Frank Ryan, state representative for the 101st Legislative District, reflects on his time in office as his third and final term nears its end.
Tom Knapp
Tom has been a professional journalist for nearly four decades. In his spare time, he plays fiddle with the Irish band Fire in the Glen, and he reviews music, books and movies for Rambles.NET. He lives with his wife, Michelle, and has four children: Vinnie, Molly, Annabelle and Wolf.
Posted inBusiness & Nonprofits
Spiders, lizards, snakes & a gator: New zoo opening at Lebanon Valley Mall
The Innocent Reptile Experience, a new zoo and storefront at Lebanon Valley Mall, features more than 100 animals and nearly 40 different species.
Posted inNews
Senator Chris Gebhard announces plan to run for full four-year term in Harrisburg
Chris Gebhard, who won a state Senate seat in a special election last year to fill the unexpired term on Senator Dave Arnold, has announced plans to run again for a full term in office.
Posted inNews
Senate bill would modify ‘armory’ definition, change oversight of Fort Indiantown Gap
Senator Chris Gebhard hopes to revise the definition of “armory” to broaden the authority of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to manage the military’s properties in Pennsylvania, such as facilities at Fort Indiantown Gap.
Posted inNews
Who will replace Frank Ryan in the 101st District? Candidates are slow to step up
With state Rep. Frank Ryan deciding to bow out of politics after his third term in Harrisburg ends this fall, residents of the 101st Legislative District may wonder who his successor in office will be.
Posted inCrime & Safety
Lebanon man pleads guilty to 16 cruelty charges; 34 dogs seized from his home
A Lebanon man pleaded guilty last month to 16 counts of animal cruelty after 34 dogs were seized from his property.
Posted inPeople & Places
The miracle of birth, barnyard style: Lebanon farmers take cows to Farm Show’s ‘Calving Corner’
Four cows, specifically, from the Brook-Corner Holsteins farm will be putting their maternal instincts on display as people gather at the Calving Corner, a relatively new exhibition at the Pennsylvania Farm Show that shares the miracle of birth, barnyard style.
Posted inCommunity Shoutouts
Lebanon County NAACP chapter earns national standing as fully fledged branch
The Lebanon County branch of the NAACP, which formed in 2020 with high hopes of achieving national recognition, earned official branch status earlier this year and has gotten to work meeting the needs of local minority communities.
Posted inBusiness & Nonprofits
Mount Gretna Craft beer gets regional distribution; owners eye new locations
Mount Gretna Craft beers are appearing at bars, restaurants, wineries and distributors in surrounding counties. Now, owners are preparing for an even large growth spurt as they plan for two new locations in the area.
Posted inNews
Polls will open Tuesday without a director for Lebanon County elections bureau
Lebanon County is fast approaching Election Day without a director in place to oversee the county’s Bureau of Elections and Voter Registration.
Posted inCommunity Shoutouts
With blinks and smiles, Shana Lee Sholly fights to recover from traumatic injuries
Sometimes, Shana Lee Nye Sholly smiles, or she moves her eyes in a way that convinces her family and friends that she understands her situation and is trying to communicate.
Posted inNews
$3.4 million roundabout project to open this week on Colebrook Road
Weather permitting, the contractor will deactivate temporary traffic signals on Monday to allow unrestricted traffic in both directions of Colebrook Road (Route 241) at the roundabout.
Posted inNews
Attorney General files criminal charges against Mariner East pipeline developer
Attorney General Josh Shapiro, in conjunction with the 45th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, announced the charges Oct. 5 against Energy Transfer, L.P., owner of the Mariner East 2 Pipeline.
Posted inUpcoming Events
The bleak tales of Poe come to life beneath the trees of Mount Gretna
Thursday was the premiere of a three-evening run of “Nevermore: The Fantastic Terrors of Edgar Allan Poe,” a Gretna Theatre production that eschews (with one exception) the Playhouse stage and instead makes artful use of the porches and walkways of Mount Gretna’s wooded community.
Posted inUpcoming Events
Gretna Theatre hosts immersive outdoor Poe show Sept. 30-Oct. 2
For three nights, “Nevermore: The Fantastic Terrors of Edgar Allan Poe” will lead its audience on a tour of Mount Gretna, where they will experience the short stories and poetry of Poe in a unique setting.
