today’s news and information gleanings from here and there!
Quote for today… “This page was created as a place to share positive memories of growing up in Columbia and living in the town. It was not created as a forum for complaints, bitterness, anger, or attacks on the town or any person in it.” – The intro line on the wonderful facebook page, You know you’re from Columbia PA if … , created by Melissa Byers.
- Another trusted employee: cop steals from cops – WGAL-TV8
- “A Columbia woman faces hit-and-run charges after rear-ending a police car in Manheim Township and leaving the scene, police said.” – MyColumbiaNews
SOURCE: world.edu
- As some persons began to use the forum for complaints, bitterness, anger and attacks, a new page has been begun … just for that: “We all know every town has its issues. This is a place for Columbians to air those issues, and, we hope, offer potential solutions.”
- Pennsylvania is losing its appeal because of “structural deficit and weak reserves, as well as relatively slow economic growth that it said is unlikely to keep up with the state’s growing public pension liabilities.“ – York Daily Record
- Wonder why folks charged with Columbia’s economic development don’t get a grip on marketing the town? In Mount Joy, they do … by offering free parking on their Fourth Friday.
- Steelton borough raises water / sewer rates an average of 39% – Harrisburg Patriot-News
- Hummelstown’s “Mayor Bradley Miller gave some praise to (privately owned) United Water for a ‘well-coordinated’ effort to help with a paving project on Main Street.” – Harrisburg Patriot-News [NOTE the scrolling notice atop the Website homepage.]
“‘Huddled Masses’ New arrivals await on deck as their ship arrives at Ellis Island, 1902” – SOURCE: eyewitnesstohistory.com
- Making up facts: A letter to the editor in today’s Intelligencer Journal/Lancaster New Era makes this statement in her letter: “There was no discrimination in the 1800s and 1900s.” Really? Ask the Italian immigrants. Ask the Japanese citizens. Tell that to the Polish immigrants. And German immigrants. And Chinese immigrants. And Irish immigrants.
- “The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie — deliberate, contrived and dishonest — but the myth — persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.” – John F. Kennedy, Commencement address, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut (11 June 1962)
Columbia news, views & reviews 
Hopefully this new venue for venting ideas and constructive criticism to assist in making Columbia a better place to live and raise families, will be an asset to the community.
That being said, my experience in public service persuades me to see this as a site that will eventually become the nemesis of anything worthwhile, as those who spend their lives complaining without truly researching a subject thoroughly, will find a sounding board to acquire their “15 minutes of fame”.
If you truly wish to better the community do it in the way allowed us by the Constitution; attend meetings, run for office, gather petitions, etc. Anything other than these will spawn nothing but negative results which will hurt feelings, damage friendships, demean reputations, and divide the community.
I’ve been wrong many times before, but this is one time that I look forward to being so.