Columbia, Manor and some others have had a couple of informal meetings on regionalizing the western part of the county.  I believe they’re petitioning the state for assistance in researching the concept.

Regionalization IS happening.  You can draw your own conclusions as to why the city isn’t part of the efforts.

By Ron Harper, Jr.,  Co-publisher of the Lancaster Post

This morning I read yesterday’s dual editorial lauding John Fry’s time in Lancaster and how many positives he achieved here.

While I readily concede that John’s ‘fans’ have legitimate reasons to lament his departing, I have trouble understanding the lack of outcry to Fry’s damage to the First Amendment.

With the notable exception of NewsLanc’s Robert Field, no one has even mentioned the 900 pound gorilla that is in the room (In my view, Robert has shown himself to be a true patriot, standing up against the powers-that-be).

I know many people don’t like me, but John Fry violated my constitutional rights, and people should know about it. You might want to consider your own (and children’s) personal liberties as it relates to my experience.

Here is what happened to me:

When John Fry sent his uniformed police (private, but constitutionally sworn officers by OUR court) to serve a ‘no trespass’ notice on me rather than answering valid questions about his involvement in the ‘justice’ of the Dip-basketball felons, that was bad. Legitimate police don’t go off their territory and serve civil papers.)

When those same F&M police stole my newspaper box in front of Robert Field’s house, that was worse.  I am convinced they wanted me to come looking for our property where it was hidden on campus so that they could attack me there!  At a minimum this is failure to report lost/stolen property.  Since the F&M police knew who owned the box and kept it anyway, this is called theft. After all, they just served trespass notice on me so they knew where we could be found!

Co-publisher/Owner Chris Hart Nibbrig and I were replacing that stolen box and securing it to a pole on the day of the assault.  Remember that this was in the public right-of-way at a public bus stop.  This was not on John Fry’s backyard deck!  This was criminal assault and harassment.

When I was hand-cuffed and thrown in the back of a cruiser, I told my assailant that he was violating my constitutional rights, that he had no right to detain me and demanded to see my lawyer.  My assailant laughed aloud and said, “That’s why we (F&M) have lawyers!”

They held Chris and I for 2 1/2 hours against our will.  Keep in mind that they didn’t even have a bogus trespass letter on Chris like they did on me.  How could anyone in America believe that it’s alright to detain the publishers of a newspaper and not suffer consequences as a result of their actions?! (That’s called unlawful detention.  Kidnapping.)

Remember that the F&M police then falsely charged me with crimes.  They dropped the charges, of course, but not until it prevented me (and now Chris) from going to the ‘public meeting’ held for the rail yard relocation.  Someone should be charged with false swearing/false reports for what was clearly a lie.  In 2 1/2 hours they should have gotten something correct!

All of those crimes were in of themselves terrible but that’s not all they did.

Remember that the week-end before the assault, one of the Dip Felons’ dad went around the county and systematically stole our entire distribution of papers.  (the Turkey Hill clerk, where I taped the felon’s dad stealing the papers, told him that he was not allowed to more than one and he did anyway!)  Was there collusion between F&M and the thieving dad?  No one has investigated nor asked any uncomfortable questions of the parties involved.

A month or so later, I received a letter from F&M’s lawyer granting me access to the campus for the McCain/Palin event.  Why did my previous assailant wag his finger, yell and verbally confront me that day?  Why did the Lancaster City police officer read the letter giving me permission to be there, and tell me to leave the property?  They were trying to create a ’situation’ whereby I would be arrested by some other law enforcement (Secret Service, Pennsylvania State police etc…) Why do I suspect this?  They slandered me during a ’security’ meeting that morning and I have the letter from F&M’s lawyer admitting to it! That plan didn’t work because I simply walked away.

Weeks later that same lawyer was in court arguing that I was a threat and they had a legitimate reason to keep me off campus for public meetings! Nothing changed during the passage of time giving me access to the campus except their strategy to ‘get’ us!  You will recall that we were forced to sue F&M to gain access to a government study commission and ACLU meetings!  Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas Judge Dennis Reinaker ruled against F&M and ordered them to stand down!  It’s significant that the ONLY court that’s heard anything about the F&M situation ruled in MY favor and against F&M.  It’s also note worthy that a non-lawyer beat a high-priced Barley Snyder lawyer.

F&M police also rented a car and for at least a week did surveillance on our newspaper box, photographing any/all who took a newspaper from the box.  Presumably, they illegally used their access to PENNDOT records to create an enemies list.  (they used their PENNDOT records to send ‘no trespass’ notices to protesters and others they didn’t want to deal with)

While all of the above is criminal and could include obstruction of justice and intimidation of a witness (the lying F&M gardener received TWO phone calls while in a scheduled interview with police from Mrs. Fry!), the most significant law broken is called

“Official Oppression”

§ 5301.  Official oppression.

A person acting or purporting to act in an official capacity  or taking advantage of such actual or purported capacity commits  a misdemeanor of the second degree if, knowing that his conduct

is illegal, he:

(1)  subjects another to arrest, detention, search, seizure, mistreatment, dispossession, assessment, lien or other infringement of personal or property rights; or

(2)  denies or impedes another in the exercise or enjoyment of any right, privilege, power or immunity.”

If what those F&M police did to me isn’t Official Oppression than no one can commit this crime.   What about RICO?  When you have everyone from the lawyers, to John Fry, down to the gardener and housekeeper all working together, it’s clear that this pattern of illegal conduct was orchestrated and choreographed (Not coincidently, three times in my life I have been illegally and falsely accused of criminal conduct by clients of Barley Snyder – besides F&M, one of the other ones was Lancaster Newspaper reporter, Brett Lovelace, where the police report prominently mentions Barley Snyder lawyer, George Werner !).

I haven’t even addressed the civil damages to my name, reputation as well as destroying our business.

I am used to standing up for people who have had themselves and their rights trampled by the ’system’.  I foolishly expected that someone with authority would stand up for me.  Where is the District Attorney?  Where is the city police? Where is the Mayor?

I am still getting over the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that was brought on by this unexpected and undeserved, cowardly, rear assault by F&M police officers who took an oath to uphold the constitution. If you didn’t know this, with PTSD it’s not that can’t remember the incident, it’s that you can’t forget it!  That being said, I know this: a country, a county, that allows a private police force to be used to steal, assault, kidnap, harass, intimidate and otherwise destroy a business and it’s owners, is not one that my forefathers gave their life’s blood to obtain.

John Fry is leaving Lancaster County, and, frankly that pleases me greatly.  But the damage done to the collective psyche of those who love liberty and have enjoyed the freedoms of this great country will not be easily repaired.  If newspaper publishers can be assaulted, detained, etc. on a public street in Lancaster without any legal consequences, what should others conclude?

Of course I have civil remedies available to address the wrongs, but what about when those people who are paid handsomely in salary, pensions and other benefits, to uphold the laws and have taken an oath to our constitution, fail to do their job?   It’s not hard to see why they have done nothing when my colleagues at the newspaper and WGAL, FOX43 et al, have willfully forgotten the outrageous conduct by someone who should be held to a much higher standard.

Shame on all of them.

As a mark of quality, experience, and excellence in delivery of care, Lancaster General Health was named by SDI Health LLC, a nationally recognized healthcare data and consulting firm, as one of the nation’s top 100 health systems for integrating services to improve performance and operate efficiently.  The honor positions LG Health among the best-performing, most-efficient health organizations in the nation.

Strategies that led to LG Health’s recognition as a top performer include:

• A network-wide Intranet system for employee and physician communication.
• A strong commitment to develop electronic medical records (EMR).
• Alignment and integration of physicians across the health network.

The SDI Integrated Healthcare Networks (IHN) survey, which is regarded as the nation’s premier rating system of healthcare, identifies the top 100 out of more than 500 health systems graded annually on 33 elements in eight categories including: operations, quality, scope of services and access, physician participation, integrated technology, efficiency, and financial stability. Health systems are graded on performance levels in each category, which are weighted in value, resulting in an overall score and placement in the ranking.

John Fry did his damage to the West side as well to the homeowners on Race and Wheatland.  It is a shame that in my eyes and thousands of others he will not go down as a compassionate, caring president as the others before him.  He did not treat anyone outside F & M with respect if he could not get something in return.

…I would not be surprised if Mr. Fry has an interest in the company that has the contract with F & M for off campus housing. [Editor's note:  We know nothing to so suggest.] Many home owners sold for less due to Mr. S. take over the the neighborhoods.

Unfortunately, the students are paying 4 times what they were paying private ownership and only getting a dorm room in exchange.

Lastly, the Tiger Grant which contained monies for improvements via the County for F & M as well as for High was flatly turned down.  Look at the minutes from 2 weeks ago from the Commissioners Meetings.  They tried to claim that their requests were for the benefit of the city.  DID NOT WORK.

… Fry leaves his mark wherever he goes!

For all of John Fry’s passion for F & M and Lancaster, he has been seriously lacking in compassion for the people of Lancaster.

Whatever the merits of what John Fry has accomplished, his dealings with the community have consistently been one-sided. Under John Fry, F & M’s idea of “public participation” has in every case been “here is what we are going to do, and here is how we are going to do it”.

Perhaps John Fry’s top-down management style of dealing with the school’s neighbors might play well in Philadelphia, but here in Lancaster it has created animosity and divisions that will take far too many years to heal.

This is no longer LGH, but LGH Investments.  And junkies are not a good investment.  Nor is the health of the addicted or the possible spread of disease among addicts [and to the general population].  Shame on you Lancaster General Hospital!! Your disregard for public health is disgusting.

We have an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 addicts in Lancaster County….and you are seeing 12 a week? Laughable. With all the hoops the addict needs to jump through to be even on a waiting list to be seen are more roadblocks to recovery.  Lancaster General Hospital, you are pathetic.

LGH should be treated for an addiction……to money!!!

California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York and Rhode Island Are Looking at Similar Life-Saving Legislation

On Wednesday, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire is expected to sign a bill that will protect people calling 911 when witnessing a drug overdose. Washington will join New Mexico as the second state in the country with this life-saving legislation.

Accidental drug overdoses cause the death of more than 26,000 Americans every year.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, drug overdose now ranks as a leading cause of preventable death in the U.S., second only to motor-vehicle accidents.

“This law will save lives,” said Meghan Ralston of the Drug Policy Alliance. “The majority of people who overdose are in the company of others, but don’t get help because people are afraid to call 911 out of fear of arrest.”

This new Washington legislation will provide limited immunity from prosecution for simple drug possession for people who call 911 to report an overdose, as well as for the victim of overdose. The new law also focuses attention on naloxone, the overdose reversal drug, by allowing people to possess and administer it to people overdosing on opioid drugs, such as Vicodin.

“I’m so pleased we were able to steer this important bill to enactment,” said Roger Goodman, State Representative for Washington’s 45^th District.

“WashingtonState holds the unfortunate distinction as the nation’s leader in overdose deaths, so it’s an urgent matter for us to reduce the harm. From the beginning we had support from the state Medical Association and from many parents who have tragically lost children to overdoses, and in the end we were able to ease the concerns of law enforcement and garner their support.”

Numerous states have introduced or are looking into overdose protection laws including: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York and Rhode Island. On the federal level, Congresswoman Donna Edwards (D-MD) has introduced the Drug Overdose Reduction Act, which would establish an innovative grants program for organizations across the country working to prevent drug overdose.

“There is an overdose crisis in this country and it is encouraging that states are starting to address this situation,” said Ralston. “It should never be a crime to call 911 and to try to save someone’s life.”

For more information about solutions to the overdose crisis in the United States, the Drug Policy Alliance’s major report Preventing Overdose, Saving Lives is available at: http://www.drugpolicy.org/library/overdose2009.cfm

JSID was originally formed by F&M and LGH; ever since, its influence has been expanding. For reasons never explained to the public, JSID was not long ago handed control of the taxpayer-funded Downtown Investment District. Now the JSID appears to be reaching even further beyond its original boundaries.

How is it possible that a private non-profit corporation has become in so few years so powerful that it is literally running a government agency? Why hasn’t anyone ever investigated that issue? And how can the JSID get away with attempting to influence issues well beyond its borders?

Food stores aren’t allowed to use milk as a loss-leader. The only one allowed to sell milk to consumers below state minimum prices is a dairy farmer who sells milk on his own farm.

Ohio, like Pennsylvania, has state stores for the sale of liquor, but has several types of licenses for establishments. Some places offering beverage alcohol by the drink can handle only 3.2% beer, others are allowed to sell regular 6.0% beer, malt liquor, and wine as well, and full service establishments are allowed to sell all legal alcoholic beverages by the drink. Some licenses allow carryout sales and others do not. However, minimum prices are enforced on prepackaged beverage alcohol, and if a place has a special on draft beer, that price cannot be advertised off the premises.

It might be reasonable to prohibit sale of gasoline by beverage alcohol retailers, but is there a reason why the sale of bread, milk, and hot dogs should be prohibited? After all, if a business sells both, it’s pretty hard to tell whether it’s an alcohol distributor selling food or a food store selling alcohol.

If selling people beer in supermarkets hurts taverns, that means that people are driving home before drinking, instead of drinking before driving home. That looks like less problem drinking to me.

Does the use of beer distributors make craft beers more available? It’s pretty easy to test that theory. Walk into 5 beer distributors’ stores, and see how many craft beers are available at each. There are a few distributors that carry a wide variety of brands; most can’t be bothered.

There aren’t many butcher shops in Lancaster. It’s not because people have given up eating beef, and it’s not because they’ve bred cattle that have only the most popular cuts of beef. If you want beef shanks, or tripe, all you have to do is ask at most supermarkets, because they are striving to win shoppers by offering products their competitors aren’t offering. Walk through the produce department and count the types of fruits and vegetables offered today that weren’t available in supermarkets 30 years ago.

Undoubtedly, beer distributors don’t want new competitors – but there’s no sound reason why their monopoly interests should be maintained. Allowing people to pick up a six pack or a case when they buy their other groceries cuts down on traffic on the roads, cuts down on gasoline expenses by consumers, and leaves more money in consumers’ pockets.