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

Quote for today… “There’s a real concern the PUC isn’t putting the interests of the citizens first, they’re putting the interests of the industry first.” – John Yeager, attorney, in this article about the cozy nature of big business (pipeline, drillers, etc.), their allies, counselors and government. – stateimpact.npr.org

• Exceptional coverage on Kurt Edmond’s and Scott Ward’s initiative to improve Makle Park’s basketball poles, backboards, nets – MyColumbiaNews

• E-town letter-to-the-editor writer says Columbia needs “entry-level job training services” – Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era

• Another letter writer suggests the pipeline folks use the rail-to-trail path because “it’s only for a few handful (sic) of people to walk.” It’s always about having a dog in the fight. The writer evidently is a horseman.

• At Monday council meeting-of-the-whole, a citizen asked whether any not-for-profit organizations made any “in-lieu-of-(taxes)” payments to the Borough. The financial officer said the contributions were listed in the budget. Indeed, there is a line item in the 2014 general fund budget for $12,000 of anticipated or budgeted income. When the citizen asked for the names of the organizations, the citizen was told to submit a “right to know” request. In the 2013 budget, the same line item shows $12,200; in 2012, $12,800. Appears to be a diminishing number. Remember these are expense budget projections and not actual income records, because the borough does not post the actual expenses.

• “A Pennsylvania widow has lost her $260,000 house — for a second time — for failure to pay $6.30 in interest and late fees from back taxes.” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

• Anything for the Win: comments about Penn State’s new football coach and a possible link to Vanderbilt scandal – PennLive

• Keep your eyes on your purse – Harrisburg Patriot-News

• “Woman allegedly stabbed her grandfather after catching him peeping on her girlfriend” – The Morning Call

• Lookout: “As of this week, police in Pennsylvania no longer have to secure a warrant to search your car.” – Harrisburg Patriot-News

• Need more evidence that the courts are out of touch with most folks! Read the comments at the LancasterOnLine article about searching cars with a warrant.