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Look in this section for articles of local interest, history, sports, entertainment, and just plain fun.  If you would like to contribute to this page please register here.


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Winter storm hampers man’s commute in 1903
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[caption id="attachment_6071" align="alignleft" width="300"] The house that Clarence and Lilly Seibert lived in after moving to Elizabethtown still has Victorian architectural features, like the spandrels arching above the porch.[/caption] This is the second in a series of articles describing the life and history of Elizabethtown.  The articles are authored by Pat (Patsy) and Lloyd Reed of the Elizabethtown Historical Society.  Most ...[more]

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Elizabethtown Journal Releases Downtown Parking Report
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The editor of the Elizabethtown Journal  in collaboration with faculty and students at Elizabethtown College has just completed research on public parking in the downtown area of Elizabethtown.  The results of the research have been published in the report, Public Parking Utilization in the Central Business District of Elizabethtown:  Its Relationship to Community Development.  The Report is free and available ...[more]


Benefit planned for E-town mom with colon cancer
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From Chronicling Elizabethtown When I think about it, cancer has been around me almost all my life. But it wasn't until recent years that it really hit home: my father-in-law had lung cancer and a childhood friend had a malignant brain tumor removed (his blog Thinking Clearly is a must read). And then in the space of a week this winter, a good ...[more]

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The life of a pinboy
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[caption id="attachment_6027" align="alignleft" width="300"] Ira Gohn moved his bowling alley from downtown to the basement of the Bowl-More Apartments.[/caption] This is the first in a series of articles describing the life and history of Elizabethtown.  The articles are authored by Pat (Patsy) and Lloyd Reed of the Elizabethtown Historical Society.  Most of these articles were originally written years ago for the ...[more]


A look at rental properties in Elizabethtown
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From CHRONICLING ELIZABETHTOWN When I worked for the former Elizabethtown Chronicle about 13 years ago, borough officials told me that Elizabethtown had the most rentals units in Lancaster County outside the City of Lancaster. I never delved into it, but in 2006 the borough enacted a rental property licensing and inspection program. It's a great idea, and it's one that is working ...[more]

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Mayita Hoyos: Mayita’s Boutique
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The storefront on the northeast corner of the square bordering High Street has witnessed a lot of changes in the past year.  First a bakery and ice cream shop secured the space.  After a few months, that business was replaced by Center Square Bakery.  In the search for a more appropriate space, Center Square Bakery relocated to a space on ...[more]

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Ann Ziegler Volunteers in San Pedro Sula, Honduras
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March 15, 2013(Elgin, IL) -- Ann Ziegler of Elizabethtown, PA, has recently undertaken a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) assignment with Emanuel Children's Home in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Emanuel Children’s Home cares for the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of abused, disadvantaged, and homeless children ranging from infant to 18 years of age, and it houses an average of 80 children ...[more]

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E-town’s walking and bike pathway
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From Chronicling Elizabethtown Walkers, cyclists and runners soon will be able to traverse Elizabethtown, from the east side to the west, on a pathway that the borough is constructing. A pedestrian and bike path that has been part of the borough's downtown master plan approved in 2005. The plan, a map of which you can see here, is to have a path ...[more]

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Research Indicates That Bicycling May Have Negative Effects for the Economy
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This week The Cato-Heritage Institute released a report that assessed the effects of cycling on the national economy.  The report received broad approval by many in Congress.  It compared the energy expenditures of cyclists with that of motorists.  The analysis then proceeded to assess the effects of increased use of bicycles on the agricultural economy, consumer markets, and the ability ...[more]

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4&20 Baked Goods: Theresa Thompson
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As part of the community-wide effort to strengthen downtown Elizabethtown, in the past year the Elizabethtown Journal has offered profiles of new downtown businesses and their proprietors.  Beginning with this article, EJ is extending the scope of these profiles by including a different sort of business, businesses without storefronts. The first of these ventures to be featured is 4&20 Baked ...[more]

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Addendum to How Much Does Your Health Insurance Cost
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Last November, the Elizabethtown Journal published the commentary, "How Much Does Your Health Insurance Cost" In that essay, it was argued that most individuals who are enrolled in employee-sponsored health insurance plans do not have an accurate conception of the total cost of that insurance. It was further asserted that many confuse their contribution with the actual cost, therefore underestimating ...[more]

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Elizabethown Area Senior Center Profile
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One of the core community organizations in Elizabethtown is the Elizabethtown Area Senior Center.  The Elizabethtown Journal caught up with Joyce Hardman to ask her a few questions and find out more about the Senior Center. EJ: Where is the Senior Center located? SC: The Elizabethtown Area Senior Center is located in the GEARS Community Center at 70 S. Poplar St. in ...[more]

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Commentary: Lance Armstrong, Rascals in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, and Rascals in the United States Congress
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We lament. We lament sending rascals to the capitol in Washington.  We lament sending rascals to the capitol in Harrisburg.  We lament the rascals in the cycling peloton who have used deceitful means in gaining our adulation. As this commentary is being penned, the news of Lance Armstrong’s confession is receiving a great deal of press and comment.  The public’s response ...[more]


Elizabethtown Journal Readership is Increasing
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Readership of the Elizabethtown Journal has been steadily increasing.  Readership is currently about 1,000 non-trivial visits per week. The Elizabethtown Journal (EJ) has been designed to be a comprehensive site for citizen journalism organized around a core of regular news and features about local government, civic, economic, and social life.  A citizen journalism site seeks input from all members of the ...[more]


Commentary: Is Penn State president being paid too much?
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Rodney Erickson, president of Penn State, will see his salary increase by 16 percent to $600,000 next year. Not surprisingly perhaps, the comments forum on pennlive.com is filled with outrage [1]. But consider that, despite the increase, Erickson’s salary will be lower next year than what Spanier was earning as his base salary last year. PSU says that the increase brings ...[more]

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Natalie Haist Dixon: Center Square Bakery
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In March of this year a small bakery opened on the square in Elizabethtown (see: Jody Viers Stapler: J’s Sweet Treats and J’s Sweet Treats Ice Cream Parlor).  It may not be obvious to those who are not regular bakery customers that the bakery currently operating in this location is an entirely different business.  The original bakery closed its doors ...[more]

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Elizabethtown Living Kidney Donor Story
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In 1986, Scott Little of Elizabethtown was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease. Inherited from his mother, the disease produces multiple cysts in the kidneys, reducing their ability to function and eventually leads to kidney failure. In 2009, Scott was put on the transplant waiting list and began to search for a living donor. His wife Missy was tested, but was ...[more]

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Commentary: How Much Does Your Health Insurance Cost
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How much does your health insurance cost?  If you are like the 56 percent of workers who have an employer-based health insurance plan, you can identify what it costs you by inspecting the health care deduction from your pay stub.  When you’re planning your personal finances or choosing whether to enroll in your employer’s plan or your spouse’s plan; this ...[more]


Are foreign students a source of cheap labor?
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The federal government’s Summer Work Travel program “provides foreign students with an opportunity to live and work in the United States during their summer vacation from college or university to experience and to be exposed to the people and way of life in the United States” [1]. But the foreign students who came under the program last year and worked ...[more]

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Retrieved from Archives for Thanksgiving: The Idea of Progress
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Nov. 27, 2009 Although an issue of philosophical interest for many centuries, the Idea of Progress in its modern formulation can be attributed in large measure to Sir Francis Bacon.  The Idea of Progress is a world view which assumes that history proceeds in the direction of improved material conditions and a better life for people on the planet. In Bacon’s ...[more]


MoviE-Town up for sale; asking price is $2.2M (Opinion)
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From Chronicling Elizabethtown This morning, a Twitter follower tipped me off that MoviE-Town is on the market for $2.2 million. For the local community, that's news in and of itself. And my immediate thought was, "Hopefully the new owner will pave the parking lot" because the large lot on the north side of the building is rife with potholes. But they really could ...[more]


A Third Way: A Justification for “Liberal” Governmental Policy (Commentary)
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Even though there is clear polarization between the left side and right side of the American polity, it remains a tricky task to describe the fundamental ideologies that guide each.  An attempt at explicating the ideologies of the American left and right cannot rely on classical conservative and liberal ideologies, since the purity of classical positions have long since evaporated.  ...[more]

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Commentary: A Most Exciting Unemployment Report
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Rarely does a report issued by the Bureau of Labor Statistics garner such public attention. But the release of the September employment figures has thrust the staid government agency into the spotlight, inviting closer scrutiny of its methodology and even forcing it to defend its integrity. The reason for the uproar? The unemployment rate for September came in at 7.8 percent, 0.3 ...[more]


Commentary: Reason and Knowledge Have Left the Room: We have met the enemy and he is us
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Talk radio.  Network TV.  Cable news channels.  On-line blogs and news. Newspapers and magazines.  We, as Americans, are privileged to have access to such a wide variety of information sources to inform us about issues concerning our civic lives and our elected officials.  Despite the availability of these outlets, we remain poorly informed and are unable to develop truly reasoned ...[more]


What Elizabethtown is, and what Elizabethtown isn’t: McCloud commentary
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From Chronicling Elizabethtown Sept. 27, 2012==In the wake of yesterday's drug bust here in Elizabethtown, I have been doing some thinking about our community, what it is and what it isn't. This was especially true after one of my Twitter followers, in the space of 140 characters, thanked me for updating the community on the situation but also said, "Sad what that ...[more]


Commentary: Rats Found in Harrisburg–Again!
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Faithful readers of EJ may recall that in December 2009, rats were found infesting the Capitol cafeteria. But political observers were not surprised: the rats could well have referred to politicians in Harrisburg charged with improper use of taxpayer funds to finance their campaigns. Since then, Bill DeWeese and John Perzel (both former House speakers) and Jane Orie (former state ...[more]


Obfuscation Professional Wanted
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Trugen Marketing Consultants is seeking an obfuscation professional for a full-time staff position.  Trugen is a highly successful marketing consulting firm that has developed marketing programs for all the major cable and satellite companies.  If you are a highly motivated professional who is fluent in fine print and exhibits a lack of moral fair play and has an above average ...[more]


Driving Around Town: Opinion by Dr. Paul
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After the traffic signs at the intersection of High and Market Streets were reconfigured several months ago, drivers could make left turns more confidently. Since then, nothing has happened to change that fact, although an astute observer of the local scene reports, having conducted a study of traffic patterns at the signal, that he has seen a number of drivers ...[more]

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The Joys of Eating Out in Etown (A partially cooked view by Sanjay Paul)
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The editors of EJ have noticed, with their usual alacrity, that the restaurant scene in Elizabethtown has changed significantly of late. Burger King was closed for a while--is it shuttered permanently? That would be a big blow. For a fast food fix, the eds must now retire to McDs, Wendy’s and Taco Bell. All are admittedly fine establishments, especially Taco ...[more]


Is Elizabethtown experiencing a downtown renaissance?
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From Chronicling Elizabethtown A couple of months ago, local businessman Andrew Schoenberger came to a Borough Council meeting to discuss a new initiative he and two other businesspeople started called Market Street Improving Business. Schoenberger, who owns Epic Photography, Lisa Clemens from the Lynden Gallery and Brad Alexander from the soon-to-open Pita Pit joined forces to start this organization focused on building ...[more]

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Downtown Development Redux
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A discussion of the viability of Elizabethtown’s central business district appeared in the Elizabethtown Journal in July of 2010 (http://elizabethtownjournal.org/?p=2087).  Included in that discussion was an assessment of the current state of affairs, problems confronting development efforts, and some strategies for future development.  Since 2010, the Journal has not revisited this matter.  Although interest in downtown never departs from the ...[more]

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4 Ways to Reduce Traffic on South Market Street: Commentary by Jeff McCloud
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Originally appeared in Chronicling Elizabethtown on April 3 Over the years, Elizabethtown area residents and officials have discussed numerous ways to improve the traffic flow and safety on South Market Street, in particular the corridor from Kmart to Maytown Avenue (Route 743 that heads toward Marietta next to the Mount Tunnel Cemetery). I would add to that the backups that occur ...[more]

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Elizabethtown Journal Usage Statistics
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In the past few months, the number of visitors to the Elizabethtown Journal has been increasing.  During that same time period, there has also been an increase in the number of stories posted on the site.   The front (home) page has only limited space. To secure space for new stories on the front (home) page, the duration of time that ...[more]

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Tri-County Pink Ribbon Ride to Benefit Young Survival Coalition:
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The Tri-County Pink Ribbon Ride is a bicycle ride to benefit the Young Survival Coalition and all proceeds from this event will be donated to the YSC in the name of a local Tour de Pink cycling team. The Tour de Pink is the national event of which this local event is a part. Young Survival Coalition (YSC) is the premier ...[more]


Opinion: Health Care Reform, the Economy, and Entrepenurship
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  In April of 2010, I filed this report: The past year on Capitol Hill was interesting, to say the least. The interminable debate over health care legislation was generally quite contentious. Those touting the benefits of reform as well as those predicting economic Armageddon were prone to hyperbole, sometimes quite extreme. Overall, it seems that misinformation crossed the finish line well ...[more]

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Opinion: Eight great things about the Elizabethtown Public Library
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(From Chronicling Elizabethtown) Few people would argue that a library is a great asset to a community. In Elizabethtown, the library is that and much more: It is a hub for downtown and a community center. So I jumped at the chance to participate when I was invited to an introductory meeting for an Elizabethtown Public Library Advisory Council last month. The ...[more]


Curves 14th Annual Food Drive Begins March 1
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Elizabethtown, March 1, 2012—Recognizing that the need for donations is greater than ever at local food banks across the nation, Curves International is kicking off the 2012 Curves Food Drive on March 1 with a challenge to all Curve Clubs to meet or exceed last year’s donations.  Each club, including Curves of Elizabethtown is asking its members to donate bags ...[more]


Bears Softball is Coming Soon
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Elizabethtown Bears Softball Schedule (Home games usually played at Mt Joy Street Community Field) 03/16    4:00 PM                Lampeter-Strasburg) 03/26    4:15 PM              @ Donegal 03/28    4:15 PM                Manheim Central 04/11    7:00 PM               Lebanon 04/13    7:00 PM              J.P. McCaskey 04/18   7:00 PM              Manheim Township 04/20   4:15 PM              @ Warwick 04/23   7:00 PM             Cedar Crest 04/27   4:15 PM              @ Conestoga Valley 04/30    7:00 PM             Cocalico ...[more]

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Bears Baseball is Coming Soon
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2012 Elizabethtown Bears baseball schedule: Date         Time          Opponent  03/24    1:00 PM     Gettysburg 03/26    4:15 PM     Donegal 03/31   10:00 AM  @ East Pennsboro 04/02    4:15 PM    @ Conestoga Valley 04/04    4:15 PM    Cocalico 04/05    4:15 PM    @ Solanco 04/09    4:15 PM    Ephrata 04/11    4:15 PM    @ Lebanon   04/13    4:15 PM    @ J.P. McCaskey 04/16    4:15 PM    Penn Manor 04/18    4:15 PM   @ Manheim Township 04/18    6:30 PM   ...[more]


Spring concerts highlighting flute, sax, percussion hosted by Elizabethtown College: Music students perform at Flutefest, Saxophonium and Percussion Ensemble in March and April
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ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (03/03/2012)-- The Elizabethtown College Department of Fine and Performing Arts, Music Division sponsors a series of instrument-specific concerts in March and April. Highlighted are flute, saxophone and percussion. All concerts are free and open to the public. The College's 6th annual Flutefest, spotlighting flutes from piccolo to bass, takes place at 7:30 p.m. Monday, March 19, in Zug Recital ...[more]

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Etown College Upcoming Events
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Robert Willoughby Events: Robert Willoughby '47 returns to his alma mater for two events featuring his personal experiences as a conscientious objector during the Second World War. Both events are free and open to the public. Tuesday, March 20, 7:30 p.m., Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies "Starvation Volunteer: A Conversation with an Elizabethtown Alumnus" Jeff Bach, director of the Young Center ...[more]

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Elizabethtown College Center for Family Business survey shows PA family businesses confident for 2012
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ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (02/29/2012)-- Results from a new regional report, The Family Business Confidence Survey, reveal optimism among family business owners for 2012, according to researchers at the Department of Business and the S. Dale High Center for Family Business at Elizabethtown College. The survey is the first ever to examine family businesses in PA. It was designed to assess family business ...[more]


Latest from GEARS
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Iddy Biddy Soccer GEARS will offer an Iddy Biddy Soccer Program for ages 3-5. Coaches will teach basic soccer skills such as dribbling, passing and trapping. Participants will become familiar with the game of soccer. Emphasis will also be placed on social skills. Fee includes a t-shirt. This instructional program will be held on Saturdays, April 14-June 2 (no 5/26) from ...[more]

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Taking Time to Look Up
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As my husband and I were returning to Elizabethtown from Hershey along Rt 743 around 5pm last evening, we watched in amazement as a huge flock of snow geese flew in waves over the highway. I wait for this show every year, as late winter brings enormous flocks of these bird to our area as they head back to ...[more]


Bears 2012 spring track and field schedules
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All meets listed below are for both varsity boys and varsity girls. Day                        Date          Time                 Opponent/location (vs=home, @=away) Monday               3/26       4:00PM                 @ Cedar Crest Monday              4/2         4:00PM                 vs. J.P. McCaskey Wednesday       4/4        4:00PM                 vs. Donegal Tuesday              4/10       4:00PM                @ Hempfield Monday               4/16       4:00PM                 @ Manheim Township Monday               4/23      4:00PM                 vs. Columbia Monday ...[more]

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RAISING THE ROOF FOR DOC’S
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Doc’s Family Fun Center  has been a part of the community since 1962. For years, the current owner Charley has kept his father’s dream alive. Many residents have attended events and have cherished memories of their time spent here. Charley has provided a safe and fun environment for local children. The roof needs to be replaced! To help offset expenses, ...[more]

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New Program Helps Family Business
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ELIZABETHTOWN, PA (02/14/2012)-- Family businesses are complicated. Providing professional advice to family businesses involves additional dynamics that can impact their competitiveness as well as the effectiveness of family business advisors. That's why experts at the S. Dale High Center for Family Business at Elizabethtown College are now offering a best-in-class Family Business Advisor Program to help professionals who work with family ...[more]


A new bakery is coming to Elizabethtown
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From Chronicling Elizabethtown A new bakery is coming to Elizabethtown. Called J's Sweet Treats, proprietors Jodi Stapler and Jamie Harris plan to open at 1 S. Market St., Suite 101, in the middle of March, according to the bakery's blog. In fact, they recently contacted the Food Network show "Cupcake Wars" at the urging of Jodi's kids. The show asked them ...[more]

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Local Student Makes Dean’s List at RIT
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Courtney DiStasio, daughter of Giuseppe and Paula DiStasio of Elizabethtown has been named to the Dean's list for the fall and winter quarters at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).  She is a first year student in RIT's College of Imaging Arts and Sciences.  She is a photojournalism major.  Courtney is a 2011 graduate of Elizabethtown Area High School. [more]

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Piffaro performs Feb. 18 at Elizabethtown College, Pied pipers of Renaissance music hosted by Gretna Music
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ELIZABETHTOWN, PA – (January 26, 2012) – Piffaro, defined as the nation’s finest Renaissance wind band, graces the Leffler Chapel and Performance Center stage at Elizabethtown College at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, as part of Gretna Music’s Intersections -- An Exploration of Classical Music and the Dance series. Tickets for the concert, open to the public, are $15 to ...[more]