15 - from 9 a.m. to noon at the Koons Park main pavilion.

About 300 boys and girls participated in programs last year, according to Chip Schaffer, Linglestown Football Association athletic director.

CLICK HERE to visit the association's Web site.

Music at Roasters

Friday, July 7, 8-10 pm ...

Frank Cotolo of Grantville will be serving up tunes and java Friday evening at St. Thomas Roasters coffee shop in the village of Linglestown. A writer, broadcaster and musician, Frank's act is a unique blend of music and laughter.

New feature - local weather

Check out the new weather report box from AccuWeather.com located in the right-hand sidebar.

Welcome new Linglestown Gazette readers

Happy Independence Day!

And welcome to all new readers who received a business card prior to last night's fireworks at Koons Park from a wacky guy wearing a patriotic top hat.

Thanks go out to the Linglestown Fire Company and Lower Paxton Township for putting on a top-notch show.

Bill Bostic, Linglestown Gazette editor

Tonight, Koons Park, 9:45 p.m., be there ...