Asplundh trims trees - without mercy

 Asplundh was around town trimming trees today.

Here's an example of butchery perpetrated on a tree at Fifth and Mill.

Man arrested for sexual assault charged in previous offenses

Michael Paul Geib of Columbia was arrested yesterday for sexual assault. He was also charged in previous offenses.

Michael Paul Geib

Here's the docket sheet for yesterday's incident:

Geib was scheduled to go to trial on May 16 on felony and misdemeanor charges of indecent assault of a person under 13 years. The charges stem from an incident that occurred last year:

In 2012, Geib pled guilty to harassment:

Doggone, that van is gone!

The van is gone! Up until a few days ago, a white van with expired registration had sat unattended for a considerable time in the area of the 500 block of Locust Street shown above.  (A previous report on the van is HERE.)  A commenter informed the Spy that the van had been moved.

News crews leave scene after locals kick up a fuss

Columbia Spy and WGAL News 8 arrived on the 200 block of Walnut Street at the same time early this afternoon to report from 215 Walnut, the residence of Michael Paul Geib.  Geib was arrested for an alleged sexual assault of a woman on the 300 block of North Second Street on Tuesday afternoon. While a News 8 cameraman was setting up a camera and tripod, several women arrived in a vehicle and parked in front of the residence. One of the women exited the vehicle and shouted at the cameraman to leave. The Spy spoke to the cameraman as he walked away from the residence. Although he was aware of his right to photograph in public, he decided to leave the scene anyway, most likely to avoid further conflict. Two of the women shouted and gestured at Columbia Spy to leave as they entered the residence.

A short time later, news crews set up on the 300 block of North Second, close to the site of the assault. CBS 21's Kyle Rogers, shown above, interviewed a witness.

Simultaneously, News 8's Ed Weinstock set up shop and conducted a report from the other side of the street.

Lancaster Sierra Club awards 5 "green" grants

One of the grants will go to Friends of the Osprey, developing a Susquehanna River bank site to view osprey nesting and interacting on a platform placed along the growing Northwest Lancaster County River Trail.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-sierra-club-awards-green-grants/article_607ff498-0c8a-11e6-83ae-f7246db57796.html

Stranger sexually assaults female along Columbia street Tuesday afternoon, police say

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/stranger-sexually-assaults-female-along-columbia-street-tuesday-afternoon-police/article_d5daba24-0c72-11e6-adfb-9ffa9d40f2d2.html

Biglers ask Columbia for waiver of bill

At Monday night's Finance Committee meeting, Cindy Bigler of Millersville appealed a $600 invoice from a Columbia Borough engineer regarding a condemned property she owns with husband Sam Bigler at 421-423 Avenue G. The property was condemned in June 2015, and a fire caused major damage to the structure on September 4, 2015.  (Columbia Spy reported on the fire HERE.) Bigler adamantly insisted that the borough engineer made the "wrong diagnosis" and that she should not pay for it. She accused the borough of jumping to condemnation. Bigler claimed that the borough code officer did not enter the building prior to the decision to condemn and that the borough's actions caused her, her husband, and tenants "a lot of problems."

Bigler also accused the code department of being unprofessional and said that she and her husband were not notified that the building would be condemned. She told the committee that they have a business line with an answering machine. "No one called us," she said. 

Code Enforcement Officer/Supervisor Jeff Helm said the decision was initially prompted by Code Officer Robert Osborne's inspection, in order to protect the borough from liability. (Osborne has since been terminated from employment with the borough code department.)

Helm told the committee that he inspected the exterior of the building on June 15, 2015, accompanied by Osborne and engineer William Sauers, who was then employed by the borough. Helm said that he and the others walked around the building and found exterior bulging walls and concluded that the building should be condemned and vacated in a timely fashion.

Helm further explained that on June 26, 2015, Sauers and Sam Bigler entered the property and conducted a room-by-room and floor-by-floor inspection, looking especially for separations of interior/exterior walls. Sauers found unsupported areas on the second floor that required remediation, and his opinion was to vacate. Bigler opted for a third-party inspection by Sanchez & Associates of Millersville.

The borough subsequently suggested that the Biglers select an engineer with knowledge of older structures. The Biglers hired engineer Dan Fichtner, who determined that the building could remain occupied if the interior were re-supported. Fichtner did not believe it was structurally unsound.

Bigler requested that the committee waive the $600 bill for the borough engineer. Councillor Mary Barninger said that she agreed with Bigler's request and made a motion to send the issue to council at its May 9 meeting. Council President Kelly Murphy seconded the motion. Councillor Sherry Welsh, who was substituting for Councillor Cleon Berntheizel, opposed it.

Notice of Condemnation at the Avenue G property, prior to the September 4, 2015 fire.