Br-r-r, huh! Kinda’ nippy start for a “middle-of-May” day!

• One “study projects that median-income families, or those who earn about $50,000, will often end up with more net wealth if they rent versus own over the 10 years from 2013 to 2022.” – The New York Times

• Does Pennlive want to be a Lancaster County news source? The answer’s “yes” if covering Lancaster County school proms is a indicator.

• One of today’s better headlines: “Some area water customers getting hosed” – This article is from the Reading Eagle. You may or may not be able to read the article because of the newspaper’s portal policy. The article contrasted some water prices for some Berks County systems, “The monthly cost for that typical residential customer ranged from a low of $16.50 in Mount Penn to a high of $66.07 for PA American.And the monthly cost for that typical commercial customer ranged from $69.78 in Muhlenberg Township to $258.77 with RAWA (Reading Area Water Autority).”

• Water Rate Comparisons – The Reading Eagle

SOURCE: You know you’re from Columbia, PA if … facebook page

“mold on food containers” – “Old food residue build-up on the bagel and bread slicer.” – “Food handler cutting onions for salad using bare hands.” – “person-in-charge is not performing the duties required by the PA Food Code to maintain active managerial control of food safety.”

Wow ... there are some really well-known Lancaster County food serving establishments with long lists of violations of state codes at the Lancaster Online article. Names we know; names of places frequented by people, locals and visitors – these are names of places people ought to trust.

• Bent Creek Country Club
• Stoudt’s Black Angus
• Turkey Hill convenience stores
• McDonald’s
• Panera Bread
• Friendly’s

• Click here to go to the state’s Website of inspections … and the listing of the violations at each location. The statewide directory lists inspections for all municipalities in York County and Lancaster County.

• … except those in Columbia – Columbia persists in having its own inspection system with its own forms and inspection items – rather than the one used statewide.

In lots of states, Customers are openly advised of the inspection performance of eating establishments. In New York and California, for instance, visitors and “locals” know the restaurant’s current inspection status because a color coded symbol is visibly posted on the window.

Click on the image to read about food code inspection guides.