The parade, with rain coming down in spurts, wound its way from Vine Street, past city hall, where Mayor Charlie Smithgall joined its ranks, and ended up at the Fulton Opera House, which featured performances by members of the delegation ad well as city school groups. The rain dampened streets, but not spirits, as Mayor Smithgall savored his win over Mayor Charlie Robertson of York. The two had a good-natured bet on which city would come out on top, as York was also a finalist. The prize? A "Live it, Love it, Lancaster" banner will hang over the White Rose city’s town hall for a week’s time. Earlier, Smithgall received a commendation from Senator Gib Armstrong, and the entire delegation was honored by Representative Mike Sturla on the state House floor.

The city must now set to the task of making sure all the effort — not to mention the $25,000 of private money it took to promote Lancaster for the competition — pays off. Although the gift basket received from the people of York was greatly appreciated, previous winners have been able to parlay the title into tourist dollars and other revenue, and Lancaster must follow suit.

Participants attended the All-America City finals with propaganda in hand, namely, a skit based on the Wizard of Oz. In the skit, Dorothy is torn as to what to do with her life. She could follow the suggestion proposed by the ‘Wicked Witch of Reality’ and take the easy way out, or she could go to York and take part in the programs that York has in place to help her get ahead in the world. Ultimately, Dorothy chooses to go to York and utilize the city’s resources.

York spent $88,000 in private funds and one year developing this year’s scheme for the competition. This is the fourth year York has entered in the competition and lost, and officials from the city do not know if York will attend again. Should city officials choose to make another attempt next year, they can either make revisions to this year’s production and use it again, or come up with a whole new plan.

With Harrisburg and Lancaster both bearing the All-America City designation, it would be nice to have York join the ranks, also. Hopefully city officials will give some thought as to what it is that comprises an All-America City, as well as the image of York they’d like to project, and choose to redeem themselves next year.

Midtown Market District (MMD) has signed a lease with Allen Brown for 250 Reilly Street where he hopes to open by Thanksgiving Central Pennsylvania’s first independent and foreign film theater. "The Midtown Cinema will have three screens and 300 seats," said Todd Shill, publisher of Filmspeak.com, and one of several principle movers of the popular project. The theater will function as part of the Reilly Midtown Center, named after the influential Reilly family, former neighborhood residents. MMD will own, renovate, and operate the facility.

Renovations of the 4,000 square foot building, of which Allen’s lease will occupy 1,000 square feet rented for $4.50 a square foot, are based on plans contributed by architect Harrison Bink. Harrisburg Community Theater is providing theater seats. Allen himself is bringing in about $30,000 in movie projection equipment. Rite Aid founder Alex Grass sold the building to MMD for $100,000 below the appraised market value. On the day of the event, a volunteer provided colorful potted plants and flowers for placement outside the building where the signing took place.

Outgoing MMD prexy Joseph DiComo, just a few days before the much anticipated lease signing, alerted the MMD board that a counter bid had been made by local entrepreneurs Rick Galiardo and John Norton. Their alternative plan called for developing the building’s entire 5,000 square feet into a five theater complex, according to Galiardo and Norton, both of whom attended the lease signing. "We’re looking at other sites," they said then. They were planning to offer $6.00 a square foot for the deal. On May 24, the board had accepted Brown’s arrangement and, according to MMD executive director Charles A. Schulz, "never reviewed their proposal, deciding instead to stick with their original plans".

In the scuttlebutt that followed the last minute counter proposal, replete with whispering campaigns common to community work in Central Pennsylvania, and cited by many as the prime reason for not getting involved in similar endeavors, there were marching legions of rumors — all with Cold War conspiracies attached. Schlutz said "The board liked the deal they had. That is their prerogative." Others noted the outpouring of community support for the project which came to life after Brown announced about 18 months ago plans to close his Palmyra theater due to loss of a lease. "He was recruited here by those of us who want independent film in the city," said one attendee.

Novak, whose numerous accomplishments include being a co-host of CNN’s Crossfire and a prominent nationally syndicated columnist, focused his remarks on the upcoming presidential election and predicted the winning majority would be razor-thin. He noted that Pennsylvania, with its 23 electoral votes, likely will be one of the key swing states that could determine the outcome.

Among the 225 guests at the dinner were Attorney General Mike Fisher, state Senators Jeffrey Piccola and Melissa Hart, and former state House Speaker Bob O’Donnell.

Besides 261 guest rooms, 13 meeting rooms, indoor swimming, fitness club, and banquet facilities for 450 quests, Sanderson also ushers in the new "State House" Restaurant and lounge, the city’s first full-fledged steakhouse plus other specialties.

Steak house restaurants showed the fastest growth over the last five years, says a restaurant research firm. Sales are expected to rise for the next five years. Downtown Harrisburg’s Crowne Plaza Hotel, scheduled to be formally open by press time, recently launched a full-service steak house.

"We were aware of that statistic," says Crowne Plaza’s general manager David Sanderson. "We have service and quality. We’re ready for our steak house to become a destination point in and of itself, separate from the hotel, " he points out. Second Street in center city Harrisburg is morphing into "restaurant row". Plans by the Downtown Improvement District (DID) to add street cleaning, additional security, and Harrisburg "ambassadors" will encourage central business district foot traffic, according to DID official Fred Clark. "People will see a difference by this Fall," he said, referring to downtown as the next "Manayunk" or "Walnut", both popular destinations points in Philadelphia. "We’ll have a direct impact on the way" residents and visitors experience the city, he said.