today’s news and information gleanings from here and there! Today’s Weather!   Today in History! Rts. 30 & 441 Traffic Cam

Quote for today…  “Everybody calls everybody a spy, secretly, in Russia, and everybody is under surveillance. You never feel safe.” – Agnes Smedley

• Columbia’s Marilyn Ngo is Lancaster Intelligencer/New Era‘s “Teen of the Week”
• Someone asked us about businesses with “flashing signs” in their windows.

Guess what? According to the Borough code, those signs are not allowed. “§ 220-53 Prohibited signs. The following signs are prohibited in all zoning districts: Flashing, blinking, twinkling, animated or moving signs of any type, except time and temperature signs may flash. In addition, flashing lights visible from a street shall not be used to attract attention to a business. This restriction specifically includes window signs …”  Funny thing is that we  counted nearly a dozen of them around town (that includes more than a half dozen on one block of a main street. If it’s a code or a law, enforce it. If you do not want to enforce it, get it off the books. 

• “Mount Joy Township (Adams County) and the four fire companies that serve it appear to be heading for another showdown after fire officials notified the supervisors of their intent to cease being the primary responder to emergencies in the township starting next year.” Fire companies want more money; supervisors want to see the IRS Form 990’s. Read more here. – Hanover Evening Sun
• That’s what friends do; isn’t it? “Colorado men charged in taking dead friend partying” – LawOfficer.com
• Meet the man in the middle of the storm: Mariatta’s emergency management coordinator, Steve Bailey: Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era
• You’ll find a new link atop this page. A reader send us information on Pennsylvania’s Department of Transportation (PADOT) traffic camera locations. So, we thought you might like to see the one at the US 30 and PA 441 intersection (mostly westbound on 30). The feed is updated about every five seconds. This is good, responsible use of cameras; it shares information with the Customer (the public). We’ll keep the link on the “today’s news” page for a while; comments are welcomed.
• Report on last night’s game – from the Reading Eagle
• Lowe’s in Harrisburg, Lancaster and York will host a relief and recovery event Sunday, September 18.  The three stores holding these events will be: York: 2449 East Market Street York 17402- Lancaster: 1845 Hempstead Road Lancaster 17601 – Harrisburg: 4000 Union Deposit Road, Harrisburg. The events are to assist residents affected by flooding in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee. The home improvement retailer will distribute a truckload of non-perishable food, bottled water and cleaning supplies on a first-come, first-serve basis at those locations, and Lowe’s expert staff will be on hand to answer questions about flooding and offer rebuilding, cleanup and repair tips. – WHP, Channel 21
  
• FEMA reminder press release: “Answers to questions survivors ask about federal disaster aid”