This week, COLA mailed letters to 2,300 customers informing them that their service lines could be lead and investigation is needed.
Margaret Hopkins
Margaret Hopkins reports primarily on West Cornwall Township, the City of Lebanon Authority, and the Lebanon County Metropolitan Planning Organization. A resident of Mount Gretna Campmeeting, she is interested in the area’s history and its cultural and economic roots.
As a former print journalist, Margaret has covered many municipal, school board and county meetings, learning firsthand the impact of local decisions on our lives and communities. She also learned how much readers depend upon a trusted news source to clarify, check and document those decisions—and to hold decision makers accountable.
Posted inNews
For 9th consecutive year, no tax increase planned in West Cornwall Township
For the ninth consecutive year, West Cornwall supervisors aim to keep the millage rate at 1.250 mills, according to the 2025 draft budget.
Posted inNews
Refuse Authority to lower rebate in 2025
County commercial waste haulers will receive a lower rebate in 2025 for each ton of trash delivered to the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority.
Posted inNews
A different kind of field work: Sampling water to assess stream health
With the Lebanon County Conservation District’s support, water quality data for the Quittie and four tributaries is collected every other month.
Posted inNews
Curb and sidewalk work on West Main Street in Quentin to begin soon
With PennDOT approval, work on new curbing and sidewalk along a portion of West Main Street in Quentin will start in the next two weeks.
Posted inNews
Water authority reports inventory of service line pipe material required by EPA
The City of Lebanon Authority reported the results of its inventory of service line pipe material Monday, noting that while the majority or 88.4 percent are copper, there also are 400 that are lead and need to be replaced.
Posted inNews
Gel-like black goo gumming up landfills across the country, including GLRA
It’s a sticky, rubbery, tar-like material known officially as “black goo”—and it’s showing up in landfills across the country including at the Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority (GLRA).
Posted inHistory
Bridging the 20th and 21st centuries over the Swatara Creek
Little is known about how people crossed the Swatara Creek prior to the building of the Route 72 bridge.
Posted inNews
Local man chronicles construction of Rt. 72 bridge over Swattie in photos, videos
Local man is literally making history with commentaries, photos and videos of the construction of the new SR 72 bridge over the Swatara Creek.
Posted inNews
Plumbing the ins and outs of the City of Lebanon Authority’s fire hydrants
The City of Lebanon Authority owns and maintains 1,960 fire hydrants in its service area.
Posted inNews
Trash talk: Digging into the history of Lebanon County’s landfills
The Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority, one of 46 permitted landfills in Pennsylvania, was formed 65 years ago to manage the county's waste.
Posted inNews
Amount of waste sent to landfill decreased slightly in August
The Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority took in 1,756 tons of waste in August, a slight decrease from July’s tonnage but similar to previous years’ tonnage.
Posted inNews
Preliminary plan application for former riding club to be submitted in November
Development of the former Quentin Riding Club at the intersection of state routes 72 and 419 is moving forward with a preliminary plan application likely to be submitted to Lebanon County Planning Department around Thanksgiving.
Posted inNews
City of Lebanon Authority nears DEP agreement over 20-year water permit
The City of Lebanon Authority and officials with the state Department of Environmental Protection have reached a tentative agreement on a new water supply and allocation permit.
Posted inNews
Lebanon County deliberates future of 3 closed bridges rated ‘poor’ on report card
Lebanon County has 25 state- and locally-owned bridges that have been rated ‘poor,’ one of three classifications developed by the Federal Highway Administration to provide a general assessment of the condition of a bridge’s structural components.
