Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Local officials urge lawmakers to fund cybersecurity efforts after recent attacks target Pa. facilities | Pennsylvania State News | lancasteronline.com
Columbia Borough Manager Mark Stivers testified Wednesday to state Senators on the Local Government and Communications and Technology committees, arguing local governments need more help from the state to secure their data storage systems.
"The amount of money we spend on lock systems is shocking. We have cameras throughout our borough, surrounding our building, looking at our parking lots," Stivers said. "How do we keep safe the information that comes into our office on a daily basis?"
Officials said during the hearing that cyberattacks most often come in the form of phishing emails, where malicious actors pretend to be a well-known source, such as a boss, family member or bank, to scam the victim.
Stivers, who spoke on behalf of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs, urged senators to create a statewide system where municipalities can "tap into technical expertise" that will help educate their employees on how to defend themselves from risks online.
He said Columbia Borough has the funds to bring in outside specialists to help secure the data it collects, but many areas aren't so lucky. "It doesn't mean they're less vulnerable, doesn't mean that the attack can be any more severe, (it) just means they may not have the resources."
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[LNP | LancasterOnline] Columbia girls top Octorara, successfully defend L-L League Section 4 championship
The Crimson Tide made it three straight section crowns, compliments of a 59-11 victory over host Octorara. Columbia successfully defended its Section 4 championship. Two years ago the Tide won the Section 5 title.
"Winning the section title is always a goal for us," Tide coach Karl Kreiser said. "And we've reached that first goal."
That's six section crowns in all for Columbia, which won Section 3 in 1996-97, Section 2 in 1988-89, and Section 2 in 1986-87.
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Tuesday, February 6, 2024
USPS box knocked over - Was it a casualty of yesterday's traffic jam?
A USPS relay box at Front & Walnut was discovered knocked over this morning. It may have been a victim of a vehicle cutting across the curb during yesterday's traffic jam through Columbia. The backup was due to a mid-afternoon vehicle accident on Route 30W in York County.
So far, there's no word on whether the stalled traffic on the Veterans Memorial Bridge caused any further damage to the ailing structure.
Monday, February 5, 2024
Brad Chambers is one of the Democrats looking to unseat longtime GOP state lawmakers in this year’s election
In the 41st District, which covers Columbia Borough and East and West Hempfield, Chambers, 33, is looking to challenge five-term state Rep. Brett Miller, of East Hempfield Township.
Chambers told LNP | LancasterOnline he plans to leverage his youth and inexperience in politics against Miller's incumbency.
"I think there's a contrast," Chambers said. "You have someone who has been in office for (almost) a decade, and all of the problems that were pretty much there when he started are still here, versus me, who hasn't gotten a shot yet."
Chambers, a labor administrator for Penske Corporation, ran for Columbia Borough Council in last year's municipal election but fell 29 votes short of winning a seat.
At a campaign kickoff event at Columbia Market House Friday night, Chambers told about 50 of his supporters that he's running to disrupt the status quo in Harrisburg that he said has let down many constituents, including himself.
"I have keenly felt the struggles of ordinary folks in my own life. I grew up in a single-parent home. While my mom was out working, I was often left in charge of my siblings," Chambers said. "What I lacked in structure and stability at home, I gained in adaptability and resilience."
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