Monday, August 21, 2017

About Town

Far too many photos of our town over the last week...


An eclipse watcher?
No, a Pokemon Go watcher!

 Pokemon Go players periodically congregate in various areas of town in pursuit of the game.

 Here they are at South 4th & Locust.

And here are more at the clock plaza at North 5th & Chestnut.


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The mayor recently discussed cracking down on uninspected, unregistered, or abandoned vehicles in the borough. Here are a few:






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 The secret way to Manor Street School. For some reason, students would get in trouble with the teacher if caught using these steps to enter or leave school.

 Today's eclipse created a weird, white, LED-type light, seen here at places on the surface of the bridge.
(This photo was taken about an hour after peak.)

 The bright glare is seen here also, as this tank truck driver took a water sample.


Gargoyles on Locust
(An eagle, too.)

 Taping a crack at North 3rd & Locust

 Staring heavenward

 Atop the former Columbia News building

 Backless and strapless

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Council considered approving the purchase of the following two properties - 400 Locust and 166 Bridge Street (including a portion of 185 North Front) - at last week's borough council meeting. Each motion failed due to the lack of a second. The seller proposed a purchase price of $125,000 for the Locust Street lot. A purchase price of $375,000 was requested for the Bridge Street property.

400 Locust Street

166 Bridge Street

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 New sign at Columbia Life Network

 Video Pipe Services: For doing a colonoscopy of your pipes.

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The following eight photos show a heron on a fishing expedition at Columbia River Park.  Photo #5 shows him catching something.









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Censored!

 This hulk, possibly named Cerberus, blocked the sidewalk on the 400 block of Locust the other day. Although leashed, he was allowed enough leeway to stand in a TREE well.

 New nail salon in town

 427 Locust Street

 About those trucks cruising through the center of town...

 Reflecting on flies

 Low ri-der

 By God, here comes another one!
Wasn't that 441 bypass supposed to keep these things out of here?

 CLOSE CALL!

 New fashion?

 Photo essay on the 200 block of Locust.
Nice pics, but they were attached to a poster board that was attached to the outside of a shop window.

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This building and the mobile home shown below might be getting "demoed" soon to make way for an apartment building. More on that story later - stay tuned.





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 A little furniture and a bike - what else could you possibly need?

 In the golden light of morn

 This varmint must not have seen the sign when he knocked over the trashcan.
(Actually, high winds the night before probably did the job. The squirrel was just taking advantage of the opportunity presented to him.)

 Another ghost sign - This one's on Bridge Street.

 The top reads "KEYSTONE."

 Really?

 So, is someone supposed to mow the alley?

 We often see these markings spray-painted on borough streets prior to digging or drilling.
Here's what the colors signify:





 This notice is posted on the door of the house near the church at North 6th & Chestnut. This is the house with the consistently overgrown, unkempt yard.

 This mattress has been here a while, so it's probably good and infested by now - if it wasn't before. 
(400 block of Avenue I)

 Ordinances are passed.  Some are enforced. Others just fade away.

 Shoo-mac!

 And here's a secret "arboretum" on the 300 block of Avenue I.

 It's time for this to be fixed.
(200 Block of Avenue I)

SHOO-MAC!!!

 Downed horse - a result of high winds

 Another feral. Back in the day, they were called alley cats.

 Progress on the Front Street storage bins

 They're a bit behind schedule. The goal was for completion in late July/early August.

 But contractors always have an excuse...

 Supply shortages, manpower shortages, plagues of locusts, etc.

 A part of Shawnee Run

 The secret lair of the borough vehicles

 Pipes for the new LASA plant.
Projected completion date: March 2018.
Think they'll make it?

 Under the railroad bridge at the bottom of Plane Street.
We used to call this "the tunnel."

 Patriotism on display along Rink Row

 Sunflower shining down

 On Plane Street, a tribute to veterans

When items become obsolete, they sometimes become objets d'art.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

So many great pictures Cole. My first question would be about what you refer to as a "house at 6th & Chestnut. Looks like a church to me, just curious to your reference of a house. Although I never see any type of influx of cars, as you would see for a church service.

Anonymous said...

The truck traffic coming off Route 441 north onto Locust Street east could be stopped by posting no truck traffic signs at the bottom of Locust Street. Not much that can be done about truck traffic traveling south on Third and turning west on Locust Street since traffic coming off the bridge from Wrightsville is directed south on Third Street to Locust Street to access Route 441 south.

Joe Lintner said...

It's the house next to the former Cookman Church. I assume it may have been called a parsonage or the like back in the day when the pastor of the church lived there. It seems abandoned now, although there is trash in the trash receptacle sometimes.

Anonymous said...

awesome pics. the boro should not be buying properties. truck traffic didn't stop because of GPS updates orlack there of. a huge sign may help...all lit up of course. more rental properties, surely you jest. there's already MORE than 800 rental properties...that's NOT units that'd probably be closed to 1500 - 2000.

Anonymous said...

Truck traffic in town is due to PennDot not the borough. Because 441 is a state maintained highway, the state is responsible for the signage. PennDot is dragging the change. This was discussed at one of the meetings with the mayor. The borough can't make any changes to the signage.

Anonymous said...

Very interesting. If there are no church services, shouldn't it be back on the tax roll? And why are/were people "living" there?

Anonymous said...

Love the pictures but seriously Codes and The Boro Officials need to get off their Butts.

Anonymous said...

The properties that the borough did not buy, aren't they owned by Doolittle?

Unknown said...

Hanging on locust st in the 90s memories

Joe Lintner said...

David Doolittle owns the Bridge Street property. Jaydesh Properties LLC owns 400 Locust.

Anonymous said...

Bank Avenue and Locust Street,, isn't that in the Historical District?

Joe Lintner said...

Yes. HARB approved the demo.

Anonymous said...

Great more rentals.

Anonymous said...

Isn't Columbia Boro Management the most (PATHETIC) you have ever seen, they need to get off their ASSES and drive the streets of Town and WALK the streets and see what is going on. The brag about all the good they are doing for the town but as you can see they lie right to your face. GET UP AND MOVE AROUND TOWN.

Anonymous said...

The council members live in bubbles. They are comfortable in their neck of the woods. The real Columbia is only something they hear about from disgruntled residents.

Anonymous said...

The guy on the motorcycle isn't doing a job concealing his firearm with his rear end sticking out.

Anonymous said...

Went to the nail salon. Such a bad experience. The nail techs were nice. They had no change for meters or to give back to customers. The nail tech didnt know how to properly do gel nails. You jump from seat to seat nail tech to nail tech. Was told 12 on fb paid 15 was supposed to get a hand massage and never received it. They dont have many gel colors to choose from. They just eat food and talk with their mouths full of food. Like take a 15 minute break between customers. I will not return back.