Restaurant Inspections - Columbia Borough - June 13, 2025

Columbia Pizza And Italian Restaurant, 429 Locust St., Columbia, June 4. Pass. Observed wet wiping cloths in main production area not being stored in sanitizer solution. Customer self-service, single-use forks & knives is not displayed in a manner so that only the handles are touched by customers. Outside waste and equipment storage area was extremely dirty, sticky and had the potential for attracting insects and rodents. Observed olive oil storage containers, in the deli prep area, not labeled with the common name of the food. A working container of sanitizer was stored above or on the same shelf with food and food equipment; corrected.

Agenda - Parks & Recreation Advisory Board Meeting - June 12, 2025

 

Agenda - Committee Meetings and Regular School Board Meeting - June 12, 2025

 

Suspects in armed robbery threaten Lancaster County, Pa. store clerk, flee with cash, police say

https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-columbia-armed-robbery-suspects-stole-cash-jk-mart/65033091 

Armed Robbery-Suspects Identified and Captured | Columbia Borough Police Department

UPDATE: Through collaboration with the Harrisburg Police Department, the United States Marshals Service, and the Columbia Police Department, the suspects involved in the armed robbery at JK Mart that occurred on Tuesday, 6/10/25 in Columbia Borough have been identified. On 6/11/25, Donnell Rhodes, 24 of Harrisburg, and Jachai Daniels, 25 of Columbia, were taken into custody in Columbia Borough. Charges of Robbery and Conspiracy to commit Robbery are pending against both individuals. More information will be released at the appropriate time. Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact Detective Matt Leddy or the on-duty patrol supervisor at 717-684-7735.     On June 10, 2025, at approximately 9:00 a.m., the Columbia Borough Police Department responded to an armed robbery at JK Mart, located at 846 Lancaster Avenue. Two male suspects, described as appearing to be black males, entered the store at around 8:25 a.m. and forcibly took various merchandise, cash from the register, and also damaged store property. The suspects, who were on foot, walked eastbound on Lancaster Avenue to approach the store and fled the store in the direction that they came from.  One of the suspects possessed a firearm and threatened the store clerk during the incident. Security camera footage reveals the following descriptions: Suspect 1: Wearing a black or dark gray Nike jacket, black Jordan Sneakers with purple accents, black pants, black gloves, and a black mask. This suspect fled the scene carrying a medium-sized cardboard box filled with stolen merchandise. Suspect 2: Wearing a gray zip-up hoodie, black jogger sweatpants, blue, orange, green, and white Nike Air Max 97s, and a blue mask. This suspect has hand tattoos and left the scene carrying a black duffle with the word "SPILL KIT" in yellow lettering. The Columbia Borough Police Department is urging citizens with security cameras in the area to review their footage between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. on June 10, 2025. If you observe anything that could relate to this incident or believe you saw something suspicious around that time, please contact the police department at 717-684-7735 or submit a tip to CrimeWatch.  Your assistance is crucial in helping us solve this crime and keep our community safe. Location 846 Lancaster Ave. Columbia, PA 17512 Date Jun 10, 2025 Incident Type Robbery Reference ID CB-25-02469 Case Status Current Case Type Criminal Case Region Eastern Created Jun 10th, 2025 | Updated Jun 11th, 2025 SUBMIT A TIP

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/armed-robbery-help-identify-suspects?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR4SZzcIzukrvJIOCIDodwuFkgtYha9NslA2ZcxeVsQNWxGgzFumTJ7XiKB7gg_aem_hlR1XYRYywkk4V-4Ibd19g

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/armed-robbery-suspects-identified-and-captured 

Multi-Agency Law Enforcement Operation Results in Arrests on South 5th Street

A joint law enforcement operation involving the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force and local police departments resulted in the arrest of several individuals this afternoon in the 200 block of South 5th Street.

The operation, which began shortly after 2 p.m., involved officers from Columbia Borough Police and West Hempfield Township Police working alongside federal marshals. According to witnesses at the scene, law enforcement removed three adults—two males and one female—as well as three children from a residence during the hour-long operation. Police blocked traffic on most of the block.

The U.S. Marshals Service typically deploys fugitive task forces to apprehend individuals wanted on federal warrants or to assist local agencies with high-priority cases. The specific nature of the investigation and charges involved have not yet been disclosed by authorities.

Video: Scott Frederick 

The coordinated response between federal and local law enforcement agencies suggests the operation was related to an ongoing investigation. No injuries were reported during the incident.

Council tight-lipped on second borough manager to leave in under a year

The retirement of Steven Kaufhold (above) was announced at Tuesday's Columbia Borough Council meeting.  [Columbia Spy file photo]

Columbia Borough will be searching for new leadership once again after council announced the retirement of Borough Manager Steven Kaufhold at Tuesday night's regular meeting, marking the second departure from that position in less than a year. 

Councilwoman Barb Fisher acknowledged receipt of the resignation notice, without comment. Kaufhold, who attended the meeting, provided no further information, nor did council. 

In a 5-2 vote, council voted to advertise for a new borough manager. Councilors Eric Kauffman and Kelly Murphy cast the two votes against advertising the position. Again, no further information was provided. 

Resident Sharon Lintner asked who will do the interviews and if a headhunting service will be used to search for a new manager. Council President Heather Zink replied, "We haven't decided that. This literally just happened yesterday." Zink said council planned to discuss personnel issues at an executive session after the meeting. 

Kaufhold, who began as manager in September 2024 has served in the position for about eight months. His retirement comes after the borough invested $15,000 in a professional headhunting firm to fill the position vacated by Mark Stivers' resignation in July 2024.

Despite the search, Kaufhold was ultimately recruited through personal connections; a borough councilman who knew Kaufhold from his previous work with the borough recommended him for the position.

Kaufhold previously served Columbia Borough as code compliance manager from January 2017 to January 2019. Following his departure from the borough, he worked as a project manager and estimator for Lancaster County Housing & Redevelopment. 

The borough manager position isn't the only leadership role facing a vacancy, however. The borough is also operating without a finance manager after losing several individuals from that department consecutively, as Columbia Spy reported HERE. Council has not yet announced plans for a job search to fill the finance position.