Lebanon, Pa. Pastor Appeals Defrocking Over Gay Wedding

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lebanon County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A United Methodist pastor defrocked for officiating at his son’s same-sex wedding has appealed the decision, a move that offered the latest evidence of a split in the nation’s largest mainline Protestant denomination and came as yet another state legalized gay marriage.

Frank Schaefer, who lives in central Pennsylvania, said he was shocked and upset that he could be punished for showing love for his son. He said he believed the penalty was meted out reluctantly by members of the church’s regional.

“So many of them came to me and they shook my hand and some hugged me, and so many of them had tears in their eyes,” Schaefer said. “They said, ‘We really don’t want to do this, you know that, don’t you?’”

Most other Protestant denominations have decided their position on the issue. But the Methodists, with about 7.7 million members in the U.S. and many more overseas, remain divided. At their last national meeting in 2012, delegates reaffirmed the church’s 40-year-old policy on gays.

Read more: http://www.timesherald.com/general-news/20131220/lebanon-pa-pastor-appeals-defrocking-over-gay-wedding

After Philly’s Running Of The Santas, A Tragic Death

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Philadelphia County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

HE LAST SUIT Adam Herr wore was an outward expression of the ideals he embodied – joy, generosity and love.

The last suit Adam Herr wore was a Santa Claus suit.

Herr, 24, of Lebanon, Pa., was in Philadelphia for the annual Running of the Santas on Saturday when somehow, about 10:25 p.m., he found himself in costume and on foot on Interstate 95 South near the I-676 interchange.

Motorist Augustine Bangura, 27, of Philadelphia, was also on I-95 at the same spot at the same time, State Police said. Apparently he did not see Herr or his red suit.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20131209_After_Philly_s_Running_of_the_Santas__a_tragedy.html#Soa0zLfdrT4BTO5b.99

First Bus Departs From Revamped Franklin Street Station In Reading

Map of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The final step toward Reading’s iconic Franklin Street Station once again serving passengers came in the form of a message.

BARTA officials arranged for the message to flash on the first bus to leave the station since its rebirth: “Thanks Dennis; You gave it all.”

It was for Dennis D. Louwerse, BARTA’s executive director, who died Thursday after 30 years leading the county transit agency.

“This is the culmination of a dream,” Ryan Furgerson, BARTA’s deputy executive director, said of the first bus departing from the former train station.  “This is something Dennis would very much wanted to have seen.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=509990

Police Charge Lebanon City Man After Seizing Heroin, Crack In His Home

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Lebanon County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A drug task force took a Lebanon city man into custody late last month after reportedly finding heroin and crack in his home, according to the county district attorney’s office.

In a search of his home in the 1200 block of Willow Street on July 25, officers uncovered 180 bags of heroin and approximately 5.9 grams of crack cocaine in 30-year-old Victor Martinez’ bedroom, according to a release from the district attorney’s office.

Read more:  http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/08/police_charge_lebanon_city_man.html#incart_river_default

Bus Route From Reading To Lebanon Might Be Ready Soon

English: BARTA bus in downtown Reading, Pennsylvania, July 2007. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

BARTA bus passengers might be able to catch a ride to Lebanon by the end of summer.

The agency said Monday that it’s working with Lebanon Transit to throw together a makeshift Reading-Lebanon bus route to fill a service gap that will result when Bieber Tourways discontinues its Reading-Lebanon-Harrisburg route next week.

The two transit agencies already were developing plans for a Reading-Lebanon route, and the route proposed Monday would be a temporary measure to keep service between the cities alive while details of the permanent route are being worked out.

“What we’re trying to do now is just for the interim,” BARTA executive director Dennis D. Louwerse said. “The longer study is going to tell us if this is really going to work in the long run.”

Read more: http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=487181

Functionality And Beauty Are The Hallmarks Of StudioVB In Midtown Harrisburg

One of the many new businesses springing up in Midtown Harrisburg is StudioVB.  The interior design studio is co-owned by husband and wife team Logan and Valerie Betz.  Valerie is the Interior Designer and Logan is the Business Manager.

Valerie and Logan have beautifully renovated their own historic Midtown row house and are part of the emerging arts scene that is attracting hip, young professionals, who want the convenience of city living, to Midtown Harrisburg.

Valerie has two degrees, one in Fine Arts and one in Interior Design.   Valerie studied at the New York School of Interior Design and worked for several prestigious design firms in New York City before returning to her native Harrisburg.

Valerie’s love for design has grown into a passion and a great appreciation of the relationship between efficient functionality and beautiful design. She has a particularly strong talent for clean lines, small spaces, combining textures, and refined details.  In addition to being an interior designer, Valerie is a skilled artist.  Being a designer and an artist is a winning combination.

StudioVB is small enough to give you the personalized attention you deserve, yet large enough to tackle a full-scale interior design project.  No project or budget is too small.

StudioVB offers services such as:  interior design, home staging for sale, DIY design plans, re-design, green and sustainable design, e-design, event design, home organization and fine art.

StudioVB wants to help you with your design dilemma in an efficient and affordable way.  They want to make the most of your living space, while adding beauty and functionality to your life and home.

StudioVB serves Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, Carlisle and Lebanon.  They will also consider projects across Pennsylvania and in surrounding states.

To learn more about StudioVB:

Internet:  http://studiovbdesign.com/

Voice: (717) 884-8243

StudioVB, LLC

218 Verbeke Street

Harrisburg, PA  17102

Studio hours are by appointment only

Monday – Friday from 10am until 6pm

Please call to schedule an appointment.

Those Crazy Copper Thieves Are Back!

Image via Wikipedia

Maybe the gang in Fayette County has moved east in their quest for more copper?  A Lebanon County cell tower was vandalized and six copper plates valued at $75 each were stolen.  The tower is fenced in and thieves cut the lock to gain entrance.  The tower is shared by Verizon, T-Mobile, Nextel and AT&T.  And we wonder why prices keep going up!  The total damage estimate was $3,000!

Anyone with information is asked to call the Cornwall police at (717) 274-2071.

Harrisburg Area Community College Scores Home Run With York County Branch

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When Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) opened their York County branch in 2003, I wonder if anyone could have predicted the rapid growth that followed.

Community Colleges are a great alternative to four-year institutions because of the price differential and flexibility they offer.  For a fraction of the cost associated with traditional four-year institutions, students can work full-time and attend classes around their busy schedules for a substantially lower cost per credit hour.

HACC’s York College branch has seen tremendous growth.  The York campus saw a 34% increase in enrollment between 2008 and 2009.  Enrollment stands and 2,900 students, which is up 5% since the Spring 2010 semester.  There is competition in the York market for college students.  York College, Penn State York and nearby Millersville University already compete for students.  To have the student body swell to nearly 3,000 students in only 8 years demonstrates a need in the York market for affordable education.

The York branch is the fastest growing campus in the HACC family.  HACC has campuses in Harrisburg, Gettysburg, Lebanon, Lancaster and York as well as a Virtual Campus.  There are more than 23,000 students are enrolled at HAAC’S five brick and mortar campuses and over 5,300 at the Virtual Campus (online courses).

For more information:  http://www.hacc.edu/