About Town

Recent photos from around town...

Police checking things out at 3rd & Locust last Monday evening

 An alternative to Smucker

 Pinocchio's left foot?

 Four violations right off the bat: parking along a highway on a side designated NO PARKING, parking on a sidewalk, blocking a driveway, leaving gas cans unattended.

 Artist's conception of how the mural will look on the back of 301 Locust

 Close-up of the above

Looks like birds will roost just about anywhere:

atop a pole...

 atop a finial...

 atop a sign.

 Every home should have one of these.

 The mayor said there's not a camera at 3rd & Perry, and yet ... there's a camera at 3rd & Perry.

 Collecting the loot on Locust

 Painting a line on Manor

 Rehabbing a house at Florence & Manor

 New lights for the bridge plaza flagpoles

 Worm's-eye view of the above

 Violation: parking on the sidewalk

 A reminder of our racist heritage?

 At Glatfeter Memorial Field: a 9/11 Remembrance

 Working toward a vegan lifestyle

 Crow in priestly black preaching a sermon from on high

 Exterior guitar

 Drone over Chestnut, but not the borough's, since officials say we don't have one.

 It was being operated by this guy...

...who apparently works for this company.

 Taking off after being found in violation

Scolding the kids into line

 There, that's better.

 Newly painted trim, with an aquatic flavor

(475 Locust)

Fortunately, it was only primer.

 Accident at 4th & Chestnut last Friday afternoon

 This car . . .

 . . . and this car collided.

 This truck at 4th & Locust had been in an accident just a few minutes before the other one.

 Here's a car with a broken windshield sitting on 13th Street. A few days earlier it was sitting on the 1300 block of Manor. How was it moved?

 Rain-spotted flag

 Van sporting a picture of the bridge . . . down by the bridge.

Was the photo taken from the Wrightsville side - or from the Columbia side and then reversed? Either way, it still shows the old bridge lights.

 Antiquated door knocker on a door on the 300 block of Cherry

 The 500 block of Cherry: a newly installed fence simulating the Veterans Memorial Bridge

 Over at Park School: garden plots

 Here's a close-up of one.

 Down at River Park, Waterways Conservation Officer Jeff Schmidt takes a group shot.

 And then . . . a gesture of thanks

 Rain garden along Heritage Drive, complete with rainwater

 Hawk on the lookout at Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens

Runaway bride and groom?

 Responding to a river rescue call for a kayaker in distress Saturday afternoon

 Afterwards, with everything A-OK, a return to River Park

 This summer's Music in the Park line-up

 An iron sitting unattended on a second-floor window sill.

What could go wrong?

 A curious cardinal

 Down at the bridge on a partly cloudy day

 Kitty + kitty = 18 lives

 A big kitty at the 5th & Locust fountain

 Tables are for glasses (and everyone knows the rest of that saying).

Trying to figure out what it is . . .

And here a few reader-submitted old photos . . .

Spruce Street in Columbia, 1925

 Wildcat Falls Ferry Boat

Wildcat Falls Hotel

Wildcat Falls is in York County, north of Wrightsville.

Columbia Borough Deeds Recorded

Columbia Borough April 30 - May 4, 2018

Brookline Builders Inc. conveyed 839 Blunston St. to Fawn D. Stephenson Lilly and Fawn D Stephenson Lilly for $145,000.

Wade M. Mauck and Kara D. Mauck conveyed 51 S. Sixth St. to Jason Richard Funk for $130,000.

Autumn E. Moore conveyed 121 S. Fifth St. to Columbia Empire Group LLC for $23,000.

Nelson Shertzer conveyed 407 Poplar St. to Jeremy G. Eshleman and Racheal S. Eshleman for $122,000.

Robert C. Herr II and Lydia L. Herr conveyed property on Cherry Street to James Tramel and Katherine Kappus for $230,000.

Deutsche Bank National Trust Co., HSI Asset Securitization Corp. Trust 2007-NC1, Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates Series 2007-NC1, Specialized Loan Servicing LLC, Donna L. Haugh and Donna L. Haugh Revocable Living Trust conveyed property on Lawrence Street to E&S Real Estate Investments LLC for $112,875.

(Source: Lancaster Online)

From the grapevine & elsewhere

Recent tidbits you might not hear about elsewhere. Some could be expanded later...

Shakim McIlwain

On Friday, Shakim McIlwain was sentenced to 4-10 years for his part in last year’s wolfpack attack on a 61-year-old Columbia man. Judge Donald R. Totaro repeatedly called him “a danger to society.” (From the grapevine)

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137 Locust Street

The building at 137 Locust Street, formerly the “Lazy K,” is reportedly in the process of being sold to a party affiliated with the apartment project across the street. The building had been up for sale for two days when an offer of $400,000 was accepted by the seller, who had been asking $475,000. (From the grapevine)

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A joint meeting of borough and school district officials will be held this coming Thursday, May 24, at 7 p.m. at the District Administration Center, 200 North 5th Street. Officials at this public meeting will discuss options and costs for moving the municipal offices from the current location at 308 Locust Street, possibly to the DAC. As of this posting, no notification of the meeting appears on the borough’s website or the school district website. (Public Works/Property, 5/15/18)

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West Hempfield Township is proposing an urban growth area boundary expansion. Development is typically promoted in such areas by the Lancaster County Planning Commission. Areas under consideration are adjacent to residential areas in Columbia, possibly along Malleable Road or Ironville Pike and could include mixed-use, high-density residential, and light business. The issue will be discussed at the May 22 Planning Commission meeting. (Safety Committee, 5/9/18)

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Despite Facebook reports to the contrary, the borough does NOT own a drone, according to several officials. (Community Development, 5/17/18)

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The borough’s trolley broke down during the last rental but was fixed immediately. Officials said they don’t know where it broke down. Currently, there are no provisions in place to accommodate passengers in the event of a breakdown. Policies are being examined. For rentals, the trolley must stay within a 20-mile radius from Columbia. (Community Development, 5/17/18)

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This might affect Columbia: A Category 4 casino is planned for Hellam Township or another nearby location. A site will be chosen next month. (From the grapevine)

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Goodman, Michael David - Attempted Escape and 4 additional charges | Columbia Borough Police Department

Michael David Goodman

On 05-17-18 at 10:27AM an officer from the Columbia Borough Police Department observed Michael Goodman (39) of Marietta at the river park. Goodman was known to police to have an outstanding warrant and was taken into custody. During the arrest Goodman did attempt to escape and caused minor injuries to another officer. Goodman was found to be in possession of numerous drug paraphernalia items as well as two (2) different controlled substances. Goodman was charged with an attempted escape charge, resisting arrest, two (2) counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal mischief. Goodman was turned over to the Lancaster City Police Department for warrants that their department had on Goodman. Goodman was later transferred to the Lancaster County Prison on his warrant through the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office.

Arrest Date: 

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Case Number: 

20860-05-17-18

Charges:

• Attempted Escape
• Resisting Arrest
• Possession of a Controlled Substance (2 counts)
• Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia
• criminal mischief

Source: 

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/arrests/goodman-michael-david-attempted-escape-and-4-additional-charges

Another one bites the dust: Crumbling buildings, crumbling tax base

The house at 1350 Lancaster Avenue being demolished to make room for an expanded parking lot.

Columbia Borough lost a little more of its crumbling tax base this week as a house at 1350 Lancaster Avenue was demolished to make room for an expanded parking lot for a used car dealer. By several accounts, the house, formerly the offices of Dr. Eugene Romano, was structurally sound. The walls came crumbling, tumbling down as the excavator did its work.

Several properties in the borough have been "demoed" over the past few years, some deservedly so, some not. Either way, a loss for the borough.

On Thursday morning, demolition was in full swing.

By Friday morning, it had been reduced to a pile of rubble.

Google Maps shows this image of the house from October of last year.

Axe, Benard S Jr. - (1) Count Indirect Criminal Contempt (Protection From Abuse Order) | Columbia Borough Police Department

Bernard S. Axe, Jr.

On May 18, 2018 at approximately 10:18 pm the Columbia Borough Police Department arrested 34 year old Bernard S Axe Jr for a violation of a Protection from Abuse Order which was issued on the same date earlier in the day.  The Order evicted Axe from a residence in the 300 Blk of S Second Street where he lived with his girlfriend in Columbia Borough, Lancaster County, PA.  The Order also protected his girlfriend from any contact with Axe.  He was served the Protection Order earlier in the day by Columbia Borough Police.  His girlfriend called 911 and reported that Axe was there trying to speak with her.  He was located in the rear yard on the porch.  Axe possessed a substance which was suspected to be synthetic marijuana and a handmade smoking device.  The substance was collected and sent to the laboratory for analysis.  More charges are possible pending laboratory results.  Axe was sent to Lancaster County Central Arraignment awaiting arraignment.  He will be committed on a probation violation.  All parties are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Arrest Date: 

Friday, May 18, 2018

Case Number: 

23107-05-18-18

Charges:

• (1) Count Indirect Criminal Contempt (Protection From Abuse Order)

Source: 

Columbia Borough Police Department

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/arrests/axe-benard-s-jr-1-count-indirect-criminal-contempt-protection-abuse-order

Locust Street Park concert canceled, but movie will be held at Park School gym

The following information is from the Columbia Borough Office:

For Friday, May 18, 2018:
The concert in Locust Street Park is cancelled tonight due to the weather.

However, the movie Little Big League will be held at the Park School Gym at 7:30 p.m. Please enter through the playground and bring drinks in sealed containers.

Thank you and we hope you enjoy the movie!