Jimmy Sheckard, Columbia's Major League Baseball Player

Jimmy Sheckard

Columbia's only major league baseball player, Jimmy Sheckard, was honored at a memorial dedication on Saturday, May 4, at 4 p.m. at Glatfelter Field.

The event was sponsored by the Susquehanna Valley chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, along with the Glatfelter Field Foundation and the Columbia Boys Athletic Association. The event was followed by the Susquehanna Valley chapter's annual awards and installation banquet at the Susquehanna Fire Company, 10th and Manor.

A stone and bronze monument measuring 3 x 5 feet was dedicated to Sheckard. It features his image and lists his baseball accomplishments. A list of financial donors appears on the back.

The program included remarks by Mike Kuhn and Phil Glatfelter of the Glatfelter Field Foundation, Ray McCarty of the Columbia Boys Athletic Association, Jay Lutz, grandson of Charles E. Herr who was a boyhood friend of Sheckard, Bob Herman of the Susquehanna Valley chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame, Chryst, a friend of Sheckard, and Gregg Dubbs, local baseball historian. Bill Kloidt was master of ceremonies. Several members of the Sheckard family helped unveil the monument. As Sheckard was also a barbershop-style singer, the Lazy Daze Barbershop Quartet performed during the ceremony.

A baseball card depicting Sheckard's major league accomplishments was given to those attending the ceremony.

 Master of Ceremonies Bill Kloidt led the dedication.

 Members of the Sheckard family and others attended.

Kevin Kraft Sr. gave the invocation.

 A color guard stood by.

 Jamie Hess led the pledge of allegiance.

 Aspiring major leaguers listened to the proceedings.

 District Justice Bob Herman offered remarks.

Barbershop quartet "Lazy Daze" sang several songs, including "Take Me Out to the Ball Game."

 J. Freeland Chryst, a friend of Jimmy Sheckard, reminisced.

The audience listened to several speakers. 

The monument was unveiled by members of the Sheckard family.

Several were in attendance.

Other attendees gathered.

The monument

Back of the monument

One last attendee

Lancaster County animal cruelty investigator re-hired

WPMT FOX43
Lancaster County now has its animal cruelty investigator back.

In January, budget cuts forced the Humane League of Lancaster County to lay off its longtime Humane Society police officer, Keith Mohler.

Now, the Philadelphia-based Pennsylvania SPCA has stepped in to help, hiring Mohler to continue animal cruelty investigations in Lancaster County.

MORE HERE:
http://fox43.com/2013/05/03/lancaster-county-animal-cruelty-investigator-re-hired/

Fourth body in two weeks pulled from Susquehanna River

Another body has been pulled out of the Susquehanna River, the fourth one to be found in just over two weeks.

Lancaster County Coroner Dr. Stephen Diamantoni said he was notified late Saturday morning that a body had been pulled from the river.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/845612_Fourth-body-in-two-weeks-pulled-from-Susquehanna-River.html

Wrightsville Presbyterian Church celebrates 185 years

LANCASTERONLINE
To some in the Columbia/Wrightsville area, it's known as the church whose old building got hit by a Confederate cannonball 150 years ago, at the height of the Civil War.
But Pastor Christine Blackford wants Wrightsville Presbyterian Church to be known better as "a congregation that wants to respond to people who are in need."
And the many who have been and continue to be blessed by the church's outreach on both sides of the Susquehanna River surely agree.
The Wrightsville church, which draws a third or so of its congregants from the Lancaster County side of the river, celebrates its 185th anniversary this weekend.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/845477_Wrightsville-Presbyterian-Church-celebrates-185-years.html

Gruesome death in Columbia PA

GO HERE:
http://paoddities.blogspot.com/search/label/Lancaster%20County?m=0

Columbians seek to boost town's quality of life

LANCASTERONLINE
More than 80 residents of Columbia borough gathered Tuesday for the first in a series of town hall meetings aimed at improving the quality of life in the borough.

Police Chief Jack Brommer told the group — which included residents, members of council, and local business owners — that the meeting stemmed from daily conversations he and Mayor Leo Lutz have about issues voiced by residents.

The concerns include a lack of cleanliness, especially dog waste; visual code violations, such as trash left piled up outside homes; and personal behavior, such as truancy and disorderly conduct.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/844874_Columbians-seek-to-boost-town-s-quality-of-life.html

Senator Mike Brubaker wants to silence whistleblowers

HARRISBURG, Pa.
State Senator Mike Brubaker, who represents Pennsylvania's 36th district, wants to crack down on people who secretly videotape farms.

Animal rights activists call it the "Ag-Gag" bill. They say the real goal of this legislation is to silence whistleblowers.

MORE HERE:
http://www.abc27.com/story/22134899/lawmaker-crack-down-on-undercover-farm-videos

Community First Funds gets $15 million in tax credits for economic development projects

The $15 million in tax credits awarded to the Lancaster-based Community First Fund promises to spur economic development in Lancaster city and Columbia borough in the near future, and offer help throughout the county in the long term, officials said Tuesday.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/844156_Community-First-Funds-gets--15-million-in-tax-credits-for-economic-development-projects.html

Is this the new town dump?

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who participated in "Earth Week."  I was hoping, however, that someone would have attended to the mess at the end of Wright Street, between Kleen-Rite and the Columbia Organ Works.  The area looks as though it's becoming the town dump, with several dozen old tires scattered around, as well as tree trimmings, a used Christmas tree, a pile of broken concrete, and miscellaneous paper trash.  Several tires are also lying in the Shawnee Creek, and a few are lined up along Wright Street.

What I Saw - Sunday, April 28, 2013

 Blossoms on the sidewalk

A weather-beaten phone book (and a bagged one) in front of the CenturyLink building on Second Street.

I don't know if they had been delivered there by a phone book distributor, or if an irate person dumped them there, but either way, it's appropriate.

A dollar and a smile!

(Sunday, April 28):

Five-year-old Brooke Barnhart sells lemonade in front of the local Rite-Aid to raise funds for the Children's Miracle Network. Brooke's charge for a lemonade is "A dollar and a smile."

She and her father, Chris, built and painted the booth.

Way to go, Brooke!

Columbia named Tree City USA at Arbor Day Celebration

The Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission and the Columbia Tree Society held their 22nd annual Arbor Day celebration at 6 p.m on Friday, April 26, at Janson Park, Sixth and Cherry streets in Columbia.

Janson Foundation president Fred Smith was master of ceremonies, and Reverned Kenneth Lawrence of Holy Trinity Catholic Church gave the invocation and benediction.   Mayor Leo Lutz, Columbia Borough Council President Mike Beury Sr. and Mike Beury Jr., chairman of the Shade Tree Commission gave short talks.  Mike Beury Sr. reminded those present that our state tree is the hemlock, noted for its sturdiness and longevity.

Rick Hartleib of the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' Bureau of Forestry presented Columbia with its 21st consecutive National Arbor Day Foundation Tree City USA award.

Mark Zeamer awarded prizes to second-graders from Our Lady of the Angels School, Taylor Elementary and Park Elementary schools for their winning entries in the Arbor Day coloring contest.  Music was provided throughout the ceremony by "Hot Wired."

Three memorial trees were planted during the ceremony.  Two were in memory of the children of two Janson Foundation board members who passed away last year.  Alexandra Nikolaus, daughter of Paul Nikolaus, and Kevin Wolgemuth, son of Bernie Wolgemuth, had gingko trees dedicated in their memory. A third tree was dedicated to Joseph and Eleanor Sequin.

Columbia High School senior Dale Haubert recited Joyce Kilmer's poem "Trees" during the program. 

 Johnny Appleseed attended . . . 

 and gave out apples.

 A tree was dedicated to Joseph and Eleanor Sequin, among others.

 Mayor Leo Lutz offered remarks.

Mark Zeamer presented awards to Arbor Day coloring contest winners, Sophia Malizia, Elie Dommel, and Frankie Meisinger.

TREES

Joyce Kilmer 

(1886-1918)

 I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;

A tree that looks at God all day,

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain.

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

"Trees" was originally published in Trees and Other Poems. Joyce Kilmer. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1914.

Talks continue on possible LASA deal

Currently, most Columbia residents and businesses pay higher rates than LASA charges — approximately $42 a month verses $81.99 a quarter. But 38 percent of the customers pay the minimum flat fee of $19.44 per month.

Many of the residents in Columbia who pay the minimum flat fee are elderly, Norm Meiskey said, and it's a "major concern" to keep rates equitable.

Kyle said that changes to rates would "ramp up slowly" and could take five or 10 years.

The three main parties — borough council, the municipal authority and LASA — agreed to come with individual goals and objectives. A work group involving LASA and borough employees will share information about current facilities, rates and business practices.

If a deal is reached and the sale moves forward, it would take two to two-and-a-half years to fully implement.

More HERE

Columbia Water Company seeks rate hike

The Columbia Water Company is asking the state to approve a $773,210 rate increase for its Columbia Division.

The proposal filed Thursday with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission would raise rates for various categories of customers between 21.06 and 21.11 percent.

The additional revenue would be used to cover growing operating expenses and service costs, including recovery of about $4.3 million in capital improvements to the Columbia Division water system.

The proposal would not affect customers in the company's Marietta Division, which is made up of Marietta Borough and East Donegal Township in Lancaster County and Hellam Township in York County.

The increase is proposed to take effect June 24.

MORE HERE:

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/842604_Columbia-Water-Company-seeks-rate-hike.html

Susquehanna River's poor health is killing smallmouth bass

LANCASTERONLINE

The collapse of the smallmouth bass fishery on the lower Susquehanna River may be the "canary in the coal mine," presaging future health problems to more fish and animals in the river, as well as devastating a recreational economy, a new report says.

Since 2005, 80 percent of the bass have disappeared between Sunbury and the Conowingo Dam. Fingerling bass are dying, ugly lesions and splotches are appearing on adults and eggs are showing up in the testes of male fish.

The cause: A "perfect storm" of high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, rising water temperatures believed to be at least partly due to global warming and a mix of chemicals from sewage plants, says the report, released Thursday by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

MORE HERE:

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/842213_Susquehanna-River-s-poor-health-is-killing-smallmouth-bass.html

Exhibit To Offer Perspectives On Local History

Thanks to a collaboration between the Mount Bethel Cemetery Company and the Columbia Public Library, assorted artwork by Gardiner Criswell will be on display at the cemetery during set hours on April 26 and April 28.  Approximately 15 to 20 of Criswell's works, including oil paintings and sketches, will be set up inside the house located on the cemetery grounds at 700 Locust St., Columbia, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Fourth Friday, April 26, and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 28. Refreshments will be available. There is no cost to view the exhibit, but donations will be accepted.

MORE HERE:
http://news.engleonline.com/AdDesk/Htmlfiles/Readers/article.epc?id=84444

DA seeks death penalty in Columbia fatal shooting

WGAL
LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. -
The Lancaster County District Attorney is seeking the death penalty against Mario Casanova-Lanzo, 36, who is charged in a Columbia fatal shooting.

He pleaded not guilty.

In February, Casanova-Lanzo broke into his estranged wife's home on North Third Street and shot Parrish Thaxton several times, police said.

http://m.wgal.com/news/da-seeks-death-penalty-in-columbia-fatal-shooting/-/17430522/19888586/-/10phqftz/-/index.html

Columbia Wastewater - Special Meeting - April 25

Columbia Borough and its municipal authority will hold a special meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 25, to discuss a possible deal with the Lancaster Area Sewer Authority to purchase Columbia's wastewater treatment system or have LASA provide services to the borough.
The borough is required to find a solution to comply with clean water regulations mandated by the state Department of Environmental Resources.
The public meeting will be held at the borough hall, 308 Locust St.

Quality of life to be addressed at April 30 town meeting in Columbia

LANCASTERONLINE
Columbia Borough will host a town meeting on quality of life issues at 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 30, at the Columbia Borough School District Administrative Building, 5th and Chestnut streets.

The meeting will be hosted by Mayor Leo Lutz and Columbia Borough Police Department Chief Jack Brommer.

Ray D'Agostino and Jim Shultz from Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership will be on hand to discuss programs that may benefit Columbia property owners, including rental and owner-occupied properties.

The borough says it intends to have a discussion about things it and school district are planning as well as what residents and business owners would like to see happen in Columbia.

For questions, call Mayor Lutz at 684-7841 or Chief Brommer at 684-7735.

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/841593_Quality-of-life-to-be-addressed-at-April-30-town-meeting-in-Columbia.html

Columbia's new manager to start Monday

LANCASTERONLINE

Columbia Borough will have a new manager beginning Monday, April 29.

Sam Sulkosky, who is relocating from Blairsville, will join the staff and work side by side with departing borough manager, Norman B. Meiskey III, who announced his retirement last fall.

MORE HERE:

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/841702_Columbia-s-new-manager-to-start-Monday.html

Fourth Friday Festivities This Friday

Fourth Friday festivities will take place in Columbia, Marietta, and Wrightsville on Friday, April 26, from 5 to 9 p.m. The local river towns invite residents to travel downtown and visit galleries, antique shops, local eateries, and specialty shops in the Columbia, Wrightsville, and Marietta areas. Visitors will also have the opportunity to view exhibits from local and visiting artists, enjoy refreshments, and discover the uniqueness of towns along the Susquehanna River.

For more information on specific gallery exhibits or shop offers, visit www.parivertowns.com or call 684-5249.

What I Saw - Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Team loyalty at River Park . . . 

Vendors sought for Columbia antique, art and craft show

LANCASTERONLINE
The Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce will host the 33rd annual Antique, Art & Craft Show on June 29 in Columbia.

Slated to coincide with the sesquicentennial commemoration of the burning of the wooden covered bridge that spanned the river during the Civil War, this outdoor event is anticipated to receive increased foot traffic over previous years' shows.

Along with antiques, the show features, artwork, photography, crafters of jewelry, pottery, primitives, furniture and textiles.

Vendor spaces are available along Locust Street or in Locust Street Park. The event, which runs from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 pm, is held rain or shine.

Free parking and shuttle service are available to shoppers. Proceeds from the show benefit the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center, a non-profit organization representing the river towns of Columbia, Marietta and Wrightsville.

For a vendor application visit www.PaRivertowns.com or call 684-5249. Please note that no commercial food vendors are accepted; food concessions are handled by local non-profit organizations.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/841621_Vendors-sought-for-Columbia-antique--art-and-craft-show.html

Columbia to be named a 'Tree City USA' on Arbor Day

LANCASTERONLINE

The Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission and the Columbia Tree Society will hold their 22nd annual Arbor Day celebration at 6 p.m on Friday, April 26, at Janson Park, Sixth and Cherry streets in Columbia.

MORE HERE:

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/841436_Columbia-to-be-named-a--Tree-City-USA--on-Arbor-Day.html

Climate change will have impact on Pennsylvania vineyards

PENNLIVE
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2013/04/climate_change_vineyards_penns.html#incart_river_default

Columbia celebrates Earth Day all week

LANCASTERONLINE
This year Earth Day began an entire week of green fun and spring cleaning for Columbia residents.

Mayor Leo Lutz proclaimed that Columbia borough would celebrate Earth Day, now in its 43rd year, on Monday, April 22.

But the real festivities don't get going until Friday when PPL will once again send 40 volunteers to clean up and make repairs to facilities in borough parks.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/841422_Columbia-celebrates-Earth-Day-all-week.html

What I Saw - Tuesday, April 23, 2013

This rotting possum has been lying near the Herbert "Cubby" Spiese Bridge for about two weeks.  Originally, it was lying in the middle of the highway after most likely being hit by a car.  A few days later, it had been moved to its present location.  As can be seen from the photo, the carcass is attracting flies and will soon start "growing" maggots.  Besides, it looks undignified lying there among the cigarette butts and other debris, although the dandelion seems somehow appropriate.  Do we have a critter control officer to take this away before it becomes more of a nuisance or a public health issue?

Trainspotting

Sunday, April 21, 2013: Heritage train travels through Columbia on the NS Port Road, pulling oil tanker cars, after embarking from Georgia.

Trainspotters gathered along the tracks near River Park to watch and record the passing train.

Click HERE to see a video.

Route 30 open after police incident

A man threatened to jump from the Druid Hill overpass.

http://m.wgal.com/news/Route-30-open-after-police-incident/-/17430522/19860902/-/hi05l7z/-/index.html

Does your legislator stand up for you or for criminals? - It's time to Stop Gun Violence

KEYSTONE PROGRESS
Rep. Steve Santarsiero (D-Bucks) has introduced legislation that would require universal criminal background checks for firearms purchases in Pennsylvania.

"Right now in Pennsylvania, criminals may lawfully purchase an assault rifle even though it is illegal for that same criminal to purchase a handgun," Santarsiero said.

HB 1010 would close a loophole that allows private, non-licensed sellers to sell long-barrel guns, including assault rifles, without conducting a criminal background check on the buyer. Santarsiero's legislation would close this loophole by requiring all sales and transfers, escept transfers between family members, to undergo a criminal background check.

This common sense legislation protects PA's families by preventing east access to guns by criminals.

The choice is simple--either you want to protect PA's families or you think criminals should be able to buy guns without a background check.

Our representative, David S. Hickernell, does not support the legislation.

THE LIST IS HERE:
http://keystoneprogress.pnstate.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Background_Checks_List#.UXaWbkwpCSx

Senate passes “online sales tax” by 74-20 vote

ARS TECHNICA
Your tax-free days of online shopping are numbered. If S743, also known as the Marketplace Fairness Act, becomes law, the millions of Americans who have been able to avoid sales tax online will have to start paying it. Given the broad support shown by today's US Senate vote, some version of it is likely to come to fruition.

MORE HERE:
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/04/senate-passes-online-sales-tax-by-74-20-vote/