Friday, June 19, 2020

"Music Through the Town" Event With Kracker Beez | Columbia Borough Police Department


Tonight, June 19, 2020, the Kracker Beez will be playing music throughout Columbia in their trailer beginning at 6:30 pm and ending at 8:00 pm. The Kracker Beez will play a variety of music from classic rock, pop and R&B from the 60's, 70's and 80's.  This is in lieu of the normally scheduled concerts in the park. Attached is a map showing the route. As the band plays during the route, they will also stop at 12 different locations throughout town to play for approximately 3 to 5 minutes (see dark circles on map). Social distancing and adherence to PA Department of Health directives are required.   The rain date for the event is Saturday, June 20, 2020.

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/music-through-town-event-kracker-beez

Thursday, June 18, 2020

Kmart near Columbia to close this summer, leaving only 1 Kmart in Lancaster County


Fifty years after opening its first store in Lancaster County, only one Kmart will remain after the West Hempfield Township store closes this summer.

The store at 3975 Columbia Ave., which opened in 1992, will likely close by the end of August, according to a store employee. A manager on Monday confirmed the store is "definitely closing," but said he couldn't say when. He deferred further questions to Kmart's parent company, Sears Holdings, which did not respond to a request for comment.

The store's property is owned by Seritage Growth Properties, which earlier this month announced it had reached an agreement to terminate leases at the 17 properties where it rents to Kmart and Sears — including the West Hempfield store — if the stores close by the end of September.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/kmart-near-columbia-to-close-this-summer-leaving-only-1-kmart-in-lancaster-county/article_6ae53aaa-af48-11ea-8ece-a7793b903a8a.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

Columbia Borough addresses sidewalk cafe permits, police procedures

From LNP/Lancaster Online:

Columbia Borough Council meeting, June 9.

Council passed a resolution authorizing borough manager Mark Stivers to issue temporary sidewalk cafe permits to local restaurants to help them adapt to COVID-19 restrictions. This was the first council meeting to be held in the yellow phase of Gov. Tom Wolf's coronavirus reopening plan, so up to 14 members of the public were allowed to attend in person on a first-come, first-served basis. The meetings continue to be streamed on Facebook Live as well.

The borough will charge no fee for the sidewalk cafe permits. They will normally take one to two days to be approved, Stivers said. A 4-foot-wide pathway must be established and maintained along the public sidewalk to meet the requirement of the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act. The resolution also makes it possible for open container laws to be waived, allowing consumption of alcohol within clearly defined limits in the sidewalk cafès.

Police policies and procedures: Mayor Leo Lutz provided an update on Columbia Borough police policies and procedures in response to recent international protests regarding police brutality and racism after George Floyd, a black man, was killed by a white police officer in Minneapolis. Lutz said the borough's policies and procedures were reviewed by a consultant last year and that the borough will continue ongoing review of its policies. Councilman Todd Burgard said there have been no complaints about police use of force under current police Chief Jack Brommer.

Of police brutality, Lutz said, "We don't play that game in Columbia, and if any officer wants to play that game, they won't be an officer very long."


MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-borough-addresses-sidewalk-cafe-permits-police-procedures/article_bc4ee20a-acd8-11ea-aeff-f35e38feb60b.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share 

District Attorneys from Dauphin, Lancaster, Franklin and York counties call for police hiring reform

Lancaster County DA Heather Adams:

"I join the many law enforcement agencies who support this legislation recognizing that transparency and law enforcement are not mutually exclusive. I commend Attorney General Shapiro for leading this effort and bringing together many voices to call for this necessary change in hiring practices."

MORE:

2nd Annual Cruisin for Cats Car Show coming to the Columbia Animal Shelter August 1


Agenda - Columbia Borough School Board Meeting - June 18, 2020



Agenda items of note include:
  • Presentations from firms applying to conduct the superintendent search
  • Approval of the 2020-21 Annual Budget
  • Selection of firm to conduct superintendent search
  • Discussion to adopt administrative and board goals for the 2020-21 school year
  • Consider adoption of resolution on racism, social justice, and diversity

Wednesday, June 17, 2020