Sweets for the Mind at the library

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween

It's beginning to look a lot like Halloween around Columbia, what with all the skeletons and ghouls on display - some with a tilt toward dadaism and surrealism...

Walnut Street sidewalk gets a second helping of trash

Residents on the 200 block of Walnut Street were "treated" to another helping of trash this weekend. A similar pile of trash was deposited last weekend as we reported HERE and was picked up sometime during the middle of the week. 

The photos shown below were taken this morning (Saturday, October 28), but the trash was there since at least yesterday. The pile includes miscellaneous furniture, bags of trash not in appropriate containers - and a storm door with a full pane of glass! The door takes up more than half the sidewalk and is a tripping hazard.

Church in Historic District upgrades to LED sign despite permission being denied

A large LED sign was recently installed behind a wooden sign at St. Paul's Episcopal Church on the 300 block of Locust Street, which is in the Columbia Borough Historic District.

A sticker on the side of the sign's casing displays the manufacturer's name and contact information.

This STOP WORK sign, possibly related to the LED sign installation,  was posted on one of the entrance doors to the church.

According to an LNP article dated July 25, 2016, Columbia Borough Council denied the church permission to install an LED sign:

Council denied a proposed LED-lighted sign at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 340 Locust St. Glenn Shaeffer, Historic Architectural Review Board chairman, asked that council create an amendment not allowing this type of sign in the future.

“There are no other signs like this in the historic district and allowing it would open the door for others and have an impact on the historic nature of the district,” Shaeffer said. “The historic district should not look like the Las Vegas strip.”

Council members Kelly Murphy and Cle Berntheizel removed themselves from the vote because they are members of the church.

This sturdy metal frame was installed some time before October 2, 2017, when this photo was taken.

HERE is a video showing the manufacture and operation of various LED signs from ADvantageLED Signs.

106 pics of the Halloween Parade

(Click/tap on pics for a larger, clearer image.)