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… “I am American. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me. Black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own; get used to me.” – Muhammad Ali

Today is World Cancer Day

• Nikki Bowman is the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era‘s “Teen of the Week”

Nicole “Nikki” Bowman stands by her locker at Columbia Junior/High School. (Blaine T. Shahan / Staff)

• County’s “first certified in holistic medicine” physician espouses ” … modified diet, exercise, nutritional supplements such as fish oil and lifestyle changes” (including meditation). – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era
• Market House Trust holds the reins: “The Columbia Historic Market House Trust can finally concentrate on its mission: running the market.” – MyColumbiaNews

• “Nextdoor neighbors: Group forms online gathering site  – This is a very good way for a community or a couple of blocks of neighbors who want to belong to a “community.” It’s based on openness, caring and information- sharing; works a whole lot better than closet-minded, threatening, hiding of information. See the “Nextdoor” site – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era

• Columbia’s boys basketball team plays on: “Lancaster Catholic and Columbia both clinched L-L berths Tuesday. The Crusaders (12-2) have a one-game cushion on the Crimson Tide (11-3) with two games left in the regular season.” – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era

• “CONGRESS AND INSIDER TRADING: The Senate has passed the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge (S. 2038), sponsored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, ID-Vt. The bill would bar members of Congress and congressional employees from using nonpublic information about companies obtained from their work for their personal investing benefit. Lieberman said his bill took “a small step forward toward rebuilding public trust in Congress” by stopping insider trading by its members. An opponent, Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., said insider trading by members of Congress was not a problem, and the bill should have instead focused on the greater problem of members of Congress agreeing to support bills in exchange for wasteful spending that often benefited their constituents. The vote, on Feb. 2, was 96 yeas to 3 nays. YEAS: Sen. Robert Casey Jr. D-PA, Sen. Pat Toomey R-PA” – TargetedNews

• “Unemployment Rate Drops, But Reality of Jobs Crisis Is More Complicated” – The Daily Beast

• “FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE IN EXECUTIVE BRANCH: The Senate has approved an amendment sponsored by Sen. Joseph Lieberman, ID-Vt., to the Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act (S. 2038). The amendment would extend financial disclosure requirements to high-level employees in the executive branch and independent agencies. Lieberman said his amendment was an efficient way to require policymakers to electronically file financial disclosure statements. An opponent, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said the amendment “would create loopholes, disparity, and it undermines the true transparency” for reporting financial transactions by federal employees. The vote, on Feb. 2, was 81 yeas to 18 nays. YEAS: Sen. Robert Casey Jr. D-PA NAYS: Sen. Pat Toomey R-PA – TargetedNews