| Print Edition Highlights - January 1, 2015
By Jeffrey B. Roth
Photo by Curt Werner.
Rep. Mike Regan and State Senator Pat Vance wave to the crowd as Mr. Pickle is lowered onto the barrel New Year’s Eve in Dillsburg on S. Baltimore Street.
____ Seasonal temperatures and clear skies were the perfect backdrop for the annual Dillsburg Pickle Drop.
____ People from south central Pennsylvania, along with a smattering of people from other states and other countries shared the borough's hospitality to celebrate the advent of 2015, said Deana Weaver, event coordinator, who shed her pickle costume to do the interview.
____ The prize for farthest traveled visitor was awarded to the Robert Kehew family, former residents of the area, who now reside in Kenya. Weaver noted that it was not unusual to have visitors from England, Germany and Japan.
____ Earlier in the evening, the Baby Pickle Drop, held for children at the Citizens Hose Fire Company, drew “a nice crowd,” Weaver said. “We started the event with the blood drive and the turnout was wonderful.”
____ The firehall opened its doors at 4:30 p.m., to provide various activities for families with younger children, who would not be awake at midnight to welcome the New Year. Retired teacher, Bill Runkle, hosted the event and served as DJ to provide a steady stream of music.
____ As always, the fire company kitchen opened to accommodate early guests. Downstairs, the Rebel Heart Irish Dancers entertained guests with a traditional clogging performance. Weaver said the Baby Pickle Drop was scheduled for 7 p.m. to coincide with the midnight New Year's Eve celebration in Ireland.
Photo by Curt Werner.
A large display of fireworks illuminate the sky behind the offices on S. Baltimore Street just after Mr. Pickle is dropped, bringing in the new year.
See the January 1, 2015 edition of the Dillsburg Banner for details.
By Mary Lou Bytof
Photo by Curt Werner.
A nativity scene with Jesus, Mary and Joseph share the Dillsburg square with a red and green banner heralding the arrival of a modern-day celebration called Festivus.
____ For the past 20 years, a nativity scene has greeted pedestrians and motorists as they pass by the Dillsburg Square. In the early 1990’s, Dr. Joseph Bytof’s Webelo scout den designed and build the structure, and the Dillsburg Jaycees donated the figures.
____ This year, Jesus, Mary and Joseph are sharing the square with a red and green banner heralding the arrival of a modern-day celebration called Festivus. Unlike the more than 2,000 year-old holiday, Festivus came to pass in 1997 on a popular television show, Seinfeld.
____ In early December, Dillsburg resident Paul Tucker installed a Festivus banner and pole in the town square. The banner reads: “Wishing you a very HAPPY FESTIVUS (since 1997) from the rest of us!” For the Seinfeld fans among us, this refrain was coined on the show by George Costanza’s father, who did not celebrate any of the seasonal religious holidays. He declared it a festivity “for the rest of us”.
____ “I’ve been thinking about doing something like this for years,” Tucker said of the display, but I had difficulty trying to find a fun way to display something to kind of make my point but not [anger] anybody. I did not want to be abrasive,” the community leader and vice president of the Farmers Fair committee said.
____ Festivus is celebrated on Dec. 23, and up until a few days before the holiday, Tucker said he had received very little feedback on his display. However, when he posted a picture of the display online, Facebook started lighting up like a Christmas tree.
See the January 1, 2015 edition of the Dillsburg Banner for details.
____ Warrington Township supervisors gave final approval to the 2015 budget at its last regular meeting of 2014. Taxes will remain the same. Township employees will receive a 2% increase in salary.
____ The 2015 budget shows $1,750,726 in revenue, which includes $820,000 carried over from prior years. The biggest expense planned in 2015 shows $715,810 for highways, roads and bridges. The township also has over $420,000 in its capital reserve fund and will get $237,480 from the state for the liquid fuels fund. The township is planning or at least has planned funding for several major bridge projects in 2015.
____ In other action at the session, supervisors agreed to hold their first meeting of January on January 5, a Monday, to coincide with the state-required municipal reorganization on the first Monday of the new year. Reorganization will take place at 6 p.m. to be followed by the regular meeting. As a result, supervisors will not meet on January 7, which would normally be the day of their first regular meeting of the month.
Also in the January 1, 2015 edition:
___
___ -Community Calendar
___ -Obituaries
___ -Letters to the Editor
___ -Editorials
___ -Births
___ -20 years ago
___ -Classifieds
Print Edition Highlights - January 1, 2015
By Curt Werner
Photo by Curt Werner.
Michael Valck, a third generation Santa Claus, visits Applebees in Carlisle last week.
____Michael Valck has been fascinated with Santa Claus since he was 11 years old. Over 50 years ago, the Newville resident would watch his father, Clement Valck, dress as Santa every day in November and December. And nearly 100 years ago, Clement watched his uncle, John Kamis, who came over from Germany to Ford City, dress as Santa Claus.
____Valck would help his father with Santa duties and by the time he was 12, he would stuff padding inside his own suit. His father taught him the history of Santa Claus, the right and wrong way to talk to a child and the guidelines and people skills to be a good Santa.
____Fifty years, seven beards and six Santa suits later, Valck is still going strong. He remembers the early days going to the Carlisle Plaza which then was open to the elements of the weather and countless parades in the Carlisle and Newville area. For 15 years he participated in the White Christmas activities at the Mechanicsburg Naval Depot. The last few years he has been making appearances at the Carlisle Applebees. "Another special moment for me was helping at a needy children's party," Valck said. The children received clothing, shoes, coats and blankets to keep warm. "One child wanted her dad to have a job, and another wanted her dad to be able to watch her play soccer. Then there was a child who had braces on his legs and knew he could not get a real horse, so he asked for a stick horse."
By Dave Wolf
Photo by Karen Wolf.
A doe fitted for tracking.
____ To many, the sun setting on New Year’s Eve is much more meaningful than on any other day of the year. Although it may be just another day for many, tacking a new calendar to the wall brings forth hope for a happier, more pleasant and financially rewarding New Year.
____ Americans are famous for wanting change, but at the same time nervous about stepping into the waters of the unknown. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that deer and deer hunting will wash over the pages of newspapers, magazines and blog sites; there is a media campaign out there that increases with each passing year, trying to erase the knowledge of experienced deer hunters, and replace it with their own new information.
____ One of the latest examples is yet another study that will determine how much impact predation has on deer. The study will end with an idea how much predation plays a part in solid deer management, and it will wear the now worn-out tag of “scientific.” Although a similar study was conducted around 2001, the Commission is insistent on conducting another that they claim will only be targeted, and conclusive in two study areas in the state. It is a costly project that will lead to more questions, and hunters will again be footing the bill. I don’t doubt that some hearts are in the right place, but I personally recall seeing coy-dogs with deer hair in their teeth back in the early 80’s. They were strapped to a carrier on a Game Commission vehicle and had been dispatched by the local Wildlife Conservation Officer. Now 30 years later, we are looking at predation problems.
By Joe Guty
Photo by Curt Werner.
Northern Varsity High School Girls Basketball team.
____ The Northern H.S. girls varsity basketball team faced undefeated Greencastle on Tuesday December 23 but the host Lady Blue Devils' strong opening quarter set the tone on the way to their 61-20 win. Catherine Brubaker and Kennedy Barber led Northern with seven and six points respectively. Contributing two points apiece: Candace Gerber, Lizzie Horn and Makenna McGill. Alyssa Swartz added one point. Hannah Crist paced the hosts with 16 points and Jenay Faulkner added 14. Megan Hirneisen contributed 12 and Jane Herman scored 11.
____ This Friday, on January 2, Northern starts the new year as they host the Lower Dauphin H.S. Lady Falcons. As the Banner went to press, Greencastle stood at 4-0 in the Colonial Division and 7-0 overall. After Buchanan, Boiling Springs was at 2-1 in the Colonial and 4-3 overall. Waynesboro (1-2, 2-4), Big Spring (1-2, 1-5), Shippensburg (1-3, 2-4) and Northern (0-3, 2-6) complete the Colonial team standings.
____ In Northern Middle School basketball, the varsity lost to East Pennsboro as the Panthers capped it 34-14. NMS trailed by seven at the end of the 3rd (21-14). East Penn dominated the middle on defense and shot very well from the outside on offense with one player scoring 20 of their 34 points. Cassie Smith had seven points for the Lady Polar Bears. Olivia Shea, Ashley Hannon and Abby Clendaniel scored two points apiece. Natalie Stine added one point. In the junior varsity game, East Penn used a tough press and prevailed, 31-12.
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