A STONKING GREAT PUBLICITY STUNT?

BLIMEY!

    Boy, I’m going deep into the archives today! Shocked two hours ago by the divorce announcement of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, I found another Friday piece I wrote many years ago (click here). What could have gone wrong? Back to serious news tomorrow!
A STONKING GOOD TIME!
    I know there are very serious things going on. The convention center, prison abuse, finding who shot a two-year old and much more. I will address some of those items tomorrow. Today, however, is Friday and Tom has proposed to Katie, so I have a song in my heart and a joke in my head and I can’t get serious. The British just seem to have a way with words and there is this report from “Mega Star:”
    According to the small man himself – Tom Cruise has proposed to Katie Holmes at the top of the Eiffel Tower. Blimey!
    Cynics, who said it was all a stonking great publicity stunt, are suddenly realizing that Cruise means business when it comes to the little lady.
    “Yes, I proposed to her. It was early this morning at the Eiffel Tower, so I haven’t slept at all,” Cruise said at a press conference in Paris, with Holmes at his side flashing the rock.
    “Today is a magnificent day for me, I’m engaged to a magnificent woman,” he ranted.
    Does he know she’s called Katie?
    And then there’s this from the British website, “Digital Spy:”
    Bookmakers are taking bets on Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes having a baby or divorcing next year.
    Although the happy couple only became engaged to be wed this morning, bets are already being taken on their fate.
    Ananova.com reports that Ladbrokes are offering odds of 5/1 that the couple will divorce next year.
    On a more optimistic note, the company are offering evens on the pair producing a baby in 2006, and 8/1 that its name will be Paris, or 50/1 that it will be christened Nicole.
    By the way, I did look up the word stonking and it was not to be found. I think the meaning, though, is self-evident and I quite enjoy the word, as in, I’m having a stonking good time today with Tom and Katie.

AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE!

PUBLIC SAFETY!

    This morning’s paper tells us the hearing regarding the Brunswick Hotel in Harrisburg today has been delayed until late summer or early fall. So perhaps Mayor Gray will have time to respond to these three emails – two are on their fourth request and a fifth will be sent today. These are about public safety and the quality of life in Lancaster, Mayor Gray. Isn’t that what you were going to go to Harrisburg to talk about? Maybe now you’ll have time to address thesse:

Subject: Chief of Detectives – Michael Landis

For Mayor Gray,

I spoke with Michael Landis, Chief of the Lancaster County Detectives, and he said the Lancaster Police have not requested their assistance in the murder of Erma Kaylor on May 16th of this year. Please advise why this is the case.

Thank you,
Becky Holzinger
Lipnews.com .

Originally emailed on June 13th. A second request was sent on June 21st. There has been no response.

Subject: Erma Kaylor’s Murder – For Mayor Gray

Mayor Gray,

I just spoke to the owner of 235 W. Vine Street and he has not spoken to the police! He said they’ve exchanged “a few voicemails.” Please explain how this is possible and when an arrest will be made in this case? Everyone on the block is extremely concerned and scared.

Thank you,
Becky Holzinger
Lipnews.com

Originally emailed on May 29th. A second request was forwarded on June 8th, a third request on June 13th and a fourth request on June 21st. There has been no response.

Subject: Quality of Life in Lancaster

Bernie & Pat,

Could you have Mayor Gray respond regarding the quality of life in the 200 block of West Vine Street in Lancaster? The residents can’t open their windows or let their children play outside. Will something be done to bring some relief and comfort to these city residents?

Thank you,
Becky Holzinger
Editor, lipnews.com .

Originally emailed on June 1st. A second request was forwarded on June 8th, a third request on June 13th and a fourth request on June 21st. There has been no response.

THE BOILING POINT!

SO DAMN SMART?

    I could sit here and make a hundred “jokes” about the intelligence of the two-bit killer of 83-year-old Erma Kaylor.
    I could pull out my sharpest sarcasm and talk about what a high I.Q. he must have to totally elude and baffle the many trained, seasoned professionals in the Lancaster City Police Department.
    I could marvel at his planning and acumen to commit the seemingly perfect murder.
    I could write in wonder at how amazing it is that there are so many killers in Lancaster who are just so damn smart.
    I could argue all day whether our city killers are remarkably brilliant or our detectives are stupid and incompetent.
    But, in truth at this point, I am so disgusted by the Mayor, the Police Chief and the Lancaster Newspapers that my head is spinning and my anger at such inhumanity is reaching the boiling point.
Please check back later today.

LIVING IN TERROR!

PUBLIC SAFETY?

    When Lancaster city police head to Harrisburg on Friday, Mayor Rick Gray will be going with them to lend his support.
    …The mayor told City Council members the city’s primary concern has been public safety. A secondary concern, he said, is the negative impact conditions at the hotel have on the city’s reputation among residents and visitors.
From today’s article, “Mayor, Lancaster city scrutinize Hotel Brunswick,” (click here). 
    So the mayor is concerned about public safety? He has shown no concern whatsoever for the people living in the 200 block of West Vine Street where 83-year-old Erma Kaylor was brutally murdered in her home on May 16th and no arrest has been made.
    I have three emails in to the mayor regarding the police’s failure to make an arrest and take a killer off the streets. Two of those emails are on their fourth requests.
    The residents are living in terror. The mayor and the police chief have not shown one iota of concern for their public safety. And a total of nine unsolved murders in four years is certainly not helping the city’s reputation among residents and visitors.
    Tell those police on Friday to make an arrest in the murder of Erma Kaylor, Mayor Gray!. In fact, instead of heading to Harrisburg, maybe they should stay in Lancaster and do something to help the “public safety” right here and right now.

LEFT HANGING!

AN “INVESTIGATION?”

    A joint investigation by Elizabethtown police and the Lancaster County Coroner’s Office ruled the death a suicide.
From the March 29, 2012 story by Jennifer Todd and Cindy Stauffer, “Body found in Elizabethtown identified,” (click here).
    Less than 24 hours after Louise Ward’s body is found hanging 25 feet up in a pine tree, two veteran reporters write a very brief “final” story with no mention of an autopsy being performed. 
    It was the final story until, less than a week later, another woman’s body was found hanging from a tree in Lancaster.
Please check back later today.

SUICIDES OR MURDERS?

A HUGE COVER-UP!

    My fifth Right-To-Know request to find out if autopsies had been performed on Louise Ward and Isabel Bortree was hand delivered on June 15, 2012 and my request was as follows:

    The list of all autopsies performed at the Lancaster County Morgue (including deceased’s name) for the period of March 27, 2012 through April 8, 2012.

    I received this response late this past Friday afternoon:

Dear Ms. Holzinger:

    Thank you for writing to the County of Lancaster Open Records Office with your request for information pursuant to the Pennsylvania Right to Know law.

    On June 15, 2012 the County of Lancaster Open Records Officer received your request for a list of autopsies performed at the Lancaster County Morgue, including deceased’s name, for the period of March 27, 2012 to April 8, 2012.

    Your request has been granted. The list of autopsies performed at the Lancaster County Morgue for the period March 27, 2012 to April 8, 2012 is as follows:

Georgia Felder                              Margaret Richartz
Sean Okane                                    Catherine Dallas
Christopher Thompson                   Paula Davey
Julie Fox                                           Henry Good
Reed Brown

    Please be advised that this correspondence will serve to close this record with our office as permitted by law.

Sincerely,
Meridith Schreffler
Open Records Officer
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania

    Louise Ward died on March 28th and Isabel Bortree on April 4th. Obviously, their names do not appear on the above list.
    With the internet, Lancaster Online continually updates and makes changes in their stories. However, the original sentences were captured on the Lanctalk.com forum regarding the death of Louise Ward (click here):
    Officials said a deceased man found hanging in a tree Wednesday evening in Elizabethtown likely took his own life. Emergency responders were called to 75 E. High St. around 6:30 p.m. for a report of a person hanging in a tree near Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church. According to dispatch reports, it…
    It was posted at 9:44 pm the night of her death. The newspaper was incorrectly reporting it was a man, but within the three hours and fifteen minutes they were already stating that the victim likely took their own life.
    In fact, the last comment under that thread is from me, the following morning posted at 11:12 am saying they had just changed it from a man to a woman.
    Isabel Bortree’s body was found less than a week later at about 7:00 am. Less than four hours later this was also declared a suicide and it is captured once again by the LancTalk forum at 10:57 am when the story went up as follows (click here):
    A woman was found hanging from a tree in the woods behind Burle Industrial Park this morning, the second such suicide in a week in the county. A passing motorist saw the woman from the Walnut Street extension, which runs past the rear of the Burle property, and reported it to police. A county corone…
    Unbelievable. Simply Unbelievable.
    No wonder the coroner tried to hide the fact that no autopsies had been performed for almost two months.
There will be much, much more tomorrow.

*** BREAKING NEWS *** WARD & BORTREE

 NO AUTOPSIES!      

 This is a repost of an article from April 5, 2012 of this year.  Finally, on my fifth Right-To-Know request, I received the answer: NO AUTOPSIES WERE PERFORMED!

REPREHENSIBLE &
UNCONSCIONABLE!

    Louise Ward (left) and Isabel Bortree. Both of these women, age 50, allegedly committed suicide within the past week by hanging from trees.
    Is the public entitled to any details? Were ladders used? What kind of rope? Did they leave suicide notes? Were drugs and/or alcohol involved? How did the coroner determine they were suicides before autopsies were performed?
    Yes, we are entitled to know. Cindy Stauffer, a reporter for the Lancaster Newspapers for over 25 years, wrote a reprehensible and unconscionable article this morning, “Second woman hangs herself in tree within week,” (click here). This is purposeful deception on multiple levels and it’s unacceptable.
    The duty of a newspaper is to inform the public and hold public officials accountable. Rumors are running rampant and there is fear in the community. Someone needs to provide answers – now!

BUT DOES HE OWN A BOWTIE?

HIGHLY SKILLED?

                     
    Understanding the importance of pre-planning, area entrepreneur and 2013 Mayoral Candidate Peter Ruggieri announces a liquor store run after work. “Having read in the local newspaper that liquor stores are closed on Sunday for the Easter holiday, I decided to schedule a liquor store run on Saturday. This way I’ll be sure to obtain necessary provisions while supporting the Commonwealth.” stated the Mayoral hopeful, “It is this type of pre-planning and pro-active scheduling skill I will bring to the City of Lancaster as their next Mayor”
“Mayoral Candidate Plans Liquor Store Run,” (click here).
    Oh, joy! You can’t make this kind of stuff up!
Please check back later today.

THE KIDS ARE COUNTING ON US!

INCEST OBSESSION?

    Your question almost kept me from posting that clip from her website though, as I have no desire to be confused in any way with her and her incest obsession. But this is too important a story no to direct people’s attention to lip, since LNP and WGAL are apparently not interested in following this.
    This was posted on the TalkPa.net forum on April 5, 2012 by “Makita” (click here) who today posted this under a Sandusky thread on that same forum:
    Think this is a victory to all children that have been or are being molested. Puts child molesters on notice they could be next.
    So, I have an “incest obsession?” I don’t believe I’ve mentioned it directly on this site for months, although the link to the incest story has been at the top of this site for eight years and always will be.
    Gee, do you think, Makita, since you care so deeply about children being abused, that there’s a reason it stays permanently at the top of this site?  Do you think it changed my life? Do you think I want to bring awareness to it? Do you think I want to stop the abuse of other children?
    Sorry, I’m too angry to type today and the promised story will come tomorrow.
    Yes, I am thrilled by the Sandusky verdict but there are just too many hypocrites like “Makita” on the web and Facebook for me to deal with today.
    This is the exception and showed up on my Facebook wall (thank you):
    With Sandusky’s conviction, we have shown survivors of sexual abuse that the molesters will be found, prosecuted and found guilty. But enough about them, this is for you survivors. There is a 24hr hotline 717.392.7273 that is staffed by trained volunteers that you can call to get info for free services to help you through this horrible ordeal. Maybe it happened 5 minutes ago, maybe when you were 5years old. It doesn’t matter. They believe you. If you want to make an appointment to talk to a counselor, call 717.393.1735 ext 225 for Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center 9-5, Mon – Fri. All services are FREE and CONFIDENTIAL, Lastly, If you think something hinkey might be going on with someone you know, please call the center or hotline. They can give you info so you can make a decision on how to proceed. The kids are counting on us. Thanks for listening.

Click here for “INCEST: A FAMILY TRAGEDY.”

* YIKES!

MAYOR MATERIAL?

 “THE MAYOR, THE CHIEF & EVIL PETE!” will continue later today!

EXTRA!: Where do you buy a lime green bowtie with polka dots? LIP News knows!

THE MAYOR, THE CHIEF & EVIL PETE!

EVIL PETE APPEARS!   

* BREAKING NEWS – TODD UMSTEAD

*    “Don’t give up, Becky. There’s a reason the police are so angry. You have to be on to something.”
A quote from now Mayor Rick Gray under an archive on this site from the Lancaster Lynching story.
    This just went up on the Lancaster Police Facebook page (click here).
    Lt. Todd Umstead, the Police ”Public Information Officer” (second from left), has been named the “City Employee of the Month.”
    What an absolute outrage!
Please check back later today.

*UPDATED – TODAY’S PRISON BOARD MEETING

NINE UNSOLVED MURDERS!

THE LAST STRAW!

    “That was the straw, and the camel’s back is now broken,” Mayor Rick Gray says of the fatal shooting.
The Mayor quoted in yesterday’s article, “Officials: Brunswick nothing but trouble,” and today’s New Era editorial, “Hotel Brunswick’s Mounting Woes.”
    Nice quote, Mayor! You know the straw that broke the camel’s back, Mayor? The police’s inability to arrest the killer of an 83-year-old woman in her home. That should have been the last straw!
    Her murder brings the total to nine unsolved murders in the city in the four years since Police Chief Keith Sadler took office. What are you going to do about that, Mayor Gray? What?
    The way to stop violence is with quick arrests of those responsible.
    There are nine killers loose on the street in just four years! This is beyond sick!
    Please check back later today as the Mayor and LNP reporter Cindy Stauffer meet to  bring down the Brunswick for Cindy’s bosses and deflect the public’s rising concerns about police incompetence – and much more!

THE TEMPERATURE’S RISING!

PROPER PROCEDURES!

Ms. Holzinger,
    I have reviewed the feedback from both MDJ offices regarding your inquiry for access to their records. In both cases, the office personnel were incorrect in handling your requests. Identification of a requesting party cannot be required, nor is it appropriate to require an explanation as to why the document has been requested.
    Those two MDJs and office supervisors have been informed of their error in handling your request and I will also follow up with a reminder to all MDJ offices as to the proper procedure.
    I apologize that these mistakes were made but am appreciative that you brought it to my attention so that I can take remedial action.
Thomas N. Weaver
Deputy Court Administrator
Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas
    This email received today. Thank you. It’s nice to see a Lancaster office operating quickly, efficeintly and decisively!
    On Saturday, I posted “A WHOLE LOT OF JUDGING!” (click here), in which I recounted my experiences in obtaining public documents at District Judges Cheryl Hartman’s and Richard Simms’ offices. I emailed Court Administration on Monday, they requested more info and I supplied it on Monday, and today I received this response. Excellent!
SEARCHING FOR THE SEARCH WARRANT?
     What I have not received is a response to my email to the District Attorney’s Office requesting the name of the Judge who sealed the Search Warrant in the May 16th murder of Erma Kaylor (see this morning’s post immediately below). I sent a second email request today and will follow-up by phone tomorrow.
HOT, HOT, HOT!
    The Prison Board meets tomorrow at the prison at 9:00 am for their monthly meeting. It is open to the public. The interim warden, Paul K. Smeal, is making positive changes and I am told there will be some important announcements at tomorrow’s meeting.
    Smeal is also going to take the Board members on a tour of the prison following the meeting. With a predicted temperature of 98 and no air conditioning, will it be too hot for Commissioner Scott Martin?
MY BOSSES LOVE YOU!
    “Cindy, this is Mayor Gray. You can call me Dick.”
    “Hello, Dick! To what do I owe this honor?”
    “Cindy, I need you to come to my office stat! We need to badmouth that damn Brunswick Hotel again!”
    “I’ll be right up, Dick!”
    “Well thanks, Cindy. I appreciate the quick response.”
    “No problem, Dick. My bosses love you! They still talk about how you tricked the public by saying you’d do a feasibility study on the convention center if elected.”
    “That was a good one, wasn’t it?”
    “Yes, Dick. They still laugh out loud over you going back on your word and reaming out the ‘naysayers’ the day after you were elected. Good times.”
    “I still enjoy that, too! I’m a lawyer, Cindy. You know I’m lying when my lips are moving! I’ll hold the door open for you.”
    Yes, folks, check back tomorrow for the complete chat between Mayor Dick and LNP reporter Cindy Stauffer as they work together on an article to knock out the Brunswick. Wow!
    Don’t let Dick near the prison. All that hot air would definitely not help matters!

WHO SEALED THE WARRANT?

ANSWER PLEASE?

Hello,
    I am requesting the name of the Judge who sealed the search warrant in the murder of Erma Kaylor, She was murdered in her home at 235 West Vine Street on May 16th of this year.
    I was in the Clerk of Courts office on Friday and they directed me to the District Attorney’s office. A woman from your office advised me to email you for the information.
    Again, I am requesting the name of the Judge who sealed the above warrant.
Thank you very much,
Becky Holzinger
Editor, lipnews.com
(215) 350-5849
    My email sent Monday, June 18th to the District Attorney’s Office.
    This isn’t a hard question! Could I have an answer please?

                                                         Erma Kaylor
Please check back later today.

WHO BEAT THIS MAN? – 4

IT’S NO MYSTERY!

    There have been no charges filed regarding the alleged physical abuse.
    So why haven’t any charges been filed regarding the alleged physical abuse? And what is up with the “manufacture of child pornography” charge?
    Something stinks to high heaven!

THE KILLING FIELDS! – 4

TIME FOR CHANGE!

    It’s been over a month since 83-year-old Erma Kaylor was stabbed to death in her West Vine Street home. No arrest has been made and there’s not been a word about it in the Lancaster Newspapers.
    Someone fired a gun in the Starting Gate Tavern and there’s not been another word about it. Two men were shot in the 600 block of East End Avenue in early June and there’s not been another word about it.
    And supposedly Harry Rodriguez-Colon walked into the police station two Saturdays ago with serious facial wounds and the Lancaster Detectives say it’s a mystery. There is something very wrong with this and the whole case against him.
    And this email came in yesterday:
    While I love what your doing with your site I am very sad that Brandon Seals was not on your unsolved murder list.  He was shot and killed on Stevens Ave. about a year ago. The news covered it for a few days. He was a good guy with a family that deserves justice.
    Actually, I only found one article about his murder. It dropped out of the news immediately!   That makes nine unsolved murders under this Chief’s watch!
    What are the Lancaster Detectives doing? What is the Chief of Police doing?
    It’s long past time for the police to be called on the carpet! Mayor Gray, where are you?
Please check back later today.

* NO CRIME REPORTED?

* A really hectic Monday. I will be back tomorrow. My thoughts are with you, suzieq!

BRUISES STILL A MYSTERY?

        Investigators still weren’t sure Friday how Rodriguez-Colon, 35, was injured.
       ”There was no crime reported,” city police Lt. Todd Umstead said.
        So no charges have been filed.

From Friday’s article, “Suspect’s bruises still a mystery,” (click here).

Please check back later today.

A WHOLE LOT OF JUDGING!

REED & STEWART:
SENTENCES MODIFIED

    I am waiting on information regarding Harry Rodriguez-Colon (see below), so I will come back to that and the May 16 murder of 83-year-old Erma Kaylor in her home tomorrow. Today, some other things I learned yesterday.
    Judge Joseph Madenspacher did modify the sentences he imposed on Lauren Reed and Troy Stewart in January of this year. They were the two charged with Involuntary Deviate Sexual Intercourse on a Person Unconscious and Conspiracy to do so stemming from the death of Scott McQuilkin in July of 2010 in Reinholds. In what they described as a “prank,” they inserted a drumstick in his rectum while he was passed out.
     Madenspacher cut their sentences in half.
    Responding to Post Sentence Motions filed by their attorneys, he made the sentences for the two counts run concurrently, instead of the previously ordered consecutively. So instead of a minimum of 10 years in prison, each now must serve a minimum of five-and-one half years.
    The Order for both Reed and Stewart reads:
    AND NOW, this 29th day of May 2012, the sentence in the above captioned case is hereby modified as follows: Count two (2) is to run concurrent with Count one (1). The Clerk of Courts shall file a modified DC-300B.
WHO SEALED THE WARRANT?
    While, in the Clerk of Courts Office, I asked for the name of the Judge who sealed the search warrant in the murder of Erma Kaylor. They sent me to the District Attorney’s Office where everyone seemed surprised and confused. A nice woman did assist me and said anyone who knew was not in the office and to send my request in the form of an email. I will do that and keep you informed. And, yes, the Judge’s name who sealed it is absolutely public information.
LESSONS FOR HARTMAN & SIMMS!
    Speaking of public information, Lancaster County’s District Judges need to be updated on what is public information and what is required to obtain it!
    To Carmen in Judge Cheryl Hartman’s Office: You can not black out the victim’s information on a Complaint. She is over eighteen and it was not a sexual assault. It is public information and I will verify that with Court Administration.
    Several notes to Judge Richard Simms’ Office: 1) I do not know why you needed to copy my driver’s license in order for me to obtain a Complaint and I will again check with Court Administration. These are public documents and who I am and why I want it is not relevant to your providing me with the information I request.
    2) Could you please speed up your service? Everyone I spoke to who was waiting to be assisted said they always wait almost a half hour to be helped. And these are people who are coming to make payments!
    3) Is there air in the lobby and could you turn it up? Not only do you have to wait, but it’s unbearably hot while you do so.
QUALITY OF LIFE
    One of the women I met in Simms’ office was there to pay a fine she received because her grass was over six inches high. It struck me that the City is issuing numerous fines on these “quality of life” issues, while the most important issue, residents feeling safe and secure in their homes, is being ignored by Mayor Gray. I sent him several emails regarding the unsolved, brutal murder of Erma Kaylor this week and have not received a response.
    I stopped in to see him on Friday but learned he was on vacation for the week. So hopefully he’ll respond on Monday. I also dropped off two Right-To-Know requests while I was there and one pertains to Harry Rodriguez-Colon. As noted immediately below, within three-and-a-half hours, the police made a statement to the Lancaster Newspapers regarding his injuries.
There will be much more tomorrow…

WHO BEAT THIS MAN? – 3 *** BREAKING NEWS ***

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

    Three-and-a-half hours after I hand delivered a Right-To-Know request to the City of Lancaster involving the police and Harry Rodriquez-Colon, the police release this nonsense (click here).  And to the commenter under the article, I don’t believe for a minute it was the mother as I saw her face-to-face today.  Please also see the picture and stories below.
Please check back tomorrow.

WHO BEAT THIS MAN? – 2

    What newspaper in this country runs a booking picture like this with no explanation of how this man received his injuries? Click here for LNP’s slightly updated story, “Man says he abused girl, 14.” Who beat this man? Did he walk into the police station looking this way?
Please check back later today.

WHO BEAT THIS MAN?

    Who beat this man? Did he walk into the police station on Saturday with stitches above his eye? Click here for “Man turns himself in to city police, confesses to molesting teen.”  If so, why isn’t it mentioned in the article? Did the mother do it? According to his docket, he was arrested and jailed on Saturday after he walked into the police station. Who assaulted Harry Rodriguez-Colon?

THE KILLING FIELDS! – 3

ANOTHER COLD CASE!

    It’s been four weeks today since 83-year-old Erma Kaylor was brutally stabbed to death in her home at 235 West Vine Street.
    It’s time for Police Chief Keith Sadler to be fired.
Please check back later today.

THE KILLING FIELDS! – 2

BRING IN OUTSIDE HELP!

    We’ll have to wait until he kills someone else.
    A resident of the 200 block of West Vine Street talking about the killer of 83-year-old Erma Kaylor and the police’s failure to arrest him.
Please check back later today.