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Tricks of the trades

Joey Oster is a go-getter, a practical kind of kid.

Saturday morning, 5 years Manheim Township residents toted wood pieces greater than he to help a snake fence, popular during the colonial period the United States.

And we had to cut pieces of slate for roofs like a pro.

"I like the nail," he says, too busy to say much more as he pounded with a hammer to make a hole in the tile.

His brother, Jack, 9, their dad, Justin Oster, and his cousin, Logan Young, 9, were attending Community Days at the International Preservation Trades Workshop at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.

In addition to the wooden snake fences, demonstrators were showing kids how to make wood shingles, construct a barn frame, lay bricks and build a dry stone wall, along with other traditional crafts.

Several dozen kids were trying out their skills.

Connie Ranck, of Strasburg, brought her three kids and the two older ones, Austin, 8, and Ashley, 6, were involved in a barn raising. A small one, but one that used the same skills the larger ones do.

"They really liked the rope making," she said. "And I think Austin liked laying bricks."

Some kids just watched. Others, like Joey Oster, plunged into everything.

"He and Jack like to help me," said their dad, who left an office job to become a tradesman. "I do carpentry, painting, we restore furniture.

"I want my kids to know there are other options besides [a four-year] college, which doesn't guarantee you a job these days."

"You know, kids like to do hands-on things," added Timothy Essig, director of education at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum, who was overseeing the snake fencing. "And you make it fun. It's like working with giant Lincoln Logs.

"Some people say these trades are dying, but you still see young people and they have excitement in their eyes," said Kevin Stumbaugh, who works with the National Park Service in historic preservation training, which takes him all over the country. He was demonstrating how to make joints in stone.

Community Days was the culmination of a four-day conference for members of the preservation of the international network business. It was sponsored by this organization, Stevens and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

The conference provided traditional retailers (and women) a chance to network, attend demonstrations and ask each other questions.

Ohio plan would trade electric rate cuts for jobs | Lancaster ...

COLUMBUS -- Ohio regulators are proposing companies get breaks of up to 20 percent on their electric bills based on the number of jobs they create and investments in the state, while other electric customers would pay more to cover much of the discounts.

The plan is drawing mixed reactions from business groups and is on the radar of a state consumer watchdog, The Columbus Dispatch reported Tuesday.

The idea is meant "to facilitate economic development and attract jobs to Ohio," Beth Trombold, a spokeswoman for the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, told the newspaper. The proposal was developed by the regulatory agency with state economic development leaders.

Other states such as North Carolina already have similar electricity savings programs, so Ohio has an opportunity to become competitive, said Kevin Schmidt, director of energy services for the Ohio Manufacturers' Association.

The proposed electricity discounts would start at 2 percent for a company that hires 75 workers with new payroll of at least $5 million, or invests $50 million on buildings and equipment -- minimum requirements that would appear to limit the savings to larger businesses. The discounts would be offset largely by a charge on other ratepayers, expected to include residential customers and smaller businesses, the Dispatch reported.

One official with a trade group primarily made up of small businesses is wary.

"In general, our organization has never supported the government picking winners and losers," said Chris Ferruso, Ohio legislative director for the National Federation of Independent Business.

Ohio's advocate for residential utility customers, The Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel, is eyeing the plan and withholding comment, for now.

"We support economic development done in a thoughtful way which creates long-term jobs and improves the economy of the state of Ohio," said Marty Berkowitz, a spokesman for the office.

The potential top savings would be 20 percent if a firm adds 125 or more workers with new payroll of at least $17.5 million, and has capital spending of at least $200 million.

The PUCO currently is gathering comments and could act on the proposal as early as September.

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