Antrim

The Greencastle-Antrim School Board on Thursday approved a preliminary budget for the 2013-14 school year. The budget projects revenues of $34,573,795 and expenditures at $35,249,115. Despite a budgetary shortfall of more than $675,000, business manager Jolinda Wilson said the district has options for closing the gap between revenues and expenditures. “We have many options that we are considering,” Wilson said after the meeting. “I don't have details on that right now.” There was no board discussion on how the district would balance the 2013-14 budget.

This is the third year there won't be a tax increase for Antrim Township residents. At a special meeting to pass the budget last week, the Antrim Township Supervisors unanimously passed their 2013 budget. The budget not only held the line on a zero mill property tax rate, but also reduced an amusement tax. Township Administrator Brad Graham said the amusement tax affects three organizations and generates about $10,000 for the township. “In today's economy, it was a little bit of a burden, for all the more it generated, so rather than do away with it altogether, the supervisors passed a resolution to drop it from 3 percent to 0 percent,” Graham said.

Allison-Antrim Museum, Inc., 365 South Ridge Avenue, Greencastle, will open an online museum gift shop Friday, Dec. 21.  The shop's inventory includes reproduction Civil War-era amber pendants and earrings. A second line of jewelry features pins with scherenschnitte, German paper cutting, each created by Virginia artist Wendy Wubbles. Other items in the gift shop include local history books and biographies, locally produced DVDs on John Brown and the Battle of Monterey Pass, a two-DVD set on Presbyterian Scots-Irish Genealogy, Civil War-era playing cards, Billy Yank and Johnny Reb beeswax lip balm, and Butterfields hard candy.

The Antrim Township (Pa.) Supervisors are moving forward with plans to upgrade the township's 34-year-old municipal building. Township Supervisors Pat Heraty and John Alleman, who sit on the building project committee, said upgrades to the building are preliminary, but are under way. The board has budgeted $800,000 in the township's 2013 budget for renovations to the building. “No square footage will be added. We're reconfiguring so the space is a little bit more usable,” Heraty said.

The Greencastle-Antrim School Board has a new president following its annual reorganization meeting on Thursday. Brian Hissong, who has served as board vice president for one year, will serve as the board's new president. Board President Eric Holtzman was approved as vice president. Both the president and vice president serve one-year terms. Also during the meeting, the board discussed a modification to its meetings beginning Jan. 3. The meeting on the first Thursday of the month will be a regular board meeting, with the board voting on agenda items.

The days of selling cookie dough, pizza and candles to raise money for extras at the Greencastle-Antrim primary and elementary schools are over - at least for this year. The Greencastle-Antrim Primary and Elementary PTO held its first Race for Education on Friday hoping to raise $50,000 to eliminate the need for a fall and spring fundraiser this year, PTO Vice President Brittny Paci said. “So, far we've raised $70,000,” said a shocked Paci. “And we have more mailers coming in every day.” The PTO looked at a different way to raise funds after sales from its product-based fundraisers began to spiral downward.

At the first meeting following the Greencastle-Antrim School Board's official decision to pull the Lord's Prayer from its agenda, the public took matters into its own hands Thursday. Trying not to break the law while exercising his faith, Brian Cordell of Greencastle tried a new approach - using his three minutes of public comment to pray. While the board and the audience remained silent during the board-led moment of reflection, Cordell returned prayer to the meeting. First, Cordell thanked the board for their selfless service.

U.S. Rep. Bill Shuster told Greencastle-Antrim Chamber of Commerce members Tuesday that his report from the Capitol would be brief. “To sum it up, not much is happening in Washington,” Shuster told the crowd of 60 people. Shuster, R-Pa., claimed House Republicans like him are passing bills and trying to take steps to improve the economy. “It's the other body on the other side of the Capitol - the Senate - that has done virtually nothing,” he said. Shuster served as the keynote speaker during a chamber breakfast meeting.

While beating rival Waynesboro is nothing new for the Greencastle-Antrim girls soccer team, Tuesday's victory gave the Blue Devils a rare opportunity. Sharon Juarez scored two goals, including the game-winner in the 62nd minute, to lift Greencastle to a 3-2 Mid-Penn Colonial Division win over the host Maidens. The Blue Devils improved to 11-1 (7-1) with their 11th straight victory, while Waynesboro fell to 8-3 (6-3). “So far, this is the biggest game,” Greencastle coach Greg Cole said, “because this sets us up for Boiling Springs next week.