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

Quote for today… “A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us.” – John Steinbeck

• Columbians Victoria Aston, Philip Diffenderfer, Tyler Harris andElizabeth Weiksner were named to the spring semester Dean’s List at Shippensburg University. Also named to the list were Brittany Dombach and Alexa Sleeper from Marietta and Brielle Cordrey, Leah Shellenberger and Barry Sitler from Wrightsville. (Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)
• Franklin & Marshall College’s spring honors list included these area students: Lindsay Hartman, the daughter of Kathleen Embleton and Robert Hartman of Columbia and a graduate of Columbia High School; Elizabeth Meley, the daughter of Anthony Meley and Deborah Meley of Columbia and a graduate of Columbia High School and Amy Moser, the daughter of Michael Moser and Georgiann Moser of Columbia and a graduate of Hempfield High School. (Lancaster Intelligencer JournlNew Era)
• It happens more than we think … another trusted associate is charged with stealing $825,000 from his Pennsylvania fire department. (Johnstown Tribune-Democrat)
• Armstrong reports huge profits (Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)
•  Another first amendment violation … (PoliceOne.com)
• Still not better: Jobless rate jumps to 6.7% (Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)
• The full story (so far) on how the special operations folks got Bin Laden; presented as only The New Yorker can. (The New Yorker)
• From the POLICE LOG published in today’s Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: MARIETTA: Justine M. Halter, 21, of Kline Road, Marietta, was charged after she entered three vehicles in June and took property valued at about $220 and Nicholas A. Reynolds, 20, of Marietta, was charged with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia after a May 4 vehicle stop.
• LEGAL NOTICE published in the August 2, 2011 Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era: INVITATION TO BID Project: PLANE STREET PHASE I – S.R. 441 TO MANOR STREET: Project generally comprises approximately 1,300 linear feet of curb and sidewalk replacement, installation of handicap ramps, 3,000 square yards of street reconstruction, 2,400 square yards of mill and overlay, with 340 linear feet of storm sewer extension. The Work will be performed under one Contract as follows: General Construction. Owner: COLUMBIA BOROUGH 308 Locust Street P.O. Box 509 Columbia, PA 17512 Engineer: ARRO CONSULTING, INC. 108 West Airport Road Lititz, PA 17543 Telephone:717-569-7021 Fax: 717-560-0577 Direct inquiries concerning the purchase of the Bidding Documents to Gail Steckel at 717-560-6060 or e-mail at gail steckel@thearrogroup.com, and technical questions via fax or e-mail to Phillip W. Brath, P.E., at the Office of the Engineer (at 717 560-2788 or email at phillip.brath@thearro group.com). Sealed Bids will be received by the Owner at the address shown above until 11:00 a.m., prevailing time, Friday, August 19, 2011, at which time they will be publicly opened and read. Questions to the Engineer will be accepted, by fax or e-mail only, until 4:00 P.M, Friday, Wednesday, August 17, 2011. Bidding Documents may be examined without charge at the Office of the Engineer. Copies of Bidding Documents may only be obtained at the Office of the Engineer for a fee of $50.00 per set. Deposit will become the property of the Engineer and no deposits will be ret-urned. Reproduction of the Bidding Documents, or their placement on web sites of prospective bidders and other entities, is not permitted. Bids from prospective Bidders who have not purchased complete sets of Bidding documents, only from the Engineer, will not be accepted. A non-returnable post-age and handling fee will be charged for each set of Bidding Documents delivered. Fee amount will depend upon type of delivery requested. Bids may be modified or withdrawn by an appropriate document duly executed (in the manner that a Bid must be executed) and delivered to the place where Bids are to be submitted at any time prior to the opening of Bids. After Bid opening, Bids may be withdrawn only as permitted by 73 P.S. 1601 et seq. The Owner will award the Contract to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder or will reject all bids within sixty (60) days following the date of the bid opening, and no bidder may withdraw its bid before the expiration of such sixty (60) day period; provided, however, that if the award of the Contract is delayed by required approval of another governmental agency, the sale of bonds, or the award of a grant, the Owner shall reject all bids or award the Contract to the lowest responsible and responsive bidder within one hundred twenty (120) days of the date of bid opening, and no bidder may withdraw its bid before the expiration of such one hundred twenty (120) day period. Thirty (30) day extensions of the date for the award of the Contract may be made by the mutual written consent of the Owner and the lowest responsible and responsive bidder. This Project will be funded by a federal grant provided to Lancaster County from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, and will be subject to Wage Determination, and Federal Labor Standards and Regulations established by the U.S. Secretary of Labor under the Davis-Bacon Act. This Act requires the successful Contractor, and all its Subcontractors, to pay laborers and mechanics employed on this project not less than the minimum wages and fringe benefits stipulated in the Contract Documents. The Contract is also covered by the Copeland Act. This Act requires the successful Contractor, and all its Subcontractors, to pay all laborers and mechanics employ-ed on this project at least once each week. The Act also requires the successful Contractor, and all its Subcontractors, to submit weekly payroll certifications to the Lancaster County Redevelopment Authority. All Bidders must en-sure that employees, and applicants for employment, are not discriminated against because of their race, creed, color, ethnic or national origin, sex, age, or religion. All Bidders must comply with the requirements of Section 3 of the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968, 12 U.S.C. 170 lu. This Act, in general, requires the successful Contractor, to the greatest extent feasible, provide business and employment opportunities to low and moderate income project area residents, and Section 3 Businesses. The Section 3 Action Plan, which is made a part of this Contract by reference, further explains the Bidders responsibilities under Section 3. All Bidders are advised that Attachment B, Certification of Commitment from the Action Plan must be submitted with the Bid Documents. Any Bid which does not contain a properly executed Attachment B will be rejected as non-responsive. The attention of all Bidders is called to the “Equal Opportunity Clause” and the “Standard Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Construction Contract Specifications” set forth herein; and to the County of Lancaster Minority and Business Participation and Cooperation Plan. Qualified Minority and Women Owned Businesses (MBD/WBE) are encouraged to respond to the Invitation to Bid. It is a requirement of this Contract that at least 50% of the Work be performed by prime Bidder’s own work force, not by sub-bidder(s). Bidders, subcontractors and their workers shall be persons lawfully permitted to work in the United States and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The BOROUGH OF COLUMBIA hereby res-erves the right, which is understood and agreed to by all Bidders, to reject any or all Bids and to waive any omissions, errors, or irregularities in any Bid. COLUMBIA BOROUGH NORMAN B. MEISKEY, III, MANAGER.  
• Checked into a motel in Haubstadt, Indiana late last evening. It was dark as we arrived, so we did not get an opportunity to look around. Haubstadt, though,  is home to the Tri-State Speedway. Not a bad drive from Columbia to here; just a few road construction delays. Hot all the way; as we passed through Louisville in the late afternoon, the temperature was 98 degrees.