COLUMBIA SPY

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

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

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 ...

Last week, volunteers delivered food boxes to the needy. Go  HERE  for more on this story.

Thus, it begins:

One of Columbia's most famous poets (Submitted by Walter Skold)

Ice bells at the river

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 COMPETIT...

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

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...

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

 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.