Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Let there be light - Take 2

Yes, let there be some.

These three street lights on the first block of North Third Street (near Burning Bridge Antiques) have been out for several weeks. This issue was first brought to the attention of council at its December 8 meeting, during citizen comments. At the December 22 Meeting of the Whole, Acting Borough Manager Ron Miller said there had been a "hiccup" as lights were being strung, which had knocked out some street lights.  Are these the ones? This section of the block is very dark at night, with the only light available coming from businesses and passing vehicles.

Keeping an eye on things

Four new security cameras were installed Monday at the Northwest River Trail Services Building at Columbia River Park. Installation was approved November 24 at Columbia Borough Council's Meeting of the Whole. The total cost for the cameras was $9420, with half coming from a grant and half from the borough. Including an existing camera near the front of the building, the addition of the four new cameras (two outside and two inside) brings the total number of cameras monitoring the building to five. 

 A technician checks an existing camera near the front of the building.

 Installation of this new camera on the south side of the building is almost complete.

A second camera, almost ready, on the north side.

A long view of the camera shown above.

Prudhomme's controversy noted in 'The Christian Post'

Monday, December 29, 2014

Gap between rich, poor schools doubled in 4 years under Gov. Corbett

Good riddance to bad rubbish.
Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The gap between what wealthy districts and poor districts spend to educate children has widened dramatically in the four years since GOP Gov. Tom Corbett took office, amid deep budget-balancing cuts in state aid under Republican-controlled Harrisburg and long-delayed pension obligation payments coming due.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/pennsylvania/gap-between-rich-poor-schools-doubled-in-years-under-gov/article_53334702-5bf0-50cf-a772-6e4cd841dfd9.html

And according to spundge.com, he's one of the villains who approved a gas tax increase:
"The Republican governor did approve a gas-tax increase in November as part of a more than $2.3 billion transportation package. The increase for gas and diesel is charged at the wholesale level, but multiple businesses have said they have to pass the cost along to consumers.
The increase is being phased in over multiple years, and the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, a think tank that says it’s dedicated to rolling back the size of government, calculated that it equals a minimum 27-cent per gallon increase for gas by 2017. The minimum increase would be slightly less than that by 2018.
The minimum increase would be higher for diesel.
The increases could be higher, depending on average wholesale prices calculated by the Department of Revenue."

Driving in Pennsylvania will get more expensive in 2015

PCB contamination causes fish consumption advisory for catfish caught from Susquehanna River in Lancaster County

The state Department of Environmental Protection has issued a consumption warning for channel catfish longer than 20 inches. Samples of the fish showed unacceptable levels of polychlorinated biphenyls, often called PCBs.
MORE:
http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/pcb-contamination-causes-fish-consumption-advisory-for-catfish-caught-from/article_ea4fd690-8f93-11e4-9e96-97713c0276f0.html?mode=jqm

Let there be lights

More new "bridge" lights
Workers began installing lights on the surface of the new facade at Columbia Plaza today. (The structure resembles the Veterans Memorial Bridge.)