Property owners notified about clearing snow from sidewalks

I am a runner, and I run in all seasons. The other week, I bundled up for a nice 12-mile run in 20-degree weather. And last Sunday several hundred runners and I braved the freezing temperatures and cautiously navigated slushy and icy roads near Elizabethtown College and Bear Creek School for the second race in the 25th annual Frozen Foot Race series.

It goes without saying that if we runners run in weather like we've had this year, we expect to encounter snow and ice on sidewalks.

But days and weeks after the precipitation ends?

Here in Elizabethtown, borough officials sent notices and $25 inspection fees this week to 165 property owners across the borough for failing to clear snow from their sidewalks. Many of those notices went to people who clearly had not made any effort to clear snow and ice after any of the storms we've had.

Until you are out and about on the sidewalks, you don't realize how many people do not clear them. While I don't hit all of the streets in town when I run, I have encountered snow and ice all across the borough: Spruce Street near College Avenue, along College Avenue toward Market Street, on East and West High Street, Buckingham Boulevard, Hillside Avenue, Willow Street and others.

For the record, the borough ordinance requires that property owners clear their walks of snow and ice within 12 hours after the precipitation ends.

I know it's difficult to get the work done when we have busy schedules, especially when the snow never seems to fall at a convenient time. That's why on Valentine's Day, I fired up the snowblower at 5:30 a.m. to clear my driveway (so I could get to work) and sidewalk. You have to do what you have to do.

So please, not just for sake of us runners, but for the sake of your neighbors, the kids in your neighborhood who walk to school and anyone else out for some fresh air, please clear your sidewalks.

Borough man charged after allegedly assaulting baby

Borough police charged a 25-year-old Elizabethtown man with numerous counts after he allegedly assaulted his 4-month-old son.

The suspect is charged with two counts of felony aggravated assault, one count of felony endangering welfare of children, one count of misdemeanor endangering welfare of children and one count of misdemeanor recklessly endangering another person,

Police said that the baby was taken to Hershey Medical Center on Feb. 4 for a skull injury. While being examined at the hospital, medical personnel discovered additional healing injuries, including two fractured ribs and a fracture of the left distal medial tibia within the weeks prior to the medical examination.

During the police investigation, officers learned that the father allegedly caused the injuries while his son was in his care in the 600 block of Groff Avenue between Jan. 14 and Feb. 4.

Lancaster County Children and Youth Services are involved with the case and certain restrictions have been put into place prohibiting the father from contact with the child.

A preliminary arraignment was held on Feb. 19 before District Justice Jayne Duncan, and the father was released on $25,000 cash bail.

Census data: Hundreds of E-town area children live in poverty

Does anyone else find this troubling? The U.S. Census, as reported by LancasterOnline, shows that 408 children ages 5 to 17 live in poverty in the Elizabethtown Area School District. That's 8 percent of the students in the school district (not just those attending public schools). According to the newspaper website, the numbers are "noticably higher than they were in 2009." And the numbers are likely even higher when you consider they don't include younger children who aren't in school yet.

Here's a chart from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that shows how much income families must have to be considered in poverty:

Persons in family/household	Poverty guideline
For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $4,060 for each additional person.
1	$11,670
2	15,730
3	19,790
4	23,850
5	27,910
6	31,970
7	36,030
8	40,090

You also have to consider a family of four that brings in $27,000 a year. They aren't in poverty, according to the federal rules, but they certainly aren't making ends meet easily.

Through my church, Christ Church United Church of Christ, I learned that many families with students in the schools can't afford meals during the weekends. Members of Christ Church are helping the school district to distribute backpacks full of food to help those families through the weekend.

It's easy to overlook the issue of poverty in a community like Elizabethtown because the concentration isn't as great and noticeable as it is in an urban environment. LancasterOnline reported that nearly one-third of children in the Lancaster City School District are in poverty. But the issues are real here in rural parts of the county, and we all as a community need to be aware and step up to help when we can.

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.