Lady Rams grab district b-ball title

On the strength of a last-minute scoring flurry for the ages, the defending state champion CD Lady Rams grabbed the PIAA District 3 Quad-A title away from the Wilson Bulldogs in a 34–30 thriller Friday night at the Giant Center.

For details on the Rams' amazing victory, check out a game report by Patriot-News sports reporter Andrew P. Shay.

Next up for the Rams is the state tournament that starts next week.
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Pictured is Caitlyn Bassett (#44 in white) and Alyssa Thomas (#30 in white) in Monday's district semifinal against Carlisle. Photo by John Gayman. (Click on photo to view larger version.)

Work release center proposed in Linglestown area

A work release center for nonviolent offenders could be up and running this fall along Route 22 next to the West Hanover Township municipal building, a location not far from the West Hanover–Lower Paxton border. WHP CBS 21 has more, including a video report.

Lower Paxton burglar nabbed

Click the headline above for a news brief from The Patriot-News about burglaries this week in the Pennswood apartment complex.

Rockin' Roasters

Music and java will be flowing aplenty at St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown this weekend.

Kicking things off Friday evening will be Nayo, a local group that will bring some new sounds to the coffee house. CLICK HERE to listen to Richard James preview what he and other band members have in store for tonight's show, 8 pm.
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And, Music at Roasters regular
Just Dave (pictured) will be doing his thing Saturday evening for your listening pleasure, 7:30 pm.

Check out Just Dave's debut appearance on Linglestown Radio for a preview of his musical menu.

As always, admission is absolutely FREE, and Java Geof and his top-notch baristas will be on hand to serve beverages and eats.

Lovin' Linglestown winner revealed

Pictured above with all the loot is Beth Madden, the winner of the $550 grand prize package from the "Lovin' Linglestown" Valentine's Give-Away sponsored by The Merchants of Linglestown.

Beth was shocked and thrilled when informed that she was the big winner. Over 750 people entered the give-away.

“This is better than getting an economic stimulus check," said Beth, who resides in Mechanicsburg.

The Merchants of Linglestown are planning more events for 2009. Visit the group's Web site for updates.
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These fine village merchants sponsored Lovin’ Linglestown:

St. Thomas Roasters
First Impressions Boutique, Gifts & Day Spa
Shag A Hair Salon
Linglestown Flowers and Gifts
Olivia's Tea Room / Kelli Wyland Photography

Backyard News, 02.26.09

Important meeting tonight ... The Lower Paxton Twp. Zoning Hearing Board will review Triple Crown Corporation's request for a special exemption to operate a car wash at the former gas station on N. Mountain Road next to the First National Bank of Marysville branch (pictured), 7 pm at the Municipal Center.

Township supervisors somewhat reluctantly changed local land-use rules earlier this year to allow a car wash at this location if the developer can jump through a few regulatory hoops. If the proposed facility were OK'd by the zoning board, Triple Crown still would need to get a plan approved by the supervisors.

Supervisors Bill Seeds and Bill Hornung were skeptical that a car wash could be crammed into the half-acre lot.

Lower Paxton news ... Police are trying to track down crooks who ripped off residents at Pennswood Apartment Complex. ... LP Republicans will hold a meet-and-greet and nomination petition-signing event for local candidates Saturday morning at St. Thomas Roasters, 10 am–noon., and Democratic county judicial candidate Lori Serratelli will be gathering petition signatures Sunday at the coffee house, 5–6:30 pm.

Life with B² ... Thanks go out today to the residents association at Blue Meadows Farm for plugging the Gazette in their January newsletter. ... St. Thomas Roasters coffee house is a satellite office for the Gazette. Geez, I sure hope Java Geof doesn't see this AP video report. ... Need a B² fix between blog posts? Gazette junkies should seriously consider following me on Twitter. ... I'll be a face in the crowd Friday night at Giant Center when the CD Lady Rams compete for the District 3 Quad-A championship against Wilson, a Berks County school. Tip off is slated for 8:30 pm. Hope to see you there. Go Rams!

Contests ... The give-away announced Monday on this post ended with no winner. The St. Thomas Roasters gift certificate will be returned to the prize bin. ... I still have $40 of Bon Ton coupons to give away for the department store's Community Day this Saturday, and I'll try to deliver coupons to last-minute winners. To win you have to send some friendly spam to at least three people in your address book. According to one reader, no one should fear spamming friends to help get more eyes on the Gazette.

The Gazette provides a service,
and it's safe for your computer!!!

Karen Cattabiani, a Gazette reader and willing spammer

Bang-up time on tap Friday at Roasters

With music, sometimes a change of pace – you know, something a little bit out of the ordinary – is just the thing to renew your spirit, especially in the dead of winter. And, Nayo, the featured band Friday at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown, is all about bringing joy to audiences wherever they go.

I did a Linglestown Radio interview with Nayo member Richard James to get a preview of Friday night's show, 8–10 pm, no cover. (3 minutes, 40 seconds playing time)

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St. Thomas Roasters has a new coffee that is being roasted in the shop – Honduran Fair Trade Organic coffee. It is a medium roast bean with balanced aroma and flavor that Java Geof is sure you will want to drink over and over again. B² purchased a pound and gives it a thumbs-up.
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Photo credit: Tina dela Rosa, a professional photographer who specializes in portraits, events and wedding photography. Be sure to visit her Web site.
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Disclosure: B² gets some free coffee for promoting the coffee house and its music events.

Morning Backyard News, 02.25.09

FREE stuff ... I still have $60 of Bon Ton coupons to give away courtesy of Lower Paxton watchdog group SWAN.

CD sports ... CD High Lady Rams blew out Carlisle Monday afternoon to qualify for district tourney final against Wilson out of Berks County, Friday, Giant Center, 8:30 pm. Earlier this season, the Rams beat Wilson by 13 points in a Christmas tournament game. ... CD East Panthers boys b-ballers topped Red Land Tuesday and will compete in the district championship game Saturday against undefeated York High, Giant Center, 1 pm.

News links ... CD School Board won't close the elementary school in neighboring West Hanover Twp. ... Lower Paxton resident shares her story of being a Holocaust survivor with students. ... Linglestown-based District Judge Wenner is seeking re-election. ... Attention wine lovers: Linglestown blogger and wine connoisseur Erica Streisfeld shares her wine-of-the-week pick.

B² musings ... Gotta tell you that my neck and shoulder are feeling like new thanks in large part to the care I've received at Homza Chiropractic, a new Gazette sponsor. If you're in pain, e-mail me and I'll make arrangements for you to get a FREE consultation. ... As you probably have noticed, I'm messing around with a new webcam. The camera and associated software streamlines the process of producing video clips by a bunch, but the video quality is crappy. I'll try to fine-tune the settings a bit to put a better face on this low-budget news operation – no promises I'll be successful. ... I'm trying to figure out the workings of an interest rate swap that Central Dauphin School District recently entered into with Deutsche Bank.

Charges dropped in Linglestown sex case

The Patriot-News reports this afternoon that the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office has withdrawn charges against a Linglestown man accused of bathing with a 5-year-old girl last year. (full-length article)
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Linglestown Gazette broke the story with a picture and news brief, and then The Patriot-News published a front-page story on the incident. This is a great example of a citizen journalist and a daily newspaper working together to keep the public in the know.

Pictured is one of the signs that were posted around Koons Park last July. The make, model and license plate of the accused's automobile was blacked out. (Photo by Danielle Bostic.)

Gazette give-away contest

I have bunch of coupons to give away for
Bon Ton's Community Day this Saturday, Feb. 28, at Colonial Park Mall. To receive $20 in coupons, follow the two-step process below to enter the contest:

1. Send an e-mail to at least three of your friends and/or family members who live in Lower Paxton Twp. that encourages them to check out Linglestown Gazette. (Be sure to include the blog's Web address – linglestowngazette.com – in your message.)

2. To enter the contest, forward a copy of the e-mail to B² that shows the e-mail addresses of the people you contacted, and most importantly, includes your name, address and telephone number.

The first five readers who successfully complete this challenge will win $20 in recession-busting coupons. Holy cow!

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Linglestown eatery closes

Webcast links: Letter to Geo's Country Oven customers; Patriot-News on Geo's closing; Eat at St. Thomas Restaurant.

CD grapplers are "Ram tough"

WGAL TV-8 has details on Central Dauphin High's record-breaking performance at the district wrestling championships held Friday and Saturday at the old barn, Hersheypark Arena.

Backyard News, 02.23.09

This is the debut webcast of Backyard News. Be sure to check out the "Question of the Day" segment – one lucky viewer will win a prize package!



Webcast links: Piccola butts heads with Rendell – again; Watchdog group SWAN to meet Monday, 7 pm (meeting location); CD School Board meeting agenda, Monday, 7 pm; St. Thomas Roasters sells cinnamon sticky bun coffee beans; Geo's Country Oven closing?; Welcome to new Gazette sponsor Homza Chriopractic Wellness & Rehab; Former CD Ram Walter Peppelman adjusts well to college wrestling; CD Lady Rams head to district basketball semifinal; CD Lady Ram forward Alyssa Thomas comes up big in quarterfinal; CD East boy's basketball team to play district semifinal Tuesday against Redland at Giant Center, 6:30 pm tip off; CD Rams grapplers win district championship.

Question of the Day: Submit answers and complete mailing address via e-mail to Linglestown Gazette. Fifth correct answer wins.

Linglestown postcard, 02.22.09

Pictured is Dan Blaydon performing Saturday night at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown. A SRO crowd of Dan's family, friends and a few passersby turned out to hear some fine entertainment provided by the Central Dauphin High grad. Blaydon now resides in the Baltimore area and regularly graces coffee houses and other venues with his musical artistry.

I especially liked the last song he did Saturday night, a comical yet poignant ballad about a single guy looking for love at a grocery store.

Music at St. Thomas Roasters returns this Friday and Saturday, Feb. 27 and 28. Check this blog later this week for more details.
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Gazette reader Andy Enders has posted a review of Blaydon's show at St. Thomas Roasters.

Photo by Tina dela Rosa, a professional photographer who specializes in portraits, events and wedding photography. Be sure to visit her Web site, and CLICK HERE for more photos from Saturday night's show at St. Thomas Roasters.

B² gets 'real' TV face time

Linglestown TV (LTV) chief cook and bottle washer Bill Bostic, a.k.a. B², showed up on a local TV news broadcast Thursday night. This clip could launch a new career for B² as a corporate or political media relations specialist. :)

Gazette thanks go out to the fine folks at CBS TV-21 News for supplying the video clip.

Radio Roasters: FREE music previews

There's a big weekend of music on tap at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown. If you haven't stopped by for tunes and java yet, this is the weekend to experience music at Roasters.

Kicking things off will be Ally Phenicie and friends Friday night. Ally, who lives in Harrisburg and attends HACC, chatted with B² on Linglestown Radio and talked about her band and previewed her show. CLICK HERE to hear the lively conversation. (4 minutes playing time)

And, there's a buzz already building about Saturday night's featured artist Dan Blaydon, a Central Dauphin High grad who now resides in the Baltimore area. CLICK HERE to hear Dan talk about his passion for sharing his art and what makes St.Thomas Roasters a cool place to do music. (5 mintes, 30 seconds playing time)

Both shows will run from 8 pm to 10 pm, no cover.
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Disclosure: B² gets some free coffee for promoting the coffee house and its music events.

Backyard news, 02.20.09

Gazette news roundup ... It's "happy tales" time in Lower Paxton, and that's because the township could be the home of the first public dog park on the East Shore this spring. ... NIMBY arguments were flying left and right during a public meeting Tuesday night when West Hanover officials gave the green light for a planned work-release center along Allentown Boulevard close to township's border with Lower Paxton. ... State Rep. Ron Marsico checks in with a bulletin about a government give-away program. ... Attention Linglestonians – The Lower Paxton Twp. Zoning Hearing Board will review Triple Crown Corporation's request for a special exemption to operate a car wash at the former gas station (pictured) on N. Mountain Road next to the First National Bank of Marysville branch, Thursday, Feb. 26, 7 pm, at the Municipal Center.

Places to go, people to see ...

Tonight ... The top-seeded Central Dauphin Lady Rams basketball team will play a District 3 Quad-A quarterfinal game against cross-township rival Central Dauphin East Panthers at Hershey High School, 7:30 pm tip off.

Saturday ... Linglestown Life is sponsoring a FREE men's event this Saturday, Feb. 21, 9:30 am–1 pm, that will feature pro football coaching great Tony Dungy. (Dungy won't be in Linglestown, but his speech will be shown live via satellite feed.) CLICK HERE for more details.

Sunday ... "Sex? No thanks, we're married." Intrigued? Curious? Well, stop by New Hope Church, 584 Colonial Club Drive, for a come-as-you-are worship celebration, 10 am. (map)

B² shameless plug

I'm a bit like "Where's Waldo?" – you never know where B² will show up.

My ugly mug and ever-growing mop of hair (I'm gearing up for a Shag makeover) might flash across your TV screen during the 11 o'clock news on WHP TV-21.

I attended a college financial aid session this evening at Harrisburg Area Community College, opted to leave early, and chatted with reporter Ben Russell on my way out of the building.

Backyard news, 02.19.09

Rams gore Cougars ... In case you missed it, the Central Dauphin Rams girls' basketball team played a strong second half to top the Harrisburg Lady Cougars by a count of 54–34 in District 3 Quad-A playoff action Tuesday night.

The win moves the top-seeded Rams into the quarterfinals where they'll meet cross-township rival the Panthers of Central Dauphin East on Friday at Hershey High School, 7:30 pm tip off. Last Friday, the Rams squeaked by the Panthers to win the Mid-Penn Conference championship.

Let's get political ... State Sen. Jeff Piccola is getting statewide attention for proposing a college tuition relief program that, unlike a proposal floated by Gov. Eddie Rendell, doesn't require putting video poker machines in every corner bar and tavern. Coverage includes a video report from WGAL TV-8. ... Sticking with the college theme, Harrisburg Area Community College is holding sessions on paying for college from 6 to 7:30 pm tonight. ... Meanwhile, Rep. Ron Marsico, Lower Paxton's other state lawmaker, has re-introduced proposals to change the way state budgets are adopted, and issued a reminder to residents about the state's Property/Tax Rent Rebate program. ... The Lower Paxton Republican Committee will meet tonight to consider endorsing candidates for school board and tax collector.

Hot off the press ... The front page story of this week's The Paxton Herald screams bloody murder about a shoddy evacuation plan for 11 Central Dauphin elementary schools that would be used in the event of a Three Mile Island radiation release. ... Annette Antoun, the newspaper's editor and publisher, is delighted that left-hand turns are no longer allowed from Ridgeview Drive onto Mountain Road. ... Someone in the area has invested significant time telling the world that The Paxton Herald is not his favorite newspaper. ... You can pick up a FREE copy of the newspaper at Amelia's Grocery Outlet, Karns Food and possibly Hornungs Ace Hardware.

Field of dreams on the way ... Lower Paxton Twp. is seeking bids for backstops and baseline fencing for new baseball diamonds at George Park, a fairly new township park located off of Nyes Road. The bids will be opened March 4.

Letter to the editor: Purdy on upcoming elections

Will Jay Purdy run for Central Dauphin School Board this election cycle or not? Check out Jay's letter to find out.
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Purdy is a former Lower Paxton Twp. supervisor and has run for various public offices over the last decade or so. His letters and commentaries occasionally appear on Linglestown Gazette.

Linglestown church hopes to expand building

Bucking all the talk about a crummy economy, the church that sits on top of the hill overlooking the square in Linglestown is gearing up to do a major building expansion project.

Linglestown Life is putting the finishing touches on a master plan that would double the size of the building, Senior Pastor George Reynolds told Linglestown Gazette earlier this month.

The church received a zoning approval in December that was needed to proceed with planning, and a proposed master plan most likely will be unveiled to the congregation during March. Groundbreaking could take place this fall if the plan approval process with Lower Paxton Twp. doesn't hit a snag and the fund-raising goal is met.

Tentative plans calls for six to nine new classrooms, a family life center that would double as a gymnasium, and a hospitality area to be constructed in phases over the next few years. All the new facilities would be built on a portion of the parking lot located adjacent to the building's north side. (pictured; click on photo for larger version)

One goal of the project is to make the building a gathering place for Linglestown-area residents. Community groups would be invited to use the gym and meeting spaces. Plus, the hospitality area could be transformed from time to time into a cafe. It would be a kind of "Roasters North," said Pastor Reynolds.

The architect is using an energy-efficient design that includes a large bank of windows to help light the family life center/gymnasium, the future site of a weekly contemporary worship service that currently is heavily attended. The windows would provide a panoramic view of Blue Mountain.

To learn more about Linglestown Life, visit the church's Web site or call the church office at (717) 545-5200.
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* Linglestown Life is sponsoring a FREE men's event this Saturday, Feb. 21, that will feature pro football coaching great Tony Dungy. (Dungy won't be in Linglestown, but his speech will be shown live via satellite feed.) CLICK HERE for more details.

* B² thanks go out to Pastor Reynolds for being a big booster of Linglestown Gazette.

Lower Paxton news links, 02.17.09

Takes this job and shove it ... Luanne Gustin-DeFrank, a tax collector in Central Dauphin School District, is calling it quits this year because the job requires too much work for the pay. She contends Dauphin County and school district officials are trying to take over tax-collection duties of elected collectors to save money. (B² note: Replacing local tax collectors with a centralized tax-collection system makes sense to me. The Pennsylvania Legislature needs to pass a bill to make the change.)

Sharing is a good thing ... Much to the chagrine of Gazette reader PoPo, I recently made a call for Lower Paxton to consider forming a regional police force with surrounding communities. Well, Gov. Eddie Rendell is doing the same thing, and for good reason – it's too costly and inefficient for municipalities to duplicate services being offered by neighboring communities. The tricky part is getting local officials to loosen their grip on doing things "the way we've always done them."

Calling all turkeys ... A Linglestown native and now resident is a nationally known outdoor celebrity and champion turkey caller.

Get a Gazette subscription, for FREE … Please consider subscribing to this blog's RSS feed. It's FREE and easy to do. In the right-hand sidebar, click on the orange icon or "Subscribe to Linglestown Gazette" link, and then follow the instructions.

Using a feed is great way to automatically find out when new information is added to Linglestown Gazette. I use Google Reader, a FREE online service.

Backyard News, 02.16.09

Government watchdog ... Dogs in Lower Paxton soon will have a park of their own at Kohl Memorial Park, and it most likely will be dubbed "Happy Tails Dog Park" at Tuesday night's meeting of the township Board of Supervisors, Municipal Center, 7:30 pm. The meeting agenda also includes the review of a final plan for a portion of Autumn Oaks, a McNaughton Homes community to be constructed east of Patton Road at the foot of Blue Mountain. The meeting will be televised live on Comcast channel 20.

Boo, hiss & jeers ... Patriot-News writer Heather Long gave jeers to the Central Dauphin School Board in her Cheers & Jeers column for cutting the pay of tax collectors without involving them in deliberations. ... Boo to Comcast for offering a former customer a great deal a day after he switched to Verizon FiOS. (See PennLive's Lower Paxton forum, thread 229.)



Let's get political ... Lower Paxton resident Fran Chardo, Dauphin County's first assistant district attorney, has withdrawn from the race for a Dauphin County judgeship. ... On a related note, the Gazette will endeavor to post profiles of candidates who will appear on the May 19 primary election ballot.

B-ball playoffs to tip off ... The top-ranked Central Dauphin Rams girls' basketball team is headed to the District 3 Quad-A playoffs and their first opponent will be the Harrisburg Lady Cougars on Tuesday, Feb. 17, at East Pennsboro High School in Enola, 7:30 pm. And the Central Dauphin East girls will be in action tomorrow night too with a match up against Mechanicsburg at Northern High School in Dillsburg, 5 pm.

Boa Bill update ... Thanks to advice from the First Impressions divas, Candy and Cupid, my Valentine's Day gifts to Mrs. B² were well received – a gift certificate for a one-hour massage and a book, The Shack, that we are going to read together. ... Now that the year's biggest day for sweethearts has passed, post a comment if you received a Valentine's Day gift that exceeded your expectations. No X-rated stories, please. ... Speaking of Candy and Cupid who were introduced in a video last week, I've been informed they have started cookin' up ideas for a new video with Easter gift ideas. ... The B² family now has tickets to attend the Sunday matinee of Central Dauphin High's spring musical, Anne Get Your Gun. Tickets are still available for all shows, but seats are filling up fast. CLICK HERE for show dates/times and box office hours. ... I've completed three weeks of therapy at Homza Chiropractic Wellness & Rehab in Linglestown, and I'm happy to report that my neck and shoulder pain has improved by about 75 percent – not bad for a 50-year-old with forward head posture, a high left shoulder and asymmetry of shoulder and hip alignment.

CD slips by CD East in b-ball title tilt

Down most of the game, the Central Dauphin Rams girls' basketball team tied the Central Dauphin East Panthers in the final 60 seconds of regulation play and went on to win 53–48 in overtime to the Mid-Penn Conference crown. Both teams are headed to the District 3 playoffs.

Andrew P. Shay of The Patriot-News has a game report and WGAL TV-8 has video about the Ram's come-from-behind victory.

Two TV stations going digital Tuesday

By Harrison L. Michelson
For Linglestown Gazette

The analog to digital TV switchover was delayed to June 12 after a bill was signed by President Obama on Wednesday.

As previously reported on this news blog, some stations will be allowed to make the switch on Tuesday, February 17, and the only local stations that have decided to turn off their analog signal are WITF TV-33 and WLYH TV-15. If you use a TV antenna and have NOT hooked up a digital converter box to your TV, you will not be able to view the two stations starting sometime Tuesday.

Based on a phone survey of Harrisburg-area TV stations that the Gazette did last week, all other stations will continue to broadcast an analog signal through June 12.
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WITF press release

List of Pennsylvania TV stations to end analog on Tuesday (source):

Erie: WSEE-TV (CBS)
Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York: WIFT-TV (PBS), WLYH-TV (CW)
Johnstown-Altoona-State College: WATM-TV (ABC), WWCP-TV (Fox)
Pittsburgh: WPGH-TV (Fox), WPMY (MyN), WQEX
Wilkes-Barre-Scranton: WNEP-TV (ABC), WVIA-TV (PBS), WYOU (CBS), WBRE-TV (NBC), WQMY (MyN)

B²'s Friday the 13th game plan

Early afternoon ... Continue to work out a kink in my neck and shoulder at Homza Chiropractic Wellness & Rehab on Linglestown Road just west of the historic village. By the way, Homza is not a Gazette sponsor, at least not yet – I've been impressed with what they do during my treatments over the last three weeks.

Mid-afternoon ... Do some last-minute V-Day shopping for Mrs. B². And, no, I'm not getting her another bonsai tree.

Early evening ... Take in the girls' basketball clash between CD Rams and CD East Panthers for the Mid-Penn Championship at Milton Hershey's plush sports complex, 6 pm tip off.

Nightlife ... FREE music, java and goodies at St. Thomas Roasters, 8–10 pm.

Please tap me on the shoulder and say "hi" if you attend the game or stop at Roasters. Thanks to the divas at First Impressions, I don't need any help with shopping.

Backyard news, 02.13.09

Businesswoman seeks school board seat ... Linda Dallago (pictured) has thrown her hat into the ring for the Central Dauphin School Board seat in Region 2, which covers Dauphin Borough, Middle Paxton Twp. and part of Lower Paxton Twp. In a press release, she pledged to work with other board members to bring spending under control and improve test scores.

Dallago has been actively involved with the school district for years, serving as PTO president at Mountain View Elementary and Linglestown Middle schools. Also, she helped found and organize Central Dauphin Youth Cheerleading in 2000.

In a letter to the editor published by The Patriot-News last summer, Dallago accused Justin McShane, the current officeholder, of relentlessly challenging the decisions and management of Dr. John Scola, the former schools superintendent who resigned last year.

To learn more about Dallago, check out a press release she issued last week to announce her candidacy.

Gazette grab bag of links ... According to chatter on PennLive's Linglestown Forum, the spring-like weather has caused stink bugs to snap back to life. (See thread 503.) ... Our congressman, Tim Holden of Schuylkill County, was among the dignitaries to meet Wednesday afternoon with Vice President Joe Biden in Harrisburg to discuss how the federal economic recovery act is likely to benefit Pennsylvania. ... More evidence that local tax collectors need to be replaced by a centralized tax collection service. ... Linglestown wine expert Erica Streisfeld has issued her wine of the week.

Valentine's Day eve at Roasters

Here's a great way to spend Valentine's Day eve, Friday the 13th ... FREE live music at St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown featuring Mr. Entertainment, Frank Cotolo (pictured) of Grantville.

Frank and his son, Jack, are cookin' up a show that is sure to get you and your special someone in the mood for V-Day. The tunes start at 8 pm, no cover, no reservations needed ... just stop by, plop down, order your favorite beverage and enjoy musical artistry available nowhere else in Lower Paxton and surrounding communities.

To get a sneak preview of Friday night's big happening, click the "play" button below to hear a Linglestown Radio interview I did Thursday afternoon with Frank. (4 minute, 30 seconds playing time)

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Learn guitar from scratch or learn to play better

Hey, if you want to learn how to play guitar or advance your skills, I know just the guy who can show you the way – Music at Roasters regular Frank Cotolo. Check out his ad on craigslist.

Backyard news, 02.12.09

Things-and-stuff dept. ... A Linglestown-area resident gets help with pesky moles. ... Copies of The Next Page, a new monthly newspaper, are available at St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, and the coffee house probably has a few copies of the second-ever edition of The Burg, another monthly billed as "Greater Harrisburg's Community Newspaper." ... According to The Paxton Herald edition on newsstands now, West Hanover Twp. supervisors will take a final vote Tuesday, Feb. 17, on a proposed work-release facility on Route 22 near the township's boundary line with Lower Paxton. ... You can't beat free stuff to do, and The National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg is offering free admission this Saturday in observance of Presidents' Day. The museum will be open between 10 am and 5 pm.

Let's get political ... State Sen. Jeff Piccola yesterday proposed banning those convicted of some of the most serious and violent criminal offenses from working in schools. ... U.S. Rep. Tim Holden is ready to "tinker around the edges" to restore federal stimulus funding for Pennsylvania approved by the U.S. House that was not in the U.S. Senate version.

B² speaks out ... I submitted an application today for a $25,000 grant program to fund a project that would aim to start four to six new community websites in the Harrisburg region. There are about 200 proposed projects competing for eight grants that will be awarded this spring. CLICK HERE to review the project that I've dubbed as "Backyard News." ... Last year I provided season-long coverage of the Linglestown Twilight baseball team, and this season I'd like to add Linglestown Baseball Association midget baseball. To do this, I'm going to need correspondents and ideally a sponsor or two to underwrite the service. Please e-mail if you want more info about Gazette sports reporting. ... I haven't forgotten about doing a First Night celebration in Linglestown to ring in 2010. My goal is to hold a kickoff planning meeting in March. In the meantime, think about ideas for objects to drop, raise or blow up. ... You're only a click away from once-in-a-lifetime chance to see B² in pink.

Backyard news, 02.11.09

Gazette potpourri ... Chatter about coyotes in Linglestown gets twisted on PennLive's Linglestown forum. (See threads 494, 496, 497 & 499) ... Things are looking up for Koons Pool in Linglestown – 25 families signed up during the early-bird membership drive last month, according to pool board member Walter Shatto. ... The Central Dauphin School Board approved a change to the compensation plan for the district's tax collectors that most likely will result in a pay cut starting in July 2010. (B² note: Using local tax collectors is a holdover from horse and buggy days. In the digital age, a centralized tax collection system is the only way to go. If you agree, send an e-mail to Rep. Ron Marsico and Sen. Jeff Piccola.) ... Gazette congrats go out to the Central Dauphin Ram grapplers for winning gold for the second straight year in the PIAA AAA state team wrestling championship. ... B² had the pleasure of meeting Gazette reader Rich Krampe at a focus group session Monday evening conducted by The Patriot-News at its high-tech printing facility on the West Shore. The newspaper is seeking input from readers on possible cosmetic and editorial changes to its hard-copy edition that would put more emphasis on local news. ... Hey, baseball season is almost here, and the Gazette is gearing up to expand coverage of teams affiliated with Linglestown Baseball Association. To pull this off, I'm looking for correspondents and a handful of sponsors to underwrite this service. E-mail B² for more details. ... Wanna see B² in pick? Check out the new video from the folks at Linglestown TV.

Let's get political ... Tim Holden, our congressman, is starting the 2010 election cycle with a whopping half-million bucks in his campaign coffer. Regarding the federal stimulus package, Holden is backing the legislation that is making its way through Congress. ... Dauphin County First Assistant District Attorney Fran Chardo, a Lower Paxton resident who is running for Dauphin County judge, is trying to determine whether his job will preclude him from seeking a bench post. ... If you've always wanted to run for office but don't know what to do, consider attending the "campaign school" at the Pennsylvania Leadership Conference that will be held March 27-28 at the Four Points Sheraton in Lower Paxton. The school is on the agenda for Friday, March 27. Lowman Henry, a former Lower Paxton supervisor, is the conference organizer.

Crime watch ... Lower Paxton police are investigating two robberies in the vicinity of Central Dauphin Middle School (the old high school) – an armed robbery Sunday at Sun-Up on Locust Lane, and a burglary Monday at a home in the 4900 block of Berkley Street. ... Also, two Gazette readers informed me of a home burglary last month in the Colonial Crest development located along Colonial Road. ... A police officer told a Colonial Crest resident that one robbery occurs on average each day in the township. So, don't hesitate to call 911 if you see a possible crime taking place, or contact the Lower Paxton police at (717) 657-5656 for non-emergency situations.

Last-minute gifts for sweethearts

Linglestown TV (LTV) host B² needed Valentine's Day gift ideas for his lovely wife, and the fashion divas at First Impressions Boutique, Gifts & Day Spa in Linglestown come to the rescue.

This fun-loving LTV show includes must-see segments, so be sure to view it even if you've wrapped up your Valentine's Day shopping.




Video links: Lovin' Linglestown give-aways; Linglestown TV

School board races deciphered

I tried to figure out what seats on the Central Dauphin School Board are up for grabs this election cycle, but I threw up my hands in despair because the district's precinct system is very confusing. Fortunately, school board member Christian Malesic (pictured) came to my rescue with the following layman's tutorial on this year's school board races:

There are a total of four of the nine seats on the CD School Board up for election this year. Two in Region 1, currently held by Mr. Sallusti and Mr. Troxell, which is Swatara, Penbrook, and Paxtang. One in Region 2, currently held by Mr. McShane, which is part of Lower Paxton, Dauphin Borough, and Middle Paxton. And, one in Region 3, currently held by Mrs. Stone, which is the rest of Lower Paxton and West Hanover.

I represent Region 3. All of Linglestown proper and most of what you might think of as "extended Linglestown" is in Region 3.

If you are interested in running for a seat, please post a comment or e-mail B² and I'll help you to make the appropriate contacts.
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Key election dates:

* First day to circulate and file nomination petitions ... Feb. 17
* Last day to circulate and file nomination petitions .... March 10
* Last day to REGISTER before the primary .............. April 20
* MUNICIPAL PRIMARY ....................................... May 19

Source: Pa. Department of State

Letter to editor: Fair treatment lacking at eatery

Last Friday, a bitterly cold night, my husband and I went to Applebee’s in Hershey, around 5:45 pm, for date night.

Upon arriving we signed in with the hostess and sat down beside a party of seven who had already checked it. This party of seven consisted of four men in wheelchairs wrapped in winter gear, and their three caretakers. Within 10-15 minutes, my husband and I were seated at a table with a view of the waiting area. As time passed, we watched numerous parties arrive and be seated ahead of this special group. Our meals arrived, but we were troubled with every bite. It just didn’t seem right that this group was still waiting. It especially did not seem right that they were sitting near the cold, drafty doors, still waiting, when we put our coats on and walked out the door.

Read more >>

Backyard news, 02.09.09

Government watchdog ... The Lower Paxton Board of Superviors will conduct a workshop session Tuesday, 6 pm, at the Municipal Center, 425 Prince Street. The meeting will not be televised.

The agenda includes items related to the Greenway Committee, a proposed dog park at Lingle and Kohl parks, and Paxtonia and Linglestown fire companies.

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This post is sponsored by Shag, A Hair Salon, located next to St. Thomas Roasters in the village square in Linglestown. Bill Trotter, the salon’s owner, has agreed to do a special makeover project on none other than B² – before and after shots will appear on the Gazette in two months or so.

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Little known walking trail ... I had the pleasure of meeting last week with Pastor George Reynolds of Linglestown Life church, and he told me about a half-mile walking trail that goes along the perimeter of the meadow located north of the church building. The trailhead can be accessed from the new municipal parking lot that was constructed beside the church along Blackberry Lane.

From just beyond our backyard ... According to a public notice, Elizabeth Overton has proposed an indoor soccer facility in West Hanover Twp. somewhere along the north side of Moyer Road. The township Zoning Hearing Board will hold a public hearing Thursday, Feb. 12 at 6:30 pm to hear her request for relief from several development regulations.

CD School Board updates, 02.08.09

The Central Dauphin School Board will hold a business meeting Monday night at the Lecture Hall of Central Dauphin East High School, 7 pm. To view the agenda, click on the plus sign for 02/09/09, and then click on the plus signs to get details about specific agenda items, including downloadable PDF files of documents.

In other CD news, the school district has completed refinancing a $6 million bond floated in 2003 and netted $250,000 in savings, according to Karen McConnell, the district's business affairs director. She said the savings total was $77,000 higher than estimated, and she attributed the successful outcome to the district's recently increased bond rating. Public Financial Management, a Harrisburg-based financial and investment advisory firm, handled the transaction.

And wrapping things up with a head scratcher, the district recently ran a public notice in The Patriot-News about the school board approving a Basis Swap, also referred to as an interest rate management plan, for $58.5 million. I'm still trying to understand this financial gambit. More on this later ...

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Put a RamBand Card in your wallet

You can get a long list of discounts from local merchants and help the Central Dauphin Band at the same time by purchasing a RamBand Card for only 10 bucks. CLICK HERE for a list of participating merchants and ordering instructions.