COLUMBIA SPY

Sunday, October 17, 2021

Weekend Wrap-Up - October 17, 2021

Recent photos of Columbia

(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.)

Painting the District Administration Center

Replacing the spindles

Here are more spindles.

Using a leaf blower on the roof

It's the choice of professional roofers everywhere.

A scarecrow - in a cemetery?

(Mount Bethel)

123 North 5th Street - It's worse.

The Redevelopment Authority of the County of Lancaster condemned and acquired the property in 2019. Little or nothing has been to it done since.

Anyway, here's a doorknob.

Many hands make light work (but too many cooks spoil the soup).

At the apartment project (128 Locust Street)

The pink hats have arrived.

Must be a Monday.

About that Route 441 bypass that was supposed to direct trucks like this away from the downtown...?

Right next to the office of Dave Hickernell, who allegedly represents Columbia

Once again, the ADA access ramp was not made for this.

Under his 19-year reign, taxes have gone up and population has gone down. Recently, he actually said this:

Some private developers are investing in Columbia, said the borough’s mayor, Leo Lutz. They’re repurposing some former industrial buildings to add new higher-end rental units in the borough, catering to young adults and empty nesters who are able to afford rents that are more than $1,000 a month.

But that’s not enough to relieve the demand for housing, Lutz said. As a result, older and wealthier buyers are pricing young families out of the market in Columbia, he said.

“You have that young family (that says), ‘I don’t want an apartment, I don’t want a condo, I want a house – I like mowing the lawn, I like working on the house, sitting on the patio and entertaining guests. I can’t do that in Columbia, I can’t afford that in Columbia, so I’m going to move elsewhere,’” Lutz said.

[Source: lancasteronline]

Neighbors have noted that trash has been piling up for weeks at 647 Walnut Street, on the sidewalk and in the yard. Allegedly, the new owner of the multi-unit property failed to get a contract for a trash hauler.

A neighborhood resident has informed Columbia Spy that borough officials were notified of the trash problem via email on September 17, 2021 - a month ago. In addition to the trash shown here, there are about 40 bags of trash in the backyard. The accumulating trash has now created a rodent problem. In a text message, the resident said, "The mice in this neighborhood are running rampant. Not to mention the smell coming from all the trash."

According to the resident, code officers are aware of the problem - yet nothing has been done.

This surely constitutes a quality of life issue and a public health concern.

Borough, where are you?

She was there!

On Thursday evening, firefighters responded to the Boys & Girls Club for a report of a fire there.

Fortunately, no fire was detected.

Screenshot from the LCWC website

On Thursday, Columbia High students joined the Chesapeake Bay Foundation to collect samples and do water studies.

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A questionable procedure by the water company

A Park Ranger cleans up along Front Street.

Backhoe ready to dig up underground tanks at the former airport, starting Monday morning

There's also a dump truck lurking there.

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Ready for demo at the former Union Community Bank, 921 Lancaster Avenue -

Columbia's getting a Majik appliance store.

The Market House will probably be closing on Wednesdays due to low numbers, according to Columbia Borough Manager Mark Stivers.

Lanternfly scanning for the survey of the Marietta River Trail & Local Business

Here are two of them out parading, possibly heading for the Marietta River Trail.

Trash behind CVS

It's supposed to go in the dumpster, not behind it.

Parallel routes?

Divided sky, divided town

Thursday, October 14, 2021

WGAL's Brittany Garzillo is hired by Fox News

Since March 2020, Brittany Garzillo has worked for FOX’s owned and operated station WFLD-TV in Chicago where she served as an on-air reporter. In this position, she reported daily for the 4PM, 5PM and 9PM evening newscasts, covering breaking news ranging from mass shootings, protests and COVID-19 related stories. For three months, Ms. Garzillo was also a fill-in solo anchor for the weekend morning newscasts.

Previously, Ms. Garzillo worked in Lancaster, PA as an anchor for the NBC affiliate WGAL-TV, covering traffic and news in studio daily. Prior to WGAL, she held the position of reporter, producer and host in Bethlehem, PA for the PBS station WLVT-TV’s half-hour weekly news magazine program, FOCUS, which covered topics ranging from public affairs to economic development. She is a graduate of Moravian College with a bachelor’s degree in Communications and Media Studies.

[Source: Press release]