Beams are up, Scotty!

Crews worked overnight - in muggy, drizzly conditions - installing several massive support beams over Route 30, which are part of the Route 441 bypass construction project.  Traffic was stopped intermittently through the night as the beams were put in place. 

River monster found at River Park

 A large carp was found along shore at Columbia River Park on Saturday.

 It was well over 30 inches long. There were no signs of lesions or other abnormalities, as were discovered recently on other fish in the Susquehanna.

But it may have died from a deep wound on its side.  

A victim of bowfishing?

Everyone loves Loreto's

Loreto's tomato sauce - from Columbia

Marietta council rejects try for Front Street funding despite traffic increase from Northwest Lancaster County River Trail

In a surprising 4-2 vote, Marietta council voted against pursuing funds for infrastructure and streetscape improvements along historic Front Street.

Marietta has not yet completed its portion of the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail, which stretches 14 miles and five municipalities from Columbia to Falmouth.

"Two Sundays ago, 60 bicycles were on Front Street,'' said Councillor Sharon Renninger.

She said Front Street is seeing an increase of vehicle traffic associated with trail use, and that use is expected to increase.

MORE:
http://m.lancasteronline.com/donegal/news/marietta-council-rejects-try-for-front-street-funding/article_54be7f1c-fbf1-11e4-bb55-dbbba54fc9bc.html?mode=j

Barry Ford write-in campaign

A STATEMENT FROM BOROUGH COUNCILLOR BARRY FORD:

For much of my adult life, I have served the people of Columbia. For my entire life, I have lived in Columbia and with the exception of a brief time, I have worked in Columbia.

I love Columbia. I bleed crimson and gold.

As for service, I spent almost three decades as coach, director and officer with the greatest youth sports organization in Lancaster County, the Columbia Boys' Athletic Association. At about the same time, I covered all aspects of our great town as editor/sports editor/staff writer of our former newspapers – the Columbia News and Columbia Ledger.

For the last four years, since our newspapers no longer exist, I have turned to a different way of serving our community, as an elected member of Columbia Borough Council. I have enjoyed my four years, including the last two as vice-president of the borough's governing body.

But this is a decision year. The decision I needed to make was whether or not I wanted to seek re-election to another four-year term on borough council.

I will be honest, as one time I wasn't too keen on doing this for another four years. Being on borough council or any governing body is extremely time-consuming.

Attending meetings is just part of it. Planning for meetings, reviewing materials, talking and listening to people is another. Whether or not you want to believe it, you are a council person 24/7. That's how I feel and have worked hard, as I did in the newspaper business, to achieve this.

The second part was at the time I was in the decision making process, I was worried about my health. But that has improved.

The third part was the lack of an active Democratic party. Yes, I am a Democrat. So my time expired to get my nominating petition in for Tuesday's primary, and there are no Democrats running for borough council in Columbia.

There are a number of outstanding things going on in our community and still some things I'd like to see completed. What I am asking for is support, since there are no Democrats running for borough council. Come Tuesday for the primary election, correctly write my name in on the Democratic ballot ---BARRY FORD. If I get enough votes, my name will appear on the November ballot, which will be the final step in seeking another four years on borough council.

So why am I waiting until the last minute to announce this? First, I didn't want to do it a month ago or longer because folks might forget. Secondly, if I did it a few days before, folks will better remember it.

I feel like I have done a good job representing the entire community and not just one interest or group. The entire community has been my focus and will continue to be my focus if given the chance to do so again. Thank you in advance for your help and feel free to contact me anytime in person, phone, email or social media (Facebook or twitter) as I look and enjoy serving the people of our great town.

Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame

The Columbia High School Athletic Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its Hall of Fame Class of 2015, who will be honored on Friday, Oct. 1. The induction ceremony will be held at halftime of the varsity football game with rival Donegal. Kickoff for the game is 7 p.m. A reception honoring the inductees will be held in the high school cafeteria featuring the Class of 2015 and past inductees from 5-6:30 p.m.

The Class of 2015 includes:

Newman Draper, Class of 1941

John "Tink" Lutz, Class of 1948

Thomas Hondras, Coach

John Betrone, Class of 1956

Michael Kuhn, Class of 1980

Included are brief biographies of the Class of 2015.

Draper: Was Columbia's first state champion in track, winning the Class A mile run in 1941. He also won three District 3 titles, two in the mile and one in the 880 yard run in 1940 and 1941. He also participated on the Crimson Tide football team in 1938.

Lutz: Is being inducted as a "friend of the CHS athletic program." "Tink" started with the football program as an assistant equipment manager to Luke Kise when Mike Burke II was the head coach. He became equipment manager when Kise retired and has served not only Mike Burke II, but coaches Mike Burke III, James Burke and Jason Shoff. He became known as the "man with the towel on the sidelines" and the "get back coach" and often would help the officials with their calls. He was also periodically tackled on the sidelines.

In his role as equipment manager, "Tink" filled water bottles, patched wounds and rubbed down sore muscles, but players will always remember him for his words of encouragement and being a "stand-in" parent during special events. He has touched many lives through his service to the football program and has been blessed with wonderful memories and lifelong friendships.

Hondras: Was the first wrestling coach in school history, starting it as a club sport in 1951 and coached the varsity program from 1953 through the 1967 season. During that time, Hondras coached nine sectional champions, seven district champions, four regional champions, a state runner-up and state champion in Bobby Bell.

Betrone: Won nine varsity letters at Columbia High School including three in basketball and football, two in baseball and one in track. He was named first team All-County in basketball and football as a senior. The Crimson Tide basketball team won 54 games and lost 9 during his career and was honorable mention Little All-State in 1956. The legendary Elmer Kreiser, CHS coach, called Betrone "one of the finest all around athletes" he ever coached.

Kuhn: Was a basketball and baseball player at Columbia. He scored 693 points during his varsity career, averaging 17.2 points a game and 11.4 rebounds as a senior and was the sixth leading scorer in the league during his senior year. He was the 1980 Danny Monk Memorial Award winner and was named first team All-Section and honorable mention All-League in 1980. In baseball, he has a career batting average of .310 and career fielding percentage of .996 and made just one error his senior year. He was a Section 3 All-Star as a senior and named an outstanding outfielder in 1979.

Columbia bypass work to stop Route 30 traffic early Monday

COLUMBIA, Pa. (WHTM) – Traffic on Route 30 will be stopped five times between Sunday night and Monday morning while construction workers install new bridge beams at the new Route 441 bypass.

Traffic will be stopped in both directions each time one of the 37-ton beams is set in place on the new bridge between midnight and 5 a.m., according to a PennDOT news release.

Traffic may be stopped between 15 and 30 minutes.

MORE:
http://abc27.com/2015/05/15/columbia-bypass-work-to-stop-route-30-traffic-early-monday/