Today's Patriot-News has background information on the murder suspect who fled from police early Thursday near Paxtonia Elementary. ____ Related post: LP police incident gets multistate attention

The woman pictured in this post is suspected of being part of a two-person team that used a bump-and-grab technique to steal wallets from two elderly women last month at a grocery store on Union Deposit Road. Police obtained bank surveillance video that showed the suspect using a victim’s credit card to obtain a cash advance of several thousand dollars. If you recognize the woman, contact Lower Paxton police at (717) 657-5656, and ask for Detective Mark Brumaghim. ____ Click on the photo to view a larger version. More from The Patriot-News.

As expected, Lower Paxton Twp. supervisors gave their OK Tuesday evening for citizens groups to develop a dog park at Kohl Park and a skate park at George Park. The approvals set the stage for fund raising to begin for both projects. The new recreation facilities will not be funded with tax dollars collected by the township. State tax money could be used to construct both projects – skate park organizers and the township are seeking a $250,000 grant from the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and backers of the dog park say Rep. Ron Marsico has agreed to help obtain a $10,000 grant from the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Both groups are seeking contributions from LP residents and businesses. To make a donation toward the skate park, jump over to the Web site for Central Penn Freedom Group. To help with the dog park, contact Brian Luetchford, LP Parks and Recreation Department director, at (717) 657-5635 or via e-mail for instructions on how to make a contribution. BB has weighed in on funding for the dog park via a comment under this post and a letter to Rep. Marsico. ____ In other LP news, the Friendship Center will hold an open house event this Sunday, Sept. 7, 1 to 3 pm so residents can take a tour and try everything out at no charge. Those who become a member Sunday will get a FREE one-month membership. Also, this week through Saturday, Sept. 6, memberships are available with a 10-percent discount. For more details, call the Friendship Center at (717) 657-5635.

As promised, I penned and e-mailed a note to state Rep. Ron Marsico asking him to reconsider his pledge to secure state funding for a proposed one-acre dog park in Lower Paxton Twp.:

Dear state Representative Marsico:

I recently read an article in The Patriot-News (Dog park plan gets a 'go ahead'; published Aug. 13, 2008) that mentioned you are seeking state funding for a dog park in Lower Paxton Township. I think a dog park is a great use of township parkland. However, I strongly believe that the use of state funding would be an inappropriate use of taxpayers' dollars. The state has numerous pressing needs – aging infrastructure, underfunded public schools, underfunded police and fire departments – to use state taxes for a one-acre dog park that would benefit a small number of Pennsylvanians. Furthermore, if the state can’t afford to fund lifeguards to patrol swimming areas in state parks, how could state funding for a small dog park be justified? Please reconsider your pledge to seek a state grant for a dog park in Lower Paxton Township, and consider aiding this project by leading or assisting with a private fund-raising campaign. Sincerely, Bill Bostic Resident, 105th Legislative District Publisher/editor, Linglestown Gazette

The Lower Paxton Twp. Board of Supervisors will meet Tuesday, Sept. 2, 7:30 pm at the Municipal Center, 425 Prince Street. If you can't attend, consider tuning into a TV broadcast of the meeting on Comcast cable channel 20. The meeting agenda has been posted on the township's Web site. The agenda includes several items that have been the subject of blog posts on Linglestown Gazette: * appointment of members to the recently formed Greenway Committee (under Old Business) * proposed dog park in Kohl Park; for background info, CLICK HERE and be sure to scroll through the comments (under Old Business) * proposed skate park in George Park (under Old Business) * hiring of new earned income tax collection agency to replace Capital Tax Collection Bureau starting in 2009 (under Old Business) * Replacement of sewer pipe along Linglestown Road on eastern side of village (under New Business)

Updated 8/19/08 at 10:41 am with new info on "fake cop" ... Fake cop followed a teen driver on Crums Mill Road in Lower Paxton Twp., and eventually stopped her in neighboring municipality Friday. Since then, police have been searching for the uniformed man and issued a warning to female motorists to be careful. WHTM TV-27 has a video report. * * Work planned on Colonial Road bridge over I-81. * New blog published by Linglestown reader and contributor KM focuses on gardening, frugal and greener living. Welcome to the blogosphere! * Work started today to remove underground gas tanks at a former gas station on N. Mountain Rd. located next to 1st National Bank of Marysville. There are oodles of state and possibly federal environmental regulations dealing with fuel tanks, and most likely having the tanks in the ground has been hindering the sale of the property.

Click photo to view larger version. CLICK HERE for some background info on this project. The Paxton Herald Source: