UPDATE: Linglestown improvement project

The proposed public waterline that would serve businesses and homes along Route 39 in the historic village of Linglestown is still in limbo, according to Lower Paxton Twp. manager George Wolfe.

About 48 property owners have indicated a desire to replace their private wells by connecting to public water. The Village of Linglestown Committee had hoped to get 60, the number needed to produce a cost per connection of $2,800. Each property owner would incur additional plumbing costs to run a line from the street to their home or business.

"The water line is now in the good graces of United Water Pennsylvania," said Wolfe.
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CLICK HERE for archived information about the planned Linglestown improvement project. Construction is tentatively slated to begin this fall.

TV show bypasses local stylist for young guns

Bill Trotter, owner of Shag hair salon located in the village square in Linglestown, had a good news-bad news experience Sunday in New York City during a tryout for Bravo network's Shear Genius reality TV show.

Judges were very impressed with Trotter’s work, calling it “classic Vidal Sassoon.” But, they were looking for young, pretty stylists to showcase, he said.

“My age was definitely a factor,” said Trotter, who was cut after round one Sunday.

Gazette kudos go to Trotter for putting himself out there in an attempt to get his business and Linglestown some national attention.

Last week, Trotter showed off his immense talents during the B² Makeover Project.

Help track down computer thieves

Check out the photo to the right and contact Lower Paxton police if you've seen these dudes who are suspects in a computer theft last Thursday at Staples on Union Deposit Road. CLICK HERE for more from The Patriot-News.

Group keeping tabs on Lower Paxton

The monthly meeting of Stray Winds Area Neighbors (SWAN) held Monday night attracted 16 people, which eclipses the attendance for most government meetings in the Harrisburg area. Eric Epstein, a widely known activist on state government and nuclear power issues, heads up the group. Below are meeting highlights:

* Tara Mead of Knollwood Drive discussed a noise problem with a next-door neighbor that her family has been dealing with for nearly a year – a teenage boy insists on loudly revving a car and playing a car radio at insanely loud volume levels. Lower Paxton police have refused to issue a citation to date. The family may be forced to file a lawsuit against the noisy neighbor if police fail to take corrective actions later this week. SWAN members recommended that Mead inform township supervisors about the situation during a televised public meeting.

* Eric Bucher gave a report on a project undertaken by Lower Paxton's greenway committee to designate a section of the Darlington Trail as a township greenway. The trail runs along the top of Blue Mountain. Easements need to be obtained from property owners so the township can place signs on the trail and show the trail on official maps. See this Gazette post and video for information on the township park located at the eastern end of the proposed greenway.

* Epstein designated Gazette publisher B² as webmaster for SWAN for a period not to exceed 20 years.
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SWAN has published a March newsletter that has summaries of all public meetings conducted by Lower Paxton officials this month.

B² Makeover Reveal

Last Thursday was the day I let the Linglestown fashion pros do their thing to give me a new and hopefully improved look. Check out the video highlights to find out what happened.



CLICK HERE for a look at the before-and-after shot and additional information about the B² Makeover Project.
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Past makeover: Fabulous & 40 Makeover!

Backyard News, 03.30.09

Government watchdog … Stray Winds Area Neighbors, a community watchdog group better known as SWAN, will hold its monthly meeting tonight at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 1100 Colonial Road, 7 pm. The public is encouraged to attend. … Lower Paxton supervisors will conduct a Township Authority meeting Tuesday, 6 pm, at the Municipal Center to discuss changes to a longstanding agreement that allows the township to send wastewater to a sewage treatment plant in Swatara Township, and a potential state grant funding opportunity will also be discussed. (Editor's note: Authority meeting was canceled.)

Gazette briefs … Linglestown wine aficionado Erica Streisfeld has the lowdown on Barefoot Pinot Grigio, her wine pick of the week. This is a great value play that costs a mere $5.99 per bottle. … Gazette contributor Q passes along a big thanks to Lower Paxton’s Friendship Center for hosting a breakfast Saturday morning with the Easter Bunny and an Easter egg hunt in the gym afterwards.

High sports roundup, Saturday games … BASEBALL: Harrisburg Christian pummeled Carson Long 19–9 in a five-inning game. … GIRLS’ SOCCER: CD senior Kate Yurkovic was an offensive machine as she netted all four of the Lady Rams' goals in a 4–0 whipping at home of Dallas out of Luzerne County. … East Pennsboro sneaked by CD East 1–0. (Source, girls' soccer)

Weekend Backyard News, 03.28.09

Saturday in the village … St. Thomas Restaurant, located near the flagpole in Linglestown, was hopping Saturday morning with a full front room and a group in the back room that is used to host small gatherings and meetings. While enjoying a yummy breakfast (two eggs, sausage, hash browns, wheat toast and orange juice), loyal Gazette reader Stence Miller stopped by to say hello. Also, Dauphin County judge candidate Andrew Dowling and his entourage were working the room. Dowling and his gang moved over to St. Thomas Roasters coffee house by the time I stopped by for post-breakfast java. I opted for Java Geof’s Linglestown Blend. It’s good stuff. I like to add some cream and one pack of raw sugar to a medium-sized serving. Ask Geof if you want to know what beans go into the blend named after the capital of Lower Paxton Twp.

Sports roundup, Friday games … BASEBALL: CD East dropped a tough one to Lower Dauphin by a count of 6–2. Lower Dauphin plated four runs in the seventh inning to break a 2–2 tie. … Harrisburg Christian took it on the chin in a 12–0 loss to Living Word. … SOFTBALL: Gazette congrats go out to CD freshman pitcher Taylor Henry for throwing a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in the Rams’ 10–0 win over Manheim Twp. … CD East lost to Lower Dauphin 2–1 in extra innings. … TRACK AND FIELD: Lower Dauphin defeated CD East in both boys’ and girls’ competitions. (Source, baseball and softball)

B² makeover unveiling … The new and improved B² will be revealed on the Gazette early next week. Linglestown’s fashion pros – Shag, First Impressions, and Kelli Wyland Photography – did some amazing stuff! A before-and-after photo and a video are in the works.

Pictured is Bill Trotter of Shag applying hair color to B² in the early stages of the makeover.

Trotter will be in New York City on Sunday competing for a spot on the third season of Bravo network’s Shear Genius reality TV show. He planned to travel by train and carry his gear in a giant-sized piece of luggage.
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Photo by Danielle Bostic

Backyard News, 03.27.09

New business … Geico Insurance has leased an office suite at 4300 Linglestown Road. Watch out for the gecko! (Source)


Meeting reminders … Stray Winds Area Neighbors, a community watchdog group better known as SWAN, will hold its monthly meeting this Monday, March 30, at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 1100 Colonial Road, 7 pm. The public is encouraged to attend. … The first organizational meeting for Linglestown First Night will be held at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house on Monday, April 6, 6:30–7:30 pm. E-mail B² for additional details.

Sports roundup, Thursday games … GIRLS’ SOCCER: Morgan Gates scored a second-half goal to lead the CD Lady Rams to a 2–1 victory over Cedar Cliff. Amy Davies, with an assist from Gates, netted the other Ram goal. … Harrisburg Christian creamed Harrisburg Academy 9–0. Rebeccah Smith was the game’s top performer with five goals and an assist. BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL: CD Rams swept Lower Dauphin by scores of 25–12, 25–21 and 25–23. … REC VOLLEYBALL: Lower Paxton Parks & Recreation Department is now accepting registrations for summer volleyball at Koons Park. Call (717) 657-5635 for more info. (Source, high school sports)

Videocam update … The campaign to raise bucks for a Gazette digital video camera for shooting baseball action and player interviews remains at $440. (The ChipIn box located in the sidebar only shows online contributions.)

CLICK HERE for details on how you can add your name to the list of Gazette backers. Time's running out the get into the game. Campaign ends Tuesday, March 31.

Bear spotted in Linglestown

Gazette reader Thom Bettinger was startled when he spotted a six-foot bear last weekend in the area of Hornung's Ace Hardware. Amazingly, Thom didn’t high tail it out of there. Instead, he slowed down and admired the beast.

CLICK HERE for the story.

Music at Roasters

Hey, let’s go a little bit country! Friday night at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in the historic village of Linglestown will feature the country and variety sounds of Pre-Owned Country.

Capping off this week’s free live music Saturday will be the Roasters regular with the coolest stage name among local entertainers, Just Dave. Treat yourself to classic songs performed with a ton of heart and soul.

The tunes will start filling my satellite office at 8 pm both nights, and there’s no admission charge. As always, Java Geof's coffee selections will be tasty and hot – he roasts the beans in shop's big green roaster. Good music, good times and coffee to die for - priceless!

Gazette news links, 03.26.09

* Patriot-News reporter T.W. Burger features the owner of the soon-to-open Arooga’s on Linglestown Road in an article about sports bars thriving during the recession.

* Mimi Brodeur’s Dining Out column in today’s Patriot-News features Infinito's Pizza, Pasta, Salad Buffet in The Point Shopping Center on Union Deposit Road.

* In a letter published by The Patriot-News, Gazette reader John Robinson makes a case for saving The State Museum of Pennsylvania and other historic sites from Gov. Eddie Rendell’s budget ax.

John recently was mentioned on Linglestown Gazette. He’s seeking families to host French students who will be visiting the midstate this summer.

B² update, 03.26.09

If you looked at the Gazette before 8 am today, you probably noticed a few poorly constructed sentences and maybe a typo or two. Sorry about that. My goal is to put out clean posts, but it's tough to do as a one-man operation.

Many days I'm trying to punch out posts right before I hit the rack. After giving everything the once over, news items are uploaded to the Gazette in more-or-less raw form. Boo-boos jump out at me early the next morning, and final editing takes place at that time.

I just wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes look into my world. As always, feel free to play editor and send me corrections by posting a comment or sending e-mail.

CD Middle bag some gold

Gazette congrats go out to the Central Dauphin Middle School Rams Quiz Bowl Team that defeated seven other teams, including the other three CD middle schools, to win the 20th Academic Bowl Tuesday night at Penn State Harrisburg.

The Rams regrouped after their second place showing in 2008 to claim the top prize in the team-based, Jeopardy-style competition. Members of the CDMS team are Michael Azzato, Byron Hang, Noah Krampe, Jon Leung, Damian Pazauchanics, Daniel Allegar, and Emily Suda.

The coaches are Larry Patterson and Rebecca Robinson.
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Gazette reader Rich Krampe gets a hat tip for submitting the good news.

Backyard News, 03.26.09

News links … PennDOT may use some of the stimulus funds that AIG didn’t get to reconfigure the Colonial Park exit on I-83. (includes video report). CLICK HERE for background info on the proposed project. … Cell tower that would double as a flagpole could improve T-Mobile USA Flagpole cell coverage for motorists using Linglestown Road. … Find out where a new hotel opened in LP.

New & improved B² … Today is makeover day for Gazette publisher B². The finely tuned skills of Bill Trotter of Shag Hair Salon will be tested to the max to take a few years off my 50-something mop of hair that features plenty of gray and a receding hairline. Be sure to check the Gazette daily for the B² makeover unveiling.

Videocam update … The Gazette’s fundraiser to replace a point-and-shoot digital camera with real digital video camera with an all-important external mic grew by $10 thanks to Scott Fredericks. Total contributions to date: $440 toward goal of $750. (The ChipIn box located in the sidebar only shows online contributions.)

Please consider joining Scott and others by chipping in to help upgrade Linglestown baseball reports and other must-see videos – CLICK HERE for all the details.

Free workshop to focus on Paxton Creek

Paxton Creek Watershed and Education Association (PCWEA) is working to address pollution problems in the Paxton Creek, a situation that could cost Lower Paxton and other communities millions of dollars to fix. The stream snakes through the Linglestown area west of the historic village on its 12.8-mile path to the Susquehanna River.

As a community service, PCWEA is offering a free workshop this Saturday, March 28, on watershed runoff and best management practices to fix the creek, 9 am to noon, begins and ends at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in the village of Linglestown.

CLICK HERE for details. So adequate materials can be prepared, participants are requested to notify workshop organizers by calling 545-1336 prior to Friday, March 27.

Dollars for video camera rolling in

Donations toward a new video camera for Gazette coverage of Linglestown baseball and other local events pulled in $60 on Tuesday.

The grand total received to date is $430 toward the $750 goal. (The ChipIn box located in the sidebar only shows online contributions.)

Thanks go out to the following readers for chipping in:

Kathy Bostic (B²’s Mom)
Rob Nease (publisher of Harrisburg at Home website and blog)
Eileen Arnold
Ken & Terri Stambaugh

CLICK HERE for details on how to become a Gazette backer – only 32 more readers contributing 10 bucks are needed.
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If all goes as planned, the Gazette will provide game summaries for 17 teams affiliated with Linglestown Baseball Association (LBA) – Pony, Midget, Teener, Legion and Twilight divisions. The video camera will be used for game clips and player videos.

If a team scores five runs to win in the final inning, you’ll read about on the Gazette. If someone slams a pair of homers, yep, odds are the player will get a mention.

This is a big undertaking, but LBA President Steve Foltz is working on a system for coaches to call in or e-mail game info. Also, LBA baseball mom Karen Cattabiani has graciously agreed to do some reporting again this season.
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Photo at top: Linglestown Twilight players (in blue jerseys) celebrate after winning the 2008 East Shore Twilight playoffs; photo by John Whitehead of The Patriot-News

Below are links to last season’s Gazette baseball coverage:

2008 Linglestown Twilight coverage

2008 Linglestown Legion coverage

2008 Linglestown youth coverage

CD schools going green

Central Dauphin School Board approved Monday night spending millions to save energy. CLICK HERE for details from The Patriot-News.

Backyard News, 03.24.09

* I reported last week that Mrs. B² has started puttering around the yard. Now she's itching for the township’s yard waste pickups to start. Playing the role of a good husband, I surfed over to the township’s Web site and learned that the pickups begin the first full week of April.

* Linglestown’s wine aficionado Erica Streisfeld has posted her Wine-of-the-Week – Vionta Albarino.

* News from Linglestown merchants ... Bill Trotter of Shag is competing for a spot on Bravo network’s Shear Genius reality TV series. Bill's shop is located next to St. Thomas Roasters coffee house. … Olivia’s Tea Room is now offering Friday Tea Luncheons. This is a great opportunity to have lunch with girlfriends, family or coworkers in the quaint village of Linglestown. … The merchants association is planning a special Easter promotion that will include a visit from a very special bunny. … Cultural events are coming to the village! Capitol Opera Harrisburg will be holding performances later this year in the St. Thomas Room at Linglestown Fire Company’s brick building. ... Thanks to Homza Chiropractic, B²'s posture is much improved since starting treatments earlier this year for a extremely sore neck. Dr. John Homza gave me the good news Monday when I had a painless tune-up at his office located on Linglestown Road west of the village. ... All business owners in the Linglestown area should seriously consider joining The Merchants of Linglestown business association. The group held a spirited meeting Monday at Olivia's Tea Room that was led by Tina Robenolt, co-owner of First Impressions Boutique, Gifts & Day Spa. Good stuff! More info is available on the group's Web site, or e-mail Tina.

* The Gazette video camera fund-raising drive for Linglestown baseball coverage is nearing the halfway point – contributions received to date total $370 toward the $750 goal. If you are a regular Gazette reader, please consider making a small donation. CLICK HERE for all the details.

A big THANK YOU goes out to Gazette readers who made contributions Monday:

Polly Murphy
SWAN
Eileen Hurley
Linglestown Twilight baseball team
Peggy Albert

Local teen wins statewide poster contest

Jack Cotolo is pictured being recognized by state Rep. Ron Marsico for winning first place in a statewide poster contest themed “Green Energy – It’s Energizing PA.”

Jack, a 10th grader at Lower Dauphin High School, regularly plays guitar with his dad, Frank Cotolo, at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown. His next appearance will be Friday, April 10.

As you can see, Jack is quite a talented artist, and he does some amazing stuff on the guitar.

Way to go, Jack!

(Source)

CD student wins spelling bee

Gazette congrats go out to Central Dauphin Middle School eighth-grader Daniel Allegar for winning the 53rd annual Patriot-News Spelling Bee yesterday. Good luck at the national competition!

Lower Paxton man profiled in TMI retrospective

All-world political activist Eric Epstein is the subject of a Patriot-News report by Diana Fishlock about the 30th anniversary of the partial meltdown at nearby Three Mile Island nuclear power plant.

Eric serves as chairman of Stray Winds Area Neighbors, better known as SWAN, and occasionally he can be heard as a fill-in host for the Bob Durgin show on WHP 580 AM talk radio. In recent years, Eric has become the go-to guy for news writers on a wide range of political topics.

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Please become a Gazette backer to help bring new and improved coverage of Linglestown Baseball Association teams. All that's needed are 50 readers to chip in a small donation. CLICK HERE for details.

Government watchdog, 03.23.09

* 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 03/23/09, and then click on the plus signs to get details about specific agenda items, including downloadable PDF files of documents.

* Central Dauphin School District has placed an employee on administrative leave for allegedly making a threat last Wednesday, according to The Patriot-News.

* The only Lower Paxton Twp. meeting of note is a series of hearings that will be held by the Zoning Hearing Board on Thursday at the Municipal Center, 7 pm. Below is a list of the scheduled hearings:

– Arlean Marks of Carlisle is appealing an order to demolish a structure at 1236 Wheatfield Drive.

– Thomas and Susan Bay are seeking a variance to construct a sunroom at 4051 Nancy Drive.

– The Diocese of Harrisburg is seeking two approvals for the new Bishop McDevitt High School planned on Spring Creek Road: A special exception related to a football stadium parking lot and a variance related to storm water management.

* The Merchants of Linglestown will be meeting Monday evening for the time since they launched a membership drive. This isn't a governmental meeting, but I wanted to mention it for the record. A sizeable crowd is expected to attend.

* The general public is invited to attend the next meeting of Lower Paxton watchdog group SWAN on Monday, March 30, at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 7 pm.

Gazette sports roundup, 03.22.09

Linglestown Gazette was on hand at the CD Ram SLAM 3-on-3 basketball tournament held Saturday at the high school gym. Seventeen teams competed in middle school and high school divisions, and the winning teams are shown below (click on the photos to view larger versions):

HIGH SCHOOL DIVISION: (l. to r.) Nick Laird, Jon Schnaars, Josh Barwin and Connor Arnold (The team won six straight games to claim the championship.)

MIDDLE SCHOOL DIVISION: (l. to r.) Michael Gress, Ryan Stayton, Joey Good and Manny Gonzalez (After losing their first two games, this team caught fire and went undefeated the rest of the tournament.)

Jeff and Eileen Arnold organized the Ram SLAM. The tournament raised $759 for the basketball booster club.

 * Moving to diamond news, Steve Crimmel of Linglestown passed along a list of local guys who playing college baseball this season. Several of the players spotlighted in the article could feed the Linglestown Twilight team this summer.

 * The ‘tink” of baseballs hitting metal bats has returned to Koons Park. Linglestown Baseball Association youth teams started preparing last Tuesday for Opening Day on April 18.

 * B² needs your help to provide expanded coverage of Linglestown baseball action during the 2009 season. Donations are needed for a much-needed camera upgrade for game action and player interviews.  CLICK HERE for details.

Thanks go out to Gazette backers who have chipped in to date: Thad D’Ambrosia, M.J. Bricker, Eric Epstein, Jim McNeal, Bob Rodgers and Thom Bettinger.

LP man hit with sex charges

Click the headline above for details from The Patriot-News.

Backers needed for BASEBALL coverage

B² is working hard to bring expanded coverage of Linglestown Baseball Association action to the Gazette this season, and you can help me to improved video game reports and player interviews.

I'd like to replace a point-and-shoot digital camera with a digital video camera that has an external mic.

You can help out by making a small donation – 50 readers chipping in $10 apiece will do it.

CLICK HERE for more details and to make an online donation, or click on the donation box located in the sidebar of this Web page.

Update on Bishop McDevitt's move to LP

T.W. Burger of The Patriot News has an update on the new Bishop McDevitt High School that will be constructed in the Union Deposit Road corridor of Lower Paxton Twp.

Music at Roasters

Live music returns this weekend to at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house in Linglestown, 8–10 pm, no cover.

Fishing Creek Valley resident Richard James is coordinating a mix of entertainment tonight, including some poetry readings. Saturday night’s featured artist will be Marie Smith.

Backyard News, 03.19.09

Village project update … Tonight’s meeting of the Village of Linglestown Committee has been postponed for a good reason – the ball is now in PennDOT’s court to give the green light for the project that will bring two traffic roundabouts and a new look to the historic village. PennDOT told me Wednesday that the tentative schedule is to open bids in July and start construction in September. As always, the schedule is subject to change.

Spring into spring ... Spring arrives tomorrow, and prep has started for warmer weather at the B² household – I took the mower to Hornung's Ace Hardware for a tune-up and Mrs. B² started puttering around the yard yesterday. Pictured are some posies outside Gazette HQ.

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Homza Chiropractic helped B² overcome severe neck and shoulder pain using natural healing methods. If you are dealing with pain, numbness, stiffness, headaches or other ailments, e-mail B² and I’ll make arrangements for you to get a free evaluation. Homza is located just west of the historic village on Linglestown Road.

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Eyesore no more ... The blighted gas station property located in Linglestown on N. Mountain Road is history – all that's left is a pile of rubble.

The property has a "Build to Suit" sign, but property owner Triple Crown Corporation is still working on constructing a car wash on the 0.7-acre parcel, according to company spokesman Mark Coakley.

Heard on the streets … After posting info about the opening of KoKoMos Wings Express this week, I did some poking around and found out that the owner of the eatery is Chris Barowski. … It’s time to check out the Wine-of-the-Week courtesy of Linglestown’s very own Erica Streisfeld. … Mark your calendars: Central Dauphin Band Boosters will hold their annual craft fair on Saturday, April 4. … Former Lower Paxton Twp. supervisor and Civil War re-enactor Jay Purdy passes along word that he’s backing Central Dauphin school board candidates Melissa Van Eck, and Linda Dellago. And, Jay is laying the groundwork to seek the board seat now held by Christian Melesic that will be up for grabs in two years.

Dude in need of a makeover … Man, today was a bad-hair day for B² in a big way. Plus, I'm fighting a sinus infection. Ugh!

Fortunately, a trio of Linglestown merchants – Shag, First Impressions, and Kelli Wyland Photography – will be coming to the rescue next week to give me one of their famous makeovers.

The photo is an unofficial "before" shot that I took myself.

Car flips along Linglestown Road

CBS-21 has video coverage of a single-car accident that took place early this morning near the Jewish Home of Greater Harrisburg. The first responders from Linglestown Fire Company were called to the scene at around 4:30 am. (I was outside letting my dog do her business when the siren went off – my paid job requires early starts.)

First Night Linglestown meeting scheduled

The kickoff organizational meeting for First Night Linglestown, a New Year’s Eve family-fun event, will be held Monday, April 6, at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house, 6:30 pm.

Those of you who have expressed an interest in helping out will receive additional info via e-mail prior to the meeting. If you haven't contact B² yet, not a problem – just mark your calendar for April 6, 6:30 pm, and attend the meeting.

Meeting length will not exceed one hour – guaranteed!

Free concert Friday in Linglestown

Linglestown-area resident Dave Kaprocki (pictured playing guitar on right) and a few of his friends invite all Gazette readers to a FREE concert this Friday, March 20, at New Hope Church, 584 Colonial Club Drive. The concert will begin at 6 pm.

They will be playing a selection of classic rock, contemporary Christian and even some favorite oldies. This event is guaranteed to be a good time, and there will be FREE snacks provided.

B² rates this must-attend entertainment. The band recently played before a packed house at St. Thomas Roasters, and they put out a great sound. I hope to see you there!

HELP NEEDED: The French are coming!

French students will visit this summer and seek host families

French students ages 13-19 are looking for host families to welcome them to the Harrisburg area July 8-28 or August 5-25. You and your children will learn about life in France while showing these young people how Americans live and help them to improve their English. One student spent his time right here in Linglestown last year!

All students speak English, are fully insured, and have their own spending money. It’s great fun, and life-long friendships have been built on these visits. The visits are arranged through LEC, a non-profit French organization with American coordinators.

For complete, free information with no obligation, please send LEC an e-mail (include your phone number if you’d prefer a phone response) or phone John Robinson, LEC Capital Region coordinator, at 545-2979. Visit LEC's blog for additional info.
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John Robinson is a Linglestown resident and a loyal Gazette reader. I've added a link to the LEC blog to the sidebar under "Local Links."

Pictured are last year's students at John's home off Blue Ridge Avenue. He presented them with flags to take on their journey home that day. It was Benoît Forrestier, the boy on the right, who spend three weeks here in Linglestown.

Lower Paxton meeting notes

* A police labor contract was approved that includes an annual pay hike of 3-percent for officers this year and in 2010 and 2011. The contract term ends Dec. 31, 2011.

* A bid was approved to install baseball field fencing at George Park at a cost of just under $22,000. Prior to seeking bids, the township staff had estimated that the fencing would cost $50,000.

* The supervisors approved the transfer of a retail liquor license held by a closed restaurant in Swatara Twp. to Gary Huether, Jr., owner of Arooga’s sports bar slated to open at the old KoKoMos at the intersection of Linglestown and Colonial roads. Huether, who attended the meeting and gave menus to the supervisors, still needs to obtain state approval to begin operating the restaurant. The Linglestown Road location will be the third Arooga’s in the Harrisburg area.

Huether had to go outside Lower Paxton to find an available liquor license because the one held by KoKoMos is tied up in bankruptcy proceedings.

In addition, Huether appears to be a very upstanding guy. He plans to install energy-efficient features to obtain a “green” status for the business, and has negotiated with adjoining property owners to obtain additional parking for the site.

* Agreements were approved for PennDOT to install a traffic light on Jonestown Road as part of a reconfiguration of the Colonial Park exit off southbound I-83. The light will be located at the end of what is now the Progress Avenue exit ramp. After the light has been installed, the Colonial Park exit ramp on southbound I-83 will be closed off. More on this issue from WHTM TV-27.

* A plan to construct a three-story, 28-room addition at the Quality Inn on N. Mountain Road was unanimously approved. The motel is located next to the Sunoco gas station.

Props for new Linglestown-area eatery

Gazette news spotter Q, known throughout the region for handing out Q-Tips, gives a thumbs-up review of KokoMos Wings Express, 5000 Linglestown Road. (map)

I checked the place out after work today (Monday, 03.16.09). There is a counter, two tables and a soda refrigerator. I was expecting just wings and maybe fries, but was surprised at the line up. They offer their standard fare minus "dinner" items, like steaks, pasta and seafood. The menu includes the items that can be fried or grilled – burgers, wings, fries, appetizers, sandwiches, salads and pizza. I love their wings; glad they are back! They plan to offer delivery once they become established. I think it's a great idea and a good location.

Government Watchdog, week of 03.16.09

There are three meeting on tap that could impact your life and pocketbook this week.

Leading things off, the Central Dauphin School Board will hold a workshop session Tuesday at the Central Dauphin East High School Lecture Hall to review the budget for the 2009-2010 school year, 4:30–6:00 pm.

Also Tuesday evening, Lower Paxton Twp. Board of Supervisors will conduct a business meeting at the Municipal Center, 7:30 pm. The meeting will be broadcast live on Comcast channel 20.

The meeting agenda includes consideration of a police labor contract, transfer of a liquor license for the new Arooga’s sports bar planned at the old KoKoMos location at Linglestown and Colonial roads, and a land development plan for a three-story addition at the Quality Inn on N. Mountain Road.

And, the Village of Linglestown Committee is tentatively scheduled to meet Thursday, 7 pm, at Linglestown Fire Company’s old brick firehouse (enter the white door at the front of the building – do NOT use the door for the social hall). The committee is responsible for planning the village improvement project tentatively slated to start construction this summer.
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Lower Paxton government watchdog group Stray Winds Area Neighbors – better known as SWAN – has published a newsletter that recaps all Lower Paxton meetings held in February. This is a great resource for keeping tabs on what elected and appointed officials are doing.

The general public is invited to attend the next meeting of SWAN on Monday, March 30, at Epiphany Lutheran Church, 7 pm.

LP police honor officers, citizens

The Lower Paxton Twp. police recently held their annual awards ceremony. CLICK HERE for a recap from The Patriot-News.

Retired CD teacher raises big bucks to help kids

Story by M. Diane McCormick of The Patriot-News profiles funding-raising efforts of retired CD teacher John Bricker for the March of Dimes.
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Bricker taught at Linglestown Middle School.

Fire damages Wendy's on Rt. 22

You'll have to find a new place to grab a bite to eat for a few days if Wendy's on Route 22 near Home Depot is your favorite spot. Click on the above headline for details.

Monday’s pile of stuff

* Koons Pool recently received a $500 sponsorship from Linglestown Life, the church located just north of the village square.

* Gazette congrats go out to the cast, production staff and crew of CD High’s spring musical Annie Get Your Gun. I attended the Sunday matinee along with my wife and daughter. Hats off to Erin Kelly, a sophomore, for doing an outstanding job in the lead role of Annie Oakley. (Erin shared the spotlight with Victoria Ernst – they each did three performances.)

* Speaking of the arts, Harrisburg Christian School had about 1,300 people from the community attend performances of the musical Oliver earlier this month. Plus, many other cool things are happening at the school located a couple miles north of Linglestown on Blue Mountain Parkway. CLICK HERE to get in the know.

* The new KoKoMos Wings Express will open its doors today, according to a sign posted on the front of the store located in the plaza along Linglestown Road that is anchored by Papa John’s Pizza.

* In the Gazette’s ongoing effort to keep tabs on our elected officials, state Sen. Jeff Piccola has scheduled hearings to consider ways to improve the state’s charter school law. Piccola chairs the Pa. Senate’s education committee.

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Join the Gazette 75 Club today!
– Watch the short video below for details –

To join the Gazette 75 Club, make a check payable to Bill Bostic and mail it to the address shown below:

6204 Elmer Avenue
Linglestown, PA 17112-1732

Linglestown merchants group seeking members

The Merchants of Linglestown has begun a charter membership drive. The association supports community growth of retail shops, restaurants and professional services through networking and special events.

The merchants next meeting is Monday, March 23, at 6:30 pm at Olivia's Tea Room, the shop located on the second floor of the building that houses Linglestown Flowers & Gifts. (Entrance to the tea room is in the rear of the building.)

If you have any questions or would like to attend as a guest, please e-mail Tina Robenolt of First Impressions Boutique, Gifts and Day Spa.

Linglestown clock expert gets some ink

Bob Rodgers, proprietor of Rodger's Clock Service of Linglestown, recently spent time in the clock tower at the Clarion County Courthouse, according to a newspaper article. The article is a good read and includes history about Bob's career as a clock repairman.

If you have a mechanical clock that is in need of some tender loving care, Bob's the guy. He fixed one for my family several years ago.

Plus, Bob is a fine American for being a loyal Gazette reader.
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Map that shows location of Clarion, county seat of Clarion County map

LP weekend preview

Would you please take a few minutes and listen to B²'s latest Linglestown Radio show?

It's jammed packed with updates, cool sounds and low-cost things you can do this weekend in your hometown.

So, if you're at work, put on your headphones, sit back and let the sounds of Linglestown Radio take you to a different place for a few minutes – hey, you deserve a break. Or, download the file to your iPod or MP3 player and listen to the show while you're on the move.

Whatever you do, please listen to get updated on Gazette happenings and other rockin' stuff.


SHOW LINKS: Annie Get Your Gun; 61 South Blues; Kent Courtney;
St. Thomas Roasters

Lower Paxton man charged in sex case

Click the headline above to view a news brief from The Patriot-News.

Buzzer beater sinks CD East boys

Click the headline above for a game report.

The Panthers' loss in the second round of the state tournament marks the end of the basketball season for local high school teams. Time to get the balls and bats out.

Backyard News, 03.12.09

Coming attractions ... I'm working on a new Linglestown Radio show that will feature some new stuff, including how you can help bring top-notch Linglestown baseball coverage to the Gazette. It should be ready for your listening pleasure later today. ... The deadline for candidates to submit paperwork for the May 19 municipal primary election has passed, and I'll reveal who is running for what office next week. And, I'm mulling over holding some meet-the-candidate nights at St. Thomas Roasters coffee house, my satellite office. ... Next week, I plan to schedule the first organizational meeting for First Night Linglestown, a New Year's Eve bash that hopefully will be held somewhere in the village to ring in the start of 2010.

CD news ... CD school board member Christian Malesic (pictured) is quoted in a Patriot-News report about the impact federal stimulus dollars could have on school property taxes. (See page 2.) ... Road improvements were a hot topic during a school board workshop on a renovation project at West Hanover Elementary School. There's a quote from Gazette reader and West Hanover Twp. Supervisor Larry Hartman. ... The CD High bowling team has earned a spot in the state tourney that starts Friday at ABC North lanes on Locust Lane, according to Jeremy Elliott, top kegler for The Patriot-News. Team members are Taylor Frey, Justin Nye, Tony Rozzi, Kyle Weldon, Matt Hoffman, Dylan Warfield and Taylor Herrman.

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Please contact Gazette sponsor Homza Chiropractic Center if you have nagging pain that won't go away no matter what you do. Just e-mail B² and arrangements will be made for you to get a FREE evaluation.

I've told you how the folks at Homza have helped me overcome a very stiff and sore neck. Below is another success story:

When I first came to Homza, I was experiencing a lot of pain in my neck due to arthritic degeneration in a disc. I have very little pain now – only when it's bad weather, and the pain is minimal when I do have it. My posture is so much better, also!

I have had such a positive and pleasant experience here and would recommend it to anyone for any problems and preventative care!!

– Sherri Alleman

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Hmm, hmm good ... I'm a sucker for soup sales. So, I'll probably wonder over to St. Thomas United Church of Christ this Saturday to pick up some delicious chicken corn or ham & bean soup, $4 a quart, 9 am to noon.

LP news links ... The search is on for a burglar who ripped off a large quantity of lottery tickets from the Turkey Hill Mini Market in the 300 block of N. Houcks Road. Maybe the thief stole a winning ticket and he'll be nabbed trying to collect the cash prize. ... There's a new pizza-pasta-salad buffet at The Point Shopping Center on Union Deposit Road.

Hot shooter ends Rams' state title hopes

The Central Dauphin Lady Rams' bid for a second straight state basketball championship was derailed Tuesday night in Berks County by an opponent's lights-out shooting performance and stellar team defensive play. Link over to a report by Andrew P. Shay of The Patriot-News for details on what happened.

Gazette congrats go out to the Rams for turning in a great 29-2 season that included winning league and district crowns.

The Lady Rams squad is pictured following their dramatic victory over Wilson on Feb. 27 to win the District 3 title. Photo by John Gayman.

CD musical starts Thursday

Tickets will be available at the door for all shows of Annie Get Your Gun at Central Dauphin High School. The box office will open an hour before each show. Prior to the Saturday afternoon performance, tickets can be purchased from 1 pm until show time at 2:30 pm. (Click on the poster to view a larger version.)

Chocolate Cafe melts down

Add Linglestown Chocolate Cafe to the list of businesses that have hung the "closed" sign on the door for good. The restaurant's last day of business was Saturday.

The Chocolate Cafe was opened in November 2006 by local businessmen Bill Hornung and Marty Schoffstall in a restored church located in the heart of the historic village of Linglestown.

The eatery struggled to get traction with the public because of its name – many thought it only offered desserts and beverages when it had a full lunch and dinner menu. Also, some customers didn't like the serving counter, and eventually the counter was closed off and a full-service setup was adopted. Last summer, the deck was expanded and several special promotions were held under the stars.

Because of the homey atmosphere of the old church, the Chocolate Cafe became a popular place for special events and meetings, including an art exhibit held last spring.

This is the second restaurant to close it doors in the Linglestown area in the last two weeks – Geo's Country Oven called it quits on Februrary 22.
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Gazette tidbit ... I've been told Linglestown Gazette is great to read in bed with your special someone, especially first thing in the morning.

Join in the fun by subscribing to the Gazette's free RSS feed.

Geo's goes Chapter 7

The owners of the former Geo's Country Oven have filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, according to The Patriot-News. This type of bankruptcy allows assets of Geo's to be liquidated and distributed among creditors by a trustee to satisfy debts.

Geo's last day of operation was Feb. 22.
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Source: Q-Tip