Tuesday, April 15, 2025
Monday, April 14, 2025
Deeds Recorded - Columbia Borough - April 14, 2025
Bigelow Gerald F. Est, Integrity First Home Buyers LLC conveyed 114 S. Ninth St. to Daniel S. Kline for $112,000.
92321 Madison LLC conveyed 452 Cherry St. to Michele L. Spicher for $11,000.
Borough of Columbia conveyed property on a public road to Borough of Columbia for $1.
Sunday, April 13, 2025
About Town - April 13, 2025
This week's photos of Columbia
Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.
*****************
Birds' nest, protected from weather
*****************
Truck turning into the truck terminal at 4th & Manor
****************
Signs lying down on the job
Barrels and a bike
Downtown signs
The former Poplar Street School
Welcome
Datestone at the former telephone company building
Datestone at Grace United Church
Roofing Solutions at Columbia Crossing
4th Street pillars
Blossom-covered sidewalk
The river's edge
Real estate mailbox
Clean up the poop.
Seen at Tollbooth
Light on in the daytime
###
Friday, April 11, 2025
Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - April 11, 2025
Chickies Rock Moose Lodge No. 307, 219 Locust St., Columbia, April 3. Pass. Observed raw shell eggs stored above drinks in the walk-in cooler. Coleslaw, a refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety food in the walk-in cooler, was date-marked by the facility, but was beyond the seven-day use- or sell-by date and requires discarding. Food facility preparing pulled pork using reduced oxygen packaging without the required written procedures and HACCP plan. Observed a pink slimy residue on the cuber of the ice maker and a black mold on the inner wall of the ice maker. Ice will not be used until the unit is washed, rinsed and sanitized. Mold observed on the underside of the shelving in the walk-in cooler.
Columbia Sunoco, 1414 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, April 3. Pass. Food employee observed in the food preparation area wearing a wristwatch. Observed boxes of food stored directly on the floor in the walk-in freezer, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required.
Stover's News, 24 N. Third St., Columbia, April 3. Pass. Food employee observed changing tasks that may have contaminated hands without a proper hand-washing in between. Food employee was on cellphone. An employee's open beverage container (twist-cap variety) was observed on the food preparation table with food and food equipment. Food employee observed in the food preparation area not wearing proper hair restraints, such as nets or hats. Hemp Bomb CBD Gummies by Global Widget contain an unapproved additive as specified in 21 CFR 170-180 relating to food additives. Such products are under U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation and at which time CBD is not recognizable as a safe substance to be added to food. Prepackaged food: all sandwiches, all desserts, packaged cheese and bologna ends are not labeled to clearly indicate any "Big 9" allergen ingredients and/or the allergen warning statement. Prepackaged food: all sandwiches, all desserts, packaged ice, packages of cheese ends and bologna ends, are not labeled properly with the ingredient statement, net weight and distributed-by statement. Observed an accumulation of static dust on the fan guard of the walk-in cooler. Observed a plastic food container in the hand-wash sink, indicating uses other than hand-washing. Observed an extreme amount of peeling paint in the storage room.
St. John Neumann School for Children and Families, 401 Locust St., Columbia, April 1. Pass. An irreversible registering thermometer or thermal labels were not available for monitoring the rinse temperature of the high temp mechanical dishwasher.
Thursday, April 10, 2025
A few final words on the bus shelter
During Tuesday night's borough council meeting, Mayor Leo Lutz addressed concerns about the recent removal of the Locust Street bus shelter. According to Lutz, the South Central Transit Authority (SCTA) made the decision following reports of unsanitary conditions and safety issues.
Police Chief Jack Brommer explained that while he had requested SCTA conduct a site survey due to reports of human waste and excessive litter, "it was ultimately the bus authority's decision to remove it," Brommer noted.
"I don't care how it was removed, I do care that it was removed," Lutz stated during the meeting. He emphasized that the shelter's design, which included a back wall where people could hide from view, contributed to ongoing maintenance challenges.
Lutz explained that the shelter was originally installed through a federal grant in conjunction with Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) and an advertising company. Initially, the advertising company was responsible for maintaining the structure, but those duties eventually fell to SCTA, with borough employees often assisting with cleaning.
"We can't ask our employees to clean up those kind of messes," Lutz said, referring to the unsanitary conditions found at the site. Since the removal, though, Lutz said,"I have not heard any comments from those that ride the bus. I think they're glad that there's a sanitary place there now for them, and a clean place for them. It had to go."
According to an April 8, 2025 LNP/LancasterOnline article:
"Greg Downing, SCTA executive director, said the shelter was removed at the borough’s suggestion. He said a cleaning service stopped by the shelter once a week, but the conditions would become so bad in the interim that people wouldn’t wait inside of the shelter unless it was raining."
"I don't care how it was removed, I do care that it was removed," Lutz stated during the meeting. He emphasized that the shelter's design, which included a back wall where people could hide from view, contributed to ongoing maintenance challenges.
Lutz explained that the shelter was originally installed through a federal grant in conjunction with Red Rose Transit Authority (RRTA) and an advertising company. Initially, the advertising company was responsible for maintaining the structure, but those duties eventually fell to SCTA, with borough employees often assisting with cleaning.
"We can't ask our employees to clean up those kind of messes," Lutz said, referring to the unsanitary conditions found at the site. Since the removal, though, Lutz said,"I have not heard any comments from those that ride the bus. I think they're glad that there's a sanitary place there now for them, and a clean place for them. It had to go."
The mayor was careful to note that he doesn't believe the issues stemmed from Columbia's homeless population. "I don't think it came from those folks that are in our shelter seeking help," he said. "I think it comes from transients or people who just live like animals. It's a shame that some people have to lose because of the acts of others, but we'll try to make it better."
Borough Council President Heather Zink said of the removal, "Council had no knowledge that it was happening before it happened," but expressed support for the decision.
Currently, the bus stop remains active with two benches available for waiting passengers. Mayor Lutz mentioned that during inclement weather, people are welcome to take shelter in the lobby of the borough office when it's open. The borough also maintains a public restroom at borough hall for bus passengers, according to Lutz.
No definite plans for a replacement shelter have been announced, though officials have indicated openness to future options, including relocating it.
Borough Council President Heather Zink said of the removal, "Council had no knowledge that it was happening before it happened," but expressed support for the decision.
Currently, the bus stop remains active with two benches available for waiting passengers. Mayor Lutz mentioned that during inclement weather, people are welcome to take shelter in the lobby of the borough office when it's open. The borough also maintains a public restroom at borough hall for bus passengers, according to Lutz.
No definite plans for a replacement shelter have been announced, though officials have indicated openness to future options, including relocating it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)