Mausoleum delivery fails, crane can't make the turn

 A concrete slab was laid on the grounds of the Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens recently to support a 38-ton mausoleum that is to be delivered. A large crane will also be on-site to lift the mausoleum from the delivery truck and place it on the slab.

 Two small areas were carved out of the base of the hill to accommodate the crane's outriggers.

A delivery attempt was made last Wednesday morning. Unfortunately, the crane was unable to negotiate the tight turn on Laurel Hill Road leading to the cemetery and had to turn back, leaving these tire tracks in the mud.

The red arrow shows the tight turn where the crane got stuck.

A few days later, crushed stone was placed on the muddy perimeter of the turn. Another delivery attempt with a different crane will be made Monday morning, April 3. A source close to the project told Columbia Spy that the four-unit, $50,000 mausoleum is currently being stored on the truck.

USGS takes water samples near Columbia River Park

Two members of the US Geological Survey collected water samples from the Susquehanna River this morning. They stood several piers out on the Columbia side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

To collect the samples, they used a fish-shaped weight that held a small container. 

The weight was suspended on a cord from a portable crane with a pulley.

 The weight was lowered and raised several times to collect samples.

 The shape of the weight oriented it in the direction of the water current to fill the container.

The workers moved to several locations on the bridge to collect samples. The samples are used to determine such things as sediment load rates and phosphorus levels, among others.

 They parked their vehicle near Rotary Park.

According to the USGS website:

"The USGS serves the Nation by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect our quality of life."

Yard waste collection begins Monday, April 10

Lancaster nonprofit introduces healthy eating habits to Columbia students

Students at the Taylor Campus of Columbia Middle School are getting some help in learning how to keep fruits and vegetables front and center. 

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-nonprofit-introduces-healthy-eating-habits-to-columbia-students/article_a50df49e-14b2-11e7-a548-63f5b8207361.html

Grieving Columbia woman saves toddler on the side of a road: 'I feel like I breathed my mom’s last breath into that boy'

                        Alexis Allen

Alexis Allen buried her mother on Sunday. The next day, she felt her mother's presence as she saved the life of an unresponsive child on the side of a western Lancaster County road.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/insider/grieving-columbia-woman-saves-toddler-on-the-side-of-a/article_cf763874-14b0-11e7-870f-137a1c0fbf14.html

Fire causes $260,000 in damage to 4 Columbia row homes; 12 residents displaced

A two-alarm fire displaced 12 people and caused $260,000 in damage to four row homes Wednesday in Columbia.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/fire-causes-in-damage-to-columbia-row-homes-residents-displaced/article_a5ad0c7c-14ea-11e7-81c8-6f42405ac0b4.html

The Power of the Dark Side - How to Hide Your Browsing History From Your Snooping ISP

Time to turn to the Dark Side?

The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has voted to repeal rules preventing internet service providers from selling customers’ web browsing and app usage data without explicit consent. The Republican-controlled Senate passed the same bill last week, which means the only obstacle that remains is a signature from President Trump, a Republican—and the White House has already signaled he will do so.

Your ISP can already track your online activity, but with the passage of the bill, ISPs will also be able to collect and store your data and sell the information to advertisers and data mining companies, who could use it to build an almost complete profile of you.

Fortunately, you can help keep your private information private by going to the Dark Side - the so-called "Dark Web." Doing so involves using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Tor software, both of which can shield your personal information from prying eyes. More information on these options can be found HERE, HERE, and HERE.