(WHP) — Police are investigating a crash killed two people and sent a child to the hospital Saturday in North Annville Township Cleona Borough Police said a motorcycle and SUV collided around 7 p.m at the intersection of Palmyra Bellegrove Road and Snyer Road The drivers of both vehicles were pronounced dead on scene Police identified the motorcyclist as 26-year-old Zachary Long of North Annville Township and the driver of the SUV was identified as 28-year-old Luis Enrique Ortiz of South Annville Township a technician at Sahley's Automotive in Annville said the area is seeing more crashes “I think a lot of people are on their phones— I’ve been riding for probably close to 15 years and I’ve still had people look me directly in the eye and pull out like they’re gonna go and I’ve had people pull out.” A 7-year-old boy was also in the SUV during the crash The child was able to crawl out of the vehicle and onto the road He was taken to the Hershey Medical Center for evaluation and turned over to his mother Annville/Cleona Fire Department and Lebanon County Coroner's Office all helped Cleona officers at the scene The details leading up to what caused the crash are still being investigated “People definitely fly up and down going in to Annville and the speed limit drops," said Schrum "I don’t know if everyone knows that but there’s definitely a lot of speeding going on." Officers and families of those involved returned to the crash site Monday to take measurements and gather a better understanding of what happened but for two people— for each driver to have passed it just had to have been terrible like it had to have been a terrible scene," said Schrum We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at advertising@dailyunion.com or call us at 1-920-563-5553 1-800-236-1013 One thing we’ve witnessed in recent months is the expansion of context windows in foundation models (FMs) with many now handling sequence lengths that would have been unimaginable just a year ago building AI-powered applications that can process vast amounts of information while maintaining the reliability and security standards required for enterprise use remains challenging Writer Palmyra models offer robust reasoning capabilities that support complex agent-based workflows while maintaining enterprise security standards and reliability Palmyra X5 features a one million token context window and Palmyra X4 supports a 128K token context window these models remove some of the traditional constraints for app and agent development enabling deeper analysis and more comprehensive task completion With this launch, Amazon Bedrock continues to bring access to the most advanced models and the tools you need to build generative AI applications with security, privacy, and responsible AI As a pioneer in FM development, Writer trains and fine-tunes its industry leading models on Amazon SageMaker HyperPod With its optimized distributed training environment Writer reduces training time and brings its models to market faster Palmyra X5 and X4 use cases Palmyra X5 and X4 models excel in various enterprise use cases across multiple industries: Financial services – Palmyra models power solutions across investment banking and asset and wealth management Healthcare and life science – Payors and providers use Palmyra models to build solutions for member acquisition and onboarding and employer request for proposal (RFP) response Pharmaceutical companies use these models for commercial applications Retail and consumer goods – Palmyra models enable AI solutions for product description creation and variation Technology – Companies across the technology sector implement Palmyra models for personalized and account-based marketing Palmyra models support a comprehensive suite of enterprise-grade capabilities Adaptive thinking – Hybrid models combining advanced reasoning with enterprise-grade reliability excelling at complex problem-solving and sophisticated decision-making processes Multistep tool-calling – Support for advanced tool-calling capabilities that can be used in complex multistep workflows and agentic actions including interaction with enterprise systems to perform tasks like updating systems accurate results while maintaining strict quality standards required for enterprise use with models specifically trained on business content to align outputs with professional standards Using Palmyra X5 and X4 in Amazon Bedrock As for all new serverless models in Amazon Bedrock, I need to request access first. In the Amazon Bedrock console I choose Model access from the navigation pane to enable access to Palmyra X5 and Palmyra X4 models Here’s a sample implementation with the AWS SDK for Python (Boto3) there is a new version of an existing product I need to prepare a detailed comparison of what’s new I use the large input context of Palmyra X5 to read and compare the two versions of the manual and prepare a first draft of the comparison document To learn how to use Amazon Bedrock with AWS SDKs, browse the code samples in the Amazon Bedrock User Guide making them suitable for global enterprise applications Using the expansive context capabilities of these models developers can build more sophisticated applications and agents that can process extensive documents and handle sophisticated agentic workflows Let us know what you build with these powerful new capabilities — Danilo How is the News Blog doing? Take this 1 minute survey (This survey is hosted by an external company. AWS handles your information as described in the AWS Privacy Notice. AWS will own the data gathered via this survey and will not share the information collected with survey respondents.) Update 4/29/25: Sentence removed regarding enterprise security use cases. Danilo works with startups and companies of any size to support their innovation. In his role as Chief Evangelist (EMEA) at Amazon Web Services, he leverages his experience to help people bring their ideas to life, focusing on serverless architectures and event-driven programming, and on the technical and business impact of machine learning and edge computing. He is the author of AWS Lambda in Action from Manning. developed for efficiently powering multi-step agents available exclusively via Writer and Amazon Bedrock as a fully managed model More than 135 AWS trainings on AI/ML are available to everyone, with all levels of experience. This team of AWS employees are pushing the limits of what it means to design and build computer hardware to help customers work faster, more securely, and more sustainably—at lower cost. Amazon.comConditions of UseAmazon Privacy Policy© 1996-2025 Amazon.com LebTown Palmyra Borough Council candidates, endorsed by the Lebanon County Republican Committee, share why they are running for office and their policy positions. From left, mayoral candidate Kevin Yiengst, Anthony Catalani, Denver Wilson, Tony Pearson, and Marcus Riddell. (Katie Knol) Lebanon County’s most essential weekly read non-partisan journalism?Become a champion of local news and unlock additional benefits as a LebTown member Already a member? Log in here to hide these messages Our community deserves strong local journalism LebTown delivers in-depth coverage of Lebanon County that helps you navigate daily life and stay informed about what matters most Join the 1,000+ LebTown readers who support our work as members The Lebanon County Republican Committee held Candidates Night in Palmyra on Monday for the public to meet its endorsed candidates for Palmyra Area school board Candidates who were not endorsed by the LCRC were welcome to attend as members of the public but were not invited to speak held at the Rothermel-Finkenbinder Funeral Home came after a borough council meeting devolved into an argument over the endorsement process Read More: Palmyra Borough heatedly discusses Republican primary endorsements who was appointed to fill Fred Carpenter’s seat following his retirement at the start of 2025 and was not endorsed asked about the LCRC endorsement process at the April council meeting Other council members said they did not know the committee would be doing endorsements LCRC chairman Bill Bova subsequently submitted an opinion piece to LebTown with his response to these discussions happening in Palmyra and at several other government meetings throughout the county Read More: [Letter] GOP chair calls out political discussions at government meetings Countywide candidates at Candidates Night included Pier Hess Graf for district attorney and Brian Craig for register of wills and clerk of orphans’ court Craig and Marley are running unopposed; Hess Graf is running against Michael J and Cynthia Spondello attended as the endorsed candidates and Christine Fisher in the Republican primary None of the candidates in this election are incumbents Weaber and Fisher have also cross-filed as the only two candidates who will appear on the Democratic ballot Four school board seats are open this election cycle If you rely on us for your Lebanon County news Anthony Catalani and Marcus Riddell are the two borough council members running for reelection with Denver Wilson and Tony Pearson joining the ticket all with the committee’s endorsement They are running against non-LCRC-endorsed candidates Jane Quairoli and Jim Tesche who is taking on incumbent Tom Miller in the Republican primary No Democrats filed to run for either Palmyra council or mayor Four borough council seats are up for grabs this year Endorsed candidates participating in the event had an opportunity to share why they’re running and some of their policy positions Spending was a common theme throughout the evening with school board candidates expressing concern with the district’s upcoming renovation and building projects Read More: Palmyra Area School District will move offices to new S. Forge Road property School board candidate Corey Andrew said he has three kids in the district “I will say the Palmyra school system has been fantastic in many ways — my kids play sports I’m a youth coach in wrestling and baseball and we have had a fantastic experience in Palmyra,” he said “But what I see the school undertaking in the next decade is catastrophic and I don’t think enough people understand what the big picture looks like.” Candidates mentioned the upcoming contract negotiation where staff members will likely ask for raises They said cutting spending wherever possible could help with balancing these financial obligations without passing costs onto the taxpayers The paper handouts available for guests said all four district candidates stood for increasing student achievement promoting parental involvement and transparency LCRC-endorsed borough council candidates talked about the budget Palmyra Borough Council approved a budget with a millage rate increase from 4.11 mills to 5.30 mills — a 22.5% increase Catalani and Riddell voted against the motion The budget process started with the borough in a deficit of over $800,000 they brought it down to about $600,000 in deficit and the increased millage rate closed the rest of the gap Council candidate Wilson told the crowd he would advocate for “rigorous budget reviews” if elected “We must rein in the wasteful spending,” he said “We have all seen blueprints of government projects that go over budget and programs that fail to deliver results It is time for us to demand accountability.” The five-man mayor and council member panel endorsed by the LCRC said their platform is built on fiscal conservatism and transparency Jill Regets sat through all of the speeches writing follow-up questions on a piece of paper and she attended the gathering to hear directly from the candidates what their plans would be if they assume office she was hoping for a question-and-answer session with the crowd who had their voter registration checked on their way in could follow up with individual candidates after they all had their opportunity to talk “I thought it was going to be more of an open forum so I was actually very disappointed,” Regets said and I thought that it’d be a lot more transparent to actually allow people to ask their questions and kind of have a more open discussion especially because I feel like it’s important to hear how candidates interact and maybe what their differences of opinion are.” Regets said she especially had questions for school board candidates and some of the numbers they were providing were not aligning with what she had heard previously She said she wants fiscal responsibility from the district but didn’t feel like she heard much about a specific plan from any of the candidates Read More: Here’s the list of candidates in Lebanon County’s 2025 municipal primary Editor’s note: This article was updated after publication to correct the spelling of Jill Regets last name Reach our newsroom using this contact form and we’ll do our best to get back to you Lebanon County needs modern local journalism that works. LebTown delivers timely, accurate reporting without paywalls or corporate mandates. Support our independent newsroom with a monthly or annual membership, or make a one-time contribution to fuel more local coverage Kindly keep your comments on topic and respectful We will remove comments that do not abide by these simple rules LebTown members get exclusive benefits such as featured comments. If you're already a member, please log in to comment Barley Snyder BlueScope Buildings North America Brick Property Services Caring Transitions of Hershey & Lebanon PA Community Health Council of Lebanon County Cornwall Manor Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority Gretna Music Henise Tire Service In The Net Jono Hardware Lebanon Area Fair Lebanon County Bar Association Lebanon Internal Medicine Associates Reliable Moving & Storage Salvation Army Lebanon Corps Steckbeck Engineering & Surveying, Inc. The Original Mount Gretna Cicada Music Festival 2025 2:44PMThis high school senior spent the day making sure no girl in her area is without a beautiful prom dress.Palmyra has made it her mission that no girl in her area is without a beautiful prom dress Community members have donated to the cause so that they could give away the dresses for free at The Palmyra Venue It's a mission she's been doing for two years with a donated space from The Palmyra Venue O'Connell is hoping to continue the boutique next year when she is home from College Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed From The members of Palmyra met on the campus of James Madison University they knew that it was going to be a truly collaborative project it was always the idea that we would kind of be three equal members and I think a lot of that came from having our own projects separately beforehand," Bell says In this session, Bell, Teddy Chipouras and Sasha Landon talk about their new album, Restless; recruiting Jake Cochran, of Illiterate Light to produce and lend drums; and that time they spent a year in Boston This episode of World Cafe was produced and edited by Kimberly Junod Our programming and booking coordinator is Chelsea Johnson and our line producer is Will Loftus Become an NPR sponsor – New information emerged about a lockdown at Palmyra-Macedon Intermediate School on West Street that happened on Monday The district said the situation began when an off-duty police officer was conducting a training exercise The school went into lockdown around 1 p.m after someone reported seeing a person carrying a gun and wearing tactical gear It was later revealed that this person was the off-duty officer and the lockdown was lifted shortly before 1:30 p.m AI assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News10NBC uses AI Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the content of the FCC Public file should contact Richard Reingold at rreingold@whec.com or 585-546-1701 Embed on your websiteClose×Copy the code below to embed the WBUR audio player on your site<iframe width="100%" height="124" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://player.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/04/17/palmyra-band-restless"></iframe> band has just released their first full-length album Nathan Drasher, left, and father Sean Drasher, who is also an Eagle Scout, pose during Nathan's ceremony to commemorate his achievement. (Provided photo) Help build a better-informed Lebanon County LebTown’s independent journalism keeps you connected to your community and the issues that matter most When Nathan Drasher set out to do his Eagle Scout project “I chose this one because Center for Champions is an amazing charity,” Drasher said “They work with kids in South Allison Hill and they have mentors who look after and give them a Christian environment that they don’t always get.”  Location and networking also made the choice for his Eagle Scout project an easier decision.  “They are situated between two high schools so they have a really great location and I know a person who helps run it And I believe it (the charity) really works,” Drasher added The charity’s website states that “Center for Champions provides Christian mentors who show up and show love to kids who will be a positive influence in their lives said his project entailed building high-end shelves and revamping a storage room that was in need of some TLC Drasher is the son of Sean and Tammy Drasher of Palmyra “The storage room was pretty run down and was completely pretty inadequate,” Drasher said “They had a bunch of overflow into a backstage area The shelving itself is really good as well I can also say we significantly increased the storage output.” He also compiled a planning document before the project began and wrote and filed a final report once it was completed An internet search reveals that “an Eagle Scout project requires a Life Scout to plan and lead a community service project that benefits a religious institution and cannot benefit the Boy Scouts of America or its affiliated organizations It demonstrates the Scout’s leadership the person who is in charge to get the Eagle Scout must be in charge of every single part of the project,” Drasher said I worked with a project engineer to get blueprints There was not a single part of the project that I did not have my hands on.” executive director of Center for Champions said the closet stores all the gear used by the mentors with local youths adding that the unit was a mess when Drasher enquired what he could do for his Eagle Scout project “We have a storage closet where we keep everything and it was basically a bomb Nate came around and saw the closet and got the idea to put in wooden shelving units with labeled bins they are extremely sturdy shelves that you could probably sleep on if you wanted to.”  who is an Eagle Scout himself and the director of Lebanon County’s elections and voter registration office said he’s witnessed as an adult leader other youths needing assistance in one particular area of their project “I review other kids’ Eagle projects and one of the things that I find very consistently is they need help with fundraising What happens is that the family ends up writing a big check to cover the project costs,” he said so this project did not require us to help pay for it.”  He noted there was an added bonus for the Drasher family with his son’s project which Nathan said took about 50 hours to finish from when it started in April 2024 through completion last November “I am glad my mom (Janis) lived to see this because this makes her a second generation Eagle Scout mom,” Sean noted and you are working for the community and doing a service project to get it You also learn a lot along the way.”  With a heavy emphasis on community service Drasher has had the opportunity to do plenty of service-based projects during his time in the Scouts program but this one was different from all the others including helping on other Eagle Scout projects happy about it and I am very thankful for everyone who helped me along the way.” No would-be Eagle Scout is an island during their project and that was certainly the case for Drasher who were there by his side throughout his entire scouting career and especially during this momentous occasion “They were the pillars I could use to support my project and I was really happy to have them,” Drasher added Tammy Drasher said she knew of her husband’s Eagle Scout accomplishment which included building informational kiosks for a nature park near Coral Springs but this was unique since she got to witness firsthand her son’s handiwork “Actually proud of Nathan for all of the hard work that he did,” she said but this has shown what that all involves and what that all entails so this is more special to see Nathan going through the process.”  Drasher said he plans to pursue a cybersecurity degree at Pennsylvania College of Technology this fall He studied computer programming during his time as a Boy Scout “The Scouts taught me learning skills by working on certain badges,” Drasher said “I learned social skills and without scouts I’d be a lot different Now that he’s “aged out” of the program by reaching his 18th birthday Nathan has plans to remain with the organization as an adult leader “It’s probably the best way to build yourself up the skills you learned will always stay with you,” Drasher said “Being a Scout is the best thing you can do An informed community is a stronger community. LebTown covers the local government meetings, breaking news, and community stories that shape Lebanon County’s future. Help us expand our coverage by becoming a monthly or annual member, or support our work with a one-time contribution Palmyra Borough Council members, from left: Marcus Riddell, Matthew Andrews, Jim Tesche, Beth Shearer, Nancy Fleegle, Jane Quairoli, and Anthony Catalani. (Katie Knol) This article was funded by LebTown donors as part of our Civic Impact Reporting Project Palmyra Borough Council discussed making the land at the northeast corner of the intersection of North Lingle Avenue and West Main Street into a park at their April 8 meeting They said the park could be used to honor former Mayor Fred Carpenter or all past Palmyra mayors Read More: Palmyra Borough Council discuss ways to honor late mayor Fred Carpenter Borough manager Roger Powl said if it is dedicated as an official park, the borough could request grant funding for its development. “The question is do we want to make it a public park, and two, we’d have to come up with a name for it,” Powl said during the meeting. “I put Carpenter Park there just as a thought, but it could be something like Western Gateway Park [or] Mayor’s Park to honor all the former mayors.” You can help LebTown grow. If you rely on us for your Lebanon County news, now is the time to join as a member. Join the 1,000+ LebTown readers who support our work as members. Council responded positively to the name Mayor’s Park, and assistant borough manager Brenda Pera said they have a record of every mayor since the borough was chartered in 1913, so they could also include the town’s history. Council did not take any action regarding the park but gave the go-ahead to draft a resolution for a future meeting. Pera said they’ve been interested in developing this land since they finished the intersection. She said she hasn’t heard much from the public about the corner, but people want to see the area look better. “I think there’s public interest in improving some of the areas of the community that have been ignored,” she said after the meeting. “That’s just an unsightly little hill. Welcome to Palmyra. It really doesn’t offer any kind of a welcome environment.” Powl said the space is too small to have recreation like basketball courts or volleyball nets, but it could be a space for some benches and plants. Utility billing specialistThe borough’s utility billing specialist Stacy Ail gave a presentation to the council clarifying a public comment given at the previous meeting asked if council could prorate her trash bill because she didn’t want to be charged for services she didn’t use before her move Read More: Palmyra to consider prorating trash bills, approves alley closures for Seltzer event Ail said the borough only starts charging residents from their settlement date “They’ll give me all the information for the settlement then I will call them back with the escrow amount and then they hold that until the settlement,” Ail said then I send them the final bill and they pay that final bill out of the escrow amount the settlement company will send it back to the old owner.” She said even if someone doesn’t move in right away they will still be charged from the settlement date “We still charge them from the settlement date because we don’t know what they’re doing — if they’re remodeling Palmyra Borough Council will meet next at 325 S. Railroad St. on April 22 at 7 p.m. Meetings are also streamed on the Palmyra Borough, Lebanon County Pennsylvania YouTube page Palmyra, the historic site in modern-day Syria is known for its ruins of a once mighty ancient city Palmyra the band has seen its share of hardship and destruction but the Virginia trio is using those experiences to build something awe-inspiring banjo-driven folk to all-out indie rock — often in the same song — Palmyra doesn’t sugarcoat their pain on their debut full-length album and Mānoa Bell take on mental health struggles and more in plainspoken but powerful lyrics The album’s title conveys the theme: the ache of wanting to find a niche and the searing frustration of feeling lost The title track captures that tension right off the bat But soon the song explodes into a heavier sound Electric guitars and drums are augmented by string flourishes “The truth is I’ve never been anywhere further from fine,” Landon sings And that’s just the first of many hard truths Palmyra offers here “Palm Readers” captures a moment when Landon was just out of an outpatient mental health program and learning how to care for themselves preoccupied with the past and present because the future seemed too uncertain It’s a particular moment from one person’s life but when the chorus of “I’m so damn lonely tonight” hits the wall between listener and artist dissolves and it’s not hard to imagine singing along full-blast at a cathartic live show “Shape I’m In” also grapples with Landon’s mental health this time in the aftermath of a bipolar diagnosis with lyrics delivered through gritted teeth before blooming into a scream Landon issues a string of apologies and describes with moving honesty the highest highs and lowest lows A reflection on a road trip Chipouras once took with his brother it’s a laid-back groove that brings listeners along for the feeling of pause and renewal that long drives and beautiful scenery can bring The foundation of Palmyra is the friendship between Landon who were classmates at James Madison University and formed a band based on equal partnership With a couple years of buzz behind them and this powerful debut to share Palmyra’s Restless is out March 28 on Oh Boy Records FRESH TRACK: Steve Bardwil Band – “Send ‘Em Love”Check it outSPONSORED BY Steve Bardwil Band men have been arrested and are facing multiple charges following a search warrant.The search was conducted on Tuesday at a residence in the 300 block of West Jefferson Street in Palmyra.Officers found methamphetamine along with paraphernalia consistent with drug distribution evidence was found indicating a child was living in the home.Taken into custody were Travis M possession of a controlled substance with the intent to distribute child endangerment and receiving stolen property.The Palmyra Police Department was assisted by the Marion County Sheriff’s Department the East Central Narcotic Task Force and the Missouri Highway Patrol Palmyra Area School District officials addressed security concerns after a hit-and-run suspect hid himself at Palmyra Area High School on Jan Bernie Kepler spoke with more than 30 residents during a Palmyra Area School Board meeting Feb 13 about the incident involving New York resident Tyreef Spears Spears allegedly made his way inside the high school when the door was open for a swimming event "My three kids walk the hallways of that high school .. I am a resident of the school community," he said to residents during the meeting I promise you we did everything by the book to ensure safety." At 4:17 p.m. Jan. 7, officers from the Western Lebanon County Regional Police Department were called to the intersection of West Pine and South Locust Streets in Palmyra for reports of a motor vehicle accident. Witnesses reported that one of the vehicles struck a house they located a gray 2025 Honda CRV that struck the front of a house in the 200 block of West Pine Street Court documents said police determined the vehicle belonged to the fleeing suspect Tyreef Spears: Police: New York man allegedly involved in Palmyra hit-and-run hid in a trash can Kepler said that he received a message from the school police officer later that evening about the accident Two municipal police officers and district staff investigated the high school to see if the suspect might still be in the building Kepler added that as a precaution he cleared and closed all six of the district buildings of all individuals and staff that evening and set the alarms as a means of verifying that no one was in the building School officials released a statement to district parents and residents around 9:09 p.m saying that there was no reason to believe any safety issue was present at the school "We went to bed that night with no knowledge that anybody was in the school building," Kepler said school officer and superintendent had no knowledge that anybody was in the building that night in terms of an intruder The communications sent to our families and our school board that night were factual." school officials conducted another sweep of the building before students and staff entered Kepler said all interior and exterior doors were checked to verify that nobody was in the building When school officials continued to reviewed security footage they were able to determine that Spears did enter the high school around 5 p.m "The door was open for our public swim meet where he entered," Kepler said and entered a (boys) locker room that was not one of our swimmers' locker rooms Kepler added that Spears is then seen waiting outside until he was picked up by a car and it was clear on the video that the entire time he was on a cell phone communicating with someone to pick him up While school officials fully cooperated with police Kepler said that they did not share developments with the case to families because it was still part of an active investigation But now that the Western Lebanon County Regional Police Department issues a news release on Feb the district felt it could release more information to residents law enforcement does not want us providing information to the general public," he said to residents "If this gentleman understands that there's video surveillance available to us it provides him information that he doesn't need to have." An arrest warrant was issued for Spears on Feb 4 through Magisterial District Judge Warner Spears is charged with aggravated assault by vehicle accidents involving death/injury while not properly licensed 2 counts accidents involving attended vehicle or property School board member Jill Martin said board members were not informed about the investigation into Spears, and instead she found out weeks after it occurred through coverage by the Lebanon Daily News. Speaking directly to Kepler during Thursday's school board meeting Martin said board members lost time to discuss security options and audits for the district since this incident occurred "You had a duty and an obligation to tell this board there was an intruder in the building for what looks like more than an hour," she said "We cannot discharge our duty to this district and to the parent without having that information." Martin added that the board had several meetings before Feb where Kepler could have shared the details about Spears events with board members "You had ample opportunity to tell this board what had happened," she said to Kepler "We have lost now five weeks of time to discuss what security protocols might need changed to do an internal audit of what happened .. numerous options that we should have been discussing as a board The chain-of-command is the board oversees you." Kepler responded to Martin by saying he did not inform school board members because it was an active police investigation and that information that he has shared with board members in executive sessions has made its way to the general public 'We knew there was someone in the building here's the information?' Certainly I wish I could have done that," he said to residents during the meeting "I can't do that; the police have a job to do." Some school board members agreed with Kepler's assessment that information from previous executive sessions and private information had been leaked to the public Board member Larry Geib said there is a "defiant lack of trust" regarding the current school board "But somehow a couple folks have gotten the idea that they are better than the rest of us." While school board members generally agreed that more discussion needs to occur about safety and communication going forward several expressed gratitude to Kepler for how he handed the security situation and worked with law enforcement "I think we are just going to grow from this experience and make things better," board member Suzan Gilligan said The Board of School Directors of the Palmyra Area School District will be holding its next public meeting at 6 p.m Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on X at @DAMattToth The conflict between Israel and Palestinians — and other groups in the Middle East — goes back decades These stories provide context for current developments and the history that led up to them once one of the most important stops on the Silk Road bears the scars of ISIS attacks and more than a decade of Syria's civil war It also carries Syrian hopes of reviving the country's rich archaeological legacy Palmyra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site — inhabited for thousands of years before it became a thriving Roman city on the crossroads between East and West in the 1st century CE Residents are hoping for a return of tourists now that the country has reopened to international visitors after the fall of the regime of Bashar al-Assad to rebel fighters last December But the sound of gunfire in the distance from Syrian government fighters and U.S.-backed Syrian militia forces controlling the area is a reminder that not all is stable "They [ISIS] placed explosives at the temple here and detonated them." The temple where he is standing — Baalshamin — was dedicated to a Mesopotamian god of the sky and was one of the main features of the sprawling oasis city where caravans carried silk spices and other goods between Asia and Europe Before 2015, the ruins of Palmyra were considered among the most intact of the vast Roman Empire ISIS believed the pre-Islamic site was blasphemous The group beheaded Palmyra's head of antiquities and then systematically blew up several of the ancient city's most important monuments The explosion at the Baalshamin temple toppled its towering stone columns sending the roof and walls tumbling and leaving only piles of huge stone blocks ISIS also destroyed the landmark group of stone pillars at the end of a colonnaded street and destroyed part of the façade of the ancient theater before using it for public executions The few remaining residents of the modern city, many of whose grandparents and great-grandparents lived in the ruins of the ancient capital before the new city was created, take strong pride in Palmyra and its powerful Queen Zenobia "As a woman, she used the military and expanded her empire from Antioch to Egypt," says Botman pointing out pharaonic columns gifted to her from ancient Egyptian rulers On one of the colonnaded streets, young volunteers from Palmyra roll stone blocks into place to prevent cars from driving into the ruins and doing further damage. During the civil war, looting of archaeological sites in Syria dramatically increased "We have to protect even the small pieces," says Mohammad Shaker which has worked to clear debris from the citadel on a hill overlooking the ancient site as well as repair sidewalks The volunteers are also trying to help bring back modern Palmyra after the country's devastating civil war At least 100,000 civilians were believed killed by the regime and during fighting in the 13-year-long conflict "We have the energy — everything can be restored and in a few years it will be rebuilt," he says "But the young people and the children who died "Palmyra, the ancient city, is like our mother," said Mohammed Fares, who works for a Spanish-based conservation group, Heritage for Peace He said the group is waiting for the Syrian government to license non-governmental organizations to send in expert archaeologists and equipment to assess the damage to the ancient site The damage to both the ancient site and the modern city has been devastating Faced with civil war and threats from ISIS former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad turned to Russian forces and Iran-backed Syrian militias to retake Palmyra A 2017 report by the American Society of Overseas Research said recent military activity accounted for more damage than deliberate destruction in the ancient city of Palmyra and other sites it surveyed The Syrian government moved military forces into the ancient citadel overlooking Palmyra Russia established a military base on the edge of the ancient city within the protection zone established by UNESCO Russia said a year later the base was temporary But signs of Russian presence remain years later Months after the regime and its Russian allies retreated last December the ground near a girls' high school taken over by the Russian military is covered with burned and blackened documents pieces of computer equipment and an artillery shell — all apparently left by troops as they abandoned the site Russia offered to help restore damage done by ISIS. But it said that some sites were so badly damaged they could be rebuilt using only modern materials Part of the ancient theater appears to have been repaired with concrete Many of the houses in what was a city of 100,000 people are either destroyed or heavily damaged no emergency services and no money to rebuild infrastructure "Ninety-nine percent of families were displaced north Many of the palm groves that gave the oasis city its name were razed by the Assad regime and its allies to eliminate cover for opposition fighters The fall of the Assad regime opens the possibility of more stability and funds — and wider tourism to what had been largely a niche destination before the start of the civil war At the century-old Zenobia Cham Palace Hotel overlooking the ancient city, the walls are marked with bullet holes. Fallen plaster and shattered glass cover the floors. A water-logged drinks menu, a remnant of the pre-ISIS days, advertises alcoholic cocktails. Writer Agatha Christie and her archaeologist husband Max Mallowan were among the hotel's guests in the 1920s who declines to give his name as he is not authorized to speak to journalists says he is under government instructions not to allow visitors because ISIS is still a threat But he returns with a gift of postcards showing some of the museum's treasures including a famous statue of a lion damaged by ISIS Many of the antiquities in the Palmyra museum were sent to Damascus for safekeeping after the start of the civil war In Damascus, the Syrian government's interim head of antiquities, Anas Haj Zidane, says he blames Russia for damage to Palmyra and the U.N.'s cultural agency, UNESCO for allowing Russian oversight over the archaeological site "When the Russians were present in Palmyra as a military presence they vandalized and destroyed it," he told NPR in January "Their mission was a military delegation composed of officers UNESCO's Culture and Emergencies Entity director said the organization had no information on the claim of Russian involvement in damage to Palmyra Russian authorities have not responded to NPR's request for comment Pikkat said the organization was discussing with Syrian authorities reactivating monitoring missions to inspect endangered World Heritage Sites in the country At the National Museum of Damascus glass cases hold tantalizing glimpses of the wealth of ancient Palmyra They include delicate Roman glass containers for eyeliner and brightly colored fragments of silk and cotton garments The 11-foot-high stone Lion of al-Lat damaged outside the Palmyra museum by ISIS was pieced together and is now on display in the Damascus museum's garden A handful of Syrian visitors wander through the museum halls as the sound system quietly and inexplicably plays Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen in the background The country's long-time director of museums and antiquities seems delighted to guide visitors through the exhibits The museum was closed for seven years at the height of the civil war "We need international cooperation because Syria cannot now with its humble internal capabilities after this brutal war and decades of corruption provide everything that is required in the cultural sector," he says "I hope that Syria returns to the glory it had in the field of antiquities and more." Greg Dixon and Sangar Khaleel contributed reporting from Palmyra and Damascus You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Generative artificial intelligence startup Writer Inc. today released its newest state-of-the-art enterprise-focused large language model Palmyra X5 an adaptive reasoning model that features a 1 million-token context window The company also said that it teamed up with Amazon Web Services Inc to announce the availability of the new model on Amazon Bedrock AWS’s fully managed service for building AI applications by providing access to LLMs and machine learning models said Palmyra X5 was trained entirely using synthetic data and required just $1 million in graphics processing unit hours “Writer has been a leader from very early on in the use of synthetic data as well as techniques that allow us to cut down costs like stopping training if we don’t see returns which lets us push model pricing way down,” Shetrit said With its 1 million-token large-context window the model can ingest and comprehend extensive codebases or large numbers of documents simultaneously It also enables multistep reasoning across actions making it ideal for powering agentic AI workflows “Palmyra X5 is the newest model that comes with a 1 million-token context window which is one of the largest commercially available and it’s amongst the fastest and cheapest large-context LLMs,” Shetrit said “This is critical when it comes to building multi-agentic systems where the responses need to be continuously fed back into the context window across multistep workflows.” Writer will incorporate the 1 million-token context window into all of Writer’s Palmyra family of models The model can read an entire 1 million-token prompt in about 22 seconds and it can return individual function-calling turns in about 300 milliseconds X5 performs with a pricing of 60 cents per 1 million input tokens and $6 per 1 million output tokens it permits the model to provide high-speed performance across long contexts while allowing enterprise users to perform numerous actions without costing too much which can quickly become costly and slow with multistep and multiturn AI generations “If you’re thinking about enterprise use cases they’re extremely complex and interacting with multiple third-party often in multistep flows,” Shetrit said “Our focus isn’t on solving for one- or two-agent workflows It’s on enabling enterprises to manage 10 or even 100,000 agents all working alongside employees to drive real transformational change.” The release of Palmyra X5 follows Writer’s launch of AI HQ, a new centralized hub for teams to easily build, deploy and orchestrate AI agents. Shetrit described Palmyra X5 and the company’s family of other Palmyra models as powerful “brains” for agents. He said X5 delivers on the company’s vision for helping companies adapt to the agentic AI trend “Palmyra represents a critical step forward for companies seeking to embed generative AI into their enterprise workflows,” said David Cushman executive research leader at HFS Research Ltd “Palmyra is purpose-built for agent development multimodal processing and custom enterprise AI applications it’s integrated into Writer’s end-to-end platform that balances scalability with transparency — a core demand from regulators and stakeholders alike.” Hundreds of enterprise companies already use Writer’s Palmyra family of LLMs internally and externally to power their AI capabilities RSAC kickoff analysis: Agentic AI and replatforming will be key topics at this week’s conference Writer announces Palmyra X5 LLM with 1M-token context window to power AI agents Cisco announces bevy of security announcements to leverage its strength in networking Navigating the future of application architecture: Embracing gen AI platform engineering and security by design On theCUBE Pod: Cloud security replatforms Lightrun raises $70M to use AI for real-time enterprise software observability and remediation SECURITY - BY MARK ALBERTSON AI - BY KYT DOTSON SECURITY - BY ZEUS KERRAVALA APPS - BY GUEST AUTHOR AI - BY CHAD WILSON Forgot Password? will host a drive-through pork chop dinner fundraiser benefitting Wreaths Across America from 4:40 to 6 p.m and choice of chocolate or pistachio pudding dessert Wreaths Across America is a volunteer-driven national event during which sponsored wreaths are placed at the graves of fallen military service members in December. Go to wreathsacrossamerica.org for more information (KHQA) — The Hannibal School District hosted the annual Northeast Missouri Special Olympics on Friday The 8th annual Special Olympics gave students in grades K-12 the opportunity to volunteer or participate in events such as walking This year’s event was held in Palmyra due to ongoing renovations at Porter Stadium at Hannibal High School Hannibal Special Services Director Jennifer Welker said the event is a great opportunity for all involved “We have a high population of students in our district that have individualized education plans which just means that a lot of them learn differently and they may not participate in sports or a lot of extracurricular activities cause maybe that's not in their lane so this is just a way for them to get out and have that chance to do things at a more flexible and a laid back level,” Welker said Welker also thanked the Palmyra School District for allowing use of its football field for the event Organizers said they plan to return to Porter Stadium next year once renovations are completed An informed community is a stronger community LebTown covers the local government meetings and community stories that shape Lebanon County’s future The meeting of Palmyra Borough Council on April 22 had to be silenced with a gavel when it devolved into an argument after Mayor Tom Miller asked about the Lebanon County Republican Committee endorsements for the 2025 primary elections The LCRC endorsed current council members Marcus Riddell and Anthony Catalani along with non-incumbents Denver Wilson and Tony Pearson Current council members Jim Tesche and Jane Quairoli — also registered Republicans — are running for reelection LCRC also endorsed mayoral candidate Kevin Yiengst Miller was appointed to finish out the remainder of Fred Carpenter’s term after his retirement at the beginning of 2025 Miller said he and other council members were not told that the committee would be making endorsements and they were not given an opportunity to plead their case He asked how the candidates heard about the endorsement and what the selection process was “I find it interesting the Republican group didn’t ask anybody,” Miller started I know two of them that are on [the council].” Catalani said the endorsements were accessible to any candidate on the ballot He said it seemed like the questions from council were due to fear “If the people of Palmyra Borough would like to know then they can come out on the Candidates Night and speak to them and so we’ve put that out there,” Catalani said “I didn’t know this would be like an interrogation because perhaps Quairoli said she served on the committee years ago and they didn’t make endorsements during her time there She said a different procedure should have taken place so more candidates could have been considered and the way things have been done in the past is when a district is going to endorse you and then the voting is done on whether or not to endorse and then who to endorse,” Quairoli said “If there was going to be an endorsement meeting at the district level everybody should have been invited.”  LCRC chairman Bill Bova, who wrote an editorial about these discussions happening at several meetings throughout the county, directed LebTown toward the committee’s bylaws Read More: [Letter] GOP chair calls out political discussions at government meetings Section 3 of the bylaws outlines endorsement procedures It states that for electoral districts that don’t cover the entire county only committee members who would be entitled to vote in the primary or general election for that seat are allowed to vote in the endorsement process Miller called the endorsements “almost communist,” which Catalani pushed back against and I don’t appreciate it,” Catalani replied Beth Shearer gavelled the discussion quiet when it got especially personal, and told everyone to do their own research about each candidate. “Do your own research,” Shearer said. “That way it’s not a ‘he said, she said’ — just do your own research.” Mayors’ ParkThe council also unanimously voted to establish the northeast corner of the intersection of West Main Street and North Lingle Avenue as Mayors’ Park Read More: Palmyra to consider making corner of Lingle and Main intersection into a park borough manager Roger Powl said it would be too small for recreation but it could be a space for some benches and shade trees Quairoli said she received a surprising amount of feedback regarding the park “Most of the residents that talk to me about it do not see it as a useful park,” she said I have no problem with designating it a park and developing it somehow but I’m just amazed I’ve had numerous residents contact me about it.” She also said she doesn’t want to use any taxpayer money for the park’s development Powl said there’s space at the top of the hill for a few parking spaces he said they could get a written agreement from the Palmyra Garden Club that they would help with costs and they could apply for a Department of Conservation and Natural Resources grant for financial support Tesche said designating the area as a park doesn’t mean the borough needs to put money into developing it They can see what funding is available before making any decisions Palmyra Borough Council will meet next at 325 S. Railroad St. on May 13 at 7 p.m. Meetings are streamed on the Palmyra Borough, Lebanon County Pennsylvania YouTube page Help build a better-informed Lebanon County. LebTown’s independent journalism keeps you connected to your community and the issues that matter most. Become a monthly or annual member to support our mission, or make a one-time contribution to expand our coverage LEBANON — In a sport filled with personal achievements relay races leave room for team celebrations on the track After the 2025 Lebanon County track and field meet Palmyra’s 4x100 relay team took first in the event with a 42.01 time — good for the fastest time in the meet’s history Everyone on the Cougars’ relay squad are each fast on their own but the experience of “sharing medals together” makes it more rewarding for Jacob and Tyler Burgess 'Living a dream:' Lebanon football's Jamil Gordon maturing through each new opportunity Best in the field: Lebanon County's top boys thrower for the 2025 season “The most fun thing is probably just winning as a team — and just accomplishing things together,” senior Jacob Burgess said after anchoring the race it brings a better feeling because it's teamwork and just proves our hard work and determination on the track.” Since hitting a personal record of 41.24 in March Palmyra’s relay team set its goal of remaining sub-42 through the postseason The all-county meet saw the Cougars bring out a new order of runners and senior Tyler Burgess said it speaks volumes about this year’s group “I feel like we're pretty good at adapting to new changes because we just switched our order yesterday and we still ran in 42 (seconds) so I feel like we're able to execute any time,” Tyler Burgess said “I feel like we can get 41 (seconds) again.” so I feel like we have a big advantage,” Tyler Burgess said “I just like relays because they’re just fun I just watch my teammates run and catch a win.” How do the Burgess brothers "push each other" to win?Palmyra’s senior duo has been competing together for a long time After winning the 4x100 relay with the Cougars Tyler and Jacob Burgess continued pushing each other individually at the Lebanon County meet — and it led to personal medals for each Jacob finished with first place in the boys’ long jump along with the 100 meter dash and his brother came away with two gold medals while breaking Lebanon County records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles races said there’s always a competitive relationship between them and that it adds to the motivation for himself and others on the Cougars’ team because we always want to split faster than each other “We always want to run faster than each other and end up having a little competition in races.” After getting to anchor in the 4x100 relay Jacob Burgess added that the team’s chemistry helps them through the season and shows with first-place finishes “We compete pretty hard,” Jacob Burgess said “When we race in the 200 (meter) here and there and then hopefully you get bragging rights.” That spirit has shown to be crucial in the Cougars’ races and the seniors said they're both grateful for how it pays off down the stretch the Cougars relay team is staying focused on the prize of a state gold after finishing with a 42.88 time in the PIAA finale last season Tyler Burgess said the group remains steady on handoff chemistry and keep finding ways to make each other better “I like always having someone to push you and to work with,” Tyler Burgess said they don't know how they line up against someone — but when I know I have someone fast next to me “Over the summer we were all training individually together but also we want to win as a team — so this year we're gonna come back and win (state.)” Full results from the 2025 Lebanon County track & field meet Cedar Crest (54.95)*; 2nd: Jada Morales (So.) Annville-Cleona (1:02.45); 3rd: Sophia Caporaletti (Sr.) Cedar Crest (2:19.21); 2nd: Hayden Wamsher (Jr.) Cedar Cresr (2:21.26); 3rd: Amber McCurdy (So.) Cedar Crest (5:32.89); 2nd: Amber McCurdy (So.) Palmyra (5:37.11); 3rd: Lucy Stellmach (Fr.) 3200 meter: 1st: Mackenzie Stellmach (Jr.) Annville-Cleona (11:47.04); 2nd: Audrey Fugate (Sr.) Cedar Crest (12:27.79); 3rd: Avery Rohrer (Sr.) 100 meter hurdles: 1st: Makenzie Wamsher (Jr.) Cedar Crest (16.46); 2nd: Julia Sattele (Sr.) Palmyra (16.82); 3rd: Johbrianna Long (Jr.) 300 meter hurdles: 1st: Makenzie Wamsher (Jr.) Cedar Crest (47.52); 2nd: Kya Missimer (Sr.) Annville-Cleona (49.12); 3rd: Julia Sattele (Sr.) 4x100 meter: Annville-Cleona (49.63) — Miracle Hershey 4x400 meter: Cedar Crest (4:02.20) — Emma Pavlesich 4x800 meter: Cedar Crest (10:01.60) — Emma Pavlesich Cedar Crest (36’5.25”); 2nd: Ava Hoover (Sr.) Annville-Cleona (32’11”); 3rd: Kenzie Eckhart (Jr.) Annville-Cleona (104’7”); 2nd: Nachali Manon Aquino (Jr.) Cedar Crest (102’6”); 3rd: Cala Hipple (Jr.) Cedar Crest (149’5”)*; 2nd: Sofie Price (Sr.) Cedar Crest (5’4”); 2nd: Saoirse Phillips (Jr.) Northern Lebanon (4’8”); 3rd: Kora Wolfe (Fr.) Palmyra (10’6″); 2nd: Jesslyn Risser (Jr.) Cedar Crest (9’6”); 3rd: Caitlyn Shay (Jr.) Cedar Crest (16’10.5”); 3rd: Madi Long (Jr.) Annville-Cleona (33’4”); 3rd: Reece Woelfling (Sr.) Palmyra (10.94); 2nd: Travis McDannell (Jr.) Palmyra (22.01); 2nd: Travis McDannell (Jr.) Cedar Crest (52.95); 3rd: Thadeous Gilbert (Jr.) Annville-Cleona (1:58.70); 2nd: Owen Kreider (Sr.) Cedar Crest (4:20.07); 2nd: Landon Hostetter (Sr.) Annville-Cleona (4:24.87); 3rd: David Moran (Jr.) Cedar Crest (9:46.13); 2nd: Landon Hostetter (Sr.) Annville-Cleona (9:51.03); 3rd: Josh Miller (Jr.) 110 meter hurdles: 1st: Tyler Burgess (Sr.) Palmyra (16.13); 3rd: Jack Waranavage (Sr.) 300 meter hurdles: 1st: Tyler Burgess (Sr.) Palmyra (37.27)*; 2nd: Justin Moreno (Jr.) Cedar Crest (42.52); 3rd: Jack Waranavage (Sr.) 4x100 meter: Palmyra (42.01)* — Landon Weldon 4x400 meter: Palmyra (3:30.52) — Tyler Burgess 4X800 meter: Palmyra (8:09.66) — Cohen Claar Cedar Crest (49’0.5″); 2nd: Alex Kissinger (Sr.) Cedar Crest (45’8.75”); 3rd: Cade Palmer (Sr.) Cedar Crest (144’2″); 2nd: Avery Kurtz (Jr.) ELCO (134’3”); 3rd: Tanner Zimmerman (Jr.) Cedar Crest (171’9”); 2nd: Bryson Fogelsanger (Sr.) Annville-Cleona (171’3”); 3rd: Cade Palmer (Sr.) Cedar Crest (6’0″); 2nd: Evan Mosser (Jr.) Lebanon (20’6.75”); 3rd: Wesley Heller (Sr.) Lebanon (41’1.5”); 2nd: Max Fleischer (Jr.) Cedar Crest (39’11”); 3rd: Jonathan Beam (Sr.) Your access to this service has been limited If you think you have been blocked in error contact the owner of this site for assistance If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site please enter your email in the box below and click "Send" You will then receive an email that helps you regain access Wordfence is a security plugin installed on over 5 million WordPress sites The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site You can also read the documentation to learn about Wordfence's blocking tools or visit wordfence.com to learn more about Wordfence Click here to learn more: Documentation (opens in new tab) 6 May 2025 2:37:39 GMT.Your computer's time: document.write(new Date().toUTCString()); EAGLE — The Palmyra-Eagle Area School Board has three candidates for two seats that are up for election on the board Incumbent Michael Eddy is running against Rachel Kirkley and Amy Wilde The Freeman asked the candidates questions ahead of the election Freeman: Why are you running for the School Board I am running again because I want to ensure the fixes we put in place allow us to continue to be fiscally responsible and ensure a positive student experience in having program options and a balanced athletic program The board mantra is “If it is not good for the kids ensure the district remains financially stable and an asset for the entire community Kirkley: My decision to run for the Palmyra-Eagle Area School Board stems from a desire to be a proactive advocate for our students and a responsible steward of our district’s resources I want to ensure that every child in our community has access to the best possible educational opportunities I also believe in the importance of transparent and responsible governance and I’m committed to sound fiscal management of funds My priorities once elected to the board are to serve as a dedicated and accessible voice for our community and guarantee responsible and sustainable fiscal management of our district’s resources Wilde: I am running for the School Board because I am deeply committed to making sure that Palmyra-Eagle continues to thrive and move forward With over 30 years of experience as a special education teacher I have seen firsthand the challenges and successes within our school system I believe my educational background and expertise will bring a unique perspective to the board My priorities are ensuring that funding is used efficiently and equitably to directly benefit students as well as strengthening curriculum and resources to provide students with opportunities that prepare them for success beyond the classroom Freeman: How do you view the school board’s role vs the administration’s role in running the school district Eddy: The administration manages the day-to-day operations and provides recommendations on improvements The board provides vision and focus for the district to follow helps guide and enable them to implement it; to remove roadblocks for the administrative team Kirkley: By fostering a collaborative and transparent relationship the school board and administration can work together effectively to achieve the best possible outcomes for students and the community The role of the school board is to set policy The role of the administration is to implement policies communicate district needs and prepare the budget Wilde: Board members are elected to represent the interests of students making decisions that shape the district’s long-term direction Administration is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the school I believe the strongest school districts have boards and administration that work together effectively and hold each other accountable The school board is responsible for working with administration to set policies establish and support the district’s vision and goals and ensure accountability to the community Freeman: How does a school board balance the need to provide a quality education with the need to respond to the local taxpayer burden Eddy: The administration needs to identify areas where they can increase efficiencies and cut costs but not at the expense of the student experience in statewide declining student enrollment SIGN UP Kirkley: Balancing quality education with the burden on taxpayers is a central challenge for any school board These are the key focus areas: 1.) Prioritize spending based on student needs and educational goals; 2.) Use data to assess the effectiveness of educational programs and identify areas for improvement; 3.) Explore opportunities to streamline operations and reduce costs; and 4.) Keep taxpayers informed about how their money is being spent Wilde: School boards must balance the need to provide a quality education while being mindful of the local taxpayer burden by making strategic financial and policy decisions I believe key components to this include efficient staffing long-range facilities and maintenance plans and providing unique opportunities to keep students in the district a school board can help the district provide high-quality education while demonstrating fiscal responsibility to the community Palmyra-Eagle has outstanding facilities and opportunities for students The Freeman: Funding and budgets are ongoing issues Eddy: The PEASD community has shown unwillingness to pass a referendum to support the district’s efforts so we face additional challenges other districts don’t the district needs to maintain a student to teacher ratio that provides a great student experience Salaries are one of the biggest cost centers The board has provided guidance to the administration on developing a 10-year plan so we can be financially responsible on how to maintain our infrastructure and stay within budget we’ve had Moody’s credit ratings increased twice MS Exceeding Expectations on DPI report card Kirkley: Recognizing the ongoing challenges of school budgets I believe the Palmyra-Eagle district must prioritize a long-term vision and clearly define our educational goals This includes maximizing existing resources through grants and community partnerships we must embrace adaptability and innovation to ensure our district remains highly effective in serving our students and community Wilde: School districts must take a multifaceted approach to managing funding and budgets effectively Some key strategies the district is already implementing and looking for more opportunities in include: Finding and applying for grants making necessary cuts and optimizing staffing PE is already moving towards being more financially sustainable while continuing to provide high-quality education The Freeman: What can be done to improve student achievement and make sure graduates are ready for the real world We ensure we have great programming for the students I think one shining area is the Dual Enrollment Program and Youth Apprenticeships These programs offer real world experience to students The students are taught by experts or business owners in that field my son who is a PE grad that completed the Dual Enrollment I am not sure he would have ended up there without the experience we have a responsibility to support the administrative team in ensuring a positive student experience Kirkley: Preparing our students for success in the 21st century requires a focused strategy transform curriculum to reflect real-world needs and build a robust college and career readiness program Wilde: To improve student achievement and ensure graduates are ready for the real world we should focus on several key areas: continuously updating and improving curriculum to align with real-world demands expanding Dual Enrollment and Early College Programs that allow students to earn college credits while still in high school These areas will better prepare students for college Read more of our election coverage at gmtoday.com/elections To see every race and referendum that will be on your ballot, visit myvote.wi.gov and click on the "What's On My Ballot?" button 10 things to know this week from the WOW counties (Waukesha Ozaukee and Washington) sent on Sundays Get the latest Waukesha County news delivered every day so you don't miss out on updates Have Waukesha County breaking news alerts sent to your inbox as they happen At 12:54 p.m. on Wednesday, a vehicle was stopped at Michigan Avenue and Grandview Boulevard for a stop sign violation. The driver a… Read moreWaukesha police blotter: April 30-May 1, 20225 Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The GOAT roars to life again in the new documentary "T. Rex," produced by Palmyra alum Andy Wood and now showing in Harrisburg. (Giant Screen Films) Rex” as its senior vice president and producer It’s available for audiences at the Whitaker Center’s Digital Cinema in Harrisburg Wood said his movie-making journey started in Palmyra where he’d record and edit videos of himself and his friends skateboarding around Palmyra Middle School “My parents very graciously let me have the family camcorder,” Wood said “So many a day for me was spent with my friends filming skateboarding stuff and going back to my room at night and editing those videos so that’s sort of where the genesis of my passion for filmmaking started.” for getting him interested in biology and zoology Wood went on to major in filmmaking and zoology at the University of Wisconsin He has now moved on to making educational documentaries Rex,” which families can enjoy during museum visits Mentorship of the next generation was a theme of “T The story follows three young boys who regularly trekked through the North Dakota wilderness with their father or uncle sending photos of fossils to their paleontologist family friend “The family stumbled on a big femur fossil eroding out of the ground and Tyler was so happy for the first time to say this is the real deal,” Wood said “It was the next summer — the summer of ’23 — that Tyler was able to pull an excavation team together and get permission from the Bureau of Land Management the kids were a part of that every step of the way so they got to participate in a real deal paleontology dig.” The camera crew traveled to the state with the intention of recording the first couple of days of the dig Wood said they expected it to be a type of leaf-eating dinosaur we’ll get the scientists doing what they do and we’ll be able to build around that,’” he said meat-eating teeth of a young tyrannosaurus rex Wood said the team was lucky they had the camera rolling “We all had to very quickly make sure that we could dive out of the way of the cameras so that we weren’t ruining the moment “We hoped that the energy and the excitement of that moment come through in the film.” They ended up staying to record for about three weeks and recorded the entire dig process There are more plant-eaters than predators in nature with this being one of only a handful of relatively complete specimens discovered The documentary said people might want to find the biggest dinosaur but a young one can fill in gaps in scientific knowledge There are still many mysteries about the lizard’s beginning and its transition from the size of a house cat to 40 feet long and so scientists are really excited about discoveries like this one because it’ll tell us a lot about how this animal may have grown up It’s going to answer a lot of questions as this specimen continues to be studied.” being extracted from the jacket of plaster used to protect it during transportation The documentary ends with the mass of rock being carried from its resting place but Wood said they continue to post updates about the process on social media “T. Rex” showtimes are available online The film is listed as showing through 2025 Former Palmyra Mayor Fred Carpenter died Thursday Carpenter was appointed as mayor for the borough in June 2010 Referencing the former mayor's public service that started in 1987 Miller said Carpenter was a strong person who cared about the Palmyra community and added a lot of work to the community that people just don't understand and that is an absolute fantastic endeavor on his part," Miller said A lot of people in town can certainly be on panels Carpenter served in the United States Air Force and worked as a police officer in several municipalities He also served as a dispatcher for the Derry Township Police Department He was first elected to the Palmyra Borough Council in November 1987 He was re-appointed to council in July of 2008 and served until he became mayor During that time he served as the EMA Director for Palmyra Borough between March 1979 and November 2001 Western Lebanon County Regional Police Chief Alex Winters said that at the end of the day Carpenter always had good intentions and cared about people in the community "I think Fred was a good mayor and and caring individual," he said "Sometimes he would let his emotions get the best of him but then he would always come back around and be a good hearted person and apologize He always did what was right for the community and I could see that in everything that he did while I was here." Miller said that borough officials have discussed several ways to honor Carpenter's legacy to the borough but there is no final idea discussed about what a memorial will look like yet to the former mayor's years of service "I have four different ideas that the council will have to discuss and make some determinations on," he said Kreamer Funeral Home in Annville will be handling Carpenter's funeral arrangements Matthew Toth is a reporter for the Lebanon Daily News Reach him at mtoth@ldnews.com or on Twitter at @DAMattToth (WHP) — Ten people were displaced after a fire burned through three homes in Palmyra according to fire officials and the Red Cross The blaze broke out Saturday evening on North College Street Palmyra Fire said crews were on scene within minutes and arrived to find a "large volume of fire" coming from a duplex home prompting the response of other local fire departments The American Red Cross of Greater PA said it helped four adults and six children following the fire Fire Chief Dave Dugan confirmed that nobody was injured in the fire and Pennsylvania State Police are now investigating the cause A GoFundMe is now raising money for one of the families impacted by the fire the fundraiser is hoping to raise $4,500 after the family reportedly lost everything in the fire Local journalism is essential to democracy LebTown keeps you informed about decisions that affect your daily life in Lebanon County Palmyra Area School District will move its district offices to a South Forge Road property purpose-built building will be constructed by HR Weaver Building Systems the Palmyra school board voted 7-1 to approve a $3,858,761.04 agreement for the purchase of land and construction of offices Board member Jill Martin was the sole nay vote; board members Mandy Braden Bernie Kepler said that the property will end up being roughly two acres No land development plan has yet been submitted to South Londonderry Township for the construction and Kepler said the developer will be responsible for all planning approvals including a highway occupancy permit that will need to be obtained from PennDOT for access to South Forge Road (state Route 117) The property is currently owned by Weaver Sports LLC whose principal Chad Weaver is also owner and president of HR Weaver Building Systems The two-acre swath of land earmarked for the school district is being cut out of a larger 18.9-acre tract consisting of multiple parcels which was purchased by Weaver Sports LLC from Prestige Legacy Partners LLC in a $1.25 million transaction that closed in December 2024 Prestige Legacy Partners LLC is owned by Paul Gingrich and Brandon Kane according to Pennsylvania Department of State filings LebTown previously reported on the feasibility study conducted on the district’s behalf by Lancaster-based RLPS Architects to plan for future enrollment growth and educational needs of the Palmyra community Read More: Palmyra school board eyes options for school expansion and renovations five tracks of work are being undertaken as a result of that feasibility study and the ensuing board review and deliberation process Kepler said taxation for the roughly $20 million that will be ultimately need for this portion of the project is already in place following a 2.3% tax increase (18.1532 mills) passed by the board for the 2024-25 school year at its June 13 Three main considerations were in mind with prioritizing this specific bundle of work: safety (for Buck Swank Stadium) maintenance (for the Forge Road Elementary School and middle school roof restoration projects) and an immediate need for additional capacity at the high school (district office relocation and high school renovation projects) The stadium project will address what Kepler described as aging infrastructure – helping keep it a safe environment for the thousands who show up on Friday night to see the Cougars on the gridiron – as well as replacing fixtures like the track surface and re-roofing and sprucing up the concession areas and toilet rooms which was presented to the board in March 2024 Kepler said that it was clear from the data collection that the greatest immediate need and impact would focus on the secondary level in order to meet capacity and program challenges already identified at the high school as well as supporting the educational experience for students grades 9 through 12 “We currently at our high school have a shortage of classroom space,” said Kepler Multiple teachers don’t have classrooms and instead rotate around the building throughout the day using carts Kepler said that each of the next two years the district will also need to open a new autistic support classroom to support students with autism that are aging up to the high school The district explored whether it was more prudent to expand the high school building or reutilize existing space A few factors that went into the decision to move the district office and transform that space into four new instructional spaces were that the district office staff could function anywhere while also preserving existing acreage on the campus and maintaining the amount of impervious ground cover to guard against stormwater issues with architects expecting the project to be done in time to start the 2025-26 school year Kepler said the board worked with Bering Real Estate for months looking at existing properties and solicited bids for either existing properties that met certain specifications or development proposals for land where there was an ability to build and meet the same specifications The purchase agreement approved by the district in December will see PASD owning the new district offices outright after construction is complete Although the district no longer expects to be moved into the new facility to start the 2025-26 school year it will use makeshift offices starting in March so that remodeling of the district offices can begin Portable storage units at the rear of the high school campus will be used for furniture and non-critical files and classrooms adjacent to the former district offices will be used as workspaces by district staff from March 1 until mid-August when school starts again Kepler said no decisions have been made yet beyond that timeline contingent on where the project and its various needed approvals stand at the time In terms of operational impacts from moving the district offices away from the high school Kepler joked that the first one will be on him personally “Many days of the week I walk up to the high school cafeteria and have lunch,” said Kepler “I think what it will force me to do as leader of the district is spend more equitable time among all six of our schools.” Kepler said that the move will also help unlock operational facilities like for example with IT procurement and distribution a pallet of devices delivered to the high school won’t fit on an elevator up to the second floor where the tech department currently sits in a classroom Rather than needing to break down the pallet and then take them back down the elevator for distribution to other buildings the tech department will have a more streamlined workflow at the new district offices Similar efficiencies will be realized for the pupil services team which is currently spread across the district These consolidations will see additional classrooms gained at Pine Elementary School and the high school The high school will see a net of three classrooms added Four full rooms will be realized from the renovation of the district offices and the upstairs classroom used by the tech department will come back into play for instructional purposes Two smaller classrooms are being consolidated into the guidance department as part of the renovations Now that the 4a projects (the first phase of option 4) have all been bid and awarded the district will turn its attention to the 4b projects – replacement of the roof and mechanical systems at Pine Street Elementary School and Palmyra High School That phase could also include conversion of the gym and wrestling rooms into STEM spaces and the addition of a larger gymnasium and wrestling room RLPS was previously granted a contract for design work on 4b and the board having already reviewed concept renderings will this spring go through an exercise to narrow the scope of work and fine tune details Kepler said that RLPS is expected at the March 27 board meeting to share an interim report with final recommendations for 4b to be made in May A community forum will also be scheduled for public input during this process Kepler said that the board is starting to look at budgetary numbers for 4b Part of the financial plan could include refinancing existing bonds related to previous renovation projects at Northside and Forge elementary schools and Palmyra Middle School to reduce debt load if we simply just do roofs and mechanical systems of the high school and Pine – we have to maintain those facilities the costs down the road will increase,” said Kepler “We’re trying to minimize costs that we don’t have to do.” One idea that’s off the table for now: Building a new intermediate school Although the concept was explored by RLPS for a 4c phase in the feasibility study Kepler said that based on the district’s enrollment projections he does not see a need in the foreseeable future for removing an entire grade from the middle school even though space is extremely tight there we don’t need to move a grade level out of there,” he said “We are clearly trying to do anything we can and prioritize maintenance of facilities and safety of facilities as we obviously owe it to our taxpayers to reduce the impact as much as possible and then looking at programs second.” Local journalism builds trust through facts. As Lebanon County’s independent news source, LebTown is committed to providing timely, accurate coverage that matters to you. Support our mission by becoming a champion of local news through a monthly or annual membership, or make a one-time contribution — Four people are behind bars following two months of investigations.On Thursday Palmyra police officers executed two simultaneous search warrants in the city.One was in the 500 block of West New Street and the other in the 700 block.Several drug related items were found during both searches.Following the searches Abigail Kirby and Terry Failor were taken into custody.They are being held in the Marion County Jail.Other arrests are pending in the case.The Palmyra Police Department was assisted in the investigation by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office the NEMO Task Force and the Missouri Highway Patrol Tyreef Spears (Western Lebanon County Regional Police) Local journalism builds trust through facts As Lebanon County’s independent news source After naming a suspect for the first time Friday morning, Feb. 7, Western Lebanon County Regional police have released details of a Jan. 7 hit-and-run in Palmyra Borough that seriously injured a woman nor had they said whether he might still be in the area According to an affidavit filed before Magisterial District Judge David Warner on Friday when dispatchers received a telephone report of an accident with injuries at Locust and Pine Streets where one of the vehicles had struck a home The caller said the operator of that immobilized vehicle had fled on foot Patrolman Frank Bucsi wrote in the affidavit that responding officers learned the suspect described as a black man about 30 years old wearing a plaid sweatsuit had been seen running toward Pine Street Elementary School An initial search in the area of the school was unsuccessful but one officer reported briefly seeing a man matching the description running east on Campbelltown Road before losing sight of him officers found a gray Honda CRV with New Jersey temporary tags and heavy front end damage It had struck the front of a house at 200 West Pine Street “this was determined to be the striking vehicle that was driven by the now fleeing suspect.” Bucsi did not identify the Honda’s owner Neighborhood video showed the Honda speeding through two stop signs shortly before the collision A search of the Honda uncovered “a pouch of marijuana,” according to Bucsi A heavily-damaged Toyota Camry was found in the middle of the intersection Police learned that a woman driver and her grandson were in the car when it was struck “they were both transported to Hershey Medical Center [The woman] was being treated for a broken femur She was admitted to the hospital for several nights and required multiple surgeries.” Bucsi did not mention any injuries to the grandson A Campbelltown Road resident later called police and reported a black male wearing a plaid sweatsuit hiding in his trash can the suspect “took off running east when [the resident] opened the can.” Police located the Honda’s key in the trash can video provided by the school showed a suspect matching the fleeing driver’s description “running from the scene around the school and then continuing to run eastbound.” Separate video from Palmyra High School showed the suspect “eventually making it inside [the high school] as the door was open for a swimming event.”  “video from the [high] school shows the male suspect getting into a locker room and remaining there for 2 hours before emerging with a change of clothes.” Bucsi said that he was able to get a clear picture of the suspect’s face and that facial recognition software “matched this picture to a booking photo of Tyreef Spears from South Carolina He shows having a photo ID only and a suspended license I found a more recent booking photo from NYPD and he exactly matched up with the still shot.” and two witnesses identified Spears as the fleeing suspect and the man in the garbage can Spears is charged with multiple felonies and misdemeanors including felony aggravated assault by vehicle and accidents involving death or personal injury A warrant for Spears’ arrest has been issued Local journalism is essential to democracy. LebTown keeps you informed about decisions that affect your daily life in Lebanon County. Join our community of supporters with a monthly or annual membership, or make a one-time contribution to strengthen local news Palmyra is a bit restless “Early hours in the morning, tossing and turning/ Everyone else in this house is asleep,” Sasha Landon pours into the microphone. “Palm Readers” emerges integral to the band’s new musical chapter this album marks their debut with Oh Boy Records It’s like reintroducing themselves to the world The trio – rounded out with Teddy Chipouras and Mānoa Bell – pounces from the get-go Similar to The Lone Bellow’s tightly wound vocal work their harmonies exude a vintage richness throughout as they do on the title track and opener It’s quite evident that they take their work seriously down to the lilt of their voices as they glide through the air Palmyra makes you believe they’ve been singing together for decades their harmonies are so electric and full of life “We definitely put a lot of effort into our harmonies It’s something that always feels super important when we’re arranging a song,” shares Landon “The three of us weren’t people who sang with others a lot before this band we learned a lot from old recordings of other bands and all sorts of stuff We did a lot of transcribing harmony early on in the lockdown The record needed to start with our voices and we wanted that to set the tone for the album.” Perfectly performed harmonies underpin the album’s emotional currents and hope into the project’s backbone to create a coming-of-age story “There was a moment when we understood what the album was about There were separate songs that we found homes together through playing them live,” says Chipouras “‘Palm Readers’ feels great right after ‘Restless.’ And those songs then became a pair The coming-of-age narrative emerged from the time period that the songs were written.” Restless sprouts from the cracks between each song Where “No Receipt” meanders through sun-caked uncertainty the cheeky “Dishes” sees the band accepting domestication and finding peace they agonize over being present while time yanks them this way and that – the pressure that comes from being a working musician crushes their shoulders and just trying to figure out what the life of a musician looks like,” captures brutal truths of living Palmyra spoke to BGS about feeling restless What is it about the title track that made sense to be the opener Sasha Landon: It made a lot of sense for us to have this song that starts with the three of our voices kicking off the record it is a song that has a through line to the record from the jump The emotional center for this record is pretty heavy And that’s not to say that there’s not a lot of light in the record But the overall emotional center is pretty heavy and restless In “No Receipt,” you lament that there just isn’t enough time what’s your relationship with time been like but questions we’re always asking ourselves the last line there about finding those quieter moments has proven to be such a challenge Being an artist is such a consuming experience Every moment of your day is a part of that journey and it can be hard to have separation from it “Can’t Slow Down” deals with a similar thematic thread Teddy Chipouras: This one was a song that I wrote after a couple of years of not writing songs I don’t think I wrote hardly any songs during COVID This tune kind of came out all at once after being fed up with not writing anything for a while and I think we had just gotten off the road It was kind of like just throwing words at the page of how I was feeling at the time because it was a really big moment for me and I felt very accomplished that I had written something and finished something I remember being nervous to send it to the band and then really not thinking anything would come from it I did not think we would be playing that song every night It’s one of those tunes that has changed meaning or it means more to me now than it did when I wrote it “Buffalo” roots itself in a phone call during a show in Buffalo after one of your friends had taken their own life Was this song a necessary cathartic exercise MB: There are songs that you try to write and then there are songs that you just have to write I remember very clearly writing the beginning of it and immediately feeling better It’s a song that’s still hard to play I feel a responsibility to try to connect emotionally with it every time we play it and not just phone it in there’s a muscle memory aspect to it But that song never really feels like muscle memory when it’s someone who you see yourself in makes you wonder what life would be like without them There was never a point where I was like at such a level of grief that I didn’t want to continue living But it definitely makes you wonder what life will be like moving forward “Carolina Wren,” feels like a big sigh to let all the things on the record go Why does it appear as primarily the demo you recorded SL: [Producer] Jake Cochran did such a great job of trying to make sure that the songs sonically matched their emotional core and that the version of the song that we were putting out felt really authentic to the lyrics and our live performance of it This was a tune that I hadn’t played for anyone in the band yet I wrote it right before we went to the lakehouse [to record] and played it on a whim I think Teddy was out getting groceries or something and Jake pressed record Mānoa is holding the bass and I think plays one note on it there was a consensus that that’s how the song is supposed to exist It’s how it’s supposed to sound like “Shape I’m In,” for example we had to be mindful of how many performances we gave it before we exhausted it and weren’t going to get any more When you have a song that takes a lot emotionally to perform you can only do it so many times before it loses its meaning It honors the song in a good way and it belongs as it is Then we decided that it made sense as the last tune on the record What have been the biggest realizations you’ve had of being working musicians I’ve learned that there’s kind of an endless amount of resilience needed You’re constantly faced with just things you need to get through I don’t even know if I would call that a music thing I think that’s just like a growing-up thing TC: One thing for me is I didn’t realize how hard it would be to find creative time when you’re a full-time creative and then we get home and there’s a lot of work to do It’s almost harder to schedule the creative time than it is to schedule the work I never thought it would be hard to find that balance MB: This record showed all three of us that there was another level to get to and that there are endless places of growth that we will find I think we dug deep as a band and it has continued to be rewarding for those reasons TC: It will be interesting to see how this one feels because this one feels bigger than our previous projects We talk about this a lot with our songs going through different phases of us letting them go I think the biggest one for me of letting songs go is starting to play them live We’ve played all of these songs live before for a while is the biggest in terms of feeling like releasing full control of it and it becoming the world’s and not ours anymore MB: We haven’t released something at this level before I’m excited to see how it feels releasing the whole project I think that if I’m defining what feels different about an EP versus an album it’s like Teddy saying that this feels bigger than anything before; it’s the amount of energy we put into creating the music – the amount of energy we’ve put into getting it out to people It’s just like we’re putting so much behind it to know that a listener’s first experience of Palmyra could be Restless that the first thing that they hear is something that of all of the music we’ve put out and has been a really good snapshot of where we are at the present time A recent story about hope and hatching at Palmyra Atoll caught our eye As the population crashed due to the accidental introduction of the brown tree snake Guam biologists brought 29 sihek under human care and started a conservation breeding program nine mostly juvenile birds were moved to the remote atoll Fish and Wildlife Service co-manage a research station in the Palmyra Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Caitlin Andrews, a bird conservation scientist with TNC and the Zoological Society of London, said those birds have laid their first eggs “It's a super exciting milestone,” Andrews said “This is the first time that the sihek have been in the wild in 36 years So just seeing them out in the wild and now thriving is a really hopeful moment for the species and the potential to return them to Guam some day.” The field team staff at Palmyra know each individual bird and track them every day to ensure that they survive In addition to offering support to the birds the team is also taking this chance to learn Andrews said staff record their voices and narrate everything that the birds do to learn what sihek need to thrive in the wild About 25 Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited institutions in the U.S. helped raise the sihek specifically for Palmyra Palmyra Atoll was selected as the home for the first wild sihek in almost 40 years because it is largely predator-free and fully protected It's located about 1,000 miles south of Honolulu as the birds are known by the Indigenous CHamoru people of Guam is described by Andrews as turquoise and cinnamon colored it’s really unique in that there are only a handful of forest birds native to Guam and it was only ever found in Guam,” Andrews explained Three mated pairs made their first breeding attempt “The first eggs were laid from late March to early April,” she told HPR So we don't expect sihek this age to successfully hatch chicks They could surprise us… But they really won't reach the mature age where we expect them to start having chicks for another few months at least but the first breeding attempt is great practice for them.” Plans are underway for more young sihek to be released at Palmyra Atoll this summer as the team's conservation work continues Andrews finds sihek provide a unique story of hope “They were extinct in the wild for almost 40 years It shows that it's never too late for these species and all of the efforts that we're doing today can help them see the wild again at some point.” This interview aired on The Conversation on April 23 The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.  Wheelchair basketball fundraiser set April 24 in PalmyraRavenna Record-CourierPirates Promise Community Night Fundraiser will be April 24 at Southeast High School The public is invited to enjoy school administration and staff take on Adaptive Sports Ohio in wheelchair basketball All proceeds will benefit Phase II of the Southeast Elementary School All-Inclusive Community Playground Zonuts and Lattes food truck will be on hand The Portage County Board of Development Disabilities and other community resources will be available Email PiratesPromise.2025@gmail.com for more information.