Wheels without a car

This truck holds the wheels of the train car that will be arriving in Columbia from Harrisburg today for refurbishing. (See previous post.) The truck is currently at 4th and Manor.

Historic railroad car coming to Columbia for an upgrade

The Bellefonte Historical Railroad Society is sending a 1953 Budd Company RDC (Rail Diesel Car) to Columbia for refurbishing. Rail Mechanical Services will be doing the work.

Read more here: http://www.centredaily.com/2014/12/15/4510188_historic-railroad-car-moved-for.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy

MORE INFO HERE

Market House Trust Board of Directors - Update

Don Haines of the Columbia Historic Market House Trust has provided the following update on the organization's Board of Directors:

VOTING MEMBERS

Chair - Cleon Berntheizel

Vice Chair - Don Haines

Secretary - Jodie Eck

Treasurer - Elaine Beckley

Director - Rebecca Murphy

Director - Jeanne Cooper

Director - Roche Fitzgerald

Director - Dan Carrigan

Director - Kellan Kernisky

(All of the above members are directors.)

NONVOTING MEMBERS

Standholder Representative

Market Manager

Questions or concerns may be directed to Don Haines.

Just the facts . . .

 At a vehicle accident in November, photographers were approached by officers of local police departments who strongly advised them to stop taking photos, and in one instance to wait a few days before publishing any photos that had already been taken. In another instance, a police officer allegedly intending to photograph a news photographer (for "identification" purposes) relented when the photographer showed his press credentials. (At no time did photographers cross the police line or otherwise interfere with the investigation.)


 While executing these actions, the officers said they have the right to confiscate cameras and hold them for a few days, and that District Attorney Craig Stedman has the authority to confiscate cameras and extract images of potential crimes scenes.  In at least one instance, the officer indicated that this accident scene was a potential crime scene. According to an official source, the directive to stop taking photos and “Do something about this” came from a West Hempfield police officer at the scene. 

About a week later, a representative of this website met with the West Hempfield police chief, who said that an officer ordering such an action would be in violation of the department's policy and that he would speak to the officer in question.  

In a phone call placed shortly after this meeting by a representative of this website to District Attorney Stedman's office, an officer there said that the DA does not have the authority to command officers and that police departments are in charge of their own officers. He suggested the matter be discussed with the police chief - which had already been done.

[Names (except for Stedman) are being withheld at this time.]


A page on photographer's rights is HERE.  Information will be added periodically.

Crews respond to one-alarm incident at Trinity House

Several fire departments and EMS crews responded to a one-alarm fire incident at Trinity House Apartments at 4th and Mill Street at about 4 o'clock this morning. According to Columbia Fire Chief Scott Ryno, a faulty wall heater in apartment 608 caused smoke to fill the hallway of the 6th floor. One woman was taken by ambulance, complaining of symptoms related to smoke inhalation. Departments responding included Columbia No. 1, Susquehanna No. 4, Mountville, Mount Joy, Hempfield, York Engine 41, and Lancaster Township.

Watch "Kettle Works Brewery Documentary" on YouTube

Owners Bill Collister and Rod Smith talk about their Kettle Works operation in this documentary by Nate Maurer and Luke Wolgemuth.

Kettle Works Brewery Documentary: http://youtu.be/aY_YJWJxnP8

Here's more info on Kettle Works:
Beer Advocate

Emergency personnel rescue stranded boater

Susquehanna No. 4 and Columbia No. 1 were among the rescue companies responding to a report of a boater stranded near the Veterans Memorial Bridge on Friday afternoon.  The boat, which was spotted a few piers out from the Wrightsville side, was towed by emergency crews to the ramp near the John Wright Outlet in Wrightsville. No injuries were reported.

Putting in on the Columbia side . . .

Returning on the Wrightsville side . . .

The boater was apparently a duck hunter whose boat motor had stalled, stranding him along the southern edge of the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

16 arrested - mostly for drugs - in northwest Lancaster County sweep

Participating in the sweep were officers from Elizabethtown Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police Fugitive Task Force, state police K-9 unit, Northwest Lancaster County Regional Police, Mount Joy Borough Police, Columbia Borough Police and the York County Sheriff's Office.

MORE:
http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/arrested---mostly-for-drugs---in-northwest/article_f3320066-8193-11e4-8184-9b9b354b3a04.html?mode=jqm

Columbia's market house is struggling, and solutions are difficult to find

The concerns voiced at council are accurate: there are few vendors and fewer customers.
MORE HERE:
http://m.lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-s-market-house-is-struggling-and-solutions-are-difficult/article_9381aae6-80a7-11e4-a957-ff5317700bc0.html?mode=jqm

AND HERE:
http://columbiapa-17512.blogspot.com/2014/09/trust-gets-new-lease-on-life.html?m=0

I Love Columbia, PA | Pennsylvania State Symbols Heart Ladies' T-shirt-Ladies,S

Seen on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00QBPEQVC/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/191-2967298-0533449

Out in the weather

Workers at Columbia Plaza today . . .

 Up, up, and away

At the battlement

 Tethered

Are these the final colors?

Columbia historian offers name for new building

At Saturday's ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new River Park building, suggestions were solicited from visitors for a revised name for the building due to the cumbersome character of its current name: The Northwest River Trail Services Building. At Monday night's Borough Council meeting, the need for a new name was also discussed. Columbia historian Jim Haug offered Council a name with a historical context: The Smith-Whipper Memorial Building. Haug cited the contributions to Columbia of two men "of color," Stephen Smith and William Whipper, whose lumberyard once stood on the site of the new building. Haug noted that nothing in town - buildings, streets, or other locations - were named for any black citizen - except Makle Park - and the time has come to remedy the situation. Naming the building for Smith and Whipper would be "a long-overdue honor," Haug said. He also cited speculation that the Civil Rights Movement may have started with these two men, who were instrumental in the operation of the Underground Railroad, which some historians believe originated in Columbia.

Stephen Smith

William Whipper

Council accepts resignation of borough manager

At its December 8 meeting, Columbia Borough Council voted unanimously to ratify a separation agreement to accept the resignation of Samuel F. Sulkosky as borough manager, effective November 24, 2014. The terms of the agreement include a severance payment of $13,000 (equal to about two months pay) - less payroll taxes and other mandated withholding - medical coverage until the end of the year, and payment for unused vacation, as well as "boiler plate" legal stipulations to protect each party.

Sulkosky was Columbia's borough manager since April 29, 2013 and moved from Blairsville, PA to accept the position at an annual salary of $73,000. Previously, he was with the State Unemployment Compensation Center in Indiana, PA. Before that, he was Fulton County's business manager for two years and borough manager of Nanty Glo for another two years.

Council appointed Public Works Director Ron Miller as interim borough manager, effective December 9, 2014, at his current rate of compensation.

Council intends to advertise the opening before interviewing qualified candidates - a process that could take up to six months, according to Council President Mike Beury.

Some confusion here

In the Zoning Board decision on the Vincent Fiorella case:

Subheading 19 of Heading I. FINDINGS OF FACT of the DECISION reads: "The Zoning Officer approved Appellant's application for a zoning permit on July 11, 2014, issuing the zoning permit."

However, Heading IV. ADJUDICATION reads "Based upon the foregoing findings of fact and conclusions of law, the Zoning Hearing Board of the Borough of Columbia denies the appeal of Vincent Fiorella from the determination of the Zoning Officer to revoke Zoning Permit No. 14-206 dated August 7, 2014." This statement was read at the Zoning Hearing Board meeting on December 3rd, except that the permit date was announced as "issued July 11th 2014."

The actual permit placard shows a date of August 7, 2014.

Toys for Tots continues

 FOX43's Karen Duffy interviews Santa on the Columbia side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge this morning.

 Santa (96.1 SOX's Bobby D) welcomes donations of toys until 6 p.m. Monday.

He'll be accepting toys at various locations in Lancaster and York Counties for the rest of this week. 

Thumbs up!

At this point, Lancaster County is ahead with donations.

Columbia's Ed Vonstetten to play Santa

Ed Vonstetten of Columbia has a tale that weaves the holiday candy cane into a narrative about the birth of Jesus.

He will be telling his story as part of a "Tea Time with Mrs. Claus" this Saturday at 11 a.m. at the National Watch & Clock Museum, 514 Poplar St. in Columbia.

MORE:
http://m.lancasteronline.com/features/faith_values/santa-and-the-story-of-the-candy-cane/article_06ead8fe-7eeb-11e4-af90-f37e15a98d17.html?mode=jqm

Happening now (Monday morning)

Santa is collecting for Toys for Tots on the Columbia side of the Veterans Memorial Bridge.

What's Columbia's best-kept secret? Joe Baker knows

For Joe Baker, it all started in the back alley. Avenue H, to be exact. That's where his career with the Susquehanna Glass Company began when he was 17. 

"I still have my favorite cart, " he says, referring to the old utility cart he used back then. It was the largest and would allow him to transport more crates per trip as he pushed it to the various stations around the building. It is still being used, by others, today.

(Joe Baker with the cart he used a few decades ago)

“Back then we used wooden crates to put glassware in for the cutters,” he explains. “When they were done, they would set it in the lane here, and I would go up and down, pile them up on the cart and take them back to the washtubs.” Baker says he would then hand wash the glassware before it was packed and shipped.

Over the decades, Baker outgrew merely pushing the cart and learned other operations on his way to the sales department, where he has worked for the past 24 years. He points out that Susquehanna Glass was there in Avenue H long before he was.  In fact, the company was started in Columbia by Albert Roye in 1910, using a single glass cutting machine. 

(Artisans of former days) . . .

The company is one of the last remaining American factories practicing the art of hand-cut glass and currently employs several dozen people on various shifts. The operation is now at the height of its busiest season - Christmas. 3,000 pieces a day are being shipped out, and the required storage area has expanded to rented space at the Kleen-Rite Corporation on Ninth Street.

 (Items being readied for shipping)

(Storage at Avenue H)

The Avenue H facility is the company’s main manufacturing plant and distribution center, although it also has a showroom in Atlanta, Georgia. Contrary to what many customers believe, the glass is not actually produced at the Columbia plant. Rather, blanks are shipped in and "finished" there. Finishing includes hand cutting, sand etching, color screening, engraving, and lasering.

Hand Cutting

(Crystal, a 27-year veteran artisan, demonstrates hand-cutting.  The first step for this particular design is cutting the flower pattern.)

(In the second step, Crystal cuts the flower stems after changing wheels.)

In the hand cutting process shown above, a master artisan uses a rotating stone wheel to cut various designs into the glass. Since the operation is done freehand, each piece is unique.

Sand Etching

Sand etching (shown here) uses high pressure sand that is sprayed onto the substrate to create the etching.

(A piece right after sand etching)

(A similar item after being cleaned up a bit)

Color Screening

(A color screening machine)

In color screening, a design is printed in ink onto the glass and sent through a conveyor dryer to set it permanently.

(A collection of color screened items)

Engraving

(An engraved glass)

Engraving uses a computer process to drive punches into the glass at 15,000 strokes per minute to compose the design and can be used with metal, plastic, crystal, and glass.

Lasering

The lasering process allows designs to be added to metal, slate, leather, and wood, in addition to glass.

 Example of lasering on metal,

 on slate,

and on wood.

After any particular process is complete, items are checked, packed, and shipped out. Baker says the company’s clients include Amazon, Target, and Williams-Sonoma, among others. 

These days, Joe Baker talks to clients from his own office, a few floors away - yet a long way from - his favorite cart.

(Susquehanna Glass Company (and its outlet store) is located at 731 Avenue H in Columbia.)

Outlet store items . . .