COLUMBIA SPY

Amvets, 28 N. 2nd St., Columbia, for: improperly operating small games of chance; failing to maintain proceeds from games of chance in a bank account separate from other funds; selling alcoholic beverages to nonmembers; failing to maintain records confirming with the liquor code; possessing or operating gambling devices or paraphernalia or permitted gambling or lotteries, pool selling and or bookmaking on licensed premises. Union Station Grill, 171-173 S. 4th St., Columbia, for loudspeaker operated in a noisy and/or disorderly manner.

This excerpt is from the Columbia Borough website. All the codes officers need to do now is get out of the office and out of the truck and enforce the code.

The GOP has gone off crazier than usual. A PA state representative has proposed a constitutional amendment allowing discrimination as long as it is based on sincerely held beliefs. PA State Rep. Gordon Denlinger, a Republican from Lancaster County, is looking for cosponsors to a proposed constitutional amendment that some say would allow Arizona-style discrimination right here in Pennsylvania. “I plan to propose a new section in Article I — the Pennsylvania ‘Bill of Rights’ — that will prohibit government from punishing an individual or entity if the individual or entity makes hiring or other employment decisions, or provide services, accommodations (including housing accommodations), advantages, facilities, goods or privileges based on sincerely held beliefs,” Denlinger wrote in a Jan. 8 memorandum to his House colleagues. Under Denlinger’s proposed amendment, “an individual or entity may not be found to have discriminated in making employment related decisions or providing...

The Turkey Hill Minit Markets store at 1199 Prospect Road, Columbia, re-opened its doors Thursday after a renovation and expansion that took more than 12 weeks. Now 4,500 square feet, the store has an updated décor and broader selection of products. New offerings include hot pizza, available in 14-inch pies or by the slice,  and an upgraded coffee brewing system. The cost and other details of the renovation and expansion, which began Dec. 1, were not immediately available. Open 24 hours a day, the Prospect Road store employs 25 people. Turkey Hill will hold a grand re-opening for the store on Friday, March 14, from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Lancaster-based Turkey Hill has 61 convenience stores in Lancaster County. The first opened in 1967. http://m.lancasteronline.com/mobile_adv/columbia/

Recorded message says they're all sold out!

Go  HERE .

Holy Trinity's 90th annual fasnacht bake requires pre-orders, which can be made by calling 681-2505. MORE HERE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/get-em-while-they-re-hot-holy-trinity-fasnacht-hotline/article_12b1a04a-9efa-11e3-af0f-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm

Columbia Borough Mayor Leo Lutz said Monday the plan to have a new K-9 officer and handler in place by spring is "on hold." His statement prompted outbursts from members of both council and the Columbia K-9 Committee, a nonprofit organization that defrays the cost of the borough's K-9 officer. Mike Beury, council president, told Lutz that it was time to "tell the truth." Lutz said the reason for the decision was personal, and based on Keyser's concern about having a dog trained to bite in his home. Council vice president Barry Ford said that he spoke with Keyser last week, and that the mayor's statement about the reason for the officer's decision was incorrect. Under heated questions from council and residents alike about the timing of communications and the way in which decisions were being made, Lutz appeared to lose his temper, countering that the K-9 program is a police program and, therefore, not officially the business of the council. Cou...

Last year, a group gathered to dedicate a new grave marker for an unknown Rebel soldier who died on the banks of the Susquehanna. Why has it not enacted any monument to an unknown man who died helping to preserve that union? MORE HERE: http://www.ydr.com/opinion/ci_25222678/our-take-still-waiting-monument-wrightsvilles-unknown-defender

Video link is  HERE

Columbia & Reading Railway Co. has received a $732,000 state grant to improve its system. Its 2.5 miles of track are in Columbia Borough and West Hempfield Township. The company dates to 1857, according to newspaper files. MORE HERE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/columbia-reading-railway-gets-state-grant/article_ca6b1e32-9e37-11e3-b4bb-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

Police are investigating the robbery and assault of a pizza delivery driver in Columbia Sunday night. GO HERE FOR MORE INFO: http://m.lancasteronline.com/columbia/news/pizza-delivery-driver-robbed-and-assaulted-in-columbia/article_c4091c66-9d46-11e3-8ef3-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

Columbia School District officials approved tax abatements Thursday that would allow residents to make property improvements without immediately incurring more taxes. The measure, officials said, would provide an incentive for residents to improve their properties. MORE HERE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/columbia/news/columbia-school-board-approves-tax-reductions-on-more-property-improvements/article_ba1066ba-9d05-11e3-bd59-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

Just a few snow-related thoughts that have been bouncing around in my head: There's been a lot of discussion lately by school district administrators and others about alternatives to making up "snow days," from excusing the days entirely to cyber-schooling to calculating hours instead of days, all in the interest of preventing school from extending too far into June.  As a taxpaying citizen, I hereby call BS on the whole enterprise. I believe in public education, and I believe it's my duty to support it financially. I also believe it's the duty of teachers and administrators to educate our children and prepare them for the future, even if that entails making up every school day that was lost to bad weather. Their priority is supposed to be education, not whether they'll miss out on non refundable vacation trips or their summer will be too short. Recently on WGAL-TV, Hempfield School District Superintendent Dr. Brenda Becker said, in effect, that it...

Local artist Bob Hammer will be displaying his work at the Hammer Art Studio Booth at the PA Garden Show of York. The show will be held next Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the York Expo Center-Memorial Hall, 334 Carlisle Avenue, York, PA. Go  HERE  for more information.

 A dog making a deposit at River Park on Sunday afternoon.  And no, the deposit did not get picked up.  An outside cat at Second and Walnut  A cardboard box that serves as an outside cat shelter at Second and Walnut.  The porch also contains cat dishes for feeding.  A recent commenter complained about being cited by the borough for feeding outside cats.  I wonder if this homeowner was, also.  I hope our codes are enforced uniformly and not arbitrarily. A heron flying past some lazy seagulls to show how it's done. At Second and Mill. This used to be the Riverview Tavern.

This music captures the brooding melancholy that has been this winter (and it's not over yet). Go  HERE  if the video does not appear on your device.

On Saturday afternoon, a group of men arrived at Columbia River Park to test-fly a drone and use it to film a kayaker (one of the group) in the Susquehanna.  The endeavor lasted about an hour and drew a small crowd.  The drone operators were somewhat tight-lipped about their enterprise, except to say they didn't need FAA approval as long as they kept the drone below 400 feet.  (That information was in answer to a question from one of the onlookers.) The kayaker paddles out, in preparation for the filming.  An operator checks the drone before take-off.  The camera can be seen here, hanging from the bottom of the drone.  Monitor - it sees what the drone camera sees.  The drone and two remotes Some video clips are shown below.  (My camera mike picked up a lot of wind noise, and the drone motors were a bit loud, so you may want to turn down your computer volume before playing the clips.) Drone take-off #1 Dro...

On February 19, 2014, I received a "Courtesy Notice" from Columbia Borough Code Compliance Department.  This was taped to my front door.  The handwritten part was difficult to decipher, but appears to say, "Feeding of cats see sect. 403 D 9 keeping of pets Col Boro ordinance".  The printed section, animal waste/outdoor feeding of animals, was check-marked.  Also on the form it states that I must comply by February 20, 2014. My work with the feral cat spay/neuter program began in the summer of 2012.  With the help of the Lancaster County Cat Rescue organization, I successfully trapped 4 cats and drove them to the Humane League of Lancaster County.  This was done on my day off from work, using my own time, vehicle, gas, and money to accomplish the task.  I was able to spay 3 females and neuter one male.  They all were given rabies shots and the male was treated for fleas.  I signed a paper stating that I was their caregiver and detailing t...

 If you don't clear your sidewalk . . .   you might get a notice on your door.  Snow in the boat - for ballast  Looking for artifacts Rooftop chat

There it is in black and white:   Shovel your sidewalk.  At least three feet in width.  Don't throw the snow into the street after the street has been plowed.   Up to $600 fine plus costs possible for non-compliance. No parking at designated times, even if the sweeper is not running.

Warmer temperatures produced the beginning of a thaw.  Soon, we'll be back to where we started before all the recent snow, which leads me to believe the whole episode was nothing more than an exercise in futility by whoever perpetrated it.  Three geese went sailing by . . .  but this laggard chose to walk.  Actually, I use Bing quite a bit. High on (the) pot

I took a walk this afternoon, because the sun was shining, and I wanted to escape impending cabin fever. Also, because my back hurt from shoveling snow, and I thought a jaunt around town would alleviate aches and pains.  Along the way, I helped a woman with a walker get across an icy sidewalk that hadn't been properly cleared. Good deed done. Later, on Locust Street, I was walking behind a young woman of about 20 and a boy I assumed to be her son, who appeared to be about five. The kid was lagging a bit, as kids do, but "Mom" wasn't pleased and told him, "I'm not gonna keep f**kin' stoppin' dude. You're gonna walk. You're gonna shut the hell up." She didn't say it angrily, just matter-of-factly, in a normal, conversational tone. I hadn't noticed the kid saying anything. I wondered how many times he must have heard similar language at home at his young age for some small infraction, real or perceived. And we wonder where kids ge...

The controversy also exists elsewhere, namely Harrisburg. Click on the link below for more info and residents' opinions on the matter. http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2014/02/parking_etiquette_in_the_snow.html#comments

 A casualty along Barber Street  A uniquely designed snowman that's also . . . if not anatomically correct, at least anatomically explicit , thus the censored photo.  This is a family blog, after all.  There's a time and place for such expression.  But in one's backyard, facing the sidewalk where children play, isn't appropriate.  We got a lot of snow recently. Well, at least they cleared the snow off their car, even if they can't get out of their parking space.

On Sunday morning, work crews were busy clearing excess snow from Locust Street.  Although notices had been posted along the street last Wednesday, some vehicles had not been moved. Those remaining were ticketed and towed.  This lady in white moved her car at the last minute.  Snow was blown into dump trucks and hauled away.  Vehicles continued to be towed.  Here's a closer view of the humongous snow blower that was used.  Further down the street  A side view of the giant snow blower  More vehicles being towed  The morning's work yielded some good results . . .   here . . .  and here. Our borough workers deserve thanks for working hard on a Sunday morning to make our streets clear and safe.