COLUMBIA SPY

Barber Street is one-way going east from Plane Street to South Twelfth Street.  Despite that fact, drivers often travel west on Barber (the wrong way) after turning right from South Eleventh Street.   Miraculously, there have been no accidents so far.  But this afternoon at 3:08, a wrong-way driver traveling west on the 1000 block of Barber almost collided head-on with a school bus going east (the correct way).  After witnessing this near-miss, I investigated why these incidents keep happening and discovered the following:  This is the intersection of 11th and Barber, looking south on 11th, and it's here the trouble starts.  Drivers who don't realize Barber is one-way make the mistake of turning right, causing them to travel west on Barber - the wrong way.  And the reason they do so is there is not a NO RIGHT TURN sign posted. In fact, the only indication at this intersection that Barber is one-way is this partially hidden DO NOT ENTER...

This picture was taken a little after five o'clock this afternoon.  Someone dumped these fish near the railroad tracks on Malleable Road (or as we Columbians say it: MOW (as in OW!) - LUH - BULL Road). I've heard of "catch and release" - but "catch and dump"? This garbage will be sure to draw cats, skunks, rats, mice, foxes - you name it.  I wonder if the thoughtless person who dumped this considered the consequences.

Some pics from the past week or so that weren't previously posted . . . There were a few issues at last Sunday's river baptism at River Park: Two jet skiers landed near the base of the boat ramp.  While one waited, the other attempted to back his truck and trailer down the ramp as the service was being conducted .  He was then asked by a pastor not to do so, because the church had a permit to be there.  The jet skiers then waited until the church service concluded.  Also, two other people who were preparing to leave the park in their boat let their dog run through the crowd.    The dog was unattended for several minutes as its owners gathered their belongings for the trip. The dog was only a minor disturbance, but allowing him to run through the crowd was disrespectful. I wonder if the dog's owners ever read this notice posted nearby. And speaking of notices, have you ever read the bulletin board under the bridge? NO...

On Saturday afternoon, about 100 cyclists roared through town on a benefit ride for the Cycle Den, which was recently lost to a fire.  The ride was organized by friends of the Cycle Den.

A Life Lion helicopter from Hershey Medical Center made a half hour stop at Columbia Consolidated Fire Company shortly after 8 o'clock last night.  The stopover was part of a training program being coordinated with CCFD.  The chopper, one of three, often travels with a registered nurse - and sometimes a cardiologist -  aboard on actual emergency calls.

These two girls took advantage of a nearly empty River Park this afternoon to combine the sports of cycling and swimming. 

Columbia teens held an observance at Columbia River Park today in memory of their friend Jason Howard. (Left to right: Logynn Fuller, Kayla Lambert, Lauren Schoenly, Brittany Germer)