Wednesday, April 16, 2014
What I Saw - April 16, 2014
New lights being installed on Locust Street
Activity at the former Pizza Hut site on Route 462
Still leaking at Columbia Plaza
Blood moon revisited
Due to cloud cover, observers in this area were unable to view Tuesday morning's lunar eclipse, but here's a replay from another vantage point . . .
Arbor Day celebration scheduled for April 25
Columbia has earned the national Tree City USA award for 22 consecutive years. The notable achievement is due in large part to the efforts of the Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission (CBSTC) and the Columbia Tree Society.
The two organizations will sponsor the 23rd annual Arbor Day event at 6 p.m. on Friday, April 25. Participants will gather at Rotary Park, located at Second and Chestnut streets in Columbia.
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Black Angus steer creates havoc on Route 30 bridge
A black Angus steer that got loose from a Lancaster County farm had to be put down after it led emergency responders on a chase along the Susquehanna River Saturday afternoon, said Chad Livelsberger, fire chief with Wrightsville Fire and Rescue Company.
MORE:
http://www.ydr.com/
http://www.ydr.com/
The River Park Focus Group meets
On Saturday morning, April 12, the River Park Focus Group held a public meeting at the Columbia River Park pavilion to invite discussion of future improvements of the park area, river front, and Northwest River trail Services Building. Mayor Leo Lutz conducted a tour of the area with the two dozen or so citizens who attended. At the subsequent discussion and brainstorming session, several proposals were offered, among those: clearing the brush and trees from the Civil War era bridge abutment and piers to create an observation area, extending and improving walking trails, and creating a camping area.
Mayor Lutz led a tour of the grounds.
Mary Wickenheiser offered her thoughts as Councilwoman Stephanie Weisser listened.
Several of the group members
Mayor Lutz explained his vision for the area.
Other group members proposed ideas.
Illustrated plans
A discussion group
Borough Manager Sam Sukolsky discussed possibilities.
Dinner in Columbia
On the menu: fresh squirrel.
A red-tailed hawk snatched a hapless squirrel and carried him into a tree next to the Shawnee Creek. In this photo, he appears to be severing the squirrel's jugular with his beak.
I must have spooked him when I took his pic, because he flew out of the tree and landed on the creek bank, where he began extracting and eating the squirrel's entrails. Strangely enough, while he was dining, he allowed me to get quite close - within ten feet.
I probably could have gotten even closer, but I didn't want to press my luck and have him fly away again.
Nonetheless, he kept a wary eye on me, looking up from his meal every few seconds.
His beak began turning crimson from the squirrel's blood.
Bloodier and bloodier
I watched him for at least 15 minutes but finally backed away to allow him to finish eating his kill in peace. Although it may seem that Mother Nature is a cruel mistress, this is just the way of things.
This episode reminded me of a line from one of Jack London's novels: "Kill or be killed, eat or be eaten."
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