Alex J. Hayes 
Candace Ferguson-Miller is the new president of the Fairfield Area School Board. She replaces Jennifer Holz, who remains on the board. The board chose Jack Liller to retain his position as vice president. At their biennial reorganization meeting on Dec. 4, the board welcomed new members Erica Bollinger, James Fisher, and Melissa J. Kearchner. The
The Gettysburg Area School District Board of Directors once again named Kenny Hassinger and Michael Dickerson its leaders during their annual reorganization meeting on Monday. Hassinger will serve as president and Dickerson will be vice president. The board first elected Hassinger president in December 2019 and reappointed him in December 2021. The board appointed Dickerson
When Sister Phyllis Simmons died at the Sisters of Mercy Center in Dallas, Pennsylvania, on November 23, the St. Francis Xavier Catholic community and many throughout Adams County remembered her, mourned, and felt gratitude for her long service to St. Francis Xavier School. Sister Phyllis Simmons arrived at St. Francis Xavier School in 1972, beginning
The Gettysburg Borough Council hopes to increase communication with the group that plants Gettysburg’s trees. The Shade Tree Commission is responsible for the planting, replanting, pruning, health, and removal of plants, shrubs, and trees within the borough. The commission has been inactive for several years, but Chair David Rice and his team are eager to
Gettysburg Area School District leaders are working to enhance emergency communication. District Director of Safety and Security Jim O’Shea told the board on Monday that the administration is slowly rolling out the Raptor Alert System. O’Shea said the phone and computer app will allow staff and administrators to report emergencies in real-time and call 911
The Gettysburg Area Recreation Authority (GARA) is here to stay. At its meeting on Monday, the Gettysburg Borough Council unanimously approved a 25-year lease of the Gettysburg Rec Park between the borough and GARA. The Borough of Gettysburg and Cumberland Township formed GARA in 2013 as an intermunicipal authority with a primary purpose of managing
Gettysburg Borough Council plans to pass a 2024 budget that includes no property tax increase. The council expects to double the fire tax from 0.25 to 0.5 mills. The fire tax is sent directly to local volunteer fire companies. At their Oct. 30 budget workshop, the council took a deep dive into Police Chief Robert
An arrowhead with a large G is now the official Gettysburg Warrior logo. At their meeting on Monday, the Gettysburg Area School Board unanimously adopted a resolution laying claim to the symbol the district has used for about a decade. The district created the resolution in response to Gettysbug resident Kierstan Belle’s announcement on Facebook
The Gettysburg Borough Council continues to take a deep dive into its proposed 2024 budget, having spent about 4 hours and 45 minutes on the topic in the past two weeks. The council made no decisions but is leaning towards approving several changes to the Gettysburg Parking department. Parking fees The seven-member body informally agreed
Gettysburg Area School District will soon have an official Warrior logo. At the school board meeting on Monday, Board President Kenny Hassinger announced the board plans to officially adopt the arrowhead logo it has been using for several years at its Nov. 6 meeting. The resolution was created in response to Kierstan Belle’s announcement on
More students are applying to the Adams County Career and Technical Institute (ACTI) than the school can fit. To meet the demand and expand its programming, ACTI hopes to build a new campus. The school currently occupies a building on the Gettysburg Area High School campus. ACTI Administrative Director Sean Eckenrode told the Fairfield Area
Manager Charles Gable presented to the council on Monday a 2024 Gettysburg Borough budget proposal that includes a $711,489 deficit. To fill the fiscal hole, Gable suggests elected officials consider a combination of options. Those suggestions include raising property taxes, increasing overnight parking rates, increasing fees, or using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Funds. Gable
Gettysburg Area School District will begin elementary school renovations in the coming months at a total cost of $30 million. Improvements to James Gettys Elementary School will begin in March, Dennis Rumsey, senior complex solutions manager of Trane Technologies, told the board during its Oct. 2 meeting. Crews will begin “behind-the-scenes work” after school throughout
Oversized parking spaces in the Borough of Gettysburg will disappear after Oct. 8. In July, the borough council approved a 90-day pilot program that set aside some spaces for large vehicles. Council members believe more busses are visiting downtown businesses since General Pickett’s Buffet on Steinwehr Avenue closed earlier this year. The busses are welcome,
The Fairfield Area School District (FASD) is forming its “Profile of a Graduate” to determine what skills a FASD graduate should have in order to succeed in today’s world. To create that profile, Superintendent Thomas J. Haupt asks parents, citizens, and business owners to complete a survey that will be available on the district website.
The Gettysburg Area School District will open all head coaching positions each season. Currently, the district has all winter coaching positions posted on its website. Superintendent Jason Perrin wrote in an email Friday that district and board leadership made the decision. Previously, the board approved coaches for one year and renewed the agreement annually. “The
The Gettysburg Area School Board voted 6-2 Tuesday to retain a high school tennis coach whose employment has been the focal point of three meetings. At their meeting on Aug. 21, the Gettysburg Area School District’s Board of Directors voted to remove David Yates from the administration’s list of recommended hires. Yates, who is transgender
Fairfield Area School District’s Board of Directors is closer to making it easier for pupils who face hardships to graduate from high school. At their work session in August, Superintendent Thomas J. Haupt presented an updated policy on how to care for unstable students. Pennsylvania General Assembly’s Act 1 of 2022 necessitated Fairfield’s changes. The
The Gettysburg Area High School girls’ tennis team is beginning its fall season without an official coach. The district’s school board again decided not to act on a recommendation from its administration to reinstate Sasha Yates, who has coached the boys’ and girls’ tennis teams since 2018. The boys’ tennis team is not affected because
Gettysburg will forever be known as the town that changed the course of the American Civil War, but an emerging group of artisans also desire to grow its reputation as a cultural mecca. A local businesswoman, Timbrel Wallace, is helping them to achieve their dream. Wallace’s new store, Gettysburg Goods, solely features items made by
The Rev. Lou Nyiri and his wife, Candace, arrived in Gettysburg weeks after earning their Master of Divinity degrees from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1996. For 27 years they have been fixtures in the Gettysburg community, especially at Lou’s work, Gettysburg Presbyterian Church. Friends packed the church’s worship area on Sunday, July 9, to
Fairfield Area School District property owners will incur a 4 percent tax increase this year. The school board unanimously voted 8-0 to approve the 2023-24 budget. Board member Kelly Christiano was absent. The plan includes $21.2 million in revenue and $22.9 million in expenditures. During May’s workshop, Business Manager Tim A. Stanton told the board
The Rotary Club of Gettysburg celebrated another year of service to the community during its annual picnic Monday, June 26, at the Lake Heritage Community Center. Rotary is an international service organization with more than 46,000 clubs across the globe. The Gettysburg club, founded in 1920, has more than 70 members. President David Kushner told
Boxes full of clothes, blankets, sheets, scarves, and gloves fill Natalie Raymond’s garage in Cumberland Township. The items are also filling her heart. About a year after the Ukraine native’s mother died in a Polish nursing home, Raymond channels her grief into energy to aid her homeland. When Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022,
The future of the Fairfield football program was in the spotlight during June’s board of education study session. Several program supporters told the board that the district’s new coach, Jake Johnson, had announced at a meeting the night before the board meeting that he would recommend the district end the program. The district hired Johnson
Father Bernardo Pistone loved the people of Saint Francis Xavier Gettysburg when he served as the parish’s pastor. Almost a decade has passed since the Italian native moved from here, but several of his former parishioners traveled to Lancaster on Sunday, June 11 to return the love. Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, where Pistone now resides,
The uniqueness of attending Adams County’s smallest public secondary school was on full display during the Fairfield Area High School graduation ceremony on Wednesday. Every commencement is about the future. Most have speeches from the valedictorian, salutatorian, and high school principal. Fairfield’s followed suit. It also ended with the reading of names and graduates moving
The Gettysburg Choral Society is excited to kick off its summer-long salute to America. The society’s concert, “Let Freedom Ring!” will be held 8 p.m., Friday, May 26 at Trinity United Church of Christ, 60 East High Street, Gettysburg. The performance, under the direction of John McKay, will feature some of our country’s favorite songs
A brew fest and trail run scheduled will benefit the preservation of a farm that served as a staging area and headquarters for Confederate Major General Edward “Allegheny” Johnson’s preparation and attack of the Union right flank on Culp’s Hill. The 2023 Gettysburg Brewfest & Trail 5K is scheduled for Aug. 19, 2023 at the
Adams Electric’s Member Meeting on March 21 started off as a fun affair. Hundreds of people packed into the Wyndham, Gettysburg ballroom and heard updates about their rural electric cooperative. Director Thomas J. Knaub greeted many friends that evening, much like he had at many other member meetings since first taking office in 1999. Towards
The United Way of Adams County celebrated the community’s many volunteers during its annual With Heart in Hand Awards Ceremony on April 24 at Gettysburg College. “It’s awe-inspiring to see the extent and breadth of volunteerism in Adams County and the amount of good that is done in our community,” Mike Jackman, United Way board
Gettysburg’s first-ever food hall, Savorhood, opened its doors to the public April 28. Located at 985 Baltimore Pike, SavorHood is home to 11 Eateries and a brewery. The food hall offers an array of options including barbecue, pizza, Mexican, wings, and seafood. “We are so excited to bring this new dining concept to Gettysburg,” owner
The Fairfield Area School District Knights logo confusion has been settled. Superintendent Thomas J. Haupt told the district’s board of directors recently that more than a half dozen logos are used to represent the school’s mascot, The Knights. Haupt encouraged the board to choose one logo to ensure uniformity throughout the district. The board was
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The Fairfield Area School Board unanimously approved two major renovation projects at its March 27 meeting. At their March 13 study session, the board heard about plans to replace building roofs and high school gymnasium bleachers. Business Manager Tim A. Stanton told the board the district has $8.1 million in its reserve account. Of that,
In 1964, as President Lyndon Baines Johnson led the country and war raged in Vietnam, a 16-year-old Emmett Patterson poured his first McDonald’s milkshake as a young crew member in Binghamton, New York. Fifty-nine years later, the owner of nine Gettysburg-area restaurants known for their hamburgers and iconic big arches has sold his stores and
Biglerville Borough Council Member Rob Smith hopes to advance his community service by becoming an Adams County Commissioner. Smith is seeking a Democratic nomination for one of three seats available on the board. Smith is adamant that he is not running against any of the three incumbents – Republicans Randy Phiel and Jim Martin and
Adams County is best known for apples and the three-day 1863 Civil War battle. Both are essential components of the rural southcentral Pennsylvania county’s history, but its story includes many more chapters. The Adams County Historical Society built a new museum, Gettysburg Beyond the Battle, to share the complete narrative. Beyond the Battle The museum,
A building that has stood at Gettysburg’s southern gateway for about 60 years is gone. Demolition crews destroyed the Gettysburg Tour Center store and ticket counter on Baltimore Street Thursday so construction can begin on a new facility. The Gettysburg Tour Center has operated in the same spot since the 1950s. The current building was
Gettysburg Area High School thespians are excited for the public to attend its spring musical, “Pippin,” this weekend. As told by a traveling troupe of actors led by the cunning and charming Leading Player (played by Emma Kirk), the show is the story of a young prince (played by Connor Peterman) who is searching for his own
The Fairfield Area School District Knights are experiencing an identity crisis. Superintendent Thomas J. Haupt told the district’s board of directors at its Feb. 13 study session that more than a half dozen logos are used to represent the school’s mascot, The Knights. Haupt encouraged the board to choose one logo to ensure uniformity throughout
The United Way of Adams County invites supporters to bid for a good cause at its annual purse auction. The organization’s 16th Annual Women’s Purse Auction returns to an in-person event Thursday, March 2 from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the Wyndham, Gettysburg. “Run for the Purses” will take on a Kentucky Derby theme so
Everyone has the power to prevent suicide, WellSpan Community Heath Education Coordinator Jayne Miller told the Kiwanis Club of Gettysburg Adams County Monday, Feb. 13. Sixty percent of people know someone who died by suicide, Miller said, and 20 percent will lose a family member by suicide. WellSpan provides several training sessions to help people
History is a tragedy, not a melodrama, a packed house at Gettysburg’s Majestic Theater learned Saturday morning at The Ken Burns Film Festival. “People are complicated,” Burns said during his first-ever film festival. Burns discussed his work with fellow filmmaker, Gettysburg native and festival director Jake Borritt after a thematic clip reel titled “A Nation
Gettysburg will have a new tour center in 2024. Demolition crews will destroy Gettysburg Tour Center’s store and ticket counter on Baltimore Street in February so construction can begin on a new facility, Felty Investments Owner Max Felty said Friday. The Gettysburg Tour Center has operated in the same spot since the 1950s. The current
The Fairfield Area School District Board of Directors will not raise taxes more than 4.8 percent this year. At its meeting on Monday, the board unanimously agreed not to seek approval from voters or the Pennsylvania Department of Education to increase the levy more than the state-approved index. Monday’s action does not guarantee the board
Tom Jolin advocates for the Gettysburg Inner Loop with patience, kindness and a smile. If you have spoken to Jolin in the last 18 years, he undoubtedly mentioned the project. The loop is a bicycle and pedestrian path that surrounds Gettysburg with signage, bike racks and road markings. Healthy Adams County Bicycle Pedestrian Inc. (HAPBI)
Mark Beauchat believes he is a better judge than he was when he took office in 2000. A previous law career mixed with life experiences prepared him to know the law but sitting on the bench for 22 years taught him how to talk to anyone who walks into his courtroom, he said recently in
Racist language covers a historic bridge in Cumberland Township. A cyclist riding over the John Eisenhower Bridge on Water Works Road in Cumberland Township recently found several racist words and a Nazi symbol painted on the structure, Patrolman Ryan Eiker wrote in a press release. The graffiti was reported Tuesday, Eiker reported, and discovered last
Local stars will shine on the Majestic stage on Fri., Jan. 13 at 7 p.m. during Dancing with the Local Stars presented by WellSpan Health. The annual event is a fundraiser for the YWCA Gettysburg & Adams County and Adams County Arts Council. Local stars have worked with professional choreographers for months to learn two
Adams County Controller John Phillips will not seek re-election in 2023. Phillips became the county’s second controller in 2020. The office was first created in 2012 as Adams County became a fifth-class county. Phillips said he and his wife Kim will relocate to New England after his term ends to be closer to their son,
Residential addiction treatment services will soon be on hold in Adams County. The Recovery Advocacy Service Empowerment (RASE) Project, which was operating the county-owned Mercy House, will stop providing services at the end of this month, County Manager Steve Nevada said Wednesday. The county is seeking another provider, Nevada said. “We didn’t anticipate them ending
Christmas is centered on traditions, so the thermometer reading 6 degrees at 8 a.m. on Dec. 24 could not stop dozens of people from gathering at the Gettysburg Area Middle School for the town’s annual Santa Run. The run, organized by local resident Jen Daniels, is designed to bring people together and help others. Participants
Hannah Meeson wants everyone to meet the characters who have lived inside her head for more than 30 years. “I think about them every night before I go to bed, even to this day,” the Gettysburg author recently said. Meeson, who writes under the name Hannah Rae, first started spilling her world onto paper one
Saint Francis Xavier Roman Catholic Church, Gettysburg, held its 10th annual Noreen Neitz Memorial Run at the Rock on Saturday, Dec. 10. The 5K, 10K and 1-mile run are held in memory of Noreen Neitz, former parish youth minister. Neitz passed away on July 10, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. The Run at
A large crowd gathered in the Dobbin House’s Abigail Adams Ballroom Friday morning to listen to what has become quadrennial Adams County tradition – Jim Martin and Randy Phiel announcing their candidacies for Adams County commissioner. The pair of Republicans first took office in 2012; if successful, the term that begins in 2024 will be
The Fairfield Area School District Board of Directors is changing how it does business. Beginning in January, the board will hold one study session and one business meeting each month. The board previously held two business meetings each month. Board President Jennifer Holz said the change will “allow the board more time to absorb and
More than 100 volunteers gathered in the Giant parking lot Friday morning to assemble 16,000 wreaths which will be placed on veterans’ graves at Quantico National Cemetery on Saturday. The Sgt. Mac Foundation Wreath placement began in 2006 shortly after Gettysburg native Sgt. Eric McColley was killed in February 2006 along with seven fellow Marines
Toys for Tots needs everyone’s help to fulfill Christmas wishes. The Adams/Hanover chapter is short of gifts for newborns to 2 years old and children 10 to 14 years old, coordinator Chris Bunty said. Bunty said Toys for Tots supports 760 families directly and 12 organizations. “Last we served about 600 families, so we are
A new non-profit is focused on helping sexual assault victims in Adams County. Pennsylvania Coalition of Rape hired Atle Walter in September to open Adams County Sexual Assault Services. Walter and her colleague, Emily Uleau, are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week to care for victims at any stage of their trauma.
The United Lutheran Seminary’s Church of the Abiding Presence will fill with holiday sounds Friday evening during the Gettysburg Choral Society’s annual Christmas concert. Thirty-two auditioned singers under the direction of John McKay will present “O Come, All Ye Faithful,” at 8 p.m. in the chapel on the United Lutheran Seminary campus. Performing in the
Rukhsana Rahman once asked a Peace Corps volunteer why there were so many former Corps volunteers from Gettysburg. “Mary Furlong,” was his answer. Diocese of Harrisburg Speech and Debate judges asked each other during an April competition how they got involved with the program. “Mary Furlong,” was almost everyone’s response. Furlong was a great connector,
Fairfield Youth Football Coach Jake Johnson told the district’s board of directors at its Nov. 14 meeting there are a large number of youngsters living in the district who are interested in the sport. Johnson fears the students’ enthusiasm could diminish if the district does not incorporate a middle school program. “The majority of those
The Gettysburg National Military Park will soon have more land thanks to the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association. The association recently purchased 50 acres of land across the road from the Historic Daniel Lady Farm on Route 116, Hanover Road, in Straban Township. Melvin Crouse, the land’s previous owner, valued preservation over development. “I didn’t want
Shopping in downtown Gettysburg has been fun for years. Now, it can be fun and games. Strategy-minded employees of Nerd Herd Gifts and Games created the Gettysburg Collect-A-Deck so shoppers can have fun while enjoying the downtown’s many offerings. Anyone who wants to play should first start at Nerd Herd on York Street for their
Election Day went “very smoothly” in Adams County, Commissioner Randy Phiel said Tuesday evening after polls closed. Phiel serves as chairman of the Adams County Board of Elections. Commissioner Jim Martin and Franklin Township citizen Vickie Corbett also comprise the board. Corbett is sitting in for Commissioner Marty Qually, who is unable to serve due
Do you want to spend time in a historic building with sleep-deprived museum professionals? If the answer is yes, you might be craving Seminary Ridge Museum and Education Center’s 24 Hours on the Ridge. The center in Gettysburg’s historic Schmucker Hall will be open from 5 p.m., Nov. 2 to 5 p.m., Nov. 3 for
Click here to see more photos in the Slideshow. Vibe Performing Arts captured Best of Show in the annual Gettysburg Halloween Parade, hosted by Businesswomen Influencing Gettysburg and presented by Gettysburg Trading Post. Hundreds of people packed borough streets to watch more than 60 entries travel west on York Street, through Lincoln Square and south
Hanover Auto Team Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Loni Smith told those gathered Tuesday morning at The Chamber of Gettysburg and Adams County’s Annual Community Prayer Breakfast co-sponsored by the Christian Men’s Business Connection that even the most challenging customer deserves a warm welcome. “You don’t know what is going on in there so just remember
Habitat for Humanity builds homes for those in need and helps guide new owners through the often-complicated process. Habitat needs strong board leadership to be successful. Pete Ricker has been a support beam for the local chapter and the Rotary Club of Gettysburg recognized his work Monday during its annual Dwight David Eisenhower Humanitarian Award
The National Park Service must balance land use with preservation, Gettysburg National Military Park Superintendent Steve Sims told the Rotary Club of Gettysburg Monday. Sims took charge of the historic park in January 2019 after a tumultuous few years that included the reassignment of former Superintendent Ed Clark and numerous acting or substitutes filling the
Adams County Community Foundation President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Serpe has faith in people’s philanthropy. Last year, Giving Spree donors raised $3.08 million for county non-profit organizations. He was thrilled with the result, which made the Adams County Giving Spree the largest per-capita giving day in the country. But he thinks we can do
“I think we have accomplished so much in a little bit of time, and we just have more to go. I am very, very hopeful about the future and what this organization can be.”
– Tymia Q. Green, YWCA CEO
The story of the three-day battle of Gettysburg, its aftermath, and President Abraham Lincoln’s immortal Gettysburg Address has been told thousands of times in hundreds of ways. But the people who have lived in Gettysburg and the other 33 Adams County municipalities for hundred of years, and even the dinosaurs who once roamed here, have
A decades-old photo shows a diaper-wearing Julie Strickland wrapped in her father Tony’s arms in the family’s Baltimore Street, Gettysburg souvenir store with a rack of t-shirts behind them. Strickland Enterprises has grown into several stores since then, but their flagship Blue and Gray Gift Shop at 531 Baltimore Street remained the business’ headquarters until
Everyone is feeling the pinch at the grocery store, but some Adams County residents are in extra pain. United Way of Adams County Executive Director Laura McMahon hopes the 16th Annual Bag the Bounty Food Drive will provide some relief. United Way and its partners ACNB Bank, Kennie’s Marketplace, and the Gettysburg Times aim to
One of the most frequent questions in any relationship is “where do you want to eat tonight?” Husband and wife business owners Judy Morley and Steve Burton aim to cut the tension by transforming the former Pike building on Baltimore Pike, Cumberland Township, into a food hall. The couple became official owners of the property
Plump Hollabaugh Bros. peaches made United Way of Adams County’s contributions to the community even juicier this past weekend. Thousands of people flocked to the fourth-generation family farm north of Biglerville on Aug. 13 and 14 to enjoy everything peachy – peach sundaes, peach sundaes, peach pies, peach bread, peach muffins, peach scones, peach sugar