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… “An oppressive government is more to be feared than a tiger.” – Confucius

• “An alleged drunk driver fled from police and crashed into a building in Columbia Wednesday night, police said. He drove west in the 300 block of Locust Street, left the roadway, crossed a sidewalk and struck a building at 363 Locust St., causing significant damage, police said. There were occupied apartments on the upper floors of the building.” – LancasterOnLine

• “FBI agents and a state police bomb squad were called to Armstrong World Industries headquarters on Columbia Avenue in Manor Township, after a mysterious package arrived Thursday morning. According to Duane Hagelgans, fire commissioner for Blue Rock Fire and Rescue, the package was sent from “an overseas shipper.” – LancasterOnLine

• “Put the date in or on your calendar! The COLUMBIA ROTARY CLUB CHICKEN BBQ will be held on Saturday, April 28 from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm at Columbia Animal Hospital, 4081 Columbia Avenue. For only $7.50 per dinner you will enjoy 1/2 chicken, potato, roll, and applesauce. Support the Rotary Club; the Columbia Rotary Club contributed $16,500 towards the renovation of Columbia’s Rotary Park.

• “The number of assaults, weapons violations, thefts and other incidents at local public schools declined slightly last year, according to school safety reports compiled by the state.” – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era

• [NOTE:“To access the school safety reports, go to the website https://www.safeschools.state.pa.us and click on the “school safety” link in the upper left. Then click on the “school safety historic” link to find the reports, which are broken down by year, county, district and school. Reports also are available for nonpublic schools and can be broken down by gender and ethnicity for each county, district and school.” – Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era]

• LEGAL NOTICE published in the Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era, March 15, 2012. “The Columbia No 1 Fire Department hereby announces its intention to apply for a loan from the Volunteer Loan Assistance Program administered by the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. The Columbia No 1 Fire Department hereby certifies that: 1. The Columbia No 1 Fire Department by-laws do not discriminate against applicants for membership on the basis of race, color, religious creed, national origin, sex, age or handicap; and 2. There is not an unwritten policy of discrimination for membership in the Columbia No 1 Fire Department Comments on this application should be forwarded to PO Box 57, Columbia PA 17512-0057 and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency, Volunteer Loan Assistance Program, 2605 Interstate Drive, Harrisburg PA 17110-9364.”

• “The Lancaster County Board of Elections on Wednesday voted to hold a hearing next week on moving four polling places for the April 24 primary election. … Besides the Conestoga and Martic polling places, the Elections Board next week also will consider moving the Columbia Borough First Ward polling place from the Columbia Borough Fire Police headquarters to Columbia Historic Market House, 15 S. 3rd St., which is a larger facility.” – MyColumbiaNews

• Letters to the editors from today’s Lancaster Intelligencer Journal/New Era

• “Nearly 200 people packed the Stewartstown fire hall Wednesday night to learn more about the proposed path of a natural gas pipeline in southern York County and how to protect themselves if it will affect their property.” – York Daily Record

Sunday marked the beginning of Sunshine Week, a national initiative to increase government transparency and freedom of information.