Despite a drizzling rain, the crowds came out early to the debut of the new Ephrata open air farmers market at the Whistlestop Plaza. Dave Lefever and the Curious Kin (bottom left) got everyone moving with quality local music, while earlier (bottom right) Edna Sheaffer enjoyed a mid-morning hot dog. (Photos by Stan Hall)

The debut of the new Ephrata Merchants "open air" farmers market in downtown Ephrata was a big hit last Saturday at the Whistlestop Plaza near the former train station.

With just a light rain falling, community leaders blew train whistles to officially get things underway. In just a matter of hours, the tradition took hold.

"After the event, it gave me goosebumps and I became tearful that the community rallied together way beyond what we expected," said Stephanie Harley of the Merchants. "The downtown was a perfect picture of neighbors coming together for their community. The streets and surrounding shops were busy and most of the vendors sold out or had to travel back to their farms for more products. Many people said this is how they remembered their town and were very pleased to see the event happening and look forward to the next one."

Michael A. Amico

Michael A. Amico, of Lititz, passed away Friday, May 17, 2013 at Hospice & Community Care.

Born in Lancaster, Mike was the son of the late Michael Alphonso and Susan Amico. He was a graduate of J.P. McCaskey High School and served in the Philippines during his time in the Air Force.

Mike was a buyer at Hager’s Department Store in Lancaster, then Merchandise Manager at Hess’s Department Store both in Allentown and Lancaster. In 1972 he and his wife, Edith, purchased Galens of Ephrata which for 40 years was Mike’s passion until they retired in 2012.

Mike was a longtime, active member of the Sertoma Club of Lancaster and the Lancaster Elks Lodge #134. He loved traveling with friends and family and enjoyed working around his home.

Mike was devoted to his family. In addition to his wife Edith, he is survived by two daughters: Kim, wife of Thomas Speer of Germany; and Heidi Rietschy of Lititz; a grandson: Sven; a sister: Dorothy Misko; and two nephews: George, married to Joan Misko; Steven Misko; and Frank Kirkpatrick, who is considered as a part of their family. He was predeceased by a niece: Barbara Hunter.

By:

GARY P. KLINGER Review Correspondent

, Staff Writer

As it passed a tentative budget for 2013-14, the Ephrata Area School District took a look even further down the road, detailing what appears to be a rather rocky financial ride over the next four years.

The preliminary budget passed at the May 13 school board meeting calls for a 2.06 percent increase over funding levels from 2012-2013. This also calls for a .40 mil increase in taxes.

But the news gets worse. With projected cuts in funding, coupled with increases in district obligations all coming together concurrently, district leaders are planning for the future by projecting an average 2 percent increase in taxes for each of the next four years. Despite this increase in revenues, district projections take the school system from a budget surplus of $448,097 during the current school year to a budget deficit of $398,976 in 2013-2014. And that $847,073 swing from black ink to red only grows with time, with projected a projected budget deficit of $2,036,731 in 2014-2015, $3,026,380 in 2015-2016, and $3,731,965 in 2016-2017.

The district said one main cause for the forecasted fiscal challenges is PSERS (Public School Employees Retirement System) obligations. School board president Tim Stayer commented on this challenge.

Brigadier Gen. George M. Schwartz

In a joint effort between the American Legion Post No. 429, BPO Elks Lodge No. 1933, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 3376 and the Amvets Post No. 136, a Memorial Day program will be held beginning at 9 a.m. May 27 at Ephrata War Memorial Field.

Opening remarks will be made by Dave Groff and the invocation will be given by the Rev. John C. Miller. John Bottomly will perform on the bag pipes.

The Ephrata High School Band will also perform the national anthem and Taps.

The featured guest speaker is Brigadier Gen. George M. Schwartz, who is a career combat arms officer with a record of success leading mounted warriors. He is dual-hatted as an Assistant Adjutant General of the Pennsylvania National Guard and as the Deputy Commanding General, First Army, Division East.

A Philadelphia native, Schwartz lives with his wife Nicole and two daughters in Phoenixville. In his civilian career, he is a human resources and organizational development consultant and his broad experience includes work with Fortune 500 companies.

The American Legion Post will be holding a free breakfast for everyone attending directly following the service.

Richard Hornberger

At their May 13 meeting, the Ephrata Area Board of School Directors approved the hiring of Richard Hornberger as the new assistant superintendent of secondary education.

He will replace Dr. Brian Troop, who was appointed superintendent at the board’s March meeting.

Hornberger currently serves the Northern Lebanon School District in a dual capacity as the director of secondary education and the high school principal. He was previously an adjunct professor at Cabrini College, elementary principal, assistant elementary school principal and teacher. He earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Lebanon Valley College, a master of education degree in teaching and curriculum from Penn State, and his superintendent letter of eligibility from California University of Pennsylvania.

By:

ANDY FASNACHT Review Editor afasnacht.eph@lnpnews.com

, Staff Writer

Having trouble finding any election signs out there?

With only a few contested races in the Review’s coverage area, the colorful placards which typically are a sure sign of spring locally have been few and far between.

In the Ephrata area, the only real drama for next Tuesday’s primary will be in Akron Borough where six Republican candidates will be vying for four borough council seats. Incumbents Perry Lorah, Justin Gehman, and president Thomas Murray join George Darby, a current member of the zoning board, and newcomers Marlyn "Jeff" Jefferson and Steven F. Weisbrod in the race.

Akron already has a new face on its board, as local civic leader Kay McElhenny was appointed last month to fill a vacancy created when David Landis resigned. That position however, was not up for re-election.

Of the new candidates, Republican Chairman Glen Beiler said Weisbrod was the only one to contact the committee after they put an ad out in January.

"Our committee never heard from the other newcomers," Beiler said. "We conducted interviews and are supporting the three incumbents and Steve."

Taken in November, 1948 at ECH, then located in the Ephrata Mountain Springs Hotel, this photo shows (Mrs. Arthur) Pearl Irene (Barnhart) Spohn holding her newborn son Clarence E. Spohn.

Mom is the May theme for our monthly "It’s All About You!" photo contest.

Send us your favorite photos of dear Mom, whether its a current picture or a memorial from yesteryear. Deadline for submissions is May 21, and the photos will be published in our May 30 edition.

Send your high-resolution jpegs to Andy Fasnacht at afasnacht.eph@LNPnews.com. Photos can also be dropped off at our Ephrata office or mailed to P.O. Box 527, Ephrata, PA 17522.

When submitting photos, please include all necessary identifications and your contact information (in case we have any questions). Submitted information should include names of those in the photos, your local connection, where and when the photos were taken, and identity of the photographer.

Please limit the number of submitted photos to three.

By:

GARY P. KLINGER klingerglobal@gmail.com

, Staff Writer

Council unanimously approved a revision to the borough’s policy regarding the code on alcoholic beverages on borough property during its May 13 meeting.

Since it was originally enacted, the borough has added several additional locations. The revisions account for all borough properties, allowing the use of not-for-sale alcoholic beverages but will be considered and approved on a case-by-case basis.

"The main reason for the revision is to bring its wording up to speed with current times," noted special projects committee chair Melvin Weiler. "We will still consider applications regarding not-for-sale alcohol on borough properties on a case-by-case basis."

The Ephrata Public Library will take advantage of the change and serve wine at the VIP invitation-only Discover Earth event on May 18.

A special flag now adorns the flag pole at the Whistle Stop Plaza in Downtown Ephrata thanks to the effort of the borough’s Shade Tree Commission who filled obligations necessary to earn Ephrata a distinction of being a Tree City USA.

Council member and chair of the recently reactivated Shade Tree Commission George DiIlio updated council on measures being taken to maintain and enhance what DiIlio described as our urban forest.

An Ephrata Borough worker brings in the enormous box containing parts of the Discover Earth exhibit which opens here Saturday. (Photo by Rebecca Zinner)

Beginning Saturday, the Ephrata Public Library will be transformed into a community science project as the "Discover Earth: A Century of Change" exhibition opens to the public.

The exhibition has been traveling the United States visiting 10 libraries selected through a grant process conducted by the American Library Association. The exhibit features an 18-inch-diameter Magic Planet globe and a 42-inch multi-touch table computer. The exhibit incorporates personal narratives, stunning graphics, video, animations, weather artifacts, animal specimens and simulation-based educational games. In addition, the library received a real-time digital weather station that collects data and shows how local temperature, pressure and precipitation change during the time the exhibition is at the library. The exhibition will allow visitors to understand how Earth’s global environment changes, and is changed by, the local environment of all the exhibition host communities.

MICHAEL C. UPTON
Record Express Correspondent
Elmo (or at least his voice actor) is facing allegations of inappropriate behavior. Cookie Monster now tells kids to eat healthy snacks. A magical fairy has replaced most of the classic characters — an appearance by Oscar the Grouch or The Count is a rarity. Sesame Street has definitely changed and I don’t like it. What does all of this have to do with EPAC’s current production? A lot more than one would think.
“Avenue Q” opened Thursday, May 2 to a packed audience at the Sharadin Bigler Theatre. Director Ed Fernandez welcomed all to a performance of “puppets talking badly and puppets acting badly.” He was right; this puppet-filled musical is definitely not for children.
Tearing a page from the childhood memories of many theatergoers, “Avenue Q” uses the platform established by children’s programming like “Sesame Street” to deliver a heavy, adult tale. Our hero, Princeton, is a recent college graduate as we quickly learn through his song, “What do you do with a B.A. in English?” Princeton has made his way all the way down to Avenue Q — having started at the affluent Avenue A — in search of affordable shelter in the big city. Here he meets a cast of characters who are stuck on the idea their life sucks, literally delivered through the song “It sucks to be me.” Finally meeting the superintendent of the rental buildings, Gary Coleman — yes, the real life character of Gary Coleman, complete with “What ch’you talkin’ ’bout?” jokes — Princeton takes residence on Avenue Q and befriends our heroine, Kate Monster.
Yes, just like “Sesame Street,” “Avenue Q” incorporates both humans and monsters into the reality of the surroundings. Trekkie Monster — no relation to Kate — is a porn hungry beast in the style of Cookie Monster. In the original Broadway musical, Trekkie resembles something from “Where the Wild Things Are,” but at EPAC he takes a more modern form like that of a fuzzy Muno from “Yo Gabba Gabba!”
By the end of the side-splinteringly funny act one, viewers have also met Nicky and Rod, two human puppets who are obviously fashioned after Bert and Ernie; Lucy the Slut, pretty obvious what she represents; Mrs. T, Kate’s boss with and absurdly funny name; and Brian, a regular human with his heart set on a career in comedy and his stereotypically portrayed Asian wife, Christmas Eve.
A great appreciation goes out to all the actors who have turned into puppeteers; that is no easy task. Sean Deffley is the actor behind both Princeton and the closeted Bert, a.k.a. Rod, who is a Republican investment banker. Gary Coleman is portrayed perfectly and comically by Jeremy Patterson. Patterson is making his triumphant debut at EPAC after establishing a wealth of credits in the Harrisburg area. Bob Breen, most recently seen in “Angels in America” at EPAC, returns as a Hawaiian shirt donning and not so funny Brian. His wife, Christmas Eve, is portrayed by Lindsay Levine, a junior at Millersville University making her EPAC premiere. Showing some incredible vocal range, Preston Schreffler took on the role of both Nicky (think Ernie) and Trekkie (try not to think too much).
One of act one’s prize performances is “If you were gay,” sung by Nicky. Preston brings another impressive array of credits from the Harrisburg area to Ephrata for the first time; he has performed in “The Mikado,” “Hamlet,” “Around the World in 80 Days,” and other notable presentations.
Stealing the show was Katelyn Ann Mullen, who ripped the rafters off (figuratively) this “community theater” production of “Avenue Q.” Her performance during the musical numbers “There’s a fine line,” “Mix tape” and “Fantasies come true” are nothing short of incredible. Her voice is powerful, motivating, telling, all while never going over the top into the realm of unbelievability. Kate Monster rocks! (If you see the show and want to give a special shout out to Mullen, tweet with the hashtag #doyouhearthepuppetssing.)
In “Avenue Q,” sometimes the behind the scenes action is actually right in front of our eyes. Much of this production would not be able to progress without the helping hand of puppeteer Heidi Carletti, who assisted several monsters with their animated delivery. Carletti also appears in one of my favorite scenes as a cardboard box in “Purpose,” which is the ultimate theme to “Avenue Q.” Delivered through a myriad of throwback ideas, “Purpose” sets the plot for the show and delivers a campy, yet genuine, homage to the television of our youth. The show would not be complete without the help of Carletti and fellow puppeteers Brandon Kegerize and Kathleen Harris Brantman — the smallest details are what make the biggest differences sometimes. Carletti and Kegerize also team up with Levine to form the Bad Idea Bears whose antics shook the seats of the theater from audience laughter.
“Avenue Q” forces actors to strike a delicate balance between being on stage and hiding behind a puppet. It is more than just a puppet show and the actors flowed incredibly well with their animated counterparts. The musical recalls many references from children’s television and incorporates some of those aspects through the use of recently installed flat screen televisions mounted in the rigging of the Sharadin Bigler Theatre. It’s a cute addition, but I couldn’t help fixate on their small size against the expansiveness of the stage. In some seats the screens are almost blocked entirely by mounted lighting. I wonder if this is a result of a small, community theater budget or an artistic choice by the director? Whichever, the size of the screen did not detract too much from the entirety of the show.
If not offended by the sight of puppets in the throes of passion, or language a little unsavory, I would say EPAC’s production of “Avenue Q” is a must see for any fan of hilarity, morality, or good old debauchery — plus some great musical theater.