COLUMBIA SPY

https://www.wgal.com/article/pa-deadly-crash-susquehanna-river-saige-zink-lancaster/73317337?fbclid=Iwb21leATZiABjbGNrBNmH_WV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHgfLS3rFshaWiu-Eb2DIV9_r-IPalxci-xqKpuemG8XT6Eb-2bMGXbo9RgSr_aem_FxIIHdXbPt3ujEocukpG-w  

Jamey Avrett is marking 10 years as funeral director at Kraft Funeral Home.  JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY  For Jamey Avrett, a career in funeral service was never part of the plan until it was the only plan that made sense. The son of a late U.S. Army veteran, he was born in Oklahoma and lived in Germany and Texas, but grew up in Georgia. It was there, almost by accident, that his life's work began to find him. In high school, Jamey needed a job to satisfy a class requirement. His Sunday school teacher, who happened to own the local funeral home, offered him work washing cars and mowing the grass. It was menial labor, but it put him in touch with a world he knew almost nothing about.  "I did get exposed to some elements of what I currently do, but never thought about going into funeral service," Jamey says. After graduating from college, and without a clear direction, he decided to attend mortuary school. He enrolled at Ogeechee Technical School in Statesboro, Georgia, and ...

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY  Columbia Borough Council heard the results of its 2025 financial audit at the July 28 regular meeting. Boyer & Ritter LLC presented a clean bill of health on the borough's books even as the capital fund closed the year deeply in deficit . Senahid Zahirovic, CPA and principal at Boyer & Ritter said the audit came back with an unmodified opinion, which means the borough's financial statements fairly represent its financial position in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.  The report noted no uncorrected misstatements, no disagreements with management, no significant issues discussed with borough officials, and no significant difficulties encountered during the audit. The capital projects fund, which flipped from a surplus to a sizable deficit, was driven by a jump in spending alongside a drop in revenue. Specifically, the fund fell from a positive balance of $256,786 in 2024 to a deficit of $2,198,176 by the end of 2025 — a s...

CHRIS REBER | LNP Staff Writer Three data centers potentially as large as Walmart Supercenters were proposed for Columbia’s McGinness Innovation Park under a $6.35 million bid rejected by Columbia Borough Council in May. Through a right to know request submitted to Columbia Borough, LNP | LancasterOnline recently obtained a redacted copy of Saadia Holding LLC’s proposal to buy and redevelop the former airport as a data center campus for modern enterprise and hyperscale tenants. LNP | LancasterOnline requested the proposal on May 18, the day that council opened the bid, but the borough said the proposal was exempt from the state open records law until council voted to accept or reject it. After council rejected the bid, LNP | LancasterOnline resubmitted the request. The borough invoked a 30-day time extension before releasing the document last week. About one-third of the proposal’s 27 pages had portions that we...

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY  Truist Bank locked its doors at 325 Locust Street for the last time today, and Columbia Borough is now without a single bank branch.  Signage posted at the branch's entrance confirmed today as the closure date. The location's night depository has also closed.  Customers are being directed to Truist's Stony Battery Road branch at 1110 Corporate Blvd. in Lancaster, or to online and mobile banking through Truist.com. The closure marks the third bank to leave Columbia in the past 10 years, according to a borough council member. Borough residents now have only two nearby options for physical banking services: A Wells Fargo ATM at Columbia Plaza, offering basic transactions but no teller or branch services.  Northwest Bank on 18th Street, in West Hempfield Township. Otherwise, residents will need to rely on online or mobile banking, or travel outside the borough for banking needs. The Locust Street building has technically operated under the Tru...

https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/lancaster/da/11617/post/columbia-teen-charged-shooting-17-year-old-death?fbclid=Iwb21leATVn39leHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAwzNTA2ODU1MzE3MjgAAR7sMGiKzYkEaYKrVTkH5584Y6S8ReEK2nrgK-JqC5z33bHUjR5iRCRegrJF0g_aem_09GxqnEzV14VwCzP4IQl1A  

The meeting packet is  HERE .

https://crimewatch.net/us/pa/lancaster/da/11617/post/columbia-teen-charged-stabbing-man-death?fbclid=Iwb21leATUW-NjbGNrBNRb32V4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHu2BesqOQ9fbM3i0OY0HZvF6pLKuwVAeKdvibNqh-OldhMxH5pFpDvfwGCtI_aem_LB3v2MWhVyC4QT-gfoFXNw  

Gaber Y. Khalil conveyed 650 Walnut St. to Khalil Gaber Y, Barsoum Mirna for $1. The estate of Joanne L. Murphy conveyed 1248 Hereford Drive to Smaling James J, Smaling Sharon K. for $379,900. Newcomer Jodi L, Hollerbush Jodi L. conveyed property on Chestnut Street to Benson Weaver for $315,000. Camacho Gloria I, Salgado Jesus conveyed 1105 Central Ave. to Parker Ian, Rivera Aryonna, Parker Luke T. for $405,000. Deborah Overly conveyed 619 Walnut St. to AJ Home Solutions LLC for $170,000. Joel R. Ulrich conveyed 115 S. Fifth St. to Alanna Kurtz for $218,500. Jeffrey M. Helm conveyed 1203 Cloverton Drive to Helm Jeffrey M, Helm Mary Elizabeth for $1.

This week's photos of Columbia   Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.  JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY   Chief Holly has had a lot thrown onto her plate lately. Another busy week. The force is currently short-staffed. Officer Krouse was seen writing up a report on a vehicle accident. ***************** LASA was at McGinness this week. Wait — LASA was at McGinness this week? Whatever. It's still ours to mow. ***************** The crew of the HBO series Task filmed a segment at New Covenant Church and thereabouts in Manor Township. ***************** A dragonfly in Avenue I No Nazis allowed — and let's keep it that way. [Clover Tattoo] Walkens welcome [Flying Tiger Tattoo] Gas prices are on the rise. Is there a "holy war" brewing? What lies beneath Avenue G. PennDOT scraping the edges along 441 ***************** Both sides are in need of a good trimming.  A cat, looking amazed Evening clouds A large magnet was being used to collect metal plates along the railroa...