Month: December 2008

LETTER: Broken promises

“WGAL is reporting that the hotel and convention center plans to hire 150 people, at $8.50 to $15 an hour. It was not made clear how many of these jobs would be full-time or part-time. “So far, the project will cost taxpayers well over $140 million, nearly half over 40 years, plus interest. In addition, […]

Bulova Building not for non-profits

There has been “press” to relocate the [North Museum] to the soon to be empty Bulova Building on Lancaster Square… The city is already burdened with 25% of properties within it’s limits as nonprofit … Yes, they may argue it brings in secondary “benefits” (a claim F&M waves in everyone’s face about there own existence), […]

Wachovia’s come uppence!

What a joke. Wachovia who was very liberal with its lending procedures is now owned by Wells Fargo which is VERY Conservative and will make Billions from the buyout as per a discussion over dinner in Denver last week with a Wells Fargo official. Editor: Wachovia’s stock holders aren’t amused. Moreover, the people of Lancaster […]

EDITORIAL: New Era rail yard article shameless

A Dec. 30 lead story is headlined “Rail move set to go, but legal battle looming.F&M says work to begin mid-January. Opponents eye injunction to stop it.” The article mentions neighbors concerns about the release of friable asbestos upon the excavation of the dump, but then uncritically publishes F&M’s response. It is only in the […]

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL

“Bomb bandit caught” with a head shot of the accused was the Dec. 30th headline at www.LancasterOnLine.com . WATCHDOG: What ever happened to the words “alleged” or “suspect”? Once so portrayed, how would an innocent person ever retrieve his or her reputation? How many would ever know about the exoneration? Sloppy journalism harms people.

INTELLIGENCER JOURNAL

On Dec. 27, Jeff Hawkes railed: “For those trying to make this place better than they found it, two events in particular came as blows. “Bowing to the howls of their constituents, the [East Hempfield Township] supervisors precipitously scuttled a sorely needed land-use planning process… “As for the second setback? It arrived in November when […]

LETTER: Convention Center "Commitments"

“From the Lancaster Sunday News published on November 23, 2008, page D-2, under “Briefly” ‘Interstate Hotels & Resorts, the company managing the center and the adjoining Marriott Lancaster at Penn Square hotel, said it has more than 90 commitments for conventions, meetings and other functions at the new center.’ “For those of us who have […]

EDITORIAL: Fear mongering?

Bold Dec. 28th headline at NewsMax.com : “Christmas Tally: Retail Sales Plummet” “Retailers’ sales fell as much as 4 percent during the holiday season, as the weak economy and bad weather created one of the worst holiday shopping climates in modern times, according to data released by Spending Pulse.” In other words, despite the bad […]

‘Curious Affairs’ by movie critic Dan Cohen

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a welcome departure for a director known for offbeat thrillers; David Fincher. It’s also a high point for Brad Pitt, and a nearly heroic gamble for the two studios behind it, Warner and Paramount. This is a quixotic, meditative movie with a sensibility unlike any other in recent […]

Curious Affairs

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” is a welcome departure for a director known for offbeat thrillers; David Fincher. It’s also a high point for Brad Pitt, and a nearly heroic gamble for the two studios behind it, Warner and Paramount. This is a quixotic, meditative movie with a sensibility unlike any other in recent […]

Countywide shake up!

An earthquake of a Magnitude 3.4 was felt in parts of Lancaster County shortly after midnight on Saturday, December 27th. A report from the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program can be found here.

Comments re Library System 2006-07 budget

The following observations were made from the Library System of Lancaster County “Operating Expenses, Years Ended December 31, 2007 and 2006.” (NewsLanc has requested a copy of the proposed 2009 budget, will pose questions to System Executive Director Susan Hauer, and report further at a later date.) Salary increases: Page 5 of the County funding […]

Survey of prices at prison commissary

At their Dec. 17th meeting, County Commissioners Scott Martin assured a member of the audience that the new vendor’s prices for the prisoners’ commissary are comparable with those at Walgreen’s and other local merchants. NewsLanc obtained a list of the prices charged prisoners for their sundry items and arranged for comparisons at local stores. Most […]

Debate re CC common sales and marketing

CONTRIBUTOR: “I have been warning the convention center authority that Interstate having a contract with the authority and the PSP can’t serve both well since the authority is EXPECTING a deficit. “Interstate will be tempted to PUSH expenses to the public side of the project and lower expenses to the PRIVATE side of the project. […]