COLUMBIA SPY

Sunday, July 27, 2014

Puerto Rican Americans rally for statehood

At Locust Street Park today, Puerto Rican Americans rallied to promote the addition of Puerto Rico as 51st state of the United States. The rally coincided with various rallies around the country, including those in New York, New Jersey, and Washington DC.

Island residents were granted U.S. citizenship in 1917, yet they cannot vote in presidential elections, though Puerto Ricans living in the continental United States can.

Today's date also marks the birthdate of Dr. José Celso Barbosa (July 27, 1857 – September 21, 1921) a Puerto Rican physician, sociologist, and political leader known within Puerto Rico's New Progressive Party as the father of the "Statehood for Puerto Rico" movement.

Mayflies without end

At River Park this morning, mallards were busy scooping up mayfly carcasses, some of which may have been washed off bridge lights last week, as seen HERE.

Unfortunately, many live ones are hanging on, like the one seen above on the window of Burning Bridge Antiques, which appears to be trying to mate with its reflection(s).

Columbia Borough Council Meeting of the Whole

The Columbia Borough Council Committee of the Whole Meeting will be held tomorrow, Monday, July 28, at 6 p.m. at Borough Hall, 308 Locust Street, Columbia, PA 17512.

A tour of Mount Bethel

This past Friday, Ron Mable, volunteer superintendent of Mount Bethel Cemetery, gave an informative tour of the cemetery grounds. The tour was sponsored by the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce. The 300-year-old cemetery holds the remains of veterans from all our country's major wars, as well as local personages from the past, including Columbia poet and painter, Lloyd Mifflin, and his father, John Houston Mifflin.

Currently, the cemetery is struggling financially. If it "goes under," Columbia Borough will take over ownership and be responsible for the maintenance of the grounds.

Here, Ron Mable shows the grave marker of Joseph S. Hagman, a Union Civil War veteran who was a prisoner at Andersonville, a Confederate prison in Georgia.