COLUMBIA SPY

Advance Auto Parts is moving into the Columbia Plaza. The following photos were taken on Saturday. Workers were on hand to stock shelves and get computers up and running.

Workers were busy stringing Christmas lights along Locust Street this afternoon to illuminate the holiday season.  It's beginning to look a little like Christmas.

Santa Claus is coming to Columbia on Saturday, December 5th. The parade starts at 8:30 a.m. at Route 441, then across South 3rd Street, turning left onto Locust Street, then turning right into South 10th Street and ending at Viggies firehouse. Breakfast will be served 9 to noon at the firehouse. Children ages 3 & under - free. Adults $5.  Sponsored by CCFD Auxiliary Columbia QRS. 

Everyone knows about the public boat ramp at Columbia River Park, but there's another boat ramp - less well known - that's also open to the public. Anyone wishing to use it simply needs to follow Union Street past the intersection with Front Street, then across the railroad tracks and towards the river. The ramp is a bit unkempt but paved well enough to allow a vehicle and trailer access to the river. According to a representative of the borough's highway department, this lower section of Union Street is public, as is access to the river via the ramp. Potential confusion is created by two PRIVATE PROPERTY signs standing on both sides of the road, several yards past the railroad tracks. The signs, which designate property owners' private tracts may have been strategically placed to discourage traffic on this block of Union - and to the river. Columbia Spy has also been informed that, under federal law, access to the shoreline is a public right. In other words, you ...

The Pennsylvania Game Commission and the Pennsylvania Biological Survey have just launched the Pennsylvania Mammal Atlas website. The agency hopes citizen-scientists in Lancaster and every other Pennsylvania county will answer the call to send in photographs of the 64 mammal species in the state they come across. Dead or alive. MORE: http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/wanted-citizen-scientists-with-cameras-to-document-pennsylvania-s-animals/article_309e3320-8efe-11e5-ace3-43b4d8a0e337.html

(The following information was provided by Heather Lynn Drescher.) On May 5, 2005, Heather Lynn Drescher was driving her minivan near the intersection of Fifth and Maple Streets when it was struck by another vehicle. The impact caused the van to roll downhill towards the clock tower at the NAWCC museum until it came to rest on its roof. A stranger then crawled into the back of the vehicle, rescuing Ms. Drescher's 18-month-old son and handing him to her.  After making sure everyone was all right, the mystery woman left the scene, explaining that she needed to get to work. Ms. Drescher has been looking for this woman for 10 years. If anyone knows her identity, contact Heather Lynn Drescher via her Facebook page.

Items from Columbia Borough Council Meeting of the Whole, Monday, November 23, 2015: Judy McKonly is willing to fund the construction of an animal rescue facility on a one-acre parcel of the borough farm. Council is currently awaiting a proposal plan for the facility. LCSWMA funding slated for Susquehanna Gateway Heritage Area (SGHA) has decreased by $25,000.  (On July 27, council approved SGHA to enter an agreement to manage Columbia Crossing.) Taxpayers are currently paying utilities for the building. SGHA wants an office to be constructed in the building. All road paving is done for the year. 13 blocks were paved, representing a 30% increase over last year. New playground equipment will begin to be installed at Rotary Park next week. Leaf pickup will end on December 11. $14-15,000 of material (salt and anti-skid mixture) is needed to keep roads salted and safe. Sewer refunds are done.  Bills for delinquent accounts will be sent out. Council approved a...

LASA crews will continue cleaning and televising sewer mains to assess pipe conditions and update mapping in Columbia Borough. They will also be locating, uncovering and inspecting manholes. Please direct questions to Maintenance Supervisor John Vilga 299-4843 ext 5819 or Maintenance Director Albert Knepp 299-4843 ext 5831. Go  HERE  for more information.

Columbia Borough Council voted 4-3 Monday night to keep the current property tax rate at eight mills. Council had previously discussed the possibility of a reduction of a quarter of a mill, to 7.75. A quarter of a mill costs the average homeowner about $25 a year, but generates $85,000 for the borough.

Columbia Borough Council will hold its Meeting of the Whole tonight at 6 at Borough Hall, 308 Locust Street. Citizens are urged to attend.

The Columbia Tree Society has begun their annual membership drive for 2016. The Society is the fundraising auxiliary for the Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission. Membership dues enable the Shade Tree Commission to purchase and maintain street trees in the borough. Over the last 21 years, the Shade Tree Commission planted approximately 790 trees in the community as well as maintaining street trees, and has received the National Arbor Day Foundation's "TREE CITY USA" designation for 23 consecutive years.  The Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission strives to encourage street tree plantings as well as yards, parks and public places, as trees retain large volumes of rainfall, thereby reducing and cleansing runoff. They also increase property values, reduce air pollution, calm traffic and lower noise levels. Manageable storm water runoff results from abundant trees, multi-use catch basins and rain gardens reduced impervious surfaces, and increased ground vegetation....

Dozens of visitors made the market a success again this Sunday, as they sampled fine foods and enjoyed the festive atmosphere. Sunday market has been an ongoing success and will reportedly continue through December.  Isabelle Warfel of Isabelle Cuisine offers international foods.  Dillweed gets things moving, this time with an extra "banjer."  Cullen Farrell of rijuice , shows the organic cold-pressed juice his company makes from fresh fruits and vegetables. (No high fructose corn syrup!)  A few of the flavors  Laura Lopez of Laura B's  Gina Frey of Half Nuts Popcorn Co.  Jordan and Alisha watch over Kat's Sweet Shop and Cake Pops and More  Folks enjoy Dillweed and a variety of fine food.  Ron and Sue Worby at Susquehanna Blue Smoke Don Haines chats with visitors.  Isabelle helps a customer.  And so does Cullen. Chef Pierre DeRagon heats a dessert.  A bas...

Master printer, Milt Friedly will teach 6 approaches to making original one of a kind Monotype prints. Tuesday, Dec. 1, 6-8:30 p.m. at the SCCA. Sign-up thru our website: www.sccaartstore.com Go to classes, find the workshop and click on Eventbrite. Cost: $35 All Materials included

The new letters at Columbia Crossing building in Columbia River Park were unveiled on Friday. Wilson worked all morning installing the new letters.