News

A new 366-ft. pedestrian crossing at Villanova University, near Philadelphia, took top Transportation: Best Non-Highway Bridge honors in the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute 2020 Design Awards program.

A practical solution linking the main campus and residence halls, the bridge embraces Keystone State textures. It comprises 124 beam, spandrel, slab and wall elements from two of Pennsylvania’s top building and transportation precast operators: High Concrete Group of Denver and Northeast Prestressed Products of Cressona.

Tonight’s Hometown Heroes are serving up thanks to health care workers.

The executive chef for The Exchange restaurant at the Lancaster Marriott whipped up 80 artisan lunches for them.

The High Foundation footed the bill and delivered them today to Lancaster EMS. The lunches included sandwiches and salads with ingredients from local farms.

Film company MAKE/FILMS on May 11 released a video that features 16 Lancaster bartenders “who miss the connection and relationship they have with their customers.”

According to Make/Films, the video has been wildly popular on social media, receiving an “outpouring [of] messages of love and support for the bartenders from their loyal patrons.”

Psst – Mother’s Day is this Sunday. If you still need help in this department, check my Gift Guide and my rundown of local brunch offerings (to go/curbside/delivery of course!)

Oh, and join me for a chat with author David Sax on Monday night with Midtown Scholar.

The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association, launched a NEW Dairy Campaign, “We Are Your Dairy Farmers: Stronger Together, Buy Local, Choose PA Dairy,” to encourage families to support their local farm families who work hard daily to produce fresh, local milk and dairy products to feed families. During COVID-19, milk is in high demand at grocery stores, but was suspended in other supply chain locations due to business, school and government shutdowns.

To bring awareness and much-needed financial support to regional artists hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic, BrainVessel Gallery presents a live production, “Fan-Tastic Virtual Voyage I,” on Friday, May 8, 7-9 p .m. The two-hour, multi-camera, virtual video production originates from the Gallery studios at 4704 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, and showcases artists from throughout Pennsylvania, as well as Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, New York, and Canada.

The Pennsylvania Dairymen’s Association started a new campaign encouraging everyone to buy local.

The public service ad features the Copenhaver family, who own Talview dairy in Lebanon County.

The ad comes as many dairy farms are forced to throw-out surplus milk because schools, restaurants, and others have stopped buying after being closed during the pandemic.

Improvise. That’s been an important concept since COVID-19 demanded restrictions on our movements.

Christine Laney was about halfway through leading an intensive training for volunteers when the restrictions no longer allowed group meetings. Laney, an attorney who serves as executive director of Dauphin County CASA, simply gathered her volunteers together via Zoom.

Actually, “simply” might be the wrong word to use here.

As the coronavirus shutdowns continue, more and more artists are looking toward virtual options to share their work and entertain the public – and to raise badly-needed funds.

BrainVessel Gallery has organized one such showcase, titled “Fan-Tastic Virtual Voyage I,” scheduled for May 8. The event will be broadcast live online from 7-9 p.m.

A swearing-in for new CASAs, court-appointed special advocates, took place in Dauphin County, although not in a courtroom.

Dauphin County President Judge John Cherry swore in eight new members over Zoom.

They are now officially court-appointed special advocates for Dauphin County. Their mission, to serve as an independent set of eyes and ears fro the court for children in the dependency court system, reporting back to the judge, keeping the child’s best interest at heart.