The Pennsylvania Department of Health is advising patients of a York County dentist that they might be at risk for infection after an investigation discovered the dental facility did not follow appropriate infection control procedures.

from http://www.jacquelinemarcin.com/

To date, the investigation has found Dr. Jacqueline A. Marcin did not follow appropriate procedure to properly clean, disinfect or sterilize devices at her York dental office, located at 1820 E. Market St.

As a result, the Department of Health is recommending hepatitis B, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing for current or former patients who had dental procedures performed directly by Dr. Marcin, such as fillings, tooth removals, denture fittings and other procedures.

Testing is not currently advised for patients who only received routine cleanings or checkups performed by other staff members. Patients should see their doctor to discuss testing options.

“We understand that patients of Dr. Marcin might be worried in light of this news,” Secretary of Health Michael Wolf said. “We have not received any related reports of disease transmission or illness at this time. However, as a precautionary measure, we are recommending current or former patients of Dr. Marcin get tested.”

The departments of Health and State conducted a joint, unannounced site visit of Dr. Marcin’s dental practice on April 24. The Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry temporarily suspended Dr. Marcin’s dental license on April 29.

“We worked with the Department of State to immediately address the infection control problems and prevent any future potential exposures,” Wolf said. “And although this is an ongoing, complex investigation, we feel it is extremely important to provide Dr. Marcin’s patients with information so they can better protect their health. We will continue to share relevant developments as needed to protect the public’s well-being.”

A special, toll-free hotline has been set up by the Department of Health for this investigation. Dr. Marcin’s patients can call 1-855-265-4613 for more information.

Hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV are serious medical conditions that may not cause any outward symptoms in infected patients for many years. Visit the Department of Health’s website at www.health.state.pa.us to learn more.

“Obviously, we know that that may sound a little bit scary. But, I think it’s important for (patients) to know that at this point in time that’s just a precautionary measure. We’re making this recommendation out of an abundance of caution,” said Aimee Tysarczyk, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health. She added the department has not heard from any patients who’ve been diagnosed with any of the diseases mentioned.

Marcin and her attorneys did not respond to requests for comment from Fox43.

Bill Fabrizio is one of Marcin’s patients and plans to see a doctor Wednesday.

“It’s a common consensus that you trust your doctor, you trust your dentist, just automatically,” said Fabrizio. “I’m going to have to go back again tomorrow. And, hopefully, my insurance will pay for it because it’s a necessary thing. I’m not going to take a chance.”

Scott Nye is not York County's only connection to Merion Golf Club.

Not by a long shot.

That shouldn't be surprising, given the fact that Merion sits just 85 miles east of Continental Square.

Nye, the head pro at Merion, was the head pro at the Country Club of York from 1990 until 2000.

The teaching pro at Merion, Mark Sheftic, is a former York County Amateur Golf Association champion. He's currently one of the standout players in the Philadelphia Section of the PGA. He's competed in a couple of PGA Championships.

The current head pro at the Country Club of York, Kevin Muldoon, is a former assistant pro at Merion under Nye.

Sean O'Connor, who is a Country Club of York member, was also a former assistant pro at Merion under Nye. O'Connor also worked as an assistant pro at Augusta National. O'Connor has since left the golf business and currently works as director of agencies for Baltimore Life in York. He also competes in YCAGA events.

According to O'Connor, several other CCY members are also members of Merion, including, Todd Kennedy, Don Graham and George Hodges. Kennedy is one of the better amateur golfers in York County and competes in many YCAGA tournaments.

O'Connor's impres sions: O'Connor believes that next week's U.S. Open champion at Merion will be a good iron player who putts well.

Driver won't be necessary on many of the holes on the relatively short course. That could help Tiger Woods.

"A lot of people believe the course favors him because he's so solid with his irons and he won't be hitting a whole lot of drivers," O'Connor said.

Woods is a big hitter, but sometimes has trouble finding the fairway with his driver.

Like Nye, O'Connor believes the final winning score will be under par, but in single digits.

"I don't think they'll tear it up like some people fear," he said. "I think the course will hold up pretty well if the conditions are favorable. It's a tough golf course with the rough the way it is. A decent amount of rain will make the rough even more difficult. And the greens will be fast. The fairways will be narrowed a bunch, making good tee shots imperative. If you miss a fairway, it's highly probable that a player will make a bogey. If you're just off the green, it won't be an easy up and down."

O'Connor also had nothing but good things to say about his former boss, Nye.

"Scott Nye is one of the most class acts in the business," O'Connor said. "He's one of the best pros in the country. The fact that we had him for 10 years at the Country Club of York is pretty cool."

Nye remembers York: Nye has many fond memories of his time in York and was very complimentary of the CCY membership.

"Working and living in York was a major part of our lives," Nye said. "All of our children were born there and we have been able to keep in touch with so many friends. Serving as the head pro at Country Club of York was very special. The membership was, and is, terrific. I was very young when I started at York and they allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them."

-- Reach Steve Heiser at sheiser@yorkdispatch.com.

Go here for Steve Heiser's column on Scott Nye and Merion.

Go here for the U.S. Open at a glance.

York City Council approved union contracts for its electrical and clerical employees Tuesday night, but it came amid trepidation from some council members and a resident over how salary increases would affect the city budget.

"My concerns are not that we are offering princely wages ... because we're not," council vice president Henry Nixon said. But when the city is facing a deficit, a "salary increase seems exaggerated in my mind."

Both contracts were approved 3-1, with Nixon as the lone dissenter each time.

However, Councilman David Satterlee said his vote in favor of the contracts did not mean he approved of increased city spending. Satterlee cited concerns about the city budget, but said he voted in favor because he was "not sure that the employees should bear the brunt of budget issues."

The wage increases are minimal enough not to necessitate an increase in taxes, said Michael O'Rourke, business administrator for the city.

O'Rourke said the cause of rising property tax rates is not small pay increases but rather large contracts with police and fire departments that eat up 70 percent of the general fund budget.

"There was not a tax increase last year, and there were pay increases," O'Rourke said.

But city resident David Jones, who lives in the Springdale neighborhood, said the problem is that the raise sets a precedent for increases for other employees that would result in property

"Where is the sense of reality here?" Jones said. "The pain of workers should be at least equal to the pain of taxpayers."

Jones, who works a second job to pay his property taxes, called the tax rate in the city "predatory," and said that many in his middle-class neighborhood are struggling to stay in their homes.

To retire in the city at the current tax rates is to seek financial ruin, Jones said after the meeting. His neighborhood is being "gutted," he said, and people are "biting their nails, trying to get out."

Union contracts

York City Council voted 3-1 Tuesday night to approve two union contracts.

One was with the International Brotherhood Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 229. The three-year contract will include a 2.83 average annual percent increase.

The other three-year contract was with the York Public Employees' Association, which is affiliated with AFSCME/AFL-CIO. It will receive a 2.8 annual average percent increase.

-- Teresa Boeckel

Scott Nye is not York County's only connection to Merion Golf Club.

Not by a long shot.

That shouldn't be surprising, given the fact that Merion sits just 85 miles east of Continental Square.

Nye, the head pro at Merion, was the head pro at the Country Club of York from 1990 until 2000.

The teaching pro at Merion, Mark Sheftic, is a former York County Amateur Golf Association champion. He's currently one of the standout players in the Philadelphia Section of the PGA. He's competed in a couple of PGA Championships.

The current head pro at the Country Club of York, Kevin Muldoon, is a former assistant pro at Merion under Nye.

Sean O'Connor, who is a Country Club of York member, was also a former assistant pro at Merion under Nye. O'Connor also worked as an assistant pro at Augusta National. O'Connor has since left the golf business and currently works as director of agencies for Baltimore Life in York. He also competes in YCAGA events.

According to O'Connor, several other CCY members are also members of Merion, including, Todd Kennedy, Don Graham and George Hodges. Kennedy is one of the better amateur golfers in York County and competes in many YCAGA tournaments.

O'Connor's impres sions: O'Connor believes that next week's U.S. Open champion at Merion will be a good iron player who putts well.

Driver won't be necessary on many of the holes on the relatively short course. That could help Tiger Woods.

"A lot of people believe the course favors him because he's so solid with his irons and he won't be hitting a whole lot of drivers," O'Connor said.

Woods is a big hitter, but sometimes has trouble finding the fairway with his driver.

Like Nye, O'Connor believes the final winning score will be under par, but in single digits.

"I don't think they'll tear it up like some people fear," he said. "I think the course will hold up pretty well if the conditions are favorable. It's a tough golf course with the rough the way it is. A decent amount of rain will make the rough even more difficult. And the greens will be fast. The fairways will be narrowed a bunch, making good tee shots imperative. If you miss a fairway, it's highly probable that a player will make a bogey. If you're just off the green, it won't be an easy up and down."

O'Connor also had nothing but good things to say about his former boss, Nye.

"Scott Nye is one of the most class acts in the business," O'Connor said. "He's one of the best pros in the country. The fact that we had him for 10 years at the Country Club of York is pretty cool."

Nye remembers York: Nye has many fond memories of his time in York and was very complimentary of the CCY membership.

"Working and living in York was a major part of our lives," Nye said. "All of our children were born there and we have been able to keep in touch with so many friends. Serving as the head pro at Country Club of York was very special. The membership was, and is, terrific. I was very young when I started at York and they allowed me to make mistakes and learn from them."

-- Reach Steve Heiser at sheiser@yorkdispatch.com.

Go here for Steve Heiser's column on Scott Nye and Merion.

Go here for the U.S. Open at a glance.

A six-batter stretch in the fifth inning was all it took to swing Tuesday evening's Atlantic League Freedom Division game between York and Sugar Land away from the Revolution.

The end result was yet another one-run game, as the Skeeters held on for a 5-4 win and their fourth-straight victory of the season in Sovereign Bank Stadium before 2,884 fans. Sugar Land swept York during a three-game series here in late May.

"The bottom line is this, this will sum it up," York manager Mark Mason said. "Number one: We can't walk guys. Number two: We have to field our positions. Number three: We have to put the ball in play when we have runners in scoring position. That's it. It is that simple.

"All of that happened in one inning, and that was the game."

York (25-21) is in third place, 81/2 games behind Sugar Land (33-12) in the Freedom Division with 24 games remaining in the first half. Somerset is in second place, 21/2 games out.

The Revs started right-hander Pedro Liriano for the second time this season. He gave the team four innings of five-hit, two-strikeout ball before yielding to Yunior Novoa to open the fifth.

"Liriano did his job," Mason said. "He kept us in the game. It was a spot start for him, and he left with the lead."

Novoa surrendered an infield single and two walks to five hitters before giving way to southpaw Joe Torres.

Torres allowed the tying run to score when he uncorked a wild pitch with catcher Koby Clemens at the plate and gave up a two-run single on the ensuing pitch.

"That was a tough situation for Torres to come into," Mason said. "But Novoa gave me no reason to keep him in the game. He was up in the zone."

York threatened in the sixth as cleanup hitter Andy Marte lead off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch but was left stranded.

The Revs had another run-scoring opportunity in the seventh as Salvador Paniagua and No. 9 hitter Manny Mayorson opened with back-to-back hits and advanced a base on a wild pitch with right fielder Eric Patterson up, but got no farther.

York staged a two-out rally in the eighth as No. 7 hitter Ruddy Yan walked and Paniagua singled, but Mayorson grounded out to end the inning.

The bottom of the ninth provided a bit of fireworks as No 2 hitter Andres Perez smoked a one-out homer off Sugar Land closer Jason Bergmann, the first run the former Washington Nationals hurler had given up in 18 appearances and 18 innings this year.

"That was a big hit by Perez," Mason said. "There just wasn't enough of that."

First baseman Brian Burgamy followed with a double high off the right-field wall, but he was left on second as Marte fouled out to third and Cody Johnson fanned, giving Bergmann his 13th save.

The final tally was eight Revs runners stranded over the final six innings.

"We had plenty of opportunities," Mason said. "Hats off to them. We beat ourselves in a lot of cases and that's the end of it."

Patterson had given the Revs the lead in the third when he lead off with a triple to right field and scored on a ground out to third base by Perez.

Sugar Land tied the score in the second inning as Clemens singled, moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a double by No. 8 hitter Michael Rockett. The Skeeters took the lead on a two-out, full-count single fisted into center by leadoff hitter Adam Godwin, which plated Rockett.

The Revs retook the lead in the bottom of the second as Johnson opened with a double over the first base bag, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a base hit by Yan.

York opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first as Burgamy launched a two-out, 1-2 offering from Sugar Land righty Matt Wright over the fence in right-center field for his team-leading ninth home run of the season.

Wright threw 96 pitches, 61 for strikes, in his five inning stint. He gave up four hits while striking out six and walking two in notching his sixth win in as many decisions.

"The bottom line is we have to do better," Mason said. "We have to do better than that fifth inning."

Notes: Former Major League pitcher Roger Clemens was in attendance at Tuesday's game. His 26-year-old son Koby was the starting catcher for Sugar Land in the game. ... Paniagua and Patterson both collected hits and have seven-game hitting streaks heading into this evening's game. ... Wilson Batista was held out of the game due to a finger injury suffered on a steal of third Monday. He has a team-high nine-game hitting streak alive....Tuesday's one-run game was the 19th of the season for York. The Revs record in them is 6-13.

David Jones is a physician who works a second job to pay the bills.

Without the extra consulting work, the York Hospital pathologist said, his family couldn't afford the $1,200 they pay in property taxes every month.

The 17-year resident of York City's Springdale neighborhood pleaded Tuesday with the York City Council not to make things worse by committing the city to future expenses.

"You are taking tens of thousands of dollars out of the pockets of your middle-class citizens every year," Jones said. "I am telling you it is unsustainable. It is destructive. And it is cruel."

Moments later, the council voted 3-1 to approve a new three-year contract with the city's electrical workers that would increase wages by 2.3 percent in 2013, 3.0 percent in 2014 and 3.2 percent in 2015.

At an earlier meeting, some members of the council scrutinized the proposed contract, which administrators framed as a "give-and-take" agreement that included increased worker contributions to health insurance.

When it came time to vote, only Councilman Henry Nixon said "no."

Nixon estimated contractual pay hikes among all city workers - including some unions still negotiating with the city - will add $300,000 to the city's bottom line annually.

"I don't know if we can afford to do that as much as I would like to," Nixon said.

Nixon also voted against a new contract with the York Public Employees Association, which won approval in another 3-1 vote. The clerical workers' contract includes an average 2.8 percent wage increase for three years.

Jones pressed city officials on whether the raises would result in a property-tax increase.

City property owners have seen their taxes increase by more than 30 percent since 2010. At 20.37 mills, York City's municipal tax rate is more than three times higher than the rate of the runner-up, West York.

Property taxes in York City amount to "a second mortgage on every house in the city that is never paid off and goes up every year," Jones said.

"All we're doing is renting our properties from the city until we die or can move out," he said. Anything that boosts expenses without raising revenue "should be summarily rejected," Jones said.

But modest salary increases hardly account for the city's financial problems and are unlikely to trigger a tax increase, said business administrator Michael O'Rourke.

The bulk of the burden, he said, lies with the city's minimum municipal obligation - an annual payment that fulfills a commitment to support retired employees with a pension fund. York is currently $54 million behind on its MMO payments.

"And there's nothing I can do about it," O'Rourke said.

The city could drastically cut its expenses. But, when the mayor proposed cutting police jobs in 2003, O'Rourke said, he remembers "We had to go to another building to accommodate all the people that came to scream."

The system requires reform, and that's something only state legislators in Harrisburg can do, O'Rourke said.

"They're the only ones that can take effective action," he said.

- Erin James can also be reached at ejames@yorkdispatch.com.

YORK, Pa. (AP) — Health officials are warning patients of a central Pennsylvania dentist that they might be at risk for infection of hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

The Pennsylvania Health Department says an investigation found Dr. Jacqueline Marcin did not follow appropriate procedures to properly clean, disinfect and sterilize devices at her dental office in York.

There haven't been any infections reported but patients are being urged to get tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C if they were treated directly by Marcin. That includes fillings, tooth removals, denture fittings and other procedures.

Those who got routine cleanings or checkups by other staff members aren't included in the testing advisory.

Marcin's license was suspended on April 29 and her office is closed while the investigation continues.

Legislation that would overhaul some of the longstanding and much-criticized aspects of the charter school law is awaiting a state House vote.

State Rep. Seth Grove, R-Dover, said this is the first time he can remember such legislation making it out of committee, considering charter school reform is always under intense scrutiny.

For school districts, the proposed changes could mean up to a couple of hundred thousand dollars extra in funding that would otherwise have been headed to charters.

Grove thinks the bill has a good shot at passing when it goes up for a

vote, which could be as soon as Wednesday.

"This is one where no one is happy," he said of finding the right balance.

The bill only made it out of the education committee by a 13-12 margin, with Grove and Rep. Will Tallman voting in favor of it from York County.

Among the changes, charter schools would no longer get a double reimbursement for pension costs; they had gotten a state partial reimbursement as well as reimbursement costs included in their payment from school districts. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated.

The proposal also would end cyber school schools' getting food service reimbursement, as Grove pointed out that cyber schools don't offer food service.

And charter schools would be directly paid by the state, rather than waiting for the district to pay them tuition. New Hope Academy, for instance, had to ask the state to get it its tuition money after York City School District decided to stop paying it a year ago.

Grove said brick-and-mortar charters aren't opposing the bill in part because it includes the direct payment, while cyber charters oppose it.

Local reaction: Spring Grove Area School District business manager George Ionnaidis said more needs done to overhaul the charter school funding formula, although he said the district is pleased there is at least some progress.

"It's a start. It's certainly not perfect," Ionnaidis said.

Spring Grove would stand to save $75,700 in charter school payment next school year, according to figures supplied by Pennsylvania Association of School Business Officials. The association supports the bill. The savings would come from districts' not having to reimburse charters for certain items they do now.

Southern York School District business manager Wayne McCullough said the pension double-dip needed to be addressed.

"We appreciate recognizing that the double-dip of pension costs for charter and cyber charter schools is unfair to school districts and taxpayers, and the willingness to do something about it," McCullough said.

Southern would save about $58,600 in charter payments. On the other end, York City would save $374,600.

Grove said the bill also includes aspects of previous versions of the bill from past years. Cyber charter schools would face increased enforcement of attendance, and charters overall would need to implement new teacher evaluations and academic quality measures.

A commission would be created to examine "permanent charter funding improvements" as well, according to Grove.

-- Reach Andrew Shaw at ashaw@yorkdispatch.com

Charter school bill savings

A charter school reform bill awaiting a vote in the House would lead to these savings by school district, according to state Rep. Seth Grove. Each district would save money by not having to reimburse charter schools for areas such as pension and food service costs.

The following is a list of projected savings for the 2013-14 school year:

---Central: $76,166

---Dallastown: $111,517

---Dover: $95,168

---Eastern: $55,052

---Hanover Public: $99,777

---Northeastern: $107,764

---Northern: $77,939

---Red Lion: $167,586

---South Eastern: $112,308

---South Western: $105,646

---Southern: $58,641

---Spring Grove: $75,708

---West Shore: $248,271

---West York: $92,881

---York City: $374,601

---York Suburban: $68,183

After more than seven years with the City of York, it is reassuring to realize just how much has been accomplished in these past years, largely through the hard work of innumerable city employees, residents, nonprofit organizations, investors and entrepreneurs.

The largest municipality in our county, York is the economic, educational, cultural, artistic, live music, tourism and culinary hub of York County. Our metropolitan community is growing and bustling and ripe with positive energy.

As I pass the torch to a new Economic & Community Development director, I thought I would take a moment to recap all that has been accomplished, so we can step back for a moment and realize just how far we have come.

Like all Pennsylvania cities of our size, York has challenges and constraints largely due to antiquated state laws. But systemic challenges will not stop our partners, believers and doers like you from building a thriving urban community.

Guided by our Strategic Plan and empowered by incentives, novel programs, great value, authenticity and, most importantly, the investments and great work of thousands of entrepreneurs, workers and citizens, our York is a great place.

The private sector is the muscle and mind behind our local economy and job creation, while city government fulfills important planning, facilitation, advocacy, collaborative, infrastructure and public safety goals and roles to let the private sector work its magic.

The numbers are telling.

---Over $75 million in development was invested in our city in 2012 alone.

---In 2012, we witnessed an extraordinary 273,000 square feet of new commercial and residential development.

---From 2000 to 2010, our York grew by 7 percent, from 40,862 to 43,718. Growth has continued with more residential projects in 2012 and beyond.

---Employees commuting into our city swell our population to about 80,000 on most days.

---In 2012, 280,085 folks -- a 5 percent increase in per-game attendance over 2011 -- attended York Revolution games at Sovereign Bank Stadium. Better than advertised, the Revolution has averaged 274,981 attendees during six great seasons.

---Over 100,000 attended our city's parades and special events. Over 80,000 people attend performances, events and receptions at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center. Over 48,000 attended the York County Heritage Trust Museum and other venues.

---Dreamwrights Youth and Family Theater welcomed 8,840 to its performances.

---Downtown York now has over 100 restaurants, cafes, market vendors, and food retailers.

---We have grown our York Business Academy and our partnership with York College's SIFE program -- the SIFE students have now turned their attention to improving our Rail Trail as their artery into the downtown.

---We secured state funding and partnered with the York County Industrial Development Authority to develop a community arts center. Marketview opened its doors, is chock full of artists and houses York College's art program.

---Harrisburg Area Community College continues its strong growth in our city and is developing a closer relationship with our York City School District.

---Over $40 million has been invested in our city's neighborhoods. New housing, streetscapes, lighting, parks and blighted homes torn down.

From creating the nation's first working constitution to hand-made furniture, clocks and folk art; from custom fabricating and welding to tool-and-die specialists; from artist homesteaders to nationally acclaimed artisans and musicians -- York unleashes creativity, character and capitalism.

Because of a host of positive developments, our York is becoming an entrepreneurial, artistic, design, live music and fresh foods center while keeping its historic bones and walkable charm intact.

Consider the following.

---In 2012, we published a new, comprehensive, user-friendly business manual including an easy-to-follow flowchart to better explain the permit, code and zoning process. We also adopted a "No Change of Use, No Certificate of Occupancy" inspection process to lessen the burden and cost of start up for budding entrepreneurs and small businesses.

---Led by city native sons and three former members of the multi-platinum rock band, Live, Think Loud Development has broken ground at the vacant 210 York St. The $20 million adaptive re-use of this 50,000-square-foot building will house a cutting-edge tech company and hub merging creative minds with a professional recording studio, adding 60 new jobs.

---We won over $4 million in grants and appropriations to make important upgrades to Central Market and Farmers Market -- two authentic and cherished 19th century markets. We also paved the way for the opening of C-Town, a full-service grocery store, on Duke Street.

---Joining anchors, the Strand-Capitol and YorkArts, and a host of galleries, boutiques and studios, the Marketview Arts Center, including the official Pennsylvania Artists Trail destination and a satellite of York College's arts program. Also, engaging public art on industrial themes now graces Beaver and George Streets.

---Phase II of the Northwest Triangle (east of Beaver Street), is nearly complete. This includes the Thomas Somerville building being fully occupied by LSC Design with 50 employees and the Smyser Royer building, home to the York Academy. Stay tuned for news of the final phase of the Northwest Triangle (west of Beaver Street) now under development agreements.

---Finally, your downtown is becoming a specialty foods, craft beer, micro-brew and fine wine epicenter for foodies and epicureans featuring, to name just a few newcomers, Mudhook Brewpub, Liquid Hero Brewing Co., Holy Hound Taproom, and forthcoming wine bars, Vintage and The Handsome Cab.

Because of these developments and believers and doers like you, our glass is more than half full of optimism, it's overflowing. I am happy with what our community can accomplish. In fact, I'm downright proud.

-- Kevin Schreiber is the outgoing Community and Economic Development Director for the City of York and is state representative-elect for the 95th House Leg islative District.

A young customer can t wait to sample a peach at Brown s Orchards & Farm Market in 2011. (WEEKLY RECORD FILE)

York County Buy Fresh Buy Local invites you to learn more about the home grown goodness York County has to offer.

Miller Plant Farm will host the Tastes of York event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 15 with sample goods from local vendors and musical entertainment.

BFBL is about supporting local farmers and growers and helping consumers to un derstand the importance of buying locally grown foods and how to find those local growers.

"Nutrition is tied to freshness. Why buy some thing that is shipped when you can find fresh food grown right here in York County?," Dave Miller said.

Read the full story here.

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The weekly York Weekend entertainment roundup of openings, extras, weekend sports and ticket sales for June 6 - June 13.

EXTRAS

The second annual Jawstruck Spoken Word and Performance Festival begins at 6 p.m. Friday, June 7, at The York Emporium, 334 W. Market St., York. The free slam will feature an open mic segment as well as top teen and adult wordsmiths competing for prizes. Information: 717-846-2866, facebook.com/YorkEmporium or facebook.com/poetrywarriorcarla.

The York County SPCA's third annual Bully Bash celebrates oft-maligned dog breeds from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at John Rudy County Park off Mundis Race Road in East Manchester Township. The fun starts with a 5K race and 1-mile fun walk at 9 a.m. The festival offers games, a parade, adoptable dogs, raffles, food and more. Well-behaved, licensed and vaccinated dogs welcome. Information: 717-764-6109 or www.ycspca.org.

Greater York Dance will present its June Jubilee dance festival with events Friday, June 7, and Sunday, June 9, at Central York High School, 601 Mundis Mill Road, Springettsbury Township. The festival starts with a free dance class for ages 3-7 at 6:30 p.m. Friday, followed by a Midstate Ballet performance and the Dance It Forward outreach program's "Dance Experience." Events on Sunday start at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. with the "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" ballet, a Hip Hop Spectacular, a Broadway-influenced production and "Get Your Sparkle On." Tickets: $18-$28 for adults and $12 for children under 18 in advance, more at the door. Information: 717-755-6683 or www.gydance.org.

The First Friday Art Crawl lasts from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 7, in downtown York City, centered on the first block of North Beaver Street. A variety of galleries and restaurants will showcase new exhibits, and the York County Heritage Trust will have a pop-up museum exhibit on Beaver Street. Live music, food and beverage tastings, a birthday party as Nuts About Granola turns 5 and more events will light up the city. The Strand-Capitol's Jazz in the City starts at 5 p.m. with a $3 cover. Information: 717-849-2331 or downtownyorkpa.com.

The EMC Performing Arts Studio presents its 21st annual spring concert featuring more than 100 performers covering the last century of dance at 3 p.m. Sunday, June 9, at the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center, 1031 Edgecomb Ave. on the Penn State York campus. Tickets: $10-$18 in advance, $20 at the door. Information: 717-505-8900 or pullocenter.yk.psu.edu.

York author Frederick Leo Nkwasibwe will sign copies of his book "Business Courage" from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at Irvin's Books, 2159 White St., West Manchester Township. The book develops ways to integrate spirituality in the workplace. Information: 717-843-2947 or www.irvinsbooks.com.

The York County Corvette Club will host an all-car show from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, in the parking lot of the Markets at Shrewsbury, 12025 S. Susquehanna Trail. Participating cars will pay an entry fee of $10 or $15, with proceeds benefiting the York County Children's Advocacy Agency and the Chip Miller Charitable Foundation for cancer research. A silent auction will be held. Information: 717-235-6611 or www.marketsatshrewsbury.com.

The Creature Feature series kicks off at 11 a.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Nixon County Park, 5922 Nixon Drive, Springfield Township. Each Tuesday, the park will feature a different animal and study its behavior and history during the free program. Information: 717-428-1961 or www.yorkcountyparks.org.

OPENINGS

Chart-topping rockers Kansas mark 40 years as a band with a concert at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center, 50 N. George St., York. Alternative rockers Arc & Stones will open the show. Tickets: $43-$52. Information: 717-846-1111 or www.mystrandcapitol.org.

Next up on the CapLive concert schedule is J. Roddy Walston and the Business with opening act Toy Soldiers at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 8, at the Capitol Theatre, 50 N. George St., York. Expect hard-driving rock with a mix of country and gospel influences. Tickets: $19. Information: 717-846-1111 or www.mystrandcapitol.org.

The Westminster Concert Bell Choir will perform works by Bach, Brahms and other composers at 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 7, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, 25 W. Springettsbury Ave., York. The suggested donation for admission is $10. Information: 717-843-8155 or facebook.com/events/156741237838882.

The Box Lunch Revue concert series features free live music from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Cherry Lane adjacent to Central Market, 34 W. Philadelphia St., York. Next week's performers are contemporary guitarist Maria Wilson on Tuesday, June 11, and Irish folk singer Mossy Moran on Thursday, June 13. Information: 849-2217 or www.yorkcity.org/boxlunchrevue.

WEEKEND SPORTS

The Northeastern Bobcats will try to win the fourth state title in the history of its storied boys' volleyball program on Saturday. The District 3 champion Bobcats will face District 7 champion Ambridge in the PIAA Class AA title match at 1 p.m. at the Penn State Multi Sport Facility.

The wingless sprint cars of USAC's Eastern Storm will hold a dirt-track show at Susquehanna Speedway Park in Newberrytown on Sunday night, pitting the Midwest invaders against local drivers. The ARDC Midgets are also a part of the program. Action starts at 6 p.m.

GET TICKETS

Registration is open now for MuckFest, a mud run obstacle course festival to raise funds for the Maryland chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. The Trail-Way Speedway west of Hanover will host the daylong event Saturday, June 29. Registration is $75 through Wednesday, June 12, and increases afterward. Participants will run the course and receive an event T-shirt, lunch, and two beers (ages 21 and up only). Competitors must be at least 12 years old; a play area will be available for younger children. For details, visit www.muckfestms.com.

Tickets to see culinary celebrity Alton Brown, host of "Iron Chef America" and "Good Eats," go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, June 7. The 90-minute show will start at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 19 at the Pullo Family Performing Arts Center and will include a variety of all-ages food demonstrations with volunteers picked from the audience. Tickets are $56-$85. For details, call 717-505-8900 or visit pullocenter.yk.psu.edu.

SUMMER READING

Summer Reading Club events are ongoing at York County library branches through Aug. 18. Here's a peek at some of the "GO and Dig It Up" events happening in the next week:

Big Deal Wheels: The kickoff event for the Collinsville Community Library in Brogue will feature a variety of vehicles to explore. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, June 8, in the Clearview Elementary parking lot.

Wiggly Worm Race: Worms will compete. Bring your own or choose one from the Book Worm Corral. 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 8, at Dover Area Community Library, 3700-3 Davidsburg Road, Dover.

Design Your Own T-shirt: Bring a plain, cotton T-shirt to decorate. 10:30 a.m. Monday, June 10, and Tuesday, June 11, at Dillsburg Area Public Library, 17 S. Baltimore St., Dillsburg.

Abstract Garden: York Arts presents "Gardening With O'Keefe," a program teaching ages 8 to 13 about composition, warm and cool colors, and realistic and abstract art. 10 a.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Glatfelter Memorial Library, 101 Glenview Road, Spring Grove.

Diggers Musical Extravaganza: Tracey Eldridge presents a program using rabbits, moles, gophers and other animals to teach ages 2 to 7 about rhyming, dancing, musical instruments and more. 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Kaltreider-Benfer Library, 147 S. Charles St., Red Lion.

Underground Caves and Caverns: A fun presentation about what's inside the Earth for ages 10 to 18. 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, at Dover Area Community Library, 3700-3 Davidsburg Road, Dover.

Animals That Dig: York County Parks will present artifacts and talk about why animals dig and how their bodies are adapted to do it. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 12, at the Village Library, 35-C N. Main St., Jacobus.

Tracking Dinosaurs: Jeri Jones shows off dinosaur fossils and explains what their footprints tell us about them. 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, and 6 p.m. Thursday, June 13, at Kaltreider-Benfer Library, 147 S. Charles St., Red Lion.

I Dig Bugs: Ryan "The Bug Man" Bridge uses live insects and arthropods to teach about how bugs live. 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at Arthur Hufnagel Public Library of Glen Rock, 32 Main St., Glen Rock.

Dinosaur Story Time: Miss Lisa will share stories about dinosaurs, and children will create their own make-and-take dinosaur craft. 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, at Paul Smith Library of Southern York County, 80 Constitution Ave., Shrewsbury.

The Summer Reading Club and related events are free and open to children up to age 18 with a valid library card. For a full schedule, visit www.yorklibraries.org. For details on the Buried Treasure short story contest, visit www.juniordispatch.com.

ROCK HILL— A routine traffic stop on I-77 in Rock Hill led to a drug bust Tuesday after agents confiscated 36 bags of high-grade marijuana from two men traveling from Florida to Pennsylvania, officials say.

At about 1 p.m., the York County drug enforcement unit's highway interdiction unit stopped a 2011 Jeep Liberty on Interstate 77 near Porter Road after determining that it was following behind other vehicles too closely, said Marvin Brown, the unit's commander.

The driver, Vladimir Perez Alberdi, 42, and his passenger, Juan R. Orama Perez, 43, told agents they were traveling from Miami to Pennsylvania, Brown said. The car had a yellow, triangular "Baby on Board" sign in the back window, and police found children's toys in the rear storage area.

Police also found 36 half-pound bags of marijuana hidden in the door panels, headliner and inside a spare tire, Brown said. The street value of the drugs, Brown said, is about $3,000 per pound.

They stored the pot in half-pound bags, Brown said, so they could conceal the drugs in different car compartments.

Total, the men had $54,000 worth of marijuana in the car, he said.

Brown said Tuesday's bust might have netted the largest amount of marijuana officials have found trafficked across state lines so far this year. In the past, agents have confiscated 1,000 to 2,000 pounds of marijuana from people transporting the drug on state highways.

When an agent on Tuesday saw Perez and Alberdi, two men in their 40s, driving along the Interstate inside a car with a "Baby on Board" sticker, he knew something didn't "look right," Brown said. He stopped the car, searched inside and found the drugs, along with children's items.

It's not unusual for officials to find drugs intermingled with toys or other items offenders use as cover. Last year, agents intercepted a package containing 1 kilogram of cocaine. It was concealed under children's toys and coloring books, Brown said.

Last month, officials arrested a man who was trafficking marijuana from Texas. He wore a business suit, Brown said.

"They try to get a little smart, but sometimes hurt themselves," he said.

"More often than not," officials find themselves stopping drivers who are trafficking drugs from Texas to a state "up north," Brown said.

"Most of the drugs we stop coming from the border is coming from Texas," he said.

Perez and Alberdi are currently held at the York County Detention Center on $50,000 bonds each. They were both charged with trafficking marijuana.

To reach Hellam Twp., York County, from the site of Perdue AgriBusiness’s controversial soybean processing plant proposed for Conoy Twp., Lancaster County, one must drop south on Route 441, then swing west on Route 30 over the Susquehanna River.

The indirect route makes the two points seem as if they are miles apart. But as the wind sometimes blows, they are right next door. And that worries some people in Hellam Twp. It worries them, a lot, in fact.

Read More:Hidden connection to Harrisburg's incinerator.PA's power crop.Nissley Wine vs. Perdue Ag. Lancaster asks, what controversy?A Project Q & A.

“It’s right on the edge of the river, and the river is one mile wide,” reasoned Hellam Twp. supervisor chairman Mike Martin. “We are one mile from it.”

And right downwind, too. In other words, some leaders and residents in this township of about 6,000 believe they will bear the brunt of the hexane vapors that would be vented from the proposed soybean processing plant -- to the tune of some 220 tons or so, annually.

Martin doesn’t mince his words when voicing his fears about the plant. He talks of the air temperature inversions so prone in the valley. He worries about the ozone and smog that he says the hexane, used in the soybean oil extraction process, could create. And he fears the elderly and the asthmatic will suffer many more episodes of breathing problems as a result.

“Hexane is a close cousin of gasoline,” Martin explains. “It is very volatile like gasoline, and it evaporates into the atmosphere. It becomes ozone. It produces ozone. Ozone is very damaging to the lungs, and it is responsible for sending a lot of people to the emergency department. We already have the 23rd worst air quality in the nation. It just seems wrong to try to locate that here. We’re not against Perdue, but we are concerned about our residents. This will make it so much worse.”

Martin also has nightmares about the 40,000 gallons of liquid hexane that would be stored in twin tanks on the 57-acre site. He worries about an explosion. He says the Hellam Vol. Fire Dept. would be among the first responders. And if a cataclysmic explosion and fire ever wipes out some of Hellam’s volunteers, the department might never recover.

“It is pretty devastating what would occur,” Martin says of a worst-case scenario explosion at the plant. “Anything within a quarter-mile could be destroyed. Windows could be broken up to a mile away. We have an excellent volunteer fire department, and I would not want to jeopardize them in any way.”

In talking about the Perdue plant, Martin mentions the chemical disaster in Bhopal, India, and the recent fertilizer plant explosion in Texas. Is it hyperbole? No, Martin answers. Some people in Hellam are that scared. It’s why Martin, the Hellam supervisors and a vocal contingent of township residents have taken the lead in opposing Perdue’s planned use of hexane at the plant. They have done so, even though the project is planned for the next county over.

“We are business- and farmer-friendly,” Martin proclaims. “We are very supportive of agriculture. What is at issue here is the risk to the community. We are concerned about our citizens, and we are in lock-step with them. People just do not want this. We feel there is a path through this maze that is a win-win for everybody.”

That path forward, according to the opponents in Hellam Twp., is to build a soybean processing plant that doesn’t use hexane to extract soybean oil. They would prefer a process that depends upon pressure and steam, instead.

“We are in opposition to the hexane process, but opposed to the plant? No,” Martin points out. “We are very farmer-friendly. We just don’t want to do anything stupid. We have enough industrial pollution around us already.”

Perdue AgriBusiness has answers for what it sees as the overblown fears of some – the company insists is a small minority – in Hellam Twp.

Hexane extraction might be new to Pennsylvania – Perdue’s project would be the state’s first -- but it is by no means new, the company points out. It has been used for 70 years because it’s safe and efficient, Perdue says. As for the possibility of a catastrophic explosion, one Perdue official stated that the hexane tanks would be no more dangerous than a neighborhood gasoline station.

But at the root of Perdue’s desire to use the hexane extraction process is its tried and true efficiency at unlocking the soybean oil. Already, 95 percent of all U.S. soybean meal being processed by solvent extraction to get the most value out of the soybean.

And the oil is where the money is. Soybean oil is worth over twice what the meal is worth. A soybean is about 18 percent, but that oil is about 40 percent of the bean value. It makes no economic sense for companies to leave oil in the meal.

“Those other processes are inefficient and leave significant amounts of residual soybean oil in the finished soybean meal product,” company spokesman Kurt Knaus said.

Perdue added that the other processes also require large amounts of electrical energy and they leave behind too much residual oil in the meal – and, therefore, money on the table.

To demonstrate that the plant is safe, Perdue is currently finishing up an air modeling study that the company volunteered to conduct and wasn’t required as part of the state department of Environmental Protection’s regulatory review. DEP has no timetable for when it could rule on Perdue’s application for various permits to build and operate the plant.

Perhaps the forthcoming air modeling study could ally some fears. Perdue says its air dispersion modeling and health risk assessments does factor in wind direction and temperature inversions specific to the local area. And preliminary modeling shows that in Hellam Twp., air concentrations of hexane would be “several hundred times” below the U.S. EPA’s reference air concentrations for the solvent, which is 0.2 parts per million.

“Hexane has a low potential for producing ground-level ozone,” the Perdue spokesman said. “And it decreases rapidly with distance from facility. The Perdue plant will use the latest hexane recovery technology to achieve the lowest solvent loss ratio relative to plant size in the United States. ”

It’s not good enough for Martin and some of his constituents in Hellam Twp. They want the plant to be hexane-free. Otherwise, they feel they’ll be putting their health on the line in the name of squeezing every last penny of profit from the soybeans Perdue so desperately wants to process across the Susquehanna from their community.

“We want to encourage them to do this in a way that is friendly to the people of this area,” Martin pleaded. It’s already such bad air.”

Coming Tomorrow:

The six-part report on the Lancaster soybean plant controversy concludes with a look at the hidden link to Harrisburg's incinerator and an examination of the growing importance of Pennsylvania's power crop of soybean oil in international energy markets. Look for these stories Wednesday on PennLive.

President Barack Obama poses with a team jersey with head coach John Harbaugh as he welcomes the NFL champion Baltimore Ravens football team to the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 5, 2013. The Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. (Associated Press -- Charles Dharapak)

President Barack Obama shakes hands with former Baltimore Raven safety Ed Reed, now with the Houston Texans, right, as retired linebacker Ray Lewis, center, and others, watch during a ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, June 5, 2013, where the president honored the NFL champion Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens defeated the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. (Associated Press -- Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama on Wednesday welcomed the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens to the White House, congratulating the team on its unlikely Super Bowl run -- and offering some good-natured jibes along the way.

At a South Lawn event, Obama praised the team not only for the goal line stand that sealed its second Super Bowl trophy but its charitable work in blue collar Baltimore.

Quarterback Joe Flacco was singled out for winning the Super Bowl's most valuable player -- and a miracle touchdown pass at a playoff game in Denver -- which helped him win a huge $100 million-plus contract in the off-season. "Good timing with that contract up," Obama said. The graying Obama praised safety Ed Reed for the Super Bowl's only interception, though he noted Reed's sprouting some gray hairs of his own. "You're looking like an old man," Obama said.

And the president cited legendary linebacker Ray Lewis for returning from injury to lead the defense in the playoffs -- but only after kidding Lewis that he thought his arm injury came from the motivational dance he performed at every home game. They shared a bear hug after the event.

Ravens executive Ozzie Newsome gave Obama, the 44th president, the traditional team jersey emblazoned "MR PRESIDENT" and the number 44. Obama wished the team luck but warned them they'll face a tough game against his beloved Bears when they visit Chicago next November.

Head Coach John Harbaugh kept his remarks brief but he had a welcome message for the assembled Ravens fans: "I want you to know that we have plans to come back (to the White House) next year."

Obama also praised the players for their charitable work.

"You'll see players spending their Tuesdays -- normally their only day off during the season -- visiting hospitals and schools and senior centers, and day after day, you'll see a team that loves Baltimore as much as Baltimore loves the Ravens," Obama said.

Pennsylvania State Police's Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement cited four York County establishments last month, according to a news release.

Golden Crust Pizza, 53 and 59 E. Broadway, Red Lion, was cited for selling, furnishing or giving alcohol to a minor.

Pvt. Allen J. Beck VFW Post 5265, Water Street and First Avenue, Spring Grove, was cited for selling alcohol to non-members.

South End Democratic Club, 601 W. College Ave., York, was cited for failing to have a board-approved manager complete a Responsible Alcohol Management Program training within 180 days.

The VFW Post 7374 Canteen, 4800 W. Market St., West Manchester Township, was cited for selling alcohol after its liquor license had expired.

The citations will be presented before a judge, who has the authority to impose fines ranging from $50 to $1,000 for minor offenses and up to $5,000 for more serious offenses.

When the Rev. Jason Schwartzman started thinking about ways to engage the community around Otterbein United Methodist Church in York, he recalled something a Kutztown church tried.

The church near Kutztown University posted messages on a chalkboard in front of the church and left chalk for passers-by to comment.

Although the church was trying to engage college students, Schwartzman thought the idea might work well locally.

"It's part of our mission," he said. "We know that we've got to reach out to this community. We've been here since 1840, but if we don't reach out to the community, we won't be here much longer."

The 4-by-6 chalkboard went up May 20 on Philadelphia Street at the intersection with Newberry Street.

"I put it out at two o'clock and by the next morning it was almost full, which was really a surprise," Schwartzman said.

The first question was "If you could ask God one question, what would it be?" Last week's question was "God is ..."

The first night, somebody wrote something inappropriate on the board. But somebody else crossed the offensive comment out, Schwartzman said.

"So it's kind of self-policed," he said. "And that is the only bad thing that has happened."

Schwartzman plans to keep the chalkboard out until June 16, asking one question each week to get people thinking. Starting last week, he began coordinating each week's sermon to reflect the responses the church receives. It

"It came about because we really wanted to do something that engaged the community," he said. "We know what we think about God, but we have no idea what the community thinks about God. We thought this would be a nonthreatening way to gauge the community."

Schwartzman said he will be liberal about the things people write on the board. Only offensive messages will be removed.

"Quite a few people have written letters to God," he said. "Out there now is 'Dear Jesus, I need you.'"

In other religion news around the region:

Four new priests: Four men were ordained to the priesthood Saturday for the Diocese of Harrisburg.

Kevin Lee Kayda, Stephen Philip Kelley, Daniel Kevin Richards and Mark Thomas Wilke were ordained by the Rev. William J. Waltersheid, auxiliary bishop of Pittsburgh.

Kayda, 27, a Lancaster native, earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from St. Vincent College in Latrobe. He graduated from seminary at Mount St. Mary in Emmittsburg, Md.

Kelley, 40, was born in Chambersburg. He earned a bachelor's degree in music education from West Chester University, before graduating from St. Vincent Seminary.

Richards, 27, is a Lebanon native and belongs to Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish there. He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary. He completed his Master of Divinity degree at Mount Saint Mary Seminary.

Wilke, 30, a native of Dallastown, graduated from Dallastown Area High School and earned a civil engineering degree from Drexel University. He graduated from Mount St. Mary Seminary.

Groundbreaking scheduled: The public is invited to the groundbreaking ceremony for the "family life center" at Water's Edge United Methodist Church in Chanceford Township at 3 p.m. Sunday.

The center, to be located at 10085 Chapel Church Road, will serve as the church's New Bridgeville campus. The church owns about 20 acres at the site.

The idea for a community center grew out of a demographic study and numerous "home visits" with residents in the New Bridgeville and Craley areas, the Rev. Patricia Bollinger has said.

Potential features include a walking track, a play area for children and a raised platform or stage for drama-team performances. Programs being considered are child care, preschool and senior adult day care, Bollinger said, in addition to regular Water's Edge programming. Meeting space will be available to outside organizations.

Once it is completed, Water's Edge will maintain two campuses -- its church is in Craley, Lower Windsor Township -- with worship offered at both sites, Bollinger has said.

For more details, call the church office at 717-246-2428.

Christian radio station: HOPE FM, which broadcasts Christian worship music and Bible instruction throughout New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania and northern Maryland, is now broadcasting on 89.1 FM out of Rising Sun, Md.

The station, which launched in mid-April, reaches southeastern York, southern Lancaster and southern Chester counties in Pennsylvania, as well as northern Harford and northern Cecil counties in Maryland.

Calvary Chapel of Delta recently began broadcasting a new half-hour program, entitled, "Learn the Word," featuring verse-by-verse Bible teaching by the Rev. Doug McClean. The program can be heard weekdays at 6:30 a.m.

Recent broadcasts are available to stream online at www.learnthewordradio.com. For information about Calvary Chapel of Delta, call 717-456-7600, or email calvary@ccdeltapa.org.

Others with programs on the station include David Jeremiah, Alistair Begg, Greg Laurie, Chuck Smith, Jon Courson, Damian Kyle and Joe Focht. For programming details, visit www.hopefm.net.

Have a tip? Contact John Hilton at jhilton@ydr.com or 717-771-2024. More at www.yorkblog.com/faith.

The Rev. Kathy Seiler speaks very deliberately, taking extra time to enunciate her words.

If she speaks too quickly, or for too long, Seiler said she literally chokes on her words. Those are side effects of the partial paralysis of Seiler's facial muscles.

In response, Seiler keeps a water bottle nearby when she preaches at Grace United Church of Christ along North Hartley Street in York.

The 52-year-old York minister will not allow a little thing like a speech impediment deter her second chance at a life fulfilled. For so long, her life did not seem complete.

"In retrospect, there was something that was always nagging at me," Seiler said, sitting in the pews at Grace UCC. "I didn't feel I was doing what I was supposed to be doing."

After she was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor in 2005, she approached life differently. Seiler had brain surgery at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore to remove the bulk of the tumor, and went home a different person.

Problems arose when everyone around her expected Seiler to be the same woman. She faced tough times at work and home, eventually divorcing her first husband.

The rough patch led Seiler to deepen her faith in God.

"It was through this illness that I realized I needed to make some changes," Seiler said. "I had to serve God instead of being served."

That led her to enroll in a three-year Master of Divinity program at

"I just took it one day at a time, one class at a time, one paper at a time," Seiler said.

On Sunday, Seiler was officially ordained and installed as pastor of Grace UCC. She has been ministering at the church on a contract basis since November, when the Rev. Robert Brown retired after 31 years.

"Kathy is a woman who has experienced the deepest and darkest parts of life and has emerged from that darkness with such a radiance for her Lord that is so contagious," said Peter Seiler, her second husband.

Eclectic faith

Seiler grew up in York, raised Catholic by her

Members of the Rev. Kathy Seiler's family and congregation greet her after her ordination and installation service Sunday June 2. First in line is her daughter-in-law Heather Dunbar holding son Tray, age 6. (DAILY RECORD / SUNDAY NEWS -- PAUL KUEHNEL)

After she got married, Seiler joined her husband's Seventh-Day Adventist church. The couple raised their two children -- a son and a daughter -- in the church.

Seiler dropped out of the workforce for 14 years to raise her children, returning about a decade ago as an activities director and personal care home administrator for a local retirement community.

She was moving into middle age when doctors discovered her brain tumor. The resulting journey made Seiler question what was meaningful in her life and where it was going.

"There's nothing quite as life altering as getting sick," she said.

It was in the midst of her sickness that Seiler found herself without a faith anchor. She had started seminary school when, "they told me 'You need a church.' I said, 'I don't have one.' So they said 'Go find one.'"

She describes a period of "church hopping" before she walked through the doors at Grace UCC and felt at home. The church is celebrating its 125th anniversary this year. It began as a mission church planted by Trinity UCC in downtown York.

"This one just called out to me," Seiler said of Grace. "The UCC really offered that flexibility to hold on to what I feel are my core beliefs. They offer a lot of autonomy."

'Intimidating'

Preaching the word is a daunting assignment for many new

The Rev. Kathy Seiler leads the recessional hymn past her new congregation at Grace United Church of Christ in York. (DAILY RECORD / SUNDAY NEWS -- PAUL KUEHNEL)

Although she has plenty of public speaking experience, this was something new entirely.

"There's a difference when you're standing behind a pulpit and delivering what you're proclaiming to be God's inspired divine word," Seiler said.

While many pastors traditionally take Mondays off, Seiler is at her office creating her sermon for the ensuing Sunday. She perfects her delivery the rest of the week.

While in seminary school, Seiler spent a year internship at Faith United Church of Christ in York.

"Kathy has a natural, God-given gift to preach," said the Rev. Ron Oelrich of Faith UCC. "She has a lot of creativity and is very capable of holding people's attention. She is also a very caring person and is the type of person anyone would be blessed to have visit them."

He credited Seiler for being "bold enough" to accept assignment to a small, city church. Grace has about 100 members, with average Sunday attendance of about 35. It is an older congregation.

Seiler has a plan to re-energize the church by reaching out to the surrounding community.

"Most of the city churches have the same worry," she said. "Most of the people who used to worship here -- their children haven't come back."

Seiler has faith that God will provide. Her tumor remains and she has a yearly scan at Johns Hopkins to make sure it hasn't grown. It will always be there, and Seiler said she is reminded daily with periodic exhaustion and balance issues. She is deaf in her left ear.

"I'm one of these people I like to pretend it's not there and keep going," she said. "I have a firm belief that this is what God needs me to do."

@jhilton32; 717-771-2024

Craig Blankenhorn/MMIX New Line Productions, Inc.

Charlotte York was the original Blair Waldorf. Fashion-wise, that is.

The art dealer (played by Kristin Davis) was the definition of Park Avenue princess with preppy yet sophisticated styles that always had ultra-girlie flair (think: bows and ruffles).

PHOTOS: Miranda style evolution

Always flawlessly put together, Charlotte's signature color was pink and her must-have pattern was polka dots. That's not to say she wasn't often dressed in romantic florals especially during spring and summer. Not surprisingly, her top designers included classic upper east side favorites Ralph Lauren, Burberry and Chanel.

PHOTOS: Carrie's best looks

Most of Charlotte's looks featured a classic feminine silhouette, often emphasizing her small waist. And when it came to accessorizing, her bags, shoes and jewelry were always elegant and expensive but never flashy. Well, except for her first wedding ring. Who can forget that humungous sparkler!

Click through our gallery to see Charlotte's full style transformation from all six seasons and both movies.

Watch E! June 6 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a 12-hour Sex and the City marathon, celebrating the show's 15th anniversary!

PHOTOS: Charlotte York's fashion evolution

Former Cy Young Award winner Roger Clemens was at Sovereign Bank Stadium on Tuesday night, watching his son, Koby, behind the plate for the Sugar Land Skeeters against the York Revolution. Clemens said he is officially retired and wont be doing anything like last year, when he made two starts for the Skeeters in their inaugural season. (File photo)

Roger Clemens found himself back in York Tuesday night for the first time in nine months.

Unlike last year, however, the former Cy Young Award winner wasn't tossing any pitches off the mound before a game at Sovereign Bank Stadium, as he did in front of thousands of fans last September.

Instead, Clemens stayed behind the scenes, sitting by himself in a small room in the press box working on a number of things while watching his son, Koby, behind the plate for the Sugar Land Skeeters against the York Revolution.

"I've been able to get to a few games in Sugar Land," Roger Clemens said. "May is huge for us. We (the Clemens family) have three birthdays in May. I've been watching Koby and then we have two kids in high school. We have a sign in the kitchen at home that says, 'We interrupt this family for baseball season.'"

Clemens said he is officially retired and won't be doing anything like last year, when he made two starts down in Sugar Land in the Skeeters' inaugural season.

But he said he's still busy as ever. He made the trip up to York from Virginia, where he participated in a charity golf event early Tuesday.

"We got through five holes and got rained out today, so we'll go finish the round here in York (Wednesday)," he said.

A 6 handicap in golf, Clemens said he's unsure which course he'll be playing at Wednesday. And he's not sure how long he's gonna stick around in York.

Astros: The Houston resident has also been staying busy helping the Astros through his personal service contract with the big league club.

In particular, he's trying to help Astros' owner Jim Crane find a location near Houston to add a minor-league affiliate.

"I'm looking at the Woodlands, but not only for an independent team, but helping Mr. Crane put a Triple-A team with the Astros there," Clemens said.

The 50-year-old right-hander is still keeping his arm loose, too.

"I went out and threw batting practice to them (the Skeeters) one day. I might come out and do that (Wednesday in York)," he said. "The arm feels good. So far it's been pretty good. Batting practice is just 50 feet (from home plate) so I don't have to do too much."

Clemens declined comment on his Hall of Fame snub last year.

Skeeters: Despite a .202 batting average, Koby Clemens is enjoying a good season calling games behind the plate for a Sugar Land club that owns the best ERA (2.76) in the Atlantic League entering Tuesday.

A former Astros' and Toronto Blue Jays' prospect, Clemens went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and one run scored in Sugar Land's 5-3 win over York on Tuesday night to help the Skeeters improve their league-leading record to 33-12.

"We're kidding everybody that the hottest team going in Houston for a number of years is the (Houston) Dynamo, the (Major League) soccer team," Roger Clemens said. "Sugar Land has blown them out of the water. We've cooled off a little bit. They had a couple guys plucked off the team (by major league clubs). And there's been an injury here and there, which everybody has. But they're still at the top."

-- Reach John Walk at jwalk@yorkdispatch.com.