Abigail Manbeck

Lancaster County Faces Drought Watch Amid Unseasonably Dry Fall Photo courtesy of GetArchive. A corn filed sits in the middle of a drought. Victor M. Fallas III Staff Writer The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has declared a drought watch for Lancaster County and 34 other counties due to a prolonged period of low rainfall. This advisory calls on residents to voluntarily reduce water use by 5-10% to help maintain local water supplies. The drought immediately had a noticeable effect on Lancaster’s agriculture. Farmers report that insufficient rainfall has stressed crops, reducing their yield potential and creating concerns for local produce availability. As of the latest DEP reports, nearly 40% of Pennsylvania’s topsoil is now categorized as low in moisture. Many local farmers are turning to irrigation, but this solution is costly and can be unsustainable if water sources continue to dwindle. The DEP has expressed concern that if soil moisture doesn’t improve, the drought may lead to more significant impacts on the food supply chain and ultimately affect food prices in the region. Suggested measures include limiting non-essential activities such as lawn watering, pool filling, and at-home car washing. Smaller changes in daily routines, like fixing leaky faucets, using water-efficient fixtures, and reducing shower time, can also help conserve water across the community. Even minor conservation efforts, when multiplied across a large population, can help stabilize water levels in the area. Commercial and industrial sectors are encouraged to identify areas where they can reduce water use. These voluntary conservation steps are aimed at preventing the need for stricter water usage regulations later on. The drought conditions are significantly increasing the risk of wildfires. Neighboring counties such as York and Lebanon have already instituted burn bans, and Lancaster officials are advising residents to avoid open fires. A small spark could easily ignite a larger fire under current conditions. Officials are urging the public to take extreme care when engaging in any activities that involve flames. Meteorologists predict continued dry conditions across southeastern Pennsylvania in the coming months, which has prompted the DEP to closely monitor local water levels. While Lancaster is not yet under mandatory water restrictions, the DEP has warned that stricter measures could be imposed if voluntary conservation does not achieve sufficient water savings. Potential restrictions could include limiting outdoor water use, regulating certain non-essential activities, and placing additional requirements on some business operations. Residents are encouraged to stay updated on the latest drought conditions through local news outlets and DEP announcements. The proactive conservation approach will allow the community to adapt if drought conditions persist or worsen. By making small changes in their daily habits, Lancaster County residents can help preserve local water supplies and lessen the need for more severe measures. As the winter season approaches, proactive conservation is critical. For more information, Please visit dep.p […] “Lancaster County Faces Drought Watch Amid Unseasonably Dry Fall”

Boeing strike concludes and workers come to an agreement Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Boeing 777-200LR flies over a mountain rage. Abigail Manbeck News Editor Recently, some of Boeing’s workers were on a seven-week strike. The largest union that is part of Boeing has now ended the strike and approved the latest contract that was part of the cause of said strike. According to TheWeek.com, “The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers said 59% of the more than 26,000 of its voting members approved Boeing’s fourth offer, which includes a 38% raise over four years plus a $12,000 signing bonus and other benefits.” This seems to be a positive for both the company and the workers. The machinists will now have an annual pay of $119,309, which is more than they are currently receiving at $75,608. This new pay also includes benefits, however, there is no overtime included. Boeing originally offered its workers only a 25% raise, which was considered to be not enough. International Association of Machinists (IAM) president John Holden said about the workers’ passion for the new change, “You stood strong, you stood tall and you won.” The seven-week strike cost both Boing and its suppliers billions of dollars. The workers, who are now going back to work after the strike, will start their processes at Pacific Northwest assembly plants no later than Nov. 12. The Wall Street Journal commented on how Boeing is “under pressure from jet-starved airlines to ramp up deliveries.” Because of this, Boeing is hoping that their employees will get back to work sooner than Nov. 12, and everything will go back to […] “Boeing strike concludes and workers come to an agreement”

Twitter users leave platform for alternativesJamie Hughes Associate Photography Editor Users of X, formerly known as Twitter, have been predicting the platform’s downfall ever since its takeover by billionaire Elon Musk. But many continued to stick with the popular network. Multiple waves of departures occurred, frequently following a controversial decision by Musk to change something on X, such as more recently changing how blocking users works. These waves of movement, however, often proved to be temporary. That is, until the reelection of Donald Trump to the presidency on Nov. 5. The common sentiment among X users was that Musk’s support of Trump led to his election. This was seen through the frequent elevation of posts on X supporting Trump, and Musk’s frequent appearances alongside Trump during his campaign. Another potential cause was the change to X’s terms of service which would explicitly allow user content on the platform to be used for training artificial intelligence, likely X’s own chatbot called Grok. Whatever the cause, the data has shown that alternatives to X have seen their user numbers skyrocket. The two main competitors to X are Threads, owned by Facebook’s parent company Meta, and Bluesky. Bluesky was originally developed by Twitter’s founder Jack Dorsey, but is today owned by Jay Graber. Another X alternative called Mastodon also exists, which touts being “decentralized,” or not tied to a single owner. This network, though, has experienced slower growth owing to the platform’s perceived complexity. Following the Nov. 5 election, Bluesky’s user numbers went through a dramatic shift, at one point seeing over a million user sign-ups within a day according to the platform’s official account. As of the afternoon of Nov. 16, Bluesky had over 18 million user accounts, compared to an estimated 190 million Threads users according to Quiver Quantitative. According to FediDB, Mastodon has roughly 7.5 million users, though these users are split across many sub-platforms run independently called “servers.” The benefits of the three alternate platforms have largely been better moderation, less toxic culture, and a lack of a predatory algorithm that focuses on negative posts. Musk’s management of X has seen a dramatic uptick in controversial content on the platform, which many users desire to get away from. Musk’s changes to the verification of “official” accounts on X led to paying users being pushed to the top of many feeds. Online trolls and scammers took advantage of this to make their posts appear over other posts, leading to a perception that X was now supporting toxicity and negativity. Many are beginning to see X’s competitors reach a “critical mass” of users in which a greater community forms on the platform and overall engagement rises. Several major accounts have moved to Bluesky, including bestselling author Stephen King and “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill. Mass audiences have also moved, such as much of the fanbase of musical artist Taylor Swift. Altogether, the growth of Threads and Bluesky shows a potential paradigm shift in social media; an increase of negative sentiment towards toxic content, and a desire to rebuild communities in a friendlier environment. If this post-election growth holds, it may lead to a future where many users are split between Threads, Bluesky, and Mastodon, and X is left for everyone else, people unw […] “Twitter users leave platform for alternatives”

Six Flags Great Adventure to close world’s tallest roller coaster Photo courtesy of Flickr. Kingda Ka coaster sitting high in the sky. Michael Keehan Staff Writer On Nov. 14, 2024, the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation released a statement on the future of their 51 properties, including those recently acquired following the merger of Six Flags and Cedar Fair. The company unveiled a more than $1 billion capital investment for the 2025 and 2026 operating seasons, which will see the installation of record-breaking attractions and the removal of others. Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, New Jersey is no different. Located two hours from Millersville, the park was announced to be removing one of its star attractions, the record-breaking roller coaster Kingda Ka, along with four other attractions. Park President Brian Briaca said, “We understand that saying goodbye to beloved rides can be difficult, and we appreciate our guests’ passion. These changes are an important part of our growth and dedication to delivering exceptional new experiences. We look forward to sharing more details next summer.” Opened on May 25, 2005, the launch coaster became the world’s tallest and fastest roller coaster, still holding the record for tallest as of 2024. It took the record from Cedar Point’s 2003 coaster Top Thrill Dragster, both of which are “Accelerator” coasters designed by Lichtenstein manufacturer Intamin. Both coasters were plagued with technical issues for years, including an incident on Top Thrill Dragster in 2021 that prompted Cedar Point to redesign the ride. Top Thrill 2 opened in 2024 courtesy of Italian manufacturer Zamperla, but closed a few days later due to an issue with the trains, and will not reopen until 2025 following sporadic testing. The issues with Top Thrill 2 fueled uncertainty regarding the future of Kingda Ka in the coaster enthusiast community. Rumors swirled during the last few weeks of Great Adventure’s operating season, with markers being identified that signaled the ride’s demolition. Days after the season ended, Great Adventure announced the removal of Kingda Ka, along with four other attractions. This includes the trio of drop towers on Kingda Ka, known as Zumanjaro: Drop of Doom, the Bolliger & Mabillard stand-up coaster Green Lantern, relocated from Kentucky Kingdom in 2011, the HUSS Top Spin Twister, located decently close to Green Lantern, and the second arm of the gondola lift, the first closing in 2023. In place of Green Lantern and Kingda Ka, Six Flags revealed in their press release that Great Adventure will be installing a “record-breaking launch coaster” for the 2026 season. No other information was revealed, the coaster enthusiasts believe the coaster will provide competition for Falcon’s Fight, an Intamin “Exa Coaster” set to open in 2025 at Six Flags Quiddaya. After years of being seen as the budget theme park chain, this along with other additions to the chain, is expected to reignite unique large-scale attractions in the Six Flags chain. Six Flags President & CEO Richard Zimmerman spoke on the new additions in the press release saying, “The new Six Flags has a unique opportunity to refresh and renew the guest experience, one so compelling that a visit to one of our parks will be viewed as an indispensable choice in family entertainment.” Construction on Great Adventure’s new coaster is expected to begin next year, with the park expected to bring teasers during August and Septemb […] “Six Flags Great Adventure to close world’s tallest roller coaster”

Alex Jones loses Infowars for bad behavior Photo courtesy of Flickr. Alex Jones testifying before a Senate Intelligence committee. Abigail Manbeck News Editor Recently at a bankruptcy auction, Infowars, which was a company owned by Alex Jones, was bought by a satirical news site called The Onion. Jones was no longer able to own Infowars because of the money he owed to the families and victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. A few years ago, Jones spoke of claims stating that the shooting was just a hoax, and spread defamatory information, causing harm and hurt to the victims and their families. Because of this, Jones owed over a billion dollars to said victims and families. This large sum of money caused him to give up a lot of the property that he owned. After having to relinquish his company Infowars, and sending it to a bankruptcy auction for The Onion to bid and then win, the Infowars site was taken down. Jones was then talking from a new studio location about this matter. Not only was the website up for auction, but also the social media pages, Jones’ studio in Texas, all of the trademarks, and video archives. A parent of a student who was killed in the Sandy Hook shooting was rejoicing with a comment on the situation, “The dissolution of Alex Jones’ assets and the death of Infowars is the justice we have long awaited and fought for.” Jones was pretty upset with the outcome of what happened to his company. He made a comment saying that this situation is “a total attack on free speech.” He also made an announcement that his show was going to be shut down as well. The Onion’s parent company Global Tetrahedron CEO Ben Collins said that the Infowars website will be back up in January with a satirical approach. The site will focus on right-wing people, conspiracy theorists, and education about gun violence prevention that will come from a group called Everytown for Gun Safety. Collins made a statement saying, “We thought it would be a very funny joke if we bought this thing, probably one of the better jokes we’ve ever told. The [Sandy Hook] families decided they would effectively join our bid, back our bid, to try to get us over the finish line. Because by the end of the day, it was us or Alex Jones, who could either continue this website unabated, basically unpunished, for what he’s done to these families over the years, or we could make a dumb, stupid website, and we decided to do the second thing.” It seems that Jones is not taking this situation the best, however, The Onion seems like they will put his old site to a pot […] “Alex Jones loses Infowars for bad behavior”

Recap of September’s Millersville Borough Council meetingSyan Swanger Staff Writer On Tuesday, Sept. 24 the Millersville Borough Council had their monthly meeting. After some opening remarks from council president, Joseph Lane, the council discussed the plans for a new firehouse. Three weeks ago, the Blue Rock Regional Company was asked to gather to see the land bought for the new firehouse. Many of the firefighters aren’t happy about the location because it will be five to ten minutes farther away from some residences than they are now. The borough said that they were limited in their choices of land, explaining that what they bought was their fifth option. Mayor David T. Aichele commended Millersville for the parade that took place on Saturday, Sept. 21, as well as the police seeing that the number of calls they’ve received has increased recently. Then, a representative from Millersville University gave a short report on past, current, and future events at the university. He mentioned the State of the Ville address by Dr. Wubah, again praised the council for their success with the parade, and finally reminded the borough about the 40th instillation of the Holocaust and Genocide Conference on Monday, September 30 hosted by Millersville. He also addressed the  $50,000 grant from the Liquor Control Board to fund presentations about drinking on campus and dangerous driving. He said those presentations are planned to start within the next couple of weeks. To wrap up the meeting, the council voted on a new contract with Penn Waste, a waste management company based in York County. The new contract would include a toter service which would provide all Millersville residents with a new trash bin and a new recycling bin. It would also be a quicker service than the one currently used. This contract would be more expensive and the borough has had some trouble with Penn Waste in the past. Their employees have left trash bins in the middle of the road and have failed to pick up trash that was put out on time. The council was assured those problems have been discussed and that the toter service might even help resolve some of those issues. The borough council unanimously pass […] “Recap of September’s Millersville Borough Council meeting”

Mail-in ballot delay in PA causes concernAbigail Manbeck News Editor It has recently been brought to the attention of Pennsylvania mail-in voters that the ballots have been delayed. Many voters who will be voting via mail this election are concerned that their ballot has not arrived in the mail. Often in the past, ballots were sent out weeks before the election. This election is a bit different, as the state of Pennsylvania is waiting for the green light due to the Supreme Court needing to make some decisions. There is currently debate over if third-party candidates can be put on the ballot. The Supreme Court has come to a decision recently, and it will take some time for the ballots to be tested, printed, and mailed. Depending on what each county in PA does, the process of sending out the ballots may go into the first week of October. Counties in PA are now supposed to process applications 50 days before the election. This new law has many people curious and confused. Lisa Schaefer, who is the Executive Director of the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania, states, “Pennsylvania has mail-in ballots, and every eligible voter can get one of those as soon as those ballots are available.” She adds, “Voters should not be concerned that they are not able to get those yet.” PA residents who wish to receive a mail-in or absentee must apply by Oct. 29, which is a week before Election Day. Once voting has started via mail and everyone receives their ballot, mail-in and absentee voters will have until 8 p.m. on Election Day, which is Nov. 5, to submit their c […] “Mail-in ballot delay in PA causes concern”

Keeping transportation accessible for studentsKaya Wagner Staff Writer In an initiative to help students reduce their carbon footprint and have an economical form of travel, Millersville University has decided to give students free access to a bus system. Throughout the 2024- 2025 school year, the university will provide free services for Lancaster’s Red Rose Transit Authority. The transportation service offers routes between Millersville and Lancaster City, and also a campus shuttle. Transfers to other routes are also free for students. These allow students to get to Lancaster and around campus with ease, with the best part being that it is free. To use the service, students need to obtain a Go Mobile Card, which serves as a bus pass. This can be easily done at the information desk in the Student Memorial Center. Students just have to go to the information desk and ask a worker if they can get a bus card. Students will need their University ID card then the student worker will provide them with a bus pass. When using the Red Rose Transit Authority transportation, students will need to scan their cards at the orange validator by the entrance to the bus. For information on routes and stops, students can use an app called RRTA Go Mobile or look up Bus Services on the Millersville University website. Millersville University continues its work with the Red Rose Transit Authority so that students have a free option of travel and can reduce their impact on the e […] “Keeping transportation accessible for students”

Millersville in good standing according to recent U.S. News & World Report rankingsAbigail Manbeck News Editor It was announced that Millersville University has moved up in overall rankings according to the U.S. News & World Report. The university is currently sitting at No. 101 in the overall ranking and is tied with Champion College located in Burlington, VT. It seems that Millersville reportedly rose 15 spots since the last report. Millersville is also currently No. 19 in undergraduate teaching programs and No. 37 in top public schools. These are rankings for the regional universities in the north. “We are delighted with the uptick in the rank- ings,” Dr. Daniel Wubah shared with Millersville News. “Our rankings among the top 40 public universities in the North reflects our commitment to high-quality educational outcomes. Our current ranking gives the University room to grow. We have much to be proud of and much to which we can aspire.” Also from the report from Millersville News comes some thoughts from the dean of the College of Education and Human Services, Dr. Laura Wilcox. “Millersville was founded in 1855 with the ideals that teacher preparation and learning are essential elements of public education and engaged citizenship,” shared Wilcox. “One hundred and sixty years later, these ideals still hold. Our goal is to provide students with the knowledge, skills, and experiences necessary to impact the lives of individuals, families and communities positively. To have our program ranked among the top 20 in the region is amazing.” The university as a whole seems to keep its rankings in good standing a […] “Millersville in good standing according to recent U.S. News & World Report rankings”

P. Diddy arrested for sexual crimes Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. Sean “P. Diddy” Combs performing in 2008. Emma Hazard Arts & Culture Editor Content Warning: This article contains mentions of sexual crimes and suicide. Reader discretion is advised. Rapper Sean “P. Diddy” Combs was arrested on Monday, Sept. 16 in New York facing charges of sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution amongst other crimes. On the day following his arrest, the Federal Jury unsealed Combs’ indictment for the first time since earlier this year, where investigators stated that Combs used his fame to “fulfill his sexual desires.” Video evidence has been found and presented by prosecutors of Combs hosting what has been called “freak offs,” where he, sex workers, and his alleged victims would have sexual “parties” that would sometimes stretch over the course of multiple days. Evidence of Combs’ “freak offs” was first discovered when federal agents raided Combs’ Miami home, finding weapons and evidence of drug use. It is stated in an article posted by USA Today that the sex workers and his alleged victims were, “allegedly coerced into participating through narcotics and intimidation,” and that both Combs and his victims “received IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use,” according to the indictment made by the jury. In court on Tuesday, Combs pleaded not guilty to the multiple charges against him. Despite his plea, Combs is being held in jail until his trial begins and was denied bail. In an exclusive article released by People Magazine on Friday, Sept. 20, Combs was reportedly on a suicide watch after the jury denied him bail. Combs is currently being detained in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York, where he will be a […] “P. Diddy arrested for sexual crimes”

Millersville celebrates Homecoming and Skully’s birthday Photo courtesy of Millersville News. Skully pictured at the 2024 Homecoming parade. Abigail Manbeck News Editor  As a pre-homecoming celebration at Millersville University, Center for Health Education and Promotion put together a celebration for Homecoming weekend. This event also featured Skully’s 20th birthday bash. This celebration took place on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the SMC promenade. As part of the event, organizations and clubs from both the university and the Lancaster area came out to teach about safety, especially during Homecoming weekend. Some of them talked about drugs and alcohol while others talked about driving safety, especially if you are impaired, as well as relationship violence whether it be dating issues or the extreme of sexual violence. Besides getting information regarding these topics, attendees could play games like trivia or pick-a-duck to win prizes. Some of these games involved having some knowledge about the subject area, so you could make sure you were up-to-date on the latest information and even learned more that you may have not known previously. Many of the tables had snacks, candy, and little trinkets like pens or water bottles that you could help yourself to. These were just little incentives to get you to come and listen to each person’s speech about their topic. While going around to many tables, each person at their table would stamp a little card that you got at check-in. This card was to get filled up with these stamps in order to collect the event prize at the end. The prize that you got was a pair of Millersville sunglasses and a Millersville visor hat. These were also another little incentive to get you to go through and inform yourself about the topics of discussion. With the topic of alcohol that was prominent at this pre-party, there were mocktails being made so people could enjoy a drink that doesn’t have many consequences attached to it. At the other part of the event, Skully, the university’s mascot was celebrated. You could join in celebrating their day by wearing a party hat, playing a party horn, and eating cupcakes. You could also take a picture with Skully. If you did not join in for the event this year, […] “Millersville celebrates Homecoming and Skully’s birthday”

ComMUnity Fest in full swing at Millersville University Image courtesy of Millersville News Abigail Manbeck News Editor  On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Millersville University held ComMUnity Fest, which is where a bunch of vendors from around the community come together and talk about their products and services. Vendors that attended this fest included Tropical Smoothie, Sheetz, Giant Food Stores, YWCA, Kona Ice, Dutch Apple Dinner Theater, Lancaster Stormers, Field of Screams, Skyzone, Tanger Outlets, PSECU, The Hub, and many more. Many of the vendors offered free giveaways like stationery items, water bottles, shirts, food, and so many other things. You could spin a wheel to win a prize, play a game to enter a raffle, and even answer some trivia to get to go home with something. Lancaster Stormers were giving away tickets to their next game, Sheetz had you take pictures with their backdrop to get a chocolate chip cookie or a coupon for a free hotdog, and Dutch Apple Dinner Theater had you fill out a piece of paper with some of your information on it to win tickets to see their production of “Hairspray.” When walking around to each of the vendors, the Field of Screams characters were also walking around and scaring people, so oftentimes you would have to watch your back so they did not come up behind you and scare the life out of you. At the fest, there was also an opportunity to get animals and other creations made out of balloons, a station where you could make wax hand figures, there was even a place for you to pledge to vote for the upcoming election. This ComMUnity Fest had a lot of different stations to visit, so you could get a variety of different ideas, interests, and even possibly learn new things. Look out for the […] “ComMUnity Fest in full swing at Millersville University”

Four dead in Georgia shooting Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons. Protesters hold signs against gun violence. Kaya Wagner Staff Writer Wednesday, Sept. 4 was a tragic day for students at Apalachee High School in Winder, Barrow County, Georgia. The first reports of the Apalachee shooting were received by the Sheriff’s Department at 10:20 a.m. The shooting ultimately resulted in four deaths. These were identified by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation as two fourteen-year-old students, Christian Angulo and Mason Schermerhorn, and two teachers, Richard Aspinwall and Christina Irimie. In addition, nine others were wounded, eight of which were students, and one teacher. All of those wounded were hospitalized but are expected to survive. Following the shooting, a suspect, a fourteen-year-old student Colt Gray, and his father were brought in for questioning. FBI Atlanta and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office stated that the arrest was on the basis of “anonymous tips about online threats to commit a school shooting at an unidentified location and time.” Gray was later arrested and charged with felony murder. Gray will be tried as an adult in relation to these charges. As of the writing of this article, this is the 45th school shooting of 2024 and the deadl […] “Four dead in Georgia shooting”

Street artist takes credit for fake Kamala Harris advertisements Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. A podium stands with a “Kamala Harris for President” sign attached. Sevan Sinton Associate News Editor Fake ads communicating the Eagles’ support for Vice President Kamala Harris were spotted across seven SEPTA bus shelters in Philadelphia on Monday, Sept. 2. In response, the Eagles released a statement on X, saying, “We are aware counterfeit political ads are being circulated and are working with our advertising partner to have them removed.” The display showed a character of Harris, wearing an Eagles uniform and holding a football, with “Kamala, official candidate of the Philadelphia Eagles” and a link to “philadelphiaeagles.com/vote,” which leads to the Eagles’ voting portal, showing important dates and election information. However, the webpage does not state any outward support for Harris. Shortly before officials removed the ads, a video of a man covering the ads with printed screenshots of the Eagles’ statement was posted to X. On Wednesday, September 4th, street artist Winston Tseng posted a photo of the ads on Instagram, presumably taking credit for the display with the caption, “Don’t mix sports and politics.” Tseng’s street art includes many such fake advertisements, including a fake Microsoft ad with the caption “Goodbye Inefficient Humans!” A cartoon of a man on a laptop with a red X through it was also displayed – like that of Harris’. No investigation into the ads has been announced by the city, the Eagles, or […] “Street artist takes credit for fake Kamala Harris advertisements”

Walz visits Lancaster County, unveils ‘A New Way Forward’ tour alongside Harris Photo Courtesy of Flickr. Tim Walz speaks at a public event. Sevan Sinton Associate News Editor  Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz visited Lancaster County on Wednesday; his first solo appearance since accepting the Vice President nomination in Philadelphia a month ago. Frequent visits to the swing state from both parties have been ramping up as November approaches, even former President Donald Trump held a Harrisburg town hall event on Wednesday. Walz, accompanied by his daughter, took a trip to Cherry Hill Orchards in New Danville. The video shows Cherry Hill’s manager leading Walz through the store, where he purchased a Lancaster County favorite; whoopie pies. Following his visit to Cherry Hill, Walz met with members of the Lancaster County Democratic Committee. He exchanged words of encouragement for the election with members and restated the importance of Lancaster County as part of a swing state. Walz’s visit comes two weeks before the highly anticipated debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump – Harris is currently preparing for the debate in Pittsburgh. Following the debate, Walz will begin the “New Way Forward” tour alongside Harris, where he will visit key battleground states such as Nevada, Michigan, and Wisconsin. According to a poll by Franklin and Marshall in August, the Harris/Walz campaign led in Pennsylvania by 3% over the Trump/Vance ticket. The Democratic ticket is hopeful Walz’s background as a veteran and teacher will align with voters across the state, and the historically republican L […] “Walz visits Lancaster County, unveils ‘A New Way Forward’ tour alongside Harris”

Red Rose Transit Authority approves bus service changes Photo Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons. A Red Rose Transit Authority bus parked at a bus stop. Jamie Hughes Associate Photography Editor  Lancaster County’s public transit system, the Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA), will be implementing updates to its service later in the fall semester. The changes were approved by the RRTA’s parent company, the South Central Transit Authority, on July 17 following a public comment period in May. The RRTA system serves a wide area of Lancaster County from its main station on Queen Street in downtown Lancaster, including Millersville University. Its service to Millersville provides a link for students and faculty between the campus and the city of Lancaster. The company also operates the MU Express campus shuttle during classes. The updated service includes more straightforward bus departure times, with buses set to depart either every thirty minutes or every hour. The plans also introduce several new routes, including one covering locations on Harrisburg Pike such as Wegmans, Park City Center, and the Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center. Service to Lancaster City’s Amtrak station is also more consistent, with all-day coverage as part of its new route to locations on Fruitville Pike. Previously, service to Amtrak was fragmented due to the Downtown Loop, which primarily covers the station, suspending service between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Manheim, Lititz and Ephrata routes currently cover the area around the station but do not stop directly at it. The service updates, while originally planned to take effect on November 4, 2024, were pushed to November 11 to avoid confusion during the upcoming election on November 5. Updated paper guides to the bus system will be published in October, and the new schedules and routes are also available to view now on RRTA’s website. The new bus plans do not involve any changes to the fare structure. With the updates to the bus system, public transit in Lancaster County is set to become more convenie […] “Red Rose Transit Authority approves bus service changes”

Millersville welcomes Chick-fil-A: what students can expect from this new dining location Abigail Manbeck / Snapper Photos show signs that are advertising Chick-fil-A coming soon. Abigail Manbeck News Editor  It was announced in June 2024 that Millersville University is getting a Chick-fil-A on campus. The Chick-fil-A is currently being worked on this fall semester and is going to be put in where the Galley used to reside. Due to the reconstruction, the Galley is closed, which leaves the Millersville campus with only two main dining halls in the center of campus, the Cove, Evergreen, and Starbucks. With this new announcement comes some new information as well. As of right now, Chick-fil-A will not be on the meal plan, which means you cannot use a meal swipe to get your meal. The only methods of payment that will be accepted at this restaurant will be Flex, Marauder Gold, cash, and debit/credit card. It was mentioned in one of the Millersville news blogs that the school has been working on this new update for more than two years. Also stated in the blog is a quote from Millersville’s President, Dr. Daniel A. Wubah saying “This is the next step to diversify student dining options on campus.” Geoff Beers, CEO of Student Lodging and SSI, also gives some input via the blog on this new Chick-fil-A. “We’re pleased to help bring a new restaurant to Millersville University’s campus and the community.” […] “Millersville welcomes Chick-fil-A: what students can expect from this new dining location”