Yesterday morning (April 17) NewsLanc’s publisher accompanied Senator Arlen Specter on a drive from Lancaster to Harrisburg and, except for the impression that he had had the most collegial conversation of their almost 60 year acquaintance, Specter’s change of party affiliation came as no less of a surprise today than to others…and probably moreso.

After bringing the question to the County Commissioners (drawing an unequivocal “no”), we contacted High Industries and Lancaster Newspapers Inc. (LNP), both members of the Penn Square Partners, for their response to the question of slots. Both inquiries yielded a rather equivocal non-answer: Neither High nor LNP would directly deny the possibility of slot machines being introduced in the Convention Center.

NewsLanc has had the opportunity to observe first hand the negative results from a “dual language” program established in a Mayan Village in Guatemala where all the native speaking Mayan students were being taught in both Mayan and Spanish over the early school years rather than experiencing total immersion into Spanish at the first grade level. By fifth grade, students from a total immersion class in the same school were far more proficient in Spanish than those from the fifth grade “dual language” course.

In the 2009-2010 school year, the School District of Lancaster (SDoL) will begin its first-ever dual-language immersion program (DLIP). The 25-child kindergarten class will roughly consist of half English-speaking and half Spanish-speaking students, and will be taught in both languages (70% Spanish; 30% English). Similar programs have already been implemented throughout the United States and have proven that young children can rapidly gain fluency and confidence in a foreign language within less than 3 years.

NewsLanc conducted an hour long interview with Jon Mitchell, former wrestling coach and now Director of Athletics for the School District of Lancaster (SDoL). The discussion was frank, spirited and free ranging and, for all practical purposes, on the record. We were impressed.

Cape Air, based in our own Lancaster Airport, is offering a $50 one-way trip from Lancaster to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport (BWI), with free parking to boot. The trip, which would take about two hours by car, can last as little as 20 minutes, according to Scott Smith, Station Manager for Cape Air’s Lancaster location. Of course, you’ll need to be comfortable flying in a small, 9-seat aircraft; but the size can have its advantages.

At Tuesday’s County Commissioner’s Meeting, a NewsLanc’s reporter posed the Commissioners with the following question: “If the Convention Center doesn’t meet its financial obligations, would you support the introduction of slots in place of increasing the hotel room sales tax.” Chair Dennis Stuckey and Commissioner Craig Lehman both said they opposed introduction of gambling in any form. Commissioner Scott Martin was absent.

While we were away, the School District of Lancaster announced it was considering providing free breakfasts and lunches to all students, not just those who apply for them. They cite how 71% of students at McCaskey are entitled to sign up for the meals but many are embarrassed to do so. Because of this, eating in the cafeteria is almost stigmatized. (The food is no great attraction either!)

At today’s County Commissioners’ Work Session, a NewsLanc reporter asked the Board of County Commissioners whether they would support the introduction of slot machines in the Lancaster County Convention Center (LCCC) if meager LCCC returns necessitated an increase of the “hotel tax.” In response, Commissioners Craig Lehman and Dennis Stuckey (with Scott Martin absent) expressed a firm opposition to the introduction of slots.

What are the project partners doing with the stormwater and wastewater generated during the excavation of the landfill? We had about an inch of rain during Monday, April 20 storm event. Did that rain accumulate in open excavation containing waste material? What about the dirt washed off the trucks as they leave the site to transport the waste to the Frey Farm Landfill? How is that wash water being handled?

At last week’s City Council Meeting, Mayor Rick Gray listed the City’s planned uses of Federal stimulus money. But one item on the roster was a bit ambiguous: The City and County were said to collectively receive a total of $2 million in “homeless prevention funds,” which would be used “for services to prevent homelessness.”