COLUMBIA SPY

The National Physical Activity Society—a nonprofit organization promoting public health approaches and collaboration to create active communities—has recognized Columbia, Lancaster County, in their "Stories from Small Towns" report. The report is part of a project to demonstrate that structural changes to make walking easier can be carried out in America's thousands of small towns and not just its big cities. The society's report was particularly impressed with Columbia's Susquehanna River Park, with four acres now refitted with a trail system and a new building with educational center. The borough obtained several grants to fund this project, including from DCNR. From the report: Several parks in the borough of Columbia were run down, and a master plan identified the need for improvements. Mayor Leo Lutz started revitalizing, purchasing more land for the park system. One example is the Susquehanna River Park, four acres now refitted with a trail ...

According to Borough Manager Ron Miller, seven or eight trees along the river bank at Columbia River Park are slated to be removed in the near future. Miller announced the plan at Tuesday night's budget meeting and added that reforesting will be undertaken in the spring to replace the lost trees. The existing trees are dying from the top down and pose a public safety concern.

Police from two Lancaster County departments are seeking information on an individual who stole thousands of dollars worth of jewelry from antique vendors since last week. The individual, a white male with a pony-tail, targeted three stores on Oct. 8, in East Cocalico Township and Columbia Borough. They are: – Adams Antiques, Route 272, East Cocalico Township; – Route 272 Antiques and Collectibles, Route 272, East Cocalico Township; – Burning Bridge Antiques, Walnut Street, Columbia. Surveillance images of the individual are attached. If anyone recognizes the man, or was a victim of similar theft, contact East Cocalico Township Police Detective Keith Neff at 717-336-1725. The man is believed to be driving a gray sedan, possibly a Chevrolet Impala or something similar. Police believe the pony-tailed man is acting alone, stealing jewelry of all sorts: rings, necklaces, bracelets. He's been defeating locks on cases/displays to get to the jewelry, whic...

Douglas Knepp was officially introduced as the next principal of Park Elementary School at the Oct. 15 board meeting of Columbia Borough School District. His introduction follows approval at the Oct. 8 committee of the whole meeting. MORE: http://lancasteronline.com/columbia/news/columbia-hires-new-principal-for-park-elementary-school/article_0aa96ea0-772f-11e5-869b-eb34fc9bb51c.html

"There is a lot of history in this cemetery," noted Mount Bethel Cemetery board member Claire Storm. The cemetery dates from the 1720s, and it is known as the oldest burial ground in continual use in the Columbia area. Board members hope to highlight the history of the cemetery with a dash of Halloween excitement during the upcoming Haunted Lantern Tour Classic. The cemetery, located at 700 Locust St., Columbia, will make a suitably spooky site for the tour, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Oct. 23 and 24. Tours will be conducted every half hour beginning at 7 p.m., with the last tour setting out at 10 p.m. The tour will last approximately one hour. Tickets are available by calling 684-6196. Tour size is limited, so interested individuals are encouraged to make reservations as soon as possible. MORE: http://www.townlively.com/lantern-tour-classic-to-benefit-nonprofit-cemetery/

GO HERE: http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/west-hempfield-police-investigating-vehicle-theft-entries-in-mountville-area/article_8fe6f6ae-7758-11e5-a7e5-afac6929d892.html