Beware of foul balls and bad pick up lines at Sovereign Bank Stadium

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Emily Opilo

My friend Kourtney gets hit on constantly.

It doesn’t matter where we go. Bars, restaurants, the gym – men zero in on the girl. And who can blame them? She’s blonde, petite and easy on the eyes.

Anyone that hangs out with her gets used to it, but I was still floored by the very unique way Kourtney got hit on Thursday night.

Jill, Kourtney’s roommate, had picked up some free tickets to a York Revolution game at her new gig at Fox43, so we all headed to Sovereign Bank Stadium for a night of fraternizing with the enemy. (Everyone from Fox43 was very nice despite being our competition, by the way.)

Our bellies full of hotdogs, chips and a couple of sodas, we settled in to watch the game as the sun finally sank behind the stands. That’s also about the time when we noticed that the bullpen pitchers — sitting just a few feet in front of us — couldn’t stop looking in our direction.

As usual, Kourtney tried to play it off. It couldn’t be her, she said.

“Yeah, right,” the rest of us said, laughing.

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City trash collection delayed for Memorial Day

Posted on May 23, 2012 by Emily Opilo

Trash collections will be rescheduled next week in York due to Memorial Day.

For the holiday week only, Monday customers will be collected Tuesday, Tuesday customers on Wednesday, etc. Trash collection will continue through Saturday for Friday customers.

Customers with questions can call the city Public Works Department at 849-2245.

City offices will be closed Monday in observance of Memorial Day.

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Anti-crime rally to be held Thursday

Posted on May 22, 2012 by Emily Opilo

An anti-crime meeting will be held in York Thursday at 6:01 p.m.

The periodic rallies organized by Councilwoman Joanne Borders are intended to rally community members against crime in the city.

Thursday’s meeting will be held in the 600 block of West Princess Street at West Street, in front of the former Gus’ Bar. Information about neighborhood associations and other community groups will be available.

Participants should bring a lawn chair. In the event of rain, the event will be rescheduled for Thursday June 7 at 6:01 p.m.

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On the record with Frank Dittenhafer — 5.17.12

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Emily Opilo

“It may be time to replace the trees — they’re Bradford Pears — and put in a better tree with a more transparent canopy and different space. It still provides us with a very nice, valuable treescape, but works a lot better with visibility, safety and maintenance.”

-Frank Dittenhafer, an architect with the York firm Murphy & Dittenhafer, on a proposal to refresh the trees in the first block of West Market Street to increase the visibility for the historic facades that line the street.

Bradford Pear trees are notoriously brittle, and city crews were forced to remove several downtown earlier this spring after the were damaged in an October storm. But the trees, which were likely planted in the 1970s, have also been considered a beautiful asset to downtown York.

Other suggestions in Dittenhafer’s study include focusing on marketing the largest commercial properties on the block, increasing the number of residential units in the upper floors of buildings and adding back-in, angled parking.

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Vending machine owners mobilizing against York’s vending machine ban

Posted on May 15, 2012 by Emily Opilo

Expect some excitement at tonight’s York City Council meeting… at least according to one city business owner.

Ray Shaffer, owner of American Music Machine Vending Associates in York, gave me a call yesterday to let me know that he and a bunch of other vending machine owners are going to make an appearance at tonight’s regularly scheduled meeting.

Apparently, the owners are upset about some letters they recently received from the city requiring them to remove their vending machines from city sidewalks.

The letters weren’t altogether unexpected. After much deliberation, York City Council passed a final zoning ordinance last August that banned the use of all vending machines outdoors expect for newspaper boxes – which the city solicitors determined were constitutionally protected.

The move was spearheaded by the Council President Genevieve Ray who felt that vending machines cheapened the city’s charm.

Shortly after the ordinance was passed, the city’s zoning officer began compiling a list of vending machines that were in use citywide, Ray said. Any machines that did not have an easement agreement – which is technically required when obstructing a city sidewalk –  had to be removed according to the ordinance, she said.

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Bike to work in York

Posted on May 12, 2012 by Stephanie Reighart

Source: Bike In York Week 2011

Next week will be the second celebration of cycle commuting in York. As part of National Bike Month and the League of American Bicyclists Bike to Work Week, York will be encouraging all of its citizens to participate May 14-19 by taking using their bikes to commute all around the city.

In addition to the week of commuting on cycles, there will be education events and group rides.

Join the Ride Over Lunch group ride from noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesday May 15. Meet at Lafayette Plaza Parking Lot at 31 N. Pershing Street.

From 10 a.m. to noon on May 19 at Sovereign Bank Stadium will be a bike fair and parade. Helmets are required for all parade participants.

On the subject of helmets, they are strongly encouraged for any who participate in the cycle commuting during the week. Pennsylvania state law requires helmets for cyclists under age 12 who are riding independently or passengers in a seat or trailer.
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Several streets to be closed in York on Saturday and Sunday

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Emily Opilo

Several street closures have been scheduled in York for this weekend.

On Saturday, the York Revolution will be hosting a bike night at Sovereign Bank Stadium. Special parking will be available for motorcycles attending the game.

Arch Street will be closed from North George Street to North Howard Street from 4 to 10 p.m. Motorcycles will be permitted to park on the closed streets.

On Sunday, the Mother’s Day Olde York Street Fair will be held downtown from noon to 6 p.m.

The following streets will be closed to traffic Sunday beginning at 7 a.m.:
– Market Street from Penn Street to Pine Street
– Newberry Street from King Street to Philadelphia Street
– Grant Street from Mason Avenue to Clarke Avenue
– Beaver Street from Philadelphia Street to King Street
– George Street from Philadelphia Street to Market Street
– Duke Street from King Street to Philadelphia Street
– Queen Street from King Street to Philadelphia Street

Parking will be restricted on the following streets:
– First block of North George Street beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday
– First block of South George Street beginning at 11 p.m. on Saturday
– Market Street from Penn Street to Pine Street beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday
– First block of South Beaver Street beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday

Additionally, George Street will be closed from Clarke Avenue to King Street on beginning at 11 p.m. Saturday.

People traveling in these areas should seek alternative routes. Pets, skateboards and bicycles will not be permitted in the event area.

Posted in downtown, East Market Street, Emily Opilo, family event, North George Street, parking, South George Street, street closing, West Market Street | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Captain Brown Shoe/Black Socks and Pit Bull vs. the Google Cyclops

Posted on May 9, 2012 by bill landauer

Bill Landauer gives it his best sell.

My trusty sidekick and I were wandering the streets of York on Wednesday when we first laid eyes upon the solitary eye that would become that lunchtime’s arch nemesis: Street View.

Google Street View that is.

By night, my sidekick is the Pit Bull. By day, she is mild mannered reporter Emily Opilo (if she were writing the blog, I’d be her sidekick).

Call me Captain Brown Shoe/Black Socks.

At 1200 hours, we loaded into the Journalism Mobile (it’s a black Ford Focus, not to be confused with the YES-UV) and headed off to seek truth, justice and … well … a roast beef sandwich and a chicken gyro at Bistro 19.

Turning left onto Parkway Boulevard, we spotted it drifting toward Pacific Avenue. We saw they Cyclops’s lone eye first — a camera lens hoisted on a tower fastened atop a hatchback.

“Follow him!” commanded Pit Bull.

“But … lunch …” I said.

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York named a Tree City USA community

Posted on May 9, 2012 by Emily Opilo

You know what never gets any recognition in York? The trees.

Until now.

The Arbor Day Foundation has named York a Tree City USA community for its “commitment to urban forestry,” according to a news release from the city.

According to the release, the Tree City program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters York has earned this honor for the last 28 years from the nation’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to planting trees.

I take back that bit about the trees never being recognized.

In case you’re wondering, there are four standards that must be met before a city can become a Tree City USA community. Applicants must have a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, a community forestry program with annual expenditures of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation, according to the release.

So now you know.

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Zumbathon First Friday, Bike in York Week and other healthy events in York

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Emily Opilo

Remember last year when you were driving through downtown York and happened upon a couple hundred people dancing on Beaver Street?

And even though you had just written a story about Zumbathon First Friday, it was still incredibly jarring to see that many people moving in sync?

No? OK, that might have been just me.

But it’s happening again, folks. Zumbathon First Friday is back, and it’s the first of many locations where York Mayor Kim Bracey will be getting her workout on this month as she promotes First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move campaign.

In case you need a refresher, Let’s Move is an initiative designed to encourage children and adults to become more active by participating in physical activity and healthy lifestyles. To get the kiddos moving, the mayor plans to visit several school and community events as well as the upcoming Bike in York Week.

And it all gets started with tonight’s First Friday Zumba madness. Head to Beaver Street between Market and Philadelphia streets if you’re interested.

Otherwise, check after the jump for a detailed list of events:

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Posted in downtown, Emily Opilo, family event, health, Mayor Kim Bracey, youth | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment