Winning a gold medal at the Paralympic Games in Tokyo was a childhood dream come true for Lebanon native Ryan Neiswender.
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
Elections bureau loses top two officials
The county’s two top elections positions need to be filled, with Michael Anderson being promoted to director of domestic relations and deputy Jo-Ellen Reilly retiring.
Posted inPeople & Places
9/11 Trail commemorates history of fateful day, national plan includes LVRT
The trail is well on its “path” to becoming a national historic landmark given the recent unanimous vote in the House of Representatives.
Posted inNews
Commissioners approve $500,000 affordable housing funding request
At Thursday’s county commissioners meeting, a $500,000 funding request for the construction of 23 affordable housing units in North Lebanon Township was approved.
Posted inNews
Emergency Rental Assistance Program off to a slow start
While not many have taken advantage of Lebanon County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program thus far, Community Action Partnership administrator Samuel Ortiz expects the program to pick up steam.
Posted inPeople & Places
Annville Inn owners praise CHIRP program; 40 area businesses receive financial relief (Updated with full list)
Melissa Kulbitsky said 16 cafes, coffee shops, diners, restaurants and taverns, 14 motels, hotels and inns, seven bars and lounges, two ice cream shops and one catering service received CHIRP funding.
Posted inNews
Commissioners recertify handicap accessibility of polling places
Lebanon County commissioners approved Thursday the recertification of all 60 polling places as handicap accessible.
Posted inNews
Commissioners approve contracts for service providers for county agencies
With the state’s new fiscal year beginning on July 1, the county commissioners approved Thursday the 2021-22 county provider contracts for three county agencies whose funding is contingent on commonwealth funding formulas.
Posted inCommunity Shoutouts
County dairy princess promotes industry to consumers, looks forward to Lebanon Area Fair
Crystal Bomgardner’s passion for an industry she loves dearly extends beyond the health benefits it provides people.
Posted inNews
County commissioners sign Wengert Memorial Park easement agreement
County commissioners unanimously approved Thursday a grant application for a shared easement between Lebanon City and the county for the park.
Posted inNews
Coalition addresses affordable housing crisis in Lebanon County
The Lebanon County Coalition to End Homelessness is currently exploring options to expand affordable housing locally. They are studying an option known as Home Sharing Program.
Posted inNews
Traffic group seeks to improve I-81 corridor
The I-81 Improvement Strategy project team is developing recommendations for improvements on I-81 in PennDOT District 8.
Posted inNews
Tablets will help prepare Lebanon County Prison inmates to re-enter society
The county commissioners entered into an agreement Thursday to provide cost-free tablets to inmates at the county prison as a way to help them prepare to re-enter society.
Posted inNews
Going private: County outsources a portion of mental health services
Lebanon County will no longer provide targeted case management (TCM) services for local residents through their Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities/Early Intervention(MH/ID/EI) department beginning July 1.
Posted inNews
Commissioners approve half-million tax abatement for DHL Express, discuss contaminated State Drive site
County commissioners approved Thursday by a split vote a five-year tax abatement request totaling over $518,500 for DHL Express, a transportation company that plans to invest $88 million in blighted property in South Lebanon Township.
