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

The Cocalico School District board approved its 2012-2013 proposed budget at a special meeting on May 14.

After months of determining ways to cut costs, the board settled on an increase of 2.65 percent. The .43 mills translates to $609,737 of new revenue for the district.

Sherri Stull, board secretary, said the need for the increase is being primarily driven by two line items.

"If you would remove the employers contribution and the health insurance, you would actually get an overall budget to budget decrease of approximately $201,000 or .4 percent," she said.

The district’s total budget will be just over $49.9 million. The expected revenue only totals approximately $47.1, but committed funds from PSERS of approximately $2.8 million will be used to make up the difference.

The 2.1 percent tax increase will bring the school district’s total millage to 21.32. The impact on the median assessed home, valued at $138,200, will be a $59.43 tax increase.

Dr. Bruce Sensenig, superintendent, compared the school district’s budget management to the game of Jenga.

By: ALICE HUMMER Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

The proposed 138,000-square-foot warehouse and distribution center approved for Amelia’s Grocery Outlet is on hold, East Cocalico Supervisors learned at their May 10th meeting.

Original plans called for a rooftop rainwater collection/recycling system that would provide water for domestic use and a fire suppression system.

"Due to the change of ownership, let’s allow them an time extension," the planning commission recommended, leading supervisors to grant Amelia’s an additional three months.

Addressing the East Cocalico Swim Team’s request for hanging banners at the pool, Mark Heister, Township manager, said, "I’ve talked to the road crew. We think we can make that work." Previously, supervisors had expressed some reservation with the largest sized banner, which is 4 feet by 8 feet.

Supervisors renewed their Local Bridges Engineering Agreement after consultation with transportation engineer, Scott Russell. The state will continue to inspect the bridges in the township, and the cost will be the usual 80/20 split, with the township assessed 20 percent. No money gets paid out for this.

"This happens only through a deduction in our liquid fuels tax amount before it is paid by the state to us," Heister said.

Repairs to the flood damaged Denver Skate Park have been completed. Now called Denver Skate and Bike Park, it is scheduled to reopen on May 17 following an opening ceremony at 5:30 p.m.

Types of equipment allowed in the new park include skateboards, BMX-style bicycles and scooters.

Volunteers have been busy making preparations for the annual Adamstown Community Days festival, set for Memorial Day weekend, May 25 through 27. Shown are (front, left to right) Jack Lammey and Joe Dietrich, festival chair; (back, l-r) Ahawn McCafferty, Adamstown Duck and Becky and Conner McCafferty. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)

Adamstown Community Days (ACD) will be held over Memorial Day weekend from May 25 to 27 in Adamstown’s Community Park.

There will be carnival rides, games and lots of food. There is no charge for parking or admission. Entertainment on all three days will be free. The festival will conclude with fireworks on Sunday at 10 p.m.

Throughout the family-friendly, three-day event, there will be all types of food available, much of it served by local non-profit groups. The Adamstown Area Woman’s Club will be serving strawberry shortcake and strawberry sundaes made with Boehringer’s ice cream. Adamstown Boy Scouts will grill hamburgers and hot dogs. The Cocalico Girls Softball Association will again be serving roast beef sandwiches.

There will be a lot of games for children and adults. The Adamstown YMCA will again be setting up a dunk tank and giving participants a chance to dunk their favorite local celebrities.

Mellingers Evangelical Lutheran Church is celebrating its 150th anniversary in the Stevens community with several events in May and June.

Mellingers Evangelical Lutheran Church is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

The first service held at Mellingers was in December of 1861. The first Holy Communion was celebrated in June of 1862.

In May and June, previous pastors, vicars and deaconess will preach with Bishop Hoover coming on June 10. They will include: May 13, Sister Phyllis Enck; May 20, Rev. Traci Glover; May 27, Rev. Robert Kurz; June 3, Rev. John Minnich; and June 10, Rev. Bishop Penrose Hoover.

The events will lead up to the June 3 Holy Trinity Sunday service of Holy Communion at 9 a.m. and a hymn sing at 4 p.m. at Homecoming. Pastor John Minnich, son of long time and beloved Mellingers pastor, Rev. Harold Minnich, will preach at the morning service. Linda Weaver brought up the concept of Homecoming, which was an event that occurred once each year uniting the congregations of Mellingers, Swamp, Reinholds and Salem Lincoln. The members of the congregations would gather for a meal and a worship service.

Girls in grades 2-10 and their parents are invited to join Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania (GSHPA) to find out more about it at our Summer Camp Open House at Camp Furnace Hills in Denver.

The Open House will be held on May 12 from 1 to 4 p.m.

As the school year is winding down, many girls and their parents are beginning to think about how they will spend their vacations and planning summer activities. What better way to get the summer started than making new friends, singing songs around the campfire and taking on bold new adventures? This year marks the last chance for Girl Scouts to go camping during the first 100 years of Girl Scouting.

Girl Scout Summer Camp offers a wide variety of fun, exciting and enriching activities for girls to choose from so they can make each day at camp their own new adventure and create memories that will last a lifetime. This yea include: horseback riding, archery, boating and canoeing, arts and crafts, wildlife observation, swimming, off-site trips to local attractions, and hiking.

A group of Josh Montpetit's family members are pictured at the registration table prior to last year's 'Miles in Memory of Josh' bike ride event at the Mt. Gretna bike trail.A group of Josh Montpetit's family members are pictured at the registration table prior to last year's 'Miles in Memory of Josh' bike ride event at the Mt. Gretna bike trail.

Anna R. Zerbe Good, 98, of Narvon, died May 4, 2012, at Zerbe Sisters Nursing Center.

Born in Brecknock Township, Lancaster County, she was a daughter of the late Theodore F. and Mary Ann (Wise) Zerbe. Her husband, Omar B. "Curly" Good, died May 22, 1978.

Co-founder, former owner and dietary supervisor of Zerbe Sisters Nursing Center & Woodland Heights Retirement Community, Narvon, she and her husband and sisters started Good’s Convalescent Home in 1958, and renamed it after moving it to the former Dr. Walter Rigg’s estate. They also owned and operated Triple Z Hosiery Mill, Bowmansville, Shupp’s Grove (an early entertainment center), and had food concessions at Reading, New Holland, Ephrata and Allentown Fairs. She was a graduate of Hoyt’s School of Nursing, Lancaster, Willow Street Vo-Tech Nursing Program and received her associate of science degree in 1981 from Elizabethtown College. In the 40′s and 50′s, Ann, her husband, sisters and niece, entertained as "Zerbe Sisters, Curley and Little Nancy Ann" where she sang and played mandolin. They performed at fairs, on area radio programs and were featured on NBC’s Today and The Arlene Frances Show. She was a member of St. Paul’s United Church of Christ (UCC), Bowmansville, and attended Salem UCC, Oley.

Leo Club members from Cocalico High School get in shape for the run/walk being held on May 13 in memorium of John Keene IV. Shown are (left to right) Anja Ferry, Amanda Drexel, Jen Newman, Lauren Waskowicz, Samantha Young, Kara Hess, Leah Wallace and John's wife, Lynn Keene. Missing from photo was Olivia Evans. (Photo by Preston Whitcraft)

The Cocalico High School Leo Club is hosting the 5K for Johnnie K run/walk on May 13 at 1 p.m. at the Adamstown Community Pool in Adamstown. All profits made at the race will directly benefit the Middle Creek Wildlife Sanctuary located in Kleinfeltersville. This event is being held to honor the life of John Keene IV, an avid runner and frequent visitor of Middle Creek.

Because putting together a successful race takes so much time, effort, supplies and money, the club is in need of help. It is looking for companies who are able and willing to donate gift cards and other prizes for top runners as well as food and drinks for the participants to enjoy after the race. Any business who is not able to contribute any material items may make a flat donation of at least $20 in exchange for the name of the business printed on the back of the race T-shirts.