Gregory Sourbeer eligible for parole

A prison inmate was made eligible Thursday for parole from a sentence for killing his mother over 40 years ago in Columbia.

Gregory S. Sourbeer was convicted of first-degree murder in 1976 and sentenced to life in prison for shooting his mother that same year, when he was 14.

MORE:

http://co.lancaster.pa.us/CivicAlerts/SingleAlertItem?alertID=972

Who in Columbia lowered their flags this week?

At the request of President Donald Trump, flags were to be at half staff through sunset on Friday October 6th. The Presidential Proclamation issued Monday stated: “as a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless act of violence” in Las Vegas on Sunday night. President Trump ordered that the flag be flown at half-staff at the White House “and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, October 6, 2017."

“I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.”

The presidential proclamation does not cover private businesses, but businesses often abide by it and also lower their flags to half-staff.

Looking at some of the flags around town Thursday afternoon, one can see who did or didn't abide by the proclamation:

 Municipal Building

 Bus stop on the 300 block of Locust

 Locust Street Park

 St John's Lutheran Church

 Park Elementary

 Holy Trinity parsonage

 Columbia Crossing

 Columbia Water Company

 The Owls

 American Legion

 NAWCC

 District Administration Center

 Catholic War Vets

 LGH Columbia

Catholic War Vets

Mural artist gets a little help - from herself?

Artist Joanna Spicer appears to get a little help from her shadow as she paints a mural at Locust Street Park on Tuesday afternoon. Spicer, who teaches art at Our Lady of the Angels, is painting the emblems of the five branches of the United States armed forces on the side of a building at the park. 

Get sewing at the library

Perry Street resident has SUV damaged in hot grease incident

The following photos were submitted by a Perry Street resident showing an SUV that was damaged when four teens threw a frying pan containing hot grease on Sunday afternoon. The teens allegedly were fighting with another resident in the neighborhood when one of them threw the frying pan at the resident's house. The pan bounced, hitting the SUV and a truck and spattering the two vehicles with hot grease. The owner of the SUV said the grease blistered the SUV's paint and stained the molding.

The owner called Columbia Borough Police, who responded and took the report but did not take the frying pan as evidence. Reportedly, police responded to Perry Street again at about 10:15 p.m. for an argument at the same house.

Grease spatter marks on the SUV:

Frying pan that contained hot grease:

The police report number:

October events at the library

Learn about Thaddeus Stevens & Lydia Hamilton Smith this evening at the library