COLUMBIA SPY

TOM LISI | LNP Staff Writer A preliminary count of provisional ballots Friday in the race for Pennsylvania’s 41st House District put Democrat Brad Chambers ahead of incumbent Republican Brett Miller. When polls closed on Election Night, Miller held a 41-vote advantage over Chambers, 14,225 to 14,184.  After adding 139 provisional votes to the tally Friday, Chambers led the contest 14,289 to 14,259. Seven provisional ballots were challenged, and 14 overseas or military ballots are outstanding and have until Tuesday to arrive to be counted. Chambers’ 30-vote margin appears to be insurmountable, meaning Democrats will add a third House seat in Lancaster County and grow their state House majority to at least 112. The 41st District includes East and West Hempfield townships, Columbia and Mountville boroughs, and a portion of Manor Township. Democrats have targeted their efforts to flip the House seat because of voting trends in th...

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY Two members of the Ziegler family have stepped away from Columbia's elected bodies within weeks of each other, leaving one vacancy on the Columbia Borough School Board and, pending a vote, another on Borough Council. School Board   Thomas G. Ziegler's resignation from the school board was approved and took effect October 9. He was appointed to the board in December 2025, according to the district's website. His brief letter to the board gave no reason for leaving.  The school board must try to fill its vacancy within 30 days to comply with state law, according to the board's website. (Letters of interest for the school board seat were due on Thursday, October 29.) The board plans to interview interested community members at a committee meeting Thursday, November 5. ***************** Borough Council   Thomas J. Ziegler   Councilman Thomas J. Ziegler, his son, has also resigned — from borough council — Columbia Spy reported October 29. Zieg...

A woman was struck by a vehicle while crossing the street at Lancaster Avenue and Cherry Street at about 2 p.m. Wednesday. Emergency personnel responded to the scene at the intersection  The extent of the woman's injuries was not immediately available. Police closed the block of Lancaster Avenue between Locust Street and Cherry Street during the incident.  A black GMC Acadia SUV was seen stopped in the crosswalk at the intersection, with its driver's door open. 

The meeting packet (including budget sheets) is  HERE .

Ward Polling place First Columbia Borough Municipal Building, 308 Locust St. Fourth Columbia School District Admin Center, 200 N. Fifth St. Fifth Saint Paul Episcopal Church, 340 Locust St. Sixth Victory Church, 550 Linden St. Seventh Columbia Animal Shelter, 265 S. 10th St. Ninth Columbia Borough Fire Department, 726 Manor St.

Lions Homes LLC conveyed 919 Spruce St. to Nieves Jonathan, Torres Coralis J. Perez for $225,000. Gregg Ashley M., Gregg Philip C. conveyed 608 Manor St. to Lambert Allison M., Marchini James K. for $234,550. Hauk Megan C., Hauk Daniel J. conveyed 53 S. Sixth St. to Megan C. Hauk for $1. Glattacker Kathleen F., Glattacker Matthew conveyed property on Locust Street to Living Stones Associates LLC for $190,000. Todd M. Kramer conveyed 325 Cherry St. to Mendoza Dunior Fernandez for $234,850. Larkin Harold F. V, Larkin Family Trust, Larkin Harold F. IV, Larkin Angela conveyed 219 Lawrence St. to Larkin Family Trust for $1.

JADE CAMPOS | Staff Writer Democrat Brad Chambers has garnered national attention in his second attempt to unseat Brett Miller, the six-term Republican incumbent representing Pennsylvania’s 41st House District. Chambers, a labor administrator from Columbia, picked up an endorsement from Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders in the spring and got a nod from national party leaders who labeled the legislative race a “target” because of high hopes the seat would turn blue. The 35-year-old has also secured campaign donations from across the country, including a $1,500 contribution from the CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment, Thomas Rothman. As of Oct. 19, Chambers had raised more than three times as much money as Miller. MORE:  https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/brad-chambers-tries-again-for-41st-state-house-seat-against-longtime-gop-incumbent-brett-miller/article_a0b10b53-2c42-4ef2-abb1-62a0462b01ee.html?utm_medium=social...

Photos of Columbia, PA Week ending 11/1/26 Scenes of Halloween  and other autumnal things . . . ***************** Clouds and sunsets . . . ***************** The lift's not high enough to reach the moon. But it is high enough for this kind of work. ***************** Early morning fog Floating downstream  E-bikes/scooters at borough hall  Two views of the tower at the DAC Still there: leftover wheelbarrow on Walnut (Full of hardened concrete and water) Cables across the bike lane on Walnut  Counter connected to the cables The fact that the lights on this clock are blinking indicates it needs to have its bulbs or ballast replaced. The clock sits at a small plaza at North 5th & Chestnut and was donated to the borough by Dr. Stephen Perry. ###

Tom Ziegler  Columbia Borough Councilman Thomas "Tom" Ziegler has resigned from council — less than a year after taking office —  Columbia Spy learned today from a borough official.  Ziegler, a Republican, won a seat in the municipal election on November 4, 2025, receiving 1,094 votes. He was sworn in at council's organizational meeting on January 5, 2026, with District Justice Miles Bixler administering the oath of office. On council, Ziegler served as the Public Safety Lead. He is a retired West Hempfield police detective. The reason for Ziegler's resignation was not immediately available. It was also unclear when the resignation takes effect or how council will fill the vacancy. This is a developing story, and this article will be updated as more information becomes available.

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY  At Tuesday's Borough Council meeting, residents praised Police Chief Holly Arndt, pressed for answers about the thousands of dollars in coins stored in the police evidence room, and criticized the lack of communication between the police department and borough government. Thompson: . . . an understaffed department with inadequate administrative support, no policy and procedure, and serious gaps in legal guidance. Much of the discussion centered on Arndt's October 13 statements to council. Resident Robert Thompson said Arndt described an understaffed department with inadequate administrative support, no policy and procedure, and serious gaps in legal guidance. He said she also flagged parking revenue stored in the evidence room and a police checking account that dropped off the borough's books in 2021. Thompson said the account dated to the period when Jack Brommer was police chief and Leo Lutz was mayor. Arndt, he said, told council she would not...