Gramma's Home Accents to open in Columbia

Gramma's Home Accents, which will sell used furniture as well as gifts and antiques, is slated to open Tuesday, Jan. 7, in Columbia at 417 Locust St.

Owned by Rich Sabatino, the store will have some 2,000 square feet of space for all kinds of furniture, including tables, china closets and chairs — everything except beds.

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/938273_Gramma-s-Home-Accents-to-open-in-Columbia.html

Ready for the countdown

A worker readies the ball atop Golden Stories Tuesday afternoon, in preparation for tonight's New Year's Eve countdown.

On the edge

Write a good one

What I saw recently

Did this event ever happen? 

It was snowing heavily the evening of Saturday, December 14, when the tree lighting ceremony was scheduled.  I assumed - perhaps wrongly - that it had been canceled.  The next day, I saw firemen adding more lights to the tree, so I figured they hadn't gotten finished on Saturday.  I arrived Sunday evening at about 6 o'clock and got photos of the tree, but the park was otherwise empty.

Friday a week ago, this huge wooden crate passed through town at dusk. It was escorted by a lead vehicle, two state police cruisers, and a Columbia Police cruiser.  The huge shipment took up about one-and-a-half traffic lanes.  (This shot was taken at Locust Street and Route 462.)

The trailer proceeded east on 462, then turned left onto Prospect Road, then left on Marietta Avenue, and right onto 441.  Was it going to TMI?  HIA?

Is this what Santa used to pull his sleigh this year?

A close-up of the aforementioned vehicle.

A work in progress along Route 462, right next to Royer's Flowers and Gifts.

Mount Zion AME Church on Fifth Street, early in the morning

A good way to keep your cooler . . . cooler

Where's the Maytag repairman when you need him?

An ET watching the decline of Western civilization

Baby Jesus kicking back and taking it easy on his birthday

Yeah, that's what I think of his music, too.

Patterns

Holiday Deliveries

Last week, volunteers delivered food boxes to the needy.

Go HERE for more on this story.

Invasion of the Phone Books

Thus, it begins:

Nature's Ice Sculptures

"Christmas Twilight" by Lloyd Mifflin

One of Columbia's most famous poets

(Submitted by Walter Skold)

What I Saw - Christmas Day 2013

Ice bells at the river

Gabriel's Message

What I Saw - Christmas Eve 2013

Calling all Poets and Storytellers! High School Poetry and Storytelling Competition

CALLING ALL HIGH SCHOOL PS AND WRITERS! Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.     The World Affairs Council of Harrisburg Announces 2nd Annual International Poetry & Storytelling COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SEND POETRY AND SHORT STORIES to wachreply@gmail.com DEADLINE: JAN. 10, 2014   We invite all talented high school and college students to submit their poetry works and/or short stories to participate in the competition. Winning poems and stories will be acknowledged at a special gala dinner where writers will read their works! POEMS AND STORIES SHOULD RELATE TO PEACEMAKING, APPRECIATION OF DIVERSITY, GLOBAL UNDERSTANDING AND NON-VIOLENCE. SAVE THE DATE! THE DINNER GALA FEATURING ACCLAIMED POETS AND WRITERS WILL BE HELD 6:30 P.M. JAN. 20  IN CELEBRATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY OF SERVICE! For more information, visit www.wacharrisburg.org or EMAIL WACHARRISBURG@GMAIL.COM  follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend  Copyright © *2013* *The World Affairs Council of Harrisburg*, All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: Walnut St. & N. 4th St 234 Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA, 17101 (717) 884-8618 or (717) 221-1627 WACHarrisburg@gmail.com

How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk - Interactive Graphic

What does the way you speak say about where you're from?

GO HERE:
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html?_r=0

Local Woman Vows to Combat Domestic Violence through National Research

Parents of Adult Children who are Victims and/or Perpetrators of Domestic Violence

 Columbia, PA – Local PhD student launches a survey targeted for parents of adult children who are either a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence. The survey outlines topics ranging from the types of assistance provided to coping strategies. This is a first attempt at documenting parental outcomes of depression when faced with their adult child's experience with domestic violence.

"If adult children experience negative life events and stressors, then their parents experience negative mental health outcomes because parents allow relationships to define them," says Sherry Welsh, Licensed Social Worker. Volunteers are needed to participate in a one-time, 15-20 minute survey that will explore the effects on parents when an adult child is either a victim or perpetrator of domestic violence. 

To take this domestic violence survey, go to: http://www.TakeSurveyNow.2Truth.com.

If you need assistance or have questions, please contact Sherry Welsh at slswelsh@comcast.net.

Columbia will get new police dog to replace Max

Columbia Borough Police Department will welcome a new member to their team early next year.

Max, the current K-9 officer, will retire in early spring and be replaced by a new dog.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/933131_Columbia-will-get-new-police-dog-to-replace-Max.html

What I Saw - Thursday, December 19, 2013

 A clash (or compromise?) of cultures at the Columbia Plaza

 Yes, this van was actually being driven like this - two days after the last snowfall.

 Pulled over on 462 near Royer's

 When I went to pay the water bill this afternoon, this is what I found - an expanse of ice I had to tread across cautiously just to reach the parking meter.  If the borough wants us to pay for parking, it could at least afford us a full, clean parking space.  Otherwise, what are we paying for?

 The other side of the street had the same problem.

 Drivers had to park their vehicles on an angle.


Meanwhile . . .

 Ice is forming on the river.

And there's another stash of phone books.