The winter of our discontent

OK, I'll say it - this is, or is fast becoming, "the winter of our discontent." And by "our," I mean anyone suffering under the burden of snow, ice, winds, and freezing temps. I assume that's everyone in this area. It's too easy to reach for that Shakespeare quote, but in this case, it's appropriate, because nothing else adequately describes the gloom and frustration that is this winter. One could possibly apply Thomas Paine's famous, "These are the times that try men's souls." Women's, too, although a long stretch of nasty weather doesn't quite compare to a nation in the throes of revolution.

These are the times, however, when we must all dig deep and find what sustains us, whether it be religion, work, or drink, because in the end, we need to remember yet another quote, this one biblical: "This, too, shall pass."

Emergency shelters available in Columbia

A state of emergency is in effect in Columbia Borough due to power outages, and freezing temperatures and strong winds expected overnight.

The Columbia Borough Emergency Management Team is activating shelters in each of the three Borough Fire Companies:

* Columbia #1 Fire Company, at Front Street south of Locust Street

* Susquehanna Fire Company, at 10th & Manor Street

* Columbia Consolidated Fire Company, at 10th & Mifflin Street.

Anyone not able to travel is asked to contact Columbia Borough Police for assistance at (717) 684-7735 or (717) 684-2014.

MORE INFO:

http://www.columbiapa.net/hello-world/

Good!

I hope that solves the problem.

What I Saw - February 4, 2014

Folks have come up with some ingenious (and mundane) ways to reserve the parking spaces they've shoveled out . . . 

 With traffic cones

With a trash hopper - and a bag of trash
(That way, you can say you were just setting out the trash.)

 A chair, and a more elaborate one across the street

 A plastic bucket

 Another trash hopper

  Another chair

 The bench is back.

And finally, a nifty bench-hopper combo

Vehicles are supposed to have all snow removed before being driven.

But unfortunately, "Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Columbia declares snow emergency

Columbia Borough has declared a snow emergency beginning at 4 p.m. Monday and remaining in effect until further notice.

Mayor Leo Lutz said parking is prohibited on these snow emergency routes:

Locust Street, Front to Fifth streets;
North Third Street, Locust to Cedar streets;
Chestnut Street, Second to Fifth streets;
North Fifth Street, Chestnut to Locust streets;
Lancaster Avenue, Locust Street to Malleable Road;
Kinderhook Road;
Ironville Pike, Ninth Street to Borough Limit;
Ninth Street, Ironville Pike to Lancaster Avenue.
Parking is available in borough parking lots at Front and Locust Streets, next to Borough Hall on Locust and in the former telephone company lot in Avenue H between 2nd and 3rd Streets.

Waiting for the snow

This snowman on Chestnut Street is likely to have a few friends if we get the snow that's forecast for this week.