Print Edition Highlights - January 12, 2012

Two house fires in three days

____A car caught on fire inside a garage on 56 Sedgwick Drive, Lake Meade at 1:35 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 10.
____Dave Fritz, Fire Lieutenant of Lake Meade Fire and Rescue said the fire was contained to the attached garage downstairs and there was no damage to the living area above. Fritz said the homeowner smelled smoke while upstairs and called the fire in. No one was injured.
____The cause of the fire is undetermined and there is no estimate yet of the damages.

Firefighters remove melted vinyl siding from the house.

Photos by Curt Werner

Dillsburg Citizens Hose Co. No. 1 Fire
Chief Tony Baker and Capt. Seth Freeburn
carry out insulation from the garage to
look for hot spots.

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On Sunday, Jan. 8, Monaghan, Wellsville and Citizens Hose Fire Companies were called to a smoke-filled house on Roundtop Road, Warrington Township, at about 2:48 p.m. Citizens Hose was later put on standby.
In photo on right, Wellsville firefighters pull a line from their truck for additional power for a fan to get the smoke out of the house.

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Roadmaster officially laid off by twp.
By Carolyn Hoffman

____Warrington Township’s reorganization brought no changes to its supervisors or office staff, but for the first time in 32 years, Ralph Bartram will not be the township road foreman. Nobody was named to fill that slot, though Mike Deardorff, the assistant road foreman, will act as road foreman for the time being.
____Bartram, who had been on administrative leave since late in 2011, was officially laid off. More than a dozen residents attended the reorganization session Jan. 3 to hear more about Bartram’s fate and the foreman’s position. Supervisors tried to explain but were limited in what they could say by privacy rules and HIPAA regulations.
____What supervisors did say is that religion was not any part of their decision, as had been rumored. They also reported they “have been dealing with this issue since August,” according to Chairman Jim Bradshaw.
____Bartram, who is several years away from retirement, was offered another township job, one that was mostly working in the park. That job would have paid less. Supervisors reported he declined that job several times, indicating he would not accept a different position and wanted to work only as road foreman. They voted to pay Bartram for the vacation time he has accrued but not taken.
____Supervisors indicated they would look into some type of managerial education for the assistant road foreman, perhaps through the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors. Supervisor Bob Stoner will act as an advisor to the road crew for the time being.

See the January 12, 2012 edition of the Dillsburg Banner for details.

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Dillsburg Borough receives state grant to build park
By Mary Lou Bytof

Photo by Curt Werner
Grant money will be used to help purchase 5.5 acres of land located off South Chestnut Street, across from the Dillsburg Elementary School.

____ The proposed Dillsburg Community Park is one major step closer to becoming a reality, thanks to a $234,800 Community Conservation Partnerships Program grant the borough recently received. 
____ At its first meeting of the new year Tuesday evening, the Dillsburg Borough Council announced that it will use the money awarded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) to help purchase 5.5 acres of land located off South Chestnut Street across from the Dillsburg Elementary School. The land also is situated near four housing developments. According to the borough, more than 1,000 residents live adjacent to the proposed park. 
____ Plans for the town’s first community park are drawn in phases. The first step is for the borough to purchase the land, which is appraised at $500,000, from owner Hershey Command LLC. 

See the January 12, 2012 edition of the Dillsburg Banner for details.

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Polar Bears to face Warriors
By Joe Guty

Photo by Curt Werner
Northern's Jeff Berwager finds room to drive along the base line Tuesday against Big Spring.

____ Working to get back on the winning track, Northern plays Gettysburg in high school basketball this Friday night 1/13. The Polar Bears fell to Big Spring on Tuesday, 1/10, as the Bulldogs made up a five point halftime deficit to comeback to win 58-55. It was the third straight loss for the Polar Bears (6-5 overall) and pushed Big Spring to 7-6 on the year. Northern travels to Camp Hill on Saturday before resuming league play at home (Greencastle on Tuesday, 1/17).
____ Against Big Spring, Jeff Berwager (16) and Tanner Dixon (10) led Northern in scoring. Zach Fish (9) and Evan Werner (8) also contributed. Other scorers were Zac Ilgenfritz (6), David Cuckovic (4) and Travis Saylor (2).
____ The host Bulldog's Tyler Pion led all scorers with 23 points.
____ On Saturday, Milton Hershey edged Northern 64-56 in a non league contest. Travis Saylor paced the Bears with 13 points and Zach Fish had 11 points. Other scorers were: Tanner Dixon (8), Zac Ilgenfritz (8) and Evan Werner (8), Jeff Berwager (5) and David Cuckovic (3).

See the January 12, 2012 edition of the Dillsburg Banner for details.

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Bears go 5-0, capture Warwick Duals title

On Wednesday, Jan. 4, the Northern Polar Bear Wrestling Team hosted Cumberland Valley. The Bears lost 46-12. The Bears won weight classes 285, 126, 132 and 152. Garek Strouse came from behind in the third period to defeat Keven Novick 8-6 in the 132 weight class.

____ What a difference a year makes. After winning just one match and placing seventh at last year’s Warwick Duals, the Northern varsity wrestling team had higher expectations coming into the competition this year. A few days removed from a tough home defeat at the hands of Cumberland Valley, the Polar Bears arrived at Warwick rested and ready to put that loss and last year behind them.
____ They did just that and more. A dominating run through the duals pool play that carried over into the championship rounds, Northern ended up the only undefeated squad and tournament champions. In pool play, Northern beat Virginia’s Thomas Jefferson (69-12), Springfield DELCO (62-9) and Eastern Lebanon County (38-24), earning the Polar Bears a No. 1 seed and a meeting with host Warwick in the championship first round. Fueled by Dustin Kope (126 pounds) and Garek Strouse (132) major decisions, an Austin Snell (138) pin fall and a forfeit at 145 pounds, Northern jumped to a 20-0 lead and held on for a 39-27 upset victory and a slot in the championship match against Osbourne Park High School from Manassas, Va.

See the January 12, 2012 edition of the Dillsburg Banner for details.

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___Lady Bears earn respect
By Joe Guty

Photos by Curt Werner
Northern's Monique Brown drives to the basket against Milton Hershey on Saturday, Jan. 7. Bears lost to the Spartans 47-34.

____Playing Gettysburg this Friday night, 1/13, the Northern H.S. girls' varsity basketball team hope to convert their hard work and determination into a "W." The Lady Polar Bears, despite a 0-11 record after a loss on Monday to Biglerville, have showed improved ball control and tenacity.
____That was evident last Saturday night against Milton Hershey when the host Bears earned a 20-19 lead by halftime. After a slow start to the game, Northern fought back and showed how capable they can play. ____And they earned the respect of the fans that came out to support the team. The Lady Spartans however, always athletic and scrappy, built a third quarter lead to preserve a 47-34 win. Meanwhile, Northern's offensive output was 10-of-50 from the floor and 8-of-19 from the foul line.

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