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

Quote for today… “If people behaved like governments, you’d call the cops.” ~ Kelvin Throop

• Agenda from June Council Meeting. At last night’s council meeting, more than 30 people witnessed and more than a few participated in a lengthy (more than two and one-half hours) session that included several impassioned, revealing and cogent discussions about the “entire community” of Columbia. [NOTE: The notes on the attached agenda are ours; we will have more comments about the some of the agenda items and the meeting in a post tomorrow.]
• Among the issues discussed last night was the issue of disallowing smoking or using tobacco products on borough owned property. What’s your opinion? Vote here: SURVEY tab.
• They’re still doing it: bellying up to the trough. These “public servants” just don’t get it … or do they? According to the Daily Beast, “With America’s economy in the gutter, lawmakers pledge to cut back—except, apparently, when it comes to fancy trips around the globe at the expense of taxpayers and special interests. Since January, legislators have taken more than 200 trips financed by private groups, costing more than $1 million, The Daily Beast’s Laura Colarusso reports—double the amount spent during the first five months of 2010.”
• “Volunteer fire companies are facing a variety of critical issues — increasing calls, decreasing membership, more fundraising demands and increased training requirements.” This comes from a www.pennlive.com opinion column entitled “Concerns grow for fire companies.”