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On a cloudy day, the solar array in Bill and Joyce Russell's back yard generates enough power to run their refrigerator.
On a sunny day, it does much, much more. The panels, standing on a steel pillar near the intersection of Chestnut St. and Stanton Rd., generate more electricity than needed to run the Russell's home. The surplus is sold to PPL.  Going by past observances the Groundhog Day celebration on Monday, February 2, will be seen by more people than those of the past two years.
Most, however, won't be there in person. "We will probably have more TV coverage this year," said Rick Rankin, the Hibernating Governor of the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge. "If Groundhog Day comes on a weekend, we don't get as much coverage because some of the local stations don't have weekend news shows." Regardless of the day of the week, lodge members will turn out. "That doesn't affect them," he said, "but if we have bad weather, some of the older members won't attend." In the decades she lived on a farm near Peach Bottom, artist Doris Hough contributed paintings and sketches to help Chestnut Level Presbyterian Church raise money.
Now, five months after her death, Hough's children will be selling some of the late artist's works and donating a portion of the proceeds to the church. The world Solanco officials began planning for seven years ago is not the world the district faces today.
Those plans included making Smith Middle School large enough to accommodate all the district's middle school students. Clermont Elementary School could then be expanded into the former Swift Middle School. Dressing up can be expensive. Sometimes it costs more than a high school student can afford.
Now Solanco students can borrow prom gowns, sport coats, dress pants, and even shoes from a collection gathered for that purpose. Originally, the idea was to help economically-disadvantaged students. Musser's Market's third annual drive to benefit the Solanco Food Bank brought in $7,272 for the non-profit.
The company contributed matching funds to the drive, to a maximum of $3,000, said Brian Musser. A warmer winter and lower prices have put less stress on a local fuel fund.
So far this year, the fund has assisted 10 families. That compares with 75 families the fund helped last year. It's not for sale.
At least not yet. But Pennsylvania's Historical and Museum Commission is trying to find out if anyone is interested in acquiring the Robert Fulton Birthplace property and maintaining it as a historic site. At least one group is interested. A borough resident got the project started.
"When I was changing the banners, a resident came out and said we should have the Hometown Heroes banners. He told me he had seen them in New Holland and thought they were great," Quarryville Borough employee Scott Peiffer said. That was in the spring of 2014. Following a year of controversy, Colerain's supervisors amended the township's zoning ordinance regarding how many animals may be kept on properties.
The revision, passed January 5, sets limits by lot size and animal category. The ordinance defines one animal unit as an animal of 1,000 pounds live weight. It also defines each animal - a horse regardless of the animal's weight, is one animal unit, while a dairy cow is 1.5 animal units. Food fights and church congregations don't usually go together. But this fight will see food collected rather than thrown. And there will be two winners.
One will be the congregation that collects the most nonperishable items. The other will be the recipient - the Solanco Food Bank. There won't be any afghans, dolls, or purses at Middle Octorara Presbyterian Church's next sale.
This one will be primarily for men. The idea of holding a 'nuts and bolts' sale came to organizer Boni Henry as she was driving. Quarryville will be selling part of its history later this year.
The borough will be auctioning off several acres in neighboring East Drumore Township. The parcel, known as Reed Springs, was once a vital part of the community's first public water system. For years, members of the Wakefield Lions Club have stored their equipment in borrowed sheds, barns, and garages across the Southern End.
"The Young family, Ray and Earl, allowed us to keep it on their properties for many years," club member Les Davis said. Eventually, however, the Lions knew they would have to find another storage space. Terry Ludwig wants to keep activities at the Next Gen Senior Center relevant for the members.
"We're trying to do more with nutrition," she said last week. "One day, we made small cakes in mugs. We also try different recipes so they can make eating healthy enjoyable." As the center's new activities director, Ludwig is in charge of programs for the members, who range in age from 62 to over 90. He's not retiring because the work has become more complex.
Nor is he getting out to have more Wednesday nights free. Rather, at 70, Doug Eaby has decided he cannot commit to another term on Colerain Township's zoning hearing board. |
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