COLUMBIA SPY

Sunday, September 3, 2023

About Town - September 3, 2023

This week's photos of Columbia

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

Balloons on the way

International Vulture Awareness Day at Columbia Crossing

WWII military ambulance

Moon on top

8:44 am

On Tuesday, Boat 801 and Blue Rock Regional Fire District assisted the Lancaster County Sheriff’s Office with K9 training on the Susquehanna River. Here are some of the vehicles at Columbia River Park.

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Wagon at Tollbooth Antiques

An orca, a bit trashed at Columbia River Park

One of several "guard cats" at the Mifflin House near 2nd & Walnut

The ongoing water main replacement project on the 500 block of Chestnut

Cloudy sky

The community rock snake has a new head, after the previous one was taken.

The snake has been named "Flow."

More of Columbia's prime real estate

Columbia United Methodist Church

Walkway with commemorative bricks at Mount Bethel Cemetery

Habitat

Flag, in time for Labor Day

Stream Gaging Station at Columbia River Park

It links to this website.

Something's lurking . . .

It's the bell tower at the former Manor Street School, now painted black.

Along with the molding . . .

. . . and entrance doors.

It looks like something Morlocks would have thought up.

Anyway, here's another look at the datestone.

(Date plaque?)

Here are some "before" photos of the school . . .

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Here's a mural that includes the river, and on the lower left is the valve to let out the water - maybe?

The Land Bank is undertaking two projects in Columbia: one at 612 Franklin Street and one at 154 and 156 South Fifth Street.

Located at 341 Chestnut St #102

Paving Lancaster Avenue

Hooray!

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What the . . . ?

On the job

Always keep at least one eye open

When you're riding your e-bike, and you just don't care to stop for those pesky stop signs.

Yet another bridge inspection

Tail-end of a warthog flying out of frame, too fast for the camera

More activity at Rail Mechanical, 4th & Manor (above and below)

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Draw your own conclusions.

Headin' out

Saturday, September 2, 2023

Columbia looks at emergency text policies after shooting incident

When: Columbia Borough Council meeting, Aug. 22.

What happened: The borough's safety committee will meet to consider updating its policies after Columbia waited a day before sending out a text notification about a shooting at 2:50 p.m. Aug. 5 near the intersection of Third and Cherry streets.

Why it matters: The borough has no set rules for letting people know immediately about emergencies via TextMyGov, a text-messaging service to communicate with residents. The police department posted information about the shooting on its CrimeWatch website Aug. 5. However, that data wasn't shared with the borough's texting service that day.

The emergency: Bullets hit three cars and four residences near the Market House. Witnesses told police they saw two men wearing dark clothing open fire on another person walking in the area. The targeted individual escaped unharmed.

Quotables: "Why did it take 24 hours?" asked Sharon Lintner, council member. President Heather Zink said, "I thought this was the whole purpose of TextMyGov."

Response: "The staff that we had on did not have the ability to post," said police Chief Jack Brommer. Mark Stivers, borough manager, said he can send out text messages at any time and will do so once the police department or an authorized borough staff member sends him a statement. "I won't create the statement," he said.

More: Brommer and Mayor Leo Lutz both said officers don't have time to write a statement for text messages while they are handling an emergency.

TextmyGov: The free texting service, which started a year ago, allows residents to sign up to receive messages about items such as trash collection changes, road closures and snow days. Residents also can text the borough about problems. The borough pays about $5,500 a year for this service.

GAYLE JOHNSON | For LNP | LancasterOnline

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-looks-at-emergency-text-policies-after-shooting-incident/article_008106e8-48d4-11ee-b504-afdcbc6bbfa5.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Friday, September 1, 2023

Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - September 1, 2023

The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 866-366-3723, uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers.

#homegoodies, 336 Locust St., Columbia, Aug. 25. Pass. Food employees involved in food preparation not wearing proper hair restraints such as nets, hats or beard covers. Repeat violation of 2021, 2022 and 2023. Food facility is using jelly from an unapproved source. Food utensils in portable filters for the espresso machine stored in a container of water that is not maintained at 135 F. Warewashing sink does not have basins large enough to accommodate the largest piece of equipment needing manual warewashing. Deeply scored cutting boards not resurfaced or discarded as required. Lights are not shielded or shatterproof over the food preparation area in the back.