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This article was originally published in January. We now know that it was a false alarm--fake news. Of course, EJ admits no responsibility in that deception. We picked the story up from a wire service with which we had a contract, Ersatz News. We also now know that it is poor judgement to enter into a contract based on a ...[more]
Recent remarks by a member of the Elizabethtown school board have led to some agitation among the crack staff of EJ. Keen observers of the local education scene will recall that Mr. Menno Riggleman, in an interview with the school newspaper, observed that the curriculum on evolution was outdated. He also went on to argue that homosexuality is a sin, ...[more]
10. President Uses Proper Punctuation in a Tweet 9. President Didn't Play Golf Last Week 8. President Read a Document 7. Houston Astros Win Their First Ever World Series 6. President Proclaims "I am the best ever President in the history of the world. Everyone agrees." 5. President Used Proper Syntax in a Tweet 4. President Nominates Cabinet Secretary Who Answered Senate Question Correctly 3. President Upset ...[more]
Check out Terrell's latest at Clyde Fitch: http://www.clydefitchreport.com/2017/12/liberals-progressives/ [more]
Click on the link below to read a short essay on morality in our ever-changing world, a world of increasing individualism. It is a story about philosophy. It is a story about sociology. It is a story about morality. And it is a story about how to look at the world. Find Essay Here [more]
We offer a bit of poetry to illustrate a point. American public policy assumes that a person's lot in life is based on merit and human capital. That perspective must also assume near perfect freedom of movement throughout the class and opportunity structure. This is the American promise that merit will offer its deserved rewards. This American ideology has taken ...[more]
The saga continues. Two of our venerable reporters have once again picked up the scent of the most curious character that our reporting staff has ever encountered. I speak of the Unidentified Man, of course. The saga began six years ago when the two reporters were foraging for food near the Conewago Trail. That activity was not uncommon due to their ...[more]
A recent Gizmodo article takes the EPA chief Scott Pruitt to task for his “idea for a ‘red team-blue team debate’ on climate science.” The article goes on to add that Pruitt, “who all but admitted recently that his entire goal is to dismantle the EPA, has suggested collecting a group of scientists and having them debate objective reality, perhaps ...[more]
The crack editor of EJ is fed up with the constant stream of fake news. Accordingly, the newspaper has hired a reporter whose sole job it is to debunk the incorrect, unfair and, frankly, anti-Trump coverage in the mainstream media. It is time, the editor stated, for the American people to get the news they deserve. Here is the first debunking. A ...[more]
The editor of the EJ was interviewing a candidate to join his crack staff of reporters. The grueling interview was almost over when he asked the most important question of all: “Can I count on your loyalty?” ‘How about honesty?” countered the candidate. “Can you give me obedience?” “I can promise you integrity.” “Hmm, that’s not enough. Can you give me faithfulness?” “No, but I ...[more]
Chris Hayes of MSNBC is the author of a recently published book, A Colony in a Nation. The book artfully tells the story of the colonial status of people of color and the role of the police in maintaining and defining that status. The tale affords considerably attention to Ferguson and related incidents that occurred around 2014. During that time ...[more]
April 19, 2017- Elizabethtown Area High School seniors Kaitlyn Welch and Tyler Rae were named the Elizabethtown Rotary Club’s students of month for April. Welch and Rae were honored for their high academic achievement and extensive involvement in school and community service activities. Welch is the daughter of James and Tracey Welch of Elizabethtown. She is a member of the prestigious ...[more]
Washington is certainly different now, at least around 1600. Yet despite the iconoclasm, the deconstruction, the incompetence; there is a constancy in the tune which we hear. EJ has taken the opportunity to re-post an article that originally appeared some time ago, the day after President Obama's 2014 State of the Union address. As you watch what is transpiring now, ...[more]
Research from cognitive psychology, sociology, and findings from other disciplines inform us that the way we typically explain our own behavior, others' behavior, and the social world is lacking in accuracy. Most of us use a similar method to construct these explanations. We can call it "the everyday method". As science informs us, it is less than accurate. Consequently, it ...[more]
What’s in a name, said the Bard? Well, if you call yourself Integrity Bank, you’d better make sure your operations are on the up and up. But the pressure proved to be too much, and they succumbed. In 2013, two bank executives and a third person were sentenced for “their roles in a conspiracy to commit bribery and bank fraud, insider ...[more]
Elizabethtown College recently made national news. The college's democratic club promoted a program to spread awareness of the idea of white privilege. The story was picked up nationally and internationally. Not surprisingly, it elicited quite a bit of response. Ever in the mix, The Elizabethtown Journal posted a submission by a reader and local columnist concerning the matter. I made ...[more]
This essay was submitted by Jerry Shenk. Jerry Shenk is a Dauphin County-based writer whose work is featured at PATownHall.com. He can be reached at jshenk2010@gmail.com His work occasionally appears at American Thinker online and is published weekly in the Lebanon Daily News. Beginning in mid-February, the Elizabethtown College Democrats began distributing all-white pins in the shape of puzzle pieces. They ...[more]
I rejected it. It was partly due to its source. It was partly due to dubious facts and hyperbole. It all started about 25 years ago when two related movements began to emerge. Both originated from the right and became a convenient multipurpose narrative. One movement was the fight against political correctness, a right epithet employed to describe the language ...[more]
A central Pennsylvania college has become the first in the nation to institute within classroom instant replay (WCIR). WCIR is a program to intercept harmful or biased speech (HBS) on campus and to help adjudicate violations concerning the proscription of such speech. HBS is defined as any speech that results in the perception by a student of material or emotional ...[more]
The president-elect's appeal has a few elements. Supporters and voters (not always the same) do so for a couple of different reasons. The appeal upon which which he first capitalized and was exhibited in the primaries was to nativism and a return to tradition. It was an appeal to the conservative grand narrative. Those who hopped on the bandwagon for ...[more]
Did Trump’s recent apology for past behavior mollify the liberal media? Not in the least! Here’s the wretched New York Times (1) : “During a 90-second videotaped appearance, Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, offered a strikingly brief articulation of regret for a decade-old audiotape in which he boasted about grabbing women’s genitals and said he could have his way with ...[more]
From E-town NOW This past summer, Elizabethtown College secured approval of a collective impact grant, the result of which offers a heartwarming opportunity to the College and community to fulfill the College motto of Educate for Service. The grant, through Lancaster County Coalition to End Homelessness, made it possible for the College to spearhead E-town Community Housing and Outreach Services (ECHOS), which ...[more]
This article appeared four years ago in EJ. We have re-posted it because of its enduring relevance. Talk radio. Network TV. Cable news channels. On-line blogs and news. Newspapers and magazines. We, as Americans, are privileged to have access to such a wide variety of information sources to inform us about issues concerning our civic lives and our elected officials. Despite ...[more]
10 August 2016 (Elgin, IL) – Sarah Uhl of Elizabethtown, PA has recently undertaken a Brethren Volunteer Service (BVS) assignment with ABODE Services in Fremont, CA. Abode Services works in partnership with homeless people, affirming their personhood and offering opportunities for self-help, self-determination, and community interaction. Workers share the burdens of their clients while encouraging them to improve their own ...[more]
Pigs love to wallow in mud. In Pennsylvania, members of Pennsylvania’s political and legal establishments seem to relish wading into cesspools of corruption. Nine years ago, in Pennsylvania, Democrats were charged with “illegal use of government funds for political purposes.” Former House Speaker Bill DeWeese and Democratic Whip Mike Veon went to jail for their starring roles in Bonusgate. (1) Republicans were ...[more]
It' summer. It's VBS time. For the unwashed VBS is short for vacation bible school. This has motivated the editors of EJ to resurrect a previously published article (Oct. 2011) that tells a tale of how church advocates may stealthfully garner government support for church agendas and evangelism. This comes on the heels of a program in Pennsylvania (and some ...[more]
Here is a link to David Terrell's latest column at Clyde Fitch. In it, he discusses the challenge of a Hillary candidacy. [more]
From the Senior Special Correspondent for International and Philosophical Affairs The life of an EJ editor, it has been noted more than once, is not an easy one. The arrows of outrageous fortune come at him unceasingly from all sides, but the consummate professional that he is, he deals with the trials and tribulations visited upon him with equanimity. And then he ...[more]
Elizabethtown's David Terrell's latest offering in the Clyde Fitch Report can be found here: http://www.clydefitchreport.com/2016/04/2016-election-politcal-parties/ [more]
Editor's note: Sanjay Paul is an Associate Professor of Economics at Elizabethtown College. As for Homer, we are not exactly sure who he is. He may be the ghost of the ancient author or, perhaps, the human manifestation of the popular television personality. Many scholars believe that Homer may not be a single person and they hypothesize that he may ...[more]
April 20, 2016- Elizabethtown Area High School seniors Katie Gizzi and Christopher Bair were named the Elizabethtown Rotary Club’s students of month for April. Gizzi and Bair were honored for their high academic achievement and extensive involvement in school and community service activities. Gizzi is the daughter of Zane and Melissa Gizzi of Elizabethtown. She is a member of the prestigious ...[more]
March 29th was a normal day for most Elizabethtown residents, but not for one local who was in for a major surprise. Randy Hilton of Elizabethtown has been entering sweepstakes for years, sometimes spending as much as eight hours each day entering to win prizes. Hilton's persistence paid off in a big way when he was recently selected as the ...[more]
April 6, 2016- Students from the Elizabethtown School District recently took part in the National History Day (NHD) regional competition at Manheim Township School District. High school juniors Aparna Paul and Katy Shank both took home awards in the highly regarded academic program. Paul placed first in the senior individual research paper and Shank placed second in the senior individual ...[more]
David Terrell's latest column, Bernie Sanders, a Thinker’s Troublemaker, can be accessed here. [more]
The election season has once again prompted us to ask questions about our government and our electoral process. Questions like, "Why do they publicly tell us one thing and govern in a different manner?" and "Why do they govern in a manner that is not in the interest of those that elected them and then develop a narrative that clumsily ...[more]
February 12, 2016- Elizabethtown Area High School seniors Sarah Sellers and Santino Buonamici were named the Elizabethtown Rotary Club’s students of month for February. Sellers and Buonamici were honored for their high academic achievement and extensive involvement in school and community service activities. Sellers is the daughter of Lewis and Gayle Sellers of Elizabethtown. She is a member of the prestigious ...[more]
The latest column from Elizabethtown resident David Terrell discusses liberty and equality, their place in the thought of the founding fathers, their use by libertarians, and what is and could be. It's at Clyde Fitch and can be found here: http://www.clydefitchreport.com/2016/02/2016-election-liberty-equality-history/ [more]
From Etown-NOW by Cory Caudell With the current election process underway, Dr. Kyle Kopko’s newest book, “The VP Advantage: How Running Mates Influence Home State Voting in Presidential Elections,” provides insightful information to politicians and researchers alike. Already released in the United Kingdom, the book will be available in the United States in March. “The VP Advantage” looks at the importance ...[more]
Twenty-sixteen is not 1916 and it can never be. The world in which we live is not a world of industrial capitalism and small merchants. The world in which we live is not a world of isolated nations. The world in which we live is not organized by local communities and their concomitant primacy in defining life. The world in ...[more]
Dec 18, 2015 The International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB) are two major components of the international financial system. They were established at the end of World War II, with differing objectives. The IMF was meant to provide short-term loans to member countries that found themselves in balance-of-payments crises—typically situations where countries were running short of foreign-exchange reserves ...[more]
The following link will take you to Elizabethtown resident David Terrell's most recent article for the Clyde Fitch Report. It addresses the issue of prison reform: U.S. Prisons: Sense and Sentencing. [more]
Two books that share a common insight. Both have been best sellers. Each book has a separate story to tell. The essay accessed by the link below features these two books: The Righteous Mind: Why good people are divided by politics and religion by Jonathan Haidt and Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. The review examines two books and three ...[more]
It's election season. Don't be left out in the cold. Is civic duty worth $49.99? I have invented an app (AutoVote) that chooses a candidate...so you don't have to. It is compatible with all mobile devices, personal computers, TRS-80, and Heath Kit computers. The cost is just $49.99 and picks all national and congressional candidates for you...so you don't have to. ...[more]
Editor's note: Homer is the author's alter ego or fantasy nemesis or a distant relative. We are not sure. He couldn't believe it. Homer was watching the third GOP candidates' debate, and was shocked to see the CNBC moderators ask the presidential contenders one “gotcha” question after another. Did they have no respect for the distinguished people standing at their podiums? ...[more]
CHARLOTTE, N.C., SEPTEMBER 28, 2015—Artist Wendy Edsall-Kerwin of Elizabethtown has been chosen to represent Pennsylvania in American Craft Week’s first virtual gallery featuring 51 works of art representing one celebrated craft artist from each state and Washington, D.C. The exhibition, “Masterpiece E-xhibit & Sale, is online exclusively and will run through October 11 to coincide with American Craft Week (Friday, ...[more]
This is the first in a series of reports chronicling the progress of the Lancaster Habitat's Elizabethtown Home Build. At the unmistakable sound of shovels hitting dirt, guests attending Lancaster Area Habitat for Humanity’s Groundbreaking Ceremony at 50 East Washington Street on Tuesday, September 15 applauded the official launch of the organization’s Elizabethtown Home Build. The four shiny gold shovels that upturned ...[more]
Click on the link below to view an essay on the origins of our political attitudes. It was written as an antidote to the somewhat parochial manner in which pundits explain the political affinities of the electorate to us. It also describes one of the critical features of our life-worlds that guides the development of all of our attitudes, not ...[more]
Originally published in E-Town NOW. Some artists are all about the finished product, about stepping back and taking in their creation. Others, like Elaina Posey, revel in the process of creating. They find a nugget of inspiration, put in their time in front of the canvas and, then, they move on to their next piece of work with little reflection on the ...[more]
Ah the glorious days of misspent youth. In my case, I am not sure they were all that glorious nor were they particularly misspent. However, some important things were not accomplished. Recently, through deep introspection, I came to acknowledge and accept an important absence from my youth: I had never read Kafka. Consequently, as part of my journey to achieve ...[more]
The popularity of Donald Trump is a bit reminiscent of the last successful businessman who asserted that those business skills offered an advantage in the skills that are required of a president. So EJ dug into its archives and resurrected the following article, originally published in December of 2011. An often-heard platitude during the seemingly endless media coverage of the seemingly ...[more]
Noted diplomat Dennis Rodman is not content to rest on laurels. You may recall that last year, he single-handedly undertook a dangerous mission to North Korea where, through a game-theoretic strategy involving high-stakes basketball, he managed to disarm the Little Dictator and make the United States North Korea’s BFF. Upon his return to America, he was rewarded by the media ...[more]
From E-town NOW Throughout the summer, Elizabethtown College’s Bowers Writers House provides an opportunity for teens, who have a thirst for writing and creativity, to join in conversations with those whose vocation and avocation center on just that. Jesse Waters, Writers House director, assembled professional writers in a variety of genre to take part in the Summer Writers Experience—free, casual craft talks ...[more]
The book by local author Jean-Paul Benowitz is set to release on June 1, 2015. The book includes 200 vintage images, many of which have never been published, and showcases memories of days gone by. Settled in 1708 and incorporated as a borough in 1827, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, is located five miles from the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County, 20 miles from ...[more]
May 18, 2015- Elizabethtown Area High School seniors Linden Taylor and Benjamin Good were named the Elizabethtown Rotary Club’s Students of Month for May. Taylor and Good were honored for their high academic achievement and extensive involvement in school and community service activities. Taylor, daughter of Kent Taylor and Susan Traverso of Elizabethtown, has excelled in the classroom having earned membership ...[more]
From E-town NOW It was one of those off-the-cuff ideas that had Elizabethtown College Dining Services buzzing this spring. “Charlie saw something in the Merchandiser about a free beekeeping class,” said Eric Turzai, director of Dining Services. He was referencing Charlie Downs, residential dining chef, and a six-hour introduction to the habits and lives of the fuzzy little honey producers. “We were amazed ...[more]
It's a tad frustrating that the commentaries are on a path toward insight, but never actually arrive there. We have been presented with three dominant commentaries that claim to explain why the police engage in violent acts against the citizens they are charged to protect. The most common of these commentaries is one that asserts that these acts are acts ...[more]
From Chronicling Elizabethtown FORTUNE recently released its annual list of 100 Best Companies to Work For, and for the third year in a row Mars Inc. was recognized as a leading employerin the United States. In an email, the corporate communications office said, "Mars is pleased to be recognized for its extensive learning and development training, community engagement and health & wellness ...[more]
From E-town NOW When you conjure memories of “Mr. Rogers Neighborhood” flashing gently on your TV screen, remembering visits from the Queen, Trolley, Daniel Tiger and Officer Clemmons, you probably aren’t thinking about the bold political and social statements made in many of the programs. But, Fred Rogers, in his soft signature cardigan, was one of the most radical pacifists of ...[more]
We have lived with Islamic violence in the contemporary world for some time now. We have also lived with television analysts offering their take on the etiology of that violence. Three universes of content can be found in their causal narratives. For the most part these analysts are informed people: some are scholars, some are ideologues, and some are pundits. ...[more]
February 9, 2015 (ELIZABETHTOWN, PA)- Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs might be the community’s favorites, but new Girl Scout Cookie varieties will be joining the iconic roster for the Girl Scout in the Heart of Pennsylvania’s (GSHPA) 2015 Girl Scout Cookie Program, which will run from Feb. 13- March 15. Rah Rah Raisins will satisfy any cookie lovers’ cravings with plump ...[more]
From Etown Now Rather than concentrate on profits, social enterprises focus on people and the community. Though revenue-generating—nonprofit or for-profit—these endeavors apply commercial strategies to improve human and environmental wellbeing. The bottom-line goal is social, cultural, economic or environmental outcomes. Though social enterprises might look like a traditional business on the surface, underlying are symbiotic relationships. Ten Thousand Villages. Tom’s Shoes. Warby ...[more]
From Etown Now , by Michael P. Federici In the Frank Capra movie It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey learns from Clarence that “one man’s life touches so many others, when he’s not there it leaves an awfully big hole.” Dr. W. Wesley McDonald passed away in September. His death is cause for reflection on the contribution he made to Elizabethtown College ...[more]
From Chronicling Elizabethtown January 20, 2015 Last Thursday night Borough Council meeting turned into a lovefest for the Elizabethtown Police Department -- and rightly so. Two officers were honored for their work with the department. Detective Clair Martin was recognized for 26 years of service to the community upon retiring from the department on Jan. 3. And Officer Rick Farnsler received the ...[more]
Hillary Clinton has been taking flak over her speaker fees. For a recent speech given at UCLA, Clinton earned $300,000, which, she said, was a special rate for universities (1). But more details have now emerged about her requirements for the appearance—the style and color of the executive armchairs she would be sitting in, choice of beverages in the green ...[more]
Elizabethtown author David Terrell's latest column, "Your Nationality? Monsanto," is a must read. In it he discusses how we should think about the distribution of power in the world in the age of globalization. The reader should think about the parochial range of priorities, moral concerns, and interests represented by corporate actors and compare it to the same range represented ...[more]
GEARS, Greater Elizabethtown Area Recreation Services, is one of those community institutions that most of us take for granted. It naturally seems to be a part of the community and always seems to be there; like roads, schools, and grocery stores. The natural feeling of GEARS is one indicator that it is a model for a cooperative community institution and ...[more]
Nov. 27, 2009 After a recent trip to the grocery store, it became apparent that the time was right to resurrect this piece from Thanksgiving 2009. Although an issue of philosophical interest for many centuries, the Idea of Progress in its modern formulation can be attributed in large measure to Sir Francis Bacon. The Idea of Progress is a world view which ...[more]
First, the good news. Violent crime is falling. The estimated number of violent crimes in 2013 was 4.4 percent lower than in 2012. The estimated number of property crimes also fell, by 4.1 percent. (FBI Crime Statistics for 2013) But the news on justifiable homicide by police, defined as killing of a felon by a law enforcement officer in the line of ...[more]
From Chronicling Elizabethtown, November 11, 2014 Ever since I was elected to Elizabethtown Borough Council, the elected officials from the municipalities in the Elizabethtown area -- Conoy Township, Elizabethtown Borough, Mount Joy Township and West Donegal Township -- have tried to get together to discuss and solve issues that affect the region. So a few years ago, when all of the municipalities ...[more]
This commentary was written and submitted by Pennsylvania's VFW State Commander Gary Smith, a Vietnam War veteran. The Pennsylvania VFW is the largest state unit of the VFW in the United States. Americans may differ on political issues and come from different backgrounds, but we all share one thing: we know that freedom comes at a high cost and those who have ...[more]
Visit the website of the Richmond Standard and you will see it is devoted to community-driven news. It says so on the top of the page (1). Richmond, a small city near San Francisco, is blessed to have a newspaper covering issues of local interest. But the Richmond Standard is not an ordinary newspaper. It is funded by oil giant Chevron, ...[more]
What should we consider journalism is the topic in Elizabethtown author David Terrell's latest column in the Clyde Fitch Report. The article can be accessed here: Journalism by the Riff Raff. . [more]
While foraging in the woods for food, two Elizabethtown reporters had a chance encounter with a rather peculiar man. That encounter was documented in the EJ article, “Unidentified Elizabethtown Man Bicycles 15,000 Kilometers in 2011.” That was three years ago. Unfortunately, these two journalists are no longer full-time staff reporters at EJ. The paper’s budget was not adequate to cover ...[more]
Although on-site classes are not offered in the summer at Elizabethtown College and most students return home, the campus is not idle. This past summer, over 30 groups came to Elizabethtown College’s campus for an event, meeting, camp, or conference. Starting in May and ending in August, these groups are hosted on campus by Elizabethtown College’s Special Events and Summer ...[more]
Jared Gilger, a Senior on the Elizabethtown High School Football team, earned high honors this summer when he placed among the top performers at the Jimmy Smith & Marlon Brown football camp. The camp was hosted by Sports International. Gilger was able to out play nearly 100 campers to be selected as part of the program’s prestigious Gridiron Elite club. ...[more]