today’s news and information gleanings from here and there! 

• Today’s Weather! 
• Today in History!
• Traffic Cam Rts. 30 & 441
• The Official Time! – Population Clock (U.S. and World)

Quote for today… “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

• Early spring says Orphie – The Western PA G-hog says, “NO!” – LancasterOnLine and ABCNews video

• Former Lancaster Catholic student qualifies on American Idol – ydtalk/idolchatter

• OLA Intermediate Team wins at Tournament

• Announced Columbia Borough School District Board meeting dates  as posted at the Columbia Borough School District Website – Most school districts abide by the state law and publicly notify citizens of all their meetings. LEGAL NOTICES published in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era, February 2, 2012 – THE ELIZABETHTOWN AREA BOARD OF SCHOOL DIRECTORS HAS ANNOUNCED A SPECIAL MEETING TO BE HELD ON FEBRUARY 7, 2012, AT 6 P.M. IN THE HSLGI.

• “‘Complaints’ about Manheim Township library ruffle feathers.” Over-zealous Commissioner’s agenda-focused e-mail sparks comments – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era

• “A retired teacher told me, ‘If you can’t afford to pay the taxes, you shouldn’t live here.’” – Here’s a post about one school  “board’s big-spending habits.” – BigGovernment.com

• A history of fire services in Columbia: Consolidation Ruminations, part 4 – Chief’s Corner, Columbia Consolidated Fire Department Website

• “The York City School District is facing an $8 million deficit for the current school year, and the teachers’ union voted against reopening its contract for a proposal to address part of that gap.” – York Daily Record

• Newt … the lobbyist? – Citizens for a Responsibility and Ethics in Washington

• LEGAL NOTICES published in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era, February 1, 2012: “LEGALNOTICE Notice is hereby given that the Columbia Borough Council meetings scheduled for 02/27/2012, 03/26/12, 04/23/12, 05/22/12, 06/25/12, 07/23/12, 08/27/12, 09/24/10, 10/22/12, 11/20/12 and 12/18/12 have been rescheduled to begin at 6:00 pm rather than 7:00 pm. These meetings will be held in the Columbia Borough Municipal Building, 308 Locust Street, Columbia, PA. If you are a person with a disability wishing to attend these meetings and require an accommodation to participate, please contact the Columbia Borough Office at 684-2467. Norman B. Meiskey III Borough Manager”

• The 10 most educated countries are … – 24/7 Wall St.

• Ban Congressional insider trading: Tell Congress to pass the STOCK Act – PublicCitizen [NOTE: See also this letter to the editors in today’s Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era
  

• “Elizabethtown police said they raided a borough business on Wednesday, arresting the store owner and an employee and charging them with sales of designer drugs, in some cases in exchange for ‘food stamps.‘ – MyElzabethtownNews

• Jobs in New Holland: Net loss as a “Coatesville-based firm is consolidating two Chester County operations here in a $4 million venture that will bring more than 50 jobs. EchoData Group, an order-fulfillment company, is buying the former Good’s Furniture warehouse at 121 N. Shirk Road, New Holland.” And a “California-based shipping and warehousing firm is laying off all 76 employees at its New Holland facility, the state disclosed Wednesday. UTi Integrated Logistics has notified the state Department of Labor & Industry that it will idle its entire workforce here March 31.” – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era