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

Quote for today… “My sober and considered judgement is that at this stage Federal aid would be a disservice to the unemployed.”  – President Herbert Hoover, 1932 State of the Union Address 

• Now they are “closing in on him“(LancsterOnline) –Alleged “bad actor” still on the run. (Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)
• Job opportunity,  Museum Gallery & Security Attendant, part-time, at the National Watch & Clock Museum. (www.craigslist.org)
• Midway Hotel for sale at craigslist.
• We’re hearing rumblings that the fire department consolidation “consultant’s initial report” has created consternation among more than a few.
• Serious “open debate” took place at last night’s H.A.R.B. meeting (for a review of the mission, composition and direction of the Historic Architectural Review Board, click here.) The debate centered on an issue of propriety and validity of H.A.R.B decisions; more specifically, what is supposed to happen when the Board approves a proposed design and the end result differs markedly from the original (or subsequent modifications) submission submitted. The Board, in an earlier action, asked a business entity to respond to a question about  the issue. The entity responded with a letter that, essentially, stated “they had met all of the municipal requirements” and the changes to the initial plan did not really matter because (they) were satisfied with its appearance. Columbia news, views & reviews asked for a copy of the letter, but was denied by the Board chairperson, Terry Sears. We have submitted a Right-To-Know request for the letter. We are developing a report on the issue and will include that report and more from last night’s meeting in a subsequent post as early as tomorrow. Most of the Board members openly displayed a love and passion for the Borough of Columbia and a zeal of “true”, selfless citizenship during the discourse. The two citizens who attended thanked the Board members for their sense of duty and devotion to the mission of the Board; we think that all Columbia’s citizens who truly care about the future of the community would have been too! Click here August HARB for a copy of the meeting agenda.
• School start dates in the county; Columbia’s start date is August 29. (Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era)

• Foreign students who work at Hershey warehouse say ‘we have our rights’ – (Harrisburg Patriot-News)