As our residents are well aware, the legalization of consumer fireworks in 2017 has resulted in fireworks activity well beyond the normal holiday celebrations.
They have become a regular weeknight and weekend occurrence during the year, especially in the summer months. This use is illegal, as there is virtually no place within Lancaster city and Lancaster County boroughs to legally use consumer fireworks.
Since 2017, community leaders, members of law enforcement, fire personnel and residents have faced many sleepless nights worrying where these fireworks will land, how long they will be shot off and whether they will start a fire or cause injuries.
Lancaster city and many boroughs, along with first responders, have been tasked with enforcing an unenforceable, expensive and irresponsible state law. We have met the challenge by devoting time, money and personnel to respond to complaints.
However, the unpredictability of when and where consumer fireworks will be shot off, as well as the prevalence of their use, has hindered our efforts, as has the need to catch fireworks users in the act in order to cite them.
As local government officials, we are committed to our duty to protect the health, safety and welfare of all our residents. However, we cannot fulfill this duty when this ill-conceived law hinders our enforcement efforts and does not allow for stricter local regulation.
The General Assembly passed an unenforceable and expensive law that has negatively impacted Pennsylvania’s residents and local governments, and now is the time to fix it. The law should either be repealed or substantially amended.
Enough is enough. We call upon the state House and Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs committees to hold a joint hearing on the impacts of consumer fireworks in order to vet the dangers and unenforceable nature of this law, and to work with local governments to either repeal the law or find a mutually agreeable solution that allows for effective local enforcement.
The local public safety burden of this law, not to mention the avoidable tragedies of loss of life and property since its enactment, prove that the time to fix this law is way past due.
Lancaster County Mayors’ Association
Rod Redcay, chairman, Denver Borough
Danene Sorace, City of Lancaster
John Schmidt, Adamstown Borough
Scot Funk, Manheim Borough
James Andrew Malone, East Petersburg Borough
Tim Bender, New Holland Borough
Ralph Mowen, Ephrata Borough
Bruce Ryder, Strasburg Borough
John McBeth, Akron Borough
David Aichele, Millersville Borough
Timothy Snyder, Lititz Borough
Leo Lutz, Columbia Borough
Anthony Cavallaro, Quarryville Borough
Steve Mitchell, Mountville Borough
Sunday, February 13, 2022
Saturday, February 12, 2022
400 block of Union St. shooting | Columbia Borough Police Department
Columbia Police responded to a shots fired call in the 400blk of Union St. at 1915hrs on 02-11-2022. A juvenile male was shot in the leg. He was transported to the hospital by ambulance and his injury is not life threatening. Anyone with information related to the incident should contact Columbia Borough Police at 717-684-7735 text LANCS to 847411. Date: Saturday, February 12, 2022 - 3:45am Incident Type: Aggravated Assault Case Status: Current Case Type: Criminal Source: Columbia Borough Police Department
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/400blk-union-st-shooting
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/400blk-union-st-shooting
It’s time to honor Columbia's Stephen Smith, once the richest Black man in the U.S. | Opinion
Stephen Smith was born around 1795 in Dauphin County, Pa. He was sold at a young age and was taken to Columbia, Pa. His mother, Nancy Smith, escaped to rescue him and was pursued by the woman who owned her. When her owner tried to forcibly remove her, Stephen's new owner, along with some Columbia residents, stood with Nancy, and she stayed with her son. This event galvanized the region and is considered by some historians to be a turning point in the start of the Underground Railroad. It also had a profound effect on the young Smith.
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School board members: Access to resources makes a difference for students
Full and fair funding for education is a prudent and fruitful investment in PA. State Legislature should lead the way.
We are school board members from across the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Our school districts range from small to large, rural to urban, well resourced to underfunded. Despite our varied contexts, we each earnestly believe that full and fair funding for education is a prudent and fruitful investment in our Commonwealth and that the State Legislature should lead the way in ensuring that every student in the state has the educational resources they need and deserve.
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Floor service with rotten food and broken glass bottles found in cooler: Lancaster County restaurant inspections Feb. 11
Black Olive Family Diner, 1506 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, follow-up, Feb. 3. Pass. Food employee eating in the food preparation area. Tubes of ground beef stored on a tray above whole-muscle beef in the walk-in cooler.
Burger King No. 2605, 531 N. Third St., Columbia, Feb. 3. Pass. Large cracks found on the inside of the large ice maker, rendering it no longer smooth and easily cleanable. A grease buildup and food debris on the floor behind the fryers, on the castors, and on fixtures. Employee personal belongings (jackets, coats, purses, backpacks) hanging from and placed on racks with food for the business, rather than in a designated area. Food employee wearing bracelets and wrist watches in the food preparation area
Burger King No. 2605, 531 N. Third St., Columbia, Feb. 3. Pass. Large cracks found on the inside of the large ice maker, rendering it no longer smooth and easily cleanable. A grease buildup and food debris on the floor behind the fryers, on the castors, and on fixtures. Employee personal belongings (jackets, coats, purses, backpacks) hanging from and placed on racks with food for the business, rather than in a designated area. Food employee wearing bracelets and wrist watches in the food preparation area
Wednesday, February 9, 2022
Columbia man robbed Mount Joy convenience store at gunpoint: police
Douglas Wayne Nogel Jr.
Lancaster County Prison
A Columbia man pointed a handgun and demanded money from a clerk at a Mount Joy convenience store early Monday morning, according to Mount Joy Borough police.
Douglas Wayne Nogel Jr., 22, produced the gun and demanded the money while robbing a Turkey Hill store at 703 East Main Street at 4:56 a.m., according to an affidavit of probable cause.
Nogel pulled the gun from his waistband and pointed it at the clerk, pulling the slide back to make it appear as though he was loading the firearm, then demanded money from the cash register, police said. Nogel later admitted to pulling out the gun to scare the clerk.
The affidavit did not state if Nogel was given any money.
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