Print Edition Highlights - June 17, 2021

Dillsburg paramedic earns merit award for saving boy

By Carolyn Kimmel

Rex Carmichael, a paramedic with Penn State Health Life Lion Emergency Services, earned top honors recently for doing what he considers normal—but was others see as heroic.

The Monroe township man rescued a child who was caught in the roots of a tree on the Yellow Breeches creek in May 2020 after the family’s kayak capsized in the swollen waters of the Yellow Breeches Creek.

Carmichael worked for more than an hour in the icy water—the only emergency responder who was able to reach the boy because of the swift current—using a reciprocating saw, or Sawzall, to cut pieces off the kayak and saw through tree roots to finally free the boy’s foot. And he did all this while he was off duty.

For more information see the June 17. 2021 edition.

MONAGHAN TOWNSHIP

Celebration of life facility back on the table

By Carolyn Hoffman

Monaghan Township supervisors voted to “go back to the beginning” and restart the process that would allow a funeral home and celebration of life facility along Andersontown Road on property owned by Supervisor Rob Lauver.

That means the proposed ordinance that would have allowed the facility is now moot, but the original plan for a zoning text amendment is active once again. Supervisors did not detail what the next steps would be concerning this move. As before, Lauver is permitted to vote on the measure but is, on the advice of counsel, prohibited from participating in discussions for it. Supervisor Ron Allen also asked the solicitor to look into legalities concerning a possible conflict of interest with Chair Vicki Aycock about her votes on subdivision plans while she was employed by Penoni Associates, which is also the township’s engineering firm. When Aycock worked for Penoni, the township solicitor had her put a letter in her personnel file about the possible conflict of interest. She also abstained from voting on bills submitted to the township by Penoni until she left their employ.

For more information see the June 17. 2021 edition.

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP

Zoning changes could trigger development pressure

By Carolyn Hoffman

Franklin Township’s engineer Phil Brath no sooner finished explaining that Carroll Township’s expected zoning changes would “increase development pressure” in Franklin when two representatives of Crossroads Commercial Development asked supervisors to consider changing their own zoning so the firm could build a 1-million-plus-square-foot distribution center on the King’s Kids Kamp site.

The two did not expect or receive an answer at the June 9 supervisors’ session, nor did the supervisors provide one or further discuss the request during the meeting. The firm presented no plans, but suggested that if supervisors changed their zoning at the northern end of the township, where it adjoins Carroll, they would build the warehouse off Glenwood Road. They said they would “relocate” King’s Kids Kamp but provided no details. Carroll Township is nearing the final stages of changing some of its zoning around the Rtes. 15 and 74 corridors to allow for more industrial and commercial uses. Their township planning commission has already approved the changes. The York County Planning Commission was expected to act this week. A public hearing at Carroll is currently planned for July 19.

For more information see the June 17. 2021 edition.

FRANKLINTOWN

First responder contract changes hands

By Peggie Williams

First responder contract changes hands by Peggie Franklintown Borough will be using Wellsville Fire Company as its primary emergency first responder beginning July 1.

WFC representative Brian Rogers attended the June borough council meeting to fine tune the details of the new contract between the two entities.

The agreement establishes a yearly fee of $8,000 payable in quarterly increments to the fire company and a yet-to-be- determined portion of their workman’s compensation insurance to be paid to the Wellsville Borough, which holds the policy. In return, the fire company will provide firefighting and emergency services for the borough as well as some non-emergency services and use of their fire police for occasional community events such as trick-or-treat.

Until July 1, the borough will continue to be covered by Northern York County Fire Rescue as it has been in the past.

During an interview after the meeting, Council President Tony Vasco said the council had become disillusioned with NYCFR.

For more information see the June 17. 2021 edition.

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Print Edition Highlights - June 10, 2021

A salute to Northern High School graduates in the June 10, 2021 edition

For more information see the June 10. 2021 edition.

Print Edition Highlights - June 3, 2021

‘Guardians of Freedom’ remember, celebrate Memorial Day

By Mary Lou Bytof

Many spectators gathered along Baltimore Street and at the Dillsburg Cemetery late Monday morning to pay tribute to those who lost their lives while serving their country.

Sponsored by the VFW South Mountain Post 6771, the event featured a parade down Baltimore Street in Dillsburg, a wreath-laying ceremony at the firehouse, and a ceremony at the cemetery that included a keynote speech from the Congressman Scott Perry, musical selections performed by the Northern High School Band and the placement of a wreath and flowers at the memorial.

“Let’s remember and honor [those] who gave their lives for the cause of freedom,” Perry, a retired Army brigadier general, said as he addressed the large crowd that gathered around the memorial. “I hope you are enjoying your freedoms that they paid for in these conflicts,” he told the crowd that sunny day. They fought for freedom from oppression, from communism and from economic and cultural depravity, he added.

For more information see the June 3. 2021 edition.

Time to make hay: Farmers Fair returns

By Peggie Williams

One by one, things are getting back to normal as the population gets vaccinated and the risk of COVID-19 recedes. Now the residents of Dillsburg can add one more thing to that list.

The 106th Dillsburg Farmers Fair is a go for October 11-16, 2021. “We’re back,” proclaimed Paul Tucker, vice-president of the Dillsburg Community Fair Association, “and it will be pretty normal.” Last year’s event was canceled due to the pandemic—the first time that had happened since WWII.

This year, the only COVID-19-related changes will be the elimination of the cider, bologna and milk samples generally available at the community hall. “But the ice cream isn’t going anywhere,” said Tucker.

According to Tucker, everything else is proceeding as usual, and everything the community has come to love should be back, including parades, food stands, entertainment, markets and contests from picking a queen to the biggest pumpkin to the best chocolate chip cookies.

For more information see the June 3, 2021 edition.

Former Dillsburg Attorney opens branch office in the borough

By Mary Lou Bytof

Niles Benn, Esquire, who worked as a partner in two Dillsburg law firms from 1973 through 1990, has returned to the borough to practice law. Recently, the York attorney opened a branch of the Benn Law Firm at 124 W. Harrisburg St.

A Philadelphia native, Benn recalled his first trip to Dillsburg. In the early 1970s he accompanied his wife to her job interview with then Northern Superintendent George Tjiattis at his office on the second floor of the Shambaugh building. The South Baltimore street structure also housed a five and dime store on the ground floor.

“This was a rude awakening,” Benn said of his first impression of the town in which he would eventually practice law. A graduate of the Philadelphia school system, he recalled how the city’s school administration building covered nearly an entire block. He said he wasn’t prepared for what he saw: a school district operating out of such limited office space.

Nevertheless, his wife, Joyce, was offered and accepted a position to teach students in what most recently was the old administration building on South Baltimore Street. Upon hiring her, Dr. Tjiattis looked at Benn and predicted that one day he, too, would return to work in Dillsburg, the attorney recalled.

Unknown to the young Dickinson Law School student, one of his classmates and closest friends, William D. Schrack, had ties to the borough. After graduation, Schrack asked Benn to come to Dillsburg to practice law with him and Jan Wiley, who retired from practicing law this year. Benn said their office was located at 19 N. Baltimore St. diagonally across from the current post office. “I did not know if this practice would be successful, but we fed off of each other,” Benn recalled. Clients came to the practice from York, Adams, and Cumberland counties.

For more information see the June 3, 2021 edition.

Print Edition Highlights - May 27, 2021

Short on business, road work tops the agenda

Road work is soon to start in Warrington Township, if it hasn’t already, first on Church Road and then to Walnut Drive. The week of June 7, sealcoating is expected to begin on Bull Rd., followed by Sunset Drive and New York Rd.

For more information see the May 27, 2021 edition.

Dillsburg Banner takes home Keystone Awards

The Dillsburg Banner won 11 honors in the 2021 Professional Keystone Media Awards sponsored by the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association.

Marie Chomicki won first place in News Beat Reporting in the Police Beat category. Her entries included Communal effort rescues boy trapped in water; A chilling plot: Deceased woman’s family conspired to hide her remains, collect her Social Security; Camper discovers one woman dead, another injured at Pinchot State Park; Details surrounding murder turn dark; and Woman to stand trial for freezing grandma’s body, collecting her Social Security.

Photographer Curt Werner took home a first place in Breaking News Photo for Fire destroys garage; second place, Boy trapped in water and honorable mention, Train derails; honorable mention, News Event Photo, Double rainbow backdrop as Life Lion takes off; second place, Photo Story/Essay, Birthday parties around town; honorable mention, Steam engine show and second place, Sports Feature, Win or lose.

Reporter Joe Guty took a first place, in the Sports Feature category for Amanda Bell Marathon and honorable mention, Sports Beat Reporting for entrees Marlee-Milrose; District Basketball; Friday Night Lights; Wildcats; Resser Retirement; Hlatky-Equestrian.

Reporter Dave Wolf won first place, Sports/Outdoor Column for his column Wolf Tracks for entrees Turtles might be slow, but ...; Nature's finest display; Memories of Deer Woods and Christmas ornaments.

The Keystone Media Awards reinforce excellence by individuals in the news media profession by recognizing journalists who consistently provide relevance, integrity, and initiation in serving readers and audiences, and faithfully fulfills its First Amendment rights and responsibilities. Further, the awards stimulate journalists to improve their craft and ultimately improve their community.

Nearly 2,600 entries were received from 117 news organizations. Entries – in 53 regular categories and eleven specialty categories across seven circulation and four broadcast divisions – were judged by journalists in New York.

The Dillsburg Banner competes in Division VII, weekly publications with under 6,000 circulation.

For more information see the May 27, 2021 edition.

How many bottles of beer on the wall here? Many!

By Peggie Williams

Which came first - Al’s Pizza or Big Bottom Brewery? Well Al’s, of course. But the addition of the brewery has taken one of Dillsburg’s most popular pizza restaurants to a new level. Al’s has been a part the community for decades and, for the last 15 years, it has thrived under the ownership of Bob Szajnuk. After a career in trucking, Szajnuk retired to try something different. He bought a pizza parlor. His original plan was to add beer to the menu, but it took until 2009 to get the license he needed. For many years, customers had plenty of beers, both on tap and in bottles, to choose from but in 2017, Master Brewers Brad Stump and Brian Keeney came onboard and Big Bottom Brewery, the area’s first micro-brewery, opened its doors in the pizza parlor dining room.

For more information see the May 27, 2021 edition.

Eagle sightings soar

By Carolyn Hoffman

Bald eagles are now so common that local people are seeing them around their backyard ponds. It wasn’t always that way.

When the Environmental Protection Agency banned the use of DDT on June 14, 1972, just 49 years ago, only 417 nesting pairs were found in the entire Lower 48 states, the vast majority of those in the Western states. Today, Pennsylvania alone has at least 300 nesting pairs, and the birds can be found in every state but Hawaii. The total population of our nation’s symbol now exceeds 316,700 birds.

To illustrate just how bad things were not that long ago, Waggoner’s Gap Hawkwatch along Rt.74 just north of Carlisle, saw none of these great birds in 1980, and several other years saw just one. Last year they recorded 723 eagles during migration, a new record. They have set a new record for the eagles every year since 2008, and the numbers just keep going up. During the fall there, especially during September and October when northerly winds are blowing, it’s now common to see a dozen or more on a day, and several days this past year the totals topped 25 eagles for the day.

Locally, the birds can be found around almost any water source, though when they are sitting and watching for fish to catch, they can be hard to see.

For more information see the May 27, 2021 edition.

Print Edition Highlights - May 20, 2021

Republican ballot shortfall takes voters by surprise

By Marie Chomicki

A shortage of Republican ballots throughout the York County created havoc for many residents and municipalities throughout York County.

Carroll, Franklin, Monaghan, and Warrington townships and Dillsburg Borough were among those affected in the immediate area.

“We first ran out of Republican ballots around 2 p.m. in the afternoon,” said Chris Delvecchio, Dillsburg Borough council member and Republican committee person. It was more than an hour before election officials arrived with an additional 200 ballots. That supply soon ran out, and more arrived around 6 p.m.

Delvecchio said the disenfranchised voters had a choice of waiting for the ballots, leaving and coming back, using a provisional ballot or voting with an ADA ballot-marking machine. About 20 people voted provisional and around 50 voters used the machines, he said.

Delvecchio said he was informed by Steve Ulrich, director of elections, that the county elections office did not print out enough Republican ballots. The countywide calculation was off, he said.

At the Monaghan Township Fire Hall, mid-afternoon voters were surprised to be asked whether they were a registered Republican as soon as they set foot in the door. Then, Republican voters learned they would have a 35- to- 45-minute wait to vote using the ADA machine. Some left their cell phone numbers with poll workers who texted when the paper ballots were replenished later in the day.

Some took the prospect of a return trip in stride and others marveled at the ineptness of the system to generate too few Republican ballots, especially in a county that is largely Republican. Poll workers at Carroll Township were in agreement that despite the challenges of no Republican ballots, most voters remained in good spirits.

“We ran out three times,” said poll worker Madison Lane shortly before the polls closed.

For more information see the May 21, 2021 edition.

ACNB to finance new borough building

By Mary Lou Bytof

Plans for a new municipal building for Dillsburg Borough are underway.

The Dillsburg Borough Council on May 11 voted to advertise Ordinance 2021-1 to provide for the financing of the new building. According to the ordinance, the borough will enter into an agreement with the Adams County National Bank (ACNB), which will finance the construction and mortgage of the new building.

“We received eight proposals back from banks,” Borough Manager Karen Deibler said. “We could not get a 30-year mortgage from any of them,” she said, citing the uncertainty of interest rates over that length of time.

ACNB provided the best options, she said. It offered the borough $2.5 million fixed rate for 10 years. When the 10 years are over, the bank will then provide the borough an adjustable mortgage with a 5.5 percent interest rate for the next 10 years.

“I think this is a no-brainer,” Council Vice-President Matt Fawber said at the meeting.

The borough council will vote on the ordinance at its next public meeting on June 8. This Indebtedness Ordinance, if approved by the council, will be submitted to the state Department of Community and Economic Development as required by law, the borough manager said.

The building will be located next to the community park along Chestnut Street and Old York Road. Lobar Associates is under contract to construct the structure.

For more information see the May 21, 2021 edition.

Print Edition Highlights - March 4, 2021

Peaceful Pet Passage eases pain of losing furry friends

By Mary Lou Bytof

During the COVID-19 pandemic, pet owners have been spending even more time with furry family members as they continue to work from home, which can make losing them especially difficult.

Peaceful Pet Passage at 210 Andersontown Road in Mechanicsburg offers pet owners a variety of services to help them say goodbye to their beloved companions.

The business is the brainchild of owner Rob Lauver, an avid animal lover who first opened a kennel and first local doggy day care facility on his nearly 25-acre property on the wooded, rolling hills at the northern fringe of Northern York County in Monaghan Township. Due to the demanding schedule of running the dog care facility 24/7, Lauver and his family phased out the boarding service from 2012-17 to provide end of life services for his customers’ beloved pets.

“I buried my own pets on the property, and my clients began requesting that I offer this service for their pets,” he said.  “Every animal deserves the respect, dignity and comfort of a peaceful passage.They are, after all, our family. Our goal is to ease the struggle, and comfort both pets and their owners. We are here to honor them.” Services offered to grieving pet owners include cremation, burial, and in-home euthanasia for terminally ill pets.

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Print Edition Highlights - February 25, 2021

It’s all about local at 6ix North

By Peggie Williams

It’s not often that that the opportunity to preserve history, support local artisans, add to a unique and wonderful small town and make a little money all collide, but according to Kris Garvenick, that’s exactly what happened when she and her husband invested in a century-old building in the center of Dillsburg.

The brick building just north of the square has had only two other owners since it was built in 1913 and was used primarily as a residence. Currently, its second floor is home to office space and its downstairs is a gift shop. The buildings postal address, 6 N. Baltimore Street, gave rise to the name shop’s name 6ix North. Garverick said their mission at the shop is to showcase local talent and to give residents and tourists another reason to come town. Since they opened in October of 2019, Garverick has seen both.

“The local support has been amazing,” she said. It is not unusual to have travelers, who found the coffee shop across the street, come in to explore her shop. She was excited about the success of her first Christmas shopping season As it has to so many other things, the COVID-19 crisis brought new challenges. She was able to adapt quickly to strengthen her online presence and inventory, bringing even more opportunity to expose the local talent she carries to a broader audience. They also offer curbside service and porch pick-up.

“Things just exploded this Christmas season as people found us in spite of the virus,” Garverick said.

She said she was not surprised by the quantity and quality of local artisans who have found their way to her. She knew they were always out there; she saw them at the events held in town like Farmers Fair and PickleFest. She knew that if she provided them a consistent presence to market their wares, they would take advantage of the opportunity.

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Print Edition Highlights - February 18, 2021

Zoning changes, resident, developer issues dominate meeting

By Peggie Williams

Carroll Township supervisors changed the hearing dates for the public to comment on changes to the township zoning regulations. During their February 8 meeting, they announced there will now be only be two formal hearings, one at 6:30 p.m. prior to the planning commission meeting on March 25, 2021 and one on April 19, 2021 at 6:30 p.m., as opposed to the several hearings that were scheduled earlier. However, supervisors reminded residents they could make comments in writing or in person during public comment time at any scheduled meeting any time before that date. Both of these hearings will be to discuss the zoning changes and the changes they will make to the Northern York County comprehensive plan if the changes are adopted.

In other business, changes were made to the status of financial securities held on several developments. The developers of Mountain Crest Phase II were released of the maintenance bond the township was holding. MacMor Construction, LLC was given a reduction in the amount of $77,443 for the Chestnut Hollow Phase I stormwater basin improvement project. The township is still holding $1,650.00 to assure the necessary grading and seeding is done in the spring.

New borough office grounds underway

Site preparation has begun for the new Dillsburg Borough and Public Works offices located next Dillsburg Park on Old York Road. Once all permits were in place, crews scraped the existing topsoil off the construction area to allow for fill dirt to be installed to make a level area for the building that will be a home for the borough offices, maintenance garage, the Northern and Dillsburg emergency management agencies. There will also be space for Emergency Medical Services (ambulance station) and a community room.

According to Borough Manager Karen Deibler a formal ground breaking will take place this spring, and it is hoped that construction should be mostly finished in time for the community space to be used as a part of Farmers Fair.

Deibler confirmed that plans are already moving ahead for the 106th Farmers Fair in mid-October.

Print Edition Highlights - February 11, 2021

Residents need more notice before action on crematorium

By Carolyn Hoffman

About 50 people attended the February 8 Monaghan Township meeting, hoping to weigh in on the proposed zoning text amendment that would allow a crematorium and celebration of life facility on property owned by Supervisor Rob Lauver, only to learn that no action would be taken that evening.

The township’s new solicitor, Michael Pykosh, reported that for a zoning amendment, the advertising and public hearing requirements are different than for an ordinary ordinance action. He said the proposed amendment needed to be advertised twice and that a stenographer would be needed for a public hearing.

Supervisors tabled action on the proposed amendment but did not schedule a date for future action. The vote was 2-1 with Chair Vicki Aycock voting against as she wanted a date set for the measure’s future consideration so attending residents would know before leaving this session.

It was also reported at this meeting that York County Planning Commission recommended against approving the measure. The local planning commission previously recommended to take no action for its approval. Residents were alerted to the meeting and possible action on the text amendment by a mailer sent, not by the township, but by an unnamed resident. Many attending said it was the first time they’d heard about the proposal. However, as no action was able to be taken this evening, due to the advertising requirements, those attending the session were not able to go on the record to voice approval or disapproval of the proposal. Supervisor Ron Allen characterized the information in the mailer as “very negative” towards the amendment. Under the current proposal, the proposed text amendment would allow similar facilities anywhere in the rural residential district, which currently exceeds 50% of the township, and not just on Lauver’s Andersontown Road property. The current proposal also specifies a series of required criteria, such as a minimum 20-acre parcel, among others, before any facilities could be allowed.

See more in this week's Banner

Proposal would allow HS students to finish at Dover

By Mary Lou Bytof

Changing schools is never easy, but entering a new high school during the junior or senior year is especially difficult. That is why the transition teams comprised of Dover and Northern York County School District personnel are working to ease the sting of changing schools for elementary and middle school students, and proposing that current Dover High School students may choose to remain at Dover until graduation. On January 20, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court upheld a lower court decision to permit Washington Township to secede to the Northern York County School District this coming fall. The change potentially will affect nearly 200 students from Washington Township in grades K-12.

See more in this week's Banner

Photos by Curt Werner

Young volunteers from Celebration Community Church wash fire trucks at the Northern York County Fire Rescue station.

'Livin it Sunday'

More than 100 volunteers from Celebration Community Church spearheaded over six community projects in Dillsburg on Sunday, Oct. 18.  There was mulching and cleaning up at Logan Park, painting and repairs at Haar's Drive-In, garbage pickup along roads, washing fire trucks at the Northern York County Fire Rescue station and clean-up and repairs at local properties. "We call it 'Livin it Sunday'," pastor Mike Hammer said. "Instead of having a sermon at church, we go out and live the sermon.  This is one of our favorite events of the year.  Our church loves to serve the community," Hammer said.

For more information see the Ocotber 22, 2020 edition.