2020 Census Is Critical for Columbia | “Communities Are Not Just Geographic Locations” – US Census Bureau
Obituary of local interest | Maurice M.D. “Mike” Young
a meme from facebook
a perspective | This, too, is from a facebook post that’s rather long-ish, but this healthcare worker lets loose.
Another perspective | “Re-opening our county without widespread testing, contact tracing, and time for businesses to retrofit for safety is reckless.” A response to the Lancaster County Republican-led letter to not follow Pennsylvania’s guidance from Manheim Township’s Democratic party.
outspoken disapproval | Letters-to-the-editor in today’s LNP – Always Lancaster are resoundingly critical of the two county commissioners decision-making with respect to the letter they attached their signatures to.
Legal notices |COLUMBIA BOROUGH SCHOOL DISTRICT FINAL BUDGET NOTICE • Seeking PROPOSALS FROM STAFFING AGENCIES TO PROVIDE STAFF FOR THE DISTRICT’S FOOD SERVICE DEPARTMENT
government: the worst violator | Why are governments the worst violators of freedom of information? “ProPublica Joins News Organizations in Suing for Small Business Program Loan Info” – ProPublica
Some say | “the Republican Party and so many conservatives embraced anti-intellectualism, but this wholesale rejection of science during this pandemic isn’t just disturbing; it’s getting dangerous.“
Ouch |“Manheim Auto Auction to furlough nearly 700 employees here due to COVID-19” – Lancaster Online
“The main difference between a furlough and a layoff is that a furlough allows workers to return to their jobs. Some layoffs are temporary, and will recall workers to the job, but in cases where management decides the employees will not be recalled, the layoff becomes permanent.
“Temporarily laid-off employees will usually be able to collect unemployment benefits and in some situations, may be able to keep their benefits coverage, e.g., medical and dental insurance, as an incentive to stay available for recall. For permanent layoffs, a severance package may be offered to those employees who were part of the company’s reduction in force.
“If a furlough is only for one week or less, employees will not be able to receive any unemployment benefits. States vary on unemployment benefits requirements; an employment attorney will be able to help you decipher the legalities of your own employment situation.” –Legal Match
Mountville FD’s thinking | “Mountville drive-thru carnival food truck event” – Lancaster Online
in an earlier post | … we wrote “over 1,000 citizen comments have been disabled from this public file” at yesterday’s Lancaster County Commissioner’s meeting; an article in today’s LNP – Always Lancaster notes: “Nearly 700 viewers submitted about 2,500 comments or questions to the commissioners over the course of the four-and-a-half-hour meeting.”
One of those comments was | “Will all questions being asked by the public, via this chat and email, be published WITHOUT editing?” Having read that comment during the meeting, we decided to screen print the comments in case you are curious.
SOURCE: LNP – Always Lancaster
out of sync | Either the elected public servants or the folks who responded to this survey. The division of opinions in the county and in the country are formidable. The graphic above is part of an article that looks at the division of sentiments among Lancaster County’s municipalities.
“‘I quite honestly wonder, if the governor was Republican, if they would have done this,’ Ephrata Mayor Ralph Mowen, a lifelong Republican, said.
Republicans lead the borough councils in Ephrata, Denver and Columbia. Democrats lead the councils in Marietta and Lancaster city.
“‘I just don’t feel that they are prepared to make the move, and I think it was political and not science-driven.’ Mowen told LNP | LancasterOnline on Wednesday.”
LNP – Always Lancaster‘s editorial today | … questions the wisdom of the letter that some county GOP elected public servants wrote in defiance of the governor’s orders” “At Wednesday’s protracted and tense commissioners’ meeting, one thing was crystal-clear: Lancaster County is not ready for reopening — even partly — Friday. No matter how badly county Republicans — how much we all — want a return to normal, we can’t push through and ignore reality.”
and another perspective | “Here’s Lancaster County’s plan to reopen Friday ahead of the governor’s timeline” – PA Post
Columbia news, views & reviews 
Watched the whole commissioner meeting yesterday. The two Republicans didn’t even want to field questions at the end of the meeting during the public comment. Never saw a meeting end so fast. They know the county is not ready to reopen. The proposal that were approved seem to be good but like the presenters stated, they wouldn’t be able to have everything in place to implement the plans for a couple of weeks. But don’t listen to the people the asked to draw up the plans.
Yes, yesterday’s meeting was an example of bad governance. It was not about serving the public safety interests (or transparency interests) of the public, it was rather about serving the special interests of a few commissioners.
I’m reading the book THE GREAT INFLUENZA: THE EPIC STORY OF THE DEADLIEST PLAGUE IN HISTORY by John M. Barry, published in 2004. Here are the last three short paragraphs you might wish to share with the county commissioners, the governor, legislators, POTUS, VP, and all the other elected officials in the county, state, and country.
“So the final lesson, a simple one yet one most difficult to execute, is that those who occupy positions of authority must lessen the panic that can alienate all within a society. Society cannot function if it is every man for himself. By definition, civilization cannot survive that.
“Those in authority must retain the public’s trust. The way to do that is to distort nothing, to put the best face on nothing, to try to manipulate no one. Lincoln said that first, and best.
“Leadership must make whatever horror exists concrete. Only then will people be able to break it apart.”
So glad you’re reading the book; it is a definitive work on the pandemic of 1918-1919 (not 1917 as one person keeps saying).
Also in the recent 2018 edition as you state, the afterward has been revised. These line, too, are prescient: “For if there is a single dominant lesson from 1918,it’s that governments need to tell the truth in a crisis. … You do not manage the truth. You tell the truth.”
John M. Barry, the author of THE GREAT INFLUENZA, was live on Fresh Air with Terry Gross yesterday. He was also live the night before on CSPAN2. Check them out.
And now MD and VA are going into the deep, dark night by re-opening most of their states. Are you reading this, Governor Wolf, county commissioners, majors and other people? “Be afraid, very afraid.” Your can’t fight this virus with AR-15s and AK-47s.