To me, there is nothing better than the start of the high school football season and fall sports in general, for nothing more than to give myself a kickstart.

Summer’s great, don’t get me wrong. But really there isn’t a whole lot going on. Sometimes, you have to dig pretty deep to fill these pages.

In the fall, the stories just unfold for you. You know the stories will be read and critiqued, and while that does increase the stress, there is no better feeling than putting out a product you know people can’t wait to have.

That is the goal, beginning this week.

Football Predictions

I’ve talked to several coaches, looked at what everyone has coming back, and am now comfortable to make my high school football picks for the coming year.

Without further ado…

Section One: 1. Wilson; 2. McCaskey; 3. Manheim Township; 4. Penn Manor; 5. Hempfield; 6. Ephrata; 7. Warwick; 8. Cedar Crest.

Section Two: 1. Lampeter-Strasburg; 2. Manheim Central; 3. Garden Spot; 4. Cocalico; 5. Solanco; 6. Lebanon; 7. Conestoga Valley; 8. Elizabethtown.

Section Three: 1. Lancaster Catholic; 2. Northern Lebanon; 3. Columbia; 4. Donegal; 5. Elco; 6. Annville-Cleona; 7. Pequea Valley.

By: JESSICA ROSE SPANGLER AND MICHELLE REIFF Review Staff, Staff Writer

Around 2 p.m. Tuesday, people from North Carolina to New York felt the effects of a 5.8 magnitude earthquake that hit northwest of Richmond, Va.

Early reports say that the Pentagon, White House and Capitol were among the areas evacuated. All memorials and monuments on the National Mall were evacuated and closed as well.

Weather.com reported "the U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was half a mile deep. Shaking was felt… all over the East Coast… There were no immediate reports of injuries. It was centered near Louisa, Va., which is northwest of Richmond and south of Washington. In New York, the 26-story federal courthouse in lower Manhattan began swaying and hundreds of people were seen leaving the building."

"A ‘considerable amount’ of water from a water pipe has flooded two corridors of the Pentagon, according to an announcement in the building. The National Cathedral in Washington is damaged. And Dominion Generation, which operates the North Anna nuclear power station in central Virginia a few miles from the epicenter of the earthquake, is trying to reach operational staff at the plant, according to a company spokesman. Landlines to the plant appear to be down," reported CNN.com.

Amelia Earhart has taken flight once again under Gretna Theatre’s banner of the “American Hero Biography Series” of outreach musicals that travel to schools and civic groups. It will be presented as the finale to the 2011 season on Aug. 27 at 11 a.m. at the Mt. Gretna Playhouse. Reserved seats are $7 each and once again all educators are admitted free of charge with school identification.

The program can also land in area schools. Educators can pick up booking information and other materials at the Aug. 27 production. They should call in advance and reserve both tickets and booking materials. If unable to attend, educators may request booking information be mailed to their schools. The dramatized biography “Amelia Earhart, Lost Hero,” with original music written and composed by Ephrata resident Kim McCaul Armer, debuted as a part of the outreach program at Gretna Theatre in 2000.

“We are reviving the show by popular demand,” states Renée Krizan, Gretna Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director. “The outreach program titled ‘The American Hero Biography Series’ is once again gaining popularity. A successful tour for two years in succession of the fourth show in the series, ‘Keeping Mr. Lincoln,’ has prompted educators to inquire about reviving the previous shows in the series. Our goal is to add the previous shows, including ‘The Road to Freedom’ and ‘First Ladies, Wives of the Presidents,’ one each year until all four shows are in repertory and on tour.”

If you would like to get a sneak preview of the popular Years Ago photos, as well as other mid-week news updates, other photos and more in your newsfeed, go to The Ephrata Review Facebook page and click "Like."

And don’t forget to visit ephratareview.com to see what is happening in downtown any time of day with the square cam, order photos, send in news releases, contact staff with questions or information, weekly news and more. EARLY DEADLINES

Due to the upcoming Labor Day holiday, Monday, Sept. 5, the following deadlines will be used for the Sept. 7 issue:

Retail & Classified

Display Advertising:

Friday, Sept. 2, 4 p.m.

Classified Reader Ads:

Tuesday, Sept. 6, 11:45 a.m.

Editorial:

Friday, Sept. 2, 12 p.m.

The Ephrata Review office

will be closed

Monday, Sept. 5, but will

re-open Tuesday, Sept. 6.

Happy Labor Day to all! This Week In

The Review

Births A14

Business Review A12

Church A8

Classified B3-5

Cocalico A9-11

Dining Out A20

Editorial A5

Entertainment A19

Obituaries A12-13

Police Log A4

By: GARY P. KLINGER Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

For the first time ever students of Ephrata High School took to a brand new turf field for practice on Tuesday as Ephrata Borough issued an occupancy permit to the Ephrata Area School District.

While work on the field is not completely done, it is sufficiently finished to satisfy the district that students could begin using the field without undo concern about their safety.

"It is a wonderful facility," said District Superintendent Dr. Gerald Rosati, "but there are things that still need to be done by contractors. Also, the facility was built knowing that areas such as rest rooms, a concession stand, and permanent bleachers could be added in the future with booster clubs and community support."

It was not, however, without some fireworks erupting at Monday night’s school board meeting where the necessary permits were issued. At issue was the fact that late in the construction process it was discovered that certain borough inspections were inadvertently missed along the way. Due to the fact that third-party inspectors had been present throughout the construction of the new facility, the borough was satisfied that no safety or structural concerns existed. Nonetheless, because the path to occupancy did not follow the typically prescribed route, the borough asked that the school district indemnify the borough in the unlikely event a structural issue would lead to a lawsuit naming the borough as a defendant.

By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Tyler Sensenig is the top returning runner for the Ephrata boys cross country team. (Review File Photo)Tyler Sensenig is the top returning runner for the Ephrata boys cross country team. (Review File Photo)

First-year Coach Mike Hershberger, who takes over for Ken Cislak this year, inherits a Mountaineer cross country team that figures to be a competitive one in 2011.

The boys’ team, coming off a 4-17 season, returns three of its points scorers from ’10, including senior Tyler Sensenig, who finished fifth in the L-L League last year among boys. Solid runners Billy Hauser and Tyler Gallagher also are back and will be joined by newcomer Samuel Wolde, who Hershberger says could join Hauser and Sensenig among the league’s best.

"The boys team has three very good runners," Hershberger said. "Tyler Sensenig, Billy and Samuel Wolde will compete with the top runners in the league. Tyler Gallagher is a solid runner. Our fifth varsity position is up in the air right now. Our top runners will need to run well against the better opponents in the league and hopefully we will be able to close the gap of time from our number one to our number five runner.

By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

If there is one thing that’s evident based on the first two golf matches of the high school season, it’s that Cocalico should be in the thick of things in the Section Two race.

The Eagles opened the season last Thursday at Foxchase, going a perfect 6-0 on the day to earn the clean sweep of the section. Three of the four in the Cocalico lineup shot in the 70s with Trevor Bensel leading the way with a 74 which placed him second only to Garden Spot’s Aaron Fricke (73) individually on the day. Christian Graybill added a 76 while Nate Sauder came in with a 77. Nathan Artz rounded out the Eagles’ lineup with a solid round of 81 to give the Eagles a grand total of 308 strokes, four ahead of second-place Garden Spot (312).

Solanco (327) was third while L-S (331), Ephrata (341), Manheim Central (342) and Lebanon (498) rounded out the team scores. Ephrata was led by Lacey Bensing and Ryan Lefever, who both carded rounds of 80. Megan Esterbrook was third with an 86 while sophomore Aaron Hubbard closed out the Mounts’ lineup with a 95.

By: TODD RUTH Review Sports Editor truth.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

The Cocalico girls cross country team posted its best record in team history a year ago when the Lady Eagles ran to a record of 14-7.

This year, both the CHS girls and boys teams have aspirations of equaling or bettering that mark.

On the girls’ side, Cocalico returns four of its top runners in seniors Leah Wallace, Avery and Kari Longstaff, and junior Amanda Drexel. That outstanding core group of runners should put the Lady Eagles in the mix for a run at a title this year. However, they are still trying to pick up the pieces following the recent death of teammate Lauren Trefny.

But according to Coach Ron Derr, the tragedy has brought them closer together.

"This team is filled with a large amount of seniors who have been with our program for years, they are very familiar with our expectations and are very motivated to make it an exciting year," he said. "The girls have gone through the devastating experience of losing a teammate this past summer and the experience has really bonded them tightly together."

The public is invited to come down to Denver Fair in Denver Memorial Park on Sept. 16 to hear the sounds of the Rajah Shrine Canters. Visitors will find them by listening to the tones of music and melody.

The Rajah Chanters is the only choral music group within Rajah Shrine. It was organized in 1945 when Noble Jack Mumma was the Illustrious Potentate of Rajah. Early records indicate there were approximately 70 singers — a combination of Shrine Chanters and the Consistory Choir members. Most of the singing was done in conjunction with the Shrine ceremonials and Consistory reunions.

Noble Charles Hoffmaster was the first director of music and served until 1953. He was followed by his cousin, Noble Lester Hoffmaster, who directed the chanters until 1959. Noble Charles Sharman became director of music and served about 22 years.

There was a succession of directors of music for the next four years. Nobles Bernard Leightheiser, Dennis Sharman, Willis Frankhouser and James Matz all directed the Chanters for short periods of time. It was during the short time that Noble Matz was director that Rajah Chanters began to emerge as a competitor in the Mid-Atlantic Shrine Chanters Associations. However, because of professional conflicts, Noble Matz was unable to make a long term commitment as musical director.

By: MICHELLE REIFF Review Staff mreiff.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Robert Cerwin (right), commander of the First Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line, and his wife, Patricia, are two of about a dozen participants who will re-enact life as soldiers during the Revolutionary War during at an encampment at Adamstown Grove on Labor Day weekend as part of the year-long 250th anniversary celebration of the founding of Adamstown.Robert Cerwin (right), commander of the First Pennsylvania Regiment of the Continental Line, and his wife, Patricia, are two of about a dozen participants who will re-enact life as soldiers during the Revolutionary War during at an encampment at Adamstown Grove on Labor Day weekend as part of the year-long 250th anniversary celebration of the founding of Adamstown.

Not too long after Adamstown was founded, another historical event was taking place… soldiers were fighting the Revolutionary War.

Members of the Adamstown 250th Anniversary Committee have decided that what better way to help commemorate the town’s anniversary than to take area residents back to that time period and learn about what life was like as a Revolutionary soldier.