Year: 2016

Christmas tree lighting at the park

The 50-foot tree was lit tonight at Locust Street Park as part of the Fourth Annual Columbia Winterfest celebration. The event was dedicated to Bert and Peanut Burkert, both of whom passed away this year. Cimarron Properties, the Slaymaker Group, Express Printing, and Union Station Grill sponsored.
Countdown!
 Families enjoyed hot chocolate, music, and Santa Claus during hte celebration.

 Our Lady of the Angels choir sang Christmas carols.

 Santa (Walter Bosch) worked the crowd.

 The tree stood forth in its illuminated glory

400 luminaries lined the sidewalks, thanks to the Columbia varsity cheerleading squad (and one honorary member) and the baseball team.

                                       

Peanut and Bert

A privy – Can you dig it?

Four diggers excavated the remains of a privy on Walnut Street this afternoon. What’s a privy, you ask? The dictionary defines it as: “A toilet located in a small shed outside a house or other building; an outhouse.” So, why would anyone be digging up such a thing?
In the days before indoor toilets, people used the privy not only to “do their business,” but also as a trash receptacle.  In other words, a privy is – or can be – a trove of artifacts from a particular era.
Rick Weiner, one of today’s privy diggers, told the Spy that workers were retrieving objects from about the 1890s. (A previous dig in the same area yielded objects from the 1700s.) He said the privy (shown below) was especially large, measuring six feet in diameter. He estimated it could turn out to be 15 feet deep. Most privies around town measure about four feet in diameter and four feet deep, Weiner said. 
Weiner added that the top layer of digging usually consists of lime that was applied to neutralize the soil and moderate the smell of the privy. The process of excavation is laborious and time-consuming, as workers in the hole dig and load buckets that are continually hauled to the top and dumped.
Rick Weiner’s website is HERE.
 Workers dig and load soil into the bucket shown (left). The bucket is then pulled up and dumped.

 A few finds from today’s dig

 Loose bricks are set aside. The privy wall consists of a single layer of bricks stacked without mortar.

 Workers continue loading buckets during excavation.

 Rick Weiner shows a bottle from today’s dig. The inscription appears to read: “W.M. Borden, Odd Fellows Hall Pharmacy, Columbia, PA.”

 Another medicine bottle from the dig.

 “Dr. Pierce’s Favorite Prescription”

The remains of a comb 

Susquehanna's smallmouth bass numbers rise, but agency still pushes for 'sick river' status

Prized smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River are rebounding, but the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission still wants the state to declare parts of the river as impaired.

“The positive vibe on the river is that it’s better than it’s ever been,” says Mike Acord, co-owner of Susquehanna Fishing Tackle in Columbia.

“The fishermen were on board with the process. They’re worked hard to get the river back. We’ve got it back with the fishermen’s help and now we should be able to enjoy it.

“We’ll support what’s right and right now it deserves to be open. We all worked for it.”

More information HERE.

Leaves leave the park – with a little help

Many, many leaves left Locust Street Park this morning, thanks to the efforts of the Columbia Park Rangers, the National Honor Society, the Lions Club, The Sunsnappers, the Boy Scouts, and Columbia Borough workers. Loads of leaves were raked into piles and then hauled on tarps to curbside, where they were picked up by a borough leaf collection vehicle.
Thanks to everyone for their hard work.

Santa rides in style, draws a crowd at the library

The elusive Mr. Claus made a pre-Christmas stop in Columbia on his way back to the North Pole this morning. Eschewing his trademark reindeer in favor of an entourage of fire trucks, Santa rode down Manor Street, across Fourth, up Locust, and over Sixth to the library. Lisa Greybill directed a crowd of faithful followers into the building, where the Claus listened to children’s Christmas wishes. A splendid time was had by all! 
The event was sponsored by Columbia QRS. Santa was portrayed by Bob Mimnall.
The motorcade leaves the station.
CBFD

                            QRS leads the parade.

 Cheerleaders and revelers join the entourage.  

Santa sighting!
 A quick jump over town

 Marietta made the scene . . .

 and so did Hellam

 and Wrightsville.

On to the library!
 A final wardrobe adjustment

Showtime!

Lisa Greybill gives directions.

Awaiting the first customers

Gema, Rhonin, and Jaevon meet Santa.

 Mrs. Claus likes it.

Malleable Road now open

The bridge over US 30 on Malleable Road is now open. Work on the bridge began on October 10 of this year and was projected to last two months – meaning the project has been completed on schedule.

The work included the preparation for and placement of a latex-modified concrete wearing surface, excavation, scarification & hydrodemolition, scupper adjustments, strip seal glands, superstructure painting, minor structural steel repairs, waterproofing behind abutments, guiderail updates, and other miscellaneous construction.