today’s news and information gleanings from here and there! Today’s Weather!   EXTREME HEAT ADVISORY IN EFFECT –Today in History!

Quote for today… “I pray heaven to bestow the best of blessings on this house, and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but wise men ever rule under this roof!” –  from a letter John Adams wrote to his wife shortly after occupying the newly constructed White House in 1800.

• The cover story on today’s Entertainment section to the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era depicts a vibrancy that could be and should be Columbia.  The article on page 3, “Come as you are, stay for the art – Columbia, Wrightsville galleries in casual collaborative mode for Fourth Friday.” is a grand invitation to the entire county’s readers to visit Columbia during Fourth Friday (this evening). Local artists, Cleon Berntheizel (Garth Gallery) and Harriet Hacker (lowercase gallery) are featured. “Both artists are part of the emerging art scene in the River Towns of Lancaster and York Counties. That renaissance is featured monthly during Fourth Friday, a celebration of the arts in Columbia and nearby communities.” What a grand opportunity to welcome everyone, including out-of-towners; our art community gets it!

• The following local residents received degrees from Elizabethtown College on May 21: Columbia, Barbara Siegrist, a bachelor’s degree in accounting; Marietta, Christopher Haines, a bachelor’s degree in business administration; Martin Harnish, a bachelor’s degree in accounting. The following area residents graduated recently from Harrisburg Area Community College: Jennifer M. Andrews, Nicholas C. Donnan, Lindsey R. Leaman, Deborah E. Meley, Andrew R. Russell, Amanda R. Warfel, Susan E. Worby, all of Columbia. Nicholai Best, Karlie R. Biddle, Tammy E. Morrison, Priscilla A. Muteu, Raquel Stoltzfus, all of Mountville. Laura Jacobson, Marietta. Kristi A. Dubbs, Kristin J. Holloway, April L. Shoff, Jedediah S. Smith, all of Wrightsville. Amy Jackson was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Villa­nova University, where she is a rising junior majoring in communications with special­ties in public relations. A 2009 graduate of Hemp­field High School, she is the daughter of Tom and Deb Jackson of Columbia. Holly Underkoffler was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester at Penn State University, where she is a rising sophomore majoring in elementary education. A 2010 graduate of Penn Manor High School, she is the daughter of Terry and Wanda Underkoffler of Washington Boro. (Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)
• That’s what everyone says when they get caught – Rep. Pitts “explanation” letter to the editor appears on page A-9 of the newspaper, too.(Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)
•  After 100 years, Walter Reed will close in August (military.com)
• Armstrong aims to get back to full production, with or without union workers (LancasterOnline.com)
• Aren’t you thrilled with the bank earnings reported in yesterday’s Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era? M&T Bank posted a 71% increase in profits. PNC Financial reported a nearly 13 % earnings increase. Wells Fargo & Co posted a 30% profit leap. Surely, this matches your personal second quarter fiscal posture!  Wonder where the justice is when these industry titans were the ones begging for government bailouts just a few years back. May consumer financial welfare would have had the same results if citizens had gotten the bailouts. What’s the old saw; oh, yeah … it goes like this: “The rich get richer!” Especially when they get pumped up by the government. And the rest of that old adage is … everyone else gets poorer! [NOTE: There is a good idea in an related editorial column in today’s Intelligencer Journal/New Era: “Send a banker to jail.”