AFTERNOON UPDATE * “ZERO MORAL PINNINGS”

HAND IN YOUR
REPORTER CARD!

     I am simply stunned by how awful these LNP “reporters” are. A man is murdered and he has two photos on his Facebook page and one of them is him leaning against a huge gun safe.
     Do the reporters ever mention it? No. And every photo they use has the safe carefully cropped out.
     Someone in law enforcement (DA Craig Stedman?) must have asked them not to mention it and these so-called reporters obliged! That is unbelievable and scary and goes against everything journalism is supposed to stand for!
     It is still on an open Facebook page with the large photo available to any person who is on Facebook – and that’s more than one billion people!
     And Tom Knapp, who wrote about Dennis Pitch’s murder and never mentioned the safe and only used carefully cropped photos, is going to look at unsolved homicides? Is that a sick joke? He needs to hand in his “reporter” card!
—  Click here for his story, “Frustrated father says his family will get closure when Salisbury Township man’s killer is found.”      

LNP NEVER
MENTIONED HIS HUGE SAFE!

*   The men knew Pitch had plans to withdraw a large portion of his retirement account in cash, according to charging documents.
     They were at a Sunoco gas station in Narvon late Dec. 2, 2016, when Smith told them Pitch had money inside his home and “they were going to take it,” according to charging documents. 
From the LNP article, “4 men charged with homicide in 2016 break-in and fatal shooting of Salisbury Township man,” (click here).
     So, it was the safe!
—  Click here for “LNP: IGNORING THE OBVIOUS!”
—  Click here for “ARE LNP REPORTERS BLIND?”

*****

LNP DOES NOT
QUESTION STEDMAN!

     Preston Harper (formerly Ron Harper, Jr.) posted the above on LNP reporter Tom Knapp’s Facebook page yesterday.

     Please, you might give Tom (and everyone at LNP) a heart attack!
Please check back later today.

AFTERNOON UPDATE * THEY DO NOT HAVE A “HIGH RATE OF CLEARANCE!”

TELL US THE
MOTIVE, KNAPP!

     Detective Geesey said investigators think they know the motive for the murder, which he declined to disclose. Fitzgerald said that’s a key to solving the case.
From the June 16, 2006 New Era article by Cindy Stauffer, “Probers to Lindy Biechler’s killer: We’re getting closer,” (click here).
     Maybe LNP reporter Tom Knapp could ask DA Stedman what the motive was since Detective Joseph Geesey has retired. Doesn’t the public have a right to know over ten years after this article was published and over 40 years since she was killed? Might it help find her killer? These detectives in Lancaster County always “decline to disclose.” Why? What are they hiding? What was the motive the elite Vidocq society decided on?
      And despite the following additional quotes from the same article, no one has ever been arrested and LNP has never questioned it:
—  Lindy Biechler’s killer should be nervous today.
—  Walter had some advice for the killer. “Don’t buy any green bananas,” he said.
—  Said Geesey: “We’re about two steps behind them.”
     The article is the last we ever heard about it. There was no follow-up by LNP. No questioning of Geesey about what happened.  They were only two steps behind and he shouldn’t buy green bananas! What the hell went wrong? Why wasn’t there an arrest? There was absolutely nothing further from LNP. Can you imagine any other news organization not following-up and demanding answers? “Green bananas” meant an arrest was imminent within days! Why wasn’t there an arrest?
      And that’s the way all these killers get away with murder in Lancaster County. Because LNP, the supposed “watchdog,” never questions anything! Unbelievable!

******

*     Once again, because of the confines of the lay-out of this site, I have to combine pleasant, fun and serious. But this is one of the best photo journalists out there. If you want a pick-me-up for a Monday – go to the Columbia Spy (click here).

*****

LNP: UNSOLVED
MURDERS REDUX!

     Four years after LNP announced a series on unsolved murders in Lancaster County, they have now announced it again in two front page stories by reporter Tom Knapp.
     And there is this quote:

      It is your job, Capt. Winters! That is why the citizens pay you! Why don’t you release the DNA information you have on Erma Kaylor’s killer, Capt. Winters? Why?
     Please see the below reprint of a post on this site about the last time LNP claimed they were doing a series on unsolved murders and stopped after two (click here for the original). We’ll be keeping a close eye, LNP and Tom Knapp!

—  Click here for LNP’s new story, “Unsolved homicides: Lancaster County boasts high rate of clearance, but investigators still pursue the ones who got away.”
—  Click here for LNP’s new story, “Seeking justice: LNP looks at Lancaster County’s unsolved homicides in an occasional series.”     

THE BOTTOM OF THE BARREL!

CORRUPTION IN
LANCASTER COUNTY!

A front page story in today’s LNP print edition and online here.

     Oh, I don’t think so, Bryan!
     The Republican Party in Lancaster County is a total disgrace but you should pick your photo-ops a little more carefully – and stay away from children!
     Cutler is pictured in the middle below with disgraced former Sheriff Mark Reese on the left and DA Craig Stedman, who did Cutler a huge, unconscionable and career-ending “favor,” on the right.

AFTERNOON UPDATE – THE CORRUPTION IS ASTONISHING!

DOODLE OR MONKEY? – 2

From the defense in Phillip Benson’s lawsuit against the House of Pizza (see yesterday’s post).

     The defense for the House of Pizza is being handled by Robert Hallinger of the Lancaster law firm of Appel & Yost LLP.
     I think it is very wise that the cashier was advised not to “doodle” on receipts in the future! If I had gotten that receipt, I don’t think I’d be happy and I would wonder what in the hell she was trying to draw and why.
     That being said, I don’t know her history or why she drew what she did. I think it being racially motivated is a stretch because the restaurant has a diverse work staff and diverse customers.
     It doesn’t look like a monkey to me (I don’t know what it looks like) but I will follow the case and see what the court decides.

*****

WHO TOOK THEM DOWN?

     I wanted to document Brett Hambright’s response yesterday to my email regarding G. Scott Davis’ dockets (see the post immediately below). I emailed him at 10:56 am and he responded with the link at 11:01 am. The dockets had not been available prior to my email and my morning post.
     The corruption in Lancaster County is simply astonishing.

AFTERNOON UPDATE – PUT THE DOCKETS BACK, STEDMAN!

— I will come back to G. Scott Davis, his dockets and the DA tomorrow.

DOODLE OR MONKEY?

     On February 7th of this year, I published a story concerning a lawsuit by Phillip Benson against the Lancaster House of Pizza on W. Chestnut St. for a “horrific racially motivated drawing” of a “large smiling monkey” on his receipt (click here).
     The defense has responded denying everything and with a copy of the receipt attached to their response. 
      The defense says the cashier was just “doodling” on the receipt while waiting for his order and she drew a “smiling stick figure with a large round head resembling a hockey puck.” They went on to say, “Defendant’s cashier specifically did not draw a monkey, nor was her drawing in any way motivated by the Plaintiff or his appearance.”
     The receipt is above as is a photo of Phillip Benson from his Facebook page from November of 2016. You decide.

*****

***  Literally within two minutes of sending my email, Hambright replied with a link to his docket (click here).
      Hmmm… It was not there this morning!

**   The below email was just sent to Brett Hambright, media specialist for DA Craig Stedman. The article linked to in the email by Hambright for LNP is here.

*    Had someone look at the Pennsylvania UJS Portal and was unable to find any reference to the case….Very odd.  There is in the MDJ Dockets a Traffic case from 2012 or so for a G S Davis…but nothing  under the criminal heading at either the MDJ or Common Pleas level.  There is something rotten if the records were deleted or expunged.  The guy plead guilty and unless he got a pardon from the governor, which is doubtful in this short length of time, the record should be there.
Part of an email in this morning (thank you!).
      Several months ago I looked for his dockets and they were missing. But now that another man has been charged with accidentally shooting a gun and hitting a woman in the head I went looking again. They are not there. Where did they go and why?

CONTINUING COVER-UP
BY DA CRAIG STEDMAN?

G. Scott Davis

     What happened to G. Scott Davis’ docket sheets? They have disappeared from the internet.
     Davis shot and killed his two-month-old daughter on Christmas Eve in 2013.
     His dockets are missing. Is that because he is Representative Bryan Cutler’s brother-in-law?
Please check back later today.

*** BREAKING *** AFTERNOON UPDATE *** – ** – * NIBBLE ON THIS!

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

ABSOLUTE STUPIDITY!

     This is just too much! How stupid can these editors and reporters be? Click here for, “Holiday Inn Express offers teacher suspended for making pancakes during PSSAs a free pancake maker.” Unbelievable! Why did he tell you he was going to be fired, “reporter” Geli? And why did you believe him? Why don’t you report on that?

IN A DANK CORNER!

     Well, I certainly learned some new things today (see the comments under this post). “Dank” is a slang word for good marijuana and now has also transitioned from that to be used to describe beer among many other things.
     But even given my new knowledge, I still say the below beer review is ridiculous and gobbledygook. And I don’t want a beer with the flavor of “dankness” as well as “musty grass, over-ripe mango, lemon zest and pine.” I simply do not. Put that beer in a dank corner and give me a Bud!
     Seriously, back to serious news tomorrow!

FROM PANCAKES TO BEER!

     It poured straw gold with a creamy, white head, slight haze and lazy particulates. The aroma was dank with green herbs and grass, passion fruit, mango and lemon. In flavor, dankness followed from the nose as well as musty grass, over-ripe mango, lemon zest and pine. There was a ton of flavor in this session IPA while being nicely bittered over an underlying softness; it’s crushable, for sure.
From the LNP article, “Learn about riding the rails with hobos (don’t call them tramps) and find tasting notes on 3 Lord Hobo beers,” (click here).
     That is the most ridiculous gobbledygook I have read in a long time. Are there any editors at LNP? Does anyone working there have any common sense?

*****

YOU CORRECT INACCURACIES!

From a special column in today’s LNP by SDoL School Board President Edith Gallagher regarding pancakegate (click here).

***  Yes, and LNP should have issued a correction for those inaccuracies. Period. Any ethical journalism organization would.
       Okay, I am done!

****

**   Thank goodness it was whole grain. Any other kind of pancake and I think we would have a systemic unravel of not just the middle school, but I fear our society.
Part of a comment under the editorial.
     Amen! LOL!

FULL OF IT!

From LNP’s editorial.

*    Yes, I’m sure you “know” middle-school-age children because most of your reporters are only a few years past that!
      The man cooked pancakes during the test. He brought an electric griddle and we assume a spatula. We don’t know if he mixed the batter for the pancakes in the room or if he brought a big pitcher of batter with him. He must have had some form of grease for his griddle and then he poured batter on it and cooked these wholegrain pancakes while the students were supposed to be taking a test!
     We still don’t know how he served them. We don’t know if he had plates, forks and syrup or if he just slapped a wholegrain cake down on their desks for them to eat with their hands while taking a test.
      Yes, the district has to take the protocols seriously or else you’d be screaming especially if these student’s test results were thrown out because of the absurd distraction of a man flipping pancakes on a griddle and then students “nibbling” on them.
     I truly am now done with this false wholegrain pancakegate. Your terrible, incorrect reporting started this flap in the first place. You should have issued a correction and an apology instead of writing this nonsensical crap!

     *****

BATTER UP!

Today’s LNP editorial headline from the print edition (click here to read the editorial online).

An excellent comment posted under the editorial.

     You are a disgrace to journalism, LNP.
Please check back later today.

AFTERNOON UPDATE – RESIGN, TOM MURSE!

 LNP: STEALING
FROM THE SCHOOLS

      Can you even imagine all the irate phone calls targeted at the schools called in by casual readers of the LNP? Taking precious time away from the kids to hear some armchair blathermouth yell at them?
     The LNP needs to apologize. They won’t. If anything, watch… they will double down. And in the meantime they have stripped properties from the tax rolls that funded education in the city. They’ve demolished buildings and got some of the sweetest tax breaks going that all meant that schools would be losing funding at every turn.
     Guess that the Murry case is ‘eating’ at them. Maybe his attorney should serve a pancake breakfast prior to the trial.
Part of a comment in today.
     Run these liars and thieves pretending to be the news media out of town!
     Murry’s attorney might have to make LNP pancakes because they won’t have any money left! Murry has an excellent law firm representing him and he is forcing LNP to spend a fortune on lawyers!
     There are developments in former Manheim Township School District Board President William Murry’s lawsuit against LNP and I will try to come to them shortly!

 ****   

**   And further, the Board President told the public that the state has very strict legal mandates involving the testing and monitoring and the District could be fined and punished if those strict standards are not followed.

*    Further, the School Board President told the public that on the days of the PSSAs, the first period is breakfast. Breakfast for all of the students is not served before school on those dates – it is served during the first period to ensure that all students have been fed and are ready for the testing.

LNP GOT IT
ALL WRONG!

      The School District of Lancaster School Board opened their meeting last night stating that a news report was inaccurate and they had a statement correcting the report on their website, Facebook and Twitter pages.  That statement is below and click here for their website with the statement.
     LNP should have apologized for making a huge error in their reporting. Instead they danced around the truth and backtracked and never apologized or corrected all of their huge errors that caused an absolute furor on social media.
     Resign Managing Editor Tom Murse! You are a disgrace to journalism!
—  You can watch the entire school board meeting on Tony Dastra’s “See-thru City – Lancaster, PA” Facebook page (click here).
—  The School District statement is below.
—  Please see yesterday’s post and check back later today.

AFTERNOON UPDATE – AND MUCH MORE!

BREAKING NEWS?

      LNP has had this as “BREAKING” all afternoon. Can you imagine? But LNP almost caused a riot with the false story that the teacher was to be fired. This whole saga of bad reporting is unbelievable. And suddenly the teacher, John Byler, “was not immediately available for comment on Tuesday.”
     What a bunch of whole-grain nonsense! Your job during the PSSAs, Mr. Byler, is to be a proctor. Your job is not to cook pancakes on an electric griddle (whether “whole-grain” or  not) and hand them out to students as they take the test. It’s that simple and it’s common sense! Enough said. Tomorrow back to serious news.

PANCAKEGATE!

***  Gee, Alex, maybe as a reporter you should have checked his story before you had half of Lancaster ready to march in and attack the school administration!

WHOLE-GRAIN!

 **   “There was never any dismissal action on the Board’s agenda,” SDL spokeswoman Kelly Burkholder said in an email Tuesday afternoon.
From the LNP update on pancakegate, “Teacher who served pancakes during PSSAs won’t be fired, is scheduled to return to classroom,” (click here).
     Uh, oh! So LNP’s whole first story that he would be fired was not factual to begin with. Unbelievable!  
[The LNP “reporter” states twice in the new article that they were “whole-grain” pancakes! Ridiculous! Does that make it okay?] 

*     Byler had brought an electric griddle and made one whole-grain pancake for each test-taker to eat during the test, he said.
From the pancake story.
     I agree that firing this teacher is over-the-top, but you can’t make pancakes during the PSSAs! You are supposed to be monitoring the students!
     And how did he serve them? Were the students given a plate, fork and syrup? Invite them in before the test for pancakes – not during a national, very important test!

MORE PANCAKES, PLEASE!

     LNP has their latest clickbait story – about pancakes – but they were “whole-grain” pancakes (click here for “Hand Middle School teacher likely to be fired for making pancakes during PSSAs”)! Oh, the outrage! Where’s my electric griddle?

     $750,000 cash bail (click here)? Let’s look at some other cases where people fired guns and killed or could have killed someone.    

       As noted here by a commenter yesterday, Rich Manieri is no longer listed as the LNP Deputy Opinion Editor. And his LNP Twitter account is just gone! Wow! What is going on? He actually had journalism credentials!

Posted on Lancaster Online under the story, “4 arrested Thursday evening in Lancaster city after traffic stop goes awry,” (click here).
     I wish I were “Jai Sai!” He or she went under that story and made mincemeat of all the racist trolls and stupid people posting there! What an outstanding job! And my blog is doing just fine, thank you! Stupid, nasty and arrogant is no way to go through life, Diane!
Please check back later today!

AFTERNOON UPDATE ** – * DEMAND AN INVESTIGATION!

****

OUTRAGEOUS DISPARITY!

Cordero-Pena

* 4-15-18 UPDATE ** – * WHAT IN THE WORLD?

*     Can you imagine one of LNP’s “world-class” journalists rewriting the police press release  and seeing the charge of “riot” four times and not questioning it? Oh, yes, people are charged with “riot” everyday in Lancaster County. Nothing to see or question here. We don’t ever question the police! We’re LNP!
— (Click here for LNP’s, “4 arrested Thursday evening in Lancaster city after traffic stop goes awry.”)

4-15-18 UPDATE

BLATANT RACISM!

     Five people were in a vehicle when they were stopped by the Lancaster City Police for an unknown reason. The police did not find drugs, alcohol or weapons. One juvenile who was not in the car was tasered. His mother who came to the scene was arrested along with the juvenile and two of the car’s occupants.
     They have all been charged with “riot” and in some cases other charges as well (legal definition of “riot” is below and their charge is based on #2).
     Reportedly, there are multiple witnesses and videos of these arrests. The District Judge apparently didn’t think much of this because she released them on unsecured bail.
     This is a blatant case of racism and is outrageous and this site will follow these cases very, very carefully.     

**   I posted the below on July 1, 2015 when the five men were sworn into the police department (click here for the original).
     And of all days, today the NAACP and SACA and others will be discussing the Lancaster City Police Department (click here for, “Officers to discuss progressive policing at Crispus Attucks Center”)!

*    Officer Jake (Jacob M.) Bingham when he was sworn in with four other men on June 30, 2015 (click here).

****

CHARGED WITH RIOT?

     What in the world? Goes “awry?” Click here for the police press release.

AFTERNOON UPDATE – DOES LNP REFLECT THE COMMUNITY THEY SERVE?

I WOULD NOT PAY $11!

COMMON SENSE!

AFTERNOON UPDATE * HORRIFIC POSTS!

FEELING BLUE?

A comment on Lancaster Online under the F&M story.

     I enjoy it when someone sees something that most overlook! But I have to point out at the very forefront of the large photograph, there is clearly a woman with blue leggings (see the cropped photo to the left). Just trying to help!
     And somehow, the comments under this post turned to State Senator Scott Martin which is always delightful if not a little creepy. Which brings us to an update on his new wife, Amber Martin’s (formerly Green and she is the County Treasurer) custody complaint against her ex-husband, Gerald Green, II.
     President Judge Dennis Reinaker has now turned the case over to a Delaware County Senior Judge (see his order below). That should hopefully remove any controversy over who is handling the case and avoid any conflicts of interest. And while the Order indicates Gerald Green is “Pro Se” – representing himself – according to the docket he has wisely hired an attorney to represent him – Melissa Montgomery, Esquire (click here for her website).
    And the Martin beat goes on…

     ****

*    From The College Reporter article linked to below:
     This is not all of the problematic content found on the MProtective Facebook page, other examples can be found below. For example, the company consistently reposts anti-gun control articles, while in contrast, Dr. Porterfield notified the community this past month that he will be advocating against the opening of a gun shop on Dillerville Pike. The point is not that people are not allowed to have these views. There are definitely some F&M students who would agree with some, if not all of the opinions put forth by MProtective, and they have every right to do so. The real issue is twofold, first of all, by partnering with this company, the school is supporting political speech, certain aspects of which seem antithetical to the expressed mission of the institution. Second of all, because hiring MProtective is the only way Greek organizations are allowed to have parties, the administration’s policy is forcing students to financially support a worldview they may vehemently disagree with. As a member of Greek life, I don’t think this company represents me, I don’t think it represents the experience I’ve had with my organization, and I don’t think it deserves my support.

******

F&M: WHAT
WERE YOU THINKING?

     The below are a few of the posts on the MProtective, LLC Facebook page according to the F&M newspaper The College Reporter (click here) and click here for the LNP article, “Franklin & Marshall College cuts ties with security group after ‘inflammatory’ social media posts, misconduct allegation.”
     Unbelievable!

** – * LNP: THE HEIGHT OF HYPOCRISY!

**   After a very lengthy and contentious debate on the warehouse, and after city council decided to table it, Eugene Aleci stood up again and asked how the Historical Commission could have agreed to its demolition in the first place! That really set James Reichenbach off!
     Aleci posted multiple long, detailed and impassioned comments under the last LNP article about the warehouse to save it (click here).

*    It was Lancaster City Council President James Reichenbach who gave a loud and somewhat angry “No!” last night as council decided to table a vote on the demolition of the Water Street Rescue Mission warehouse. You can watch the entire meeting here.

******

XENOPHOBIC IMPULSES?

      We have only this to say to Wubah: In Lancaster County, you’ll find that most residents welcome people of different backgrounds. Our county is home, after all, to a city known as “America’s refugee capital.” Signs outside of homes in the city, the suburbs and rural communities welcome neighbors in Spanish, Arabic and English. We see diversity as our strength; we see it making the culture here richer. So welcome to Millersville. We wish you and the university well.
From today’s LNP editorial, “It is one thing to question a university president pick; it’s quite another to give in to xenophobic impulses,” (click here).      
       Oh, that is rich! We may welcome you here but we sure as hell will not give you a job at LNP! We like to keep our staff white, white and whiter! Just take a look!
Please check back later today.

* MOTHER’S DAY

*    Click here for the LIP News exclusive from June of 2015 regarding the making of this film and also her other son, “LATOYA HUNTER-HARVEY – STRENGTH THROUGH ALL THE STORMS.”

****

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

THE FORGOTTEN
VICTIMS OF DEATH ROW

     Jakeem Towles and his mother, Latoya Hunter-Harvey, are featured in this documentary. Towles, on death row, is still waiting for the result of his latest appeal (click here for “JAKEEM TOWLES – POST CONVICTION COLLATERAL RELIEF HEARING”).

OVER 1,800 COMMENTS!

DAILY HARASSMENT!

PLAY BALL?

IT WILL COST MILLIONS!

     One of the three ball fields at the park will be removed to make way for the wetland. They’re typically not all in use at the same time, Katzenmoyer told the council.
From today’s LNP ridiculously titled article, “Will a wetland in Long’s Park make Park City Center start paying Lancaster’s stormwater fee?” (click here).
     I wonder if Katzenmoyer has facts to back up that statement? These city officials just say these things and no one ever questions them!
     This is just one very small piece of everything the city is required to do under the consent decree with the EPA – click here for the LNP “insider” article, “Lancaster city fined $135K, will end decades of polluting Conestoga, Chesapeake Bay.”
     Once again, former Mayor Rick Gray is quoted in the LNP article as follows:        
     But he noted that higher sewer bills are in store for city residents. “It will be millions of dollars over 20 years,” he said.
     Other than that one quote, LNP has failed to tell the public how the incredible incompetence of the Gray administration is going to financially burden the city for years to come.
Please check back later today.     

AFTERNOON UPDATE ** – * A PROBLEM ATTORNEY!

STAY OFF MY PROPERTY?

     There has been a lot of talk recently about “No Trespassing” signs and their legal implications – and I’ll be coming to a local court case about alleged “trespassing” shortly. But as background, there is this in-depth look from the Washington Post on “No Trespassing” signs and law enforcement among other topics (click here):

The court concludes that under this test, a “no trespassing” sign ordinarily doesn’t have much Fourth Amendment significance:

In short, a homeowner who posts a “No Trespassing” sign is simply making explicit what the law already recognizes: that persons entering onto another person’s land must have a legitimate reason for doing so or risk being held civilly, or perhaps even criminally, liable for trespass. Consequently, as set forth above, a knock-and-talk conducted within constitutional parameters is a legitimate reason for police officers to enter the curtilage of a house via a driveway that is obstructed by nothing more than several “No Trespassing” signs. For this reason, we disagree with the dissent that “a ‘No Trespassing’ sign should be of particular significance to law enforcement officers in communicating that they may need to obtain a warrant before entering the property.” Officers engaging in legitimate police business will conclude, correctly, that they are not engaging in a “trespass” when they approach a front door to conduct a knock-and-talk. We also emphasize that the occupant of a residence is under no obligation to open a door when knocked upon by a police officer who holds no warrant.

***

**   Speaking of politics, this has to be the “best” attack ad ever! Oh, my heavens! Whoever did this has a major movie career coming – or working for Trump! Amazing!

“ASS-COVERING!”

From Michael Deibert’s twitter this morning. Click here for the Schmuck’s guest column in today’s LNP, “Constituent contact takes many forms,” (click here).
*    Deibert beat me to it! Is it any wonder this man no longer works for LNP? Bravo!

****

COUNSEL ME NOT!

     The simple explanation for President Trump’s inability to keep competent counsel is not a legal or ethical one — it is him. He is a problem client.
From LNP’s guest column in today’s Sunday News, “The not-so-open-and-shut case of Trump’s quest for counsel,” (click here).
    What a hoot and a bunch of nonsense!
    Could LNP just let J. Richard Gray go away quietly? He is a problem attorney!    
    Hey, maybe he and Trump could (gasp!) hook-up?

AFTERNOON UPDATE – DUNCAN RESIGNED *** BREAKING NEWS ***

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

DUNCAN RESIGNED

* 11:56 am – Deputy Court Administrator Russell Glass just confirmed by phone that District Judge Jayne Duncan emailed President Judge Dennis Reinaker and himself yesterday afternoon stating that she was resigning effective April 8th. 

     Glass also stated by phone this morning that Judge Duncan did not give a reason for her sudden resignation yesterday. He did say his office has contingency plans in place and everything should be in order on Monday in terms of the District Judges.
     He said the official process for any Judge in Pennsylvania to resign is to send a letter to the Governor with an original signature (meaning no email or faxes are accepted). Glass said that according to the Governor’s office this morning, that letter has not yet been received but Duncan indicated it has been sent.

DID DUNCAN RESIGN?

Jayne F. Duncan

AFTERNOON UPDATE – SINGING HIS PRAISES!

 THANKS, TONY!

     A quick note this afternoon: Tony Dastra live-streamed last night’s City Planning Commission meeting on his “See-thru City – Lancaster, PA” Facebook page (click here). I only caught a small portion of it last night and plan on listening to the entire meeting. A huge thanks to Dastra for all he does and live-streaming these very important meetings!

NOISE, NOISE, NOISE – 2

Brooks

     LNP reporter Tim Stuhldreher makes no mention of the new and vocal Noise Control Board member Christopher Brooks in his article today, “Lancaster to look at updating its noise ordinance,” (click here).
     When I wrote about him, I described him as “incredibly enthusiastic” and he was – in a good way! I also stated he knows a lot about noise – and he does! He is a Senior Associate at Acoustic Distinctions and knows sound proofing and architecture and bass notes and how to control noise. 
      This is the type of expertise and enthusiasm Lancaster needs!

** – * THEIR STAFF DOES NOT REFLECT THE COMMUNITY THEY COVER!

NOTHING HAS CHANGED – 2

From the same article linked to below.

**   What a hoot (kind-of)! Yes, and all of those papers were owned by the racist Steinman family (as the two remaining are to this day) as well as WGAL-TV!  And they still remain Lancaster’s monopoly news source.
     That’s why the Lancaster Independent Press was founded.

NOTHING HAS CHANGED!

     From the LNP article, “Assassination and response dominated news in weeks after killing of Martin Luther King Jr.,” (click here).

LNP: SHEER
HYPOCRISY & LIES

       I might be impressed with this online only, huge LNP tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. if LNP had a single minority reporter on their staff. They do not.
      As I’ve been stating on this site for over 14 years, racism in Lancaster County begins at LNP. This is nothing but sheer hypocrisy and lies at an unbelievable level.

      Look at the reporters on these seven articles: Kathy Daminger (white), Erin Negley (white), Jennifer Kopf (white), Jenelle Janci (white), Jane Holahan (white), Mary Ellen Wright –  two articles, (white).
     LNP does not have a single minority reporter on their staff.

* & PROPOSED CHANGE TO LONG’S PARK

*    Due to those dreaded “unforeseen circumstances,” LIP News will not publish this afternoon and posting will be sporadic for the rest of the week. Thank you for your patience.

NOISE, NOISE, NOISE!

Brooks

     Noise has Lancaster City residents upset! And Christopher Brooks, an incredibly enthusiastic new member of the Noise Control Board, knows a lot about noise! Owners of the Hagar Arcade Condos showed up in force (including former mayoral candidate Cindy Stewart) as did  restaurant owner Daniel Falcone who has been cited for noise violations there (click here for “The Cellar on Market to open lounge/pub this Friday next to Lancaster Central Market”). Expect to hear a lot more noise about noise shortly!      

     It was a marathon session of a city council committee meeting last night and you can watch it in full here. The potential demolition of a Water Street Rescue Mission warehouse was discussed for close to an hour, the Noise Control Ordinance was a very hot topic (Mayor Danene Sorace suggested Lancaster was a “victim of its success” with all the new restaurants and rooftop bars contributing to noise).

     And the city’s consent decree with the EPA reared its ugly head as Charlotte Katzenmoyer proposed doing away entirely with one of the ball fields at Long’s Park.

Please check back later today.

AFTERNOON UPDATE – WE’VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE…

CHANGE THE
POLICE DEPARTMENT!

“I’M BEING THE CHANGE?”

    From Wade-El’s Facebook page.

**   Black men in politics need to moisturize more? Who knew? I’ll tell that to U.S. Representative John Lewis right now!

***

*   King understood, as must we, that sacrifice was at the core of struggle.
     But somewhere he had read that the greatness of America was the right to protest for right. And that right, for the sake of all others, must be defended, because the change we seek — like the change sought by King — may take decades, even generations.
The ending sentences to Wade-El’s guest column.  
     Oh, please! This is just crap! Do something!     

DO SOMETHING!

(Click here)

     Yes, you have written about King before and I have not been impressed and this piece doesn’t impress me either! Do something besides writing banalities for one of the most racist companies in Lancaster County! Are you the only person of color LNP has left that they can turn to?
      You’re on city council now. Do something about the blatant racism in the city and the county led by LNP! Do something!
      Speaking of racism in the courts, Delonte Shaw-Cannon’s case was adjudicated on March 14 with a negotiated guilty plea (click here for “REMEMBER DELONTE SHAW-CANNON?” and there will be more later today).

        And when is LNP going to answer these questions posted under their “We the People” series (click here)? When is LNP going to tell the public the truth?
Please check back later today.

3-29-18 UPDATE – AFTERNOON UPDATE – HORRIFIC PIT BULL ATTACK

3-29-18 UPDATE 
PLEA POSTPONED

     Luis Colon-Colon’s guilty plea scheduled for today did not occur and was continued. His docket now indicates a trial date of June 4, 2018.
     Have a wonderful Easter. LIP News will be on vacation until Monday, April 2nd.

GRAY & COLON-COLON

     Former Mayor J. Richard Gray defended Luis Colon-Colon three times in 2002 and 2003 and those cases from his court summary are below (and it looks like he did a “good” job):

***

*********

COLON-COLON SCHEDULED
TO PLEAD GUILTY TOMORROW

Luis Colon-Colon

Ruby & Charlie Warfel

     Luis Colon-Colon (or Colon) is scheduled to plead guilty tomorrow afternoon in the Lancaster County Courthouse before Judge Margaret C. Miller. His pit bull attacked and severely injured young children Charlie and Ruby Warfel on June 19, 2017 (click here for their GoFundMe page where their mother tells the horrific story).
      His charges are below. According to the police press release on the case, in July of 2013 the same dog bit a four-year old grandchild of Colon-Colon (click here).
      Back in 2002 and 2003 he faced serious charges in three unrelated cases and he was represented in each one by former Mayor J. Richard Gray. He is represented in the current case by private attorney Osvaldo Espinosa of Espinosa & Associates, Llc.

Please check back later today.

* A BREATH OF FRESH AIR!

MAW UPDATE

*   I spoke to the woman in Lehigh County Judge Edward D. Reibman’s chambers this morning. He is presiding over the PP&L lawsuit against MAW Communications. She stated there was a hearing on Friday that went all day and will resume tomorrow at 1:30 in his courtroom. Apparently at least some of the hearing is regarding Lancaster City’s Motion to Intervene in the case.
     I will stay on top of this and this must be costing the city a very pretty penny in legal fees. I will file a Right to Know request for those fees as this is an entirely different law firm from my previous Right to Know requests. The city hired the Pittsburgh firm of the Cohen Law Group specifically  to file and argue for the Motion to Intervene.

NOT A RUBBER STAMP! 

Diaz

     Lancaster City Council meets tonight. On the agenda: “Overview of 2017 Bureau of Police activities” and several Historical Commission applications and recommendations (click here for the full agenda).
     Hopefully, Tony Dastra will be live-streaming it on his “See-thru City – Lancaster, PA” Facebook page.
     Under a recent LNP story on the last city council meeting, Tim Gregg, retired Fire Chief and friend of former Mayor Rick Gray, lashed out at new member Janet Diaz under the comments (click here for “Councilwoman urges broader representation on city boards, commissions”). Tony Dastra came back with this excellent response:
     Ms. Diaz is a breath of fresh air to the council. She is unafraid to go against the grain. To point out her unpreparedness is unfair, as someone who is always at council meetings I could point out how many individuals seem to fall short of being prepared at times, but that’s not what this is about.
     Ms. Diaz can vote however she would like, and I appreciate her willingness to hear all people of the city. I think her, and anyone really, voting no makes Council a more legitimate institution because it reveals there is thought going into these decisions, and perhaps also reveals that there is not enough discussion going on. Ms. Diaz motivates me to remain engaged, because I feel someone is actually listening, and won’t just vote for something because that’s the way the crowd will go.
     Dastra also asked the council several weeks ago to re-instate a question and answer session to their meetings. We’ll see if anything comes of that and when Mayor Sorace plans to take over the duties of live-streaming these very important meetings.
Please check back later today.

AFTERNOON UPDATE * NEIGHBORHOODS V. DOWNTOWN

MAW UPDATE

NICK, THIS IS THE NORM!

Posted on Lancaster Online under the story, “Lancaster County detective division finalizes rank structure to lead task forces, crime units,” and the accompanying photo shown below (click here).

*    Nick, Nick, Nick! This is Lancaster County! This is the normal everywhere! You should see the Lancaster City Police force.
     To explain: The monopoly news source here, LNP, is openly racist and you should see a photo of their editorial staff! They like it this way! It would not even occur to someone working there to notice the lack of diversity!
     Sad, but very true!

****

WHICH IS IT, SORACE?

From today’s special column in LNP, “New Lancaster Square will be by the people, for the people,” by Public Works Director Charlotte Katzenmoyer and Public Art Manager Joanna Davis (click here).

From Sunday’s special section yesterday, “Lancaster County.”

     So which is it, Mayor Sorace? Are you talking out of both sides of your mouth? 
Please check back later today.