'Like family': A Lititz Purple Heart vet just repped Pennsylvania in a five-day honor trip

The Digest

'Like family': A Lititz Purple Heart vet just repped Pennsylvania in a five-day honor trip

From April 27 to May 1, Karl Spidel, a retired Lititz Borough cop and Purple Heart recipient, represented Pennsylvania on the National Purple Heart Honor Mission's biennial Patriot Project — an all-expenses-paid trip taking one combat-wounded vet from each state to West Point, the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, the Sept. 11 Memorial, and Stewart Air National Guard Base. He was nominated by Vanessa Sylte, canteen manager at VFW Post 1463 in Lititz Borough, who's known him 11 years, and was picked from hundreds of Pennsylvania applicants.

Spidel was wounded twice in Iraq with the 4th Infantry Division — grenade shrapnel on July 9, 2003, then an IED less than two months later. His line: "I can't believe I made it this far."

Read more at LancasterOnline →

Memorial Day outlook after Saturday's washout

If your Memorial Day weekend plans got rained out, you're not alone. Two inches of rain over the weekend forced the cancellation of the Mount Joy Memorial Day Parade and the Country Cruise & Fireman's Festival at Oregon Dairy. Today's outlook is better but not great: chance of showers through Monday, with the front clearing out overnight. Tuesday and Wednesday warm up into the upper 70s and low 80s.

Most Lancaster County Monday parades are still on. The Strasburg, Marietta, Maytown, Schoeneck, and Caernarvon Township ceremonies are all going (full list down in WHAT'S HAPPENIN'). Pack a poncho, not an umbrella — wind is forecast to pick up by mid-morning.

Read more at LancasterOnline →

Six Lancaster County favorites are up for USA Today top-10 awards

USA Today's 10Best Readers' Choice awards named six Lancaster County businesses to its 2026 nominee list, and voting is open now at 10best.usatoday.com/awards. Shady Maple Smorgasbord (East Earl) and Miller's Smorgasbord (Ronks) are both up for Best Buffet Restaurant — they finished #1 and #2 nationally in 2025, so the only competition is each other. Beiler's Doughnuts is up for Best Doughnut Shop. Lancaster Balloon Rides (Bird-in-Hand) for Best Hot-Air Balloon Ride. Kitchen Kettle Village (Intercourse) for Best Shopping Center. And Boscov's, anchoring Park City Mall, for Best Department Store.

Voting deadlines are staggered: Lancaster Balloon Rides, Kitchen Kettle, and Boscov's close at noon June 1. Beiler's closes June 8. The buffets close June 15. You can vote daily.

Read more at LancasterOnline →

What's happening

Monday

Memorial Day Ceremony at Soldiers & Sailors Monument | Annual Memorial Day observance at the downtown monument. | 9:00 AM | Soldiers & Sailors Monument, Penn Square (Penn Square at N. Queen St.), Lancaster | Free

Strasburg Memorial Day Parade & Cemetery Service | Parade steps off at the west end of Miller Street; cemetery service follows. | 9:00 AM | Parade route: Miller Street west end, Strasburg | Free

Schoeneck Veterans Memorial Day Program & Huey Helicopter Flyover | Parade, presentation, lunch, and a Huey helicopter flyover. | 8:30 AM – 2:00 PM | Schoeneck Fire Company, 125 N. King St., Denver | Free

Memorial Day at Historic Rock Ford | Self-guided grounds tour and historic Continental Army display. Advance registration recommended. | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | Historic Rock Ford, 881 Rockford Rd., Lancaster | Free (donations welcome)

Marietta Memorial Day Parade | Marietta's annual parade through downtown. | 11:00 AM | Downtown Marietta (contact Marietta American Legion, 717-426-2087) | Free

Caernarvon Township 160th Memorial Day Celebration | The 160th edition of Caernarvon's Memorial Day program, with food served from 4 p.m. and a community band performance at 6:15. | 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Caernarvon Fire Hall, 2145 Main St., Narvon | Free

Maytown Memorial Day Parade | Late-afternoon parade; grave decorating beforehand at 1 p.m. | 4:00 PM (grave decorating at 1 PM) | Steps off at Legion Park, ends at 1 Town Square, Maytown | Free

Tuesday

Manheim Township Historical Society Annual Meeting | Annual member meeting at The Barn at Stoner Grille. Open to the public. | 6:30 PM | The Barn at Stoner Grille, 605 Granite Run Dr., Lancaster | Free

Sip n Read with author Kimberly Zayas | Author chat over drinks with Lancaster's Kimberly Zayas. | 6:00 PM | College Treats, 145 College Ave., Lancaster | Free admission

Penn Cinema Tuesday $8 Movies | All Tuesday showtimes are $8 (excludes IMAX, 3D, and opening-day releases). | All showtimes | Penn Cinema & IMAX, 541 Airport Rd., Lititz | $8

Wednesday

Joshua at Sight & Sound Theatres | Bible-based stage production, two Wednesday showings. | 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM | Sight & Sound Theatres, 300 Hartman Bridge Rd., Ronks | $39 – $99

Blippi: Be Like Blippi Tour | The live kids tour at AMT. | 6:00 PM | American Music Theatre, 2425 Lincoln Hwy. E., Lancaster | From $39

Trivia Night at Southern Market | Weekly trivia with $1 off draft beer and wine. Gift-card prizes. | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Southern Market, 100 S. Queen St., Lancaster | Free to play

Live music

Monday

New Holland Band + Elanco Middle School Band | Community Concert (at Caernarvon's 160th Memorial Day Celebration) | 6:15 PM | Caernarvon Fire Hall, 2145 Main St., Narvon | Free (food served from 4 PM)

Wednesday

Jerry Lee Watkins | Singer / Guitarist | 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Proof, 30 N. Queen St., Lancaster | No cover