COLUMBIA SPY

With authority granted under the state Ethics Act, the Pennsylvania Ethics Commission is responsible for investigating ethics allegations lodged against elected officials and certain public employees. MORE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/state-ethics-commission-possibly-investigating-east-earl-township/article_a0d207a0-bde6-11e4-865a-631b1a8d07c9.html?mode=jqm

The Federal Communications Commission voted Thursday to implement new net neutrality rules designed to make sure Internet service providers treat all legal content equally. MORE: http://www.freep.com/story/news/nation/2015/02/26/net-neutrality-rules/24063045/

As reported previously on this site , most of the LNP vending dispensers in Columbia were either empty or contained out-of-date newspapers. As of today, all of the dispensers, except one, had disappeared. At one location, the LNP dispenser had been replaced by one containing another publication.  This dispenser, featuring a free Hispanic newspaper, recently replaced the LNP dispenser at Third and Union. As of today, this is the last LNP dispenser standing.

Sen . Lisa Boscola , D-Lehigh County,  has reintroduced a bill  that would require drivers to make "all reasonable efforts" to remove all ice or snow from their vehicles. Drivers would face fines of between $25 and $75 for not clearing off snow from their vehicles, including the roof, hood and trunk. Currently,  drivers can only be fined  when dislodged snow or ice falls from their vehicles and causes death or serious bodily injury. Boscola also upped the maximum fines for when those incidents occur from $1,000 to $1,500 in the new bill. MORE: http://www.pennlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/02/remove_snow.html#incart_related_stories

 Political sign Emergency crews at Sixth and Locust . . .   On the way to the Midway Collision Shop Losing his head

If you’re injured or your car is damaged because you hit a pothole on a state road, can you sue PennDOT? The short answer is: Don’t bother. Unless you have a truly exceptional case, you won’t win. State sovereign immunity law bars reimbursement for property damage due to potholes, according to the agency. “Because of this, no reimbursement has ever been made for a claim of this type,” PennDOT says on its website. The law doesn’t explicitly bar personal injury claims resulting from potholes. However, it sets the bar for a successful claim very high. You would have to show that the state had “actual written notice” of a dangerous road condition and time to correct it, and that it was reasonably foreseeable that the condition could lead to your accident and injury. “The injured party bears the burden of proof on all points,” the Allentown Morning Call noted in 2014. MORE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/is-penndot-legally-liable-for-pothole-damage/article_b2b94526-bc80-11e...

COLUMBIA, Pa. (WHTM) – Police are investigating the theft of a $90,000 rollback truck from a Lancaster County business. West Hempfield Township police said the truck was stolen off a rear lot of Chapman Ford, at 3951 Columbia Avenue, sometime between Sunday night and Monday morning. The 2015 Ford F-550 Super Duty was owned by Nussbaum's Wreckers and Rollbacks and was at Chapman Ford for inspection. The truck was for sale by Nussbaum's, so it had no lettering on the sides and no registration plate. The vehicle was locked and no keys were inside, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call West Hempfield police at 717-285-5191. http://abc27.com/2015/02/24/90000-truck-stolen-in-columbia/

Some pics from around town over the last little while . . .  Touching up near Third and Walnut  Photo session down by the river Artists at work this afternoon . . . Police at work this afternoon . . .  Officer Bell conducts an interview near Fourth and Union.  What's West Hempfield doing there?  All in a row  Officer Keyser asks questions. Meanwhile . . . To throw or not to throw . . . ? Well, that answers that. So that's how you slide a kid under a fence.

http://m.lancasteronline.com/business/local_business/old-columbia-warehouse-becomes-new-arts-center/article_d4e3788a-b5f8-11e4-8617-1b58dfab1ce8.html?mode=jqm_gal

Stephen Smith grew up as an indentured servant in Pennsylvania. From a young age, he was assigned to work in the lumberyards by Thomas Boude, whose wealth stemmed from his extensive lumber business. After buying his freedom for $50 at the age of 21, he continued to work in the lumberyards until establishing his own lumber business in 1822, as well as dealing coal. By the 1850s, Smith was grossing $100,000 in annual sales. By 1857, Smith was worth $500,000 (approximately $13.5 million today). On top of being a businessman, Smith was a minister and served as chairman of the black abolitionist organization in Columbia, PA. http://tech.co/21-successful-black-entrepreneurs-throughout-history-2015-02

Note the temperature.

 Flurries were flying as school let out today.  Good thing that humongous snow plow was at the ready.   Whovian Keepin' it together

 Tundra swans . . . They should probably turn around and head southward due to the brutally low temperatures (for this area) and nuisance snows here lately. On the other hand, dozens of robins congregated at Laurel Hill Cemetery this afternoon. Can spring be far behind? This is just a small sampling of approximately 100 robins there today.

Someone was shuffling around on the river ice recently at Columbia River Park. These shots were taken this afternoon (Wednesday). I hope it wasn't the same people as before:  LINK I would have thought they'd learned their lesson.

 A good way to get a closer view of the river - or roll into it. Some guys putting something into the ground near Columbia Kettle Works . . .  Enjoy the new door at the water company office - you bought it.  Has the breast cancer awareness campaign gone too far?  666-TREE:  The root of evil?  A murder of crows feasting on sumac buds . . . Something didn't agree with this one near Ninth and Locust. Trainspotters . . .   There have been a number of oil train derailments this year:  LINK  Deer entrails? This is still there on a borough road. About a year ago there was a rib cage in the same spot. Is this evidence of poaching?  Look at those prices.  No wonder Tom's went out of business.  Last fan standing?  Obligatory bridge shot with snow on the river Bradley the Cooper's Hawk at River Park