Wednesday, November 13, 2024
Tuesday, November 12, 2024
[LNP | LancasterOnline] Columbia man sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl after giving her marijuana : police
Police have charged a Columbia man with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in his home in September 2023.
Robert Fink Jr., 43, is facing five felony counts related to sexual assault of a minor.
In a criminal complaint filed last week, police say the girl was visiting Fink's home on the evening of Sept. 9, 2023. Fink's girlfriend was present when the girl arrived but left around 8 p.m.
According to the criminal complaint, the girl said Fink gave her marijuana, and she soon became high.
Police said Fink proceeded to lock the doors of the room and began sexually assaulting the girl, ignoring her demands to stop.
After making a report to Columbia police, the girl was taken to Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center for a sexual assault forensic examination. DNA found during the examination was later matched to Fink after police collected a sample from him in August 2023, police said.
Fink remains in Lancaster County Prison after being unable to post $500,000 bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 19.
YWCA Lancaster runs a 24-hour sexual assault hotline, 717-392-7273, that connects callers to free, confidential counseling and therapy services for community members impacted by sexual abuse, harassment or assault.
Agenda - Columbia Borough Council Meeting - November 12, 2024
Citizens may comment on the proposed tax hike at the start of this meeting:
Monday, November 11, 2024
Police from several departments apprehend truck driver on Route 30 in Columbia
This afternoon in Columbia, police from at least three different departments apprehended the driver of a truck on Route 30. The suspect was arrested just beyond the Columbia exit, after traveling across the Wrights Ferry Bridge from the direction of York County. He was then handcuffed and placed in a West Manchester Township police vehicle. At one point, six police vehicles were on the scene.
Columbia Borough and Springettsbury Township were also among the responding departments. More details will be provided as they become available.
Deeds Recorded - Columbia Borough - November 11, 2024
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Sheehan Erik R, Cardamone Sheehan Christina J, Sheehan Christina J. Cardamone conveyed 690 Cherry St. to Amoro Marina C, King Jesse L. for $235,000.
Hershey Wayne B, Hershey Wayne, Hershey Marcella Z, Hershey Marcella conveyed 1210 Cloverton Drive to Wayne B. Hershey for $1.
The estate of Goodman Jeffrey K. Est, Goodman Jeffrey Keith conveyed 439 N. Fifth St. to Torres Antonio Frias for $265,000.
Kurtz James R, Kurtz Vicki L. conveyed 166 Lancaster Ave. to Double Nickels Real Estate LLC for $650,000.
Kimber Properties LLC conveyed 141 S. Fifth St. to 141 S. Fifth LLC for $165,000.
Sunday, November 10, 2024
About Town - November 10, 2024
This week's photos of Columbia
(Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.)
The cow at the Turkey Hill Experience got its winter cap on Tuesday.
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Here's an owl reminiscent of a Rush album cover.
This hawk was hanging around on the 500 block of Chestnut Street on Election Day.
A murder of crows protested, but he mostly ignored them.
Which way is it?
Captain Kirk's in town.
Lines were painted on Manor Street, from 9th to 12th for traffic calming, according to a source.
Here are the lines. The first two photos are pointing west, and the last one looks east.
A biker gang blew through town the other day.
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Heavy fall clouds
Yard waste pickup ends November 12.
Colder weather is just around the corner, so this praying mantis is living out his last days in the meantime.
The mural is almost done.
This is an artist's rendering of how the finished project will look.
The estimate for repairs to the Columbia Crossing building has risen from $250,000 to $400,000. The building costs taxpayers $140,000 to $200,000 annually just to run and maintain. (That's equivalent to about 1/4 to 1/2 a mill per year, since a mill currently generates $438,000 of revenue.) Columbia Borough receives no revenue from building rentals. Instead, all rental income goes to Susquehanna Heritage, which manages the building. (The photo above was published in September 2018 on Columbia Spy.)
The sign in the photo is at 9th Street & Ironville Pike and was hung in response to a previous tax hike in 2018.
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[LNP | LancasterOnline] Columbia Borough will raise taxes for first time since 2018
When: Columbia Borough Council meeting, Nov. 7.
What happened: Council members agreed to raise property taxes by 1 mill in 2025 to help counter a proposed $1.5-million to $1.7-million budget deficit on an $8.81-million spending plan for the borough's general fund. The borough, which lacks a finance manager, does not yet have exact figures for a total budget of all its funds, Heather Zink, council president, said in a Nov. 8 phone call. n More: Council also scheduled an additional public meeting Nov. 20 to hear comments.
Caveat: Zink quoted the higher deficit figure during the meeting but said in the Nov. 8 phone call that the amount is closer to $1.5 million. The general fund has reserves to pay for the deficit, but doing so would deplete those funds, she added. She did not have a figure of how much money the borough has in the reserve fund.
Quotables: "For five years we've worked on cutting and cutting and cutting," Zink said during the meeting, referring to the budget. "Now we are bare bones." Said Eric Kauffman, vice chair, "We need to rip the Band-Aid off, and just do it (raise taxes)."
Extra meeting: Council members want to pass the budget at their Nov. 26 meeting and must advertise it at least 10 days before that, Zink said. Agreeing on a spending plan Nov. 20 would satisfy that requirement. A final budget must be passed by Dec. 31.
Numbers: The borough last raised property taxes in 2018, from 6.6 mills to 8 mills. One mill would raise $438,000 in revenue. An owner whose property is valued at $100,000 would pay $900 per year, up from $800 per year, Zink said Nov. 8. Council members briefly discussed raising property taxes by more than 1 mill but abandoned the idea.
More: Council still will ask department managers and police Chief Jack Brommer to study their budgets to see if any cuts can be made.
Why the shortfall: The borough expects to raise revenue through property taxes after it sells the former McGinness Airport project, now slated to become a technological park, Zink said. That money will go into the general fund. Delays in permits, however, mean Columbia must wait at least 18 months for these documents before the borough can install infrastructure necessary to sell parcels.
More: Columbia took $1.5 million from its capital fund in 2021 to purchase McGinness, and revenue from land sales will go back into that fund, Zink said Nov. 8, giving the borough money for capital repairs at Columbia Crossing River Trails Center and other areas.
Insurance & other costs: Prices have risen, Zink told council members. For instance, the borough's medical insurance premiums will increase by 19.6% in 2025, she said.
Background: Council members adopted a $17.17-million total budget for all its funds in 2024, up from $16.73 million for 2023.
What's next: Council will meet at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 and at 6 p.m. Nov. 20 at 308 Locust St. The meetings also will be available on the borough's YouTube channel the next day.
Go to: youtube.com/@columbiaborough9899 to access the meeting.
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