Monday, May 18, 2015
The overpass in daylight
Seen this morning . . .
Newly installed support beams above Route 30, part of the Route 441 bypass project.
Beams are up, Scotty!
Crews worked overnight - in muggy, drizzly conditions - installing several massive support beams over Route 30, which are part of the Route 441 bypass construction project. Traffic was stopped intermittently through the night as the beams were put in place.
Sunday, May 17, 2015
River monster found at River Park
A large carp was found along shore at Columbia River Park on Saturday.
It was well over 30 inches long. There were no signs of lesions or other abnormalities, as were discovered recently on other fish in the Susquehanna.
But it may have died from a deep wound on its side.
A victim of bowfishing?
Marietta council rejects try for Front Street funding despite traffic increase from Northwest Lancaster County River Trail
In a surprising 4-2 vote, Marietta council voted against pursuing funds for infrastructure and streetscape improvements along historic Front Street.
Marietta has not yet completed its portion of the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, which stretches 14 miles and five municipalities from Columbia to Falmouth.
"Two Sundays ago, 60 bicycles were on Front Street,'' said Councillor Sharon Renninger.
She said Front Street is seeing an increase of vehicle traffic associated with trail use, and that use is expected to increase.
Saturday, May 16, 2015
Barry Ford write-in campaign
A STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH COUNCILLOR BARRY FORD:
For much of my adult life, I have served the people of Columbia. For my entire life, I have lived in Columbia and with the exception of a brief time, I have worked in Columbia.
I love Columbia. I bleed crimson and gold.
As for service, I spent almost three decades as coach, director and officer with the greatest youth sports organization in Lancaster County, the Columbia Boys' Athletic Association. At about the same time, I covered all aspects of our great town as editor/sports editor/staff writer of our former newspapers – the Columbia News and Columbia Ledger.
For the last four years, since our newspapers no longer exist, I have turned to a different way of serving our community, as an elected member of Columbia Borough Council. I have enjoyed my four years, including the last two as vice-president of the borough's governing body.
But this is a decision year. The decision I needed to make was whether or not I wanted to seek re-election to another four-year term on borough council.
I will be honest, as one time I wasn't too keen on doing this for another four years. Being on borough council or any governing body is extremely time-consuming.
Attending meetings is just part of it. Planning for meetings, reviewing materials, talking and listening to people is another. Whether or not you want to believe it, you are a council person 24/7. That's how I feel and have worked hard, as I did in the newspaper business, to achieve this.
Attending meetings is just part of it. Planning for meetings, reviewing materials, talking and listening to people is another. Whether or not you want to believe it, you are a council person 24/7. That's how I feel and have worked hard, as I did in the newspaper business, to achieve this.
The second part was at the time I was in the decision making process, I was worried about my health. But that has improved.
The third part was the lack of an active Democratic party. Yes, I am a Democrat. So my time expired to get my nominating petition in for Tuesday's primary, and there are no Democrats running for borough council in Columbia.
There are a number of outstanding things going on in our community and still some things I'd like to see completed. What I am asking for is support, since there are no Democrats running for borough council. Come Tuesday for the primary election, correctly write my name in on the Democratic ballot ---BARRY FORD. If I get enough votes, my name will appear on the November ballot, which will be the final step in seeking another four years on borough council.
So why am I waiting until the last minute to announce this? First, I didn't want to do it a month ago or longer because folks might forget. Secondly, if I did it a few days before, folks will better remember it.
I feel like I have done a good job representing the entire community and not just one interest or group. The entire community has been my focus and will continue to be my focus if given the chance to do so again. Thank you in advance for your help and feel free to contact me anytime in person, phone, email or social media (Facebook or twitter) as I look and enjoy serving the people of our great town.
Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame
The Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its Hall of Fame Class of 2015, who will be honored on Friday, Oct. 1. The induction ceremony will be held at halftime of the varsity football game with rival Donegal. Kickoff for the game is 7 p.m. A reception honoring the inductees will be held in the high school cafeteria featuring the Class of 2015 and past inductees from 5-6:30 p.m.
The Class of 2015 includes:
Newman Draper, Class of 1941
John "Tink" Lutz, Class of 1948
Thomas Hondras, Coach
John Betrone, Class of 1956
Michael Kuhn, Class of 1980
Included are brief biographies of the Class of 2015.
Draper: Was Columbia's first state champion in track, winning the Class A mile run in 1941. He also won three District 3 titles, two in the mile and one in the 880 yard run in 1940 and 1941. He also participated on the Crimson Tide football team in 1938.
Lutz: Is being inducted as a "friend of the CHS athletic program." "Tink" started with the football program as an assistant equipment manager to Luke Kise when Mike Burke II was the head coach. He became equipment manager when Kise retired and has served not only Mike Burke II, but coaches Mike Burke III, James Burke and Jason Shoff. He became known as the "man with the towel on the sidelines" and the "get back coach" and often would help the officials with their calls. He was also periodically tackled on the sidelines.
In his role as equipment manager, "Tink" filled water bottles, patched wounds and rubbed down sore muscles, but players will always remember him for his words of encouragement and being a "stand-in" parent during special events. He has touched many lives through his service to the football program and has been blessed with wonderful memories and lifelong friendships.
Hondras: Was the first wrestling coach in school history, starting it as a club sport in 1951 and coached the varsity program from 1953 through the 1967 season. During that time, Hondras coached nine sectional champions, seven district champions, four regional champions, a state runner-up and state champion in Bobby Bell.
Betrone: Won nine varsity letters at Columbia High School including three in basketball and football, two in baseball and one in track. He was named first team All-County in basketball and football as a senior. The Crimson Tide basketball team won 54 games and lost 9 during his career and was honorable mention Little All-State in 1956. The legendary Elmer Kreiser, CHS coach, called Betrone "one of the finest all around athletes" he ever coached.
Kuhn: Was a basketball and baseball player at Columbia. He scored 693 points during his varsity career, averaging 17.2 points a game and 11.4 rebounds as a senior and was the sixth leading scorer in the league during his senior year. He was the 1980 Danny Monk Memorial Award winner and was named first team All-Section and honorable mention All-League in 1980. In baseball, he has a career batting average of .310 and career fielding percentage of .996 and made just one error his senior year. He was a Section 3 All-Star as a senior and named an outstanding outfielder in 1979.
Friday, May 15, 2015
Columbia bypass work to stop Route 30 traffic early Monday
COLUMBIA, Pa. (WHTM) – Traffic on Route 30 will be stopped five times between Sunday night and Monday morning while construction workers install new bridge beams at the new Route 441 bypass.
Traffic will be stopped in both directions each time one of the 37-ton beams is set in place on the new bridge between midnight and 5 a.m., according to a PennDOT news release.
Traffic may be stopped between 15 and 30 minutes.
Rolex, Omega… Pulsar? New James Bond Watch Exhibit at NAWCC Focuses on the Quartz Era
"James Bond Wore the Quartz Revolution," which opens on June 3 at NAWCC, is curated by James Bond expert, founder of JamesBondWatches.com, and occasional WatchTime contributor Dell Deaton. The exhibit marks the first time that "screen-correct" models of all 12 quartz wristwatches worn in the James Bond films — from the period spanning 1973 through 1995 — will be assembled side by side and in running condition. Through the pop culture icon of James Bond, Deaton hopes to use the exhibit to "correct myths arguing that the Quartz Revolution was nothing more than about making watches cheaper."
Notice of Special Meeting
Notice is hereby given that a Special Meeting of Columbia Borough Council will be held on Monday, May 18, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. in the Borough's Columbia Crossing Building, 21 Walnut Street, Columbia, PA to discuss a Request for Proposals for a Human Services Call Center and any other necessary Borough Business. If you are a person with a disability wishing to attend and require an accommodation to participate in the meeting, please contact the Borough Office at 684-2467.
Borough Offices: 308 Locust Street, Columbia PA 17512 | Phone: 717-684-2467
Columbia gets $1.7 million state package to help fund digester at treatment plant
Columbia Borough will get more than $1.7 million in state support to build an anaerobic digester for use at its wastewater treatment plant, it was announced Thursday.
Thursday, May 14, 2015
Grants could help make Columbia more appealing to visitors
Borough council voted unanimously May 11 to submit a letter of intent for a Lancaster County Smart Growth Transportation grant to make improvements to North Third Street. Council also voted to apply for funding from the Lancaster Transportation Alternatives program to improve River Park, according to Ron Miller, interim borough manager.
Government still making seizures without arrests
In Columbia in July 2013, members of the Lancaster County Drug Task Force seized $640 from Steven Sanford, no age available, who was driving in a car with someone who had several bags of cocaine on him. Sanford had no drugs on him and wasn't charged. District Attorney Stedman's office has asked the courts to keep his money.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
Pa House votes to reduce school property taxes
HARRISBURG, Pa – School property taxes would be lower in every district in Pennsylvania under legislation that passed the House today by a vote of 105-86, House Majority Leader Dave Reed (R-Indiana) said.
Proponents push to legalize hemp farming
COLUMBIA, Pa. (WHTM) – There is a push in Pennsylvania to legalize hemp farming, which some say would create an economic boom.
At Lancaster Trading House Inc.'s headquarters in Columbia, owner Shawn Patrick House had a number of his hemp food products on display, including pretzels and protein powder.
Columbia School District budget still lacks specifics
Columbia School District officials say they are not able to share any specific numbers with the public on their preliminary final budget even though they plan to vote on it Thursday.
The state requires that all school districts pass their final budgets by June 30.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Donegal students install mosaic at Riverfront Park
Artist-in-residence Kevin Lehman is helping the students complete the project. Lehman has helped kids at least a half dozen times in creating mosaic murals.
Route 30 construction shutdowns
Crews are planning to close Route 30 for brief overnight stretches in the Columbia area the week of May 16.
The move is needed so workers can install beams for an overpass carrying Columbia’s long-awaited truck bypass over Route 30.
The effort is planned tentatively for overnight Sunday, May 17, into Monday, May 18.
State Transportation Department officials said Friday the work will lead to intermittent closures of Route 30, of approximately 15 minutes at a time, for both eastbound and westbound traffic from midnight to 5 a.m. Monday, May 18.
“That’s the best time in terms of traffic volumes, since it has the least amount of traffic,” PennDOT spokesman Greg Penny explained.
Project managers are hopeful the beam installation will take only one night, but they have planned for additional nights if needed, officials said.
Motorists on Route 30 approaching the project area who don’t wish to wait for the highway to re-open will be able to use Route 462 as a detour.
Each road closure is expected to be in the 15-to-30-minute range as each of the five overpass beams are installed, officials said.
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PennDOT to close Route 30 in Columbia area for brief stretches the night of May 17-18
Crews are planning to close Route 30 for brief overnight stretches in the Columbia area the week of May 16.
The move is needed so workers can install beams for an overpass carrying Columbia's long-awaited truck bypass over Route 30.
The effort is planned tentatively for overnight Sunday, May 17, into Monday, May 18.
State Transportation Department officials said Friday the work will lead to intermittent closures of Route 30, of approximately 15 minutes at a time, for both eastbound and westbound traffic from midnight to 5 a.m. Monday, May 18.
Dr. Sherry Welsh named to council
Mayor Leo Lutz swore in Dr. Sherry Welsh, who was appointed by Columbia Borough Council on Monday night to fill a council seat vacated a few months ago by Jody Gable. Dr. Welsh will serve out the remainder of the term, which is two-and-half years. Welsh, who holds a doctorate in social work, is currently operations manager for York-Adams Transportation Authority and also works part time as a therapist.
Officer recognized for service during bank robbery
Columbia Borough Police Officer Dave Souders (second from left) was recognized at Monday's borough council meeting for his service in apprehending a bank robber during a robbery at Union Community Bank in West Hempfield on March 1, 2012. West Hempfield Township Supervisor David Dumeyer presented Souders with a commendation award for his actions during the incident. Souders, who was off duty at the time of the robbery, observed the suspect on foot, called in the information, and aided on-duty officers.
(Also pictured above are Columbia Borough Police Chief Jack Brommer (far left) and West Hempfield Police Chief Mark Pugliese (far right)).
(Also pictured above are Columbia Borough Police Chief Jack Brommer (far left) and West Hempfield Police Chief Mark Pugliese (far right)).
Council accepts donation of burning bridge mosaic
Monday, May 11, 2015
Trail Services Building renamed
The recently opened Trail Services Building at River Park has been renamed "Columbia Crossing."
Columbia Borough Council unanimously approved the name at its May 11 meeting.
Sunday, May 10, 2015
Security guard at the bank
(Photo by Rodie Cox)
Time for a trim?
The grass was high at Columbia River Park today, around and behind the new Trail Services Building and elsewhere on the grounds.
Police presence on Avenue J
A heavier police presence has been noted on Avenue J below South Second Street lately. The fate of Avenue J was a topic of discussion at the last two Columbia Borough Council meetings which have occasionally turned contentious, as residents of South Second voiced their opinions. Councillors Kelly Murphy and Jim Smith recently toured Avenue J to examine possibilities for its future.
This photo shows the avenue being blocked temporarily this morning.
Saturday, May 9, 2015
PennDOT to close Route 30 in Columbia area for brief stretches the night of May 17-18
Crews are planning to close Route 30 for brief overnight stretches in the Columbia area the week of May 16.
The move is needed so workers can install beams for an overpass carrying Columbia's long-awaited truck bypass over Route 30.
The effort is planned tentatively for overnight Sunday, May 17, into Monday, May 18.
Friday, May 8, 2015
Despite Act 1, school tax hikes have exceeded inflation
"The eight-year millage increases in other local districts ranged from a high of 50.2 percent in small, cash-strapped Columbia Borough to 18.6 percent in Ephrata."
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