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

Quote for today… “In whatever arena of life one may meet the challenge of courage, whatever may be the sacrifices he faces if he follows his conscience – the loss of his friends, his fortune, his contentment, even the esteem of his fellow men – each man must decide for himself the course he will follow.”  – John F. Kennedy

• Sure glad he didn’t come to Happy Valley: from Fox-43 TV – “Terrell Pryor skipping senior season at Ohio State”
• Ray Kroc would be so disappointed; we know Chuck and Marsha would be too if they read the restaurant inspection results in the Lancaster Sunday News. They would be particularly distressed because the inspections for 2010 and 2009  (click here for the 2011 report) showed similar indicators. Makes us wonder who is running this place? A complete list of the inspections (with the exception of those conducted by the Borough of Columbia) that were recorded for the period May 14 – 22, 2011 appear in an article in the June 5 Sunday News on Pages D-6 and D-7.  Oh, yeah … be sure to see the adjacent article containing the May inspection results for Columbia’s food serving establishments.
• This article from Newsweek suggests that this year’s extreme weather may be the “new norm”: “Are you ready for more?” This selection from the article says a lot: “From these and other extreme-weather events, one lesson is sinking in with terrifying certainty. The stable climate of the last 12,000 years is gone. Which means you haven’t seen anything yet. And we are not prepared.”
• From the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: New law strengthens Pa. food-inspection process In January, changes to food inspection and licensing requirements were enacted through Act 106, ensuring food safety protocols are met through the entire food chain without putting needless regulatory burdens on the food industry. A letter published June 1 asserted that these changes would cost taxpayers more money, which could not be further from the truth.In fact, Act 106 clarifies and strengthens the inspection process, making it more efficient and enabling inspectors to better ensure food safety from farm to fork. This work is being accomplished without any additional staff or equipment.Part of this effort affects inspections at farmers markets. In previous years, each farmers market had one food safety license that covered all vendors, so if one vendor was found to be in violation, the entire market had to be found in violation or shut down. So no vendors are unfairly harmed due to the actions of others, Act 106 now requires that each vendor at a farmers market be individually licensed.Vendors who sell ready-to-eat, potentially hazardous foods must be licensed and inspected, but vendors that sell only prepackaged, non-potentially hazardous foods or only raw agricultural commodities, like fresh fruits and vegetables, are exempt.Many farmers market vendors across the state attended educational sessions to become familiar with Act 106, and a list of questions and answers and video from those sessions can be found at http://www.EatSafePA.com. Those with questions can also call the department at 717-787-4315.I thank the producers who have made food safety a top priority and work hard each day to develop trusting relationships with their customers by providing consistently exceptional products.Lydia Johnson, Director Bureau of Food Safety and Laboratory Services Pa. Department of Agriculture

  Social Security office snafu

  What’s wrong with our unemployment and Social Security disability system?

  I had to quit my job after 27 years. In applying for unemployment, until my disability had time to take affect, I was told that I was eligible and I was approved for benefits. Later, I found out that I wasn’t able to collect.

  I am still trying to understand what the problem was with the Social Security office.

  After processing my disability forms, after completing all I’ve been asked to do — answering questions by way of telephone, filling out forms and seeing doctor upon doctor — I am still waiting.

  Jerry T. Ulmer, Columbia