FBI — New Jersey Man Federally Charged with Robbing 14 Banks and Two Businesses in Central Pennsylvania and elsewhere - including Columbia

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Francis Simmons, age 41, is alleged to have robbed banks and businesses located in Lewisburg, Fogelsville, Dillsburg, Allentown, Wyomissing, Tannersville, Lancaster, Columbia, Hellertown, Hanover, Pennsylvania and Marathon, New York, Swedesboro, New Jersey, Hagerstown, Maryland and Asheboro, North Carolina. The wave of robberies occurred between November 6, 2013 and November 29, 2014. Simmons was allegedly identified by witnesses and surveillance video.

The investigation involved close coordination and cooperation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Cortland County, New York Sheriff Department, and the Police Departments of Upper Macungie Township, Carroll Township, Logan Township, New Jersey, Spring Township, Hagerstown, Maryland, Pocono Township, Lancaster City Bureau of Police, Asheboro, North Carolina, Columbia Borough, Hellertown and Hanover Borough. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daryl F. Bloom.

MORE:
https://m.fbi.gov/#https://www.fbi.gov/philadelphia/press-releases/2015/new-jersey-man-federally-charged-with-robbing-14-banks-and-two-businesses-in-central-pennsylvania-new-york-new-jersey-north-carolina-and-maryland

Synthetic marijuana plague taxes police, emergency responders in Columbia and elsewhere

"Our patrolmen encounter it at least once a shift now," said Columbia Borough Det. Matt Leddy. "There's been a  sharp spike in the amount of people using it."

Sometimes users are hallucinating and it's affecting people very differently, said Leddy.

MORE:
http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/synthetic-marijuana-plague-taxes-lancaster-county-police-emergency-responders/article_655fee4a-1dda-11e5-b32f-17ad46b70218.html?mode=jqm

Fill the Bus with school supplies

Starting this coming week and throughout July, donations of school supplies will be accepted at Musser's Market parking lot (in the Columbia Plaza) on Wednesdays, 6-8 p.m. and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to noon. The donations help Columbia Borough School District.

About town

Seen around town today . . .


These cats are not feral.  They are well taken care of by an owner on Walnut Street . . .

Fallout from the mayfly invasion . . .

Great bargain - newly ventilated, too!
(Maybe someone couldn't find their keys.)

Looks like Union Station Grill is getting a facelift . . .

Sunfish left in the sun

or should we say under the clouds,

on the ramp,

at River Park this morning . . .

Digging up Rotary Park one hole at a time

That's what this man was doing again this morning . . .

A few weeks ago he was doing the same thing in another area of the park, as shown HERE.

Problem is, he uses a spade shovel instead of a trowel to dig for his "treasure" . . . 

and leaves mounds (tripping hazards) when placing the sod back into the freshly dug holes.

Apparently, he hasn't been caught on the park's video surveillance system yet.  

(There is a video surveillance system, isn't there?)

Art and Craft Show canceled