Month: May 2008

Ephrata’s Youth Aid Panel Improves Community

When Lancaster County Assistant District Attorney Monica Mosely told the Lancaster County Commissioners that there was a real need for three more Youth Aid Panels in the city and township, NewsLanc was curious as to how the panels were working in other parts of the county. Mosley said the rest of the county was adequately […]

No more: "How much is that doggie in the window?"

Is “puppy love” unrequited due to the scarcity and high cost of acquiring a pet? It may be because buying a puppy from a pet store in Lancaster County seems impossible these days. A telephone survey by NewsLanc to six major pet stores in the area found no puppies for sale, although many other forms […]

Surveillance Cameras – Good For Whom?

Does watching everyone, everywhere all the time with cameras deter crime, or at least reveal it before criminals can escalate or escape? Obviously. There’s absolutely no argument that could say otherwise. But, does that inherently make it the right thing to do? Is blanket surveillance of the population, in a free society, the right way […]

"Trash talk" #1

Michael J. Devaney, Manager of the Bureau of Solid Waste and Recycling, is conducting an anti-litter crusade through increased placement of downtown trash receptacles. The new trash receptacles are not just placed on the street corners. To Devaney, there is a much better way. “I’ve actually watched people,” Devaney says. “And I know where they […]

Proposed Lancaster County Charter Available

NewsLanc has added the latest copy of the proposed Lancaster County Charter to this site. Dated May 6, 2008, The Final Report and Proposed Home Rule Charter for County Government submitted to the Citizens of Lancaster County by the Lancaster County Government Study Commission is available by clicking here.

Wickersham administrators may lose state certification

The Pennsylvania Department of Education confirmed to NewsLanc that two investigations of alleged cheating at School District of Lancaster are currently ongoing. “A PSSA security breach is certainly a lot more than a personnel issue. It can be grounds for suspension of an education certificate,” said Michael Race, assistant press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department […]

Photo of Convention Center Interior

It is not uncommon for a venue to have open beam ceilings, presuming they and the ceiling are painted black. (Long Beach CC for instance.) With show lighting, the ceiling disappears. This assumes that the beams are load-bearing to sustain the weight of the trusses for the show lighting. The ideal is to have catwalks […]

EDITORIAL: Is a misdemeanor or felony a "Personnel matter?"

The School District of Lancaster declines to discuss what they describe as “possible PSSA testing protocol violations” on the basis “The results of any investigations are a personnel matter and cannot be shared with the public.” “Personnel matter” as we understand the term relates to the performance of employees in accordance with the policies and […]

Lancaster Post

LANCASTER POST, May 30, asks “One law for the rich and connected, another law for the rest of us?” The article goes on to reveal a burglary that took place when, in the middle of the night, celebrating F & M college students discovered a door left open at the Iron Hill Brewery and helped […]

Children have rights at least equal to offenders

Whoever wrote the watchdog item regarding the “Second Chances” halfway house for sex offenders needs to do a little honest research into the lifelong effects (all of them negative) of sexual assault. There are many therapists, faith-based and community-based programs, and victims themselves who I am certain would be glad to provide true, factual information, […]

SD of L puts lid on Wickersham Investigation

On Wednesday, NewsLanc broke the story that the Pennsylvania Department of Education received complaints in early April about the School District of Lancaster’s administration of PSSA tests. According to Mike Race, Deputy Press Secretary of the Department of Education, “Test documents were not properly secured and the test was not administered within proper guidelines.” The […]

EDITORIAL: We prefer to praise SDL but…

Although NewsLanc was born of the Convention Center controversy and has been outspoken in its opposition to the project, our goal is to fill a news and commentary vacuum resulting from the virtual monopoly of the local press. Nevertheless, we find it far more rewarding to praise what is right than to criticize what is […]

“County and City very unique”

My heart and soul do not see daylight at the end of this tunnel due to all the infrastructure problems now and in the near future for the city. The mention of a Trolley is absolutely crazy when we need parking closer to the convention center. We are a lazy society, nobody wants to walk […]