By staff reports, September 25, 2008

Last updated: Thursday, September 25, 2008 9:11 AM EDT

Teachers, students and parents across the country gathered for “See You around the Pole” Wednesday morning, a national event to bring people together to pray before the start of the school day.

But in the Carlisle Area School District, something was missing.

This year, Carlisle Area is believed to be the only local school district to enact a policy cutting teachers out of the equation for the first time.

“There was a suggestion that employees and teachers should not participate in student-initiated prayer because their participation could be interpreted as an endorsement,” District Solicitor Jim Flower said.

The line separating church and state is not well defined, he added, and that makes it better to advise clients to err on the side of caution.

Along with the rest of this story from Sentinel reporter Kelly Wilson, here's what else to look for in today’s print and on-line editions:

Carlisle Borough Council sends DID back to task force

It’s back to the drawing board for the task force looking to implement a Downtown Improvement District in Carlisle.

Borough Council Wednesday agreed to send the latest version of the controversial proposal back to the task force for further revision.

The motion came after council heard input from many of the 60 local residents and property owners who attended a public hearing.

This is the second time in five months task force members have been asked to revise the DID business plan based on public input.

It is unknown what effect this latest delay may have on the task force goal of having a DID implemented by March 2009.

“We will go back to the drawing board and attempt to do what we can,” said Perry Heath, a councilman and the task force chairman.

“It’s not going to be a plan that satisfies everybody, but one in the best interest of the borough,” Heath added.

Councilman Doug Heineman, owner of property within the proposed DID, agreed with the need for more discussion. He commended task force members on their dedication in working out the first round of revisions.

“DID is going in the right direction, but my first thought is the timing is not very good,” Heineman said.

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New Cumberland Apple Festival set for Saturday

Nearly everything apple will be on display and possibly up for consumption Saturday at the 23rd Annual Apple Festival slated to be dished up in New Cumberland borough park.

DJ Landis, a festival organizer, said “it’s traditional here that the last Saturday in September is spent at the Apple Festival.

The festival is a craft show with day-long demonstrations such as scare crow making, apple butter cooking, decorating cookies, fiber spinning, and broom making. It will also feature live on-stage entertainment.

“We have 250 vendors we have every single apple product that you can think of and every year someone seems to come in with something new.”

Landis said that although there are no orchards near the area, the festival founders selected to celebrate the apple “ because in fall you think of cider and apples and that sort of thing.”

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Silver Spring leaves homeowner enough well alone

All’s well that ends with a well, at least for Gene Rohrbaugh

The Silver Spring supervisors approved his request for a well on his property in the Foxwood Estates community, removing the last barrier keeping him out of his home in the Altieri Homes development.

Board member initially hesitated at the request because the well would be for the one third-acre lot alone, but she agreed to the proposal provided the Rohrbaughs connect to the municipal water main “when, not if,” it’s put in.

Board members sympathized with the beleaguered homeowner, who has been one of many facing problems like liens against his unfinished home with no idea when work will be done.

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Morning Update

The Sentinel Morning Update runs every weekday by 8 a.m. to take a look at what we have planned for our newspaper and Web site. Feel free to offer any suggestions, questions or feedback to jpratt@cumberlink.com