About Town - October 8, 2023

This week's photos of Columbia

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

Wilderness Inquiry Canoemobiles were lined up at Columbia River Park, ready to take area 5th-graders on river tours Wednesday morning. The canoemobiles are 24-feet long and hold 10 passengers.

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St. John's got a new sign this week.

Here's the original.

Here's the work in progress.

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This engine was out for some "exercise" Tuesday morning.

On its run, it briefly blocked the lower part of 4th Street and, as shown here, Mill Street.

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Shawnee Run, looking northeast

Shawnee Run, looking southwest

Well put-together

Prisoner about to enter MDJ Bixler's office

Constable

Clock tower at the Watch & Clock Museum

One at borough hall

A few fog pics from Wednesday morning . . .

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Meanwhile, at the Washington Boro United Methodist Church

Another truck got pulled over by the state police officer who monitors the bridge.

The weight limit is currently 10 tons.

After a hard day's work

Servicing the traffic lights. Someone's gotta do it.

But we're already in Lancaster County.

The Habitat for Humanity project on South 5th is almost done.

A mess of lights on the Veterans Memorial Bridge

Clouds approaching

Tree on the bridge

Hornets' nest on the 200 block of Chestnut

One down, two to go

Over on the ledge

More signs of the season . . .

On Manor Street

This skeleton in Washington Boro lost its head.

This one in Columbia is intact.

Here's a closeup.

Ghouls and such on Linden Street

Back in Washington Boro

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Todd Stahl sent these photos of a Saturday training session he held with the Paradise Fire Company. He runs White Cap Water Rescue Training LLC. 

Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - October 6, 2023

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

Chickies Rock Moose Lodge No. 307, 219 Locust St. Columbia, Sept. 28. Pass. A pink and black, slimy residue inside the ice maker; repeat violation, Feb. 16, 2021, and March 30, 2022. Old food residue on the potato slicer. A bottle of detergent stored on a shelf next to glasses at the bar.

Smoke & Chill, 353 Cherry St., Columbia, Sept. 28. Fail. The person in charge did not demonstrate adequate knowledge of food safety as evidenced by this noncompliant inspection. Food employee did not follow proper hand-washing procedure; soap and warm water not used and single-use towel or air-drying device not used to dry hands. An open employee's beverage container (twist-cap variety) was on a table in the food preparation area. Food employee preparing food not wearing proper hair restraints such as nets, hats or beard covers. Raw chicken was stored above potato wedges in the walk-in cooler; repeat violation, April 6. Boxes of chips and chicken seasoning mix stored directly on the floor in the customer area and the storage room, rather than 6 inches off the floor as required. Food facility does not have available sanitizer test strips or test kit to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration of quaternary sanitizer. The facility is adding Ajax to the sanitizer solution in the three-compartment sink, rendering the sanitizer concentration 0 ppm. Old food residue on a knife, metal food containers and a drip rack, all stored as clean on the shelf above the three-compartment sink. A white, slimy residue inside the nozzles of the slushy machines; repeat violation, April 6. Old food splatter and spillage inside the microwave. Grease buildup and food debris on the floor beneath the fryers. An accumulation of static dust on the fume hood. Single-service, single-use articles (napkins) stored in the storage room directly on the floor and not 6 inches above the floor. Milk crates being stored in the restroom, a prohibited area. Customer self-service, single-use tableware is not displayed in a manner so that only the handles are touched by customers. Food facility has no toilet facilities for food employees. The hand-wash sink in the food preparation area was blocked by a box of fryer powder and a milk crate and not accessible at all times for employee use; repeat violation, April 6. Spider webs and dirt in the hand-wash sink, indicating nonuse. Was informed employees wash their hands in the three-compartment sink. The faucet of the three-compartment sink leaking profusely. Soap was not available at the hand-wash sink in the food preparation area; repeat violation, April 6. Ceiling tiles missing in the back and need to be replaced. A working container of Ajax stored on top of the microwave with food additives. Formula 409 and a bottle of Dawn dish detergent stored on a table with condiments and plasticware.

7-10 Smoke Shop, 149 N. Third St., Columbia, Sept. 26. Pass. Raw shell eggs stored above drinks in the reach-in cooler. Sanitizer test strips or test kit not available to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration of the three-compartment sink. Empty bottles, shaving razor and a can of shaving cream in the three-compartment sink. A black, slimy residue inside the nozzle of the slushy machine. Single-service, single-use articles (cups) stored in the back directly on the floor and not 6 inches above the floor.

Columbia Mini Mart, 26 N. Fourth St., Columbia, Sept. 26. Pass. Two pints of whole milk beyond the sell-by date being offered for sale; prior violation, April 11. Pirates Treats Cherry Rings CBD Gummies, and Wicked Delta 8 Gummies and JUST CBD Honey Sticks contain an unapproved additive. Such products are under Food and Drug Administration regulation, at which time CBD is not recognizable as a safe substance to be added to food. Sanitizer test strips or test kit not available to determine appropriate sanitizer concentration of the three-compartment sink; repeat violation Oct. 12, 2022, and April 11. Paper towel dispenser empty at the hand-wash sink in the warewashing area; repeat violation, April 11. Ceiling tiles missing and broken in the restroom and above the hand-wash sink in the small hallway and need to be replaced; repeat violation, April 11.

Mother faces multiple charges in death of infant left in hot car

Emily Rose Weaver

[Photo: Lancaster County Prison]

A woman from West Hempfield Township has been charged with third-degree murder, child endangerment, and involuntary manslaughter after her 3-month-old daughter died from being exposed to the environment while left in a car for several hours. The woman, Emily Rose Weaver, 32, was allegedly passed out on meth at the time. She is currently being held without bail at Lancaster County Prison.

According to court documents, Weaver's stepfather and another individual became concerned for her wellbeing when she failed to pick up her two sons from school. Knowing about her drug addiction, they went to check on her at her residence on Fairview Road. Upon finding her unresponsive on a bed, they woke her, and she realized she didn't know where her daughter was. Her stepfather then discovered the infant in an unresponsive state in a car seat outside around 4:30 p.m. The car, a Nissan Altima, was parked in direct sunlight with closed doors and windows, and the temperature outside was over 80 degrees.

Weaver admitted to using meth at least twice in the days leading up to the incident and had planned to use it again on Wednesday after taking her sons to school, but she couldn't recall if she actually did. The father of Weaver's other two children informed the police that he spoke to her on the phone around 10 a.m. that day and she was incoherent.

Investigations by Lancaster County Children and Youth from 2019 to 2023 revealed multiple instances of Weaver's drug-related activity, which ultimately led to her relinquishing parental rights of her other two children in 2021. Police stated that during this period, she failed to maintain sobriety and ignored safety plans implemented by the agency.