Stray dogs to be taken to Lancaster County SPCA

Every year, Elizabethtown police officers find as many as 18 dogs whose owners they can't identify. For the past few years, a local organization called 2nd Chance 4 Life has been taking those dogs and keeping them. While it has been convenient, that contract has come to an end, and by April police will take dogs to the Lancaster County SPCA.

This isn't like the stray dogs in Sochi, Russia, site of the 2014 Winter Olympics. The number of strays has gotten so bad that authorities have been using exterminators to kill dogs, using poison darts in some case, according to the Washington Post.

Whether it's a local organization or the SPCA, the borough has to pay for police officers to take the dogs there. The borough will pay the SPCA $2,000 a year for up to 10 dogs and $200 for every dog after that.

The challenge is that the borough, to recoup costs, has charged residents $200 to pick up the dogs from 2nd Chance. But since the SPCA will charge residents $100, Borough Council decided on recommendation from police Chief Jack Mentzer to lower the borough's fee to $100. That way, residents would still pay just $200 to pick up their dog. Otherwise, it would be a 50 percent increase, to $300, and Mentzer said he was worried about the "sticker shock."

The new arrangement means the borough will lose money, but council is committed to evaluating it to determine if the fee should be increased.

Borough declares a snow emergency

Elizabethtown Borough has declared a snow emergency effective 10 tonight Wednesday, Feb. 12. To facilitate the movement of traffic and combat the hazards of snow and ice, parking is prohibited on the snow emergency routes in accordance with borough ordinance. The Elizabethtown Police Department is authorized to have vehicles that are parked on snow emergency routes towed to Cocker’s Towing at the owner’s expense. To assist with snow removal efforts, residents are encouraged to remove vehicles from all public streets during winter weather conditions. 

Because of the expected severity of this storm, it is probable the borough will need to plow several times. If possible, wait to shovel the last 6 feet of your driveway until we have completed curb to curb plowing on your street. This will help prevent our plows from pushing snow back into your driveway.

Please keep in mind that borough ordinance requires that snow and ice be removed from sidewalks within 12 hours after the end of any fall of snow, sleet, or freezing rain.

The trash pick-up for Thursday will be changed to this Saturday, Feb. 15. Friday’s collection will not be affected.

The office will be closed on Monday, February 17th for the holiday and reopen Tuesday, Feb. 18.

For more information regarding a snow emergency, visit the Borough’s website. Thank you for your cooperation.

Police charge two for selling prescription drugs

Elizabethtown police and troopers from the Pennsylvania State Police arrested a man and a woman for allegedly delivering prescription drugs illegally in late January. During the incident, the suspects allegedly sold OxyContin.

A 41-year-old Mount Joy man and a 42-year-old Middletown woman were arrested Jan. 29 on North Market Street and were within 1,000 feet of Mill Road Elementary School during school hours.

The male suspect was charged with delivery of a controlled substance, conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and possession of prescription pills without a prescription. Police said he had active warrants on other charges and was taken to Lancaster County Prison.

The woman was charged with with delivery of a controlled substance, conspiracy to deliver a controlled substance and possession of prescription pills without a prescription, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. She was released, police said.

The arrests are part of an ongoing relationship the borough police department has forged with the state police to fight drugs in Elizabethtown. In 2012, officers from both agencies conducted an undercover investigation that led to 17 arrests and the seizure of heroin.

In December, state police arrested three borough residents and charged them with felony possession with intent to deliver heroin after another undercover investigation, according to media reports. In that case, troopers seized hundreds of bags of heroin and hundreds of dollars in cash at homes on North Market Street and the first block of East Park Street. Police began monitoring the homes in October.

Despite what many consider to be grim news, I stand by the comments I made about What Elizabethtown Is and What Elizabethtown Isn't in September 2012. Every community has its problems, but the true test is how it responds to the problems. Our police department is to be commended for forging the relationship with state police to do outstanding undercover work. And groups like Elizabethtown Area Communities That Care are working on fighting the underlying causes of substance abuse. (Full disclosure: My wife is a member of the board of directors for EACTC.)

Thankfully, this community has people actively working to make it a better place and not just being arm-chair critics or wringing their hands that it's not the way it used to be.

New councilor sworn in

Marc Hershey, left, is sworn in as the newest member of Elizabethtown
Borough Council on Monday, Jan. 6, by Mayor Chuck Mummert.

The newest member of Elizabethtown Borough Council was sworn in at the biannual reorganization meeting on Monday, Jan. 6. Marc Hershey was elected without opposition last November. He replaces long-time Counclor Meade Bierly, who retired from office after serving for 40 years. 

Hershey is the treasurer for the Elizabethtown Fire Department and is the finance director for The Hershey Company.

At the meeting, Councilor J. Neil Ketchum was also was sworn in for a second term on council. He has served as council president for the past two years and was elected to serve another two years on Monday. Phil Clark was reelected to another two years as vice president.

Police arrest suspect in Craigslist robbery/assault

Elizabethtown police arrested a 19-year-old Elizabethtown woman yesterday in connection with an alleged robbery and assault at MoviE-town in November. Police had previously issued an arrest warrant last Friday.

Amber Consylman was arrested without incident after police received information at about 6:30 p.m. that she had returned to her residence in the 400 block of Aberdeen Road. Officers from Northwest Regional Police assisted borough officers. Consylman was charged with robbery, criminal conspiracy to commit robbery, aggravated assault and theft from a motor vehicle. She was arraigned at night duty court and committed to Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Police said Consylman allegedly met a man on Nov. 5 at MoviE-town who had responded to an advertisment on Craigslist about buying a television. According to the police report, she led the man toward the rear west side of the building. As they passed a blind corner, an unknown male attacked the victim with a baseball bat, hitting  him in the head and arm. The victim was able to escape. According to media reports, he was treated at a local hospital for traumatic injuries to his head and arm.

I asked borough police Chief Jack Mentzer about the male suspect, who had not been identified or arrested as of about 7:45 p.m. yesterday.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Elizabethtown Police Department at 717-367-1835.