COLUMBIA SPY

The National Watch & Clock Museum has achieved accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition for a museum. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, governments, funders, outside agencies, and the museum-going public. Of the nation's estimated 17,500 museums, 1,005 are currently accredited. The National Watch & Clock Museum is one of only 35 museums accredited in Pennsylvania and joins two others in Lancaster County, the Ephrata Cloister and the North Museum. Accreditation is a rigorous process that examines all aspects of a museum's operations. To earn accreditation, a museum first must conduct a year of self-study and then undergo a site visit by a team of peer reviewers. AAM's Accreditation Commission, an independent and autonomous body of museum professionals, reviews and evaluates the self-study and visiting committee report to determine whether a museum should receive accreditation. The pr...

LANCASTERONLINE Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz has declared May 19-25 Emergency Medical Service Week. At Monday's council meeting, Lutz presented a certificate of proclamation to Frank Splain, head of the Columbia Quick Response Service. Lutz thanked Splain and other emergency service providers for their life-saving services and willingness to respond 24 hours a day, seven days a week. http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/849973_Lutz-declares-May-19-25-EMS-Week-in-Columbia.html

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection is searching for a nuclear gauge that apparently fell off a truck on Interstate 81 near the Pennsylvania/West Virginia line. The device is yellow and about the size of a shoe box. DEP officials said the device, which was lost on May 3, contains a small amount of radioactive material. If tampered with, the device could release radiation. The device is used to measure the density of soil or concrete. Anyone who finds it should call the Nuclear Regulatory Commission at 301-816-5100. MORE HERE: http://touch.mcall.com/#story/mc-dep-radioactive-device-lost-on-interstate-81-20130515/

http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/849915_Body-found-in-Susquehanna-River-that-of-Harrisburg-man.html

LANCASTERONLINE Some pies are anything but easy. Take the table-buckling blueberry behemoth that headlines Saturday's Fourth Annual Red, White and Blueberry Jamboree in Columbia. It takes ingenuity to bake, transport and serve the hefty confection, which tips the scales at 300 pounds and spans more than 4 feet in diameter. The jamboree is a fundraiser for St. John's Herr Estate, a Luthercare community. The whopping pie comes courtesy of Zig's Bakery & Deli in Lititz. MORE HERE: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/849526_Lititz-bakery-makes-300-pound-blueberry-pie.html

Sens. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) want to honor Pennsylvania Republican Congressman and abolitionist, Thaddeus Stevens.  The Senators have asked the Postal Service committee that evaluates the merits of all stamp proposals to establish a commemorative postage stamp honoring Congressman Thaddeus Stevens. Stevens served the people of Pennsylvania as a Member of the United States House of Representatives from 1849 to 1868 and played a key role in the abolition movement and the subsequent passage of the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments to the United States Constitution.  Additionally, Stevens was a staunch supporter of policy which stressed fiscal responsibility and debt limitation. MORE HERE: http://fox43.com/2013/05/15/pa-senators-want-stamp-to-honor-thaddeus-stevens/

LANCASTERONLINE Columbia Borough Council focused on finances Monday, approving the 2012 audit, awarding a contract for the Northwest River Trail service building and asking borough staff to collect data from other municipalities served by Columbia Water Co. Mike Reiner, audit partner at Sager, Swisher and Co. LLP, gave the borough a "clean opinion" on the financial statement. It fairly represents, according to the audit, the modified cash basis financial position of the governmental activities as of Dec. 31, 2012. MORE HERE: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/849906_Audit-shows-fifth-straight-surplus-for-Columbia-Borough.html