Thursday, March 20, 2025
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Rock's CardioBox and Fitness classes are all about group and community
Fitness coach Rochelle ("Rock") Gutierrez Meiskey says her Rock's CardioBox and Fitness programs are all about group and community. "It's all about group and community, so it's different than some of your Planet Fitnesses where you can go in and lift weights or do cardio,” she explains. “We don't really have that kind of equipment in here, because we're more about the group." The private Facebook group has 1,000 silent observers and 50-100 active members.
Rochelle holds classes in a bright 1,300-square-foot studio at 430 Walnut Street, where she relocated about a year and a half ago. "We wanted something clean and bright and comfortable and welcoming," she says of the facility.
Classes focus on group fitness, including yoga, pilates, senior's classes, boxing, and kickboxing. Rochelle personally teaches boxing on Monday and Thursday evenings, and Sunday morning boot camp sessions. "We have two back-to-back, because that's our biggest class," she says of the Sunday boot camp, which typically attracts about 20 participants. The boot camp concentrates heavily on strength and conditioning.
Kato Meley leads a class in "Gentle Fitness."
Another popular offering is the "Gentle Fitness" class led by instructor Kato Meley, where participants known as "GoldiRocks" attend sessions on Tuesday and Thursday mornings 9-9:30 a.m..There's also a full-hour class on Wednesday evenings at 7:15 p.m. The 30-minute classes cost $5, while hour-long sessions are $11. Classes feature one-minute exercise rounds at 10 different stations, alternating cardio and strength training, with one-minute recovery breaks.
Rochelle emphasizes that the "Goldirocks" participants "do the same thing that my athletes do, except at a little different scale and pace," which she says is empowering for them. "We can accommodate and modify all the exercises for whatever people need,” she explains. "It's not like we do the same class every night. We try to do variety to allow people to find something that they enjoy doing.” While men are welcome in all classes, none have participated yet.
The boxing and boot camp programs occasionally feature "mobile fitness" sessions held outdoors at various locations, including Columbia River Park and Wrightsville. Rochelle emphasizes that they "keep the classes small" to maintain quality.
The Cat Yoga Program
Rochelle notes that the Columbia Animal Shelter hosts monthly Cat Yoga sessions led by instructor Beverly Kelley. Running for almost a year, the program accommodates 15 participants who engage in stretching and interacting with the shelter cats. Participants can choose to exercise in the kitten room, female cat room, or male cat room. The program supports adoption efforts, with most proceeds benefiting the animal shelter. An hour session costs $25. Participants may not bring their own cats.
More information:
Phone: (717) 475-9018
Address: 430 Walnut Street, Suite 102 Columbia, PA 17512
Tuesday, March 18, 2025
Monday, March 17, 2025
Deeds Recorded - Columbia Borough - March 17, 2025
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Burke Richard T, Burk Richard T, Burke Bernadette, Burk Bernadette conveyed 308 Avenue Q to Honest Home Solutions LLC for $19,420.
Cranford Joshua S, Cranford Shannon M, Peffley Shannon M. conveyed 824 Locust St. to Joshua S. Cranford for $1.
Prime Deals LLC conveyed 1214 Manor St. to Hurst Ethan J, Spezialetti Brooke N. for $290,000.
Adams John L, Adams John, Adams Jennifer E, Adams Jennifer conveyed 714 Walnut St. to Medrano Gian Carlos Rodriguez, Fallas Mikayla Jennifer for $229,00000.
Paul A. Witmer Jr. conveyed 250 S. Eighth St. to Michelle D. Minnick for $249,900.
Sunday, March 16, 2025
About Town - March 16, 2025
This week's photos of Columbia
Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.
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It marked the grave of a Civil War Union soldier, Corporal George H. Stape. The grave's location is unknown, but research suggests it may have been at a burial trench at Salisbury National Cemetery, Salisbury, North Carolina. Stape's name also appears on a Stape family grave marker at Mount Bethel Cemetery.
According to online records, Stape died of disease in Salisbury Prison (a Confederate prison) in North Carolina in 1865.
This is the grave marker for the Stape family (including George) at Mount Bethel.
On Sunday afternoon (3/16/25), high winds blew a tree over, which temporarily blocked Ironville Pike, near the former Twin Oaks swimming pool.
Another side of the marker.
The following information was found online at lancasteratwar.com and findagrave.com:
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Fellowship meals are available at United Methodist Church on these days.
All boarded up
Security cameras - a necessary evil
Is there an underground network?
Suitable for hanging on your living room wall
Reserved coffin
Bus driver training
Currently not in service
Activity(?) at 14 Lancaster Avenue, currently owned by Group B Enterprises LLC
Activity at the tracks, but Norfolk Southern still hasn't fortified the crossing at the former sewer plant and is holding up the borough's plan to sell the plant to JG Environmental, which is currently renting the facility.
PennDOT workers patching cracks(?) in the bridge
Looking at St. John Lutheran from Mount Bethel
Don't dump nasty stuff down the storm drains.
Welcome to Columbia
Your parking fine is now $30!
At Tollbooth Antiques
Tractor in the driveway, ready to go
The signpost snapped off.
Is this OK?
A brand new hydrant at 2nd & Walnut
Columbia's getting a new utility pole along Front Street.
Flow the rock snake is migrating from Columbia Crossing.
Someone might be getting 7 years of bad luck.
Package drop box
Under new management
There's another one.
There was a lunar eclipse Friday morning.
These notices were posted at 209 Walnut Street, where a fire occurred last August. Columbia Spy reported on the fire HERE.
Units responded.
High winds also churned up some rough waters on the Susquehanna.
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Friday, March 14, 2025
Citizens ask about Chris Vera, livestreaming, a 1% sales tax for Columbia - and a councilman loses his cool
Citizen Comments from the March 11, 2025 Columbia Borough Council meeting:
Resident Sharon Lintner addressed council on several topics. She refuted a claim by borough officials that Columbia Borough is the only local government body providing livestreaming. She told council that she checked with several other municipalities that do provide the service, contrary to what officials have said.
She noted that a borough councillor asked at a recent meeting if the service is really necessary. Lintner said that the councillor asked "If we don't have to do it, why are we doing it?"
Lintner asked council, "Why would you want to do less for residents instead of more? I think we should try to do everything we can to keep this service going. Even if we're the only people, the only municipality in the county, doing it, we're providing a service."
Lintner also cited councilwoman Barbara Fisher's suggestion to add a 1% sales tax for Columbia on top of the state's 6%. "I found this to be basically unbelievable that it was even suggested, because we just raised taxes by 2 mills," Lintner said.She also said she was concerned that council is considering hiring another employee, possibly part time, which adds more costs for the borough. She said recent discussions were supposed to be about reducing expenses.
She noted that several projects in the borough that were supposed to help stabilize the borough's tax base have failed to do so. She said that the McGinness Innovation Park project is now being touted as another avenue for helping the tax base.
Lintner also asked council to refrain from joking about the $347,000 spent on streetlights that have been sitting unused for six years. At a previous meeting, several council members laughed when the lights were mentioned. "That comes to about 3/4 of a mill and to joke about it when we are facing a tax increase seems grossly inappropriate," Lintner said.
Schmidt: “From what I have observed over the past few years, the market has been doing better and better."
Margaret Schmidt talked about the recent firing of Columbia Market House manager Chris Vera and asked about the status of the market operation.
“From what I have observed over the past few years, the market has been doing better and better. If this market goes downhill again, it's another slam in the face of staying here. I don't know specifics, but Chris was there present often at things, not just market days. I saw him putting a lot of energy into it.”
Heather Zink, council president said it's being "worked out."
Doutrich: "Council, I don't think you're bad people. You're just misguided. I don't have all the answers, but I want to get the answers, and I don't want people to lie to me."
Frank Doutrich asked about several issues, including livestreaming and the firing of Chris Vera.
"I come to the meetings and I complain a lot. Council, I don't think you're bad people. You're just misguided. I don't have all the answers, but I want to get the answers, and I don't want people to lie to me," Doutrich said.
Doutrich was also concerned that council wants to stop livestreaming. Citing the failure of the service at the borough's previous work session, he asked why the meeting wasn't paused to fix the problem. "It gives me the impression that you don't care."
Doutrich asked about the firing of Chris Vera. Zink said she can't comment, because it's a personnel matter.
“I've never seen certain council people in that market house,” Doutrich said. “How are you going to know what's going on if you don't go in there?”
Doutrich asked councilwoman Fisher why she suggested a 1% sales tax, but before she could answer, councilman Peter Stahl interrupted. He said discussions at recent work sessions were for brainstorming, and not all ideas would be accepted.
Burgard: "I'm offended by the fact that you people, the same people, constantly come up to criticize borough council about their distaste for the community!"
Councilman Todd Burgard then jumped into the conversation. “We've invited anybody in the public to come with ideas,” he said. “This is a difficult problem. And you're not gonna walk in here with a quick slash cut and solve the problem which some people think is the answer. Thats not going to work." Raising his voice, Burgard continued. "That wasn't the point of the discussion, not to find ways to cut taxes, but to find ways to cut taxes, generate revenue and somehow balance the budget!”
He accused others of selecting words to serve their own purposes and motives. "I'm offended by the fact that you people, the same people, constantly come up here and criticize borough council, about their distaste for the community," Burgard fumed. "It's wrong, and you couldn't be more wrong. You're completely wrong and it's offensive! So I appreciate anybody who comes to next work session with a crazy idea."
"Share a 2% tax idea if it gets us to the right answer. If it's the right answer, the right answer might be painful. I'm not saying that's the right answer. But the conversation around that might get us to the right answer. I know this is public comment time, but you know sometimes enough is enough."
Sharon Lintner later responded: "I think you better tread lightly on how you talk to residents. I'm just saying they have a right to come to this podium and voice their opinion without any intimidation. And I took it when I sat up there [as a councilwoman] from some people, and you just have to suck it up and take it. I mean, I think you need to be very careful how you talk to residents."
Alison Liebgott, a local business owner who runs an artist collective above Columbia Kettleworks, said she supported Chris Vera and his operation of the market house. “He is a good friend of mine and a very phenomenal contributor to this particular community," Liebgott said. "We have been seeing the progression over the last few years since Chris has taken over. I know that there are a plethora of people from outside of this community that go there specifically because Chris runs it."
Liebgott continued: "Perhaps this is a job for two part-time people, so is it possible that wherever it was that Chris was lacking, you could have possibly offered him some help before firing him? There are so many people that are angry right now. I have been going to the market house specifically since you started running it, and I don't really care to go back."
Some speakers' comments were excerpted or combined for clarity, continuity, and brevity. To hear complete comments, as well as the entire discussion, readers should listen to the livestream of the meeting.
Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - March 14, 2025
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Columbia Borough Fire Department (Hambones Social Club), 726 Manor St., Columbia, March 5. Pass. No violations.
Columbia Borough Fire Department (Kitchen), 726 Manor St., Columbia, March 5. Pass. Observed raw shell eggs stored above celery in the walk-in cooler.
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