Clock plaza takes two hits in two days, one from hit-and-run

The clock plaza on Saturday morning. Dislodged bricks can be seen at the corner of the wall.

The clock plaza at 5th & Chestnut recently sustained damage from two separate incidents on two consecutive days. A hit-and-run occurred Saturday evening shortly after 7 o'clock in which a cast iron casing was broken completely off one of a row of bollards. Neighbors reported hearing a loud bang and found pieces of the casing a few minutes later but no vehicle at the scene. Police responded promptly and investigated.

The end bollard in a row of bollards, with broken casing.

A piece of the cast iron casing

 The "pine cone" and mount at the top of the bollard are now unstable.

Another view, showing the damaged bollard on the end of the row.

In a previous incident, a vehicle hit the plaza wall, dislodging several bricks (shown below) shortly after 6 o'clock Friday morning. A witness reported seeing a vehicle pulled over on Chestnut Street by a Columbia police officer. The vehicle was facing the wrong way on the 500 block of Chestnut, which is one-way.

 Dislodged bricks from Friday morning's incident

A closer view

Bricks were also knocked out of line on the other side of the wall.

One-vehicle rollover briefly closes Route 30 East in Columbia; no injuries reported

The eastbound lanes of Route 30 in Columbia are closed briefly Sunday morning after a one-vehicle rollover crash, according to emergency dispatch reports.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/one-vehicle-rollover-briefly-closes-route-east-in-columbia-no/article_008bbf7a-e8a4-11e7-ad5e-43bc77eeed85.html

PA government spends $360K of taxpayers' money to investigate, settle sexual misconduct claims

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Records now show all three branches of Pennsylvania state government have settled sexual misconduct allegations since 2010, claims that included unwelcome touching, kissing and lascivious comments.

The running total of disclosed payments to settle claims and investigate complaints over the past eight years now stands at more than $369,000.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/pennsylvania/disclosed-state-costs-for-sexual-misconduct-claims-top-k/article_15ec3f0b-86a6-5b13-b63f-87b25b8c8ccf.html

Customers, vendors say goodbye to Columbia Market House

Saturday marked the last day of business for the market house at 15 S. Third St., leaving representatives of the borough government to decide next month whether the 19th-century building with the semicircular dome can be put to another commercial use.

MORE:

http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/customers-vendors-say-goodbye-to-columbia-market-house/article_a0eaff3e-e841-11e7-b82f-938384ea0b07.html

Dozens turn out to lay wreaths to honor veterans, despite endless rain

Dozens turned out today to lay wreaths at local cemeteries despite the seemingly endless rain. Jane Moore, local coordinator for Wreaths Across America said Mount Bethel Cemetery received way more wreaths for distribution than had been expected - 3,800 to be exact. Although the main ceremony had been held as scheduled last Saturday, the wreaths were actually laid today due to their late arrival.

Volunteers - among them Columbia students and scouts from Pack 35 - worked quickly today to deliver the wreaths to Zion Hill Cemetery, Saint Peters Cemetery, and Holy Trinity Cemetery, as well as Laurel Hill, Habecker Mennonite, Ironville, Silver Spring, and even one in Reading. All were placed on Veteran's graves.

Mount Bethel...

Laurel Hill...

Zion Hill...

CBFD receives donation from Black Olive

Black Olive Restaurant owner Fatih "Mike" Sivri (far left) presents a $500 check to Mark Fritz, president of the Columbia Borough Fire Department, as Fire Chief Doug Kemmerly looks on. Sivri has been a supporter of local organizations since opening his restaurant at 1506 Lancaster Avenue in 2016. 

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED THIS MORNING, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, AT 10 O'CLOCK TO LAY WREATHS AT MOUNT BETHEL CEMETERY.