President Bush's appearance here Wednesday will be a "town hall"-style event — possibly with a Q-and-A — at the Jay Group's new $26 million headquarters in West Hempfield Township, the New Era has learned.

About 70 members of the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry, which is hosting the president, lined up outside its South Queen Street office as early as 4 a.m. today to get one of only 100 tickets available.

Manheim Realtor Gerry Beane, 59, was the first to secure a ticket. He said he wants to hear Bush address the numerous problems facing the United States, specifically the state of the housing market, the economy and the Iraq war.

"I'd ask him when he's going to finally acknowledge the public's opinion on Iraq and react appropriately," said Beane, who is opposed to the war and wants the troops brought home.

Nearby, a 36-year-old Plain-sect construction worker counted himself among Bush's supporters. "I'm interested in hearing about the economy," he said. "You hear all about how it's not good. I want to know: How are we going to get that back?"

The White House was expected to announce the venue of Bush's speech late this afternoon, after the New Era's publishing deadline. However, those getting tickets to the event this morning were given directions to the Jay Group's headquarters at 700 Indian Springs Drive, just off Marietta Avenue — Route 23 — in the Stony Battery Corporate Center.

Iraq-war opponents planning to demonstrate at Bush's visit also were told by law-enforcement officials that Bush was scheduled to appear at the facility.

The Jay Group broke ground a year ago for the facility, which serves as its corporate headquarters. Comprising 54,000 square feet of office space and nearly 200,000 square feet of warehouse space, the new facility on 16 acres at Corporate Boulevard and Indian Springs Drive is set for completion in mid-December.

The Jay Group, established in 1965, is a marketing and fulfillment company. Dana Chryst, its chief executive officer, said she could not reveal details about the venue this morning. But she said the president's security and advance teams have been thoroughly reviewing the site since last week.

"There were several outside vendors engaged by the chamber, and before they ever came, the Secret Service was there and an advance team and White House communications team. They essentially came in and assessed the facility and asked us a lot of questions about various things, mostly having to do with access, power and phone lines," she said.

About 400 people are expected to attend the invitation-only event.

White House spokesman Alex Conant declined to confirm the venue but said Bush's speech will focus on the budget and spending. "I also expect the president to talk about taxes and why we must reject calls to raise taxes on the American people."

The government's new budget year began today, but Congress has not completed even one of the dozen spending bills appropriating money for the day-to-day operations of 15 Cabinet departments.

Bush has promised to veto the Democratic spending bills because, taken as a whole, they would break his budget by $23 billion or more. In his weekly radio address Saturday, Bush chided Democrats as he signed a bill that prevents a government shutdown and gives lawmakers 48 days more days to complete the budget work.

"Earlier this year, congressional leaders promised to show that they could be responsible with the people's money. Unfortunately they seem to have chosen the path of higher spending," Bush said.

The style of the president's appearance here will be that of a town hall-style meeting, Chryst said. In similar events held earlier this year, Bush appeared in a theater-like setting, surrounded by the audience, and took questions after making his speech.

That approach is more personal, and was appreciated by those who attended Bush's July town hall meeting in Nashville, Tenn., according to the Tennessean newspaper.

"I don't agree with President Bush on many issues, but I appreciate him coming down and getting in front of the voters and saying, 'This is what I believe,'" Al McCree, a recording industry executive, told the newspaper.

The chamber distributed 100 tickets to its members this morning. It also has reserved tickets for each of its 40 board members, their guests, and for past chairmen. Also getting tickets are Jay Group representatives and elected officials and their guests.

At least three groups that oppose the Iraq war plan to stage peaceful protests: the Lancaster Coalition for Peace & Justice, Students for a Democratic Society and Codepink.

"We've had a really big public, local response," said Sherry Wolfe, a member of Peace & Justice. "People have had it. We've signed petitions. We've made calls. We've voted for Democrats. Nothing's happened. We want the troops brought home."

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