If you are poor, you may engage in shoplifting. So said a British priest recently, setting off a furore before Christmas. But, he was careful to add, he was not encouraging people to steal, only that they might turn to it as a last resort. And to make the whole thing even more palatable, he urged those employing this desperate option to avoid stealing from small, family-run firms, but instead focus their larcenous energies on “large chains.”

Stealing from big stores, or more generally from corporations, is not seen as particularly egregious

The 2010 Frozen Foot Winter Series will begin in a few weeks at Elizabethtown College.  The Frozen Foot is a three-race. five kilometer series open to the general public.  Runners of all levels and all ages have  participated in past events. The first event of the 2010 series will be held on Sunday, January 17.  The remaining two races will be held on February 21 and March 14.  The races starts at 2:00 p.m. at the Lefler Chapel on the Elizabethtown College campus. The registration fee for the three event series is 40 dollars for those who register before January[Read more...]

Elizabethtown College is an important institution in the Elizabethtown area. This is the story of one resident who not only was a student at the college, but has also started a career there.

Mark Clapper is an Elizabethtown College alumnus. He graduated in 1996. He was recently appointed the Director of Alumni Relations at Elizabethtown College. Mark, who assumes this new position on January 1, 2010, began with the College Admissions Department and, after several promotions, became Associate Director of Alumni Relations in 2005. Originally from Somerset, PA, he currently lives in Elizabethtown with his wife Michelle.

Public option.  Mandated enrollment.  Guaranteed issue of insurance.  Medicaid eligibility expansion.  Medicare reimbursement changes.  The list goes on and on.  It is a daunting task to make sense of it all.  It is even more difficult to evaluate how all the pieces fit together and what any reform package implies for health outcomes, health care access, personal costs, and the cost of health care for the nation as a whole. The health care delivery system is extraordinarily complex.  So much so, that those within the system often find it difficult to comprehend.  For the remainder of Americans, evaluation is nearly[Read more...]

Commentary We now learn that rodents have been found in the cafeteria in the Capitol. Last week a routine inspection led to the discovery of “mouse infestation.” Despite a flurry of cleaning over the weekend by Aramark (the firm that runs the cafeteria), it now appears that the rot was extensive and the eatery will not reopen until January. Keen observers of the Harrisburg political scene were not surprised. They had always suspected that the Capitol was infested with rats. Look at the ever-expanding list of politicians who stand accused of unethical conduct. Neither party is immune from the scourge.[Read more...]

The Lebanon Valley Bicycle Coalition, formerly the Lebanon Valley Bicycle Club, is offering static and adhesive stickers to promote the safe passing of bicycles by motor vehicles.  The club is offering these stickers at cost in an effort to promote the passage of a Senate Bill (SB776) introduced by our local senator, Mike Folmer.  For more information on this and other cycling related activities visit the LVBC site at: http://lebanonvalleybicycleclub.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=frontpage&Itemid=1 —————————- Vehicle STATIC & BUMPER STICKERS Promote Safe Passing LVBC designed and  is selling  static and  bumper stickers that support a safe passing distance when a motorist passes a bicyclist.  Become part of a[Read more...]

(Dec 19th 2009) Borough Council passed the 2010 budget on Dec. 17 with no tax increase. The vote was 4-2, after a prior motion to increase taxes by two-tenths of a mill resulted in a tie. Mayor Robert Brain, in his last meeting before leaving office, cast the deciding vote in opposition of raising taxes. The action means the borough has a budget of nearly $4.8 million for next year, just about $2,100 carried over from the current year. By all accounts, that is a razor-thin balance to start the year, which is in part why Councilman Dale Treese and[Read more...]

Elizabethtown Area Sch Dist Holiday Dance Postponed Till 1-16-10 Elizabethtown Public Library Closed Curves- Elizabethtown Closed Fulton Bank All locations Closed, Brandywine Division ONLY LCBC – Lancaster This Evening: No Evening Services Manheim Borough Lancaster County Snow Emergency In Effect From 9 a.m. Saturday until 12:00 Midnight. Red Rose Access Lancaster County Medical Transports Only Red Rose Transit Authority Lancaster County No shared ride except medical and dialysis.

Elizabethtown borough officials received notification this morning that a track outage will take place between 9:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. tomorrow, Thursday, Dec. 17, at the Elizabethtown Train Station. The outage is part of the ongoing construction and renovations of Amtrak station. It will allow the contractor to pour the concrete walls for the north side of the platform. This will be a one day outage. As they have this fall, riders are advised to follow the signs to enter the proper platform. All trains will operate on the existing schedule. A second track outage is planned for next week, on[Read more...]

Gretna Music Presents The Vienna Boys Choir Gretna Music presents this concert featuring the world’s most beloved choir, the Vienna Boys Choir. The ensemble has performed for emperors, generals, popes and kings. Franz Schubert was a member, and the choir has worked with Haydn and Mozart. A holiday concert by these phenomenal young Austrians positively makes the season. An informal classical conversation about the evening’s music will precede the concert at 6:30 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact 717-361-1508 or visit the organization’s website. Time: December 17 7:30 p.m. Location: Leffler Chapel and Performance Center, Musser[Read more...]