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

Quote for today… “”I cannot think what has become of Stuart; I ought to have heard from him long before now. He may have met with some disaster, but I hope not. In the absence of reports from him, I am in ignorance as to what we have in front of us here. It may be the whole Federal army, or it may be only a detachment. If it is the whole Federal force we must fight a battle here; if we do not gain a victory those defiles and gorges through which we passed this morning will shelter us from disaster.” – General Robert E. Lee, during a conversation with General R.H. Anderson

• LEGAL NOTICE –  from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: LEGAL NOTICE The Columbia Historic Market House Trust will meet on Wednesday, July 6, 2011 at 6:30 pm in the Borough Municipal Building, 308 Locust St., Columbia, PA to address new bylaws and any other Trust business. If you are a person with a disability wishing to attend and require an accommodation to participate in the meeting, please contact the Borough Office at 684-2467. Also, the Trust will be meeting on the following dates at 6:30 pm in the Borough Municipal Building for the remainder of the year: August 3, September 7, October 5, November 2, and December 7. Norman B. Meiskey III Borough Manager. 
• LEGAL NOTICE – Annual Financial Statement for the Columbia Municipal Authority
• On this day in 1863, the battle of Gettysburg began. “The Battle of Gettysburg, fought from July 1 to July 3, 1863, is considered the most important engagement of the American Civil War. After a great victory over Union forces at Chancellorsville, General Robert E. Lee marched his Army of Northern Virginia into Pennsylvania in late June 1863. On July 1, the advancing Confederates clashed with the Union’s Army of the Potomac, commanded by General George G. Meade, at the crossroads town of Gettysburg. The next day saw even heavier fighting, as the Confederates attacked the Federals on both left and right. On July 3, Lee ordered an attack by fewer than 15,000 troops on the enemy’s center at Cemetery Ridge. The assault, known as “Pickett’s Charge,” managed to pierce the Union lines but eventually failed, at the cost of thousands of rebel casualties, and Lee was forced to withdraw his battered army toward Virginia on July 4.” (SOURCE: www.history.com)
•  “Female Special Operators Now in Combat” … “Army Special Operations Command has deployed its first teams of female Soldiers assigned to commando units in Afghanistan, and military officials are assessing their initial performance in theater as “off the charts.” Who should be surprised by this? Ooh-rah! [Read the rest of the article here.]
• from the York Dispatch: It is hard to comprehend the inhumanity of some who pass as humans … “SPCA investigates abuse of starving pit bull“
• from the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: “Pa. cuts schools’ funding by 11%” – Whoa! “Water rates for suburban users to rise 65 percent” – “Five camp burglars sentenced – all are from Columbia – the prisoners took turns apologizing for the spree. All five cried while expressing sorrow and remorse.”
• The judicial system wants to shield citizens from the facts, too … “There are certain people out there who would take this and use it to attack us,” Madenspacher said Wednesday in explaining his decision to not release the report to the public or provide a copy to the commissioners.” What the hell is with these people; why should citizens not see what happens in the state’s courts system, including the Magisterial District Judges. Here’s the story from Lancaster’s Intelligencer Journal/New Era. Here is a link to the report: lanc county court operations report.
• from the Harrisburg Patriot-News: There is an approved state budget!