Opinion

I read the editorial about saving the old Lancaster County jail. I do not believe it needs to be restored because it is useless to the public. How many people have come to look at it?

Everything old is not historic. We now have an old courthouse that probably no one will go in. There are old jails in every town. That does not make them unique. It is not like everyone who has been there has such good memories.

The editorial mentioned Robert Mills, the architect who designed the jail. I have never heard of him. Now, if he was Frank Lloyd Wright, that would be different.

The building, which once was the home of Barr Street High School and Barr Street Junior High School, sports new life.

The building, which for the most part has seen little or no activity since 2003, has been renewed through the work of Hope on the Hill, a local group led by the Rev. Wayne Murray to boost opportunities for youth.

Plans called for the renovated facility to open in late June, but the opening is now set for Saturday due to complications with the alarm system.

I want to respond to Jenny Arnold’s article, “Reaching rebellious youth focus of community forum.” There have been candlelight meetings, marches and prayer meetings to bring awareness to the problem of young people killing young people. But there are no solutions that the community likes. Before we can generate a solution to any problem we must understand the cause of the problem.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

– The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution

The First Amendment was written because at America’s inception, citizens demanded a guarantee of their basic freedoms.

“It’s so hot I saw a dog chasing a cat and they were both walking,” online commenter laconservative wrote on our June 25 story, “More hot temps in forecast.”

Beamsabre chimed in, “I saw a pack of Cub Scouts lighting a bonfire to cool off.”

“It’s so hot the boys in the hood are wearing short sleeve shirts,” reverind ike added.

After reading “More Food Choices for Students at Lunch” in the June 4 edition of The Lancaster News, I decided to log in to the newspaper’s Web site. I wanted to see if there were any reader comments on the announcement that the school district director of food services and the president of the school board were pleased and proud to add Philly cheese steaks and chicken wings to the school lunch menu for next year.

We can picture the scene when veteran Lancaster City Councilman John Howard shook his head and said, “I think I’m in the twilight zone.” Howard often quips at council meetings, and he’s never been a council member to mince words.

And when he wondered if he was in some netherworld at the June 3 special City Council budget meeting, he did so for good reason. The majority on council had just voted to tap into the city’s reserve funds to give employees a 2 percent raise.

I’d like to respond to Tish Leonhardt’s letter, “Nurse: White Oak cares for its patients,” in the June 9 edition of The Lancaster News. I usually write my own letters, word for word, but the letter Mrs. Leonhardt is referring to was written by someone else.

When I viewed the words – sorry, I can’t remember where – I thought that it was very relevant to our society today. I wasn’t trying to plagiarize. I sent it in liking the thought it laid out.

April has come and gone. Getting our income tax worries are behind us until next year. But wait, there is something else going on.

People all over America are frustrated about the lack of jobs, growth of the federal government, lack of transparency and accountability in our state and federal government.

Many of us locally who feel this way have been involved with the Lancaster TEA Party movement for just over a year. Our little town is in step with all of the other TEA Parties statewide and nationwide.