Lancaster restaurant named one of the most romantic in US: Top 5 most-read stories Jan. 27 – Feb. 2 [ICYMI] | Local News

Each Monday, our digital team takes a look at last week’s top stories on LancasterOnline.

We look at news, sports, business, life, culture and local history.

Here are the most-read stories between Monday, Jan. 27, and Sunday, Feb. 2.

1. Lancaster city restaurant is one of the most romantic in US, according to OpenTable list

If you’re looking for a romantic spot to take your sweetie this Valentine’s Day, restaurant reservation website OpenTable has a suggestion.

The Belvedere Inn in Lancaster city was one of just five Pennsylvania restaurants included on OpenTable’s 2025 list of the Top 100 Romantic Restaurants.

The list is generated from restaurant reviews on the website from Dec. 1, 2023, to Nov. 30, 2024. OpenTable considered restaurants with a minimum threshold of diner reviews and other data points. Qualifying restaurants were then ranked by percentage of reviews with the tag “romantic.”

2. Manheim Township man had more than 1 million erotic pictures of children: police

A Manheim Township man faces child pornography charges after police found nearly two hundred images and videos on his computer, as well as more than a million photos of children dressed in erotic clothing and posed in sexual positions, according to police.

Manheim Township police searched the home of Chad E. Geist, 53, of the 3200 block of Oregon Pike, on Oct. 22 after receiving a tip about Geist’s possession of child pornography, according to charging documents.

Geist denied having child porn and told police he looked at photos of children on YouTube because he “just finds children to be cute,” according to police.

3. Police seeking women who have been secretly recorded in Ephrata Township changing room

Police are searching for women who used changing rooms at an Ephrata Township consignment shop after charging a man with recording them in the store.

Ephrata police said they arrested and charged a man Jan. 24 with secretly recording women in a changing room at Fashion Cents Consignment Ephrata on 240 N. Reading Road without their consent. The man admitted to the recordings and was taken into custody, according to police. They have not publicly released his name or charges yet.

4. School District of Lancaster responds to executive order allowing ICE into schools

The School District of Lancaster stated in a districtwide email sent before noon Tuesday that several families had inquired about the executive order’s impact to its schools.

Though the district said it’s too early to tell exactly what the outcome may be, it  noted that district staff comply with all applicable laws and regulations. The state department of education, for example, prohibits the district from conditioning a child’s enrollment on their immigration status, the email said.

Likewise, the district cannot inquire about or maintain records on a student’s immigration status. The district also cited that, due to regulations set forth in the Family Educational and Privacy Act, the district’s practice is to check with its solicitor before disclosing protected information.

5. Royalty Con event planned for Lancaster County Convention Center canceled

Royalty Con, an event planned for February at the Lancaster County Convention Center, has been canceled.

The convention celebrating drag and queer culture was planned for Feb. 21-23. Carson Kressley, cast member of CBS’ new version of “Hollywood Squares” and of the original “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,” was scheduled to appear as a guest. Also planned were appearances by drag performers Sapphira Cristal (“RuPaul’s Drag Race,” season 16) and Landon Cider (“The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula,” season 3).

“Unfortunately there have been too many challenges that have been too challenging to overcome, and we would be unable to produce an event that would meet both ours and the communities (sic) standards,” a post on the event’s Facebook post read.