The historic Range House is a reminder of the role the National Guard played in the Pennsylvania National Guard in Mt. Gretna in the late-1800s, early-1900s.
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.
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Lebanon County Commissioners approve nearly $104 million budget for 2025
Lebanon County Commissioners approved their 2024 budget on Thursday, Dec. 26, with no tax increase to county taxpayers.
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County Commissioners allocate over $3 million in ARPA funds for four projects
Lebanon County Commissioners approved on Dec. 19 four ARPA funding requests totaling $3.6 million; receive NAACP letter concerning the district attorney’s office.
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Bell & Evans officials lay out long-term goals to Bethel Twp. planning officials
Bell & Evans officials shared their long-range goals for its chicken operation in Bethel Township during the township’s planning commission meeting on Tuesday.
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Bethel Township supervisors pass 2025 budget with no tax increase
Bethel Township supervisors approved the 2025 municipal budget on Dec. 12 with no tax increase.
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Local tourism bureau officials provide report to Lebanon County Commissioners
Visit Lebanon Valley officials provided the Lebanon County Commissioners a review of 2024 activities, a sneak peek of 2025’s theme and a look at a promotional video for America250 in 2026 on Dec. 11 at a workshop session.
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TV station reports chief county detective’s suspension for DUI arrest
Local media outlet reports suspension of Lebanon County chief detective Jonathan Hess, but his boss remains silent.
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Lebanon city park honoring dairyman, philanthropist slated to open next spring
LebTown recently toured John E. Wengert Memorial Park in Lebanon City. Phase 1 of the $850,000 project is nearly completed with the park’s official opening tentatively scheduled for spring.
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North Annville Township supervisors approve 2025 budget at monthly meeting
North Annville Township supervisors passed on Monday their 2025 budget at their monthly meeting.
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Lebanon VA Medical Center dedicates new $10 million medical-surgery unit
Lebanon VA Medial Center officials dedicated on Tuesday their new $10-million, 12,000-square-foot, post-surgical unit during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
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Lebanon County Commissioners approve tentative $104.1 million budget for 2025
The $104.1 million proposed 2025 Lebanon County budget was revealed to the public at the commissioners meeting held on Dec. 5.
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Fort Indiantown Gap celebrates holiday arrival with tree lighting ceremony
Military personnel and local residents kicked off the holiday season at Fort Indiantown Gap on Dec. 6 with the tree lighting ceremony.
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Lebanon man sentenced 24-48 months for child porn possession, distribution
Lebanon man sentenced Wednesday to state prison for two to four years for possessing, distributing child pornography.
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Renovations, new construction continue at Northern Lebanon’s secondary school
LebTown visited Northern Lebanon High and Middle schools to document the district’s three-year, $45 million construction and renovation project.
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Army of volunteers tackle project at Soldiers Field in Mount Gretna
Improvements to Soldiers Field in Mt. Gretna are underway and LebTown was there to document the beautification and construction projects.
