Barbara and Louise celebrate their 80th birthday together at a dinner last Saturday.Barbara and Louise celebrate their 80th birthday together at a dinner last Saturday.

On Jan. 14, 1932 Barbara Ann and Edith Louise were born to Caleb and Anna (Hoover) Snader.

They were raised in Ephrata and lived in the same house until Barbara married and moved to Mount Joy. Louise married and remained in the house on Main Street, Ephrata.

Both girls started work at New Holland Machine Company.

Barbara Bair went on to make a career as a secretary at Donegal High School in Mount Joy, where she worked until retirement. She now keeps herself busy with church activities, volunteering at the church thrift shop, card club and meeting for socialization with fellow retirees.

Louise Krick worked as a secretary at the Ephrata Community Hospital, then later at Eaby and Eaby Law Office, which happened to be located in her house on Main Street. She now is involved in church activities, is a member of the Trinity Lutheran alter guild, and keeps busy on outings with friends. Both ladies are avid readers, enjoy visits from family and friends and talk daily to each other on the phone.

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

Rotary District 7390 Governor Helen Redding recognized the newly-merged Denver-Ephrata Area Rotary Club at a meeting Jan. 12. Shown are (left to right) Redding, new member Anthony Martin, President Josh Gluck, new member Michael Hession and Assistant Governor Bill Spence. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)Rotary District 7390 Governor Helen Redding recognized the newly-merged Denver-Ephrata Area Rotary Club at a meeting Jan. 12. Shown are (left to right) Redding, new member Anthony Martin, President Josh Gluck, new member Michael Hession and Assistant Governor Bill Spence. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)

They say there’s strength in numbers.

Two long standing local clubs and their beneficiaries are about to find out how much.

The Denver-Adamstown and Ephrata Rotary clubs have both been serving the area for decades, providing scholarships for students and supporting non-profit groups such as libraries, fire companies and social services. The groups, comprised of business and professional leaders, give approximately $20,000 total back to the community each year.

In an age where it is becoming more difficult to get volunteers and the need for the help is rising, both groups decided it was time to step it up a notch.

By: ANGELA CABEZAS Review Staff acabezas.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Standing in front of the old JCPenney building, future site of Wiggles and Giggles Infant and Toddler Center, are Janice Miller, executive director, and Joel Latshaw, director. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)Standing in front of the old JCPenney building, future site of Wiggles and Giggles Infant and Toddler Center, are Janice Miller, executive director, and Joel Latshaw, director. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)

After weeks of speculation, plans for the former JCPenney and Ephrata Flea Market, located at 19 E. Main St., have finally been revealed.

The building will now be home to Wiggles and Giggles Infant and Toddler Center, an extension of Bethany United Church of Christ’s long-standing child care program.

"We felt that there was a need in the area for this type of center," said Janice Miller, director of Bethany School Age Care, which will continue to operate from the church’s 140 E. Main St. location. "Over the last two years it seems as though almost every week I’ve gotten, on average, two to three calls for either infant or toddler care. We always felt bad telling parents, ‘No, we can’t take your kids.’"

PennDOT Engineering District 8 recently announced that preparatory work will begin this week on a project to replace two Route 272 bridges between Ephrata Borough and the village of Reamstown.

The existing steel I-beam bridges on Route 272 were originally constructed in the 1940s and are considered structurally deficient.

The $3,747,008 contract was awarded on Nov. 29, 2011 to J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen, Chester County, and includes: demolition of the existing structures; construction of a new concrete bridge over Cocalico Creek; replacement of the bridge superstructure and repair to the concrete substructure over the old East Penn Railroad; roadway reconstruction; drainage improvements; guide rail installation; and new traffic lines.

PennDOT reminds motorists that initially they may encounter daytime lane restrictions with flaggers directing traffic through the work zone as crews clear brush and trim trees in preparation for utility relocation.

In March construction crews will begin installation of a temporary traffic signal that will control traffic on Route 272 over the railroad tracks in Ephrata Township. When this signal becomes operational, the bridge will be restricted to a single lane for the duration of the construction project.

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

As previously published in the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era, the state has cleared Ephrata Area School District following an investigation of irregularities in its students’ standardized test scores.

Irregularities were found during a 2009 review of Pennsylvania System of School Assessment scores from Fulton Elementary School in Ephrata and Hamilton Elementary and Wheatland and Lincoln middle schools in The School District of Lancaster. These schools were among 89 singled out in the July 2009 forensic report, which analyzed PSSA math and reading scores from 2009. The report did not accuse the schools of cheating.

Pennsylvania uses PSSA results to determine whether schools are making "adequate yearly progress," or AYP, in compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind law. State Department of Education officials began investigating after learning of the report in 2011. Department spokesperson Tim Eller said this month 28 school districts and charter schools, including Ephrata, were notified that they had been cleared.

Special agents with the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General are investigating alleged mail theft involving an Ephrata Post Office employee.

"This employee has been placed in a non-duty status pending the completion of the investigation," said Special Agent Scott Balfour, public information officer. "As the investigation is on-going and no criminal charges have been filed yet, I cannot provide further details at this time.

"However, if anyone believes they have been a victim of mail theft, they should contact the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General at uspsoig.gov or 888-USPS-OIG. Incidents of this nature are very rare among the 500,000 postal employees, but special agents … aggressively pursue and seek the prosecution and removal of those few employees who do decide to betray America’s trust in the postal service."

Sandra L. Uphold, 56, of Ephrata, passed away on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012 at Ephrata Community Hospital after a lengthy illness.

Sandra was born in Harrisburg, daughter of Lloyd H. and Shirley M. (Fellman) Johnson.

She was employed as a retail store manager at The Children’s Place in Hershey.

In addition to her parents, she is survived by a daughter: Heather M., wife of Shawn Sweigart, of Ephrata; a son: Jonathan A. Sapochak, of Harrisburg; a granddaughter: Kaylee A. Sweigart, of Ephrata; and two brothers: Lloyd Johnson, husband of Pamela, of Enola; and Jeffrey Johnson, of Harrisburg.

Memorial services will begin at 11 a.m. on Jan. 21 at Paul L. Gravenor Home For Funerals, 100 W. Main St., Ephrata, with the Rev. Ron Smith officiating. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.

To offer condolences, visit gravenorhomeforfunerals.com.

Ronald E. Steinmetz, 62, of Ephrata, passed away Friday, Jan. 13, 2012 at Lancaster General Hospital.

He was born in Ephrata to the late Earl and Emma (Sweigart) Steinmetz and was the husband of Phyllis L. (Wolosyn) Steinmetz, with whom he shared 24 years of marriage.

Ronald served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. He enjoyed hunting, playing with his grandchildren and being a truck driver.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by a son: Todd, husband of Cathy Steinmetz, of Gap; four grandchildren; one great- grandchild; a brother: Dennis, husband of Norlene Steinmetz, of Stevens; and two sisters: Diane George, of Willow Street; and Lorainne, wife of Wesley Smith, of Mt. Airy.

He was preceded in death by a brother: Randy Steinmetz.

A graveside service will be held on Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. at the Indiantown Gap National Cemetery, Annville, with military honors. Pastor Rick Fairman will be officiating.

Donations to help with funeral costs may be sent to Bread of Life Fellowship, 930 W. Route 897, Reinholds, PA 17569.

Arrangements are being made by Stradling Funeral Homes Inc., Akron/Ephrata. Online condolences can be given at stradlingfuneralhome.com.

Russell R. Mumma, 53, of Denver, passed away Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012 at his residence.

Born in Ephrata, Russell was the son of LeRoy E. Mumma and the late Julia (Royer) Mumma.

In addition to his father, he is survived by a daughter: Lori, wife of Shawn Herr, and a granddaughter: Ashley Herr, all of Manheim; and a sister: Joyce, wife of Peter Kuhn, of Ephrata.

The memorial service will be held on Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. at Paul L. Gravenor Home For Funerals, 100 W. Main St., Ephrata, with the Rev. Adam Forry officiating. Interment will be in Bergstrasse Lutheran Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, consider donations to the family to help defray funeral costs.

To offer condolences, visit gravenorhomeforfunerals.com.