The animated short film that won top honors at the Mount Gretna Film Festival on Sunday has also taken honors at the renowned Sundance Film Festival.
James Mentzer
James Mentzer is a freelance writer and lifelong resident of Pennsylvania. He has spent his professional career writing about agriculture, economic development, manufacturing and the energy and real estate industries, and is the county reporter and a features writer for LebTown.
James is an outdoor enthusiast whose hobbies include hunting, Ultimate frisbee, disc golf, spikeball and pickleball, biking, traveling and attending live concerts for a number of bands, including moe., String Cheese Incident and Widespread Panic.
His published works include the books Pennsylvania Manufacturing: Alive and Well; Bucks County: A Snapshot in Time; United States Merchant Marine Academy: In Service to the Nation 1943-2018; A Century of Excellence: Spring Brook Country Club 1921-2021; Lancaster Development, Inc.: An American Story of Family and Infrastructure, and several other titles. He has also had business profiles published in Central Pennsylvania: Our Time Has Come, and an article in The Columbiad, a scholarly publication of Civil War Times Illustrated, concerning a little-known African American fort and battle along the James River in Virginia. Another book is currently in production for Morris Country Club in Morris, Illinois.
Posted inNews
Bethel Township supervisors to consider sidewalk issue at September session
Bethel Township supervisors tabled a motion Thursday to approve a stormwater management agreement for a sidewalk project on Airport Road.
Posted inPeople & Places
Academy animators bring ‘breath of life’ to Mount Gretna’s growing film festival
Animation took center stage Saturday at the third annual Mount Gretna International Film Festival, a first for the festival created in memory of Michael Evan Deitzler.
Posted inEducation
N. Lebanon SD reaches agreement with Bethel Twp. over sidewalk payment
Northern Lebanon School District, Bethel Township settle sidewalk payment disagreement, officials say.
Posted inNews
N. Annville Twp. supervisors grant conditional approval to poultry operation
North Annville Township supervisors approve two land development plans, among other actions, at their Aug. 10 meeting.
Posted inNews
Is an Independent Redistricting Commission a good idea for PA?
LebTown examines the issue of redistricting and asks local legislators about their views.
Posted inBusiness & Nonprofits
Lebanon Valley Expo breaks ground on $10 million exposition hall
Officials broke ground Monday on a $10 million, 15,000-square-foot expansion at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center & Fairgrounds, set for completion before the 2027 Lebanon Fair.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County gets donated hazmat equipment from former service provider
Lebanon County Commissioners accepted a donation of hazmat equipment worth $100,000 to $150,000 from Hazmat 2 Environmental Fire Rescue Company, which is transitioning into an education foundation.
Posted inEducation
Palmyra school board adds four new members to fill vacancies
The Palmyra Area School District board accepted the resignations of four members, including its president and vice president, and filled the vacancies with new appointees during its Aug. 6 meeting.
Posted inPeople & Places
Hostetter family in East Hanover Twp. recognized as Century Farm owners
The Hostetter Farm in East Hanover Township, founded by Leroy Hostetter in 1926, was recently recognized as a Century Farm.
Posted inLebanon Area Fair
2026 Lebanon Area Fair sees large crowds at events during week-long run
It was a banner year for the 2026 Lebanon Area Fair, according to fair officials.
Posted inNews
County commissioners told housing crisis continues in the Lebanon Valley
Lebanon County Housing Collaborative Director Caitlin Lockard told commissioners Wednesday that a six-month progress report shows the county’s housing crisis persists, with rental and home vacancy rates far below healthy levels.
Posted inNews
Bethel Township to get new $13M water filtration plant by end of 2027
A new $13 million centralized water filtration plant in Bethel Township is slated to begin construction later this year and be operational near the end of 2027.
Posted inLebanon Area Fair
Pa. farmland preservation called an economic ‘powerhouse’ at fair breakfast
Importance of farmland preservation program, Century Farm recipients highlight breakfast program held Tuesday at Lebanon Area Fair.
Posted inNews
Transformative youth program at FTIG launches latest class of cadets
From candidate to cadet, 80 high school students from across Pennsylvania advanced Friday into the Keystone State ChalleNGe Academy’s latest class during a special ceremony at Fort Indiantown Gap.
