Backyard news, 10.16.08

* The Village of Linglestown Committee meeting scheduled for tonight has been canceled. According to committee member Bill Minsker, the village improvement project, which is sometimes referred to as the square project, remains on track to go out for bids in November. Also, Lower Paxton Twp. has wrapped up the legal work to pave Blackberry Lane – the alley behind Chocolate Cafe – from Blue Mountain Parkway to Linglestown Life church. (village project archives)

* Verizon expects to fire up its brand spanking new FiOS TV service in Lower Paxton and other midstate communities by the end of October.

* The Paxton Creek Watershed and Education Association is planning to begin work on a large rain garden at Koons Park in Linglestown this Saturday, Oct. 18, 9 am to noon. More info is available in the association’s fall newsletter. (Hat tip to Kim Mumper for submitting this item.)

* Linglestown Fire Company is offering a specialized vehicle license plate to its active firefighters.

* Lower Paxton community activist Eric Epstein digs into whether taxes are patriotic in the kickoff post for a new blog called Capitol Domes sponsored by Central Penn Business Journal.

* Judy Hirsh is desperate – Jeff Piccola raises his own pension, then makes us pay. These negative headlines are courtesy of campaign fliers that landed in my mailbox from the state Senate candidates seeking my vote. I’ll give the state Democrats credit for making Piccola look like a crook. On a serious note, Piccola and Hirsch will debate on Monday, Oct. 20, 7:45–8:45 pm, at the Derry Township Municipal Building, according to Hirsh's website.

* The pile of loot the winner of the Linglestown Gazette Mowing Contest will walk away with is getter bigger and better by the day – latest addition is a photography package gift certificate from Kelli Wyland. She specializes in family, children and pre-natal photography, and is one of the owners of Olivia’s Tea Room in Linglestown. Mowing count stands at 27.

* Mark your calendar for the Linglestown Gazette Food Drive at Amelia’s Grocery Outlet, Nov. 2–8.