COLUMBIA SPY

On Saturday morning, the Pennsylvania Game Commission and local volunteers used a "bucket boat" to reach a trio of three wide-eyed falcons, not quite ready to fly and smothered in down. After being hoisted in a boom provided by Harcon Corp., a bridge design consulting firm from Strasburg, Arthur McMorris, the Game Commission's peregrine falcon program coordinator, was able to reach the nest, located on top of one of the arches under the deck of the bridge. MORE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/it-s-triplets-another-successful-peregrine-falcon-nesting-on-columbia/article_ff46e2fc-ea64-11e3-9a27-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm

 Yes, this guy really did fly over as the parade was happening.

Columbia officials met twice this week — on Tuesday and Wednesday — but failed to call a vote on a proposal for the Lancaster Area Sewer Authority to take over the borough's wastewater treatment system. MORE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-postpones-vote-on-lasa-wastewater-offer/article_2c36403e-e761-11e3-9956-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

JOE LINTNER | COLUMBIA SPY  At last night's borough council meeting at Columbia No. 1 Fire Company, the issue of opting for Lancaster Area Sewer Authority (LASA) to handle borough sewer waste was discussed. Both sides were represented — with citizen comments evenly divided. The LASA offer is appealing in several respects, in that some borough debt could be reduced, and the borough's responsibility for plant maintenance would be eliminated, but other aspects are troubling. First, the borough will not have a seat on the LASA board without the unanimous vote of all seven municipalities. In essence, Columbia might not have a voice in the decisions affecting it. Also, the cost of representation is two million dollars, according to LASA executive director Mike Kyle. Such a sum would significantly reduce any potential cost savings from the deal. Second, current borough sewer employees will not be guaranteed a job with LASA. Simply put, workers will lose their jobs. Third,...

GO HERE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/in-columbia-no-vote-yet-on-wastewater-plan-council-meets/article_787dee7c-e691-11e3-a61e-0017a43b2370.html?mode=jqm

Shown below are several photos of piles of chicken manure seen at McGinness's field (also known as McGinness Airport, according to Google Maps) on April 25, 2014. The original blog post is HERE . WGAL's follow-up is  HERE .

The Lancaster Area Sewer Authority is offering $8.6 million to purchase Columbia's wastewater assets and take over its management. If the offer is accepted, according to documents, LASA would also assume responsibility for the principal and interest owed on a bond that was taken out in 2010.  That responsibility would begin at the time the deal is finalized and continue through 2020. This would save the borough $4.27 million in payments. MORE: http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/lasa-offers-to-buy-columbia-sewer-system-in-million-deal/article_44e34e2c-e2c7-11e3-939a-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm