Photos from around Columbia over the past week…
The vulture…
He’s still there in his attic apartment.
Here are a few more rentals for our avian friends.
And here’s an eviction notice that must have been filled out in invisible ink.
This company has been laying the bricks down at the bridge plaza.
Here’s a guy mowing the grass near the plaza.
Here’s a newly planted cherry tree at River Park.
And here’s a previously planted clump birch.
It appears as though someone – or several someones – killed this black snake.
It was lying under the Route 30 overpass, near the bottom of the high school hill, along with potentially incriminating evidence.
Testing the water down at the boat ramp
This photo was shot in Lancaster but lately seems relevant to Columbia.
Built-in bird bath
Down by the river
If looks could kill
Newly planted trees along Heritage Drive
Here, too . . . behind the fence
Quick ticket, please!
That first block of Union – Yes, it’s public.
This section, which leads to Columbia’s other public boat ramp, should be widened and paved. It’s difficult to understand why the borough hasn’t done this . . . or is it?
And here’s the ramp. A little work, and it’ll be good to go.
Two bridges
Those awnings…
Nice!
Bikes
A reader submitted this photo of a mattress on the sidewalk on South 4th.
We checked it out, and yep, there it was, although someone had the courtesy to lean it against the fence.
Further down, at 3rd & Perry: rolled-up carpet
A few blocks further north on 3rd – a public toilet. It almost hides that ugly gas fixture.
So: a mattress, a carpet, and a toilet – everything necessary for sidewalk living.
Early Sunday morning – the signs say “OPEN.”
But this one says, “Closed Sunday.”
Ticketed, and rightly so
Dancing doors down at Bootleg Antiques
Hanging out a bit
This must be Columbia. Three signs hint at that.
City Gate’s May Calendar of Events
Taking down the chimney, brick by brick. This is right next to the hole in the ground near the bottom of Locust.
In case you want to go biking outside but also want to stay stationary
Yes it is. Not just for the wealthy, privileged few.
Balloon man!
Proud sponsors of the upcoming Hero Walk/Ride
The former chip factory, soon to be a hotel
The trash runneth over.
Construction continues at the library.
Religious symbolism
The weeping angel might be praying for Columbia.
A reader submitted the following historical photos:
The former tollbooth at the bridge entrance
3rd & Locust
The former railroad station, now Eastern Drillers, can be seen in the background here.
The former Columbia Brewing Company on South 4th Street…
In the book, Columbia the Gem, a passage recounts the time the Feds raided the building during Prohibition, chopped open all the barrels of beer and poured the contents into the street. The beer reportedly flowed down 4th Street towards Shawnee Run, where residents collected it in buckets.
A school tax receipt from 1886.
Things were cheaper then.
Columbia Spy 
Good question too many employees for our small borough. We don't need an asst. manager. She's not even from our area but getting paid from our tax money plus a few others.
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Agree
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Most of these people don't live in the borough and frankly they are here for a pay check and don't care about this town , but someone in the borough keeps hiring them to clean up a mess that Jeff Helm made do to selective enforcement over 20 years , now they think they can clean it up in a year or two. We all should have the same time the bank museum has had , 20 + years . It is not that people don't want to fix up there properties , with the taxes (the highest around) it will take time. BUT WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE BOROUGH ? Who , oked all the new hires at tax players expense to harress the tax payers ? And did council president get a letter about the pealing paint in his garden poles etc or is this like the mayor parking illegaly in front of the borough???? SLECTIVE ENFORCMENT STILL, read spy article from 2015 it was then and still in 2018 . REALLY Does the borough think it is above the law ? Maybe the people who pay the taxes should consider a class action suit because it has gone on way to long.
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I don't know there web site is like talking to them , it is SMOKE and minors .
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The controller is from Wrightsville . She might be the one in charge .
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$2000 to seal steps $20,000 cement slab under the money pit and a borough employee to clean the area , not to mention $115,000 to Susquhanna h. to manage it , and $11,000 to manage the trolley and the borough pays the driver and all maintaince. GEZZZZZ MONEY PIT
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$300,000 lites on 462 state rd.
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The explaination was that they don't have the money , other people don't either but the borough don't care , what is the difference ? 20 + years is a long time to be boarded up!
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Not trying to get on the museum but other property owners have got letters from the codes dept on every thing from paint to stacks of fire wood , so what is the difference ??? DISCRIMENATION ? Or selective enforcement (created by Mr Helm 30 + years ago)
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Leo and Mary are in Charge
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Perhaps those that with hold the truth think that they are in Charge
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Columbia Spy knows who is in charge
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does Columbia Spy withhold the truth at times ? , just curious
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who is Leo ?
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The PlanIn the beginning was the Plan.And then came the Assumptions.And the Assumptions were without form.And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.And they spoke among themselves, saying, “It is a crock of shit, and it stinketh.”And the workers went unto their Supervisors and said, “It is a pail of dung, and none may abide the odour thereof.”And the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying, “It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it.”And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, “It is a vessel of fertiliser, and none may abide its strength.”And the Directors spoke amongst themselves, saying one to another, “It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong.”And the Directors then went onto the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, “It promotes growth and is very powerful.”And the Vice Presidents went unto the President, saying unto him, “This new plan will actively promote the growth and vigour of the company; with powerful effects.”And the President looked upon the Plan, and saw that it was good.And the Plan became Policy.This is How Shit Happens.
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Leo is Boss
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Urban Encyclopedia :BOSS(noun) ….. a person who is a leader, someone who runs shit in his/her hood or city.
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“All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.”― George Orwell, Animal Farm
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