Bethel Township Zoning Board members granted numerous zoning requests proposed by Bell & Evans for a new plant during a hearing on Feb. 27.
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
Shapiro swears in Pippy to lead PA National Guard at FTIG ceremony
John R. Pippy was formally recognized as the state’s 55th adjutant general of the state Department of Military Affairs at a ceremony at Fort Indiantown Gap on Friday, Feb. 28.
Posted inEducation
Lebanon County Career & Tech Center board receives feasibility study update
The Lebanon County Career & Technology Center board moved one step closer to receiving a curriculum and feasibility study as part of a review of future student and infrastructure needs at its Feb. 27 meeting.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County seeks candidates for 300 local offices in 2025 election
Only 40 to 50 election petitions have been distributed after one week for Lebanon County’s 2025 municipal elections, prompting officials to call for more candidate participation before the March 11 filing deadline.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County Commissioners approve second round of opioid funding request
Lebanon County officials plan to create two new programs to treat opioid addiction if a second round of funding is approved by Pennsylvania officials.
Posted inNews
Bethel Twp. officials grant waiver request for Bell & Evans cook plant project
Bell & Evans officials were granted a delay to construct a sidewalk/walking trail as required by Bethel Township ordinance as part of its planned cook plant along State Route 22 at Fredericksburg Road.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County Senior Public Defender Light announces run for district attorney
North Cornwall Township resident Michael Light II will oppose fellow Republican and incumbent District Attorney Pier Hess Graf in the May primary election.
Posted inSports
Camaraderie, friendship, and familial bonds target young archers
Members of Palmyra Archers competed on Sunday at the 2025 Indoor State Championship of the Scholastic 3D Archery program at the Lebanon Valley Expo Center.
Posted inNews
Traffic project, fire company needs highlight N. Annville Twp. meeting
Safety concerns on separate subjects dominated discussion at the Feb. 10 meeting of the North Annville Township supervisors.
Posted inNews
National Guard, Penn State Health launch specialized trauma training program
The National Guard and Penn State Health have launched a collaborative trauma training program, which is open to soldiers stationed at Fort Indiantown Gap and from around the nation.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County’s DA’s office offers redemption over incarceration
Lebanon County DA’s office offers arc of redemption to non-violent offenders via various court programs to lessen recidivism, provide treatment and avoid doing time in prison.
Posted inNews
Commissioners support Lebanon Rescue Mission’s planned expansion project
Lebanon County Commissioners conducted county business at their Feb. 6 meeting, including several real estate-involved transactions.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County NAACP protests District Attorney Pier Hess Graf’s ‘fire’ comment
The Lebanon County NAACP filed a complaint with Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court Disciplinary Board after District Attorney Pier Hess Graf was reported to have said she hoped a reporter “burns in a fire.”
Posted inNews
Lebanon County Commissioner Mike Kuhn to have hip surgery
Lebanon County Commissioner Mike Kuhn will have surgery the week of Feb. 17 to repair wear and tear caused by leading an active lifestyle.
Posted inNews
The BearCat is a beast in the arsenal of Lebanon County law enforcement
The 17,550-pound BearCat, named Unit 121 in honor of fallen Lebanon police Lt. William Lebo, provides Lebanon County law enforcement with enhanced tactical capabilities while also appearing at community events.
