Today’s news and information gleanings from here and there.

Today’s quote … “Citizens need information, they need to get it from the media. The First Amendment was set up to create a media that served as a surrogate role for the public, and if the public is not engaged and they move on and they’re not consuming news … it’s really a disservice and it hurts our democracy a lot.” – A quote from a university professor in this Christian Science Monitor article, “Why Americans’ trust in the media is at an all-time low.”

Today’s second quote … “Pass term limits and cut your salaries, second-highest only to California, which has term limits and half the lawmakers serving three times our population.” – One of the suggestions for Pennsylvania’s legislators in this John Baum column: “Yo, Harrisburg, how about some real New Year’s resolutions?” – Philly.com

• Gas prices up almost 12 cents a gallon – Gant news

• Prices in and around here – Gas Buddy

• Wonder how long it’ll take for the PA legislators to do what NJ’s are trying to do? End the requirement for municipalities to publish LEGAL NOTICES in newspapers?

• No more LEGAL NOTICEs translates into no transparency. | Columbia news, views & reviews has posted often about the need for governments to be transparent.

• NOTE: Columbia Borough has a page at its Website for LEGAL NOTICES, and often posts its LEGAL NOTICES.

• The Columbia Borough School District, on the other hand is not as forthcoming at its website. School Board’s – it seems – are not totally upfront with the citizens they represent. Think the recent Manheim Township fiasco.

• OPINION: Think 2017 will be a good year? If the letters-to-the editors in daily newspapers are indicators, NO! The divisiveness of letter writers continue to rehash the past election. Everyone seems to be moving further and further from a centering, compromising position. It’s a “my way or the highway” or an “I’m in charge – and you’re not” mindset.

• The real experts are not the “talking heads” masquerading as our “elected public servants” | “The Senate’s complicated plan to repeal Obamacare, explained by an expert on Congress” – vox.com