Park rangers maintain rain gardens

The Columbia Park Rangers were on the job this week, weeding and cleaning up the rain gardens at Columbia River Park.

And here's the result:

Thanks Park Rangers!

Medical marijuana now legal in PA

Pennsylvania has become the 24th state to legalize a comprehensive medical marijuana program.

Democratic Governor Tom Wolf signed the bill into law at 1 p.m. today.

It could take two years to write regulations and get retailers opened, but a provision allows parents to legally administer medical marijuana to their children in the meantime when the bill takes effect in a month.

An FAQ fact sheet released by the PA Department of Health is shown below and can be found on its website HERE.

Man allegedly made terroristic threats

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/arrests/torres-michael-angel-terroristic-threats

Charges pending in vehicle accident at Route 30 W / Route 441

Emergency and law enforcement personnel responded to a two-vehicle accident at the Route 30 West off-ramp at Route 441 on Friday afternoon, April 15. No injuries were reported, but one driver had a suspended license and was found to be in possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. Charges are pending the outcome of lab testing.

Columbia Borough Police posted the information shown below at THIS LINK. 

Prax walks to shine light on homeless vets

Columbia Spy was fortunate enough to catch up to Praxedis Lindsey - or "Prax" as he prefers to be called - on Thursday near the entrance to the Veterans Memorial Bridge, shortly after he left Hinkle's Restaurant. The 53-year-old said he undertook a 2,000-mile walk to promote awareness of the plight of homeless veterans, many of whom were traumatized by the horrors of war.  The recent suicide of a friend's son who had served in Afghanistan motivated him to take the journey.

Prax left New Bedford, Massachusetts on February 18 and is walking home to McAllen, Texas in support of the Walking for Vets Campaign. Along the way, he has found shelter at fire stations and once stayed with relatives of actor Danny Aiello in Independence Township, New Jersey. He noted that people he has met have been kind, contrary to what the media sometimes portrays, and added that the hardest part of his trek has been not seeing his eight grandchildren.

Prax believes that war is a sickness that affects the human psyche. He spoke with emotion about soldiers struggling to cope with losing their homes and their families. Soldiers returning from battle in bygone eras were held in high regard, he said, but often that is not the case now. He hopes his mission will help bring attention to the issue.

After the brief sojourn, Prax continued his journey, fittingly enough, over the Veterans Memorial Bridge, his video of which is HERE.

You can learn more about Prax and his mission on his Facebook page HERE.

Anyone interested in donating to the Operation Renewed Hope Foundation may do so at this link: Operation Renewed Hope.

The trees are here! Planting to begin soon

The trees are here, all lined up and ready to go!  Ten 3-inch bald cypress trees are currently resting on a flatbed trailer at the borough shed, waiting to be planted along the shore at Columbia River Park.  The trees, which are well-suited to a watery environment, were ordered to replace dead and dying trees that were cut down a few months ago. A borough crew will begin planting in the near future.

The arborvitae trees shown below were planted at River Park on Friday. Apparently, they will hide a trash dumpster to be placed on the recently poured concrete pad.

Meanwhile, out at the borough farm, several ivory silk lilac and Persian parrotia trees are being stored until they can be planted by the shade tree commission at various locations around town. The trees, which are easily managed, were chosen for their suitability under utility wires.

One of the trees shown above might be needed to replace a damaged Bradford Pear tree near 150 South Fourth Street.  (The tree is shown below.) The base of the trunk was broken by recent high winds, and the tree is leaning against utility wires. A source tells Columbia Spy that authorities were notified of the problem about a week ago, but so far, no action has been taken. We're told that one of the problems with tree-planting in the borough is the size of the sidewalk opening for the root basin, which should be at least three by five feet. Most openings measure only two by two feet.

Lancaster encouraging yard waste recycling with expanded pickups

LNP just published article about yard waste being taken to the facility at the borough farm in Columbia. Columbia Spy posted an article on the borough farm facility this past week HERE.

From LNP:

When yard waste is properly disposed of, the small sticks, dead garden material and similar woody matter are taken to Columbia Borough and turned into compost or mulch.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-encouraging-yard-waste-recycling-with-expanded-pickups/article_b5b33662-00d4-11e6-957b-63155da9f4e4.html