Friday, March 30, 2018

Columbia is a hot spot for home sales

[Columbia Spy file photo]


With regard to the homebuyers program for eligible low- to moderate-income first-time homebuyers, LHOP's Ray D'Agostino says the borough agreed to provide a match to LHOP's $5,000 closing cost assistance no-interest loan, which raises the figure to $10,000. In the program's first 10 months, there were 15 new homeowners in the borough, he says. The homeowner rehab program is just getting underway, so he does not have any data for that program.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/alwayslancaster/lancaster-city-columbia-hot-spots-for-home-sales/article_da167a3e-337a-11e8-9d69-53921d86b0cc.html

Thursday, March 29, 2018

Street Sweeping to resume Monday, April 2 | Columbia Borough Police Department

Street sweeping will resume on Monday 04-02-2018. Please remember to check the signs in your neighborhood to see what day and times the sweeper will be in your area.


https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/street-sweeping-0

Leo Lutz talks about Columbia's revitalization

Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz
[Columbia Spy file photo]

Today, Columbia is embarking on a very aggressive marketing strategy, downtown revitalization and neighborhood-improvement campaign. Columbia is open for business and homeownership.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/alwayslancaster/leo-lutz-columbia-mayor/article_4c0a7a8e-32c0-11e8-a8b8-9b0cfab9dd6f.html

Wednesday, March 28, 2018

Columbia residents assaulted fish wardens and locked them up - Shad Wars: A long, violent period in Lancaster County over a fish in the Susquehanna

In a well-reported incident documented in local newspapers, five fish wardens sent to Columbia had their boat overturned by locals. When they swam to the Columbia shoreline they were assaulted by residents. They spent the night locked inside a room in a local hotel while an angry mob milled outside.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/shad-wars-a-long-violent-period-in-lancaster-county-over/article_48c6e18a-3281-11e8-bbdd-c3310badc12c.html

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

16-year-old Columbia boy nabbed in Lancaster City drug bust | Lancaster Bureau of Police

16 year old juvenile male Columbia Borough resident

Charged with- Possession with Intent to Deliver Heroin/Cocaine and Crack Cocaine; Possession of Drug Paraphernalia-

Committed to Youth Intervention Center (YIC)

MORE:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/lbop/19659/post/seu-drug-arrest-recovered-stolen-handgun-400-blk-new-dorwart-st-03262018

Benson, Philip N - (1) Count Possession of Marijuana and 1 additional charge | Manheim Township Police Department



Possession of Marijuana Arrest, 2:02 a.m., Sunday, March 25, 2018, 1000 block North Duke Street (MT) – Philip N. Benson, M/45, of Columbia, PA, was charged with the above offense following a traffic stop. Officers searched Benson’s vehicle which yielded 11.89g of marijuana. A criminal complaint was filed.
Arrest Date: Monday, March 26, 2018
Case Number: 2018-MT-03021

Charges:
(1) Count Possession of Marijuana
(1) count summary traffic violation
Source:

Manheim Township Police Department
MORE:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/manheimtwppd/53783/arrests/benson-philip-n-1-count-possession-marijuana-and-1-additional-charge

Sunday, March 25, 2018

About Town

56 photos from the last two weeks...


The borough has been notifying residents of the upcoming street sweeping season with these yellow warning tickets. Next time (starting March 26, 2018) will be the real deal, and it'll cost you.

Even the codes car got a warning ticket.

 Good thing the street sweeper is running again. Here's a view of the 400 block of Locust a week or two ago. The sweeper hadn't been operating since late last year. The borough should have issued corn brooms and dust pans in the interim.

 Anyway, here's a line of jeeps at River Park.

 And here's a posterior view.

 These two were tethered to a parking meter in front of Stover's. Hopefully, the owner plugged the meter with a quarter. Or would it be two quarters in this case?

 They terrorized people going in and out of the store.

 But quickly got their act together when they spotted the paparazzi.

 Cannabis - not just for stoners anymore.

 A miracle crop?

 Who says there's no free ride?

 Lady harpsichordist at 5th & Cherry...

 accompanies a lady on the flute.

Seen at a local gas station 

[From Wikipedia]:
Since November 2000, the standard Washington, D.C. license plate design has featured the slogan "Taxation Without Representation," referring to the unique circumstance that the district's residents face, in which they must pay federal income tax but cannot elect a voting member of the United States Congress.
Unfortunately, many other elected officials don't really represent their constituents.


 One order of seagull, over light

 A possible Apache helicopter flying over
[Follow-up: We're told it's a Blackhawk.]

 On Bank Avenue - Ghost signs, evidence of the Columbia that once was

 The former Columbia No. 1 Fire Department building along Front Street
The borough has been trying to unload this, although it may become construction headquarters for the upcoming Veterans Memorial Bridge project.

 It was built in 2003.

 PA State Police helicopter flying over

 More work from our local junk artist

 He arranges found objects down at the railroad tracks.

 Some of which include shards of glass, pieces of bricks and rusted metal objects.

Other materials include dried-out plants and metal strips.

Here's another example, piled high.

 A dead possum was incorporated into this piece.

Immortalized...temporarily

 Sliver of green cheese


On Bank Avenue, an old microwave has been added to the trash pile.

Is this the varmint that's been molesting the trash?

 Behind the abandoned trailer, most of the tires have been moved.

 They've been piled into a dumpster.

 As seen here

 Speaking of tires, here are two more for the dumpster.

 This accident occurred last Friday at Short 6th & Union. No one was seriously hurt.

 That's one way to keep your bike's essentials dry.

 A white-breasted nuthatch(?) with something in its beak at Laurel Hill

 This is what happens when you throw your money around.

 Furry feral felines

 Here comes the thaw after Mother Nature's gut-punch last Wednesday.

 And here's a photo of a photo of the bridge in a window on the 400 block of Locust.

 A Picassoesque glass head peers out of the window at Through the Fire Studios.

 Gone fishin'

 A grinch in bunny's clothing?
(Tacos to Go)

 Mardi Gras beads at Lazy K

 Free furniture, gently used

 So much for the sign

 Apartment 1 must be OK.

 But Apartments 2, 3, and 4 are unlawful.
This is the building with the French Quarter wrought iron railings.

 Easter's on the way.

 Amazing Spider-Man poster at Cooper's Comics at North 5th & Locust.
(Johnny Romita Sr. was the best Spider-Man artist.)

 Hours of operation

 Here's a joyful fellow waiting for something to die.

 And here's an eagle that has turned to stone.

 Even NO PARKING signs get cold in the winter.

A Chinook flying over