By: JACQUELINE WATSON Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Akron Lions Club members are celebrating 75 years of serving the community with the start of this club year. (Photo by Stan Hall)

It takes about 10 seconds for a stranger coming into an Akron Lions Club gathering to feel welcome and comfortable.

The camaraderie shared between the members is immediately contagious. Although the club members clearly enjoy just being together, the club’s main focus is serving.

The Akron Lions Club has spent three quarters of a century serving. These 75 years have been full ones for the Akron Lions Club with both changes and constants.

One constant has been service to the community. Some of the ways and organizations through which this service is offered have varied over the years, but never stopped. In fact, the number of organizations supported by the Akron Lions Club has increased over the years.

"We do a lot for the community…We’ve given over a million dollars in 75 years back to the community…It’s got to be well over that," pointed out 14-year member Tim Weiser.

By: REVIEW STAFF, Staff Writer

Ephrata Borough was recently notified that three pools of mosquitoes (two in the vicinity of the Jeff Avenue wetlands and one from the 100 block of West Fulton Street) sampled as part of the county’s bi-weekly mosquito surveillance program tested positive for West Nile Virus.

A pool is a collection of mosquitoes of the same species not exceeding 50 in number. A positive test could indicate as few as one infected mosquito or as many as all mosquitoes in the pool.

The species of mosquito that tested positive, Culex Restuans and Culex Pipiens are mostly bird feeders that amplify the virus. This data is very typical for all counties across the state.

Ephrata Borough Manager Bob Thompson was asked to give some perspective to this new information.

"Infected mosquitoes have only been recently detected in the borough, whereas other areas in the county and surrounding counties have been infected for several months," Thompson said.

So what are the odds someone here may become infected?

"Since the mosquito species identified favor birds, the odds of someone in the Borough becoming infected is very low at this time," he said.

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

The Ephrata Area School District board met on Aug. 21 prior to welcoming students back for 2012-13 — a year complete with new intermediate school administration and starting/ending times district-wide.

Gangi Cucciuffo, middle school principal since 2009, will now lead both the intermediate and middle schools as principal; while Eric Martin, a former middle school math teacher, will be the new assistant principal on the intermediate level. Russ Garman continues as middle school assistant principal.

"The district staff and administration are excited and ready for the start of the new school year, which is a time for new beginnings, new challenges and goals and renewed energy," said Dr. Gerald Rosati, superintendent. "A student-centered education remains our top priority and helping students achieve success is the reward for this priority. We are looking forward to a wonderful school year."

In order to accommodate the transportation of students and provide increased instructional time at the middle and high school levels, the following adjustments to the arrival and departure times of students in the district will be made: elementary: 8:55 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (10-minute shift from current schedule); intermediate: 8:25 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. (10-minute shift from current schedule); middle: 7:20 a.m. to 2:50 p.m. (13 minutes longer than current schedule); and high: 7:30 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. (15 minutes longer than current schedule).

Cocalico School District students will benefit from the proceeds of the upcoming Cocalico Education Foundation yard sale at Denver Elementary School on Sept. 8.

The Cocalico Education Foundation (CEF), an organization that supports special classroom and school projects and provides scholarships and other support for Cocalico School District students, will be hosting a yard sale on the Denver Elementary School Parking Lot on Sept. 8 from 8 a.m. to noon. This fund-raising event coincides with the Denver Community Yard Sale.

Stand spaces can be reserved by completing an application and mailing it, along with the rental fee of $5 per parking space, to Denver Elementary School, Attn: Sharon Myers, 700 South Fourth Street, Denver, PA 17517 or by dropping it off at the Denver Elementary School Office. Applications can be printed from the Cocalico Education Foundation’s website or picked up in any of Cocalico’s school offices. Completed applications are due by Aug. 29.

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

Cocalico School District is off to a roaring start in the area of technology for the 2012-13 year.

Cocalico Connections, the district’s new online learning program, has 18 students enrolled for the 2012-13 year — six middle and 13 high school — Ella Musser, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment, told the board at its Aug. 20 meeting. When students in the high school taking additional courses are added, the grand total enrolled is 39.

"Those numbers are changing all the time. We still have parents calling and saying, ‘Can I still sign up?’" she said.

Cocalico Connections launched to provide full-time online learning to students. Anyone enrolled in Cocalico Connections has to meet the same graduation requirements and will be awarded a high school diploma. A variety of options are available: partial in high school, partial at home, full-time in high school online and full-time at home.

"We’ll know more next year about the program and how it functions best because it is a new venture," said Mr. Kent Sweigart, director of technology services.

By: ALICE HUMMER Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

Citizen Mike Grant was on a mission at Denver Borough Council’s Aug. 13 meeting.

"I think we’ve given these kids at the park enough warnings about not being in the pavilion … throwing their garbage everywhere … and damaging property (eight electrical receptacles and a conduit in the pavilion)," said the resident.

"We should close the skate park until after the Denver Fair, or until we find out who caused the property damage in the pavilion," he suggested.

"It’s a shame that due to a few kid’s poor choices, all kids have to suffer," said councilman Rodney Redcay. "I really hate to close the park because there are good kids who come out and use the skate park."

"This year has been a problem at all of our municipal parks," said Sgt. Ray Burns of the East Cocalico Police Department, who attended the meeting to give the police report. "It seems (vandalism) goes in cycles."

Borough manager Mike Hession spoke of items discussed to alleviate the situation, such as additional cameras and additional police presence at the park. Hession said several councilmen have spoken to the skate and bike park users.

The Denver Fair Committee is in need of volunteers to give about two hours during fair week, Sept. 11 to 15, to be a "watcher" in the Denver Rec Center, where exhibits are displayed and kept for all to see but not touch. The volunteers will be able to sit while they watch the displays.

If interested, call 336-6270, leave name and phone number, and someone will call back.

According to reports, Ephrata is set to name Manheim Township graduate Kirstin Schneider as its next girls lacrosse coach.

Her appointment is pending school board approval.

Schneider, who lives in Lititz, comes to Ephrata after guiding the Cumberland Valley girls to a 17-2 record a year ago. If approved, she’ll replace Tara Walls.