"We handed out so many brochures over the weekend, we had to have them reprinted on-the-spot," Goropoulos said. The new programs will offer opportunities to learn about health promotion and wellness strategies. "We are being approached to offer smoking cessation, stress reduction, strategies to deal with drugs and alcohol, nutrition programs as a way to maintain and improve general health," says Goropoulos. Health promotion and wellness programs are the new cutting edge nationwide in the fight to lower the rate of HIV infections. "It makes sense. If people feel good about themselves, they are less likely to put themselves at risk for contracting HIV."

In its Healthy People 2010 Program, the federal government is soon to include specific information on the unique needs of gay and lesbian individuals. "ACA is right on top of new developments in the broadening focus of HIV/AIDS service organizations. We’re moving to incorporate what’s cutting edge," Goropoulos points out.

The program for lesbians is called "LIGHT" or Lesbian Initiative on Good Health and Togetherness. The program launch had the support of Pink Lizard, a lesbian bar and focal point for women of the region on a range of activities.

The gay men’s health program is called "Gay Men Seeking Health." T-shirts were passed out at last weekend’s Pride Festival with the message, ‘Beyond Condoms — It’s About Health!’ Anyone interested in more information is asked to call 1-800-867-1550.

"The strength of PSA&D lies within its faculty," says school president Mary Heil, who adds that "sharing with the community gives us the chance to display our talent." For more information, call 396-7833 or visit psad.edu.

Eight high school volunteers from the Lebanon area will be taking part in a program co-sponsored by The State Museum of Pennsylvania and The Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Migrant Education.

These volunteers will be working under the guidance of Danny Torres, resident of Philadelphia and native of Puerto Rico. Torres has won various awards for his large mural paintings. The students will be working in cooperation to paint a series of three murals in hopes of allowing the young artists to find a relationship between their individual cultures and their experiences in Pennsylvania. The mural project was created to "increase the self-esteem and cultural awareness of migrant students through the visual arts and academic enhancement," explains Manuel Recio Ed.D., Chief of the Division of Migrant Education in the Department of Education.

When the murals are completed, they will fit in the windows of the museum’s loggia on the ground floor. Exhibit Designer Michele Powers remarked, "This project is an opportunity to create partnerships with other organizations and to make people more aware of the historical and cultural resources available to the community." The murals will be positioned so that they can be viewed from the outside of the building, and will serve as screening while exhibitions are being changed.

The State Museum is located at Third and North Streets, and general admission is free. For further information on museum hours and events, call 787-4978, or visit the website at statemuseumpa.org.

The first step of the multi-phase plan was completed with the construction of the "Kids on Campus" child development center.

Phase two will begin with the construction of a 50,000 square-foot academic building, The Advanced Technology Education Center. This facility will include classrooms equipped with the most up-to-date technology, a new Multi-Purpose Room, and a student-run restaurant. Construction on this phase is set to begin before the end of the year.

Phase three will include numerous projects beginning with a student walk of fame. Along the same lines will be a pedestrian bridge extending from the new academic building, across the stream that runs through the campus, to the existing Bollinger Hall. In addition, a small amphitheater will be built. There will be additional on-campus housing residences built as needed.

Central Penn helps students secure financial assistance through grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study employment.

Smith’s comments reflect a growing concern among patients and their physicians that the dominant health insurance companies are limiting physicians’ abilities to properly care for patients and that it time for a level playing field which allows for more doctor and patient focused decision making. Currently, managed care companies publish treatment practice and standards documents that must be followed by participating physicians, a system which often eliminates a preferred treatment choice decided on by the treating physician and the patient.

Smith further stated before the committee that insurance companies with unusually large market shares are "beating down the delivery of health care by deciding what kind of care to deliver, who will deliver that care, when to deliver the care, and where that care will be delivered."

Figures researched by Penn State economist Stephen E. Foreman, PhD, indicate that one or two dominant insurers control each of Pennsylvania’s markets.

Indices used by Foreman to measure market concentration show that most Pennsylvania markets are above levels the U.S. Justice Department considers to be highly concentrated. Specifically, the state’s markets that Foreman’s research suggests are above highly concentrated levels include Allentown, Altoona, Erie, Harrisburg, Johnstown, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, Sharon, State College, Williamsport, and York. The Johnstown market is more than four times the highly concentrated level.

A downtown development entity, Main Street York this week unveiled the results of its market analysis.

The plan contains crucial details for a downtown business recruitment plan now set for cultivation. Data included in the sophisticated study includes spending habits and buying patterns of both residents and visitors, as well as the traits of current businesses located in the corridor. New types of businesses and services are also outlined in the study. Main Street York has also published a marketing kit to promote use of downtown retail and service space.

According to Zogby figures, 45.2 percent of Republicans preferred Coke, compared to 33.3 percent who chose Pepsi. There were 1,264 people in the polling sample, a number Zogby claims is the type of stratified sample that should accurately reflect national tastes. As far as Democrats are concerned, 41.4 percent like Pepsi, compared to 37.4 percent who like Coke.