Mayor Announces Campaign Plans
Incumbent Harrisburg Mayor Stephen R. Reed officially announced his decision to run for re-election of the post. At a press conference held March 15 in the atrium of the King City Government Building, the Mayor — flanked by his supporters and fellow candidates — expressed his desire to move forth in the position and continue with the plans and programs he has implemented thus far, including the continued take-over of the School District. Reed has been Mayor of Harrisburg since 1980; this campaign would be an attempt at an unprecedented sixth term.

“We’ll be running a very aggressive campaign that, in particular, focuses upon getting the story out about what has been done in Harrisburg and its neighborhoods,” said Reed’s Press Secretary Randy King. King further stressed the fact that the Mayor’s election bid is supplemented by the backing of many city political notables including current City Council members, namely president Richard House, and City Controller James McCarthy as well as Ron Burkholder, Dan Howard, Calobe Jackson, Sol Vasquez-Otero, Larry Vereen, and Eric Waters, among a number of others.

ALA Announces Concern Over Proposed Emissions Plans
In a statement released March 13, the American Lung Association of Pennsylvania (ALAPA) expressed its concern over the announcement that the PA House Transportation Committee is planning to phase out current auto emissions testing.

Chaired by Rep. Richard Geist, the Committee has unveiled a draft of a bill that would “drastically change how such testing is done in the state,” according to the ALAPA.

The bill would curtail the current tailpipe inspection program in the southeastern and southwestern parts of the state in favor of a program based on the “on-board diagnostics” capabilities of cars built from 1996 to the present. The bill does not include provisions specifying recommendations for the implementation of such a program in South Central Pennsylvania, Berks County, and the Lehigh Valley.

“We believe the potential for failure to protect public health is too great to rush headlong into adopting these sweeping changes without first asking some hard questions and getting some firm answers,” said Kevin M. Stewart, ALAPA’s Director of Environmental Health.

“Our chief concern is the risk for increased illness and breathing problems if the replacement program fails to achieve the reductions in air pollution expected under existing programs in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh metro areas,” said Stewart. “The Lung Association is also concerned about the potential health problems if the planned programs slated for eight additional counties fail to materialize.” Those eight counties affected are Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Northampton, and York.

Citing their fear that the health of the public is getting lost in the bureaucratic shuffle, the ALAPA vows to take an indepth look at the proposed measure. “The Lung Association has not yet received an analysis of the effects of the House proposal on air quality,” continued Stewart. “We believe that such a major change in how we deal with one of the largest sources of air pollution demands that we take a hard look at what we stand to lose.”

New Campus Center Planned at Elizabethtown College
The Elizabethtown College Board of Trustees has approved preliminary plans to begin construction on a $11.9 million Campus Center. The Campus Center will “connect, improve, and expand” the existing Baugher Student Center and the Annenberg Center; the two existing structures were built in 1962 and 1993 respectively. The Board intedns for the Campus Center to serve as a crossroads of sorts, becoming the “primary location on campus” for a wide variety of activities.

“The new Campus Center is designed to provide an ideal venue for facilitating student leadership and involvement in the life of the campus,” said Theodore E. Long, president of the College. “It will help students establish meaningful relationships with others, link academic and co-curricular life on campus, and enhance the development of a strong community of learners.”

Along with the construction of the Campus Center are a number of renovations — including the expansion of the student organization office and resource space and improvements to the Alumni Theater — as well as the creation of a “mall” running through the heart of the Center.

Renovations to the Baugher Student Center and the Annenberg Center will begin in May with the new construction slated to begin in October. The project is scheduled to be finished by November 2002 and fully occupied by January 2003.

It’s Lights Out at Hersheypark
Although the official opening of the 95th Hersheypark Season doesn’t kick off until May 12, the planning is well underway. This year, the focal point of the Park’s summer-long festivities will be a choreographed laser show, AT&T NightLights: A Musical Laser Spectacular.

A 20-minute laser show, the AT&T NightLights: A Musical Laser Spectacular will feature the Hershey’s products characters and other images choreographed to both musical hits of the day and all-time favorites.

The show uses a multitude of color to create animation and motion in images that appear to move across the screen. The 40x60 foot screen is elevated 10 feet above the ground and is located in the Midway America section of the Park. The laser show will be located near the Lightning Racer, the roller coaster added to the park last season. In addition, fog machines will enhance the program, creating images that appear to be dancing across the sky.

For more information and for show times, call 1-800-HERHSEY or go to the website: HersheyPA.com.

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