Columbia's decision to ban former employee from its property may be 'unconstitutional' [Lancaster Watchdog]
Chris Vera [Columbia Spy file photo] The following information is excerpted from a December 6, 2025 LNP Watchdog article by LNP | LancasterOnline reporter Jade Campos. Still reeling from an abrupt firing from his role as head of the Columbia Market House in March, Chris Vera was surprised to get a letter in the mail from a Columbia Borough attorney two weeks later telling him he was banned indefinitely from borough property. The letter gave no reason for the ban. Nine months later, Vera, who has served as president of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society for more than a decade and has helped with the borough’s comprehensive plan, is still banned from borough property. He believes the ban includes borough parks, which is part of the reason he moved his annual Albatwitch Day festival, which celebrates the myth of a local cryptid, to Wrightsville. Vera said he’s not sure why the borough went to such lengths to keep him away from public spaces given his termination from the borough s...
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First it was at the bridge burning last June and now at the river park.
My grandson and I parked the car in the park prior to this incident unfolding on Sunday morning. He found it to be interesting as did I, so we watched. WE were closely watched by a Marietta special police man and finally a west hempfield cop kicked us out and said the park is closed. Heavy handed seems to be their MO. If there was an active threat of harm, yes ask people to leave. There was no threat and we were at a distance of 200-300 feet or more. We did not interfere with any of the work taking place. Nor could we interfere with privacy. I certainly could not identify or determine the cause of death from that far away. The Columbia officers do not treat people that way. I do not want to be thrown out of a park that I pay taxes to support. Why don't they throw out the kids that are in that park vandalizing and doing drugs. They would rather exercise their power by throwing out a grandmother sitting on a bench watching. Also tell the west hempfield cops and Marietta special police about the laws of photography. Photos may be taken in any public setting .....period.
And since when do Hempfield police have jurisdiction in Columbia Borough? This guy was way out of bounds on many levels.
Also, the Marietta fire policeman told cameramen from two news organizations that no photography was allowed. When they inquired further, he relented and said videos were allowed but no still shots. WTF? He obviously didn't know the law and made up his own version on the spot. I knew my rights and took several shots anyway. This guy should have learned the law before pretending to be a policeman.
Both of these public servants exhibited very bad form in serving the public.