Published November 6, 2009, 1:48 PM EST

by JACK BRUBAKER, The Scribbler

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Marlin Groft, a Marine rifleman, and Francis Miller, a B-17 gunner, had radically different experiences in World War II. Groft fought his way through several horrendous battles with the Japanese. Miller was captured, imprisoned and underfed by Germans until the end of the war. These L......

Published November 6, 2009, 10:50 AM EST

by GIL SMART and CASEY KREIDER

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - ......

Published November 6, 2009, 12:01 AM EST

by TOM MURSE

LANCASTER, Pa. - I know, I know. You've had it up to here with election news (judging by the meager turnout, most of you didn't give a rip), but this is a political column, after all, so we're going to keep doing what we do.This week: Trivial Pursuit Mayoral Edition.Grab your pe......

Published November 5, 2009, 12:01 AM EST

by JEFF HAWKES

LANCASTER, Pa. - In his victory speech Tuesday night, Mayor Rick Gray gave credit to his campaign, and he singled out volunteers.But I think there was a more decisive factor in Gray's eking out a close-call win against Republican Charlie Smithgall.Day in and day out, in a strictly nonpartisan fa......

Published November 4, 2009, 12:01 AM EST

by LARRY ALEXANDER

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - This week, let's focus on recent national and local news stories because, quite frankly, folks, I can't dream up this stuff.First, we had that Northwest Airlines flight that overshot an airport in Minneapolis, Minn., by 150 miles.I don't know about you, but when I am on ......

Published November 3, 2009, 3:07 PM EST

by JACK BRUBAKER, The Scribbler

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - In the summer of 1905, when cars were uncommon and roads were rough, Thomas Edison took an automobile tour of central Pennsylvania. In Lancaster, he stayed overnight at the Stevens House. In Harrisburg, he blasted road conditions. "You have the finest farms and the worst ro......

Published November 1, 2009, 12:03 AM EST

by BILL ADAMS, Sunday's Guest

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - 'Is everybody happy?" That's the way he opens the show — the nightclub comedian, the auctioneer, the late-night TV show host. No one in the audience shouts back, "No, I am not happy." But many could. A lot of folks — when they think about it — are temporarily or usually disconte......

Published November 1, 2009, 12:01 AM EST

by MARV ADAMS, Editorially Speaking

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Some of the most interesting news, and often the strangest, can be found in our police logs. Take a look. • In East Lampeter Township, a college student was reported to have driven into a shopping cart in a parking lot. He was arrested for underage drinking and taken back to his school,......

Published November 1, 2009, 12:01 AM EST

by GIL SMART, Smart Remarks

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - I haven't written much about religion lately, mostly because with a Democratic president and Democratic Congress, the impact of what we might call the Theocons has been diminished. More on that in a moment. Still, I've always gotten very interesting feedback from evangelicals and ......

Published October 31, 2009, 8:58 AM EST

by PAUL E. GOTTFRIED -- New Era

LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - A Republican friend of mine recently complained that Obama's health plan would hurt struggling young Americans. Those in their twenties and thirties would bear the brunt of the higher taxes, while older Americans would be the plan's prime beneficiaries. I've also heard the same char......