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

Quote for today… “For the past 14 years, I have traveled back to Columbia from a family vacation in Cameron County. I make this 3½-hour-one-way drive because I made a personal commitment to attend the Memorial Day service and parade after talking to a World War II veteran named Ray Wallace.” – Columbia mayor, Leo Lutz, in an LNP – Always Lancaster article entitled: With Gratitude, We Remember | Lancaster County leaders reflect on Memorial Day and those who served. NOTE: Columbia resident Ray Wallace parachuted into France on D-Day with the 82nd Airborne Division.

• It’s Memorial Day Weekend and swimming pools across the county will be opening for the hot, summer season. Monday’s weather forecast: Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 84. If you’re a Columbia resident, you’ll have to travel to one of them for the pool experience. – Lancaster OnLine

• There’s no question about it – people visit farmers’ markets for food: meats; fruits and vegetables, baked goods! Facebook commenters regularly reinforce these reasons people shop at farmers’ markets. Lancaster’s Central Market’s Website shows the cornucopia of stand holders’ food offerings. In communities around the county, farmer’s markets will begin to open with vendors offering fresh edibles: In Marietta – in Lititz – in Mount Joy – even in Paradise. Each of these markets Websites, and Columbia’s Market House‘s show stunning, beautiful graphics of fresh fruits and vegetables. It’s so vital to the success of markets, that there are oodles of Websites that mention freshness of produce, meats and other non-ready made foods, including these: nutrition.gov – motherearthliving.com – US Department of Agriculture.

• The initial grant application for Market House refurbishment and restoration included verbiage from the 2005 consultant’s study that identified the same things, saying: “the mix of merchandise should be strong in produce, meats, baked goods, plants and flowers, dairy, eggs, specialty and ethnic products.”

• “How to organize and run a successful farmers’ market” – Mass.gov

• Bad news & good news: In York County, food inspections found “pink, slimy bacteria-like material” in the ice dispensing machine. Yum-m-m-m! Who wouldn’t to visit this food serving establishment to get some of that?- The York Dispatch

• In Lancaster County, it’s disturbing to read this in the weekly eating places food inspections at Lancaster OnLine: “The person in charge does not have adequate knowledge of food safety in this facility as evidenced by this non-compliant inspection.” Especially when this is a humungous national fast food restaurant chain, albeit their sales have slipped recently.

• A complete listing of all inspections at food serving facilities in Lancaster, York counties and the entire state, except those in Columbia, are listed at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Website. “Inspections are a “snapshot” of the day and time of the inspection. Also, at the time of the inspection, violations are recorded but are often corrected on the spot prior to the inspector leaving the facility. Inspection results are posted as inspections are conducted, and only represent eating and drinking establishments and retail food establishments that fall under the inspection jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, and those county and local health departments which have elected to post results.”

• Of course, if you’re trying to see the results of any food serving establishment in Columbia, you’re out of luck – Columbia’s codes folks choose not to share that information, if it exists, unless a right-to-know request is submitted.