Twilight powers past Hummelstown

Linglestown Twilight (12–2) continued its winning ways by downing Hummelstown 6–2 Tuesday on the road.

Linglestown erased Hummelstown’s early one-run lead by scoring four in the third inning. Nate Shroy (pictured) started things off by blasting a solo homer to right field that cleared the fence by a bunch. Hummelstown aided the rally by committing two errors that allowed runners to score.

Center fielder Jason Kelly packed a punch offensively with two hits, three runs scored, a run batted in and two stolen bases. Another top performer was right fielder Kyle Hollingsworth who contributed three hits and two RBIs.

Josh Muscalus was the winning pitcher. He pitched five innings, allowing four hits and striking out four.

Twilight notes … The game was called for darkness in the seventh inning after Hummelstown’s Matt Bobb slapped a double. … Twilight is off until Tuesday, July 7, when they host Middletown at Koons Park.

Late LP police officer remembered

CLICK HERE to read a Patriot-News story about Lower Paxton Twp. police detective Joey Allegrini, who died May 14 at age 43 of complications from hip surgery.

MEETING NOTES – LP Zoning Hearing Board

STOP! Please check out this post. This one and others you'll see in the future are intended to help you stay on top of what's happening in your backyard.

The Lower Paxton Twp. Zoning Hearing Board, for the most part, rules on development proposals that do not conform to township regulations.

CLICK HERE to find out if there are proposed developments that could impact your property or neighborhood. If you read something that sounds Greek to you, post a comment or send me an e-mail and I'll try to get you an explanation.
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SWAN, promoting sensible development with adequate infrastructure in Lower Paxton Twp.

Twilight wins two on road Sunday

Linglestown Twilight sandlot baseball team did a one-day tour of Schuylkill and northern Dauphin counties Sunday and came home with two wins. CLICK HERE for game summaries from The Patriot-News. (Scroll down to "East Shore Twilight.")

Twilight notes ... Linglestown, with a record of 11–2, trails first-place Palmyra by one point. (two points awarded for a win, one for a tie, and none for a loss) ... Next game is Tuesday at Hummelstown, 6 pm. I might go to the game to take photos if it doesn't rain – there's a 50 percent chance of crappy weather.

Pony baseball wrap-up

Gazette congratulations go out to the Owls for racking up the best regular-season record in the Pony Division sponsored by Linglestown Baseball Association. Below are game summaries for the last four games of the season.

Padres 14 – Owls 9 (Tue., June 23) … The Padres scored a big upset by defeating the first-place Owls. Cody Yentzer of the Padres held the Owls scoreless through the first two innings of play. Caleb Hough recorded two doubles while displaying his trademark speed on the base paths. Athan Graham was two-for-two for the Owls with a triple and an inside-the-park home run.

Colts 12 – Rams 10 (Tue., June 23) … The Colts edged the Rams in a tight battle. Cole Moyer pitched the first three innings, striking out seven. Casey Grady, Cole Moyer, Eric Hironimus and Justin Kindig each had hits and Anthony Guarneschelli scored two runs for the Colts. For the Rams, Jake Cherry hit two triples and a single, and Jack Fienberg had three strikeouts as starting pitcher and hit a single and a double.

Owls 13 – Mets 9 (Wed., June 24)

Padres 13 – Rams 11 (Thu., June 25) … The Padres defeated the Rams in a barn burner of a game. The five-inning game went back and forth, but the Padres held off the a final-inning comeback by the Rams.

Final Pony Standings
Owls ...... 17–3
Mets ..... 14–6
Padres ......7–13
Rams ........ 6–14
Colts ...... 6–14

Next up … Pony playoffs started Monday. The championship game will be played Wednesday at Michael Jones Memorial Field in Koons Park.

Benefit concert exceeds expectations

Check out the highlights from Paul and Hank’s Food Collection Concert held Friday at Linglestown Fire Hall.

I was very pleased with the turnout, and the couple that heads up the food pantry at Bethany Church of the Nazarene in Linglestown seemed to be wowed by everyone’s generosity.

Gazette thanks go out to the following folks for helping to make the concert possible:

* Gazette readers who showed up to take in the show
* Paul Zavinsky for hatching the idea for the concert
* Linglestown Fire Company for cosponsoring the event, and to Mark Gaspich for helping to set up the room
* Linglestown Fire Company Ladies Auxiliary for providing yummy refreshments
* All the musical artists
* My wife, Barb, for serving as the greeter
* Linglestown merchants First Impressions, Olivia’s Tea Room, Homza Chiropractic and St. Thomas Roasters for donating door prizes

There's a good chance that another food-collection concert will be held next year.

Twilight beats first-place team

Linglestown Twilight sandlot baseball team upended first-place Palmyra 3–1 in East Shore Twilight League action Saturday at Koons Park.

Twilight pitcher Rhys Wolford hurled a two hitter in a complete-game outing. He gave up six walks but stayed out of big trouble by striking out nine.

Twilight got on the board in the second inning when center fielder Steve Booker smacked a single to score shortstop Sam Phillips, who reached with a one-out single. With the bases loaded and one out, Palmyra pitcher Zach Darling allowed Twilight second baseman Shawn Berwager to score by opting to throw out a hitter at first base instead of forcing out Berwager at the plate. Darling's mental error gave Twilight catcher Bryan Stovall an easy RBI.

After Wolford issued two free passes in the sixth inning, Palmyra’s C.J. Fager blooped a single into left field to narrow Twilight’s lead to one.

Twilight closed out the scoring in home half of the sixth when Phillips doubled home right fielder Kyle Hollingsworth, who singled to lead off the inning.

Twilight notes … The win improved Twilight’s record to 9–2. … The team plays two road games Sunday – 1 pm at Valley View and 5 pm at Lykens. … Player/coach Steve Econ inserted himself in the lineup as the designated hitter. He didn’t get a hit but moved runners up a base in two of his three plate appearances. … Pitcher Pete Hayden has released a children’s book called Davey BigHead: Dream Big. … Next home game is Tuesday, July 7, against Middletown, 6 pm.

See you at tonight's concert

Things are shaping up for tonight's big benefit concert in the St. Thomas Room at Linglestown Fire Hall. Here's the lineup of entertainment that will kick off at 7 pm:


* Singer/guitarist Frank Cotolo of Grantville and his side musician, son Jack, will lead things off.

* Next up, the comedy team Cash is King will make their world debut.

* Rounding out the opening acts is guitar fingerstylist Dave Campbell of Mt. Holly Springs.

* The evening will feature singer/guitarist Paul Zavinsky and guitarist extraordinaire Paul Imof, both of Hummelstown. They will take the stage at 8:10 pm or so.

No ticket needed – just donate a nonperishable food item or make a cash donation at the door.

Stay for a few minutes or take in the whole show, but whatever you do, please come out to this community event. Be there or B²!
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Concert web page

Special video message from B²

New tunes at Roasters

St. Thomas Roasters, the region's #1 coffee house, will spotlight two local musical artists this week that are new to me – but both have Web sites you can check out.

Friday will feature a duo named Maiden Ground, and sensual music sprung from the soul of Nina Scarcia (pictured) is sure to entertain you Saturday.

As always, music runs from 8–10 pm, no cover.

Twilight splits pair of road games

Linglestown Twilight sandlot baseball team staged a last-inning rally Tuesday against Lykens/Wiconisco that came up a run short, spoiling a good outing by Brad Sanders on the mound. Final score was 3–2.

Twilight got back on track Wednesday by whipping Steelton 7–2. The win improved the team’s record to 8–2. Jason Kelly was the winning pitcher.

Next home game … Twilight will host first-place Palmyra this Saturday, June 27, at Koons Park. First pitch is scheduled to fly at 5 pm. I plan to be the game announcer – stop by and say "hi."

Beans anyone?

Gazette publisher B² loves yummy beans, and you will too when you find out what they can do for you.
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Watch the video and then CLICK HERE for more details.

Tigers sweep to Midget crown

The Tigers swept the Sox in a best-of-three series to win the Midget Division championship series.

Tigers 9 – Sox 1 (Mon., 6/22) ... Aaron Gress pitched a two hitter in going the distance against the Sox. Aaron also went two-for-two at the plate, and Braydon Parr hit a home run.

Tigers 9 – Sox 1 (Wed., 6/24) ... J.T. Fredericks pitched a four hitter in his first full game of the year. The team backed him with 14 hits. Home runs by Aaron Gress and Austin Barowski were the big hits. Zach Hoffman and Braydon Parr each had three hits.

The Tigers completed their second undefeated season and their win streak has reached 47 straight wins. Both are league records. Also, congratulations go out to the Sox for their outstanding season.

Pony Division

Mets 7 – Rams 3 (Thu., 6/18) … The Rams (6–12) took an early 2-0 lead in the first on a hit by Tyler Hall to right field that scored Gavyn Hoffman and Jake Cherry. In the third inning, the top of the lineup – Erin Delpierre, James Snyder, Luke McNamara, Sebastian Collins, and Andrew Gross – combined for four hits and three runs to give the Mets the lead for good.

Owls 13 – Colts 7 (Fri., 6/19) … Starting pitcher Zack Peffer of the Owls (16–2) recorded two strikeouts and helped his own cause by hitting two singles. Gaige Selvey hit two singles to the outfield and Bradly Owens had a double and a single. Cole Moyer, Justin Kindig, Casey Grady, Ben Gill, Eric Hironimus and Jon Mata had solid hits for the Colts (5–14).

Mets 12 – Padres 2 (Mon., 6/22) … The Mets (14–5) raced out to an early lead over the Padres (5–13) and won largely due to the strong pitching performances turned in by Nathaniel Kaplon and Luke McNamara. Superb defense was supplied by Sebastian Collins who snared a line shot down the first base line and by Rocco Lawrence who gobbled up a towering fly ball off the bat of Cody Yentzer.
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Scores and news briefs submitted by Linglestown Baseball Association coaches.

Don't trash your e-junk

Harrisburg's gal-about-town Sara Bozich has the lowdown on Dauphin County's fairly new recycling center. CLICK HERE for details.
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Sara pens the weekly Nightlife column for The Patriot-News in her spare time. Plus, in my humble opinion, she has a five-star Twitter profile picture.

Bad economy bad for LP

Lower Paxton hasn’t escaped the grips of the economic downturn – projections show the township facing a $1 million budget shortfall over the next 18 months.

Lower-than-projected revenue is the culprit. Taxes and fees linked to new development are significantly down because real estate sales have tanked in the township. Here’s proof – only 15 new homes have been constructed in Lower Paxton through May, putting the township on a pace to get 45 new residences during 2009 – nowhere close to the average of 180 in recent years.

The township has about $7 million in a savings account, so there’s no near-term financial emergency. Numbers presented last night show the surplus getting whittled down to under $5 million at the end of 2010 if no corrective actions are taken.

Following a long debate, the supervisors voted to take an immediate cost-cutting step by only hiring one new police officer instead of the three they had approved a few weeks ago.

Other belt-tightening measures that could be implemented in the near future include rolling layoffs of township employees, offering employees an early-retirement program, and delaying major purchases and projects.

Board Chairman Bill Hawk indicated that a tax hike would be implemented only as a last-gasp move to balance the books.
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CLICK HERE for a more detailed account of the meeting provided by community watchdog group SWAN.

Good times aplenty at Koons Pool

Koons Pool in Linglestown is sponsoring three family-fun events in the near future. CLICK HERE for details.

Comedy team confirmed for Friday's concert

Johnny Cash and Elvis will be in the house during the first hour of the big benefit concert at Linglestown Fire Hall this Friday. Cash is King, a local comedy team, will be making their world debut as one of the opening acts that will get under way at 7 pm or so.

Fast notes: CD school board meeting

Tax hike finalized … The board approved a $149.5 million budget for next school year that includes a 2.3 percent property-tax hike. For a property assessed at the district average of about $130,000, the increase will be around $43.

The budget does include some pain, primarily in the form of staffing cuts – 19 full-time and 6 part-time employees will be losing their jobs.

One thing that didn't get cut was building upgrades at West Hanover Elementary School. The spending plan includes funding to replace the school's boiler system and an additional $1.2 million for other building upgrades.

CLICK HERE for budget-approval coverage from The Patriot-News.

Bus controversy brewing … The board was told flat out by bus drivers that the administration’s plan to outsource management of the district’s bus fleet is dead wrong.

More to come ... Check back for expanded coverage of the last night’s school board meeting.
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Gazette coverage of CD schools is sponsored by EFMR Monitoring Group.

Lower Paxton Twp. news

By SWAN
for Linglestown Gazette

Notes from the Lower Paxton Twp. Board of Supervisors meeting conducted last Tuesday,
June 16:

* LP Police Officer Curtis McCoy was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

* LP Twp. Manager George Wolfe reported that fireworks have been scheduled on Sunday, July 5, at Koons Park starting at about 9:15 pm.

* After a public hearing, the supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to start a Length of Service Awards Program (LOSAP) for volunteer firefighters and fire police officers. The ordinance establishes age and service requirements for the program, and sets the maximum monthly benefit of $250 per month. Also, a resolution was approved that calls for the township to contribute $60,000 per year to the LOSAP fund.

* Development plans were approved for two projects in Linglestown – building expansion at Linglestown Life United Methodist Church and a car wash on N. Mountain Road.
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CLICK HERE for summaries of township meetings held in May and earlier this month.

SWAN, promoting sensible development with adequate infrastructure in Lower Paxton Twp.

Government watchdog, 06.22.09

I plan to attend tonight's Central Dauphin School Board meeting that will be held in the Lecture Hall of Central Dauphin East High School, 7 pm.

The board is expected to take a final vote on the 2009-2010 budget that includes 2.45 percent property-tax hike. Also, several speakers are scheduled to comment on recent happenings with the district's transportation department.

To view the agenda, click on the plus sign for 06/22/09, and then click on the plus signs to get details about specific agenda items, including downloadable PDF files of documents.

Lower Paxton Twp.

Later today I will post a report about last week's Board of Supervisors meeting that was submitted by the fine folks affiliated with SWAN.

And, the supervisors will conduct a budget workshop meeting at the Municipal Center on Tuesday, June 23, 6 pm. The session could be interesting since the township's revenues this year are below budget projections. Check the Gazette later this week for a meeting summary.

Tigers, Sox advance in Midget playoffs

The semifinal round of the Linglestown Baseball Association’s Midget Division playoffs ended Friday with a pair of sweeps in the best-of-three series.

The Sox jumped out to an early lead and cruised to an 11–5 win over the Orioles. Gary Smith of the Sox hit a home run and picked up the victory as the winning pitcher. For the O’s, Derek Danko ripped a single to left field to drive in two runs in the third inning.

In the nightcap, the Tigers defeated the Cubs 12-2 to advance to the Midget Championship series against the Sox. Aaron Gress of the Tigers pitched three strong innings and hit a monster three-run home run. Teammate J.T. Fredericks went two-for-two with a double in the winning effort. For the Cubs, Brandt Lingle stroked a run-scoring double
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Pictured is Tigers pitcher Aaron Gress who was the winning pitcher Friday night in the semifinal series clincher over the Cubs.

Pony Division

Mets 14 – Colts 4 (Tue., 6/16) … Luke McNamara had an incredible outing for the Mets (12–4) with three hits and pitched a three-up, three-down inning. Erin Delpierre smashed two hits and Rocco Lawrence caught the last pop-up to end the game. Cole Moyer, Justin Kindig and Ben Gill had the only hits of the game for the Colts (5–13).

Mets 7 – Rams 3 (Thu., 6/18) … The Mets won their second game of the week and 13th overall by topping Rams (6–12), a team that has upped their level of play in the second half of the season.

Gotta favor to ask ...

B² has a favor to ask all Gazette readers that involves a big event coming to Linglestown.

Live music brewing at Roasters

Folk music is on the menu Friday at St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown. Yup, that's right. Gale Gardiner (pictured), a Connecticut resident, is back in town visiting her parents and she is sure to dish out some tasty musical treats for those of you who break away from the boop tube to take in some live, fresh entertainment.

And it doesn't stop there, as acoustic guitar player Marie Smith will take the stage Saturday at the coffee house that serves as my satellite office. Marie has a gigantic catalog of music that includes covers from the likes of Sarah McLachlan, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, Indigo Girls and CCR. Remember CCR those of you who are over 40?

The music will flow 8–10 pm both nights. As always, no one will hit you up for a cover charge at the door. But, and this is important, please buy some of Java Geof's coffee that is roasted on the premises. If you don't want a cup o' Joe, well ... go for some tea or a fruity cold drink. Is that too much to ask?

B²'s dog starts new pillow craze

Mr. Sunshine finally reappeared over Linglestown early this afternoon, and my longtime friend Buddy opted to do some sun bathing. Please contact me if you want to borrow the shoe for your next pool or beach outing.

New benefit for volunteer firefighters spotlighted

WHP CBS 21 did a feature story on Lower Paxton's newly approved service awards program for volunteer firemen and fire police officers.

CLICK HERE to read the story and view a video report.

Backyard News, 06.18.09

Gazette congrats go out to Lower Paxton Police Officer Curtis McCoy on his promotion to the rank of sergeant. He has been a member of the township's police force since 1988. Prior to accepting his new post, Sergeant McCoy served as the school resource officer at CD East High for four years.

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Also, let's hear it for the Linglestown Elementary School PTO for raising $3,650 during their second annual Basket Bingo event held last month at Linglestown Fire Hall. The proceeds will be used to purchase playground equipment at the school. Deanna Games and her crew of volunteers did a great job organizing the event, obtaining sponsors and attracting a room full of bingo players.

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Koons Pool in Linglestown is sponsoring a movie night on Saturday, June 27, 8 pm, that will feature FREE popcorn, the film Hotel for Dogs (rated PG), and swimming. Bring your own lawn chair. Cost is $3 a person / $15 a family.

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New Hope Church invites children age 3 to 6th grade to attend "Crocodile Dock" Vacation Bible School starting this Sunday, June 21, through Thursday, June 25, 6:30–8:30 pm. Walk-in registrations are welcomed on any night through the week –– pre-registration is requested, but not required. Call 545–3400 for more information and to register. (map)

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Bethany Church of the Nazarene will open its food pantry this Saturday, June 20, at 10 am for individuals and families in the 17112 zip-code area that need a helping hand. The pantry is affiliated with Central PA Food Bank and has been in operation for seven years. According to a church official, record numbers of people have visited the pantry in recent months.

Gazette readers can help Bethany church help others by attending a benefit concert featuring three acoustic guitar acts and a comedy team next Friday, June 26, at Linglestown Fire Company. No tickets are needed to attend – just donate a nonperishable food item or a personal care product at the door to enjoy a great night of entertainment on the cheap. Plus, all concertgoers will be entered to win door prizes. CLICK HERE for more info.

Twilight's win streak continues

Linglestown Twilight, your hometown team, pounded out 10 hits in a 6–2 road victory Tuesday over Lawnton. Rhys Wolford picked up the win with Ryan Goldberg calling the pitches behind the plate. Twilight (7–1) scored runs in four of the game's seven innings.

This weekend Twilight will be competing in the Rawlings Berkshire Showdown, a Reading-area tournament that the team won in 2008.

Lower Paxton news links, 06.17.09

Mentions by The Patriot-News and PennLive ...

GOOD NEWS

* LP supervisors approve service awards plan for volunteer firemen and fire police. Check back for in-depth coverage of Tuesday night's supervisors' meeting.

* Woof, woof! Dog park gets some love in letter-to-the-editor.

BAD NEWS

* Woman tells police that she was attacked in the Hidden Lake development off of Union Deposit Road.

* Teen charged in auto theft, burglary

* Dog euthanized last week after assault by burglar.

Fire equipment paraded in Linglestown

Check out the video to see scenes from the Dauphin County Firemen's Association parade held in Linglestown on June 13, 2009.



To see the firefighting equipment that appeared in the parade, CLICK HERE for photos taken by Linglestown resident Joe Murphy.

Several hundred people lined the parade route to look at the long line of trucks and floats. Some people were displeased that the road closures along the parade route blocked them from getting to their homes, according to comments posted on the Gazette.

I walked the parade route shooting video and passing out invitations to the benefit concert that will be held at Linglestown Fire Company on Friday, June 26.

Youth baseball update, 06.16.09

Pony Division

Rams 14 – Owls 13 (Mon., 6/15) … The first-place Owls (15–2) jumped out to an early 7–0 lead in the first two innings on some big hits from Zack Peffer, Evan Zeigler, Athan Graham, and Logan Gabrielson, but the Rams (6–11) never gave up. Tyler Hall of the Rams came in to shut down the Owls in the fifth and sixth innings, holding them to only two runs. With the Rams down two runs in the sixth and final inning, Zack Herrigan drove in Nate Kindt to knot the game at 13, and then Aiden Smith touched the plate for the winning run.

Midget Division Playoffs

In one of the most exciting games of the year, the Tigers squeaked by the Cubs 5–4 Monday to go one up in the the best-of-three semifinal series. The Cubs were up 2-0, but in the fifth inning the Tigers scored four runs. In the top of the sixth, the Cubs came back and tied the game. The Tigers scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Both teams played a great game, said Tigers coach Steve Foltz.

The Sox topped the Orioles 12–2 in first game of the other semifinal series.

The second game in both series will be played Wednesday, weather permitting.

Gazette government watchdog services expand

This post marks the beginning of a content-sharing arrangement between the Gazette and Lower Paxton Twp. watchdog group SWAN. Members of SWAN attend most municipal meetings and report on notable actions taken by township officials.

The first report is a recap of the Lower Paxton Twp. Planning Commission meeting held June 10, 2009. The commission is charged with making recommendations to the township supervisors on development plans and proposed land-use regulations. At a minimum, take a minute or two to scan the report to see if anything new is happening in your neighborhood or something is brewing that could impact you or your neighbors.

CLICK HERE to review the meeting notes.
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SWAN, promoting sensible development with adequate infrastructure in Lower Paxton Twp.

Weather's right for a dip

Click on the ad to link to the pool's Web site.

Government watchdog, 06.15.09

CD schools

* After bus drivers spoke out last week about their problems with transportation department administrators, school administrators decided to seek proposals to outsource management of the district’s bus fleet. The school board will be in position to consider proposals next month.

Willamsport school district earlier this month opted to subcontract its busing operations and expects to save taxpayers about $3.5 million over the next four years. The board’s vote was the subject of a TV news report. Also, Bethlehem school officials are looking at contracting the district's bus service.

* The CD board will meet next Monday, June 22, to take a final vote on the 2009-2010 budget that includes 2.45 percent property-tax hike.

Lower Paxton Twp.

* The supervisors will meet Tuesday, June 16, at the Municipal Center, 7:30 pm. The meeting will be broadcast live on Comcast channel 20.

The agenda includes a vote on a proposed ordinance that would provide active firefighters and fire police officers with a monthly stipend for continued and dedicated volunteer service. And two land development plans in Linglestown are up for final consideration – a church building expansion and a car wash on N. Mountain Road.

* CANCELED -- The Village of Linglestown Committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, June 18, at the Linglestown Fire Company (brick building), 7 pm. The committee spearheaded the upcoming village improvement project that was put out to bid by the state last week.

Twilight extends winnings streak to six

Linglestown Twilight sandlot baseball team (6–1, East Shore Twilight League) blanked Lykens-Wiconisco 2–0 Sunday at Koons Park.

Jason Kelly (pictured) went the distance on the mound for Twilight, allowing only four hits and fanning nine. He also recorded a RBI when he doubled in the first inning to score leadoff batter Sam Phillps, who smacked a double to right field. Second baseman John Stahl got the other RBI when he plated Shawn Berwager in the third inning.

Upcoming games: Twilight will travel Tuesday to play Lawnton at Gerald H. Vanatta Memorial Park in Swatara Twp., 6 pm. This weekend the team will attempt to win the Rawlings Berkshire Showdown, a Reading-area tournament, for the second straight year.
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I'm still looking for a game announcer to fill in for me when I'm unable to attend games. Please e-mail B² if you want to do some mic work.

Youth baseball roundup, 06.14.09

Monday night (June 15) begins the Midget Playoffs. The opening round is a best of three series.

Game one will feature the 4th place Cubs vs. 1st place Tigers. The nightcap will have the 3rd place Orioles facing off against the 2nd place Sox. Game 2 for both series will be on Wednesday night.

CLICK HERE for summaries of last week’s Midget and Pony games.

Twilight baseball today at Koons

Two-time defending sandlot league champs Linglestown Twilight will take on a team from the Lykens area today at Koons Park. First pitch will fly at 2 pm and admission is FREE.

Stop by and say hello to me, B². I'll be introducing batters and playing tunes between innings. Be sure to ask me about the big event coming to Linglestown later this month.
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Twilight players (blue jerseys) are pictured celebrating after defeating Valley View in the league playoffs last season.

Backyard News, 06.12.09

Time to clear off my desk ...

* Gazette congrats go out to
Daniel Allegar (pictured), a Central Dauphin Middle School eighth-grader, who competed in the national spelling bee held last month in Washington, D.C. He missed making the semifinal round despite doing well in the early stages of the contest. CLICK HERE for more details from The Patriot-News.

* Rep. Ron Marsico has info about state solar energy grants and a new deadline for applying for property tax/rent rebates. He's also encouraging Gazette readers to vacation close to home.

* Backers of the proposed skatepark at George Park are hoping to hold a skate competition and possibly a downhill race to raise funds for the park. Contact Toni Petroski via e-mail for info on how you can help out.

* Rob Nease, publisher of HarrisburgatHome, has info on free bowling for kids this summer at ABC Lanes, and he is running a new contest this month.

* Bill Trotter of Shag Hair Salon in Linglestown recently posted a video on his website's home page that gives a behind-the-scenes look at how he did April's makeover. (Scroll down to the bottom of the home page to view the video.)

B² question for Gazette readers

I've been advertising this website on Google for a few months -- the ad is shown below.

Linglestown Gazette
Don't Be Left Out Of The Loop!
Free News For LP, CD Schools
linglestownpa.blogspot.com

Please, oh please, send me, B², an e-mail or post a comment if you discovered Linglestown Gazette by clicking on this ad.

Lower Paxton judge gets big case

If you follow state politics, you might find it interesting that Linglestown-based Magisterial District Judge William Wenner will conduct a preliminary hearing on criminal charges filed against Mike Veon (pictured), a former bigwig in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Veon is accused of using taxpayer dollars to run political campaigns and misusing state grant money.

Read the Gazette on your cellphone

I added a link in the sidebar that goes to a cellphone-friendly version of Linglestown Gazette. If you want a FREE subscription to the feed, you'll need a Google Reader account, which is also FREE.

Big weekend for Linglestown firefighters

CLICK HERE for a Patriot-News article that previews this weekend's volunteer firemen's convention in Linglestown and has a few historical snippets about Linglestown Fire Company, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.
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SAVE THE DATE ... Linglestown Fire Company is working with B² and Linglestown Gazette to present a very special night of acoustic guitar music on Friday, June 26 – and, a can of beans or corn will get you in the door. CLICK HERE for details.

Music at Roasters

Live music returns Friday and Saturday to St. Thomas Roasters located in the Linglestown square, 8–10 pm, no cover.

Jake Kiessling and Garret Pettis will be doing their thing Friday.

And, I highly recommend checking out Saturday's featured artist, Ben Pierson. I enjoyed high-energy performance of acoustic originals and covers at the coffee house a few months ago.

Community Calendar, 06.12.09

Continuing through Saturday, June 13 ... Holy Name of Jesus Church and School will hold their annual Summer Festival, 5–10 pm.

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A night of music featuring three local bands ...

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Saturday, June 13 ... Dauphin County Volunteer Firemen's Association convention parade in Linglestown, 2 pm. A community fair will be held at Koons Park following the parade.

Sunday, June 14 ... New Light, a seven member vocal ensemble from Messiah College, will present a concert at Linglestown Life, outdoor pavilion, 6:30 pm. The concert is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. More information is available by contacting the church via e-mail or at 545-5200.

Saturday, June 20 ... Central Dauphin High School Alumni Association (CDHSAA) will hold its third annual ALL-CLASS REUNION, 4–11 pm. CLICK HERE for details.

Friday, June 26 ... Paul and Hank's Food-Collection Concert sponsored by Linglestown Fire Company and Linglestown Gazette, St. Thomas Room in old fire hall, food or cash donation collected at door, 8 pm.

Sunday, July 5 ... Fireworks at Koons Park sponsored by Linglestown Fire Company.

Thursday, Dec. 31 ... First Night Linglestown, a community New Year’s Eve event, will offer indoor activities and an outdoor extravaganza to ring in 2010.

B² says, 'Save the date'

Linglestown Fire Company & Linglestown Gazette invite you to attend …

Paul & Hank's
Food-Collection Concert

– Friday, June 26, 2009 –

Opening acts start at 7 pm
Featured artists take the stage at 8 pm

Food and cash donations will be collected at the door *
St. Thomas Room at Linglestown Fire Company

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* Donations benefit the food pantry in Linglestown operated by
Bethany Church of the Nazarene

Twilight continues winning ways

Linglestown Twilight sandlot baseball team traveled to Pennbrook and came away with a 7–3 win Wednesday evening. Pete Hayden got the win with some last-inning relief help from Shawn Berwager. Twilight (5–1; first place) took command of the contest by scoring five runs in the third inning.

Next game: Twilight will take on Lykens/Wiconisco this Sunday, June 14, at Koons Park, 2 pm.
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Linglestown Twilight is the two-time defending champions of the East Shore Twilight League. Most team members are current or former college players. There is no admission charge to attend games.

Lower Paxton meeting notes

Highlights of issues discussed at Tuesday’s township supervisors' meeting …

* Linglestown Life officials reviewed their building expansion plans with the supervisors. The church’s plan appears to be on track to be approved in the near future.

* Acting Police Chief David Johnson outlined a plan to shift patrol officers from eight- to 12-hour shifts. The change is expected to increase manpower on the streets, reduce overtime pay, and boost officers’ morale. The township needs to negotiate the proposed scheduling change with the police officers’ union prior to implementing it.

Several police departments in the area, including Susquehanna Twp., have successfully implemented 12-hour shifts.

* Lower Paxton is eligible to receive $185, 200 in federal stimulus money for energy efficiency improvements. Planned projects are (1) installation of LED lights at public parking lots, (2) energy enhancements at the Friendship Center, and (3) installation of an energy-efficient internal lighting system at the Public Works Center on Locust Lane.

* The supervisors concurred that a planning process proposed by the Parks & Rec Board for parkland along Wenrich Street – known as the Wolfersberger Tract – should move forward. Also, the supervisors assured a resident who lives just south of the tract that discussions with a local soccer association to construct a soccer field complex on the land are dead.

Date set for July 4th holiday fireworks

The popular fireworks show this year will be held Sunday, July 5, according to Linglestown Fire Company. The time of the show has not been confirmed yet, but the first rocket firing most likely will happen 9:15–9:30 pm.

Linglestown project moves forward

At long last, PennDOT is seeking construction bids for the Linglestown square project. Bids will be opened next month and groundbreaking is expected to happen late summer or early fall.

The village improvements that have been in the works include two traffic roundabouts, decorative streetlights, benches, stamped concrete sidewalks and trees.

On a related note, installation of a public waterline along Route 39 in the historic village as part of the project is still in limbo. Local officials with United Water Pennsylvania want to bring public-water service to the village but they are waiting for an OK from their corporate office, according to Lower Paxton Twp. manager George Wolfe.
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Click on the aerial photo of the Linglestown square to view a larger version.

Youth baseball update, 05.10.09

Midget Division

Orioles 5 – Sox 3 (Tue., 6/9) … Kiel Rutters of the Orioles (10–9) pitched five strong innings to earn the victory over the Sox (10-9). Gary Smith homered for the Sox.

Braves 16 – Cubs 6 (Tue., 6/9) … The Braves (2–18) were red hot at the plate with every player reaching base and scoring at least once during the game. Jason Wenrich led the attack with two doubles and a single. Max Hess homered and singled, and Christian Correale added a double and a single and also held the Cubs (7–11) to only five hits. One of those hits by the Cubs was a round-tripper by Joel Nelson, his first of the season.

Big crowd expected Saturday in Linglestown

The Linglestown Fire Company is hosting over 40 Dauphin County volunteer fire companies for a convention, and the featured event is a parade of fire equipment and community groups on Saturday starting at 2 pm. The public is invited to join in on the fun at the parade and after-parade events.

The parade route is shown below:

The parade will move out from Blue Bird and Blue Eagle avenues. It will proceed down Blue Eagle and continue on Balthaser Street until it connects with Linglestown Road (Route 39), and then it will proceed to the square in Linglestown and turn south on North Mountain Road to Larue Street and end at Koons Park.

Free entertainment, community groups and food for purchase will be offered at Koons Park following the parade. The Linglestown firefighters hope to see you there!

Youth baseball update, 05.09.09

Midget Division

Braves 10 – Sox 4 (Sat., 6/6) … The Braves got their first victory of the year behind the fabulous pitching of Jason "J-Dog" Wenrich and by pounding out 11 hits. Wenrich helped his own cause with two singles, Gus Axtman added a single and a double, and Jonathon Clark added a single and his first home run of the season for the Braves. For the Sox (10–7), Gary Smith hit two home runs and a double, and Colby Shearer added two singles.

Tigers 2 – Braves 2 (Mon., 6/8) … The Tigers (17–0) banged out 16 hits and were led by Aaron Gress with two home runs and a double, and Zach Hoffman who added two doubles and two singles. Jason Wenrich had two singles for the Braves (1–18).

Pony Division

Mets 12 – Colts 3 (Mon., 6/8) … The Colts were ahead of the Mets 3-2 after the first inning, but the Mets (11–4) stormed by win by nine runs. The Met’s Andrew Gross had two singles, and Nick Riner was the second pitcher with four strikeouts and one walk. Rocco Lawrence had hit and a walk. Jonathon Mata had a double for the Colts (5–11).
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Scores and news briefs submitted by Linglestown Baseball Association coaches.

Car crashes into pole

WHP CBS 21 reports that a car crashed into a pole and burst into flames early this morning. along Route 39 east of Linglestown in West Hanover Twp.

CD board hears about transportation woes

There's no doubt that Central Dauphin School District officials have work to do over the summer to get on good working terms with bus drivers. This situation is important because unhappy and distracted bus drivers could put students in harms way.

A large contingent of drivers attended the board meeting Monday to publicly air their claims of poor working conditions and concerns that school administrators are gearing up to outsource the district's transportation department.

Following the meeting, board members Christian Malesic and Justin McShane told the bus drivers that prior to the meeting they had no inkling things were amiss in the transportation department. The drivers indicated that they plan to show up at the next meeting on June 22 in an effort to improve relations with their supervisors.

Malesic said outsourcing buses has been discussed but no formal action has been taken to make a change.

In another issue, the change to a new food service management company appears to be a done deal. McShane's motion to retain the current company failed by 6–3 vote.

Government watchdog, 06.08.09

* The Central Dauphin School Board will meet tonight at the Lecture Hall of Central Dauphin East High School, 7 pm. CLICK HERE for a preview of the meeting.

* The Lower Paxton Twp. Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, June 9, for a workshop session at the Municipal Center, 6 pm. This meeting will not be televised. (agenda)

The meeting will include discussions on a proposed building addition at Linglestown Life church and a financial report issued by Koons Pool. Also, information will be presented about cable television franchise negotiations with Comcast.