This is far from official, but we’ve heard that Mauree Gingrich won’t be the only Lebanon County member of the General Assembly to face an opponent in the Republican primary next year.
Former Jonestown borough councilman Jason Kern might challenge RoseMarie Swanger, who voted against a transportation funding bill that was supported by Sen. Mike Folmer. That bill passed the Senate but was derailed by conservative Republicans in the House.
We’ll see if any of Gov. Tom Corbett’s three priorities — pension reform, transportation funding and liquor privatization — get addressed in the fall with elections coming next year.
KUMM ESSE FOR SALE — Back on April 15, this blog mentioned that Sheetz was interested in buying the Kumm Esse diner at Routes 422 and 501 in Myerstown. Obviously, that hasn’t happened, and the owners denied they were selling the property.
But this week, an ad is running in a local real estate publication lists the Kumm Esse for sale for $950,000.
GREAT TOURNAMENTS — If you like basketball and missed the past two weekends’ Sweep the Streets tournaments at the Walnut Street courts in Lebanon, that’s your loss. The women’s tournament was in its first year and attracted six teams and some outstanding players on Aug 3. Bet on that field doubling in size next year.
The sixth annual men’s tournament last weekend brought players here from Reading, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Maryland, New Jersey and New York, including former NBA player Tyrone Nesby, who led New York Fitness to the title. (New York Fitness is a local business, in case you didn’t know, with gyms in Lebanon, Palmyra and Elizabethtown). The talent pool this year was much deeper than in previous years, which means the word is out that this is an event worth traveling for.
DOWNTOWN SHAPES UP — In case you haven’t noticed, downtown Lebanon is perking up and that trend will continue when the Snitz Creek Brewery opens at Ninth and Cumberland streets in October.
The Samler Tap House, which opened in April at Eighth and Cumberland streets, has good food and about 18 beers on tap. Everyone I know who has gone there has given it a good or better review. The Samler Tap House joins the Downtown Lounge and Niko’s as center-city venues that offer quality dinners and a good place to relax.
The north side of the 900 block of Cumberland Street still has several vacancies but most of the rest of Cumberland from Fifth through 10th streets is filled with a good variety of shops, offices and eateries.
As always, follow along on Twitter @sesnyderleb
