By: ANDY FASNACHT Review Editor afasnacht.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

Those concerned that a local bridge project may impact an annual Mother’s Day tradition can rest easily.

Officials from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, hosts of the annual Mother’s Day convoy which goes through town, confirmed Tuesday that plans are in place to ensure that the parade of trucks will be able to travel Route 272 without interruption. This despite the one-lane of traffic on the highway at Steinmetz Road on the south end of the borough limits, caused by the bridge work being done there.

"Our plan is to keep the convoy on the historical route through Ephrata," said M. Paulette Battenfelder, regional executive director Make-A-Wish Philadelphia and Susquehanna Valley. "We will re-route southbound traffic on Rt. 272 at Rothsville Road to Newport Road, Rt. 772, and back on to southbound 272. This is the plan for 1.5 hours during the convoy. We will have traffic

By: GARY P. KLINGER Review Correspondent, Staff Writer

An agreement signed last week between Ephrata Township and the Hope United Methodist Church on Rothsville Road has moved the proposed rail trail project to the next level.

The agreement was an easement giving the township permission to go around a retention pond and onto church property for the purpose of extending the rail trail. This eliminates the need to re-engineer that portion of the trail which would have been blocked by the retention pond had an agreement not been reached with the congregation.

"We are very appreciative of the United Methodist Church," stated chairman of the board of supervisors, Clark Stauffer, who explained that the retention pond had been built for Tapsco several years ago. "Without the church granting this easement, it would have been very costly to the township to reshape and redirect that in order to move forward."

Hope United Methodist Church granted

Debra Sheaffer took this picture at Winterthur. She says there is so much color and photo opportunity there. Here is a patch of spring flowers that caught her eye on a walk. (Photo by Debra L. Sheaffer)

Congratulations, Debra Shaeffer, you’ve won this month’s "It’s All About You" photo contest for your photo of spring flowers. This month’s prize is a $25 gift certificate to Bright’s Family Style Restaurant, 1025 S. State St., Ephrata.

Check out all of the springtime and Easter photos submitted by readers on page B5-6.

And start sending in your photos for next month’s them. In May, it’s all about Mom!

Send your high-resolution jpegs to Stephen Seeber at afasnacht.eph@LNPnews.com. Photos can also be