Colonel Kevin D. Potts, Garrison Commander at Fort Indiantown Gap, discusses his military journey from private to Colonel, the installation’s significant economic impact, and his commitment to improving the facility before his impending retirement.
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 inPeople & Places
3 Lebanon County residents sweep top honors in PA wool clothing competition
Lebanon County’s Madison Copenhaver and Hope Wagner triumphed in the junior and senior categories respectively at the Pennsylvania Make It With Wool contest, while Rachel Seigel won in the adult category.
Posted inPeople & Places
Tim McGowan’s on a quest to identify the unmarked graves at Lebanon fairgrounds
Tim McGowan has embarked on a quest to identify the individuals interred in an unmarked cemetery on the grounds of the Lebanon Valley Exposition Center & Fairgrounds.
Posted inNews
New access control point at Fort Indiantown Gap set to open Nov. 1
Fort Indiantown Gap will enhance on-base security when its Access Control Point gate on Fisher Avenue is activated on Nov. 1.
Posted inNews
County commissioners approve state grants for DA & probation departments
County commissioners approved several state grants, including a Victim of Crime Act grant for the district attorney’s office and a Continuing County Probation and Parole grant for the probation department.
Posted inSports
Late-game heroics fall short for Annville-Cleona in battle for first place
Despite a strong performance, Annville-Cleona fell to Schuylkill Valley 14-13 after a last-minute field goal attempt went wide.
Posted inNews
Lebanon VA director discusses new position, urges vets to use services
Jeffrey Beiler II, the new executive director of the Lebanon VA Medical Center, is focused on maintaining the center’s top ranking and expanding services to reach more veterans.
Posted inCrime & Safety
Legacy of firefighting equipment comes alive at fire company’s museum
The museum at Perseverance Fire Company, believed to be the only one of its kind in Lebanon County, displays a range of historic firefighting gear, including a wooden hand pumper from the early 1800s and a fire bell from a 1922 Model-T Ford fire engine.
Posted inBusiness & Nonprofits
Computer company is a Lebanon County staple for over four decades
Celebrating its 40th anniversary, Lebanon County’s Optical Storage Solutions, Inc. continues to innovate, providing software solutions for municipal governments to store and access records electronically.
Posted inNews
Records Alert program launched in Lebanon County
Lebanon County has launched a Records Alert program to prevent potential property fraud and promote education among property owners.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County officials and municipal leaders gather to discuss local issues
Lebanon County government working collaboratively with township and borough officials to create a new comprehensive plan was a key takeaway of the 108th annual convention of local municipal officials on Thursday, Oct. 12.
Posted inNews
Rising costs in Children & Youth Services expected to strain county’s 2024 budget
Rising costs for mandatory programs and other factors creating a perfect storm in preparation of the 2024 budget for Lebanon County.
Posted inNews
Lebanon Valley Rail Trail set for completion in 2027
John Wengert, president of Lebanon Valley Rails-to-Trails, shares updates on the rail trail’s progress, with phases 6A and B under construction and phases 6C, 6D, 8, and 10 expected to finish by 2027.
Posted inNews
Local resident helps Hawaiian relief efforts, encourages others to chip in
Local national guardsman volunteers for Hawaiian relief following devastating wildfires, describes how Lebanon countians can help.
Posted inNews
Payment for 911 services through monthly user surcharge is in peril
State legislators are considering multiple proposals to renew and increase a surcharge on phone lines that funds 911 services, with the current funding mechanism set to expire in January.
