Animals get blessed on Feast of St. Francis

Father Stephen Kelley of Holy Trinity Catholic Church led the Blessing of Pets during the Feast of Saint Francis today on the grounds of Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School. Saint Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals.

Among the animals blessed were several breeds of dogs, a cat, a turtle, a cockatiel, a rabbit, and two chickens: a barred rock and a leghorn.

Catholics in the United States bring their pets to church to be blessed on this day because of Saint Francis's love for animals.

Cub Pack 35 providing wreaths to honor vets

Columbia Cub Scout Pack 35 is providing wreaths to honor military veterans in a Wreaths Across America fundraiser. Wreaths can be sponsored for a $15 donation by contacting Matt Sliger at 717-419-1635 or matt3584@yahoo.com

A National Remembrance Ceremony will be held at noon on December 16, 2017 at the Mount Bethel Cemetery in Columbia

CBFD Open House this Wednesday!

Today marks the beginning of National Fire Prevention Week.

In recognition, the Columbia Borough Fire Department will hold its annual open house this Wednesday, October 11, from 6-8 p.m. at the fire hall, 726 Manor Street.

Don't forget the highlight: fire truck rides! There'll be free food, too. Lots of other reasons to show up, including the fire safety trailer, police department, and emergency vehicles from QRS and SVEMS.

Our firefighters volunteer to put their lives on the line for our community. Come out Wednesday and tell them how thankful we are for their service.

Man faces multiple charges after punching vehicle and two victims

On Friday, October 6, at about 6:26 p.m., Columbia Borough Police were called to the 100 block of S. 4th St. for a fight complaint. Upon arrival officers observed Nelson Rodriguez in the middle of the street. Rodriguez was agitated and had blood on his pants, face and hands and was not wearing a shirt. Officers spoke to two victims who stated that they were assaulted by Rodriguez when they asked him to get out of the road. 

Rodriguez had punched the victim's vehicle and punched both victims, causing minor injuries. Rodriguez was taken into custody, and a small amount of marijuana was located on him. Rodriguez was charged with two counts of Simple Assault as well as Possession of Marijuana and Public Drunkenness. Rodriguez was taken to central arraignment. A detainer was issued for him by probation.

Case Number:
7189-10-06-17

Arrest Date:
Friday, October 6, 2017

Charges:
Simple Assault (2 Counts)
Possession of Marijuana
Public Drunkenness

Source: 
Columbia Borough Police 

MORE:
https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/arrests/rodriguez-nelson-rafael-simple-assault-2-counts-and-2-additional-charges

Columbia man charged with assault in stabbing incident

On Friday, October 6, at about 11:09 p.m., Columbia Borough Police were called to the police station to meet with a stabbing victim. Officers arrived to find a female with a cut on her hand. It was reported to the police that Herman Williams Jr. had stabbed the victim in her hand after an argument in Columbia Borough. Herman Williams Jr. was taken into custody and charged with simple assault.  Williams was taken to central arraignment and a detainer was issued by probation.

Case Number:
7492-10-06-17

Arrest Date:
Friday, October 6, 2017

Charges:
Simple Assault (Domestic Violence Related)

Source:
Columbia Borough Police Department

MORE:
https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/arrests/williams-herman-lee-jr-simple-assault-domestic-violence-related

Bridge Bust to offer fun and food this Saturday

The Route 462 Historic Veterans Memorial Bridge spanning the Susquehanna River between Columbia and Wrightsville will be the site of the 29th annual Bridge Bust on Saturday, October 7, 2017. All proceeds will benefit the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center.

The Bridge Bust is coordinated by the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce and is sponsored by The Turkey Hill Experience, Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, and the Columbia-Middletown Elks Lodge #1074.  Hours are 8 AM to 4 PM.  The rain date is Saturday, October 14, 2017 only if there is an extreme weather event.  

Close to 300 vendors are scheduled to participate in this year's event. Commercial food vendors will offer crowd-pleasing fare such as soft pretzels, fries, tacos, crab cakes, pit beef and pulled pork, egg rolls … and plenty of other food and drink items that tempt your taste buds. Individual vendors will offer items such as crafts, artwork, homemade dog treats and clothing for people and pets.  Look for goods ranging from home or country décor to garden or specialty food items, with a wide variety of products. 

Local nonprofit organizations will be on hand to raise awareness of their organizations and to raise money for their causes.  Other sponsors of this event include Columbia Fraternal Association, Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Engle Printing and Publishing Company, St. John's Herr Estate and Family First Health.

Live entertainment by Sneakers the Clown will be featured on the bridge throughout the day.  This entertainment is brought to you through the sponsorship of Workman Funeral Homes and Sahd Metal Recycling.  Local sister radio stations FUN 101.3 and ESPN 92.5/92.7 are the exclusive radio sponsors.  Look (and listen) for the stations which will be located on the Columbia side of the bridge.

The Bridge Bust features free parking and shuttle service from Glatfelter Field (located at Rt. 462 and 12th Street) in Columbia and Eastern High School (Cool Creek Road) in Wrightsville.   Patrons who wish to cross the bridge in only one direction may do so by pre-planning use of the various shuttles.  For details, visit the SVCC website www.PaRivertowns.com. Donations will be accepted for this service.

Admission to the Bridge Bust is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-12 while children under 6 years of age enter free of charge.  Please remember that absolutely no pets, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, or scooters are permitted on the bridge. 

The Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce is a member-driven organization dedicated to preserving and strengthening the Susquehanna Valley's business and tourism environment by providing programs and services which promote civic, cultural, business and economic growth and development.  The Visitor Center greets over 10,000 guests to the region annually.  The Center welcomes visitors from nearly every state and from an average of 14 countries per year.

Bridge Bust Saturday, October 7

Gregory Sourbeer eligible for parole

A prison inmate was made eligible Thursday for parole from a sentence for killing his mother over 40 years ago in Columbia.

Gregory S. Sourbeer was convicted of first-degree murder in 1976 and sentenced to life in prison for shooting his mother that same year, when he was 14.

MORE:

http://co.lancaster.pa.us/CivicAlerts/SingleAlertItem?alertID=972

Who in Columbia lowered their flags this week?

At the request of President Donald Trump, flags were to be at half staff through sunset on Friday October 6th. The Presidential Proclamation issued Monday stated: “as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless act of violence” in Las Vegas on Sunday night. President Trump ordered that the flag be flown at half-staff at the White House “and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, October 6, 2017."

“I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”

The presidential proclamation does not cover private businesses, but businesses often abide by it and also lower their flags to half-staff.

Looking at some of the flags around town Thursday afternoon, one can see who did or didn't abide by the proclamation:

 Municipal Building

 Bus stop on the 300 block of Locust

 Locust Street Park

 St John's Lutheran Church

 Park Elementary

 Holy Trinity parsonage

 Columbia Crossing

 Columbia Water Company

 The Owls

 American Legion

 NAWCC

 District Administration Center

 Catholic War Vets

 LGH Columbia

Catholic War Vets

Mural artist gets a little help - from herself?

Artist Joanna Spicer appears to get a little help from her shadow as she paints a mural at Locust Street Park on Tuesday afternoon. Spicer, who teaches art at Our Lady of the Angels, is painting the emblems of the five branches of the United States armed forces on the side of a building at the park. 

Get sewing at the library

Perry Street resident has SUV damaged in hot grease incident

The following photos were submitted by a Perry Street resident showing an SUV that was damaged when four teens threw a frying pan containing hot grease on Sunday afternoon. The teens allegedly were fighting with another resident in the neighborhood when one of them threw the frying pan at the resident's house. The pan bounced, hitting the SUV and a truck and spattering the two vehicles with hot grease. The owner of the SUV said the grease blistered the SUV's paint and stained the molding.

The owner called Columbia Borough Police, who responded and took the report but did not take the frying pan as evidence. Reportedly, police responded to Perry Street again at about 10:15 p.m. for an argument at the same house.

Grease spatter marks on the SUV:

Frying pan that contained hot grease:

The police report number:

October events at the library