today’s news and information gleanings from here and there! Today’s Weather!   Today in History!

Quote for today … from George Washington’s Farewell Address: “As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is, to use it as sparingly as possible; avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but remembering also that timely disbursements to prepare for danger frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasions of expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the debts, which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously throwing upon posterity the burthen, which we ourselves ought to bear. The execution of these maxims belongs to your representatives, but it is necessary that public opinion should cooperate. To facilitate to them the performance of their duty, it is essential that you should practically bear in mind, that towards the payment of debts there must be Revenue; that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant; that the intrinsic embarrassment, inseparable from the selection of the proper objects (which is always a choice of difficulties), ought to be a decisive motive for a candid construction of the conduct of the government in making it, and for a spirit of acquiescence in the measures for obtaining revenue, which the public exigencies may at any time dictate.”                                                                                 George Washington, 1796

• from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: “Wrights Ferry Bridge traffic pattern changes” – Columbian writes letter to the editor – “Gay vows a ‘human invention'” – “Home compost workshops slated” – For the eighth consecutive year, the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority is partnering with municipalities, community organizations and Penn State Master Gardeners to conduct free home compost workshops. Lancaster County residents will learn how to recycle organic waste from their kitchens and gardens instead of putting it in the trash. Workshop attendees also will learn how to build effective, yet inexpensive, home compost bins to meet their needs. Each household in attendance will receive a free kitchen scrap collection bucket. Lancaster County residents may attend any one of the home compost workshops scheduled for this year. If required, residents should preregister by no later than Friday at noon prior to the workshop they’ll be attending. Sunday, May 15, at Flanagan Park, at East Front and Pine streets in Marietta. The workshop is from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information, contact The Marietta Market at mariettamarket@ gmail.com.
• The Voter’s Guide is a special supplement with today’s Intelligencer Journal/New Era:  
• from http://www.lancasteronline.com/: “Unoccupied vehicle rolls down Route 30, strikes 6 others“
• from the Harrisburg Patriot-News: … and they’re already plotting how to spend it. “Surplus emerging as obstacle in Pennsylvania state budget talks” – The “hogs at the trough” are planning how to spend money they do not have.
• Ever wanted to be in a fire department?
• More May special events and dates: National Police Week (May 15 to 21) – National EMS Week (May 15 to 21)
• from the York Dispatch(May 9, 2011): “In year of budget cuts, 4 York school districts eye no tax hike“
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