By: RICHARD REITZ Record Express Correspondent, Staff Writer

Holiday parties and music go hand-in-hand. But the Lancaster Young Professionals took it a step further and gathered at the site of one the music industry’s leading businesses.

On Dec. 13, Tait Towers hosted about 100 members of Lancaster Young Professionals, an organization that provides business leaders and rising professionals with an opportunity to meet, socialize, network and learn more about businesses in the Lancaster region.

LYP visitors started their evening with a tour of the Tait Towers complex, with small groups joining a Tait employee for an educational stroll through the three buildings on Wynfield Drive, just north of the Lititz Borough line.

With the business currently operating nearly 24 hours a day to meet demand, they were able to watch as workers in various departments constructed props, crafted set designs, backdrops, and prepared intricate lighting displays for many of the world’s top musical acts, with a vast array of clients that include performers like The Rolling Stones, Bon Jovi, U2, Taylor Swift, Pink, Maroon 5 and Lady Gaga.

Tait Towers works with show designers to create eye-grabbing set designs that enhance the concert-going experience. Typically the process from design to the completed stage takes about 2-3 months.

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

The final meeting of 2012 was "traditional" for Warwick Township’s board of supervisors.

Topping the agenda was discussion of a proposed Traditions of America development on the Buckwalter tract, adjacent to the Heart of Lancaster Regional Medical Center. Next was the passage of the 2013 fiscal budget which, for a 22nd consecutive year, held the line on taxes.

Traditions of America is looking to build its 18th community targeted for residents 55 years of age and above on a 60 acre parcel of the Buckwalter property. A special hearing had to be held prior to township supervisors making a final decision on the developer’s conditional use application, a first step toward making the new community a reality.

Nathan Jameson with Traditions and Chris Venarchick of RGS Associates were both on hand to present a wealth of information on the property and proposed development.

In this first phase of the process, the group was seeking only the conditional use approval from supervisors. With that approval, the group could then move forward with preliminary plans, storm water management engineering and more detailed site development.

If I had a Swiss franc for every time somebody asked me if I had seen snow before, I would have to stash it all away in a Swiss vault and access it only by a voice-activation code and a thumbprint scan.

Of course, all these queries were brought about by the onslaught of snow that arrived at the beginning of December. I’ve learned that when it snows in Switzerland, it snows a lot. It had snowed everyday for at least a week straight, layering the ground at one point with over a foot.

It may sound strange, but I have actually met people here who don’t like snow, skiing, chocolate, or even Swiss cheese, all things typical of Switzerland. Sure, I’m not that fond of the cheese either, but I absolutely love the snow, which makes this country one of the best places I could have chosen.

Although many people brave the freezing temperatures and the ice-covered streets to bike to where they need to go, I have opted for the safer and warmer option of riding the bus. With the beginning of winter, the schedule changed so that a bus comes every quarter hour in the mornings and evenings, something that I couldn’t even fathom happening in the U.S. It is very practical here.

There is still time to send us your favorite photo for our next It’s All About You section. The theme is Holiday Traditions. Deadline for submissions is Dec. 28, and your photos will be published in our Jan. 10 edition.

Send your high-resolution jpegs to Stephen Seeber at sseeber.eph@LNPnews.com. Photos can also be dropped off at our Ephrata office or mailed to P.O. Box 527, Ephrata, PA 17522.

When submitting photos, please include all necessary identifications and your contact information (in case we have any questions). Submitted information should include names of those in the photos, your local connection, where and when the photos were taken, and identity of the photographer.

Please limit the number of submitted photos to three.

Inside Mrs. Claus shares her final thoughts before heading back to the North Pole. Her column appears on page A5. Also in this week’s commentary section, find a year in review from Sen. Mike Brubaker, thoughts on Obamacare from our Congressman Joe Pitts, and feeder notes for bird lovers from nature columnist Al Spoo. All on page A5. Lititz Church of the Brethren will once again host its annual Pork and Sauerkraut meal Jan. 1. Details on page A12.

By: JANET SCOUTEN Record Express Correspondent, Staff Writer

Daily activities for this lively centenarian include getting exercise by cleaning her two-story home. (Photo by Stan Hall)

Every Second Friday of each month, downtown Lititz keeps its lights on a little later than usual, welcoming residents and tourists alike to enjoy the charms of this historic town.

This month, downtown visitors had the unique opportunity to experience Lititz history through the flicker of candlelight during a complimentary Christmas tour of the 1792 Johannes Mueller House. As luminaries lined the sidewalks leading the way to the historical property at 137 E. Main St., at least 300 people came through the museum during the Dec. 14 event.

As Cory Van Brookhoven, program coordinator and president-elect of the historical foundation, explained, "This Candlelight Tour is our gift to the community."

With costumed tour guides on hand to tell stories, explain history and answer questions about life in this Moravian village hundreds of years ago, the candlelight created a sense of time travel as visitors stepped into the former home of Johannes Mueller and his family.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

Photo by Stan HallManheim Central sophomore Tony Staffieri puts in a layup over Annville-Cleona's Matt Light during last Wednesday's action.

Manheim Central’s Evan Stauffer is described by his coach as being fearless.

"He’s one of the toughest kids I’ve ever coached," Chris Sherwood remarked.

Last Wednesday, Dec. 19, the Barons’ senior guard used that toughness to strike a lot of fear into Annville-Cleona.

Scoring 13 of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter, Stauffer sparked the Manheim Central boys to an early 24-12 jump on the Little Dutchmen and helped the Barons earn a 55-38 win in a Section Three-Four crossover game in Manheim.

"I’m happy with the effort," Sherwood said. "They played really hard. I’m proud of our guys to be 6-1. But we have a lot of work to do. We’re not Donegal and we’re not trying to be, to tell you the truth. We’re just trying to be ourselves and just trying to get better."

Following their 65-45 Section Three loss to Northern Lebanon last Friday, the Barons will now have nearly two weeks over the holiday break to try to get better before resuming their slate with a showdown against league favorite Donegal on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

By: BRUCE MORGAN Record Express Sports Editor, Staff Writer

Photo by Preston WhitcraftWarwick's Jake Shillady takes the ball inside against Hempfield.

Tyler Morris was still sidelined with an injury.

Then K’shawn Mickens was hurt in last Wednesday’s game against Conestoga Valley and forced to leave early.

Others were battling illness.

As a team, however, the Warwick boys found a way to get it done against the Buckskins, as Matt Engle led all scorers with 24 points and the Warriors earned a 52-41 win in a Section One-Two crossover in Lititz. Tyler Stief also finished with double-figures, dropping in 11 points in the victory. Coupled with their 10-point conquest of Cocalico last Monday, Dec. 17, the Warriors won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

"There’s nothing going to be easy, especially when you’re down a player or two," Warwick coach Jeff Landis said. "You’ve got to grind it out and we did that."

Photo by Preston WhitcraftWarwick's Brianna Olivieri swims to a first-place finish in the girls 100 butterfly in 1:03.74 last week.

Jonathan Zartman and Ryan Mitchell each won an individual event and competed on two first-place relays, while Emily Cameron took home a pair of individual victories, as the Warwick boys and girls swimmers remained unbeaten last Thursday with a non-league sweep of host Lancaster Catholic.

Overall, the Warrior boys (3-0) claimed gold in eight of 11 events, with five different swimmers accounting for individual wins, leading them to a 119-51 decision over the Crusaders. The Warwick girls (3-0), meanwhile, got a pair of relay wins from the team of Morgan Haney, Brianna Olivieri, Sarah Cunliffe and Gray in a 113-53 conquest.

That foursome touched the wall first in the 200 medley relay in 1:50.74 and the 200 free relay in 1:50.74. Haney also added an individual victory in the 100 free in 55.17 seconds, while Cameron took the 200 free in 2:07.36 and 100 breaststroke in 1:08.41.

Other individual wins for Warwick came from Maddie Schouten in the 100 butterfly (1:04.78), Emily Griest in the 500 free (5:24.86) and Danielle DePerrot in the 100 backstroke (1:07.76).