Published May 16, 2008, 7:04 AM EST

by SUSAN JURGELSKI / New Era Staff

LANCASTER, Pa. - Tell Shane Hall to go jump in a lake in January, and he'll dive right in — if it means he's building awareness about the environment.

Actually, Hall did make a splash — into Maryland's St. Mary's River — to call attention to climate change.

The 21-year-......

Published May 16, 2008, 7:03 AM EST

by SUSAN JURGELSKI / New Era Staff

LANCASTER, Pa. - Kids and Cultures DVDThis is a really, really big field trip.

Kids and Cultures, a local nonprofit educational organization that introduces children to world cultures, will hold a DVD release party for its 30-minute Turkish travel documentary filmed from a child's per......

Published May 16, 2008, 7:02 AM EST

by JOSEPH N. DiSTEFANO / Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - WYBE-35, Philadelphia's tiny, nonprofit, old-fashioned broadcast TV station, is betting its future on digital shows for the YouTube generation.

The station is programming its signals and Web site with five-minute shorts that producers pay to play, set in a new studio built as part of a sign......

Published May 16, 2008, 7:01 AM EST

by YURI KAGEYAMA / Associated Press

TOKYO - Basking in the runway spotlight at a Tokyo fashion show Monday was a cape of lowly polyester sewn with chinchilla, billed as an "ecological fur."

The cape, a bolero and other items by Japanese designer Chie Imai are made with real chinchilla and mink from fur farms, but their fabric p......

Published May 16, 2008, 7:00 AM EST

by MARCY SUGAR & KATHY MITCHELL

LANCASTER, Pa. - Dear Annie: My 42-year-old daughter has never had the mother-daughter relationship with me that I was fortunate enough to have with my late mother.

The latest incident happened 10 days ago, when "Susan" called me at 8 a.m., and I had just woken up. I didn't immediately realize who was c......

Published May 16, 2008, 12:37 AM EST

by KIM O’BRIEN, Staff

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - When Marianne Fons picked up quilting as a hobby in the 1970s, she never imagined it would lead to her own magazine and a national television show."It just seemed like something interesting to do," said Fons, who began quilting with friend Liz Porter in a beginner's class in ......

Published May 16, 2008, 12:01 AM EST

by CLAUDIA W. ESBENSHADE, Staff

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - It is fun to find other uses for everyday items. A quick look through your ready-to-discard flatware can yield a charming beaded wind chime.Customize your chime in the colors you love and hang it out in your flower garden to decorate.Hunt around at garage sales or auctions and get a......

Published May 15, 2008, 12:04 PM EST

by JOAN KERN / New Era Correspondent

LANCASTER, Pa. - Joe and Sandy Weidel reside in Ironville, in an old farmhouse with a brand-new patio garden.

The tranquil spot along the side of the house features a serpentine stone wall and four circular flagstone patios tied together with brick walks and stone steps.

The Weidels built the multilevel......

Published May 15, 2008, 12:03 PM EST

by New Era Staff

LANCASTER, Pa. - Welcome to the East Side.

Sixteen stops will be featured on the Lancaster Township Historical Commission's East Side Tour, beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday.

The 30-minute motorized tour, sponsored by the Lancaster Township supervisors, is free. Donations will be accepted at the Almshouse, 90......

Published May 15, 2008, 12:02 PM EST

by SUSAN JURGELSKI / New Era Staff

LANCASTER, Pa. - GARDEN

Eco-OptionsHome Depot is growing green.

The home-improvement products chain is celebrating the one-year anniversary of its Eco-Options program.

From 7 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Home Depot will offer a clinic on landscaping and outdoor water conservation.

......