Earlier this year, Congress passed a $787 billion stimulus bill that was supposed to jump start the economy and put Americans back to work.

As the stimulus projects are being revealed, some suggest there’s too much wasteful spending. A federal lawmaker put out a report Tuesday that discloses what he believes to be one-hundred of the worst examples of waste in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. One midstate stimulus project made the list and it’s in Lancaster County.

Senator Coburn puts the train station renovation #8 on his list.  This project, however, has been needed for decades as the station itself has been shuttered that long.  Moreover, while many people who may not ride the train are misinformed:

“Nine million I would think would be a lot,” said Leslye Huebsch of Hershey. “It’s a small town so I wouldn’t think you’d need anything major. It’s not a big stop I wouldn’t think.”

The truth is the Elizabethtown Amtrak stations is the sixth most popular train station in Pennsylvania with 90,644 boardings and alightings in 2008 more than doubling since 2004.  Between the ADA compliant train station renovation and corridor one, the Elizabethtown train station stands to continue its passenger growth becoming an ever more important component to Amtrak’s system.

ELIZABETHTOWN PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESS RELEASE

June 10, 2009

For Immediate Release

Contact: Bethleen Bradford, 717-367-7467, ext. 28

Elizabethtown Public Library Looking for Golfers

Elizabethtown Public Library invites all golfers to participate in the seventh annual Tee It Up Fore Your Library!/Doug Pfautz Memorial Golf Tournament on June 20, 2009. The tournament is in a scramble format at Groff’s Farm Golf Course in Mount Joy, PA with a 7:30AM shotgun start. Both male and female golfers at all levels can participate and support Elizabethtown Public Library. All proceeds from the tournament will go directly to the Library at this critical time.

Anyone interested in golfing in the tournament may contact Elizabethtown Public Library at 717.367.7467 or information@etownpubliclibrary.org. People may also visit the Library’s website at www.etownpubliclibrary.org and click on the link for golf on the home page to find the registration brochure which may be returned to the Library in person or by fax at 717.367.5019 or email. Pre-registration is requested.

Funding for public Libraries in Pennsylvania is an ongoing challenge. Less than one third of the needed funds for basic operations at Elizabethtown Public Library come from the state and local governments. The remaining funds come from Library generated programs and events, such as the Tee It Up Fore Your Library!/Doug Pfautz Memorial Golf Tournament. With the state considering major cutbacks to public Library funding, it is even more imperative that people show their support for public Libraries like Elizabethtown in order to keep their Libraries open.

 Several years ago, the Tee It Up Fore Your Library! tournament began as the major fundraiser for Elizabethtown Public Library. Since that time, it has also become the Doug Pfautz Memorial tournament to honor a champion of the Greater Elizabethtown Area.

From high school and college students to senior citizens and from all over Lancaster and Dauphin Counties and even way beyond, people come together to enjoy a great morning of golf, a refreshing lunch, and many prizes at the Tee It Up Fore Your Library!/Doug Pfautz Memorial Golf Tournament. Occasionally, a business person will even pay the way for students to participate which makes the event even more extraordinary. Deborah Drury Beisell, Executive Director of Elizabethtown Public Library says, “We’re hoping that the community rallies around the Library tournament again this year to support their Library and all of its services to the Greater Elizabethtown Area.”

On Saturday, May 16 at the 106th Elizabethtown College Commencement, Mr. Peter Whipple, Borough Manager of Elizabethtown, received an an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Whipple has served the Borough of Elizabethtown, Pa., for more than three decades. As borough manager, Mr. Whipple has been instrumental in several significant projects that have enhanced the financial health of the community and improved public services to its residents and businesses. Highlighting his tenure with the municipality are projects that raised funding and managed the acquisition of a privately-held water utility, upgraded and expanded the community’s wastewater treatment plant, and planned a $9-million intermodal transportation center renovation.

As a leader of a local task force, Mr. Whipple supported Elizabethtown’s economic growth through the development of a master plan for the borough’s downtown. He also coordinated a major industrial plant expansion in the downtown, which included a $3-million street relocation and extension, and facilitated a $14-million commercial and residential adaptive reuse project involving public and private participation. Reflective of his outstanding leadership and considerable efforts, Elizabethtown Borough was recognized in 2009 with the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence.

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Elizabethtown College’s 106^th Commencement will be held Saturday, May 16, 2009, at 11 a.m. A record number of students, 524, will be participating in this year’s commencement, held in the Dell on the E-town campus. The event is the culmination of a week of special activities for seniors at Elizabethtown College.

Ms. Mary Ellen McNish, General Secretary of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), will address this year’s graduates.  AFSC is a Quaker organization devoted to peace and justice in the U.S. and around the world.  The organization is a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for its work in post-World War II Germany. A graduate of East Stroudsburg University and Johns Hopkins, Ms. McNish has served as General Secretary since 2000.  During that time she has represented AFSC on peace delegations to North Korea, Iran, and Israel/Palestine, as well as at Nobel Peace Laureate Summits. 

During her tenure, the organization has been active in community building in Bosnia, enhancing the education system in Afghanistan, peace advocacy regarding the Iraq war, and flood relief in the gulf region, Honduras, and areas affected by the Tsunami.  She oversees an array of ongoing programs, including those addressing economic and social justice, immigrant rights, African development, and Israeli-Palestinian peace.  She is a frequent speaker on issues regarding human rights, economic justice and conflict transformation. 

Amtrak will celebrate its second annual National Train Day on May 9^th by hosting complimentary events in four of its gateway stations across the U.S., Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.

In addition to the four major market events, communities across the country are encouraged to develop and host their own National Train Day events, which nearly 100 local sponsors participated in hosting for the first National Train Day in 2008.

Nearly three dozen Elizabethtown train station passengers and guests took part in the National Train Day celebration on May 8^th from 7:30 am to 7:51 hosted by Ben and Catya Donahower. Councilman Jeff McCloud spoke about the forthcoming train renovation. AAA Central Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown Library, and the Elizabethtown Chamber of Commerce provided materials for the giveaways and refreshments were on hand.

Ben Donahower said, “this event was a great way to inform local residents about the train station renovations and to highlight the importance of train travel for commuters and the local economy.”

The Elizabethtown station is part of the Keystone and Pennsylvania service lines. The station boasts the sixth highest ridership in Pennsylvania serving 90,644 riders in 2008. The Elizabethtown stop is slated to begin a 9.3 million dollar renovation this year repairing the entire station and ensuring ADA compliance.

The reception will be held in the Cygnet Studios gallery from 7 to 9 pm on May 8th.

Cygnet Studios is located at 336 South Market St, Elizabethtown.

Amtrak will celebrate the second annual National Train Day in May by hosting complimentary events in four of its gateway stations across the U.S., Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles.

In addition to the four major market events, communities across the country are encouraged to develop and host their own National Train Day events, which nearly 100 local sponsors participated in hosting for the first National Train Day in 2008.

Elizabethtown Train Station passengers and guests will take part in the National Train Day celebration on May 8^th from 7:30 am to 7:51 on the westbound platform.  Councilman Jeff McCloud will give be in attendance to give participants more information about the forthcoming train renovation.  Train-themed refreshments and a giveaway bag with valuable coupons and promotional materials is available for participants.  AAA Central Pennsylvania, Elizabethtown Library, and the Elizabethtown Chamber of Commerce provided materials for the giveaways.  National Train Day at the Elizabethtown station is a grassroots event hosted by Ben and Catya Donahower of Elizabethtown Borough.

The Elizabethtown station is part of the Keystone and Pennsylvania service lines.  The station boasts the sixth highest ridership in Pennsylvania serving 90,644 riders in 2008.  The Elizabethtown stop is slated to begin a 9.3 million dollar renovation this year repairing the entire station and ensuring ADA compliance.

About Amtrak

Amtrak has posted six consecutive years of growth in ridership and revenue, carrying more than 28.7 million passengers in the last fiscal year.  Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system.  For schedules, fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com.

Pup-E-Palooza went on this weekend on the Elizabethtown College campus.  See what the event was all about. Watch Video

As part of her Communications Senior Seminar project, Elizabethtown College student Sara Sandhaus created the video for We-Town (along with the new “Welcome” video). The video will be up on the site permanently soon, but you can click below now for a sneak preview!

How-To We-Town!

Are you looking for instruction in a particular activity here on We-Town? Use the time codes below to find whatever you’re looking for within the video:
*How to register—:34
*How to comment on stories—1:25
*How to post a story—2:00
*How to add an image—3:23
*How to put pictures/audio/video in the middle of the story—3:38

The Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster is a great place to see a stellar performance, but there is something you don’t know about this theater. We-town’s Heather Edmonds investigates in this video piece.