The effort has been underway since November 13. Spokesman for the Mayor’s Office, Randy King, says that 100 vehicles were surveyed at different times on Front and Cameron Streets. Of those cars, a total of 126 drivers and passengers were observed, only 28 of which were not wearing seatbelts, amounting to a 78.8% rate of compliance.

The real enforcement was slated to begin the week of November 20.

With an advance telephone call, Billman is offering free meeting space to business and community groups. The space will provide customers with both smoking and non-smoking areas. "I want a gathering place for all sorts of activities. The place will be customer-driven in that way," he explains. A jazz fan, Billman is planning to book jazz musicians.

The walls are lined with posters from around the world and the familiar bookcase lined with classics and off-the-wall reading. Hours of operation are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Concert proceeds will benefit West Shore Emergency Medical Services, a service of Holy Spirit Hospital.

The holiday concert begins at 8 pm.

Tickets are available through the HersheyPark Stadium Box Office at 534-3911, all Ticketmaster outlets, including Boscov’s and Hecht’s, or by calling 570-693-4100.

Lending their rhythmic rhymes to "Night of the Drummers" will be Lance Clewett, a tabla-player who once studied under Allen Ginsburg and William Burroughs; Rick Kearns, bongos for Harrisburg’s Danzanto; and Fredrico, a musician who has shared the stage with Bo Diddley, George Clinton, and Papa John Creach.

An open mic reading/performance will follow the percussion concert.

As the growing audiences testify, the twilight society of poetry, jazz, and the arts is gaining momentum. A whole culture of local citizenry is turning away from Hollywood and turning to its own for entertainment, inspiration, and community. See you there.

For more information, contact Randy Gross 901-0704 or Kevyn Knox at 730-2143.

On the website, the link explains its purpose to prove that Harrisburg is vibrant and need not be discounted as a perfect place to live, work, and play. The feedback is expected to give HYP a more exact direction and provide data with which to improve the city and win back some of the former residents as well as stop this "brain drain" emigration.

Greg Rothman, HYP President, is a boomeranged citizen, himself. "I lived in other big cities and said, ‘This is nice, but it’s time to go home now’," said Rothman. "Many young people move away for their careers, but then they start thinking of raising families and have more of a reason to come home." HYP wants to prove that there is a viable career possible here for them. He feels that the biggest thing that makes Harrisburg disposable to the young is their perception of ennui here. "They think there’s nothing fun here because they grew up here," says Rothman, "but the grass is always greener, right?"

Visit www.hyp.org for more info.

"This is the last straw," said Utah senator Orin Hatch. "First, Elian Gonzales. Now this."

Several congressmen told reporters the decision has been a long time coming.

"We’re all pretty sick of Florida," said representative Barney Frank. "They’ve been a constant embarrassment for too long now." Added Frank, "They had Dan Marino for a while, but what have they done lately? Oh, that’s right. Screw up our entire democracy. I forgot."

In a speech on the Senate floor, Massachusetts senator Ted Kennedy commented that the loss of Florida’s sizable elderly population will free up billions of dollars in social security funds. "These are valuable funds which can now be redirected toward national defense. We can finally rebuild our demoralized, weakened military," said the Senator to roaring applause.

From her New York campaign headquarters, freshly elected senator Hillary Clinton echoes the sentiments of her future colleagues on Capitol Hill, calling Florida "a hurricane-addled hellhole full of scheming Cuban immigrants."

"Learn f---ing English, already, you banana boat bums!" added Clinton.

As a result of the Florida screw-up, the House and Senate decreed a new election will take place in early December. This time, the ballots in each state will be tabulated by robots.

"It is clear that our human vote-counting system is too inherently flawed," said Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert. "The presence of these new, superior robot mast – err, I mean – tabulators will ensure 100% accuracy."

"Remember," said Hastert, "every vote counts, especially if it’s counted by robots."

Dynamiting will begin in Florida next Wednesday, after which the state will be completely geographically separated from the United States.

"After that, they’re on their own," said Hastert. " I hope they sink."