There's been a lot of disorderly conduct and harassment in Columbia lately: police log, March 31, 2022

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

COLUMBIA: Roberto Rosario, 42, of Columbia, was charged with disorderly conduct after he was seen yelling loudly at a man sitting in a vehicle near the Columbia Borough police station in the 300 block of Locust Street at 8:29 a.m. on March 25, police said. The two men were arguing about an incident that happened in West Hempfield Township several minutes earlier, police said.

HARASSMENT

COLUMBIA: Charles William Morehart, 70, of Columbia, was charged with harassment after sending harassing text messages to a resident of the 300 block of North Second Street at 10:12 a.m. on Dec. 5, police said.

COLUMBIA: Dazhier Anthony Alicea-Gray, 23, of Lancaster, was charged with harassment after using social media to continuously attempt to contact a resident in the 300 block of Walnut Street despite previously being warned not to at 4:33 p.m. on March 19, police said.

COLUMBIA: Brick Alija Benitez, 30, of Mountville, was charged with harassment after sending harassing text messages to a resident in the 200 block of South Fifth Street around 6:15 p.m. on March 21, police said.

COLUMBIA: Anthony Luis Rivera, 36, Red Bank, New Jersey, was charged with harassment after punching a person in the face in the 600 block of Plane Street around 2:40 p.m. on March 25, police said.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/policelog/yelling-obscenities-while-on-train-tracks-stealing-items-donated-to-goodwill-lancaster-county-police-log/article_6142dd1c-adf3-11ec-b9d7-97c99ccdec92.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

Street sweeping to be suspended Tuesday, March 29

 STREET SWEEPING IN COLUMBIA BOROUGH WILL BE SUSPENDED ON TUESDAY, MARCH 29, 2022 BUT WILL RESUME ON WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2022

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/columbia-borough-street-sweeping-suspended-tuesday-march-29-2022-0

The Merchants Association wants Columbia's trolley for $1500

Columbia's trolley, which cost $39,900, was approved to be put up for bid 3 months ago. Now the Columbia Merchants Association wants to buy it for $1500.

The Columbia Merchants Association wants Columbia's trolley but only wants to pay $1500 for it. Representatives from the organization presented the lowball offer at the March 22 Columbia Borough Council meeting. (The proposal was also made in an undated letter to borough manager Mark Stivers from association president Don Murphy, which can be found in the March 22, 2022 meeting packet.)

According to treasurer Martin Moore, the association wants the trolley to be "strictly committed to the merchants of Columbia" in order to "move people around." The association envisions shuttling people around to local businesses or delaying departure of potential customers who are finished shopping at a particular business. The goal is to get people to spend more time and money in town. There would be no fee for passengers.

The association would also consider an option to lease the trolley. The lease option was previously suggested by councillor Eric Kauffman at the December 28, 2021 meeting.

Columbia Borough purchased the trolley in 2017 for $39,900, after breaking its contract with Rivertowne Trolley, whose services it had been using. The borough eventually contracted with Susquehanna Heritage to manage and operate the trolley at $11,000 a year. The $1500 offer from the merchants is only about 4% of what the borough paid for it. The association claims the offer is justified, however, because it believes the trolley will bolster business in the borough, including at the Columbia Market House. Moore said the association can't afford to pay more: "We can't afford to purchase something like this just outright. We can't. We don't have enough money to do that."

The trolley is one of three borough-owned vehicles that council approved December 28, 2021 to be sold:

• 2008 Chevrolet Silverado
• 1993 Chance Trolley
• 1987 John Deere 4290 Tractor

The resolution states that the vehicles are estimated to be valued at $2,000 or greater and must be sold through the public auction process or sealed bid process.

At Tuesday's meeting, councillor Sharon Lintner asked borough manager Stivers if the vehicles had been posted for bid yet. Stivers said they hadn't been but didn't offer a reason for the three-month delay.

Regarding the association's low offer, resident Frank Doutrich asked, "Is that fair to the taxpayers of Columbia? The trolley should never have been bought to begin with. The public didn't have much say in the buying, and I'm hoping we have some say in the selling."

Doutrich told council that it would be more fair to put the trolley up for a bid for anyone who would want to buy it. He said he would be interested in purchasing it if it's put up for sale. In a phone conversation with Columbia Spy, he said he would start his offer at $10,000.

During discussion, councillors brought up concerns about losing equity and the association's offer not matching the true value of the trolley. Council President Heather Zink argued that if putting it up for auction could bring $15,000, then money lost [in a sale to the association] is a cost to the borough.

Borough solicitor Evan Gabel said an interpretation of article 1201.3 of the PA State Borough Code might allow the borough to sell to a non-profit of its choosing. (In order to sell the trolley to the association, council would first need to approve a motion to change its December 2021 decision to accept bids, and then make a second motion to allow the sale.)

Council voted to table the issue until the solicitor researches further.

A few photos of the trolley from 2017:

 

And one from 2018 when the borough contracted with Susquehanna Heritage to manage and operate the trolley:

 

Deeds Recorded - Columbia Borough - March 28, 2022

Matthew Edward Wardecker and Matthew Wardecker conveyed 326 N. Third St. to Matthew Edward Wardecker and Alyssa Marie Wardecker for $1.

Annemarie T. Jones and Annemarie Jones conveyed 647 Franklin St. to Kenneth M. Jones and Annemarie T. Jones for $1.

Ghizlane Benmoussa conveyed property on a public road to Thomas J. Jackson III for $115,000.

Kamal Millad Awad conveyed 1135 Walnut St. to George E. Awad and Vivian Lokhorst for $1.

Valley View Capital LLC and Eli S. King conveyed 665 Plane St. to Dennis L. Kemmick Jr. for $75,000.

About Town - March 27, 2022

Recent photos of Columbia 

(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.)

Bully's at night

Mount Zion A.M.E. on South 5th

The former Shawnee Fire Company building

Night light at St. John's

Wild sky

His reach exceeds his grasp - or vice versa.

Nutrition at 5th & Cherry

Waiting for that double latte

A squad of one-wheelers cruised along Front Street and on to the trail on Saturday.

And a line of Mazdas also made their way to Front Street on Saturday.

Coming soon

Showing support for Ukraine . . .

Ready ... aim ... FIRE!

Borough workers cut trees and cleared brush at the former airfield at 1020 Manor this past week, but officials had previously said that no borough employees would be used at the site.

More Majik being conjured

 

New lockers at Our Lady of the Angels

Tearing out at the former Andy's Market location at 4th & Cherry

This skyline will likely change on Tuesday, when the tower is slated for demo.

Undersized load or oversized trailer?

So that the mail can be twice as late . . .

Old-timey convertible

Don't do it.

We got another great sunset last Sunday.

Fresh Express coming March 25 at Park Elementary

 

Columbia man and woman ambushed, robbed woman in Lancaster Township: police

A Columbia man and woman ambushed a woman along a Lancaster Township road and robbed her of her belongings in the process, according to Manheim Township police.

Kathy D. Mills, 45, and Howard Ernest Chapman, 46, attacked the woman as she was walking along the 1100 block of Millersville Pike around 7:15 p.m. Saturday, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

The woman was walking along the street when she was approached by Mills and Chapman, who punched her in the head and face and forced her to the ground by pushing her and pulling her hair, police said. Mills and Chapman then ordered the woman to empty her pockets and took her cigarettes and $200 cellphone before driving away together.

Police charged Mills and Chapman with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery – both felony offenses – as well as harassment. Chapman, who has a suspended driver’s license and was seen driving the vehicle after the incident, was also charged with summary traffic violation.

Judge Brian Chudzik set Mills’ and Chapman’s bail at $100,000 each during a preliminary arraignment Sunday, court records show. They are both still in Lancaster County Prison, unable to post that amount.

Attorneys were not listed for either Mills or Chapman in court documents.

They will each face a preliminary hearing before Judge Mary Sponaugle on March 30.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-man-and-woman-ambushed-robbed-woman-in-lancaster-township-police/article_5fcd3bbe-aa09-11ec-a531-57ffed90ad40.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

Agenda - Columbia Borough Council Meeting - March 22, 2022

Go HERE for the meeting packet. 

Agenda - Columbia Borough Ad Hoc Committee Meeting - March 21, 2022

Download the meeting packet HERE.
 

Deeds Recorded - Columbia Borough - March 21, 2022

Dakota A. Becan conveyed 553 Avenue H to Tiffany N. Landis for $115,000.

Jeffery J. Seibert and Melissa Seibert conveyed 305 Locust St. to GK 315 Locust St. Apartments LLC for $300,000.

Awakened Properties LLC and Dan Zecher conveyed 241 N. Second St. to Anthony Rios for $230,000.

Ronald L. Heisey and Justine M. Peters conveyed property on Chestnut Street to Ronald L. Heisey and Justine M. Peters for $1.

Brian R. McLaughlin conveyed 437 Union St. to Route 322 Keystone Courts Mobile Home Park LLC for $85,000.

Heidi Jean Root conveyed property on Chestnut Street to Ronald L. Heisey and Justine M. Peters for $250,555.

Curtis E. Rosche, Curtis Rosche and Brittany Rosche conveyed 532 N. Second St. to Curtis Rosche and Brittany Rosche for $1.

Betty A. Arter conveyed property on Shawnee Avenue to Wilmington Savings Fund Society FSB, RMF Buyout Acquisition Trust 2021-Hb1, Compu Link Corp. and Celink for $1.

Cimarron Investments LLC and Donald C. Murphy conveyed 156 Walnut St. to Wayne Thomas LLC and Thomas Wayne LLC for $105,000.

Susan M. Feltenberger, Susan Hibbert and Susan Feltenberger conveyed 1001 Grinnell Ave. to Cassius Hibbert Sr. and Susan Hibbert for $1.

Police arrest Columbia man charged with fatal shooting at Manheim Township nightclub

A Columbia man charged with shooting a man to death inside a Manheim Township nightclub has been arrested, according to township police.

Tyler Jamel Wilson turned himself in at the Manheim Township Police Department sometime Monday, police spokesperson Sgt. Barry Waltz said in an email. Waltz did not know the exact time Wilson surrendered himself.

Wilson had been charged with criminal homicide, eight counts of recklessly endangering another person and two firearms violations after police said he opened fire at Club Twenty3 at 1703 New Holland Pike around 1:23 a.m. Saturday, striking 25-year-old Jatavis D. Scott.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/police-arrest-columbia-man-charged-with-fatal-shooting-at-manheim-township-nightclub/article_0b3928d8-a950-11ec-859d-bf2a8ac7ead0.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

At the Library - Week of March 21

 

About Town - March 20, 2022

Recent photos of Columbia 

(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.)

A heavy fog overlaid the area on Friday morning...

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And there was a lot of air traffic over the past week, for example, this C-130.

And this Navy E2 Hawkeye. This one was several miles out and hard to "draw in" on the camera.

According to this website, "The Hawkeye provides all-weather airborne early warning, airborne battle management and command and control functions for the Carrier Strike Group and Joint Force Commander." There's another photo of an E2 on Columbia Spy HERE.

Two military helicopters, probably Apaches, flew over the other day.

Here's a close-up of one of them.

This is a Coast Guard helicopter bearing the label "Atlantic City."

There were also lots of contrails ("jet trails") . . .

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There was another vivid sunset Thursday evening . . .

There it goes.

In contemplation at River Park . . .

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Like the sign says - LOOK - even up close and personal near a moving train

On bike patrol

Here are some bikes at Locust Street Park.

Here's a boat that thinks it's part bike.

It's for sale at Columbia River Park.

Christmas lights at Locust Street Park were taken down this week.

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ECS was at the former McGinness property again this week.

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Thirsty feline on North 3rd 

This water tower at 1249 Avenue V is slated for demolition. The issue will be discussed and most likely given final approval at the next Columbia Borough Council meeting on March 22, 2022.

This notice is posted in the window at the police station.

Chalk art after a light rain on the 900 block of Barber Street

Repairs at Northwest Bank

Jesse the Computer Guy shows his support for Ukraine, at his shop on North 4th Street.

The Monster Ride

Work continues at Riverview Terrace at the bottom of Locust

There's just one small problem . . .

The siding is popping out.

Oh well, at least the brick work is getting done.

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Meanwhile, at the National Watch & Clock Museum . . .

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Saturday afternoon's storm provided some dazzling atmospheric displays . . .

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Birds of a feather flock together . . .

But some stand alone (at least for a while).

Pit stop

This property at 245 South 5th is one of three properties slated for demolition.

The others are 239 South 5th and 511 Avenue N. The demos will probably get final approval at the March 22, 2022 Columbia Borough Council meeting.

Last but not least a "decorated" stop sign at 10th & Barber