Patriot-News clips

* Linglestown native Tom George was recently honored by having Lower Paxton Township's newest park named in his honor. He has served on the township Parks and Recreation Board for nearly 50 years. CLICK HERE to read the article.

* Lower Paxton Township will hold a Greenway meeting on Feb. 6 at 7:30 pm at the municipal building, 425 Prince Street. Residents are encouraged to offer their ideas about the proposed township-wide system of connected trails.

* The Lower Paxton Township Police Department is seeking a substitute crossing guard. Pay is $9.75 per hour. Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applications are available at the police department at the municipal building, 425 Prince Street. For information, call Officer Kevin Roland at 657-5656.

And, the township police will sponsor a Citizens Police Academy on Wednesdays starting March 14 at the municipal building. The classes are free and open to people age 18 or older. CLICK HERE for more details.

Linglestown history - Eagle Hotel

The Eagle Hotel, located on the southeast corner of the Linglestown Square, was first known as the Bull Nose Tavern. It was a log building built sometime before 1845, and was used until about 1858, when the present building was built on the same site.

Source: Lower Paxton Township Bi-centennial 1767-1967, Triangle Press, Harrisburg, PA, 1967

Linglestown happenings

Jimmy Griffiths, who until recently operated the St. Thomas Barber Shop on the square, is back in business somewhere on Progress Avenue, according to comments posted on this blog. Check back for more details.

Frank Cotolo will present his musical variety show at St. Thomas Roasters this Friday, Feb. 2. Show starts at 8 pm. A writer, broadcaster and musician, Frank's act is a unique blend of music and laughter.

Central Dauphin High School is sponsoring a couple musical events in the near future:

* Tuesday, Feb. 6 - The St. Olaf Choir, an internationally acclaimed choral ensemble from St. Olaf College in Minnesota, will perform a concert at 7:30 pm. CLICK HERE for ticket information.

* In March, the high school's Fine and Performing Arts Department will present Disney's "High School Musical." CLICK HERE for dates and times of performances.

The Linglestown Chocolate Cafe is seeking permission from Lower Paxton Township to install business signs along Linglestown Road. The township Zoning Hearing Board will consider the request on Thursday, Feb. 1 at 7 pm at the municipal building on Prince Street.

Hat tip to blogHarrisburg

You can now see items from Linglestown Gazette on blogHarrisburg, which is continually updated with headlines from the best Harrisburg-area blogs.

A link to blogHarrisburg has been added to the "Local Blogger" section in the right-hand sidebar.

Village forum on PennLive.com

In addition to regularly checking out Linglestown Gazette, be sure to sneak a peek at the Linglestown Forum on PennLive.com.

Here's a quick summary of recent talking points:

Qfest is up in arms over the Route 39, village square improvement project; Linglestown Baseball Association is a hot topic of debate; Senor Pepe's Tex-Mex offerings get some reviews; Hoss's is coming but its location seems to be a mystery; Chocolate Cafe gets a few mentions.

Village briefs

PARK IMPROVEMENT – Lower Paxton Township recently installed new parking lot lights at Koons Park. One of the three new light standards is pictured, along with an old light fixture.





BUDDING ARTIST – Brendan McCandless, a fifth-grade student at Linglestown Elementary School, was selected as a winner in the 2007 “Drug Free” Calendar Contest sponsored by state Attorney General Tom Corbett. CLICK HERE to see Brendan’s artwork.

BUSINESS CLOSINGS – Two businesses located at the village square have closed up shop.

John’s Service Center went out of business earlier this month for economic considerations, according to a telephone recording.







And, Jimmy Griffiths decided to close St. Thomas Barber Shop, which was one of the few old-style shops in the area.






SOCCER FIELD OF DREAMS – The Capital Area Soccer Association wants to build an eight- to 10-field soccer complex for tournaments and college showcase games at a township park located just east of Linglestown. CLICK HERE for the story from The Patriot-News.

Soup anyone?

This Saturday, January 27, the Linglestown Fire Company #1 will hold their annual mid-winter soup sale at the old firehouse located at the west end of the village. The dinner kicks off at 11 am and will end when the soup kettles are empty.

Bring your appetite and enjoy chicken corn soup and ham & bean soup. Hmm, hmm good!

Eat-in and take-out service will be available. For take-out service, fire company officials recommend bringing along soup containers.

Commerce Bank coming to Linglestown

The bank branch will be located along Linglestown Road in the same development where the new Dunkin' Donuts shop is being constructed. CLICK HERE for more details from The Patriot-News.

Village committee picks route for bypass

Village of Linglestown Committee opted to recommend the Blackberry Lane route to link Linglestown Road and Blue Mountain Parkway. CLICK HERE to read story in today's The Patriot-News.

Here's where the proposed bypass loop from Linglestown Road will intersect Blue Mountain Parkway.

Eastbound traffic on Linglestown Road will use the new bypass road to get on Blue Mountain Parkway. All southbound traffic on Blue Mountain Parkway will be diverted onto the new bypass road. Blue Mountain Parkway will be one-way from Linglestown Road to the new bypass road at Raspberry Lane, allowing only northbound traffic.

Vote anticipated on village bypass project

PennDOT wants Lower Paxton Township officials to decide the best route for a loop road to connect Linglestown Road and Blue Mountain Parkway, and Doris Rowe has decided not to fight if the route goes through her yard.

CLICK HERE for more from The Patriot-News.

From the comments

In response to the “Village briefs” post last week, an anonymous reader asked several questions about the Route 39 improvement project tentatively slated to begin construction this spring in the village of Linglestown. Below is a brief Q-and-A based on the reader’s comments:

Can someone please tell me how the roundabouts will decrease the amount of cars traveling on Linglestown Road?

Answer: The two roundabouts – one at the square and the other between the firehouses – won’t decrease traffic. They are designed to force drivers to slow down and to ease traffic congestion.
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When I think of a roundabout, Chambersburg and Hanover come to mind.

Response: Chambersburg and Hanover have traffic circles, not roundabouts. CLICK HERE for detailed information on roundabouts.
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Why not move the flagpole in the square and install traffic lights?

Answer: The flagpole is considered by many residents to be an important historic feature of the village.

This isn’t the first time the idea of moving the pole has been debated. In the early 1990s, a major controversy erupted when township officials proposed moving the flagpole to install traffic lights at the square. The project was canceled and a few township officials were voted out of office as a result of the brouhaha.

The roundabout design at the square includes a much larger island than the one now used for the flagpole.

Local officials did consider traffic lights for the current project. They were rejected for two primary reasons – (1) installation of turning lanes would require tearing down homes at the Blue Mountain Parkway intersection, and (2) traffic lights wouldn’t allow traffic to move through intersections as efficiently as roundabouts.
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Do you really think that Linglestown is or will be a destination spot when this project is completed?

Answer: The streetscape elements of the project – sidewalks, trees, benches, lighting, etc. – are meant to give the village a much-needed facelift. The improvements could set the stage for more retail businesses to open.
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Is any of the federal money going to the refurbishing of the houses/buildings in this area?

Answer: No.

Chocolate Cafe reviewed

The Patriot-News recently did a review of the fare and dining experience at The Linglestown Chocolate Cafe. CLICK HERE to see what reviewer Mimi Brodeur had to say.

Village briefs

PennDOT and Lower Paxton Township are nearing a decision on the route of a loop road that will connect Route 39 to Blue Mountain Parkway. Prediction: The road will go through Doris Rowe’s yard – using Blackberry Alley would create a tight turn and probably require tearing down a house.

PennLive.com, home of The Patriot-News, has a forum section for Linglestown. Recent entries focus on food offerings at Senor Pepe’s and service at KoKoMos Sports Bar & Grill - Linglestown.

West Hanover Winery is opening a store in the same building that houses Linglestown Flowers & Gifts. The stores are located near the village square.

New Hope Church will be constructing athletic fields and a picnic grove behind the church building located on Colonial Club Drive.

Frank Cotolo, a noted indie performer who has played at many major East and West Coast venues, will be the featured act at St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown on Friday, Jan. 12. Tunes and laughs begin at around 8 pm.