Monday, May 7, 2018

About Town

Photos from around Columbia over the past week...

The vulture...
He's still there in his attic apartment.

Here are a few more rentals for our avian friends.

And here's an eviction notice that must have been filled out in invisible ink.

 This company has been laying the bricks down at the bridge plaza.

Here's a guy mowing the grass near the plaza.

 Here's a newly planted cherry tree at River Park.

And here's a previously planted clump birch.

 It appears as though someone - or several someones - killed this black snake.

 It was lying under the Route 30 overpass, near the bottom of the high school hill, along with potentially incriminating evidence.

 Testing the water down at the boat ramp

 This photo was shot in Lancaster but lately seems relevant to Columbia.

 Built-in bird bath 

 Down by the river

 If looks could kill

 Newly planted trees along Heritage Drive

 Here, too . . . behind the fence

 Quick ticket, please!

That first block of Union - Yes, it's public.

 This section, which leads to Columbia's other public boat ramp, should be widened and paved. It's difficult to understand why the borough hasn't done this . . . or is it?

 And here's the ramp. A little work, and it'll be good to go.

 Two bridges

 Those awnings...

 Nice!

 Bikes

A reader submitted this photo of a mattress on the sidewalk on South 4th.

We checked it out, and yep, there it was, although someone had the courtesy to lean it against the fence.

Further down, at 3rd & Perry: rolled-up carpet

A few blocks further north on 3rd - a public toilet. It almost hides that ugly gas fixture.
So: a mattress, a carpet, and a toilet - everything necessary for sidewalk living.

 Early Sunday morning - the signs say "OPEN."

 But this one says, "Closed Sunday."

 Ticketed, and rightly so

 Dancing doors down at Bootleg Antiques

 Hanging out a bit


 This must be Columbia. Three signs hint at that.

 City Gate's May Calendar of Events

 Taking down the chimney, brick by brick. This is right next to the hole in the ground near the bottom of Locust.

 In case you want to go biking outside but also want to stay stationary

 Yes it is. Not just for the wealthy, privileged few.

 Balloon man!

 Proud sponsors of the upcoming Hero Walk/Ride

 The former chip factory, soon to be a hotel

 The trash runneth over.

 Construction continues at the library.

 Religious symbolism

The weeping angel might be praying for Columbia.


A reader submitted the following historical photos:

 The former tollbooth at the bridge entrance

 3rd & Locust

 The former railroad station, now Eastern Drillers, can be seen in the background here.

The former Columbia Brewing Company on South 4th Street...
In the book, Columbia the Gem, a passage recounts the time the Feds raided the building during Prohibition, chopped open all the barrels of beer and poured the contents into the street. The beer reportedly flowed down 4th Street towards Shawnee Run, where residents collected it in buckets.

A school tax receipt from 1886. 
Things were cheaper then.

58 comments:

Anonymous said...

Please revise your caption under the Becker Chip Factory to correctly state "soon to be Clarion Hotel", not "apartments"....unless of course you are trying incite comments.

Other than that, great pictures as always.

Anonymous said...

You said the former chip factory, soon to be apartment building? Thought it was going to be a hotel?

Anonymous said...

I think chip factory suppose be a hotel not apartment building.

Joe Lintner said...

You're right. My mistake. It's been corrected.

Anonymous said...

Look Leo Lancaster has a dog!

Anonymous said...

Columbia codes is ticketing people who don't have lids on trash cans , they say it is to keep animals out of trash , what's up with the over running trash in there trash container????

Anonymous said...

Good job Columbia police ticketing cars parked to close to intersections , now what about the mayor's truck ????

Anonymous said...

They can't do anything to the union street boat ramp , it is NOT part of the money pit.

Anonymous said...

LOOK mayor Lutz and Lynn a dog (officer) in Lancaster , where Columbia's dog ? Looks like it works there. ( sorry not trying to pick on Lynn but her comments were off the wall and her caring for other peoples safety and protection were mill)

Anonymous said...

Cole your reflection in the window at the cross gate is cool.

Anonymous said...

Who's grass is it at the 32,000 dollar fence and why are the trees planted in the yards of cottage owners , do they hare to trim and keep them like the ones up in town along streets? QUICK TICKETS FOR THE GRASS ARE IN ORDER!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful!!!

Anonymous said...

Great pictures but then they are always great

Anonymous said...

Cole I have the pic of the beer flowing down the creek , I will send it when I find it.

Eric J. White said...

See people are looking. they notice. :-)

Anonymous said...

I hope this picture of Bootleg is a work in progress. It looks like a dump site!

Anonymous said...

That's what I was thinking. I hope they don't think those doors all askew look like art. It just looks sloppy!

Anonymous said...

Never going to happen. Certain people get certain exceptions. Drive around town and look at some places that are despicable and never show signs of improvement, but they never seen to be cited. Also, who knows who is cited? Is there a list? Also, notice all the handicap parking spaces in front of residences. Used to be they were hard to get, 2nd street got a new one, Union street has many!!! How about the double parking in Columbia? Apparently on Union and 5th and Cherry street!! Why aren't these people getting tickets!!!

Anonymous said...

If they planted trees in my yard I would cut them down

Anonymous said...

Why are we talking about that fence again and every time the cost is different don't we have more things to worry about in town then that fence

Anonymous said...

The same reason the mayor doesn't get a ticket (20 feet to a cross walk) do as I say not as I do.

Anonymous said...

You can't if it is in front of the house in town , you need a permit even to trim them to there specs.

Anonymous said...

$32,000 fence if it is ok why don't you pay for it.

Anonymous said...

Like the stuffed chair at 313 cherry street has been there a half a year.

Anonymous said...

$8000 in trees $32,000 fence has stayed the same ,Ron Millar stated at council meeting

Anonymous said...

What a sight for locust street trash overflowing!

Anonymous said...

Handicapped Parking is considered after medical documentation is submitted then approved by the Boro.

Anonymous said...

To anonymous 1, people in glass houses should not throw stones. Take a close look at the property you live in, talk about code violations....

Anonymous said...

I am paying for it because i am a tax payer also what about all the other things in town that we are paying for all the different study's the council keeps doing are they ok and the buildings they keep buying with are tax money









Anonymous said...

Thank you! Accuracy should be paramount in journalism, even if it is freelance.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the bank museum can buy some.

Anonymous said...

Lay off the Bank Museum already. I think it was explained quite well by the owner in a past article. Get off your butt and do something for the town instead of sarcastic remarks on here.

Anonymous said...

So am I and if we let this stuff go our council will keep pissing OUR tax dollars away , like 208-210 $ 126,000 into it and sold it for $1.oo , that's a 125,999 dollar LOSS.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Lutz WE NEED A POLICE DOG , open your eyes , and what happened to bike patrol?

Anonymous said...

We need a police dog to track down cheaper estimates for the boro!!!!

Anonymous said...

Kickbacks??????

Anonymous said...

I sent 2 pics that shows the beer suds going down the creek, the feds wasted a lot of beer that day.

Anonymous said...

I have one question , who is really in charge in the borough ? We have a borough manager , a assistance manager , a controller , a mayor , and a lot of other managers ,so who has final say . Someone has to be held accountable when you can't even pay a ticket at the window ? Most of these positions are not elected so who do they answer too , so what I am saying is WHO IS IN CHARGE??

Joe Lintner said...

Thanks! I'll post them this week.

Anonymous said...

How does one report or inquire about code issues? So much activity goes on but who and how can you contact bbq anyone.

Anonymous said...

Good question too many employees for our small borough. We don't need an asst. manager. She's not even from our area but getting paid from our tax money plus a few others.

Anonymous said...

Agree

Anonymous said...

Most of these people don't live in the borough and frankly they are here for a pay check and don't care about this town , but someone in the borough keeps hiring them to clean up a mess that Jeff Helm made do to selective enforcement over 20 years , now they think they can clean it up in a year or two. We all should have the same time the bank museum has had , 20 + years . It is not that people don't want to fix up there properties , with the taxes (the highest around) it will take time. BUT WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE BOROUGH ? Who , oked all the new hires at tax players expense to harress the tax payers ? And did council president get a letter about the pealing paint in his garden poles etc or is this like the mayor parking illegaly in front of the borough???? SLECTIVE ENFORCMENT STILL, read spy article from 2015 it was then and still in 2018 . REALLY Does the borough think it is above the law ? Maybe the people who pay the taxes should consider a class action suit because it has gone on way to long.

Anonymous said...

I don't know there web site is like talking to them , it is SMOKE and minors .

Anonymous said...

The controller is from Wrightsville . She might be the one in charge .

Anonymous said...

$2000 to seal steps $20,000 cement slab under the money pit and a borough employee to clean the area , not to mention $115,000 to Susquhanna h. to manage it , and $11,000 to manage the trolley and the borough pays the driver and all maintaince. GEZZZZZ MONEY PIT

Anonymous said...

$300,000 lites on 462 state rd.

Anonymous said...

The explaination was that they don't have the money , other people don't either but the borough don't care , what is the difference ? 20 + years is a long time to be boarded up!

Anonymous said...

Not trying to get on the museum but other property owners have got letters from the codes dept on every thing from paint to stacks of fire wood , so what is the difference ??? DISCRIMENATION ? Or selective enforcement (created by Mr Helm 30 + years ago)

Anonymous said...

Leo and Mary are in Charge

Anonymous said...

Perhaps those that with hold the truth think that they are in Charge

Anonymous said...

Columbia Spy knows who is in charge

Anonymous said...

does Columbia Spy withhold the truth at times ? , just curious

Anonymous said...

who is Leo ?

Anonymous said...

The Plan

In the beginning was the Plan.

And then came the Assumptions.

And the Assumptions were without form.

And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.

And they spoke among themselves, saying, "It is a crock of shit, and it stinketh."

And the workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "It is a pail of dung, and none may abide the odour thereof."

And the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying, "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."

And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, "It is a vessel of fertiliser, and none may abide its strength."

And the Directors spoke amongst themselves, saying one to another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."

And the Directors then went onto the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth and is very powerful."

And the Vice Presidents went unto the President, saying unto him, "This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigour of the company; with powerful effects."

And the President looked upon the Plan, and saw that it was good.

And the Plan became Policy.

This is How Shit Happens.

Anonymous said...

Leo is Boss

Anonymous said...

Urban Encyclopedia :

BOSS

(noun) ..... a person who is a leader, someone who runs shit in his/her hood or city.

Anonymous said...

“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”

― George Orwell, Animal Farm