Year: 2016

The Route 462 Veterans Memorial Bridge spanning the Susquehanna River between Columbia and Wrightsville will be the site of the 28th annual Bridge Bust on Saturday, October 1, 2016. This event, coordinated by the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, is sponsored by Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Columbia Fraternal Association, and the Columbia-Middletown Elks Lodge #1074.  Hours are 8 AM to 4 PM rain or shine.

Over 300 vendors, including over 80 vendors new to this show, are scheduled to participate in this year’s event.  Commercial food vendors will offer crowd-pleasing fare such as butterfly fries, blooming onions, wraps, paninis, crab cakes, pit beef and pulled pork, egg rolls … and plenty of other food and drink items that await your taste buds. Individual vendors will offer items such as crafts, artwork, and antiques.  Look for goods ranging from home or country décor to garden or specialty food items, with a wide variety of products available beyond that. Local nonprofit organizations will be on hand to raise awareness of their organizations and to raise money for their causes.  Other sponsors of this event include Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority, Engle Printing and Publishing Company, and St. John’s Herr Estate.

Live entertainment by Sneakers the Clown, Tux Trio, and The Banjo Man will be featured on the bridge throughout the day.  This entertainment is brought to you through the sponsorship of Workman Funeral Homes and Sahd Metal Recycling.   Local sister radio stations ESPN 92.5/92.7 and FUN 101.3 are exclusive radio sponsors for this event.  Look (and listen) for the stations which will be located on the Columbia side of the bridge.

The Bridge Bust features free parking and shuttle service from Glatfelter Field (located at Rt. 462 and 12th Street) in Columbia and Eastern High School (Cool Creek Road) in Wrightsville.   Patrons who wish to cross the bridge in only one direction may do so by pre-planning use of the various shuttles.  For details, visit the SVCC website www.PaRivertowns.com. Donations will be accepted for this service.

Admission to the Bridge Bust is $2 for adults and $1 for children ages 6-12 while children under 6 years of age enter free of charge.  Please remember that absolutely no pets, bicycles, skateboards, rollerblades, or scooters are permitted on the bridge.  The Bridge Bust will be held rain or shine.  All proceeds will benefit the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center.

Lutz said he and the police chief will meet with school officials to discuss methods to increase student safety.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/parents-police-take-to-the-streets-as-columbia-grapples-with/article_ccd923d2-7c4f-11e6-94d4-53a417b24a0c.html

At Thursday’s school board meeting, Columbia resident Mike Resch commented publicly about bullying in the district. He told how his wife stopped a bully who was beating up another student just off school property. According to Resch, the victim, who had a “fat lip,” told his wife that it was the fourth or fifth time he had been beaten by the same bully. He said his wife then called the police, who responded and told her not to get involved.

Stills from a video of the assault referred to by Mike Resch 

“I’m not going to stand and wait for the police to come when a child’s getting beaten,” Resch said.

Resch then referred to the many emotional pleas from residents who had spoken at the meeting. “Everything I’m hearing from these people – and the emotion that you feel coming out of them – these things have to be true,” he said.

Resch then turned his attention to Director of Operations Tom Strickler and asked if he bullies people into his way of thinking. After asking the superintendent and board president if he could respond, Strickler replied, “No Sir.”

Tom Strickler denied accusations of bullying.

Resch then asked if new board members swear on the Bible when an oath is administered. When a board member said, “Right hand up,” Resch asked Strickler to place his hand on the Bible while answering the question about bullying. An audience member brought forth a Bible, but the board disallowed the action.

Resch said there are a few school board members who are doing a very good job, but the majority are “yes men” for Strickler. As Resch asked another question, Board President Cole Knighton said, “This is the time for public comment, Mike.”

“This is public comment,” Resch replied.

“It’s not for us to answer,” Cole Knighton said.

“It’s time for comment, but it’s not for us to answer,” Knighton said.

“Why not? That’s the whole problem here,” Resch said. “We’re always looking for answers, and we’re not getting them. You’re elected officials, and your responsibility is to each and every one of us. It’s not a position for you to fill your ego.” As Resch tried to continue, audience applause drowned out his comments. When the applause subsided, Resch said the board should be fighting for the people of Columbia and added that it is not being done.

“I just for the life of me can’t understand why something can’t be done,” he said, adding that he has spoken to people who don’t attend board meetings anymore, because “they’re tired of the same old thing, same old thing, same old thing.”

After Friday’s stadium evacuation and postponement, Saturday’s game in York County was played without incident.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/sports/football/highschool/columbia-falls-to-york-suburban-in-rescheduled-football-game/article_ead50d74-7d44-11e6-8703-47f1a2a3a3a2.html

Barry Ford and Iris Rachael Garrido were sworn in as school board directors by District Magistrate Miles Bixler at Thursday’s Columbia Borough School Board meeting. Ford and Garrido filled two board vacancies, one of which was created when Cole Knighton assumed the presidency after Tom Strickler’s resignation, and the other by Tammy Mattern’s resignation, effective September 9, 2016. The board previously appointed former board member Keith Combs to fill a vacancy created when Fran Resch resigned in May.

Ford resigned from borough council in May, citing health concerns. This was Garrido’s third try for a seat on the board. 

Leo Lutz Jr. was absent from Thursday’s meeting, but those present voted unanimously for the appointments. Vicki Anspach voted also, despite her absence at last week’s committee of the whole meeting when candidate interviews were held. When questioned at last week’s meeting if absent members would vote, Superintendent Dr. Robert Hollister said, “We’d have abstentions from the other board members.” The vacancy created by Mattern’s resignation was not advertised. (Lutz and Mattern were also absent from last week’s meeting.)

The board also accepted the resignation of high school principal Maura Hobson, effective September 14, 2016. Hobson will remain in the position for up to 60 days, pending a replacement.

 New board director Barry Ford

 New board director Iris Garrido

Garrido: “I’m here to be part of the solution.”