Fundraising For A Good Cause

By Zachary Lape- Lape Brothers Photography



Marietta, Lancaster County is holding a fantastic fundraiser called Marietta Patriotic Paint-a-Plug. It benefits the Marietta Carnival on July 4th time- 4:30-8:30pm, followed by Fireworks at 9:15pm. They will have Games, live music and Food trucks. The location of the carnival is at the Marietta War Memorial Park, located at 344 E Walnut Street, Marietta.



11 different fire hydrants sponsored by local businesses throughout Marietta Borough have been painted by local artists.

L. Weber Painting sponsored the supplies to the artists. They also prepared the hydrants for the artists to paint.

History of painting the hydrant
The nationwide trend of painting fire hydrants began as a grassroots civic movement during the United States Bicentennial in 1976. Across the country, ordinary citizens, Boy Scouts, and garden clubs transformed local hydrants into historical figures, soldiers, and patriotic designs to celebrate the country's 200th birthday. This July 4th is 250th and it's impressive to see Marietta bring history back to the town.

These photos are from 1976:

(Photos are not mine. Credits to the photographers who took them.)


Meet One Of The Artists



Tracey McCarriar is one of the Local Artists. She also does photography take a look at some her work out at tmcphotos.com




Vote for your favorite fire hydrant. Voting will close on July 4th at 4:30pm.

The winner will be announced at the Marietta Carnival. Please vote and support the Fundraiser, Local Artists and Businesses.

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=Bf0bvwcx9kuEzZLOWY6pzRPOSRvBfuZOlbjhf108pO9UMk85NUVaVVZORkVHWThHRzUwN1dMUk5WNy4u&origin=QRCode&route=shorturl

Agenda — Columbia Borough Council Meeting — June 23, 2026

The meeting packet is HERE.

All 26 piers to blaze again: Columbia-Wrightsville bridge lighting returns for first time in over a decade

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

All 26 piers of the Veterans Memorial Bridge will blaze Sunday night for the first time in more than a decade, marking a milestone moment for the annual Riverfest celebration between Columbia and Wrightsville.

The lighting will take place around 7:45 p.m. on June 28, with the bridge closed to vehicle traffic and open to pedestrians so visitors can get a clear view. While the piers are set to be lit at that time, organizers say there's no way to predict how long the burn will last.

The piers, remnants of earlier bridges that once spanned the Susquehanna River before the current Veterans Memorial Bridge was completed in 1930, are typically lit only a few at a time each year by the Susquehanna National Heritage Area as part of Riverfest. 

The last time all of the surviving stone piers were lit simultaneously was in 2013 for the 150th anniversary of the original bridge burning. This year's full lighting honors the 250th anniversary of the United States.

Riverfest itself commemorates a piece of Civil War history: in June 1863, residents of York and Lancaster counties burned the covered bridge that once crossed the river there, blocking Confederate troops from advancing toward Harrisburg and Philadelphia. The festival runs Friday through Sunday this year and celebrates the shared histories of both counties.

Ahead of the lighting, the public can attend a "Light Up the Night" viewing party at Columbia Crossing, 41 Walnut St. in Columbia, starting at 6 p.m. The Maxwell Project will perform live there from 6 to 8 p.m. A related talk featuring speaker Scott Mingus is scheduled for 5 p.m. at the same location.

Lancaster County Democrats attract national donors in competitive Pa. House, Senate district races

Brad Chambers (top) and State Sen. James Malone 

JADE CAMPOS | LNP Staff Writer

Lancaster County Democrats are garnering national attention in their attempts to flip or hold on to seats in Republican-friendly areas, according to campaign finance disclosure forms filed with the Pennsylvania Department of State last week.

Donations from as far away as the West Coast have helped Columbia Democrat Brad Chambers and East Petersburg Democrat James Malone outpace their Republican challengers in fundraising heading into the summer.

In the 36th Senate District, Malone has more than twice as much money to spend on his reelection campaign compared to GOP opponent Tom Jones, while in the 41st House District, Chambers has nearly $10,000 more than incumbent Brett Miller.

Democrats have expressed optimism about their chances of flipping the 41st District, which has become more purple in recent years and includes the Columbia Borough and Hempfield school districts. Most of the House district is contained in Malone’s 36th Senate District, a longtime deep-red district that broke for Democrats in a 2025 special election.

Chambers, a 35-year-old labor administrator from Columbia, reported having $101,352 on hand to spend at the start of the summer, raising more than $25,000 from May 5 to June 8. Miller, who is defending his seat, is not far behind with $93,436 available to spend on his own campaign, bringing in $12,525 during that same time period.

MORE: HERE

Five-unit Linden Street Build moves forward with mechanical work

Mechanical rough-ins are underway at the five-unit Linden Street build in Columbia. HVAC professionals are on onsite this week and are expected to wrap up their work next week. Electrical and fire suppression work will also be getting done onsite this week.

Habitat for Humanity estimates it will need a few more weeks to let subcontractors get onsite and complete their work before volunteer shifts resume at Linden.

In the meantime, read about two of the Linden Street homebuyers Donescha and Stephanie.

[Source: Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity June 24-26 Weekly Construction Update newsletter]

There's still time for Columbia to do this: Marietta's fire hydrants get a patriotic makeover

"Patriotic Paint A Plug," a borough-wide art project, has transformed 11 ordinary fire hydrants in Marietta to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. 

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY 

If you've traveled through Marietta lately, you may have noticed fire hydrants wearing stars, stripes, and other designs.

"Patriotic Paint A Plug," a borough-wide art project has turned 11 ordinary fire hydrants into mini-canvases celebrating America's 250th birthday. Local businesses and residents sponsored the project. L. Weber handled the paint, prepping, and priming. Local artists, community groups, and students did the painting. 

Students from Under The Willow School in Marietta teamed with the Marietta Community House to decorate a hydrant of their own.

Each hydrant comes with its own yard sign, numbered and ready for visitors to scan a QR code and cast a vote for their favorite. Voting closes July 4, 2026 at 4:30 p.m.

Proceeds and goodwill from the project benefit the Marietta Community Carnival.

Thanks Zachary Lape of Lape Brothers Photography for the news tip.

From Wright’s Ferry to Columbia: A town of considerable vintage turns 300

https://columbiacourier.blogspot.com/2026/06/from-wrights-ferry-to-columbia-town-of.html?m=1