By: GARY P. KLINGER Record Express Correspondent, Staff Writer

Fire companies and ambulance crews need more volunteers.

That news flash is nothing new. But how does it get done? That question is the dilemma municipalities in the Warwick School District currently face, and the latest suggestion is to pay someone to coordinate the effort.

While administrators for the Warwick Emergency Services Alliance (WESA) — which includes fire companies and ambulance crews in Lititz, Rothsville, Brunnerville and Brickerville — have been paid as part-time positions in the past, dwindling volunteer rosters and the prospect of an emergency services tax if the situation doesn’t improve have prompted government officials to seriously consider a full-time salaried employee to focus on recruitment and retention.

If created, the cost of such a position would be shared by the three municipalities involved — Lititz Borough, Warwick and Elizabeth townships. The prospect was discussed most recently by the Warwick Township supervisors during their March 21 meeting.

A fire services study conducted by WESA recommends the full-time position, and while the member companies appear to be in agreement with that recommendation, the position cannot be created without the financial support of the three local governments.

There is no proverbial welcome mat when it comes to abandoned properties.

Such was the brief topic of discussing during last week’s meeting of the Warwick Township supervisors, who are clearly frustrated with what seems to be a no-win situation.

The township currently has eight properties that are considered abandoned, and zoning officer Tom Zorbaugh explained that the process of dealing with them is slow, and banks are not fast in turning them over to new owners. Add that the grass growing season is underway and spring brings a new round of complications for the township in regard to maintaining the grounds around these neglected homesteads.

In a few cases, concerned neighbors have banded together to share in the effort of keeping the grass cut and plants pruned. In other cases, the township can complete the maintenance and place a lien on the property until the costs of the work are paid. Collecting, however, creates a whole new set of challenges.

By: SARA MILLER Record Express Staff, Staff Writer

Photos courtesy of Lititz Run Watershed Alliance
Warwick Township's Linear Park, along Market Street, was one of six sites patrolled during the 10th annual stream clean-up.

Old computers, tires, a dishwasher, dehumidifier, bedroom suit…

This isn’t a classified ad for a yard sale, it’s garbage found in Lititz Run and the surrounding watershed. And this is why the Lititz Run Watershed Alliance started calling on volunteers to patrol local waterways for things that don’t belong.

March 17 marked the 10th Annual Stream Clean-Up sponsored by the alliance, and 150 people showed up to help the cause. The debris field has improved over the years, and with it the overall health of the ecosystem, but some of the items still found in these local creeks are baffling.

"We removed part of a couch, a full-size mattress and matching box spring from the stream last year!" said Terry Duffin, scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 154, which has been cleaning the area behind Bonfield Elementary School since 2003. "We’ve also found a ladder, alternator, car battery, fire extinguisher, kitchen chair, cabinets and a few cell phones … it is hard to believe that people actually take the time to walk over to the stream and dump these items into it."

Plans for a recreational trail connecting Lititz and Ephrata, via what used to be the Reading Railroad line, by the end of 2017 are chugging along at a slow pace.

Last week, Warwick Township supervisors unanimously approved a grant application in hopes of funding the next phase.

"We are going for a very small grant right now," said Dan Zimmerman, township manager. "It is only about 20,000 feet in the vicinity of Newport Road and Rothsville Road, and the railroad bridge."

He added that he is confident the funds will continue to be available in the future, walking the entire project to completion. When done, the trail will traverse Warwick Township (starting at Oak Street in Lititz), Akron, Ephrata Township and Ephrata Borough.

"This is a very viable transportation system for pedestrians and bicycles alike," Zimmerman said. "It takes time to do 7.2 miles, and each area has its own challenges, from culverts to bridges."

Completion of the rails-to-trails projects is planned for 2016 or 2017 if all work remains on schedule. More TRAIL, page A3

By: GARY P. KLINGER Record Express Correspondent, Staff Writer

Lititz Borough Council member Kevin Zartman said he has fielded calls from residents concerned with the crowds assembled in front of the Bulls Head Pub on East Main Street.

The concern, discussed during Tuesday night’s council meeting, was in regard to the limited amount of room for pedestrian traffic during peak times at the popular pub, when patrons seem to fill the majority of the sidewalk in front of the establishment.

Zartman said it may be more of a police matter than a borough council issue, although both Council President Karen Weibel and Mayor Ron Oettel were sympathetic to the situation.

"We certainly don’t want to stymie business, but we also need to be concerned about the safety of those walking on the sidewalks," said Weibel. "It appears to not be so much the tables, but the crowds on the street."

Public Works Superintendent Gary Rynier said the concerns have been discussed with the owners of the General Sutter Inn and the pub. The proprietors, he added, are receptive and continue to do all they can to address the matter.

The Carpenter Road bridge is deteriorating, rapidly.

That was the report given by Warwick Township public works superintendent Dean Saylor during the March 21 supervisors meeting.

He said maintenance on the bridge that spans Hammer Creek will begin within a few days. And, due to its location, repair costs will be shared by Warwick, Ephrata and Clay townships. A total cost was not reported.

The main issue with the bridge, Saylor explained, is rust.

Temporarily closing the bridge until proper repairs can be made, in addition to abandoning it, are among the options on the table. Saylor said weight restrictions were reduced within the past four years, and it may not be long before those limits are reduced again.

Township supervisor Herb Flosdorf recommended the matter be turned over to the township’s solicitor for review and to hold a public hearing, perhaps as early as next month.

Township manager Dan Zimmerman described the proposed work as maintenance, dealing with some of the rust and then undercoating and repainting the steel structure. Currently, the bridge is reportedly safe for traffic. More BRIDGE, page A3

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

George Bealler

Not hundreds, but thousands.

That’s how many young lives George Bealler impacted as a long-time coach and mentor in the Lititz area.

So when Bealler, 95, passed away on Tuesday, March 20 at Masonic Village in Elizabethtown, there were generations of former Warwick athletes who were saddened by the news.

The athletes’ lives that he touched most closely were those who played boys basketball, boys soccer and softball for the Warriors — three programs with which he became synonymous as a volunteer coach for nearly 30 years.

And nearly every one of those who knew him would tell you the same thing.

With George, you knew where you stood.

"He was not known for sugar coating anything," chuckled Ned Bushong, who coached junior varsity and junior high boys soccer with Bealler for many years. "But he was that way with everything. That was just George."

Warwick head softball coach Don Miller offered a perfect example of what some might describe as a colorful personality.

Photo by Dennis Bicksler
Warwick's Trey Connelly (right) hands the baton off to teammate Terrell Weaver in the boys 4x100 relay on Monday at Manheim Township.

Warwick senior Bailey Groves came away with three individual wins in the throws on Monday afternoon in wind-swept Neffsville, leading the Lady Warriors to a 30-24 edge against Manheim Township in the field events.

Unfortunately for the Warwick girls, however, it wasn’t enough to overcome a sizable Blue Streak edge on the track, and the Township girls went on to earn an 83-58 advantage in a Section One meet in Katie Vann’s coaching debut for Warwick.

Township completed the sweep on the boys side, earning a similar 88-53 decision over the Warriors.

While Bridget Neslund was the big star for the Township girls, earning three individual wins of her own, Groves was equal to the challenge for Warwick, winning the shot put (37-4 1/4), discus (88-1) and javelin (85-10). Nicole George added a silver in the javelin (73-6) and a bronze in the shot put (24-10 3/4) to help support the Lady Warriors.

Warwick’s Tori Kramer scored her second — and biggest — goal of the season on Monday at Conestoga Valley.

Unfortunately for the Warwick girls soccer team, playing their third game in four days, they were unable to celebrate it with a win.

Kramer, who also scored in a 9-0 rout of Solanco last Friday, sent the game to overtime by scoring in the final minute of regulation, forging a 1-1 tie. But in the second two OT periods, the Buckskins’ Samara Yurchak connected to lift CV to a hard-fought 2-1 win in a Section Two showdown in Witmer.

The Lady Warriors had a 7-5 edge in shots, but fell to 1-1 in league play (1-2 overall).

Conestoga Valley, which built a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks, had the only goal of the first half, courtesy of Morgan Higgins, with an assist from Abby Groff, in the 27th minute.

The game then stayed that way until Kramer scored the equalizer unassisted.

Samantha Kutcher and Jackie McMullen combined for five saves in goal for the Warwick girls, and Jess Plunkett had six stops between the pipes for CV.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor bmorgan.eph@lnpnews.com, Staff Writer

After missing the 2011 season with an ACL injury, senior Jake Watson was back in his home away from home last Saturday.

That is, between the pipes for the Warwick boys lacrosse team.

And much to the chagrin of Trinity, it was like he never left.

Already back to the form he showed while earning All-Star honors as a sophomore, Watson saved 18 of the 22 shots he faced and backstopped the Warriors to a 6-4 victory over the Shamrocks in their non-league opener at Grosh Field in Lititz.

"Last year we really missed him back there, but now he’s back at 100 percent," Warwick coach Chris Schmehl remarked. "I was very impressed. He’s had a little bit of live action in the off-season, but for his first live competition after being off all year, he was back to his old self and making the saves that we know he can make."

Watson certainly got plenty of support from his teammates in front of him as well, as junior Austin Minnich had three goals and an assist and junior Nick Hohman added two goals and a helper to lead the offense. Senior J.A. Howland also found the back of the net for the Warriors.