17512 Columbia

Archive for January 3rd, 2012|Daily archive page

today’s news … Tuesday, January 3, 2012

In Uncategorized on January 3, 2012 at 5:30 am

today’s news and information gleanings from here and there! 

Quote for todayBad officials are elected by good citizens who do not vote.”George Jean Nathan

  • PennDOT TRAVEL RELEASE – 1/3/2012 – Westbound Route 30 to be Restricted on Wednesday to a Single Lane on Wrights Ferry Bridge over Susquehanna River – Westbound Route 30 on the Wrights Ferry Bridge over the Susquehanna River between York and Lancaster Counties will be reduced to one lane on Wednesday, January 4, so that the contractor can repair potholes and bridge joints to improve safety for motorists driving over the bridge. The westbound single-lane restriction will take place during the daytime hours between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., weather permitting. PennDOT has contracted with Swank Associated Companies, Inc. of New Kensington, Pennsylvania, to conduct the rehab project of the Route 30 bridge at a cost of $9,348,528. The rehab project, also referred to as a bridge preservation project, includes the replacement of the metal bridge joints (called expansion dams) in the bridge deck, repairs to the structural steel that has experienced rust and deterioration, concrete deck repair, painting of some of the metal parts of the bridge, and the application of a latex modified concrete wearing surface to seal the deck from water penetration. This work should help extend the life of the bridge another 20 to 25 years. The eastbound direction of the bridge was addressed last year; the westbound direction will be addressed after the winter Season this year. The overall project is scheduled for completion in late November 2012.
  • And who does not want their taxes prepared by a crook in or out of jail? Know who your tax preparer is. – “Hundreds of prison inmates have found new careers behind bars — by registering with the IRS as income tax preparers. A total of 331 inmates were serving prison terms when they got active or provisional tax preparer tax identification numbers from the IRS, according to an audit issued Thursday by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.” – Federal Times
  • You can help! Volunteers are needed to help “The Columbia Lions Club, Sunsnappers organization and the Foresters Club of Columbia  as they sponsor their third annual holiday meal delivery for senior citizens on Sunday, Jan. 8.” – MyColumbiaNews
  • Susquehanna cuts jobs – “About 75 Lancaster County (Susquehanna Bank) employees are expected to lose their jobs when Susquehanna Bancshares Inc. and Tower Bancorp Inc. merge next month.” – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era
  • Fans wanting to keep tabs on Andrew Nicholas and Austin Tillotson may want to click on the Monmouth University schedule – looks like the closest game (in distance from here) for local fans will be against Mt. Saint Mary’s at Emmitsburg, MD on February 18.
  • Lancaster’s FOCM announces contest – “Lancaster’s Central Market has 66 stands offering items as varied as Thai spring rolls, falafel, Burgundy wine turkey sausage and Amish chow-chow. But members of the group Friends of Central Market believe that most people really don’t know all that the nation’s oldest continually operated public farm market has to offer. Beginning Tuesday, the friends are sponsoring a contest to change that.” – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era
  • Another “displeased with Creighton and his ilk” letter writer – Lancaster Read the rest of this entry »

It’s not funny … they’re laughing all the way to the bank

In Everyday Living, Government, Opinions, Opportunities, People, Uncategorized on January 3, 2012 at 4:30 am

Why are all these folks smiling?

How many retirees do you know who have a pension of $536 a month for putting in only four years?

Thought so, we don’t know anyone either. But that may be why the folks shown above are smiling. Heck, on the inside they’re belly-laughing!

You may have choked as we did after reading the article in yesterday’s Intelligencer Journal/New Era – the one about the retirement packages that former elected “public servants” are enjoying. After all, the yearly pensions these folks are getting have to be just about the same as the average Lancaster County civilian sector retirees get, right?

Yeah, right!

During their years of “public service,” these people worked tirelessly representing their constituents (sure they did!) while insuring that their personal recompense continued to grow and their pensions continued to grow. [It's important to know these folks enjoy low-cost health insurance "most residents can only dream about" too. "In addition to the pensions, most departing lawmakers also collect generous health care benefits. 'If they took care of citizens of Pennsylvania as well as they take care of themselves, we’d be in nirvana,' said Tim Potts, co-founder of Democracy Rising PA, a government reform group."]

Kind of like the retirement benefits and health benefits the average Lancaster County worker who toiled at his job in a factory, an office, a retail store, a farm, a foundry, in a truck, or elsewhere gets.

Yeah, right!

According to the article, these legislator pensions are ” … certainly well above Read the rest of this entry »

US sells fuel abroad … and you’ll pay more to drive and heat your home

In Everyday Living, Government, Opinions on January 3, 2012 at 4:22 am

This Associated Press article that appeared in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era on Saturday, December 31 sparked our interest.

What … the biggest commodity that we, the United States, exported this year is … what, fuel?

As consumers watched gasoline and heating oil prices head ever skyward, we’re selling fuel to other nations. Even for a market-driven capitalistic nation, we wonder, “Huh?” The AP article follows; note that Columbia news, views & reviews has added bold-face and underscoring in some cases.

“NEW YORK — For the first time, the top export of the United States, the world’s biggest gas guzzler, is — wait for it — fuel.

“Measured in dollars, the nation this year is expected to ship more gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel than any other single export, according to U.S. Census data going back to 1990. It also will be the first year in more than 60 that America has been a net exporter of these fuels.

“Just how big of a shift is this? A decade ago, fuel wasn’t even among the top 25 exports. And for the last five years, America’s top export was aircraft.

“The trend is significant because for decades the U.S. has relied on huge imports of fuel from Europe in order to meet demand. It only reinforced the image of America as an energy hog.

“And up until a few years ago, whenever gasoline prices climbed, there were complaints in Congress that U.S. refiners were not growing quickly enough to satisfy domestic demand; that controversy would appear to be over. Read the rest of this entry »

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