The 2017 free summer lunch program started Monday, June 12, at noon and will continue every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the summer. Lunch locations are Denver Park, Reamstown Park, and Reinholds Park.

Students age 18 and under, including preschool age, receive free lunches.

Under the grant program, each meal has five components — protein, whole grain, fruit, vegetable and milk (one-percent, fat-free, and fat-free flavored milk). Children must choose at least three items.

Meals must be eaten at the distribution location. The program is not permitted to send meals home for someone not able to be present. This is a change from past practice.

No registration is needed; attendees must report to the participating locations at noon. Volunteers will take a lunch count of who attended and who was fed.

The Cocalico School District and the Cocalico Ministerium are partners in this program.

The post Acts of Love is Cocalico’s summer lunch program appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Cocalico Class of 2017 commencement speakers track sentiments as they move forward

For the 230 members of the Cocalico High School Class of 2017, life lessons were learned on the track and field, in the park, and from Harry Potter.

Two students, who spoke at the June 7 commencement at Calvary Church in Lancaster, analogized life past high school to track and field.

“This race that we have begun is not simple, it can be compared to hurdles in track and field,” said Demetri Whitsett, class salutatorian. “The gun will shoot off and we have to move on with our lives whether we would like to or not. You keep running, the hurdles continue to come up.

“Life is not always smooth, but how you can respond to adversity will define how you live your life. The lessons I’ve learned from track and field is that you find out who the toughest competitors are in bad weather. Those who continue to jump, run, or throw their best in the rain or wind, normally rank as the best athletes in the state. That’s the way we should strive to live our lives.”

Pa Moua was equally as persuasive in comparing life to track and field.

“The 12 years of education have prepared you and me to be at this starting line,” said Moua. “The baton is our diploma. You can’t go full speed that you are meant to if your partner doesn’t let the baton go.”

The “partner” of whom she spoke is meant to be the students’ parents, families, and teachers.

“Today when we graduate is when we get a hold of that baton and they have to let go,” said Moua. “They can’t run for you because now you have the baton. Now is your chance. Determination, confidence and positive thinking is what our track is made up of.”

Unlike graduates of decades ago where they spoke of the future and seemed to work for retirement, these graduates consider the present.

Alissa Martin, senior speaker, expressed this sentiment with a quote from Harry Potter.

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live,” said Martin, referring to the Dumbledore character giving advice to Potter.

“Making good choices in the present and doing things that make you happy will already give you a step up for your future,” she said. “Focusing on one moment declutters your mind and allows you to really have fun and enjoy what you’re doing and who you’re with.

Colin Hinkley, the student government president and a dynamic speaker, quoted Steve Jobs, the most quoted person at recent Cocalico graduations.

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” Jobs was quoted.

“If the answer to that question was ‘no’ too many days in a row, he (Jobs) knew that he needed to change something in his life,” said Hinkley.

Olivia Voler, class valedictorian, said: “We often get so hung up on ‘what ifs’ that we forget to sit down and enjoy our walk in the park.”

Lyndsay Engle, class president, reminisced about shared experiences with her classmates. She then quoted Winston Churchill, saying: “Let’s challenge ourselves to view all situations from a positive perspective.”

Other classmates commented on their high school experience.

Juan Bermudez was born in Colombia, South America, and moved to the Cocalico area in eighth grade. He has a real-life insight into what an American can do that sometimes American-born graduates take for granted.

“I definitely tried harder here in school,” said Bermudez. “I had a change in attitude because seeing the difference between Colombia and the U.S. opened my eyes a lot.

“I realized I was given a great opportunity and I might as well take advantage of it. There are more and better opportunities here. The education is better and if you really try here, it’s easier to succeed.”

Bermudez did not speak English when he moved here. He is a member of the National Honor Society. He plans to attend Pittsburgh University to study biology and hopes to become a doctor.

“I try to keep my parents proud because they have sacrificed so much for me,” said Bermudez.

Christine Sivak was supposed to graduate in 2016, but was expelled from part of her freshman and sophomore years.

“I have a history with drug abuse, like really bad,” said Sivak. “It started in eighth grade. Someone in my class said: ‘You should try this, it makes you feel great’.”

Sivak said she used drugs until she was 16.

“I had a friend and she asked me to use drugs in the school bathroom with her and just watching her, looking what she turned into,” said Sivak. “She wasn’t my friend anymore; she was just so consumed by drugs. Ever since that day, I’ve just been, ‘no more.’”

Sivak works with Colin Buckwalter, a recent graduate of Cocalico.

“He has cerebral palsy,” said Sivak. “I love him, he is such a sweetheart. He does everything he possibly can for the community.”

The graduates’ speeches and vibe of the class reflect their class motto: “Life is waking up an hour earlier just to live an hour more.”

Michele Walter Fry welcomes your comments at michelewalterfry@gmail.com.

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Vice President Richard Nixon and Cuban Prime Minister Fidel Castro leave Nixon’s office in Washington, D.C., April 19, 1959, after a two hour and 20 minute chat behind closed doors. The meeting had been listed on Castro’s program as a 15 minute visit. In answer to a question, Castro said the meeting had been “very friendly.” (AP Photo)

Local pastor reflects on his Capitol days, including accidental rendezvous with future president

It was the 1959-1960 school year.

Dennis Trout, overseer of the Republican Page Bench in the United States House of Representatives was eating his lunch — tomato soup and a bologna sandwich — in the cloakroom behind the House Chamber. The room was empty.

Trout looked up and was astonished to find Vice President Richard M. Nixon sitting in the room with him.

“We seem to have the same taste in lunches,” Nixon commented while eating his bologna sandwich.

“Flustered, I think I responded with ‘Yup’,” said Trout, now pastor at Swamp Lutheran Church in Reinholds.

“What do you want to be when you grow up?” Nixon asked Trout (Trout was then a high school senior.)

Trout explained that he might seek an appointment to Annapolis or go to college for four years and then seminary for four years to become a Lutheran pastor.

“Son, we need more good ministers in the country; think it over carefully!” said Nixon.

“I recall hearing a voice that was mine but seemingly almost disembodied, say: ‘Mr. Vice President, what do you want to be when you grow up?’” Trout recalled.

“He belly-laughed, whopped me on the back and said: ‘Son, I might like to be president someday!’”

Nixon signed Trout’s doorkeeper pad: “Best Wishes to Dennis Trout – Richard Nixon,” finished his bologna sandwich, and left.

Trout said he never knew what the President of the Senate was doing in the House lunch area. Regarding Nixon’s advice, well, Trout apparently took it as he has been a Lutheran pastor for 49 years.

This encounter was submitted in writing by Trout to the Page Alumni Association when it solicited one memory from each page who had celebrated the 50th high school anniversary from page school.

Trout thought no more about the submission until an e-mail arrived in early 2017. It notified him that his “memory submission” was being forwarded to the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda, Calif.

A phone call to the library’s acquisitions department acknowledged that it has not been ruled on yet; however, it looks “promising,” according to an acquisition clerk.

How Trout became a Page

Spending the final two years of high school as a United States Congressional Page was more of a happy accident than intentional dream for Trout.

He was on a Boy Scout trip to the nation’s capital during his sophomore year in high school in Muhlenberg Township, Berks County. U.S. Rep. George M. Rhodes, a Reading Democrat, arranged the capital tour. His wife accompanied the Boy Scouts. Trout found himself seated next to the Rhode’s wife on the bus.

“Pages,” Trout explained, “are usually chosen by one of three ways: 1 – you’re a top scholar in your school district and/or state; 2 – your family is involved in politics, and 3 – you’re from a wealthy family.

“How did I get in? None of the above.”

Rhodes had an empty slot allocated to him for which he could nominate a high school student to become a page. When he shared with his wife the dilemma that he still had another slot he could fill and had no applicant, she suggested “that nice young man whom she talked to on the tour.”

Trout, a Republican, accepted the invitation and stayed for two years since the allowable age window was 16 to 18 years of age.

“Although appointed by a Democrat, that party’s page positions were filled, and I was sent to the Republican side,” said Trout.

Highlights of his page career

Page’s days were long. School was from 6 to 10 a.m. daily. Teachers were from local colleges and universities.

“I have pictures of pages leaving class in their sport coats and ties toting heavy backpacks to the Capitol,” said Trout.

“Classes were held in the top floor of the Library of Congress and we had lots of homework. We studied late into the night if House sessions ran late.”

There were celebrity sightings to go along with the work and the studies.

“I saw Robert Frost regularly,” said Trout. “His office was in the Library of Congress.”

When movie stars visited the Capital, pages were assigned to take them on personal tours. Trout served as tour guide for Roy Rogers, Connie Stevens, Ephraim Zimbalist Jr., and Ralph Bellamy.

“I was there when Alaska and Hawaii became states,” said Trout. “Especially with Hawaii’s statehood, the well-guarded doors were opened and there were many parties.”

On a serious note, Trout’s job as overseer entailed much responsibility. He’d study the details of the day’s House schedule, often over lunch. He was responsible for all page assignments. Many times this entailed carrying a bill to another location or person.

“Every congressman had a light on his desk. When he/she pushed the button, a page was summoned,” said Trout. “A light can indicate most anything. I saw a doctor die on the floor of the House and a Congressman fall over.”

“I was present for Dick Clark’s testimony on hearings for nepotism. My service was during the Civil Rights era and I have a copy of the Hearing Book on Civil Rights for the Congressional Record.”

While he escorted celebrities, he bore witness to the world’s leaders.

“I saw many government dignitaries, such as Khrushchev and the president of El Salvador,” he said “In particular, Castro impressed me as belligerent due to a personal experience.”

He’d sent a page to deliver a bill. The ashen looking page returned, saying “I thought I was dead.”

When the elevator doors opened, the page got in to do his errand. One of Castro’s body guards entered the elevator and immediately slammed the page against the wall. When the page stood up after the elevator door opened and he looked out, he glimpsed Castro in his convertible, with his own security men riding on all four fenders.

The significance of his experience

“I realize how fortunate I was to see history in the making,” even though that sounds trite, said Trout.

Keeping up with the news, taking seriously Americans’ freedom and voting, are important to him.

“At graduation I was awarded the Distinguished Achievement Award,” said Trout.

(When Trout’s church burned in 2010, he lost much of his page memorabilia. His daughter wrote to the Page Association and explained that having a copy of his diploma would mean much to him.

For whatever reason the Page Association didn’t have a copy of his diploma. Therefore, a new one was issued. Both Nancy Pelosi and John Boehner signed the re-issued one.

Trout remarked that it appears the diploma was “one of the few things that the two of them could both agree to sign.”)

“My experience was a good one. My yearbook picture caption states, “Dennis is the epitome of all that’s Pennsylvania Dutch and Northern Yankee… One day Dennis will open the House session with prayer as Chaplain. And, I did that!”

The post Taking a page out of history appeared first on Ephrata Review.

The East Cocalico Police Department reported the following:

WARRANT: Officers responded to a report of trespass in the 1400 block of Peiffer Hill Road, East Cocalico Township, at 11:16 a.m. June 5. Upon making contact with two males, it was learned that Ryman Schlack, 28, had several warrants through Lancaster County. He was taken into custody and taken to the sheriff’s office.

WARRANT: An officer attempted a vehicle stop in the 300 block of Railroad Street, Denver Borough, at 3:45 p.m. June 9. Two males and a female exited the vehicle and began walking away. One of the occupants, Michael Spoo, 28, had an active state parole warrant. He was taken into custody and and transferred to state police.

The East Cocalico Police Department provides coverage for East Cocalico Township and Denver Borough.

The post East Cocalico Police Log: June 21, 2017 appeared first on Ephrata Review.

The Ephrata Police Department reported the following:

SPEED CHECK: Police conducted a speed compliance check June 14 in the 500 block of West Route 897, Reinholds, where the speed limit is 35 mph. Twenty vehicles were stopped. The highest cited speed was 61 mph.

WARRANT: Police attempted to arrest Frank O. Suriano, 39, Oak Street, Denver, in the 500 block of Hertzog Valley Road, West Cocalico Township, on an outstanding Lancaster County Sheriff’s warrant at 3:55 p.m. June 15. Suriano fled on foot from police and, upon being stopped, fought with police before he was taken into custody. Suriano and the officer both required treatment at Ephrata Wellspan Hospital for their injuries. Suriano was released to the custody of the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Department at 8 p.m. Criminal charges against Suriano are pending as a result of the incident.

The Ephrata Police Department provides coverage for West Cocalico Township and Adamstown Borough.

The post Ephrata Police Log: June 21, 2017 appeared first on Ephrata Review.

The Cocalico School District followed the lead of its municipal neighbor, agreeing Monday to give UGI more than a 50-percent tax break over the next 10 years if the utility moves its headquarters to an undeveloped parcel adjacent to Route 222.

A proposed, 100,000-square-foot building in East Cocalico Township would house 300-plus UGI employees, providing “operational synergies” for the energy provider, UGI Vice President Kent Murphy told the school board.

But the company faces several expensive environmental and engineering obstacles that it says would make relocating to the 32.7-acre tract less feasible without a tax break.

Earlier this month, the East Cocalico Township supervisors agreed to certify the property on Colonel Howard Boulevard a LERTA site, entering it into a state program intended to spur development at blighted or economically disadvantaged sites.

If it builds on a LERTA property, UGI would pay no new taxes on any development in the first year, and would see its obligations phased in slowly over the next nine. The utility would, however, continue to pay taxes on the land’s assessed value.

Cocalico Superintendent Dr. Ella Musser said the district has long aimed to attract more businesses to the area, which draws 68 percent of its revenue from residents through real estate, earned income, and other taxes. More businesses, Musser said, would help shift the burden in the long-term.

With member Randall Renninger absent, the school board voted 8-0 to approve its own LERTA resolution, essentially waving $3.173 million in tax revenue over the next decade.

Murphy said they the township’s LERTA approval waives $285,000 during the same period. The county, which has yet to hear a formal LERTA request from UGI, could potentially give up $519,000 for a total of $3.97 million in savings to UGI.

But Murphy points out the utility will pay $3.476 million to the three jurisdictions in those 10 years, revenue none will see if the land remains undeveloped.

Paula Leicht, an attorney for UGI, said the site has been zoned for light industrial use since 1975 but other potential builders found it “prohibitively expensive to consider developing.”

“This really is an appropriate use of the benefit of the (LERTA) act,” she said.

Business Manager Sherri Stull said she researched the LERTA cost savings given different valuation scenarios with guidance from county officials and the district’s engineering firm. She found the per-year break to UGI fair, considering the district gave $2.3 million in rebates to local landowners through the state’s Clean and Green program last year.

“This is a utility that brings a lot to the table for us,” Stull said. “When I look at the numbers, it makes sense to me.”

Even before UGI entered a purchase agreement with Reading Hospital, which currently owns the parcel next to Pepperidge Farm, Stull and Musser were considering LERTA as a possible tool to facilitate commercial growth in the Cocalico region.

Musser said the addition of UGI, with its long-standing success and a healthy outlook, will bring jobs to the region and could attract other new businesses too. UGI will extend utilities and upgrade the intersection with Pepperidge Drive, costly endeavors that have likely discouraged others from developing what board member Doug Graybill called a prime parcel with access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Land development and construction, still in the planning process, would cost an estimated $23.8 million. Officials previously said they would break ground late in 2017 and move in during 2018.

In 2019, UGI would pay 10 percent of the assessed value on the development. Each year after would bring an increase of an addition 10 percent, with 100 percent of the tax bill-about $700,000 for Cocalico schools-due in year 11 and every year following.

Not everyone was pleased with the approval. Stevens resident Ken McCrea attended a previous meeting and the one Monday night asking the board to limit the amount of relief provided to UGI. While the utility asked for a 10-year break, municipalities can offer a shorter tax-advantaged time frame.

McCrea argued that UGI low-balled its valuation by several million dollars and that the tax break was unnecessary given the company’s success. UGI Corp. reported net income of $364.7 million for 2016, up from $281 the previous year.

“The LERTA tax break goes pretty much directly to their bottom line,” McCrea said. “That possibly represents a conflict of interest if any board members own stock or have a mutual find that owns stock in the publicly traded utility.”

Board members did not respond to McCrea’s concern about any personal benefit they might gain from the approval.

But Musser later said UGI has a solid reputation for supporting local schools’ education foundations and Cocalico “won’t forget that.”

The post Cocalico School Board OKs tax break for UGI appeared first on Ephrata Review.

School property taxes will climb 1.5 percent in Cocalico next year, under a budget given final approval Monday night.

The Cocalico School Board voted 8-0 with member Randall Renninger absent to pass a $59.9-million budget that is unchanged from the preliminary version advertised in May.

The budget funds several new special education positions and expands the district’s pre-school program through grant funding. But it depends largely on a fund balance to close a $6.7-million revenue shortfall.

Business manager Sherri Stull said the tax increase is expected to bring in about $487,000 in new income. The shortfall will be made up in part from assigned funds that will cover increases in pension costs ($2.5 million) and new investments in technology ($860,000).

The district is also expected to have a $4.8-million cushion when this year’s budget closes in July. That money that will carry over into 2017-18.

But next year’s budget is tighter, with just $1.4 million expected to remain in the district’s coffers. So the board also voted Monday to commit any additional 2017-18 cash identified through an annual audit to next year’s general fund.

The district could have hiked taxes as much as 2.5 percent under the state’s tax cap limit. The 1.5-percent increase follows a flat tax level for 2017-18.

Next year, taxpayers will owe $2.316 per $1,000 of a home’s assessed value. Homeowners with Cocalico’s median assessed value of $139,500 will see an increase of $47.43 in their 2017-18 bill.

Superintendent Dr. Ella Musser said the district could be proud of its final budget and its support for programs and initiatives that serve students, “even with certain reductions and cost cutting.”

The post New annual budget has slight tax hike appeared first on Ephrata Review.

The East Cocalico supervisors at their June 15 meeting viewed a power point presentation by engineer Mike LaSala, Land Studies, explaining ways the township could meet the reduction of pollutants mandated by the municipal separate stormwater system program, better known as MS4.

The township already has many best management practices in place, such as planting of riparian buffer areas along streams. Farmers in the community are working to reduce sediment run-off, manage manure and use established, best farming practices.

LaSala showed the audience a map indicating all of East Cocalico Township is located within the Chesapeake Bay Basin.

The Cocalico Creek watershed comprises about 68 percent of the township’s identified urbanized area, as established by the 2010 census. Cocalico Creek is a tributary of the Conestoga River, which is a tributary of the Susquehanna River.

Muddy Creek is also a tributary of the Conestoga River. The Muddy Creek Watershed represents 32 percent of the township’s urban area. Currently the focus is on these defined, urban areas.

In addition to the Cocalico and Muddy creeks, East Cocalico discharges stormwater into other local streams where water is identified as impaired. They also, according to the MS4 program, are included in the pollutant reduction requirements.

These other streams include Stony Run (tributary of Cocalico), Little Muddy Creek, and unnamed tributaries of Muddy Creek.

In watersheds where sediment is identified as a concern, sediment loading must be reduced by 10 percent. If nutrients are a concern, phosphorus must be reduced by five percent and nitrogen by three percent in the proposed plan to be submitted in September 2017.

“DEP says if you make the sediment reduction you can assume you’re making nitrogen and phosphorous reductions,” said Scott Russell, township manager.

The above is termed “the presumptive approach” and East Cocalico, as well as other municipalities, are using this DEP identified approach.

LaSala and Brent Lied, township engineer, concurred the plan identifies more projects than the township needs and likely will undertake. The merit of each project proposed will be evaluated based on how much improvement will be attained for the dollars spent.

Both engineers explained many projects will provide a big reduction in sediment, which will go a long way in satisfying the new guidelines for the MS4 program’s 2018 to 2023 cycle, the plan cycle for which the proposal is being prepared.

Some projects, for example rain gardens, might not be prudent for the township to undertake due to their expense and the low gain, calculated at about a one percent reduction in pollutants, for sites at which they could be a consideration.

The entire plan for the Nutrient/Sediment Reduction Plan and the Chesapeake Bay Pollutant Plan is available for inspection at the township office, 100 Hill Road, or online at the township’s Web site: http://eastcocalicotownship.com. Public comments are welcome in writing or at the supervisors’ July 6 meeting.

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This past Saturday I journeyed with a busload of my fellow Berks Countians to Broadway to see Reading.

Yup. You read that correctly. We left Reading to see Reading.

Nearly 50 of us traveled to the Big Apple to get a perspective of life in our city offered via the Tony-nominated play ‘Sweat.’ Its writer, Lynn Nottage, received the Pulitzer Prize for drama.

It was extraordinarily hot and humid for a mid-June day. Slogging through the crowded streets of mid-town Manhattan, a sudden downpour along the way delivered many drenched to the performance venue, the once-notorious Studio 54.

The play, as many of you likely know, tells the story of unionized steelworkers who, despite loyalty on the factory line for years (and generations in some cases) fall victim, starting in 2000, to the ravages of NAFTA, the recession of 2008, a strike and subsequent lockout and then the final plant closure.

Nottage spent a lot of time in Reading, beginning in 2011, and interviewed many residents. She was attracted by a news report citing Reading as the second poorest city of its size in the country. The playwright got first-hand accounts, often uncomfortable, of the toll that the changing economy and social norms, as well as shifting demographics, had taken on the city. And, the result — the play ‘Sweat’ — does not paint the prettiest of pictures.

Reading City Councilors John Slifko (left) and Donna Reed (second from right) and state Sen. Judy Schwank (right) meet with Sweat cast members Will Pullen and Kris Davis after the June 17 matinee. Photo courtesy of Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz

Those of us traveling to New York had a relatively clear idea of what we were to see from the many months of publicity, local and national, ‘Sweat’ received. A few of us had spent some time with Nottage last Tuesday evening when she was in Reading for a reception. Some had friends and relatives who had seen the play. Among them and part of our group was former Mayor Tom McMahon, who saw its first incarnation in 2015 in Portland, as part of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions series exploring crucial moments in our nation’s history. ‘Sweat’ went on to play in Washington, D.C., and in an off-Broadway venue before its run at Studio 54.

The central figures of ‘Sweat’ are three women and four men, of two generations, who had believed their good union jobs at a local steel manufacturer would last forever. Their post-work gathering spot, a local bar operated by one of their former colleagues disabled by a work accident for which he was grudgingly compensated, is a second home for these co-workers, some of whom really are family. The barkeep employs a young Latino man, born in the U.S. of a Colombian émigré family, as a busboy.

The progression of the years and the attendant economic challenges tear at the fabric of these characters’ status, friendships, and mutual regard. The unraveling includes expressions of racism, substance abuse and addiction, poverty, violence — and, on the upbeat — a short but quietly stunning display of grace.

Nottage laces her characters’ comments with a proliferation of f-bombs, something I found a bit disconcerting, but ultimately realistic to some of the tougher circumstances of my town.

The barroom set of the play is based on an 80-plus year Reading establishment called Mike’s Tavern, located in the Riverside section, just south of First Energy Stadium. It certainly was a long-time home base for thousands of after-work drinks by hundreds of employees of the nearby now-defunct Parish Frame Division of Dana Corp., as well as the still-thriving Carpenter Technology Corp. That setting alone made the performance far more visceral for me. I could imagine my late uncle quaffing a beer (or several) at the bar with his pals from the forge many years ago, secure in the job that provided them all safe retirements. A generation later, workers like him wouldn’t be so lucky.

The night before we saw ‘Sweat,’ I paid a visit to Mike’s Tavern, located in my council district, to hear my Lancaster Farming colleague Eric Hurlock perform with his folk group Tin Bird Choir. The old Mike’s crowd has given way to aficionados of various music genres as well as craft beer fans. But one thing remains constant — the decor of the old row house that looks much the same as it did when my uncle was in his working prime in the 1950s.

The juxtaposition of the two experiences — the bitterness of the old Reading portrayed in ‘Sweat’ and the happy atmosphere of Friday night at Mike’s made for some serious contemplation on the ride back from Manhattan.

Our group had the great good fortune to spend some one-on-one time with the ‘Sweat’ cast following the matinee. My council colleagues, Marcia Goodman-Hinnershitz, who organized the trip, and John Slifko and I presented the troupe with a commendation which was received, to our surprise, with some emotion.

The actors fielded many questions and offered their takes on Reading which they visited earlier in the spring to deliver a free public reading of ‘Sweat’ at the Reading Area Community College Miller Center for the Arts.

To Nottage’s credit, she is playing continuing tribute to the people of our city — this time with an eye to the present and a more hopeful future — with a special endeavor entitled “This is Reading.”

This multimedia presentation will be featured for three consecutive weekends, beginning July 14, at the refurbished Franklin Street Station in downtown Reading.

What is known about it so far is that it will marry live performances and visual media — in a six-pronged approach — both on the interior and exterior of the station.

Nottage has said publicly many times that it was hard for her to shake the feeling she got from her time in Reading doing those pre-‘Sweat’ interviews — the sense of hardship, longing for that better past, and hopelessness about the future. The point of “This is Reading” is a counter to that, showing the hope and possibilities that exist with the hope that it may help bring more joy and unity to the city.

Nottage, along with her team, will do this as a service to the people of the city portrayed so bleakly on Broadway throughout the spring.

So innovative is ‘This is Reading’ that Nottage has already traveled to parts of the country explaining it. Indeed, last weekend she was in Greece doing just that. Her goal is to make the ‘This is Reading’ experience one that can be mirrored in communities far and wide.

I look forward to seeing ‘This is Reading.’ I know among the many citizens Nottage and her team are featuring in this presentation will be familiar faces — from the city’s established movers and shakers to new folks with roots in Latin America and Asia to the homeless souls who so many scuttle by each day. I’m hoping that when these folks see their images projected on the inside and outside walls, they will come to realize that no matter how different, they are all the same at heart, one community.

Okay, now that you’ve read this column, you may be thinking: What’s this got to do with Cocalico?

Well, here’s the thing — we are all connected. Reading is just 15 miles or so away. What happens there and anywhere nearby is something we should all be aware of, even if we can’t relate personally to those specific experiences.

The images and words of ‘Sweat’ are going to stay with me and other theatergoers long after it closes its Broadway run on Sunday.

The question it challenges is this: “What are you going to do about it?”

The answer remains to be seen, but the potential for positive change is in us all.

The post Cocalico Corner: A lot of ‘Sweat’ing going on appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Honorary Survivor Jennifer Graybill is surrounded by fundraising stars collecting funds with their trendy purses. Photo by Michele Walter Fry

With new strides in cancer research and exciting therapies that kill cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, one would think events supporting fundraising for fighting the disease would be up. However, locally this year, that did not occur.

The number of survivors showing up at the annual Norlanco Relay For Life held this fast Friday and Saturday, June 23 to 24, at Garden Spot High School was down. The supporting crowd was as dismal as Friday night’s steady and occasionally bursting rain.

And, unfortunately, the $205,000 goal was far from being met: only $131,306 was raised.

Every year, Honorary Survivors and Caregiver(s) are chosen to share their story.

Jennifer Graybill, a two-time cancer survivor, poured out her heart, with many pauses and tears. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer in 2010 at the age of 33. She spoke of how she felt in between the first and second diagnosis.

“Physically, I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel,” said Graybill. “I didn’t know what my new normal was. I was still quite tired and as the months went on, the pain came back. The pain had been so bad that eventually I couldn’t walk.”

Graybill called her doctor.

“After a few questions and an exam, his words to me were: ‘Of course we will have to go through the proper tests to confirm my diagnosis, but I believe it’s back, kid, and this time we are in a dog fight’.”.

Graybill was devastated.

“He said: ‘Thirty years ago, I’d be getting you comfortable, but today we have an option’,” said Graybill.

Graybill has had organs removed, is made up of some “man-made” parts, and is a “walking study.”

“Thanks to research and development, I was able to celebrate my five-year milestone last March,” said Graybill. “Without those advancements in cancer research, my children would be motherless today.”

Amanda, Rick, and Sophia Wagner head the pack after cutting the ribbon to start the event.

Honorary Caregivers Rick and Amanda Wagner are parents to 14-month-old Sophia.

“We were told that Sophia’s leukemia was very rare and that she had an MLL rearrangement which was a genetic abnormality that caused her bone marrow to create cancerous blood cells,” said Rick Wagner.

“We were also told that Sophia would have a 20-percent chance of survival. Due to her MLL rearrangement, Sophia would need a bone marrow transplant which will give her the best possible chance of surviving her leukemia.”

Sophia went through ten days of intense chemotherapy in preparation for the transplant.

“We saw our beautiful daughter become sicker than we had ever seen her,” said Rick. “She completely stopped eating and seemed to be in a lot of pain, but we knew it was our only option to save our daughter.”

Sophia’s bone marrow accepted the donor’s and her percentage of survival is now up to 60 percent.

“This is why we relay; thank you for reminding us why we do this,” said Sharon Groff, event lead coordinator.

Sophia’s sparkling personality and inquisitive nature has not been dampened from cancer treatments.

The cause of cancer can be a mystery and why one gets it and another doesn’t. Arguably, the most common causes include the environment, genetics, stress, and diet.

Mary Dissinger’s cancer was detected by a mammogram.

“It was diagnosed early, but in one month’s time between diagnosis and surgery, it doubled in size, so it was very aggressive; it jumped an entire stage,” said Dissinger.

“It was a very new tumor, apparently stress can do it. We lost a son who was close to 30. He fell asleep and never woke up, basically. He had sleep apnea and wasn’t wearing his breathing mask.

“I’ve been relaying for 20 years but I was diagnosed with breast cancer four years ago. I walk so that hopefully someday my grandchildren won’t have to hear that they have cancer.”

Nancy Portaro was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer last March. Her family made matching t-shirts to support her. All the teams were called down from the bleachers and asked to be honored while walking the track. Portaro’s team was so new, they had not registered as a team and did not know if they should walk.

Portaro will be a first-time grandmother in January and has the best-case attitude for a better outcome.

“You go through a lot of ups and downs, but here’s the thing, even though they tell me they can’t cure me, God can do whatever He wants, and that’s where my hope lies,” said Portaro.

“It’s up to Him. It’s not up to the doctors. You need them, they do what they do and they do it well, but I think the key is staying positive. You can’t go to those dark places. You learn to live life and treasure every day.”

Portaro is up and about because her doctors intend to make chemo treatments livable while extending her life. She described her initial signs.

“Signs were abdominal and back pain,” she said Portaro. “They thought it was acid reflux, then they thought it was a gallbladder issue.”

Portaro’s recent CT scan showed the tumor decreased in size.

Groff is a power fundraiser for cancer research, and has relayed for more than 10 years.

“Mom passed away in 1993 from breast cancer,” said Groff. “I wanted to do this, but didn’t think I could and in 2008, they found a tumor on me and they rate them between one and five (the higher the more severe). I was rated 4.5. After the biopsy, they said: ‘God must have something He wants you to do because you don’t have cancer’.”

While hopeful about the strides made in cancer research and proud of the participation of those at the relay, Groff couldn’t hide her disappointment.

“We did not make goal, the numbers are way down,” she said.

Among her chief concern about the event: changing the location from Cocalico High School to Garden Spot every other year means a loss of participants from school to school.

Groff, who is stepping down from her leadership post, said she is not sure where the 2018 event will be held.

The post Relay for Life Norlanco showcases survivors, caregivers, but misses monetary goal in cancer fight appeared first on Ephrata Review.

When it comes to elected officials in the Cocalico area, change is not commonplace.

Many of those sitting on the borough councils of Adamstown and Denver and the supervisor boards of East Cocalico and West Cocalico townships have been there for years, and sometimes decades.

But 2017 marks significant changes in the two townships’ board makeups.

In East Cocalico, Noelle Fortna, a 12-year supervisor, lost her primary bid in a landslide election to newcomer Romao Carrasco last month.

And in West Cocalico, Supervisor Ray Burns, who won a six-year term in 2015 succeeding 18-year veteran Supervisor Chair Jacque Smith, dropped a bombshell when he announced his June 23 resignation.

“My intent was to be a long-term board member,” Burns said during a Tuesday phone interview, “but my life circumstances changed that and we decided to move.”

Burns and his wife will remain in Pennsylvania, but in a county to the northwest of Lancaster.

While he looks forward to a new chapter in life, Burns said he is appreciative of the opportnity to serve a township he has called home for 26 years. Not only did he live in West Cocalico, but as an officer for the East Cocalico Police Department, which for years provided coverage for the township, he came to know the municipality and its people intimately.

“I was happy that the people entrusted me to serve as a supervisor,” he said. A key reason Burns wanted to serve: to give back to the community he said had provided so many blessings to him and his family.

“I had a good career and benefited both personally and family wise that people in the Cocalico community afforded us,” said Burns in January 2016 when he took the oath of office. “I felt the responsibility in some small way to pay it back.”

Indeed those words of 18 months ago echoed in his words Tuesday.

“With retirement, I had the time, energy, ability, and, I think, the knowledge, in some small way, to repay the community for what I received from them over 30-plus years,” he said.

While Burns was familiar to many in West Cocalico, he became a fixture of sorts at township meetings in the year or so prior to the 2015 primary.

Ray Burns and his wife after taking his January 2016 oath of office.

During the lengthy and contentious months of meetings and discussions centering on the creation of a Cocalico regional police force, Burns had served as his township’s representative at large and found himself in the middle of the verbal skirmishes.

In the end, West Cocalico, along with Adamstown, opted out of the discussions, ending their long-term coverage contracts with the East Cocalico force and turning to the Ephrata Police. That was not what Burns had advocated.

So, when he ran for election, he was concerned that voters, as well as his future supervisor colleagues (Burns, endorsed by the local Republican committee, ran unopposed in both the primary and general elections.) would see him as a man “with an agenda.”

Those fears went pretty much by the wayside. Burns would fit in comfortably with both Supervisor Chair James J. Stoner and long-time Supervisor Terry Scheetz. Scheetz, who would resign and move to Berks County in 2016, was replaced by farmer and long-time resident Leon Z. Eby. The new trio also worked well together.

“I was very happy with the cooperation of all the board members,” he said.

Just as Burns was a fixture among those attending the meetings, the next supervisor may also be a familiar face to the board. Stoner, at the early June meeting in which Burns announced his impending resignation, urged those in attendance to consider applying to fill the vacancy.

At the June 22 meeting, two candidates stepped forward; another made his intentions to throw his hat in the ring known in writing.

Carolyn Hildebrand, township manager, said the board expects to name Burns’ replacement at its July 18 meeting. By law, the replacement must be named within 30 days of the resignation. She said anyone interested needs to submit a letter of interest in the next weeks.

Indeed, the supervisors and Hildebrand must send a written notice of their own to Randall O. Wenger, chief clerk of Lancaster County Elections Services, notifying them a vacancy has occurred. The appointment the supervisors make will only be valid till the end of the year. As 2017 is a municipal election year, the office must be put up for vote in the November election.

Wenger, once in receipt of the official West Cocalico notification, will, in turn, send notices to the county Democratic and Republican committees that they may forward a name for their respective ballot slots. In addition, as the Green and Libertarian parties are formally considered minor political parties in Pennsylvania, they may also nominate candidates. And, independent or non-affiliated individuals may circulate nominating papers for the position. The deadline for circulating petitions for signatures is Aug. 1. (Any questions should be directed to election services by calling 717-299-8293.) The parties must submit the paperwork for their nominees to Wenger by Sept. 18 for the names to appear on the November ballot.

Interestingly, all three West Cocalico supervisor positions will appear on the general election ballot. Stoner is running unopposed for a new full six-year term, while the also unopposed Eby is up for a four-year slot to complete the remainder of Scheetz’s term. The yet-to-be-named candidate(s) will be vying for the four years remaining on Burns’ term.

This quirk of political fate for the West Cocalico voters may be just that. Stoner has been in office for multiple terms; Eby is likely to mirror that; and the newcomer may well do the same. The reason is two-fold: the length (six years) of the terms for these second-class township supervisors and the fact that, like Eby and Stoner, the nominee backed by the local Republican committee in this overwhelmingly Republican constituency is likely to win and serve for decades barring some well publicized controversy. Case in point: the one in East Cocalico centering on Sunshine Act questions that dashed Fortna’s re-election hopes. (In that case, the Republican committee had thrown its endorsement to newcomer Carrasco.)

Burns, despite relocating, will continue to be a familiar face in West Cocalico. His daughter still resides here and he will be returning for the sporting and community events in which his family members are involved.

As for Hildebrand, she is hoping the next supervisor will be as hands-on and involved as Burns.

“He was always willing to volunteer to do what was needed,” she said. “He took his job very seriously. He was very available to the office and he was certainly doing his part in going to various meetings where we needed that presence.

“We need that going forward.”

The post Change ‘Burns’ with departure appeared first on Ephrata Review.

With the clock ticking on replacing West Cocalico Supervisor Ray Burns, two candidates introduced themselves to the board during a June 20 meeting. A third name is also on the township’s desk.

Supervisors have 30 days, starting June 23, to appoint a replacement for Burns, who joined the board in 2016, and now is moving out of the township. The remaining two supervisors, James J. Stoner and Leon Eby, are likely to make a decision at the board’s July 18 meeting, the only public meeting of the month.

On Tuesday, the board heard from residents Jeff Sauder and Lori Berger.

Sauder said he has lived in West Cocalico Township for more than 50 years and has a 30-year career with Windstream, formerly D&E Communications. Sauder is the director of operations.

“I’m interested because I’d like to help the township,” Sauder said.

Lori Berger has 35 years of experience as an educator and has taught in Cocalico district schools. She moved into the township in 1989.

Berger said she was initially drawn to attend a public meeting due to the contentious decision on contracting for police services last year. The West Cocalico supervisors ultimately made the choice to partner with the Ephrata Police Department rather than continuing a long-standing municipal police contract East Cocalico Township. (Adamstown Borough officials also decided to contract with the Ephrata police.)

“I was fascinated by the police controversy,” Berger said. Since then, she said, she has attended many more board meetings.

“I would love to serve as a supervisor,” she said.

Supervisors also received a note of interest from Mike Geller, who did not attend the meeting.

In discussing the process of picking a replacement for Burns, Stoner stressed the importance of moving quickly. The township, he said, has a tradition of only holding one public meeting in July, rather than two, mostly to accommodate family summer vacations. Although the board could call a special meeting, he said, it’s unlikely, barring more new interest in the position.

“We have three excellent candidates,” township Manager Carolyn Hildebrand said. Stoner agreed, adding that in his opinion, it’s important to get a third board member in place.

In other township news:

* Supervisors voted to approve seeking financing, in the amount of approximately $140,000, to fix the Sportsman Road Bridge, which has structural deficiencies. Currently, barriers are in place to move traffic toward the middle of the bridge, per advice from the state. Stoner said the state has recently inspected the bridge, and it doesn’t need to be closed at the moment, but word could come from the state in the future requiring closure if the bridge is not fixed. Supervisors are hoping to get the project out to bid this year, but it may have to wait until 2018.

* Board members weighed in on a proposal to close four of Lancaster County’s 19 magisterial offices. Local officials would like the office of Nancy Hamill of Stevens to remain open, partially to add convenience for residents.

Stoner asked the board who would like to meet with officials from Denver Borough to brainstorm ways to keep the office open.

“I think it would be a very wise idea,” Burns said of saving Hamill’s office. “I think there are some workable solutions that do make sense.”

Supervisors agreed that one board member will meet with Denver. The topic may also be addressed at the area’s next Cocalico Regional Leaders’ meeting scheduled for July 25.

The post Candidates surface for West Cocalico supervisor vacancy appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Third graders Lindsey Menet (left) and Madison Elliott consulted their iPad to figure out what command they need to add to their program. Photos by Kimberly Marselas

Blue lines zig zag across the floor of Adamstown Elementary School’s cafeteria on a recent Wednesday morning, test strips for 10 bright blue robots and their human partners.

Twenty students in third through fifth grade have gathered here to improve their beginning coding skills, work on communication and find inspiration for careers in science and technology.

There’s also a good dose of math and problem solving, as each team works together to program its robot and troubleshoot errant spins or turns in the wrong direction.

Their goal today: to move their robot along the line, measuring the length between turns and adding sounds, lights and other effects at points designated by fourth-grade teachers Cheryl Frost and Michele Koch. Students enter commands on linked iPads using Blockly, an intuitive app that strings together pieces of code in a visible sequence of blocks rather than the typical Java computer language.

Adamstown acquired a classroom set of the robots — known as Dash and Dot — through a state grant last school year. Dash, and his smaller counterpart Dot, have one giant eye and sensors that allow them to react to their environment and connect to a variety of free apps.

“It’s not just another toy,” Frost told school board members while demonstrating the robots’ capabilities this spring. “I knew what it could do. It’s a phenomenal way to teach coding.”

Dash awaits commands from summer campers in the Cocalico School District.

While some Adamstown students had limited exposure to the robots during the school year, the enrichment camp allows third-through-fifth-grade students from across the district to experiment with in-depth projects and incorporate attachments like ball launchers and bulldozers. Students attend in four-day sessions; the second is slated for Aug. 14-17.

“It’s a good opportunity for students to work with each other and problem solve,” Koch said. “They’re not just learning how to problem solve with their robots but with each other too.”

The camp will culminate in a relay race, in which students have to program three robots to work together to accomplish several tasks and “tag” their partners into the competition.

Though a similar project talks up the bulk of each day, participants clearly have fun learning key concepts. They start each morning with a game, turning Dot into a Magic 8 Ball using variables or playing Steal the Bacon with Dash’s bulldozer attachment.

Adamstown fifth grader Wyatt Benfield used Dot and Dash in his science class with Frost during the school year, and he was eager to come to camp.

“It was really fun,” he said. “I’ve been really interested in coding ever since my brother showed me a coding website.”

For the zig-zag assignment, Wyatt paired off with his friend Nathan Sweigart, a fellow fifth grader who was new to the robots but loves technology and gaming.

The two did so well that Koch challenged them to double their work, sending Dash backward through the same course. They complied with ease, programming their bot to cheer “Yeah!” when he reached the halfway point and when he arrived back home.

Next to them, third graders Madison Elliott and Lindsey Menet worked to adjust their coding when their robot made an extra spin and went off course.

“That was so close!” Madison said, excited by the near success. “We just have to turn right.”

Frost said the ability to fail — and then make corrections or improvements — is one of the best attributes of coding. There are no harsh consequences, and with enough experimentation, students will gain skills, confidence and the curiosity to dig deeper.

Blockly, for instance, gives users the option of peeking behind the kid-friendly blocks to read corresponding Java script.

“The hope is that if they’re doing this in middle or high school, which is something the district is working on, then they’ll already have the basics,” Frost said. “They’ll know what an algorithm is and how to break it apart into smaller steps.”

For now, though, they’re happy completing those small steps and keeping them age appropriate. Some opt to make Dash burp when he completes a task. And when Frost and her daughter Autumn demonstrate how to put on his cape-like launcher, they break out in excited chatter.

“Wow, he’s a super hero!” shouts fourth grader Colin McManimen.

The post Code: Learn — Innovative camp links primary programming skills and summer fun appeared first on Ephrata Review.

The East Cocalico Police Department reported the following:

ROBBERY: Police are investigating an armed robbery that occurred at the Turkey Hill store, 300 Main St., Denver Borough, at 3:44 a.m. June 23.

The two suspects, who were wearing masks, entered the store and displayed handguns. They stole six packs of cigarettes and an undetermined amount of cash. The suspects were last seen running toward Railroad Street.

Anyone with information regarding the robbery is asked to contact Detective Keith Neff at 336-1725.

SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY: Tammy L. Boyer, 55, of the 100 block of East Lancaster Avenue, Denver, was charged with selling or furnishing liquor or malt or brewed beverages to minors after an incident at her residence May 29 at 4:39 a.m. Officers were dispatched for a report of suspicious activity near a local business. Four juveniles were located and charged with underage drinking and stated they were drinking, with permission, at Boyer’s residence. Police spoke with Boyer who admitted to allowing the juveniles to imbibe while at her residence. Boyer was sent a summons to appear in District Court.

POSSESSION: David R. Kilhefner, 19, Terre Hill, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after an incident in the first block of North Ridge Road at 9:40 p.m. May 5. Kilhefner was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by police. Officers saw several items of drug paraphernalia in the vehicle belonging to Kilhefner and charges were filed. He was sent a summons to appear in District Court.

The East Cocalico Police Department provides coverage for East Cocalico Township and Denver Borough.

The post East Cocalico Police Log, July 6, 2017 appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Okay, it’s the Fifth of July and I, for one, have had enough.

I’ve had enough of the attacks and the viciousness played out in social media and led by no other than our President of the United States.

I said “our” and “United States.” But, right now, from where I stand, neither seems accurate.

Like tens of thousands of Americans, I have spent my life in a career I’ve considered a calling. From childhood, I’ve considered myself a patriot and working for the free press guaranteed by the First Amendment of the Constitution was my way of putting that patriotism into everyday action.

I’ve been lucky enough to get a taste of national journalism in my college and post-college year in Washington, D.C. I shadowed national print reporters through the halls of Congress to the White House briefing room to the State Department in Foggy Bottom.

In those days, prior to 24/7 cable news, I witnessed journalists and elected officials interacting. I did see some disagreements regarding coverage, but never did I encounter a meanness of demeanor nor abusive language. And this was during the heated days of Watergate and its politically chaotic aftermath.

Returning home after D.C., I was lucky to join the staff of the Reading Eagle, the afternoon daily. Over the years, I was assigned to everything from the Reading School District, bankruptcy court, local police and crime, county courts and government, medical, City Hall, and business beats. I was also fortunate enough to be able to write a weekly column. And, in time, I became an editor.

Over those 23 years, there clearly were uncomfortable moments. In the late 1970s, when the FBI was investigating the Reading School District, some didn’t like the coverage. Once on the medical beat, I confused two kinds of skin cancer and the irate physician tracked me down at my home to loudly berate me and greatly upset my mother. Another time, when I was sitting on the city desk, an individual prominently featured in a crime log item threatened to “come in there and teach you a lesson.” It was the one and only time my colleagues and I had to alert in-house security and the city police as a precaution.

I cite these incidents for a reason: the first and last drew strong reactions because of the content published. The second incident was a genuine error — one which was corrected for the record, something any respectable news entity must do not just to rectify a mistake, but to reinforce the institution’s credibility.

That brings me back to the First Amendment and the free press. This background is some of the stuff upon which my working life and my respect for journalism is built. In the U.S., it’s not the journalist’s job to report what people want to see, hear, or read; it’s to report the truth no matter how uncomfortable it may be. And, it’s also incumbent upon us all to correct errors of content when brought to our attention.

Over the past couple years, the candidate who would be president has diligently built a campaign to discredit the media. In mid February, he Tweeted it “is the enemy of the American people.”

If the free press is indeed that, then the First Amendment is also the enemy of us all.

What Trump doesn’t like is being questioned and his actions covered. He has been criticized for his cabinet appointments, his nepotistic appointments to the White House staff, his numerous weekends away from D.C., his interactions with world leaders, his executive orders including the travel ban, the proposed border wall, his determination to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and, in general, the verbiage and demeanor his late-night early-morning Tweets have displayed.

Well, guess what, Mr. Trump — you’re not leading your own business anymore. You are the leader of this nation, and, what traditionally was considered the leader of the free world. It’s not that you should be — you must be a role model.

The press has the obligation to cover your presidency and report to the American people. Every president since George Washington has served under the scrutiny of the free press.

Have the relationships all been cozy? Not quite.

It’s likely you could find instances in which each American commander in chief has tangled with the press. Andrew Jackson did so from personal matters to the great controversy surrounding the re-chartering of the Second Bank of America in the 1820s. Abraham Lincoln was vilified both preceding and after taking the oath of office from his looks to his stances on slavery. Warren G. Harding did not deal well with coverage of the Teapot Dome Scandal. Franklin D. Roosevelt, while deified by some, was routinely taken to task as an elitist despite his successful WPA programs to help the Depression-impacted jobless, his creation of Social Security, and his leadership during World War II.

Harry Truman and the press were frequently at loggerheads: no one can forget that iconic photo with him gleefully displaying the newspaper headline: “Dewey defeats Truman.” Dwight D. Eisenhower liked to keep the media at a comfortable distance.

Lyndon B. Johnson was as suspicious of the press as his martyred predecessor was enamored of it. The intense coverage of the Vietnam War, including the impassioned commentary of venerated news anchor Walter Cronkite that it needed to end, was a key factor in LBJ not seeking re-election.

Then there was Richard Nixon and the Watergate affair, the undoing of a power-driven ego uncovered by two tenacious police beat reporters. The generally gentle Gerald Ford pardoned Nixon, but the coverage of that pardon would contribute to his defeat to Jimmy Carter, a man as cool to the media as his White House was in those energy-challenged days of the late 1970s.

Ronald Reagan wasn’t called the Great Communicator for nothing; despite the dawn of 24/7 cable news, coverage of him and his presidency was pretty golden until the Iran-Contra scandal hit. The two Bushes, George H.W. and George W. the younger, both had their issues with journalists.

The coverage of Bill Clinton leading up to his impeachment was relentless and salacious; still he remains popular to many. And Barack Obama, now six months out of office, was also subjected to some seriously questionable coverage, particularly from one cable news entity.

Most of these presidents, despite the availability of increasingly rapid mass communications, exercised a degree of civility in response. They agreed to disagree — with varying degrees of editorial endorsement or disparagement.

But now, there is a more dangerous tone. When our nation’s chief executive uses words like “the enemy” or “fake news” or denigrates virtually every mass media enterprise outside of Breitbart or Fox because they don’t cowtow or report in ways to make him look heroic, history is always there to remind us how this sort of thing turned out in other nations with other leaders. It wasn’t good.

I am confident our free press, our First Amendment will have the final say. That’s part of the reason I celebrate our Independence Day. And that’s why I’m still on the job the day after.

The post Cocalico Corner: Red, white, and true appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Preston Sauder, Miranda Eberly, Landon Ebery and Carter Allen showing off their fossil finds.

Field Paleontologists Mike and Roberta Straka brought their ‘Dinosaur Dig’ to the Adamstown Area Library Summer Reading Program on June 27 at Peace United Church of Christ, Swartzville. Children and their families were invited to participate in a scientific exploration highlighting the world of dinosaurs, fossils, and rocks/minerals. Each year the team explores the badlands of North and South Dakota excavating dinosaurs.

The fun-filled show covered the formation of fossils, herbivores versus carnivores, basics of geology (rocks and minerals). The team discussed their work as field paleontologists and background in geology.

Mike Straka talking to the kids about a T-Rex rib bone – smallest bone in the T-Rex body

There was an interactive fossil talk to ready the Junior Paleontologists to go on their dig. Mike Straka explained how and where fossils can be located. The team will set up a “museum of artifacts” for the participants to view.

The program included a fossil talk and highlights some of the Strakas’ amazing discoveries. This “hands-on” program was special because everyone handled real dinosaur fossil bones — not plastic replicas.

This program complies with the Pennsylvania Academic Standard for Earth Science. The dynamics of earth science include the studies of forces of nature that build the earth and wear down the earth. The understanding of these concepts uses principles from physical sciences, geography and mathematics.

The post ‘Dinosaur Dig’ a dirty pleasure appeared first on Ephrata Review.

Denver Borough Council members unanimously approved painting white lines to mark parking space locations downtown at their Monday, June 26 meeting.

Each space will be 20 feet in length. Consultation occurred with East Cocalico Police Chief Terry Arment about required distance between a parking space and a driveway or alley area.

At the June 12 meeting of council, several residents from the 100 and 200 blocks of Main Street cited difficulty safely exiting a driveway or alley due to vehicles parked almost up to the alley area.

Vehicles also parked nearly bumper to bumper, making it impossible to use space between vehicles to aid safely pulling out onto Main Street.

“This is a logical, first step,” said Councilman Todd Stewart. “We can build on this with other ideas.”

Residents did have other ideas and some residents provided feedback to those ideas. Fred Wagaman, a resident of the 100 block who grew up in Lancaster, said he saw first hand how permit parking can work. At a previous council meeting, East Cocalico Police Cprl. Derrick Kepley said he was familiar with successful permit parking in another area.

Switching parking to the north side of the street only was suggested. Veterinarian Dr. Marianne Fracica expressed a safety concern for a mother or father who might need to carry an ill, large dog across Main Street and simultaneously watch a couple of children accompanying her or him.

As per borough business regulations, the Cocalico Cat and Gingham Dog Animal Hospital, 226 Main St., does have parking behind the business. However, especially if people are dropping off an animal and their visit is short, they’ll choose to park on Main Street in front of the animal hospital.

Round-shaped sidewalk extensions at some intersections to better delineate pedestrian areas were suggested. Council Vice President Chris Flory, who is East Cocalico Township’s assistant roadmaster, cited difficulties these pose for road workers, especially with snow removal.

No other decisions were made regarding improving downtown parking issues. President Blake Daub suggested that council members will continue to discuss the important issue.

Indeed, Denver Planning Commission’s May meeting summary included “Improve Parking” as one of 16 ideas generated. (See sidebar)

Commission Chairman Fred Wagaman thanked the 22 people who participated at the May 7 meeting. Several were in attendance at the council meeting.

In other business:

* Farley F. Fry, P.E., reported on the data collection required for the long detailed Aquifer Testing Waiver application to the Susquehanna River Basin Commission (SRBC) for wells No. 1, 2 and 3. This is the first step in the renewal process for these wells.

* Brent Good, ELA Group, presented the Denver House final land development plan and the waivers requested. Council granted the waivers and approved the plan, pending meeting all conditions.

* Council approved Jan’s Daisy Dash 5K Run/Walk on Oct. 28. Jan’s Circle of Friends, sponsor of the event, assists children affected by domestic violence and parental loss.

Summary of Denver Business District meeting

Current business district status:

* Courtyard Café adding bed and breakfast

* New business added – Taste of Ink

* Denver House under new management, direction and construction

* Not enough places for young people to hang out

* Currently only one place to go out to eat

* Former restaurant building for sale; work needed could deter buyers

Ideas generated

* Small business days

* T-shirts highlighting Denver/businesses

* Community events (Invite food trucks?)

* Borough created “business package” highlighting benefits of Denver

* Incentives for coming to Denver

* Improve parking

* Encourage optics of Main Street

* Encourage property improvements

* More enforcement of existing codes

* Relief from building codes (in some cases) – may be safety issues

* Tattoo licensing (no state-wide rules, especially for safety)

* Façade grants?

* Tap into knowledgeable resources like Lancaster County Planning Commission

* Improve sidewalks

* Look into programs – Keystone Opportunity, Local Tax Abatement, Elm Street program

* Follow through on incentives and what is promised

What would we like to have the future business district look like?

* Many little shops

* Something to attract extended locals as well as Denver citizens

* Ice cream shop

* Bakery

* Improved visuals

* Regular events

* More activity

* More and better parking

Planning Commission Chairman Fred Wagaman said a copy of Borough Manager Mike Hession’s recap of 2016 work done using results of Denver’s 2015 Future Planning Summit is available. The planning commission will hold a follow-up meeting in six months.

The post Denver council addresses Main Street parking issues appeared first on Ephrata Review.

The East Cocalico Police Department reported the following:

POSSESSION: Lauren C. Devonshire, 22, Quarryville, was charged with possession of heroin, cocaine, LSD, marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia after an incident at a business in the 2000 block of North Reading Road at 2:15 p.m. April 1. An officer witnessed two individuals passed out in a parked vehicle, and after making contact with Devonshire, who was the passenger, the officer witnessed numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including syringes. The officer then located two packets of heroin, one pack of cocaine, a small paper stamp containing LSD and a small amount of marijuana. Devonshire was sent a summons to appear in District Court.

DUI: Devon J. Nettnin, 23, Wernersville, was charged with driving under the influence after a traffic stop at 10:46 a.m. June 2. Nettnin’s vehicle was stopped on North Sixth Street and Locust Street in Denver Borough after police responded to a report of a possible road rage incident. Officers determined Nettnin was impaired and a breath test indicated he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.16 percent. Nettnin was sent a summons to appear in District Court.

POSSESSION: Nicholas G. Zimmerman, 19, of the first block of Mechanic Street, Reinholds, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in the first block of North Ridge Road in East Cocalico Township at 9:19 p.m. May 10. The officer found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. Zimmerman was sent a summons to appear in District Court. Two other occupants of the vehicle face similar charges.

POSSESSION: Daulton L. Blessing, 21, Lebanon, was charged with possession of drug paraphernalia after a traffic stop in the first block of West Church Street in East Cocalico Township at 9:10 a.m. April 23 where Blessing was the passenger in the vehicle. The defendant was in possession of several syringes which he stated he used to inject heroin and methamphetamine. Blessing was charged and summoned to appear in District Court. The driver of the vehicle faces similar drug charges.

DUI: Nicholas J. Roth, 26, Mohnton, was charged with two counts of driving under the influence and a traffic summary after a traffic stop in the area of Colonel George Boulevard and North Reading Road in East Cocalico Township. Roth was stopped for driving with an expired registration 1:51 a.m. June 3. Officers determined Roth was impaired and a breath test indicated he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.13 percent. Roth was sent a summons to appear in District Court.

DUI: Charles L. Brenner, 66, of the 400 block of Main Street, Denver, was charged with four counts of driving under the influence after a traffic stop in the 500 block of Walnut Street in Denver Borough at 9:01 p.m. May 31. Officers determined Brenner was impaired and a blood test conducted at the Ephrata Wellspan Community Hospital indicated he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.243 percent. The test also indicated Brenner had high levels of marijuana in his blood at the time of the test. Brenner was sent a summons to appear in District Court.

The East Cocalico Police Department provides coverage for East Cocalico Township and Denver Borough.

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The diverging diamond traffic pattern shows traffic from the Pennsylvania Turnpike at the bottom. To eliminate left hand turns, traffic will cross to the opposite side of the road for a short time in what’s termed a double diamond crossover. This drawing shows a multi-year project in the conceptual stage. The township must complete and submit its Traffic Impact Program application for consideration of state and federal project funding. Schematic courtesy East Cocalico Township

Increasing volumes of traffic within the township borders, especially in the vicinity of the Pennsylvania Turnpike access ramps continues to concern East Cocalico Township officials.

“I see the traffic congestion every morning on my commute to work,” township Manager Scott Russell remarked at the supervisors’ July 6 meeting.

Motorists coming from Lancaster and getting off Route 222 North at Denver must navigate a left-hand turn through heavy commuter traffic toward the turnpike if headed to Route 272.

Traffic coming off Route 272 onto Colonel Howard Boulevard must turn left across two lanes of busy highway to reach Route 222 North.

East Cocalico Police said improved traffic patterns might reduce the number of accidents in that area. Many accidents involve tourists, they said.

Conceptual designs of a diverging diamond traffic pattern prepared by Michael Baker International, Pittsburgh, and previewed by supervisors would eliminate all left-hand turns. Traffic congestion reduction, a particular issue during morning and evening rush hour, could be reduced up to 75 percent, officials said.

“This traffic pattern has been used successfully in other areas of the state,” said Russell. “One example is near Williamsport. That’s been in existence probably more than a decade.”

Cooperation is needed with the Traffic Impact Program (TIP) application from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which owns a strip of land in the proposed project area. East Cocalico officials ara waiting for a reply from their correspondence to the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Russell will do the engineering work for the TIP application with data assistance provided by Police Chief Terry Arment.

Cost of the five- to 10-year project is estimated at $5 million.

In other business, supervisors:

* Agreed to advertise an equipment operator position. This action would allow training of a new employee with the coming retirement of the roadmaster. His assistant has been “in training” with him, supervisors’ discussion indicated.

* Granted time extensions for the proposed Fox Brooke Development on Route 897 until Oct. 8, and to UGI for its new corporate headquarters site on Colonel Howard Boulevard until Sept. 17.

* Hired Sue Bowman Cleaning, Oakmont Drive, Denver, for cleaning of the municipal building at a rate of $120 per cleaning for one cleaning per week.

* Approved two Eagle Scout projects benefiting Stoney Pointe Park. Derek Althouse will install two bird houses in the wood line of the park. Hunter Garman will install five treated lumber benches.

* Appointed resident, Jason W. Wellman to the Recreation Board.

Supervisor Vice President Alan Fry, who conducted the meeting in the absence of President Douglas Mackley, announced that supervisors would meet in executive session for a pending legal matter.

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The organizer of Adamstown Community Days is inviting the public to an important meeting regarding the future of the event on Wednesday, July 19, in the office at the grove, starting at 7:30 p.m.

“For any of you that would like to see the Community Days continue, here is your chance,” said Joe Dietrich. “This will be just an information meeting that will give you some ideas of how you can potentially get involved and or join the committee. This meeting will go a long way in dictating the future of the Community Days.”

Dietrich asks that those interested in attending contact him in advance at 484-256-0851.

He said that the event needs additional volunteers in order to continue. He said that back in May he noted that the organizing committee was down to seven people, six of whom are retired.

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