CGA Law Firm, Downtown Inc. host Student Art Contest

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Erin McCracken
File photo; A Gettysburg Area High School senior works on a sketch in AP art class in February.

File photo; A Gettysburg Area High School senior works on a sketch in AP art class in February.

Downtown Inc. and CGA Law Firm are hosting a Student Art Contest that’s open to students in kindergarten through 12th grade who live in York County. All entries must be received with a completed application by 4 p.m. May 31 at CGA Law Firm, 135 N. George St‎., York.

To download the application and rules for the contest, click here. Only one entry per student will be accepted. Judging will be held by an independent group during the week of June 2. One winner from each of the four grade categories will receive a $50 savings bond.

Winners will be announced June 7 during a Student Art Gala held in the lobby of the CGA Professional Center. The event will correspond with First Friday festivities in York. All student artwork will be on display, and visitors can vote for their favorite. A “People’s Choice” award will be given to the artist with the most votes.

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York County native filmmaker Shane Free seeks local input for Hex murder documentary

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Erin McCracken

Submitted

Submitted

Shane Free’s mind has been on Rehmeyer’s Hollow. The York County native said he’s been interested in the events that transpired there since his dad told him the story as a child.

The infamous case, which became known as the “Hex” murder, started Nov. 27, 1928. John Blymyer, John Curry and Wilbert Hess were accused of brutally murdering Nelson Rehmeyer in his North Hopewell Township farmhouse. Blymyer believed he had a spell placed upon him by Rehmeyer, who he called a witch doctor. The trial put York in the national spotlight.

Free, who now works as a filmmaker and editor in Los Angeles, said the chance to make a documentary about a true crime that happened near his hometown was irresistible. The witchcraft angle and the fact that the house is still standing are bonuses, he added.

Free’s mother went on the recent York walking tour of historic law offices. J. Ross McGinnis, attorney and author of “Trials of Hex,” helped guide the tour. That led Free to McGinnis, who he said has a wealth of knowledge about the Hex case.

The documentary project — titled “Hex Hollow” — is in its early stages, said Free. His goal is to travel to York County in July to get shots of the house, court house and cemetery. He’s also interested in lining up interviews with locals who have memories or connections to the murder and trial. Those interested can contact Free at hexhollowmovie@gmail.com.

“They’re the ones that know the story best,” he said of people who are connected to the case. He added that the story needs to be told now, before all of those with first-hand knowledge of the Hex case pass away.

Related:
Read more about Shane Free and his past movies.
Read more about the Hex murder and trial.

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FlipSide guide 5/16/13: Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival, Taste of PA Wine and Music Fest, Antiques shows

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Erin McCracken

Find out what’s up this weekend. Read more in our newsletter.

FlipSide file; Cast members of OrangeMite Studio's production of 'Love's Labor's Lost' at The Barn in Dover Township.

FlipSide file; Cast members of OrangeMite Studio’s production of ‘Love’s Labor’s Lost’ at The Barn in Dover Township.

Festivals:
– The 66th annual Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival kicks off Thursday. Read the a festival roundup, dig into the food and check out the workshop schedule. [Single-day passes are $35 to $45 at the gate; multiday passes available]
– Celebrate the tastes of spring 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday during the Rhubarb Festival at Kitchen Kettle Village, 3529 Old Philadelphia Pike, Intercourse.
– Lift a glass at the Sixth Annual Taste of Pennsylvania Wine and Music Festival 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the York Expo Center, 334 Carlisle Ave., West Manchester Township. [Free admission, single-day drinking pass costs about $20; $10 for designated driver pass]
– Enjoy food, crafts and entertainment for the whole family 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday during FunFest at Totem Pole Playhouse, 9555 Golf Course Road, Fayetteville. [Free]
– Check out more festivals.

On stage:
– Take in some Shakespeare as OrangeMite Studios “Love’s Labor’s Lost” 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Friday at The Barn at Tall Fir Acres, 2035 Tall Fir Drive, Dover. It also plays next weekend. [$10 for adults; $8 for students]
– The Theatre of the Seventh Sister presents “Eurydice,” a contemporary piece re-imagining the classic Orpheus myth, 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday at The Ware Center, 42 N. Prince St., Lancaster. [$25]
– “Grease” is the word at Gettysburg Community Theatre, 49 York St., Gettysburg. See the musical 2 p.m. Friday, 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday. [$11 for reserved seating]
– Americana/roots trio Red Molly will perform 4 to 6:30 p.m. Sunday at Appalachian Brewing Co., 50 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg. [$20 for general admission; $10 for students]

Find antiques:
– Stroll through time and history at the Greater York Antiques Show 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in Memorial Hall East of the York Expo Center, 334 Carlisle Ave., West Manchester Township. [$10, or $8 with discount from the show's website]
– Browse 18th and 19th Century textiles, paintings, tin wares, toys and more 5 to 8 p.m. tonight, noon to 6 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday during the Historic East Berlin Antique Show at the East Berlin Community Center, 405 North Ave., East Berlin. [$14 tonight for preview event; $7 for Friday and Saturday]

Movies downtown:
– The Parliament, Downtown Inc, Diemo Video and Salvaging Creativity will present the short documentary “George Street Artists” 5:30 p.m. May 17 at the Strand, 50 N. George St., York.
– Meet “The Gatekeepers”: Israel’s secret service, who tried to conduct a war on terror in the midst of the country’s Palestinian/Jewish conflict. See the documentary 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Capitol Theatre. [$7]

More:
– The York Revolution honor fallen Loganville Fire Chief Rodney Miller Friday, Smart sponsor fireworks Saturday and there is a speed dating event Sunday at the ballpark, 5 Brooks Robinson Way, York.
– It’s craft beer night Friday as the Harrisburg City Islanders take on Orlando City at Skyline Sports Complex, 201 Championship Way, Harrisburg.
– Head out on the York Young Professionals’ 14th Annual York City Home Tour 5 p.m. Friday in downtown York. [$10 in advance, $15 on day of the event]
– Sample Indian cuisine with The YorKitchen Passport to Flavors Series 6 p.m. at Central Market, 34 W. Philadelphia St., York. [$45 for the vegetarian meal and $48 for the full meal]

Posted in Beer, Festivals, Food, Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Movies, Music, Nightlife, OrangeMite Studios, Organizations, Outdoors, Regions, Sovereign Bank Stadium, Sports, Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, Susquehanna Folk Music Society, Theater, Topics, Venues, wine, York, York Fairgrounds | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Locals beamed up to ‘Star Trek into Darkness’ premiere in costume

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Erin McCracken

Megan and Kelsea Dvorak of New Freedom sport Vulcan style at Frank Theatres in York Township.

Megan and Kelsea Dvorak of New Freedom sport Vulcan style at Frank Theatres in York Township.

More than 100 Trekkies attended the Wednesday night IMAX premiere of “Star Trek into Darkness” at Frank Theatres Queensgate Stadium 13 in York Township. A few came in costume for a contest Frank Theatres hosted. The theater staff snapped photos of participants posed in front of a movie board in the lobby.

Carl Dietrich came early for the 7 p.m. contest. He planned to attend the 10:45 screening. Dietrich wore a “Star Trek” costume that matched those sported by characters in the recent movie franchise. He explained that the costumes have hundreds of Starfleet insignias in them. He added there are costumes from each incarnation of the science fiction franchise, which debuted in the mid-’60s. (Check out a Tout video of Dietrich above.)

Megan Dvorak, 20, of New Freedom, and her sister, Kelsea, 16, mixed old and new “Star Trek” style at Frank Theaters. They dressed as Vulcans — an extraterrestrial humanoid species in the “Star Trek” universe — complete with pointed prosthetic ears. The most famous Vulcan, of course, is Spock.

“I dress up all the time,” said Megan, who sported a red space dress and black boots. “I have a whole slew of characters. (“Star Trek”) is one of my many fandoms.”

Her other characters include Dr. Frank N. Furter from “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and Captain Haddock from “The Adventures of Tintin.”

More: “Star Trek Into Darkness”: — Why, at heart, it’s a ‘Star Wars’ movie

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The Hotel Hershey’s Jazz on the Veranda concert series kicks off May 24

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Erin McCracken
File photo; Lancaster jazz singer Amy Banks is shown here in a 2012 file photo.

File photo; Lancaster jazz singer Amy Banks is shown here in a 2012 file photo.

The Hotel Hershey will host live jazz performances by local artists 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Friday evenings May 24 through August 30. There is no concert scheduled for July 26. Guests can relax by the fire pit while enjoying light fare and cocktails from a special drink menu available on the hotel’s veranda. Jazz on the Veranda is free the community as well as guests of Hershey Resorts. For details, call 717-534-8800 or visit www.DiningInHershey.com. The lineup is as follows:

May 24 — Jazz Me
May 31 — Amy Banks
June 7 — Wave
June 14 — Katie Rudolph Quartet
June 21 — Jazz Me
June 28 — Ziggy Isaacs Quartet
July 4 — Jazz Me (July 4 party)
July 5 — Jazz Me
July 12 — Deborah Cohen & The Groove Brothers
July 19 — Andy Mowatt Quartet
Aug. 2 — Dave Wilson Quartet
Aug. 9 — Jazz Me
Aug. 16 — String Theory
Aug. 23 — Ryan Kauffman Quartet
Aug. 30 — Wave

More: Check out more summer concerts, festivals and events.

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York Symphony Orchestra to close season with Neil Sedaka, SuperPops show

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Erin McCracken

Neil Sedaka said he’ll soon be traveling to London’s West End for the opening of the musical based on his life and named after one of his hits – “Laughter in the Rain.” A few years ago, Sedaka was invited to the production’s opening at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley, England.

“They’ve invited me to be in it at the end,” he said during a recent phone interview. “I sing with the main ensemble. It’s watching your life unfold on stage.”

For the last 58 years, Sedaka’s life has unfolded on stages, inside recording studios and beside a piano. Even though his career is older than the parents of today’s pop stars, he said he still has work to do.

“I think one reason that I’m around is that I’m never satisfied,” he said.

Read the rest of the interview and check out York Symphony Orchestra conductor Robert Hart Baker’s thoughts on Friday’s show and the program.

If you go:
The York Symphony Orchestra SuperPops concert with Neil Sedaka is 8 p.m. Friday at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, 50 N. George St., York. In appreciation for support, the evening will include a dessert reception for all ticket holders 7 p.m. in the main lobby. Tickets cost $61, $71 and $91. Proceeds from the concert will benefit all York Symphony programs, including school performances, education programs and community outreach. For details and tickets, call 717-846-1111 or visit mystrandcapitol.org.

Posted in Celebs, Music, Nightlife, Organizations, Regions, Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, Topics, Venues, York, York Symphony Orchestra | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Find your character twin from ‘The Office’ before the show’s series finale Thursday

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Erin McCracken

After nine seasons, the employees of Dunder Mifflin are clocking out for the final time during the series finale of “The Office,” 9 p.m. Thursday on NBC.

The show has always had its fair share of hilarious (three words: George Foreman Grill), cringe-inducing (remember Scott’s Tots?) and heartwarming (Like Michael showing up at Pam’s art show?) moments. But its quirky characters are what kept loyal fans coming back week after week.

With such a colorful cast, anyone can fit right in at the Scranton branch. Curious about which character you resemble the most? Just click here to follow the paper trail created by York Daily Record correspondent Susan Jennings and graphic artist Sam Dellinger.

More: Build a Paper Buddy to celebrate “The Office” and share a photo of the finished product with us via Instagram with the hashtag #ydroffice.

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Wolfgang Candy to host Lebanon Levi from ‘Amish Mafia,’ launch new line of chocolates at snack expo

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Erin McCracken

Wolfgang Candy, a fourth generation family business in North York, is teaming up with a reality star next week at the National Confectioners Association’s Sweets and Snacks Expo in Chicago. On May 22, Lebanon Levi from the Discovery Channel reality show “Amish Mafia” will do a meet-and-greet at Wolfgang’s booth at the event.

He’ll help unveil Wolfgang’s new line of chocolates called Farmer’s Fair. The sweets are a throwback to the days when Wolfgang sold candy at at farmer’s markets in York, Hanover and Lancaster during the 1920s. According to a news release, Wolfgang is teaming up with Levi since the new candy has a traditional Pennsylvania Dutch style.

The popular and controversial series “Amish Mafia” follows a group of Amish and Mennonite men, who have taken on the task to protect and police the community in the wake of the 2006 Nickel Mines massacre at an Amish one-room schoolhouse. Read more about the show.

Related: Mother of Nickel Mines shooter says Amish faith and forgiveness helped her heal.

Posted in Celebs, Food, Lancaster, News, Regions, Topics, TV, York | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

‘The Great Gatsby’ review: A little party never killed nobody

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Erin McCracken

I’m not sure why some critics panned “The Great Gatsby.” Have they never seen a Baz Luhrmann film (let alone all the previews for this one)? Did they expect this movie to include every passage of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel? Did they expect to see an Oscar contender in May? I thought it was pretty clear what this film would and wouldn’t be and have tried to judge it as such.

I tried to keep my expectations in check, but I went into the theater trusting that — at the least — Luhrmann would deliver a fabulous vision of a novel I love. I also knew, as an adaptation, the script would likely change, cut and condensed parts of the book. I was OK with the liberties Lurhmann took, since much of the original plot remained intact. Lines were edited and backstory was added, with great effect, I thought. A fellow moviegoer, who also loved the film, found fault with a somewhat clunky narration device. That critique made sense to me. But I’m not sure why the “Gatsby” purists, who have sneered at this take, bothered to see it in the first place. Lurhmann took on a huge challenge with such a piece of literature. Does he deserve across-the-board raves? Nope. Did he re-enforce the power of Fitzgerald’s characters and prose? Yes, old sport.

Continue reading →

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2013 Sounds of Summer concert series in Springettsbury Township

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Erin McCracken

Get ready for the annual Sounds of Summer concerts in Springettsbury Township. The free events are 7 p.m. every Wednesday and Sunday from June 9 to Aug. 4 at the Springettsbury Township Park Amphitheater, 1501 Mount Zion Road. The concerts will be rain or shine. In the case of severe weather, the concerts will move to Central York Middle School, 1950 North Hills Road. Contact the Parks and Recreation office at 717-505-040 for updates. Here is the 2013 lineup:

June 9 — Dr. K’s Motown
June 12 — Beatlemania Now
June 16 — Blackthorn
June 19 — The Swingin’ Swamis
June 23 — Vinyl Groov
June 26 — The Crawdaddies
June 30 — Vocal Trash and fireworks (Read a interview with the group from its 2009 York Fair show.)
July 7 — Uptown Band
July 10 — 7 Bridges
July 14 — Simply the Best (Tina Turner revue)
July 17 — Flamin’ Dick and the Hot Rods
July 21 — Pentagon
July 24 — Re-Creation
July 28 — Philly Bloco
July 31 — Octagon
Aug. 4 — Urban Guerilla Orchestra

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