Seth M. Goldstein News Articles

Courier Times: Residents ask solicitor to abstain

2006-05-06T09:52:00.000-07:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Courier Times

COUNCIL ROCK - More than 10 angry Upper Makefield residents appeared at the Council Rock school board meeting Thursday night to ask the district's solicitor to recuse himself from any dealings with Toll Brothers and to answer allegations of back-room dealings with the builder.

Jane Johnson, the only resident who spoke for the group during public comment at the beginning of the meeting, expressed her opposition to Toll Brothers' attempt to rezone the district-owned Melsky property and another tract of land, both on Dolington Road, for high-density housing.

Johnson told the board that hundreds of Upper Makefield residents have signed a petition against the sale of the district's property to the developers.

She asked board solicitor Derek Reid to recuse himself from any district business dealing with Toll and the properties, because Reid's business partner represents Toll Brothers in the land-purchasing litigation.

“The sale of the Melsky tract by the Council Rock School District to Toll Brothers is not in the best interest of the taxpayers of this community,” Johnson said. “The very fact that your firm represents Toll Brothers in this very litigation puts you in a direct position of conflict representing the interests of the taxpayers you were hired to serve.”

Johnson alleged that Reid had a more direct role in the development of the properties.

“Mr. Robert West, an Upper Makefield supervisor, said at last night's township meeting that you, Mr. Reid, were approached by a representative of Toll Brothers in August of last year to purchase the Melsky tract with money that Toll Brothers would receive from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 200 acres of the Dolington Land tract,” she said.

Reid refused to comment on the accusations.

The school board meeting was the second time in two days where issues revolving around the development along Dolington Road were addressed.

At their Wednesday night meeting, the Upper Makefield Board of Supervisors, in a move to force Toll Brothers to the table, withdrew a land rezoning ordinance that would have allowed the veterans cemetery and the proposed 210 Toll homes to progress.

Supervisor Dan Rattigan said the plan for 210 homes is more than what is allowed and that Toll should follow the current zoning instead of requesting rezoning.

Seth Goldstein, a freelance writer, can be reached at news@phillyBurbs.com.

Courier Times: Board restricts where sex offenders can live

2006-04-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

By: SETH GOLDSTEIN
Courier Times

NEWTOWN TOWNSHIP - The Newtown Township Supervisors voted unanimously Wednesday night to pass an ordinance to restrict where sex offenders can live in the township.

According to the law, sex offenders must be allowed to live in the township, said Paul Beckert Jr., the township solicitor. The ordinance restricts offenders from living within 2,000 feet of any school, childcare facility, common open space, public park, recreation area or community center.

Fourteen Lower Bucks towns have adopted similar ordinances, and seven are considering them.

“Over the past few meetings, the supervisors have used maps to make sure that there were places where [the offenders] could live,” Beckert said. “There are substantial areas within the township where they can reside.”

Supervisor Jerry Schenkman said the restrictions are in place to protect the residents of the community.

“The residents of the township have the right to feel safe in their homes and feel that their children are safe from sexual predators,” he said. “But we are all aware that sexual predators are more active on the Internet, so even with these restrictions we hope that parents are aware of what their children are doing online and who they are talking to to make sure they are safe.”

Anne Goren, supervisors chairwoman, said it had to be done.

“It was a necessary step to accomplish,” she said. “We discussed it at length over the last few meetings, because we wanted to make sure it was legally defendable.”

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer. He can be reached at news@phillyBurbs.com.

Courier Times: TOTAL Lab is breaking the mold

2006-04-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

A new class at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Township campus teaches a variety of computer applications.

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

With the fast pace of daily life getting ever quicker, finding time to learn new skills or work on a degree is getting harder.

With college courses notorious for set schedules and having strict syllabi, many returning and busy students have a more difficult time making the classes fit their lives.

A new class at Bucks County Community College’s Newtown Township campus has changed all that.

The Technology Office Training Access Learning Lab, also known as the TOTAL Lab, is breaking the mold of the classic college course.

With the guise of flexibility in mind, Professors Marynell Zieziula and Anita Manders, both of the Business Studies Department, started the lab in the spring of last year to teach a variety of computer applications, such as keyboarding, Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, searching the Web and learning how to make Web sites using programs like Dreamweaver. There are a total 17 classes.

“The idea is to make learning these programs comfortable, by letting the students work at their own pace,” Zieziula said.

Students are able to take the classes over the Internet from home or they can come in and work in the lab anytime during lab hours, she said. There is always a staff member available to help if the student needs it. They’re required to be on campus only for testing and the initial orientation.

“Because there are no size limitations to the classes, the classes will always run,” Manders said. “This way if a student needs to take a class in Word or Excel, but only two people sign up for the class, it won’t be cancelled.”

Another advantage of the TOTAL Lab is the interaction between the student and the instructors.

“It’s almost like tutoring one-on-one,” Zieziula said. “Those students who are really independent and more advanced can work from home. Sometimes some students even finish their class before the end of the semester.”

Each student is given a training packet with the course, Manders explained. Since there is no schedule, it’s all self-paced.

“The idea was to have the courses fit into the student’s life styles,” she said. “If they finish a class ahead of time, students have the advantage of signing up for another TOTAL course as late as midterm.”

There is also a one semester accelerated skills certificate that’s worth nine credits, said Manders. The idea of this class is to help those who have been downsized at their companies and need to learn the new technology to get a new job.

Funding for the class is provided by the Bucks County Community College foundation and the Carl Perkins Grant.

TOTAL Lab student Donna Simpson, a returning student worked for 15 years in advertising before going back to school to change professions and learn the skills she would need.

“The courses are great,” Simpson said, as she worked on improving her typing skills. “We can take them at our own pace. The faculty is very helpful and the teaching program is very helpful. When I started the typing class, I was terrible. I’ve improved so much in just two weeks.”

Rosemarie LeNoir, works at the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office in Newtown Township, she’s taking the lab to help her in her job.

“I think it’s great,” she added. “It fits in my schedule. I can take the course at home after I take care of my kids at my own pace.”

For more information about the TOTAL Lab check out its Web site at http://www.bucks.edu/total/. Summer registration for classes begins May 22.

Courier Times: Studying to be a master sommelier

2006-04-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

“It’s a whole lot harder for someone my age to become a master than someone who starts at a young age,” Michael Stevens, a Newtown Township resident, said. “But, I’m determined to become one.”

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

Some people have a passion for cars, other for sports, but Michael Stevens’ passion is wine.

Stevens, a lifelong resident of Newtown Township, is the sommelier at the Yardley Inn.

“I’ve always loved wine,” Stevens said. “After graduating from Penn State, I couldn’t get a job so I became a bartender.”

After stints in real estate and commercial photography, he went back into the restaurant business eventually ending up at the Yardley Inn as a waiter.

“I was waiting tables at the inn when the owner took the staff on a field trip to London,” Stevens said. “When we were over there I would always order the wine. The boss came over to me one night and told me that when we got back he wanted me to take a (sommelier) class and that’s how it started.”

Since then Stevens has taken classes with world-renowned sommeliers across the country and is currently in his second of three years working toward becoming a master sommelier.

“It’s a whole lot harder for someone my age to become a master than someone who starts at a young age,” Stevens said. “But, I’m determined to become one.”

To most people the thought of tasting wine and learning about what makes one wine different from another might not sound hard, but it’s harder than it seems, he said.

“Right now, it’s mostly self-study,” Stevens said. “You need to know everything about wine and tasting it to be a master sommelier.”

In college, he said he began to develop a taste for wine, but it wasn’t until after graduation that he really started developing a taste for it.

“I drank beer too,” Stevens admitted, grinning. “When you’re in college you can’t afford the wine, but when I got out, I got exposed to it. The more exposure you get to something, the more you begin to like it. For me it was wine.”

When it comes to picking a favorite wine, Stevens said he can’t just choose one.

“I love them all,” he said. “When I started, I really liked full-bodied red (cabernets), but now I love them all. Each one has a different quality to it. When I started studying them, I had to blind taste each of them and I became exposed to all kinds of wines, so I learned to appreciate each one.”

And as his wine taste grows, Stevens even admits that he’s started liking white wines.

As the sommelier at the Yardley Inn, he has a variety of jobs.

Stevens is responsible for maintaining the wine selection and wine lists; purchasing new wines; keeping the variety up-to-date, current and trendy; as well as setting up wine dinners.

“Anything having to do wine at the Yardley Inn is me,” he said. “I want to help people enjoy and appreciate wine.”

Another feature of his job is to aid the customers in picking the right wine that they’ll enjoy and will fit their budget.

Right now, there are 90 different kinds of wine at the inn, Stevens said. There normally would be a bigger selection, but because of last years flood, the restaurant is still recovering.

“Looking down the road, there are so many difference trends in wine,” he said. “I’m planning to come up with different programs to feature some of the newer selections.”

For those who want to become sommeliers, Stevens suggests that trying all different types of wines is the best way to get started.

“Start young, becoming a master sommelier gets harder the older you get,” Stevens said. “The easiest way to learn about wine is to taste. You can’t learn about wine by reading about it. Once you know you want to become a sommelier start taking classes and learn as much as you can. It’s pretty intense.”

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Easter and chocolate bunnies go together

2006-04-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

Easter wouldn’t be the same without chocolate bunnies and other assorted chocolate farm animals.

With the holiday upon us, Donna and Doug Haines are ready. They are the owners of Newtown Chocolate Shoppe at 156 N. State St. in Newtown.

This shoppe has been at its current location for about two years and business is booming.

“Business is always good, but around Easter and the other holidays it really picks up,” he said.

Upon entering the sweet oasis of chocolate euphoria, the senses are greeted by the smooth sweet smell of chocolates. There is a glass display case filled with truffles and chocolate bark set off cattycorner from the entrance and in the window sits the largest of the chocolate bunnies made by the couple.

It weighs in at two pounds and can be purchased for $38. If that’s too much bunny, they also offer the chocolate critters, which are a four-ounce solid standing bunny.

“The two-pounder is hollow, it would be one massive bunny if it were solid,” he said. “For the Easter season the bunnies are definitely our biggest sellers. We only sell the traditional bunnies. None of ours are goofy looking riding a motorcycle.”

Other Easter favorites are the chocolate dipped marshmallow peeps, chocolate hens on a chocolate nest, lamps and chocolate crosses for all different occasions.

And when it’s not Easter, the shoppe’s biggest sellers the chocolate covered pretzels, the mocha almond bark and the vanilla chocolate crèmes. They also have a wide assortment of non-chocolate candies, including red and black raspberries candies, licorice and marzipan.

The couple has only been in the chocolate business for four years.

“I used to be a sales rep in the electronics industry and needed a change,” Haines said. “I saw no future; the electronics industry is dying in the U.S.”

While on vacation in the Pocono’s they stopped at Donna Haines’ favorite chocolate shop, Callie’s Candy Kitchen, Doug Haines said. After talking to the owner, they decided they wanted to get into the business.

“We got a lot of advice from Mr. Callie,” he said. “When we started out we were only making chocolates for corporations and functions. While doing this our friends kept telling us that we should open up a shop, so about a year later we opened up or first shop above the Velvet Slipper in Newtown.”

The Haines’s soon grew out of that space and moved down the street to their current location.

Starting their own operation wasn’t too hard, he said.

“Everyone in the industry is very friendly and helpful,” he said. “Everyone helps each other out.”

The shop is completely family operated, Donna Haines said. Their 23-year-old daughter works part time.

“We’re definitely a classic mom and pop shop, she’s mom and I’m pop,” he added pointing to his wife grinning.

Newtown Chocolate Shoppe can be found on the Web at www.newtownchocolates.com, where customers can find directions and shop online. The shop is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information call 215-579-2333.

Courier Times: It’s been showing movies since 1906

2006-04-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

The Newtown Theatre is owned by the citizens of Newtown and is operated and maintained by the Newtown’s Community Welfare Council. It is currently undergoing renovations to restore it to how it was in the 1920s, but with some modern touches.

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

The Newtown Theatre is celebrating its 100th year of showing movies and with the 100 years comes some much needed renovations.

“The building itself is actually much older,” said Eric Johnson, chairman of the theater restoration committee. “But it’s been showing movies since 1906. We’re celebrating this year by showing special matinees of classic films.”

Some of the movies include, “The Wizard of Oz,” “The Sound of Music” and “Casablanca.”

The theater which was originally built in 1831 was rebuilt in 1883, Johnson said. It can hold about 325, between the lower area and the balcony, but some seats have been taken out to make the audience more comfortable.

The plan, if enough money can be raised, is to replace the seats all together with more comfortable ones, he said.

The theater is owned by the citizens of Newtown and is operated and maintained by the Newtown’s Community Welfare Council, a non-profit organization, which is made up of local residents and local business owners, Johnson explained. Though the borough council has donated some money to the theater project, the council is completely independent of the borough.

The theater is currently undergoing renovations to restore it to how it was in the 1920s.

Upon walking into the theater, guests are greeted in the lobby by original movie posters on the walls and an old fashioned ticket booth. Inside the theater the movie seats are a dull grayish blue and the curtains and carpet is a faded maroon. In the right corner is a big, bold, analog clock next to an American flag. Art deco light fixtures adorn the walls along with decorations from the same period.

The theater gives off the feeling of going back in time, Johnson said. The majority of the decorations are original.

“One of the renovations we’re all excited about is the drapes,” Johnson explained. “There haven’t been drapes in here since before I can remember coming here when I was kid, and that was 50-some years ago.”

When the drapes are installed, they will cover the screen until the movie starts. Then they will automatically pull back, just like they did in the theater’s heyday.

Some of the theater’s past was also discovered during the recent renovations, Johnson said. While working on the stage they found an old backdrop used for theatre productions.

One of the more significant renovations was the installation of a trolley track system for the screen, he said. Now the movie screen will be able move back on the stage to allow for live performances.

Even with all these renovations, Johnson said it still amazes him that not many people know the theater exists.

“There are many times, when there are only a handful of people watching a movie here,” he said. “It would be great if people started coming more often. It’s a historic landmark and there aren’t many independent movie theaters like this anymore.”

There is a whole laundry list of things that need to be done to fully restore the theater, Johnson said. The money for the restoration comes from donations and from grants.

The goal is to get the theater back into a good working condition in order to try and get an endowment fund setup to take care of the building and keep it in good repair once it’s restored, he said.

“We have a huge amount of money to raise,” Johnson said. “To say we have a goal, I can’t say that. The renovations are an ongoing project. As we raise the money we renovate more areas of the theater.”

To find out more about the Newtown Theatre go to its Web site, www.newtowntheatre.com. For more information or how to make a donation call 215-968-3878.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Gotta dance, Gotta dance

2006-03-30T16:25:00.000-08:00

With help from their adviser, Irene Rodgers and Al Gamble and Nathan Scott, assistant principals, the Council Rock High-North Dance Company, known as Vibe, performed recently in front of 76ers fans at the pre-game festivities at the Wachovia Center.

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

For Council Rock High School-North 11th graders, Shoey Sun and Nupur Nischal, dancing has been an important part of their lives for as long as they can remember.

With the surrounding school districts having dance teams, the young dancers felt that Council Rock needed to have one as well.

“It’s a big part of our lives,” said Nischal, who started dancing when she was 5. “We wanted to introduce our love of the art to our school and classmates.”

With help from their adviser, Irene Rodgers and Al Gamble and Nathan Scott, assistant principals, the Council Rock Dance Company, known as Vibe, performed recently in front of 76ers fans at the pre-game festivities at the Wachovia Center in South Philadelphia.

The group started in October after Nischal and Sun went to Rodgers to ask if she would be their adviser.

“I jumped at the chance,” Rodgers said. “I’ve danced my whole life. They’re working so hard.”

Nischal and Sun thought to ask Rodgers after she substituted the year before for the teacher who was teaching the dance club.

“I met Shoey and Nupur there and they really wanted to perform outside of school and at school events,” Rodgers said. “It was all their idea.”

The Vibe Dance Company mixes traditional tribal beat driven music with other ethnic sounds and songs to give the dancers energetic music to perform to.

During their practice two days prior to their appearance at the 76ers game, members of the group were still working out the kinks in their routine.

As Nischal and Sun coached the core group, Rodgers took aside individual dancers to work on key elements of the routine.

“You guys need to feel the excitement,” Nischal tells the group. “It’s natural to be nervous, but you can’t let people see that. You’ve got to mask that with excitement.”

The music was turned back on and dancers began to move in sync. Every few moments a dancer would run across in front of the group leap into the air and rejoin the group of rhythmic dancers.

“If you make a mistake, make it look like you meant to do it,” Sun yells over the music.

It’s hard work getting a routine perfect in such a short amount of time, Rodgers said. But they’re doing a good job.

The Vibe Dance Company has performed at a number of high school sporting events and recently completed a competition sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Philadelphia.

Without any help from Rodgers, Sun, who has danced since was 9, choreographed a dance routine to honor the survivors the Holocaust called “Hope Prevails.”

The group’s performance was video taped at the high school and sent into the judges at the federation.

“They did an amazing job,” Rodgers said. “Hopefully we’ll win.”

Having heard about the groups dance, local synagogues in the area have asked the students to perform it at their temples during Holocaust Remembrance Week, which was last month.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Hospitality is in Garvey’s blood

2006-03-29T09:19:00.000-08:00

“I love the fast-pace of the business,” Joe Garvey, chef and owner of the Brick Hotel in Newtown,said. “I love how it changes everyday.”

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

Growing up, Joseph Garvey, chef and owner of the Brick Hotel in Newtown, knew he wanted to go into the hospitality business.

As a teenager, Garvey worked in a number of local restaurants _ Lavender Hall, the Mill Race Inn and the Holland House.

“I love the fast-pace of the business,” Garvey said. “I love how it changes everyday.”

The hospitality business is in his blood. His father owned a tavern in Philadelphia, he explained.

“I remember my father saying to me, ‘You’ll always have work,’” Garvey said. “He’s right and I’m glad I love what I do.”

Garvey spent his high school years at the Middle Bucks Technical School in Warwick in the culinary program.

After graduating as a member the Council Rock Class of 1979, he decided to follow his passion and enrolled in Johnson and Wales’ culinary school. There Garvey’s passion grew into what would become his life’s work.

He became a corporate chef first for Disney World, then Hershey Hotels and eventually the Hilton Hotels.

“It was a lot of fun,” Garvey said. “I got to see the U.S. and experience all different areas and cultures.”

As a chef for Hilton, he went around the country opening up hotels and training the restaurant staff.

After leaving the corporate hotel industry, Garvey opened his own catering business in Feasterville called Creative Cuisine.

“I really love Bucks County,” he said. “When I was ready to open my own business I knew I wanted to open it in Bucks and start a family here.”

In 1995, Garvey took another step in his culinary career when he bought the Brick Hotel.

“I love the whole aspect of the hotel,” he said. “But the restaurant side of the business will always be my first love.”

As for advice for anyone who wants to get into the hospitality and culinary industry, Garvey said the key thing is that they love doing it.

“Don’t do it for the money,” he said. “You’ve got to love it. It’s got to be part of your blood or else it’ll eat you up.”

Garvey said he’s always loved cooking, but his passion for the trade has grown exponentially from when he was younger.

“Being a chef has given me a chance to be creative,” he said. “It lets you design your own style and look.”

His next goal is to teach.

“I want to share the love that I have for cooking with others,” he said.

And he’s already started. Garvey has had several cooking shows.

One _ “All about Mushrooms” _ appeared on the Food Network.

“Not many people realize that Pennsylvania is known for its mushrooms,” he said.

In the program, he showed people how to cook and prepare the different varieties of edible mushrooms.

Garvey has also had two shows on PBS _ “All about Grilling” and “The All American Barbeque.”

Currently he’s conducts an interactive cooking program at the Brick Hotel the first Tuesday of every month.

“It’s not televised, but it’s a lot of fun,” Garvey said. “The audience takes part in the preparation of the dishes. It’s been really well received.”

Garvey said he’s not sure if his kids will follow in his footsteps. His 22-year-old son is more into music than the culinary arts, he said. But his daughters love to help out around the hotel.

“My kids love coming to the hotel,” he said. “A lot of times they will bring their friends. Other times they’ll come help work the computer. They like to do the fun jobs, like seating the guests.”

As far as raising his family and working in Newtown, Garvey said he couldn’t have picked a better place.

“I love Newtown’s charm,” he explained. “It’s kept its history and its diverse community. It’s such a blending of cultures.”

The Brick Hotel and the Garden Grille is open Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday. 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. For more information call 215-860-8313 or go to their Web site at www.brickhotel.com.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Collecting new business

2006-03-29T09:17:00.000-08:00

Frances Zlock and her son Mark buy,
sell and appraise collections and estates.

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

Frances Zlock opened her Newtown Coins and Stamps store in 1980 using her late husband’s collections, now more than two decades later business is better than ever.

Along with her son, Mark Zlock, Frances buys, sells and appraises collections and estates.

The location of the store at 129 N. State St. in Newtown is key to the success of their store, Frances said.

“There’s plenty of parking up here, so people can always find a spot,” she said. “We have a lot of regulars who come in and lots of people hear about us from other collectors.”

Right now, mother and son team are concentrating more on coins than stamps, because there is more value in coins right now, according to Frances. They also buy and sell other collectables as well, including military items from World War II and earlier, picture postcards, as well as silver and gold bullion.

“There are a lot of coin collectors out there,” Frances says. “And they’re always looking for new items for their collections.”

No collection is too small to interest them.

“When you’re a collector,” she says, “Finding even just one special item makes the search worth it.”

The Newtown Coins and Stamps shop is open Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. For more information call 215-968-7650.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Courier Times: Friday night basketball at NAC is a slam dunk

2006-03-17T14:41:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Focus on Newtown (Courier Times)

The Newtown Athletic Club's new basketball league gives teenagers a place to participate in clean safe fun on their Friday nights.

“We had a lot of kids looking for something to do on a Friday night,” said Gary Pagliaro, the program coordinator. “What's better than putting them in a league and have them play some basketball?”

There are plenty of programs for younger kids and adults, but the older teenagers are overlooked, he points out. If they're not working there isn't a whole lot for them to do.

“The league is a good way to keep them out of trouble and get them some exercise in the process,” Pagliaro said. “There are million of bad places for these kids to go; this is a good, healthy place.”

This is the first year that the NAC has had a basketball league for teenagers, Pagliaro said. Right now there are six teams in the league.

The program has been well received, he said.

Three of the kids in the league have enjoyed the program so much they got jobs with Pagliaro keeping the stats and working the scoreboard, when they're not playing on their teams.

Each team has six to seven players and the teams match up four on four, he says. The teams are named after a college basketball team.

Nick DeFeo, 16, from Langhorne, says he decided to join the league to hone his basketball skills.

“I want to bring our team Shippensburg to the next level,” he said. “I came here with a chip on my shoulder. I play for the Neshaminy basketball team and we didn't play too well this season. This is my chance to redeem myself.”

DeFeo picked up a basketball and shot it from the foul line, sinking it.

Scott Mayhew, 16, from Langhorne, says since he didn't join his high school team this is his chance to play a sport.

“I just want to come out and have fun,” he said. “Bringing home the championship would be the best.”

Tim Keebler, 16, from Penndel, who plays with Mayhew and DeFeo on the Shippensburg team, says he joined the league because it seemed like it would be a good time.

“Basketball is a lot of fun,” he said. “I enjoy playing with my friends, so joining the league made sense.”

The season is eight weeks, Pagliaro said. After that the top four teams battle it out in the playoffs in an evening of single elimination games.

Each player pays a fee to join the league; $57 for NAC members and $97 for non-members, he said. The fees help play for the team shirts and the referee fees.

For more information on Newtown Athletic Club's Friday night basketball, call Gary Pagliaro at 215-968-0600, extension 27.

Seth Goldstein is a freelance writer.

Evening Sun: Puppet marathon gets a hand

2006-02-20T09:56:00.000-08:00

Matt Schuchart, 19, plays a baby during a puppet show marathon Sunday afternoon at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Hanover. (Evening Sun photo by James Robinson)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

The players were dressed in brightly colored biblical garb, singing and performing skits for more than two hours.

But the lengthy performance didn't tire these non-breathing entertainers.

More than 100 people of all ages laughed and sang along during the fourth annual Puppet Marathon at St. Matthew Lutheran Church, on the corner of Franklin and Chestnut streets in Hanover.

The marathon, which ran from 1:30 until 4 p.m., included about 40 Christian renditions of popular rock tunes, as well as some traditional religious songs.

In between songs, the puppets performed different religiously-themed skits.

"This is the biggest show of the year," said Deb Smith, the head of the church's puppet ministry and the youth choir director.

Scott Fredericks, St. Matthew's minister of music, said he and Smith first decided to start a puppet ministry after they attended an all-day puppet festival in Lancaster about eight years ago.

After the festival, they decided to do something with puppets at the church, he said.

The group is made up of 20 junior high and high school students from the Hanover area, Fredericks said. Many members have been with the ministry from its start.

Matt Schuchart, 19, from Hanover, is one of those. Even though he's now a sophomore at Shippensburg, he loves puppeteering so much he still comes back to give the group a hand.

"It's a lot of fun," Schuchart said. "I like performing with the group and seeing all the people and little kids enjoying the show."

At each intermission, the puppets, their handlers, and Smith go into a frenzy getting ready for the next set of songs and skits.

"Where are the legs?" Smith asked one of the puppeteers. The girl pointed to one of the chairs.

"OK guys, let's get ready. I'm going to start the music," Smith told the puppeteers. Each one took their place behind the three-tiered stage, their puppets held over their heads.

When everything was ready to go, Smith walked out and introduced the next song.

It was a familiar tune.

Based on Aretha Franklin's song "Respect," puppeteers made their puppets - dressed in choir outfits and shiny golden hair - dance, head-bop and sing as if they were the Harlem Gospel Choir.

The audience, toddlers to senior citizens, sang and clapped along.

"I think they're great," said Millard Ruhlman, of Hanover, who was at the marathon with his wife Betty. At 83, he's been a member of St. Matthew all his life.

"They're so creative," he said. "Seeing the kids do this is absolutely amazing."

Betty Ruhlman said the performance was "out of this world."

For the next song, "Sacred Agent Man," the puppets were dressed in clergy gowns and disguises.

Backstage, 13-year-old Amanda Hyde of Hanover grabbed a bright green puppet with even brighter orange hair.

"I got involved four years ago, because my brother was involved, and back then I wanted to do everything he did," she said, with a smile. "Now I just really enjoy it. I like the glow-in-the-dark puppets the best."

Fredericks said he and Smith purchased 30 professionally-made puppets from One Way, a Christian-oriented puppet workshop in Colorado.

"All the puppets have matching costumes," Fredericks said. "Everything is choreographed. Deb's really talented and creative."

Every summer, the puppet ministry holds a camp to get the puppeteers ready for the year's performances.

"Schools have band camp, we have puppet camp," he said. "Depending on how many skits, songs and choreography the kids have to learn, the camp can run for one to two weeks, during the month of August."

Besides the marathon, the puppet ministry performs at retirement communities and for churches around the area.

In the audience, Alicia Bealing, 10, from Hanover stayed for the full marathon with her mom, Faye.

"I liked 'Stuck in the Nursery' the best because the puppets threw all the diapers," Alicia said, referring to the song, which was a parody of the Steve Miller Bands' song, "Stuck in the Middle with You."

"I liked it. It was funny," she said. "The whole show was so much fun."

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Union Township farmhouse burns

2006-02-17T14:31:00.000-08:00

Fire crews work to extinguish a fire on Hostetter road in Union Township Thursday afternoon. (Evening Sun photo by James Robinson)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

A dog awakened his sleeping master Thursday afternoon, alerting him to a fire that gutted the second floor of a Union Township farmhouse, according to a fire chief.

Elizabeth and Victor Few, who rent the brick home at 214 Hostetter Road, and their five children are staying with relatives after a fire that started in a second-floor bedroom left the dwelling uninhabitable, said Chief Andy Weaver of Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services.

A cigarette caused the blaze, Weaver said.

Thirty-two firefighters from SAVES battled the fire, which started around 1:50 p.m.

Every piece of apparatus in the SAVES arsenal was at the scene, Weaver said. That includes three engines, one rescue unit, one ladder truck, an ambulance and service vehicle. They had the blaze under control by 2:08 p.m. and put it out completely about two hours later.

The second floor of the home was completely gutted in the blaze, Weaver said.

Weaver said damage was extensive, but declined to estimate monetary loss. The Adams County Chapter of the American Red Cross has also been notified of the fire, he said.

According to Weaver, Victor Few said he was sleeping in the bedroom where the fire started and was awakened by his dog. When he saw the fire he left the house in a car to try and find help.

When firefighters arrived, they found that Few had driven off the road, Weaver said.

There were no working smoke detectors in the house, Weaver said.

"Thousands of houses throughout Hanover don't have smoke detectors," he said.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Battle markers toppled

2006-02-17T14:34:00.000-08:00

A National Park Service ranger examines damage to the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry monument Thursday. (Submitted photo)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

The vandalism of three monuments on the Gettysburg battlefield is the worst in memory, according to the National Park Service.

The damage was found vandalized Thursday morning and early damage estimates approach $75,000.

Vandals have struck the battlefield before, said park spokeswoman Katie Lawhon. "But nothing of this magnitude or all of it happening at once," she said. "It's just terrible."

The 11th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Monument, the 114th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Monument and the 4th New York (Smith's) Battery Monument on Houck's Ridge above Devil's Den all were desecrated by vandals, Lawhon said. Two of the monuments - the 11th Massachusetts and the 114th Pennsylvania - stood near Emmitsburg Road.

The 4th New York monument, dedicated in 1888, sustained the most damage, she said.

The monument at Devil's Den, a rocky section of the battlefield, will cost the park about $35,000 to $50,000 to fix, Lawhon said. Vandals pulled down the statue of a Union artilleryman and dragged it 162 feet across the road. The dragging caused most of the major damage, she said. The vandals removed the head from the statue and took it from the scene.

"This vandalism is a real tragedy for everyone," she said. "The monuments were originally placed on the battlefield by the veterans who fought in the battle, so people wouldn't forget what happened here and their sacrifice."

All three units were involved in heavy fighting on July 2, 1863, the second day of the three-day battle.

Smith's battery lost three cannons to Confederate attackers in hand-to-hand fighting atop the ridge, but his stubborn stand is credited with helping slow the Rebel attacks on Devil's Den and Little Round Top. Two of the battery's gunners were killed and 10 were wounded.

The two infantry regiments were involved in the fighting near the Peach Orchard a short time later on July 2. The 11th Massachusetts lost 23 killed and 96 wounded, while the 114th Pennsylvania suffered casualties of nine killed and 86 wounded as Mississippi regiments pushed the Union from their Emmitsburg Road positions.

The 11th Massachusetts monument was dedicated in 1885 at the intersection of Emmitsburg Road and Sickles Avenue. The vandals pulled the sculpture of an arm holding a sword from the monument, destroyed the arm and stole the hand and the sword, she said.

They caused about $20,000 in damage, Lawhon said. The arm needs to be resculpted and cast in bronze and the a new sword needs to be recast as well.

"The sword wasn't original," she said. "It's been stolen a few times before."

The 114th Pennsylvania monument, which is also on Emmitsburg Road in front of the Sherfy house, was dedicated in 1886, Lawhon said. Vandals toppled the monument and pulled the life size statue of a Zouave Infantryman - weighing more than 500 pounds - off the pedestal, causing it to fall on a decorative fence.

"This was the least damaged," she said. It will cost the park $8,000, because the statue needs to be repaired and the monument needs to be reset, Lawhon said.

Lawhon said a timetable for repairs has not been set.

"We have to locate the funding before we can do anything," she said. "We don't have emergency funds for this. It may take a year or more until everything is repaired."

As of right now there are no suspects, Lawhon said. And there isn't any way of tracking the artifacts.

"We want people to keep their eyes open," she said. "The items are pretty unusual."

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Hamilton offers police force plan

2006-02-17T14:33:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

With a little more than a month left before their joint police force is scheduled to disband, the Hamilton Township supervisors have sent a new proposal to the Abbottstown Borough Council to keep the department together.

At Thursday's council meeting, Abbottstown Mayor Charles Stonesifer said a council subcommittee is still evaluating possible law enforcement options and wasn't ready to present its findings. But the mayor told the council and about 10 residents that Hamilton's proposal - received this week - will be one of the options considered.

Stonesifer said he didn't want to go into the details of the proposal until a two-person subcommittee has a chance to look it over and compare it to the other options. He said, however, that Hamilton was willing to pay 60 percent of the police costs and suggested a five-member police commission be set up.

A disagreement over how to split the costs of running the department was a deciding factor in the borough's vote to break up the department. The council voted to disband its joint police force with Hamilton Township in January. The breakup will become official March 19.

Abbottstown held a closed-door meeting Feb. 9 to talk to representatives from Eastern Adams Regional Police and the Pennsylvania State Police about covering the borough. Other options include getting the joint force back together or starting an Abbottstown force.

Stonesifer said the subcommittee will present cost breakdowns of each option at the next council meeting March 16.

Stonesifer said the joint force isn't run by a police commission.

"Decisions go through everyone on their board and everyone on our council," he said.

Though he wouldn't go into any details, Stonesifer said Hamilton's proposal includes who would administer and control the department.

He wouldn't predict the outcome.

"The Borough Council has to make the decision," he said. "I am not going to speculate where they'll go."

In case there is a gap in police coverage, Stonesifer said the borough has already sent a letter to the state police telling them services might be needed on an interim basis.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein @eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Abbottstown goes over police coverage options

2006-02-13T09:30:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

Abbottstown officials met behind closed doors Thursday night with Eastern Adams Regional Police and the Pennsylvania State Police in a meeting they insisted wasn't in violation of the state's Sunshine Act.

The committee is trying to gather information on whether Eastern Adams Regional or the state police in Gettysburg could provide adequate police coverage in the borough.

The council at its January meeting disbanded the police force it shared with Hamilton Township. The move came after months of negotiations over how much each municipality would contribute to the force.

Cpl. Anthony O'Hara, of the state police in Gettysburg, said the borough was looking for information about how the state police could serve their community.

He said he answered the committee's questions, but wouldn't elaborate further. O'Hara arrived at 7 p.m. and talked to the committee for about 30 minutes.

"It's a big step to disband your police force. Trust me, I know," said Mike Noel, the chairman of the Eastern Adams Regional Police Commission, referring to the previous contract dispute with the Eastern Adams police union that almost led the force to breakup late last year.

Noel didn't leave the Abbottstown Borough Hall until 8:30 p.m. almost two hours after the meetings got under way.

He said the committee didn't make any decisions.

Noel said committee members told him they plan to present their findings at the regular council meeting on Feb. 16, so both the council and the community can discuss possible options for police coverage.

Noel said the committee requested the Eastern Adams commissioners to attend the next meeting to answer any questions the council and public might have.

"I'm not sure about the other two (commissioners)," Noel said. "I'm going to come as a courtesy to the residents of the borough."

Abbottstown officials said Thursday's meeting legally excluded the public.

Referencing the borough's copy of the "Pennsylvania Legislator's Municipal Deskbook," Warren Moore, borough manager and zoning officer, said the act allows a gathering of less than a quorum of the council to meet in a nonpublic meeting, so long as no official action is taken. A quorum for Abbottstown would be at least three voting members of the five-person council.

And the Abbottstown committee that met Thursday had only two council members.

The purpose of the meeting wasn't to make a decision, Moore said.

But Teri Henning, the general counsel for the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association, has said the meeting should have been open to the public.

The subcommittee is an agency of the council and subject to the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act, she said. And since the committee is charged with finding out more information about police coverage for the council, Thursday's meeting should have been open.

Mayor Charles Stonesifer said he's not part of the committee, but he attended the meeting as the administrator of the Abbottstown police.

The Abbottstown-Hamilton Police won't officially disband until March when the contract between the two municipalities expires.

The force was disbanded once before in 2002, but rejoined a month later.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Snow day means sledding

2006-02-13T09:26:00.000-08:00

Friends Andrew Dalton and Ryan Kresky, both 9 from Gettysburg, sled down a hill at the Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg Sunday. (Evening Sun photo by Dick Bloom)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

With fresh snow from a storm that slammed the Northeast this past weekend, sledders from across the area headed for the hills Sunday.

And they might have had a little time to hit the hills again today, as many local schools were closed or started late.

The Hanover area received about 8 inches of snow, according to reports from the National Weather Service in State College.

More than 40 sledders braved the brisk winter air Sunday to take advantage of the fresh snow at a long, steep hill off Blooming Grove Road near the entrance to Codorus State Park.

As the sledders barreled down the slope, hats, gloves and other winter weather wear flew off in every direction.

John and Mary Lisle of Manheim Township have been sledding this hill since their two sons were little.

"They had no fear when they were little," John Lisle said, as the couple's youngest son, Andy, came flying down the slope heading right for them. "I guess you could say they still don't."

Flying right at his parents, 12-year-old Andy had to dig his feet into the snow in order to avoid colliding with them.

"The slope's fast, but a little bumpy," he said turning around to watch his older brother, John, 15, come down the hill.

As John stood up, the rumble of a snow tube began to grow louder and louder. Suddenly a man flew past the family and tumbled off his tube. He got up, brushed off the snow, smiled and headed back up the hill for another run.

"After you come here a couple times, you learn to stand to the side," the boys' father said.

Mary Lisle said she's not really into sledding. She'd much rather watch.

"No sledding for me," she said, as a kid slid by on a piece of insulation. "It's so much fun to watch everyone come flying down the hill on all different kinds of sleds. This is the perfect kind of snow for it, too."

At the end of the day, the slope is usually spotted with lost winter gear and broken sleds, John Lisle said.

"You see a lot of busted sleds," he said. "Lots of big guys come flying down and break their sleds when they hit a bump."

One parent, Vanessa Michali of Hanover, was sledding for the very first time. Out with her two kids, Rachel, 13, and Andrew, 6, Michali said going down the hill the first time took a bit of encouragement. But after that she started to have a good time.

"It's scary, the hill is so fast," she said getting up from her snow tube. "We just moved here from Maryland. We discovered this hill during the last snow storm. It's a lot of fun, but the climb to the top kills you."

The state park isn't the only place where a sledder can feel at home. The Lutheran Theological Seminary in Gettysburg is another popular haunt for sledders.

As the sun started to set, more than 20 kids and parents took turns shooting themselves down the short, steep, famous Seminary Ridge.

"This has been a great day for sledding," said Morgan Styer of Gettysburg, who was at the ridge with his daughter, Alisia, 8. "It's running really fast."

Edie Leavengood of Gettysburg, who was out with her daughter, said many of the kids had been sledding since 10:30 a.m.

"We got close to 9 inches of snow, but you can see the grass in some spots because the snow has been worn away with all the sledding," she said, watching her daughter, Sarah, 8, climb up the hill.

"I fell a few times but I'm still having fun," Sarah said. She lined her sled up for another run.

"I love the snow," she said.

Evening Sun: Local Steelers fans weep for joy

2006-02-06T09:19:00.000-08:00

From left to right, John Pellegrini, Laura Scozzaro, Tim Becker (back) and Anthony Pellegrini cheer as the Steelers score another touchdown during a Super Bowl party at Scozzaro's Old Mill Inn in New Oxford. (Evening Sun photo by Dick Bloom)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

As the last seconds on the clock ran out, more than 70 Steelers fans started screaming, swinging their Terrible Towels and hugging each other, tears rolling down most of their faces.

For many watching the game at Scozzaro's Old Mill Inn on Route 30 in New Oxford, this Super Bowl win is overdue.

"I've been waiting for this for 10 years," said Jason Waltz, of Hanover, his eyes welling up. "I've been a Steelers fan since I was 4 1/2."

"I've been a Steelers fan since before I can remember," said John Pellegrini, of Fairfield, leaning over to give another fan a hug. "My Mom was from the Pittsburgh area, so it runs in the blood. There is no words to describe how I'm feeling right now. I lost my voice, it's completely worth it. It's been a long time in coming, but victory is sweet."

Like many others at the bar, Pellegrini had his face painted black and gold.

Lisa Arcurio, of New Oxford, said she knew they'd win. She's originally from the Pittsburgh suburb of Johnstown.

"They've been my team forever, they always will be," she said wiping a tear from her eye. "This has been 10 years of waiting for me - for this moment. It feels so wonderful, I'm taking tomorrow off."

Throughout the game, fans jumped up and down, cheering for everything from a first down to a touchdown. The floor rocked with stomping feet every time they thought their Steelers needed a little encouragement.

"Here we go Steelers, here we go!" they chanted. Then, "Defense, defense!"

Although the game didn't start until after 6 p.m., many had been tailgating at the restaurant since 11 a.m.

One fan even had a chance to see the game in the Motor City, but ended up watching it with family and friends at the Old Mill Inn. Bob Gerkin, of Hanover, said he was at a meeting Saturday and a friend gave him a ticket to the game.

"It was too late for me to get there," he said. "So I'm here. I much rather spend it with these guys anyhow. It's still a great souvenir."

Carl Scozzaro, who owns the bar with his wife Laura, said he was amazed at the turnout.

"With all of the places everyone could have gone, 70 people decided to watch and celebrate the Steelers win here," he said.

"I won't be able to sleep tonight, I'm so happy," Laura Scozzaro said. "It's really great to watch a game with so many people who all love the same team."

And some new fans were made Sunday night as well.

Brandy Wren, of Littlestown, said watching Pittsburgh play this year made her a believer.

"I'm converted," the former Dallas Cowboys fan said, giving Waltz a hug. "They played amazing. ... They're definitely going back next year."

Contacts Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Maitland opponent views casino as valid business

2006-02-06T09:13:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

His opponent, Stephen Maitland, has sponsored an unsuccessful bill to keep a casino out of Gettysburg. But Conewago Township resident Dan Moul said he thinks people should look at all the options before they write it off as a bad idea.

"As far as the casino, it is by law a legal business and I have a hard time telling someone who is doing a legal business that they can't do it," Moul said. "So long as it won't be a detriment to the surrounding area, I think we should take a harder look into the benefits."

The 46-year-old entrepreneur has announced his intent to run against incumbent Maitland for the Republican nomination in the 91st Legislative District in May's primaries.

Moul said the fact that a private group is planning on investing approximately $400 million into the community, warrants looking at further.

It will bring tax revenue to our community, he said.

In reaction to the argument that a casino has nothing to do with the battlefield and the town of Gettysburg, Moul said nothing else in the immediate area has anything to do with the heritage of the town either.

"If anything, the casino has the most to do with Gettysburg," he said. "The soldiers probably gambled when they weren't fighting."

Moul insists that he's not a big proponent of gambling.

"I want to hear the facts, not conjecture, before I make my decision on the casino. It could be a financial asset."

Moul said people are also forgetting that the casino isn't just a Gettysburg issue.

"It's a countywide issue," he said. "Because the whole county can benefit from it. I don't remember anyone asking the people of Brushtown, McSherrystown, New Oxford, Cashtown or any of the surrounding areas in Adams County about how they felt about the issue.

"When you're a representative, you represent everyone in your district. Not just a select group of people."

Maitland has "had his time in the sun," Moul said. "It's time for a change.

"I believe I can bring a new attitude and fresh ideas to the position of state representative," he said. "I'm one of those guys who has been griping about what's going on in Harrisburg. My friends have always asked why I don't do something about it. Now, I'm going to."

Moul said the July pay raise in the state House of Representatives was a contributing factor in his decision, though not his main reason for deciding to run.

"While dealing with property tax relief, (the politicians) gave themselves a raise," he said. "That's just not right."

In regard to the issue of property tax reform, Moul said he thinks school taxes should be spread evenly among all Pennsylvania residents and taken off the shoulders of property owners.

He said the state government has to reassess the funding formulas and organizational structures of our school systems to make sure that areas with growing student populations receive a fair share of the revenue.

Another hot button issue for Moul is reforming how lobbyists influence politicians.

"The perks have got to stop," he said. "Too many representatives have their votes swayed by the perks from lobbyists.

"I'll pay for my own golf, thank you."

If elected, Moul said he wants to join a committee to discuss how to reform the welfare system.

Pennsylvania has one of the lowest rates of people returning to work from welfare in the country, he said.

"This is unacceptable," Moul said. "Those who are mentally and physically able to work should be working. I don't think we should be rewarding people for staying on welfare."

A lifetime resident of Adams County, Moul graduated from New Oxford High School in 1977 and studied finance at York College. He worked for five years in sales at Utz Quality Foods, in Hanover, before starting his own business.

For the past 20 years, Moul said he's had a successful business purchasing and refurbishing older properties to rent or to resell.

Married to his wife, Lori, for 25 years, he has two daughters.

Running in the Democratic primary for Maitland's seat is Alan Henry and Pat Naugle.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Adult parlor closed

2006-01-31T14:43:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

A court order has temporarily shut down an adult bookstore on Route 30 in Franklin Township.

Private Dock, 1208 Chambersburg Road, was closed Friday because it allegedly had doors on each of its 13 video viewing booths and failed to adequately light the area in which the booths are located. Under state law, all booths, cubicles, rooms or stalls where adult entertainment is provided must be clearly visible from the facility's common area.

The motion filed by Adams County District Attorney Shawn Wagner alleges the viewing booths at Private Dock are used for the purposes of sexual activity. He declined to elaborate.

Wagner's office, the Pennsylvania State Police at Gettysburg and the Franklin Township supervisors launched a joint investigation at Private Dock several months ago, according to a motion seeking injunction filed Thursday by Wagner. The investigation started when state police and the township supervisors received complaints, Wagner said.

The investigation resulted in citations being filed against the business and criminal charges being filed against seven individuals. The motion and a press release issued Monday by Wagner state charges filed include indecent assault, open lewdness and indecent exposure.

But Wagner declined in a telephone interview to provide further details on the charges or name the individuals charged. The motion said undercover state troopers witnessed the crimes Dec. 21.

On Jan. 4, troopers - serving as inspectors designated by the Franklin Township supervisors - returned to Private Dock to conduct an inspection, the motion states.

During the inspection, police used an alternative light source and found large amounts of semen in the booths and along the hallway in the rear portion of the business, the motion said.

Wagner said each of the seven people charged at Private Dock is awaiting hearing and faces a maximum of two years in jail if convicted.

Neither Private Dock owner Daniel Keys nor manager Dennis Phillips could be reached for comment.

A hearing on the injunction is set for 11 a.m. Wednesday in Adams County court.

When, or if, Private Dock can reopen will be determined by Adams County Judge Michael A. George. If the judge finds Private Dock guilty of the allegations, he can order it closed for one year - even if owners correct the alleged violations.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: G'burg police to receive grant for arson detection

2006-02-01T12:37:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

Local arsonists beware, the Gettysburg Police Department will receive a grant to buy equipment to better detect intentionally set fires.

FM Global, an insurance company that insures large businesses against property loss, will give borough police a $3,088 grant on Feb. 6 to purchase equipment for investigating fire scenes.

Larry Weikert, the police department's fire investigator, said neither he nor borough fire marshal John Lawver have any equipment that can tell whether a fire results from arson.

He said he plans to buy a digital camera, a "sniffer" to detect hydrocarbons such as gasoline and other flammable substances and hand tools including saws and wrenches.

"To carry out its mission, our investigative team needs a good set of basic support equipment," Weikert said. "With FM Global's arson grant, we'll be in a better position to do our jobs more effectively so that we can track down arson suspects and bring them to justice."

Weikert said he applied for the grant in September and found out in December the department will get money.

As soon as the money arrives, Weikert said he will start purchasing the items.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Couple homeless after fire in Jackson

2006-02-03T12:33:00.000-08:00

Spring Grove firefighter Gordie Lillich looks up at insulation hanging from the ceiling of a Jackson Township home Thursday afternoon as he and another firefighter assess the damage from a fire. (Photo by Kristin Murphy)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

A fire tore through a Jackson Township home Thursday afternoon, leaving the couple who lived there homeless.

Greg Chandler, Nashville Volunteer Fire Co. chief, said smoke was coming out of the house at 1309 Grandview Road when firefighters arrived at 4:09 p.m.

"When I saw that, I decided that we were going to need some assistance," he said. "So I called for a second alarm."

That brought out the surrounding fire companies, Spring Grove Friendship Fire Co. and Thomasville Fire Co., along with an ambulance from West York.

Barbara Yohe, who lives in the house with her husband, Marlyn, was inside with her three grandchildren when the fire broke out, but they were able to escape, Chandler said. No one was hurt, he said. Marlyn Yohe was not home.

Before firefighters arrived, David Rebere, who was passing by and saw the fire, stopped, the chief said. He got a garden hose from a neighboring home and was able to keep the fire at bay until the firefighters arrived. He left soon after.

"I have to give that guy a lot of credit," Chandler said. "It was a brave thing he did."

The fire started in one of the bedrooms on the first floor, the chief said.

Chandler said it soon spread to the rest of the house.

The fire took less than hour to extinguish, he said.

After the fire was out, firefighters climbed on the roof and poked and prodded the walls of the house to check for hotspots. Insulation hung down from the ceiling and was strewn across the front yard of the house. The air was thick with the smell of smoke and burnt wood.

Two off-duty, full-time firefighters also responded to the fire, Chandler said.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation, the chief said. Northern York County Regional Police and the Jackson Township fire marshal will be spending the next few days looking for a cause.

Though he didn't have an estimate for the damage caused by the fire, Chandler said it was extensive.

"It's going to be a few months before they'll be able to move back in," he said. "The York County Red Cross will be taking care of them for the time being."

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Soldier gets big welcome back

2006-01-30T10:50:00.000-08:00

Scott Fringer, right, and his wife, Lisa, and son, Josh, 13, give a prayer of thanks during a homecoming party for Scott on Sunday at the Gettysburg Fire Department. (Evening Sun photo by Dick Bloom)

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

Welcome home, Scott Fringer.

After spending a year in Iraq, the 39-year-old Army sergeant has returned to New Oxford.

Sunday, Fringer was honored for his service to his country with a party at the Gettysburg Fire Department. His church, Heritage Assembly of God Church in Cumberland Township, organized the event.

Red, white and blue balloons floated above the tables and patriotic music played in the background.

On a back table, two posters displayed pictures of Fringer and snapshots he took in Iraq. Beneath the posters was a map of Iraq, a book entitled "Iraq: A Tourist Guide," and some of his accommodations and medals.

More than 120 family members, co-workers, friends, neighbors and church parishioners came out to welcome home their local hero.

Fringer was led in to the social room by an honor guard from the Biglerville American Legion.

Dressed in his dark green dress uniform, Fringer smiled at everyone as the Rev. Jeff Wilson welcomed him home and led everyone in prayer.

Fringer, who works as a mechanic at Colonial Chrysler in Gettysburg, was deployed to Iraq Feb. 4 and arrived home a week ago.

While deployed he made some Iraqi friends.

"They were from Babylon," Fringer said. "They invited me back to visit their city."

Attached with the 23rd Adjunct General Postal Company, based out of the Pittsburgh suburb of Oakdale, Fringer served as a mechanic and helped distribute the mail to the troops.

"My main job was to fix the vehicles, but since I was attached to a postal company, I had to take care of some postal work as well," he said. "It was fun. I always got my mail quicker, because the minute it came off the truck we had it."

Before coming home, Fringer got a chance to meet up with his stepson, Spc. Jason Mann, 21, for two days.

"It was great to spend some time with him," Fringer said adding that he's a very proud stepfather. Mann, who left for Iraq after Thanksgiving, is serving as a data systems specialist with the 18th Airborne based at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Fringer said he didn't think he would see Mann over there.

"But luckily I did. It just worked out that way," he said.

His wife, Lisa Fringer, said she's happy to have him home.

"Scott's a little overwhelmed by all of the attention he's getting," she said smiling at her husband.

Fringer just re-enlisted last year, Lisa Fringer said.

The minute he was in the system, he was called up and sent abroad, she said.

"Scott had left the military 10 years ago," Lisa Fringer said. Before that, he spent three years on active duty and five years in the reserves, she said.

Fringer said he had a couple different motives for re-enlisting.

"One of the main reasons was that my son, Jason, is there, and I wanted to be over there at the same time," he said. "Also, I always wanted go back in, even though I didn't really think about going back in until my son did.

Jacquie McCauslin, the secretary of the church, said Fringer's youngest son, 13-year-old Josh, was a big help to his mom while his father was in Iraq.

"Josh really stepped up and took care of his mother," she said. "He's a great kid."

"I really missed him when he was gone," Josh said. "It's good to have him home."

Scott Fringer's mother, Gerry Leppo, said her son from an early age had a knack for fixing things. So it made sense that when he went into the military he became a mechanic.

"I used to call him my little MacGyver," she said with a laugh. "He would always take things apart, fix them and put them back together. One time, when he was a teenager, my sewage pump broke and was making a loud noise. I went to work and when I got home Scott had it all apart in the garage and showed me what the problem was and fixed it. It worked for the next 20 years."

Leppo said when Fringer went over to Iraq, she was worried, but proud.

"He called me as much as he could and sent me e-mails three times a week," she said. "It put my mind at ease that he was all right."

Leppo said she'll feel better when Mann comes home, too.

"I'm a very proud mom and grandma," she said.

Wilson, the church pastor, said everyone is proud of their local hero. Over Christmas, the congregation sent Fringer a DVD with holiday wishes from everyone a the church.

"Scott and his family have been members of our church for (13 years)," Wilson said. "He's a hard worker and helps out a lot around the church. While he was over in Iraq, we kept him in our thoughts a prayers."

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Berwick approves paying share of Eastern Adams police budget

2006-01-24T10:48:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

The Berwick Township supervisors voted Monday to pay the municipality's share of the Eastern Adams Regional Police Department's 2006 budget.

The vote passed 3-1 with supervisors Bob Myers, Fred Nugent and Earle Black voting in favor of the regional department's budget. Bob Foltz voted against the action and Alan Carey abstained because he owns the complex where the force is stationed.

By approving the police budget, Berwick's contribution increases by about $23,000 to about $201,030 from its 2005 contribution of around $178,000.

With the other two municipalities - Oxford Township and New Oxford Borough - both approving their share of the 2006 police budget, many wondered if Berwick would revisit the issue.

Berwick originally voted against the police budget and elected to disband the department at a special meeting held Dec. 16.

Myers, the former chairman of the police commission and an outspoken proponent of disbanding the force during contract negotiations, said he voted in favor of the police budget because the contract with the police is settled.

"I think we should give (the commission) the opportunity to see if they can change things," he said. "I think (the commission) deserves a chance to make the department work."

The new contract remains in the hands of lawyers for both sides and has yet to be made public.

Black said he thinks that now that the contract is settled, the commission has started to get a good foothold on where it wants to take the department.

"We have a good, viable thing," he said. "So now we have to make it work. The only way we can do that is if (Berwick) agrees to pay its share of the 2006 budget."

Foltz said he voted against approving the township's share because he felt the department could have operated with the township only contributing what it did in 2005.

But Black said if the township didn't approve the budget it would only make things more complex.

"If we only contributed what we did in 2005, Oxford said they would take back their 2006 contributions and would only contribute what they did in 2005," he said. "That would make running the department extremely hard. I think we have a workable situation now."

Nugent said now that the contract with the police union is finalized, it was time for the municipalities to move on.

"Part of moving on involves us passing our portion of the budget," he said. "This is a good opportunity to get the police department working correctly."

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: All but seven employees resume work at Weitco

2006-01-29T19:57:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

Almost a month has passed since a fire engulfed the Weitco Stair Products factory in Highland Township and the company is already back to normal production levels.

It's just using less space.

Mike Cramer, the manager, said the 251 Silo Road stair factory is as busy as it was prior to the Jan. 5 early morning blaze that destroyed two of the company's buildings, leaving only one building to manufacture and ship staircases.

Thursday, employees were busy sanding, sawing and measuring pieces for custom stairs. Saw dust filled the air while drills and other woodworking equipment whined and crooned as different pieces of staircases began to take shape.

Cramer said many of the workers were back on the job only a few days after the blaze. But because of the lack of space seven workers are still not back to work.

"There's just no room for them until we get that new building up," he said of the structure that is being built behind the existing building. "When it goes up we'll bring them back."

Only one of the buildings destroyed in the fire was used for manufacturing. The other was the office. Weitco was able to resume manufacturing on a smaller scale and business is booming, Cramer said.

"We're running a little behind schedule here and there, but that's because we're crammed into one building," he said.

Cramer said Weitco aims to keep up with orders and erect a building behind the existing manufacturing hub. That addition to the complex, which had been planned before the fire, won't replace the buildings destroyed. But it will immediately give the company more manufacturing space. And when everything is finished, the entire complex will be bigger than before the fire.

A trailer that was to serve as a makeshift office was delivered about a week ago, but Cramer said high winds blew it over.

The 3 a.m. fire at Weitco on Jan. 5 took three hours for about 150 firefighters from six counties to bring under control. The fire reached 10 feet into ceilings, triggering fans on the roof that turn on automatically when temperatures reach 140 degrees. Once the fans were activated, the fire spread throughout the structure.

Adams County Fire Marshal Glenn Herring said the cause of the blaze is still unknown, even though nearly a month has passed since the fire.

It still doesn't look like it was intentionally set, Herring said.

Though crammed into one building, the employees remain optimistic about the company's future.

"I have no doubt that the company will bounce back," said Bob Mitchell, a custom part maker, as he looked up from a spare part he was finishing. "We have a new building going up, it will come in handy."

Mitchell, who was off work for a few days after the fire, said he's glad to be back.

"I don't like to lay around and do nothing," he said. "I'm getting a little bit more overtime now, too. We had to come back as soon as we could because we had orders to fill for customers.

"If we don't deliver we'll lose them."

Dave Schachle, the foreman, who was outside loading wood boards onto a forklift he would bring inside the factory, said morale is generally good. Getting back to work so soon after the fire helped.

"You have good days and bad days," he said. "The shop is running as good as it can right now with the lack of space. We're pretty close to our full potential. It's going to be a slow process, but we'll get there."

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.

Evening Sun: Regional force to break up

2006-01-28T15:23:00.000-08:00

By SETH GOLDSTEIN
Evening Sun Reporter

The police force charged with protecting Abbottstown and Hamilton Township will disband in March when the contract between the municipalities expires.

The two municipalities could not come to terms on how much each would pay for the police department, which includes one chief and three part-time officers.

Abbottstown Mayor Charles Stonesifer said there has been growing animosity in recent years over funding. Since the department formed 18 years ago, the township and the borough have split costs evenly, he said.

But population growth in Hamilton has led the parties to discuss what Stonesifer believes would have been a more fair 60-40 agreement.

"Hamilton has grown so much that keeping it a 50-50 would be just unfair," Stonesifer said.

Negotiations, Stonesifer said, stalled weeks ago when the municipalities could not agree on a funding formula.

"We had to give a 60-day written notice to Hamilton Township stating our intent to disband the force," Stonesifer said. "Our main objective now is to make sure the residents of Abbottstown have adequate police coverage."

Stephanie Egger, chairwoman of the Hamilton Township Board of Supervisors, said she was disappointed with Abbottstown's decision to break up the force.

"I'm not entirely surprised," she said. "There have been problems in the past with negotiations." Egger joined the board at the beginning of the year.

She said Abbottstown held a meeting about the police department Jan. 9. But Hamilton supervisors, under the advice of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors, didn't attend, Egger said.

"Since both municipalities share the same legal counsel, it would be a conflict of interest for both of us to use the same lawyer," she said.

Egger sent Abbottstown council members a letter on Jan. 11 to explain why no one from Hamilton attended the meeting. Abbottstown voted Jan. 19 to disband the force.

"We told Abbottstown that once we got legal counsel we would be more than happy to meet with them," she said. "On Jan. 19, we received a letter from them giving us 60 days notice that they intended to disband the department."

Egger said the breakup likely stems from a misunderstanding that occurred at a joint-municipal meeting in November.

"They were under the assumption that we were going to start paying the higher percentage starting immediately after the Nov. 14 meeting," she said. "They were talking about the 2006 budget at the time, we thought they understood that we would start paying 60 percent starting at the start of this year."

Stonesifer said that when Hamilton supervisors voted at the November meeting they didn't stipulate when the township was going to start paying the 60 percent of the costs.

About $191,000 was budgeted for the police in 2006, he said. Of that Abbottstown will be paying 50 percent, at least until March.

Egger said Hamilton held a special meeting on Jan. 23 and voted to pay 60 percent of the police costs.

The township is planning on paying that amount, at least for the next two months, she said.

"The reason for the special meeting was so we could open up our budget and allot the money for the police," she said.

When asked why the mayor was under the assumption that the borough was paying 50 percent instead of 40 percent, Egger said communication has broken down between the municipalities since Abbottstown decided to break up the police.

"It's up to them to contact us," she said. "It was their decision to disband. Their mind was already made up."

Stonesifer said the issues over the police is only the tip of the iceberg.

"This is just another incident in a series of disagreements between the two," he said, adding that the antagonism has been building up for a while.

Even though the department is slated to disband in March, the impending breakup isn't definite. Though, according to the Abbottstown mayor, it's as good as done.

"I just don't see it happening," he said of an agreement being reached. "The borough has formed a subcommittee to find other options for police coverage. It could be anything from the state police, having our own officers or looking into having Eastern Adams Regional take over."

The Department of Community and Economic Development will be doing a study and will give the Hamilton Township recommendations on what it should do if the department disbands, Egger said.

State police in Gettysburg already cover Abbottstown and Hamilton part-time because the local police department is only a part-time force.

At least a handful of businesses in the two municipalities are worried about a breakup.

Sue Werick, assistant manger of Choice Tobacco Outlet on the square in Abbottstown, said she's concerned about what will happen at night.

"I work at night and I'd like to know that there is someone there if I need them," she said. "Someone closer than the state police in Gettysburg. It's the time-issue that really scares me."

On the Hamilton side of Cross Keys, Sandy Sigh, manager of the Getty gas station, said he's also worried about the alternatives to the local police department.

"I'm not going to feel safe now that they're gone," he said. "The state police take too long. With the local police, if we have a problem we know they'll be in the area."

This is not the first time in recent years the force has been disbanded. In June 2002, Hamilton Township decided to disband the force when the contract expired, leaving Abbottstown wondering what to do for police coverage. Three-and-a-half years later, the roles are reversed.

The 2002 breakup of the Abbottstown-Hamilton Police was accompanied by stinging allegations. In a federal lawsuit, Officer Rick Siegel threw accusations that the disbandment was a smokescreen to get rid of him. Siegel was not rehired when the force reformed a month after breaking up. But a confidential, out-of-court settlement gave him his job back.

Contact Seth Goldstein at sgoldstein@eveningsun.com.