About two hours after the shooting incident at Third and Union on Saturday night, a fireworks event was held on, or near, the river shore close to the first block of Union Street. The bangs could be heard at least as far away as Ninth Street, causing many to think an active shooting event was still underway. The two clips below document a few seconds of the fireworks. No whistles or screeches can be heard as the rockets ascend and explode. After the reports, faint crackling can be heard in some instances, but was not audible a few blocks away.
Columbia Spy 
Why are they permitted to set these illegal fireworks off year after year?
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All you had to do is look in the sky!!!
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Yes damn straight I almost called the cops because I could hear it in the North End of town and had heard about the activity going on in town with the gunshots and I thought I heard two distinct sets of bangs that I thought were equal to 4 gunshots.
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Don't you know the privileged few down there can do whatever the hell they want!
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I thought fireworks shot off by individuals were illegal in Pa.
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Depends on how much money you have and who you're friend's with. We the little people are just the one's who pay for all their stupid ideas of progress.
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If calls were made why did they continue?Yes it was Fourth of July and fireworks are nice.Enough is enough though.
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That law is a complicated one. Hey, maybe you guys should learn them, so with all your negativity we read, we can at least educate ourselves.
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No fireworks = People complain; Fireworks = People complain. It's no win situation.
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They are not illegal if you get a permit. Anyone can get a permit for these types of fireworks if they have a local official sign the permit in the jurisdiction where they will be fired off. Check out keystone fireworks website and all the information you need is there. Obviously not many people get the permit though.
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The fireworks in question occurred on July 8. not July 4.
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Actually it was July 8th, not the 4th of July. People do expect to hear them on the holiday. The borough needs to legalize the fireworks, because the law is not enforced. If you only need a permit then next year let's all apply for one and set fireworks off all over town.Last summer a huge deal was made about gunshots in Columbia, but that's because they were shooting at the police, not at each other in the south end of town. I bet the fireworks would have been halted abruptly if they were the targets again. I don't think as much damage was done to property last year either.
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Columbia Borough, West Hempfield Township. I want to know if the fireworks were ok'd by either municipality.
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Boo hoo….someone was doing something fun and not hurting a soul but I was left out and didn't get my participation trophy so I'm going to whine and moan about it. Grow the hell up people. If you tried to have your own fun as much as you complained about others having fun maybe you wouldn't be so damn miserable. And it has nothing to do with private and everything to do with busting your ass and earning what you have. There's places for sale down there right now…so go buy one if you don't like it!!!!! Typical columbia front porch sitting mentality. Let's be lazy our whole lives and bitch about what others who worked hard have.
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Privileged few?? So working hard and buying a cabin is privileged now?? You're such a freaking hypocrite. Post your name so everyone can come to your house and whine and cry because they can't enjoy something you worked for. Or better yet, buy Your own damn cabin!!! It's not a secret club and they are for sale!! But let me guess, you would much rather sit and do nothing so you can continue to whine about being left out than work hard to own one yourself. Pathetic.
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Why are you asking this question on this site. Go to the Borough Office or Township Office and ask or file a right to know request.
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Was a great showAt least the made sure Columbia had a firework show
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Ahhhh…i love the entitled mentality. Everyone is born with the same choices ahead. Some make the right ones and some would rather sit on their front steps all day bitching about those that made better choices. No doubt which group you belong to. Bit you're right, with all the money they had it was easy to see how they reserved a portion if the sky and blacked it out so only the privileged could tilt their heads up and see them. Smh…
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When are you guys hooking up to LASA?
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I enjoyed both shows from my home, to bad the dog didnt.But thanks to a concerned resident and a Columbia Police Officer my dog was returned.
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i attended the fireworks, have been doing it for years. I'm glad they did it on a weekend vs. a work night. I will say this…it was ONE HELL OF A SHOW! Kuddos to those that worked hard to put it together on your own time and w/your $$. The display was way better than other townships/locations that i witnessed! I'm looking forward to next year!
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We will hook up when LASA tells us to do it pipes not in kindOf hard to hook up when there are not any pipes to hook up to
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A lost opportunity. Those cabins should have been knocked down and the riverfront developed further. Oh well, eminent domain is always just a court decision away. PS. complaining about someone not posting their name while you post anonymously makes you a huge “freaking hypocrite” as you so elegantly put it.
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Are you cabin owners still dumping poop in the river?
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When are you cabin owners going to pay your fair share of taxes? A lot of you are living down there all year now and youre hiding under the umbrella of the cottage owners association.
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No answer when you're hooking up? You're going to keep dumping the poop?
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Ok, I did not write the comment, but I have to say that I believe the point was missed completely.It's not about jealousy over seeing fireworks. It is about the borough giving away riverfront property. Property that did not originally belong to the people that built cabins on it. Later it's given to the borough and rather than make public use of land they control, they “gave” it to a select few, and no, not even all of the select few are borough residents. That's land that could have meant something to this town, instead they give that away and buy an airfield!
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The borough did not give that land to the cottage owners they paid for the land so get your facts straight before you say anything that you do not know anything about
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Maybe LASA needs to receive multiple complaints about the lack of sewer at the cottages?
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that would be the Island cabins…..
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you have NO idea what you are talking about. get a life. mind your own damn business.
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the Boro gave NOTHING to select few. if you don't know….dont' assume you do. you have NO idea.
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Just a thought, no sewer, but maybe they have approved septic tanks? I know quite a few had them installed years and years ago. Hard to imagine and seriously doubt they are “dumping poop directly into the river”.
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The Safe Harbor Water Power Corporation sold the property to the Borough of Columbia for a dollar – essentially gifting the land to the Borough. Then the Borough sold it to the Columbia Economic Development Corporation for $350,000, after which the CEDC sold it to the Columbia Heritage River Cottage Association, Inc. for $350,000. All transactions occurred on the same day – November 18, 2011.
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Some parcels are listed as having septic. Others are listed as being hooked up to a “public system,” but it's unclear what that means.
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Don't the islands have outhouses and porta-potties?
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Actually, he has a great idea. The riverfront is about the only aspect of this town that gives it any real identity. Having that riverfront property, and using it to expand the riverfront park would have given this town a real attraction (instead of the dime a dozen junk shops posing as antique boutiques). An opportunity lost, I'm afraid. And we're all worse off for it, lest a few dozen well-connected people.
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All you people who would like to have a cottage along the river there is one for sale it has been for sale almost a year now so why don't you go and check it and stop talking about it talk is cheap
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What they paid amounted to a give away.
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Island tenants have composting toilets…required by Safe Harbor, purchased and installed by tenants and inspected by Manor Township sewer official. They've been in use for many years.
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All pre-planned and orchestrated by the Mayor and Council.Swoosh
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Pretty sure they do, but if a cabin is destroyed your not permitted to rebuild.They still pay a lease, just like Columbia should have been generating income from the shore cottages.
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i believe ALL have septic tanks and have them pumped out.
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you have NO idea. and the Boro owns what like 16 or 18 acres on the other side of the river park. makes more sense anyway.they bought it from norfolk southern.
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LASA is considering installing grinder pumps to handle sewage from the cottages. However, the company's current focus is on building a pumping station – a project that must be completed by March 2018. LASA will maintain the grinder pumps, once installed. The cost of installation will be spread across LASA's customer base, but cottage owners will pay a hook-up fee.
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Because nobody wants to live here anymore.
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How do you know how much they paid for it I don't think they feel it was a give away they pay bourgh taxes and school taxes insurance they don't have those cottages for free those people have a right to them they pay for them are you jealous
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Are there no regulations about having septic tanks so close to River water? Water that is pumped out and used for public water?
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Cole, don't you think that once again, the topic has dramatically veered off subject? I understood the original idea regarding fireworks, but again it has transgressed into a bashing of cottage owners. I guess it makes for good banter, but in my opinion, i'd rather visit your website to stay abreast of all the current affairs and of course the great pics, not for the witch-hunts. When a “topic” is allowed to veer so much off course that the comments become meaningless, un-intelligent and just plain silly, it becomes something not very interesting and more of a side show, “junior” journalism. Get back to the good reporting, articles and pics…not this trash.
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Another joke, they purchased the land for next to nothing, let them pay for a pumping station.Again thanks to the Mayor and the Boro Council personal agenda!!
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