Quote for today… “Patriotism is about supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it.“ – Mark Twain.

• Letter to the editors in today’s Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• Today marks the anniversary of the final day of Bonnie and Clyde – The History Channel

• Gap widens: In 2012, CEO pay has risen over six percent. Meanwhile, in a diminished workforce, average pay is up 1.6%. – The Denver Post

• “Memorial Day activities morning, afternoon and night will provide an array of opportunities to remember, respect and celebrate those who have served our country.” Columbia: On Sunday, May 26, the Bainbridge Band will perform a concert in Columbia at the Locust Street Park gazebo. The concert will begin at 12:15 p.m. and will be followed by a parade. Wrightsville: On Monday, May 27. the Wrightsville American Legion will host a number of festivities beginning with a breakfast at the Abel Poff Leitheiser Post 469 Home at 8 a.m. The annual parade will leave the Post Home at 2 p.m. and proceed to the Fairview Cemetery for a memorial service. Refreshments will follow at the Post Home. Maytown: On Monday, May 27, the Bainbridge Band will perform at the Maytown Memorial Day Parade at 5 p.m. Marietta: On Monday, May 27, the Marietta Memorial Day Parade Committee will hold its annual parade starting at 11 a.m. The parade will leave Donegal Intermediate School and conclude at Marietta Cemetery, where a service will be held. The grand marshal is Richard Smedley, WWII veteran. The guest speaker is Lt. Col. Douglas A. Etter, who served as chaplain for the 28th Infantry Division and is a veteran of two Operation Iraqi Freedom combat tours. Mountville: The Kiltie Band of York is one of the marching units that will be in the Mountville Memorial Day Parade on Thursday, May 30 at 6 pm. – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• The military is a slice of the citizenry – Recent revelations about sexual assaults in the military ought not be revelations. A just released book, “What Soldiers Do,” shows sexual assaults by Americans fighting in France during the Second World War. – Voice of America and The New York Times.

• LEGAL NOTICE published in the Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era, May 23, 2013: “Sealed Bid Notice – District Administration Center (DAC) Painting. Bid information available at the District Office, 200 N. 5^th St, Columbia, PA 17512, or 717-684-2283. Also available on District website: www.columbia.k12.pa.us, Business Office, Bid Information. Mandatory scheduling of site visit. Bids due Thursday, June6, 2013, at 11 a.m. The Board reserves the right to accept or reject any or all bids. Laura Cowburn, Board Secretary” [Click to view the bid notice.]

• Columbia news, views & reviews applauds the Columbia Borough School District’s posting of competitive bidding at the Website.

• “Young crowd talks about faith over a round of beers at York Theology on Tap session” - York Daily Record [Go to the "York Theology on Tap" Website.]

“Since 2010, 33 municipalities across the country have filed for bankruptcy.

“Not since the Great Depression have so many cities been so broke.

“No other place in the U.S. has borne the brunt more than the Central Valley city of Stockton, Calif. – the largest city in American history to file for bankruptcy. Now, the city has defaulted on its bond payments and stripped health care from retired police officers and firefighters. All the while, an unprecedented legal battle is raging between creditors and the city in federal bankruptcy court.”

“Who took down Stockton” is a video that looks at the root causes of the financial ruin of Stockton.

“In the first documentary in a series of films produced by the Center for Investigative Reporting for The Young Turks, we look at the bad deals that brought this city to its knees.”

Click on the picture above to watch the video.

(SOURCE: Center for Investigative Reporting)

Local voters and tax-payers appreciate that every election is about character and perception. In November, voters will go to the polls and vote for the candidates that represent the kind of character that best will serve the citizens they will represent. Voters will be voting for the candidates who will be setting taxes and representing your interests.

Here’s how Columbia’s voters voted on Tuesday. Who will represent your interests with character and astute perception? Who will exercise good judgment when determining revenue streams and expense items?

Quote for today… “Regardless of what lies ahead for Obamacare, the government’s latest action shines much-needed light on a complex and often bewildering hospital pricing system.” -  Extracted from this Lancaster New Era editorial.

• “Monday May 13th was a new experience for the Concert Choir from Our Lady Of The Angels School, Columbia.  They had the opportunity to sing and make a recording in the new music recording studio at Millersville University. Before doing this the students were taught about the equipment and had to be very careful not to make noise.  The microphones were very, very sensitive.  There were stops and restarts during the session.  Four songs were recorded.  After the session the students were given a brief tour of the recording area itself.  They were able to hear how the recording sounded with the piano accompaniment music.  This was a free session sponsored by “Music For Everyone”.  This was arranged under the guidance of John Gerdy, director of “Music For Everyone”. Jaye Grochowski, Music Teacher, Our Lady Of The Angels School.” – news release, Our Lady of the Angels School [View a video of the Concert Choir here.}

• Columbia election results - Lancaster County Board of Elections and Registration Commission Website – Click here to go to the Website. Then click on “Historic Election Results” to see the meager voter turnout in Columbia.

• Who cares? Voter turnout at the polls yesterday was very light. Sadly, apparently not too many people care. The tragic outcome of that will be more “self-seeking” elected (by the minority) “public servants” as the spiral continues.

• Derek L. Chrismer of Columbia, received a Bachelor of Science in sport and exercise science, cum laude, from DeSales University on May 18. – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• These area residents were among 163 students who graduated Tuesday from YTI Career Institute. –  Criminal Justice and First Response Associate in Specialized Business: Glenda Frey, Columbia, Medical Assistant Associate in Specialized Technology: Jessica Lee, Columbia, Medical Billing and Coding: Carmell Wright, Columbia, Pastry Arts: Christina Stultz, Columbia. – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• “Underground Railroad tour to visit Columbia … “ – MyColumbiaNews

• Police: Man shoots, kills self in middle of Red Lion Street - York Daily Record

• “The York County Department of Veterans Affairs issued a warning Tuesday that active military personnel, veterans and their families should be aware of individuals offering to help veterans apply for benefits in exchange for a fee, according to a news release.” – York Daily Record

• POLICE LOG: “EAST LAMPETER TWP.: William M. Pusey, 32, of Columbia, was charged Saturday in the first block of Horseshoe Road. He was driving erratically, well below the posted speed limit. – COLUMBIA:  Sisters Treasures, in the 400 block of Locust Street, was forcibly entered overnight Thursday. It wasn’t known if anything was taken.” – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• Something for everyone in this letter to the editors in today’s Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

~  View this month’s “highlight event” at St. Paul Episcopal Church (340 Locust St. Columbia) where they will be showcasing Emerging Artists, featuring the creative viewpoints of numerous yet-to-be-established artists.  Works by 15 to 20 artists will be shown in various media including photography, acrylics, jewelry, oils, chalk drawings, and mixed media.  Also on display will be “Chalk Talk” by Elva Hurst.

~  Visit Jonal Gallery/Alverta Arts Shop this month for their two new exhibits. One will feature Civil War Commemorative Works in honor of the 150th anniversary of the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge. The other will showcase the sculpture and photography of guest artist Dean Graham.

~  Geltz Gotz Goodeze, a co-op shop, will offer many specials this Fourth Friday.

~  Stop by Trin’s Beans (438 ½ Locust St. Columbia), the only location to view work from Earthshine Studios, to get a coffee or bite to eat.  Trin’s has homemade soups, sandwiches, fresh cut fries, fresh baked goods, and more.

Start out your night by dining in one of our great restaurants.  Dine in the covered deck at McCleary’s Public House in Marietta, try something new at Prudhomme’s Lost Cajun Kitchen, or enjoy an old favorite at Hinkle’s.

We invite you to visit our other galleries and shops including lowercase gallery, Garth Gallery & Café Garth, Thundermug Antiques, Weavings Ink., Susquehanna Center for the Creative Arts, and New Life Upcycling & Antiques. Click here for more information or call 717.684.5249.

(SOURCE: news release, Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce)

Quote for today… “Keep them union raises coming, keep on raising them taxes” – Kevin L., commenter to this MyColumbiaNews article: “Columbia school board drafts 5.7% tax hike.”

• Columbia Borough School District’s proposed budget

• Lancaster issues Drinking Water Advisory – Lancaster Website

• It’s election day. It’s your opportunity to vote for terrible elected “public servants.” But … it’s your opportunity, too, to vote for really great people of character. If you don’t vote; you are casting an “in absentia” ballot for the terrible ones.

• Balloting expected to be light – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• Rental unit check ups are needed – Lancaster New Era editorial

• “The following area students, listed with major, were named to the dean’s list for the winter term at Central Penn College: Steven Henry of Columbia, business administration; Knowledge Mancotywa of Columbia, business administration and Karen Weber-Zug of Columbia, physical therapist assistant.” – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• “The annual Marietta Garden Tour is scheduled to take place on Sunday, June 9, 2013, with proceeds to support the Marietta Community House.” – Marietta Community House Website

Quote for today… “The state workers are not to be blamed. They are just taking everything they can get. The people who gave it to them are the ones to blame. They feathered their own nest also and we voted them into office.” – Ronald Richards, in this letter to the editor of the Harrisburg Patriot-News.

• Columbia Police Department news releases: (1) Stabbing suspect (2) traffic and break in

• “Police have accused a Columbia man of stabbing two people in the borough Monday morning.” - LancasterOnLine

• 150th anniversary will bring heavy traffic to Gettysburg - York Daily Record
  

Russell Rupp, veteran assistant wrestling Columbia High School coach, looks at the award he received for coming to the assistance of 11 victims of a car crash last June. (PHOTO: K. Scott Kreider | Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era)

• Outgoing Columbia wrestling coach honored for heroism – MyColumbia News

•  Scranton Times report: “oil and gas development damaged the water supplies for at least 161 Pennsylvania homes, farms, churches and businesses between 2008 and the fall of 2012 “

• Sarah E. Frank of Columbia, a junior English major and a graduate of Penn Manor High School was inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society and Keifer R. Kemmerly of Columbia, a senior music and English major and a graduate of Columbia High School was inducted into the Sigma Tau Delta Honor Society at Lebanon Valley College. – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

A citizen passed along an email with an attachment inviting a slew of people to a party. The email read in part: “attached is an invitation to the ‘staff’ meeting that they closed the Borough offices for. So, the taxpayers of the Borough will foot the bill for food, drink, rental of Golden Stories and pay the Borough workers for a ‘tribute’ to (departing borough manager Norm) Meiskey.”

Columbia news, views & reviews’ readers may remember that following the April council “meeting-of-the-whole,” an article stated: “The councillors also were cool to the agenda item that sought ‘to close the Borough Office’ for a half-day so that all employees can celebrate Norman Meiskey’s Retirement Luncheon.” Accordingly, the agenda item was not passed:

Then at last week’s full council meeting, the council approved a thinly-veiled agenda item agenda item 12, b.: “Consider closing the Borough office on May 31, 2013 from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm for a Borough staff meeting.”

Columbia news, views & reviews does not take issue with a “retirement ceremony” for a departing borough employee and, most likely, the citizen who shared the email, doesn’t either.

What we disapprove of is the masking of inviting a slew of borough employees, councillors, the mayor and others in the community to a party called Norms Retirement Luncheon Invitation under the pretense of training.

On borough time and off borough property. Has this been the practice for previous retirements? Is it the model for any borough retiring from now on?

“If the staff training looks like a party and has a name like a party, it must be a party.”

Good idea; bad execution.

]]> http://columbianewsandviews.com/2013/05/20/if-it-walks-like-a-duck/feed/ 2 17512columbia DuckParty april council mow agenda extract http://columbianewsandviews.com/2013/05/20/the-world-wide-web-is-full-of-really-useful-information-and-some-crapola/ http://columbianewsandviews.com/2013/05/20/the-world-wide-web-is-full-of-really-useful-information-and-some-crapola/#comments Mon, 20 May 2013 08:45:08 +0000 17512 Columbia http://columbianewsandviews.com/?p=32965 ]]> As so often happens to each of us who use the Internet, sometimes some crapola comes across. We sometimes get stuff that appears real. We may like or agree with what it represents and, sometimes, we forward the stuff to others.

Take this email, for instance:

School Answering Machine: This is the actual answering-machine message for the Maroochydore High School in Queensland, Australia

While we may like the message and want it to be so, Snopes.com says it just ain’t so. The email message is false!

So, too, are these other email messages along the same vein.

Police Department Answering Machine

Mental Health Answering Machine