COLUMBIA SPY

The Colonial Metals plant on North Second Street was eerily quiet this week. Colonial Metals is closed, apparently for good, according to a discussion at last night's school board committee of the whole meeting. The closing idles about 100 workers, who were shut out about a week ago with little or no warning. The company is reportedly appealing its property tax assessment on the main plant and other nearby buildings it owns, including an office building, and several houses, among other properties. If the assessment is lowered, the Columbia School District could lose up to $150,000 in tax revenue. In addition, Columbia Borough could lose up to $40,000 in tax revenue, as well as revenue from the Earned Income Tax, due to the loss of workers in the borough. The appeal process was reportedly begun some time before the shutdown announcement. It is unclear at this point whether the company has initiated bankruptcy proceedings. There is currently no notification of the closing o...

On 06-07-18 at approx. 3:16 AM the Columbia Borough Police Department received a call for a criminal mischief that just occurred. It was determined that someone had shot a BB gun and damaged several windows on the vehicle. A tire was also slashed on the vehicle as well. On 06-08-18 at approx. 3:41AM the Columbia Borough Police Department received a call for a vehicle fire. The same vehicle above was set on fire by an unknown person just prior to the time of dispatch. The vehicle that was damaged was parked in the middle of the 200 blk. of S. 4th St. on the odd side of the street. If anyone observed anything strange in that area around the above times they are asked to submit a tip below or contact the police department at 717-684-7735. Date:  Friday, June 8, 2018 Case Status: Current Case Type: Criminal Source:  Columbia Borough Police Department https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/arson-criminal-mischief

In a 2014 LNP report, Officer Watt said using K-9 Ringo raised the stakes in pursuing suspects. "One dog can completely change the game," he said. MORE: https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/east-hempfield-township-police-department-mourns-death-of-recently-retired/article_5abf098e-6a90-11e8-83ed-cf06be14bdec.html

A man reportedly jumped from the Route 30 (Wrights Ferry) Bridge this afternoon, was not located by search crews, but then reappeared on the bridge 40 minutes later. Emergency personnel responded this afternoon to a report that a man had jumped from the bridge at about 1:45 p.m. Rescue boats from Columbia Borough and Blue Rock Fire Departments deployed from Columbia River Park just before 2 p.m. and scanned the waters near the bridge for about half an hour before returning to shore. A drone was also deployed to assist in the search. West Hempfield Police surveyed the river from the Route 30 bridge and the Route 462 (Veterans Memorial) Bridge, and a York ambulance was on-hand at the park. No one was detected in the water, although a man matching witness descriptions later appeared on the bridge, according to a source. Reportedly, four witnesses had seen the man jump about ten piers over from the Wrightsville side. (Penn Live reports that by 2:25 p.m., the man was back on the br...