Year: 2018

Colonial Metals closing – What we know so far

The Colonial Metals plant on North Second Street was eerily quiet this week.

Colonial Metals is closed, apparently for good, according to a discussion at last night’s school board committee of the whole meeting. The closing idles about 100 workers, who were shut out about a week ago with little or no warning.

The company is reportedly appealing its property tax assessment on the main plant and other nearby buildings it owns, including an office building, and several houses, among other properties. If the assessment is lowered, the Columbia School District could lose up to $150,000 in tax revenue. In addition, Columbia Borough could lose up to $40,000 in tax revenue, as well as revenue from the Earned Income Tax, due to the loss of workers in the borough. The appeal process was reportedly begun some time before the shutdown announcement. It is unclear at this point whether the company has initiated bankruptcy proceedings.

There is currently no notification of the closing on the company’s website, and information has been scarce. On Monday of this week, Columbia Spy noted that the plant was eerily quiet and the parking lot was empty. Phone calls by Columbia Spy to company president Craig Friedman have so far not been returned.

Colonial Metals Co., which opened in Columbia in 1946, was one of the nation’s five largest brass and bronze ingot makers. Friedman was named president and chief operating officer in 2015, after 12 years as executive vice president.

Vehicle on S. 4th vandalized and set on fire

On 06-07-18 at approx. 3:16 AM the Columbia Borough Police Department received a call for a criminal mischief that just occurred. It was determined that someone had shot a BB gun and damaged several windows on the vehicle. A tire was also slashed on the vehicle as well.
On 06-08-18 at approx. 3:41AM the Columbia Borough Police Department received a call for a vehicle fire. The same vehicle above was set on fire by an unknown person just prior to the time of dispatch.
The vehicle that was damaged was parked in the middle of the 200 blk. of S. 4th St. on the odd side of the street. If anyone observed anything strange in that area around the above times they are asked to submit a tip below or contact the police department at 717-684-7735.
Date: 

Friday, June 8, 2018

Case Status:

Case Type:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/arson-criminal-mischief

"One dog can completely change the game" East Hempfield Twp. Police Dept. mourns death of K-9 Ringo

In a 2014 LNP report, Officer Watt said using K-9 Ringo raised the stakes in pursuing suspects.

“One dog can completely change the game,” he said.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/east-hempfield-township-police-department-mourns-death-of-recently-retired/article_5abf098e-6a90-11e8-83ed-cf06be14bdec.html

Man jumps from Route 30 bridge, disappears, then reappears back on bridge

A man reportedly jumped from the Route 30 (Wrights Ferry) Bridge this afternoon, was not located by search crews, but then reappeared on the bridge 40 minutes later.
Emergency personnel responded this afternoon to a report that a man had jumped from the bridge at about 1:45 p.m. Rescue boats from Columbia Borough and Blue Rock Fire Departments deployed from Columbia River Park just before 2 p.m. and scanned the waters near the bridge for about half an hour before returning to shore. A drone was also deployed to assist in the search. West Hempfield Police surveyed the river from the Route 30 bridge and the Route 462 (Veterans Memorial) Bridge, and a York ambulance was on-hand at the park.
No one was detected in the water, although a man matching witness descriptions later appeared on the bridge, according to a source. Reportedly, four witnesses had seen the man jump about ten piers over from the Wrightsville side. (Penn Live reports that by 2:25 p.m., the man was back on the bridge, talking to police, and was being evaluated for injuries.)

About Town

Pics (and videos) from around Columbia over the past week…
 Thursday morning: Moving supplies into the DAC

 Saturday morning: Moving items out of the DAC

 Or, more precisely, out of Luthercare, on the ground floor of the DAC

 There’s a chance that the borough might move its offices to the space vacated by Luthercare.

According to School Superintendent Tom Strickler, Luthercare had been scheduled to move out on Saturday. The facility had operated at the Columbia location since 2005 but is relocating to Marietta. According to the Luthercare website, the Columbia location reduced its services on June 1. The school-age summer program will continue to operate at the Columbia location until the 2018-19 school year begins.
 Work begins anew at 208-210 Locust.

 This time, towards a more productive end

 Brookline Builders has taken over restoration of the building.

 The building has been a thorn in the borough’s side for the past few years. (Enter “208-210” in Columbia Spy‘s search field for background information on this property.)

 Spell check, please.
(On second look, maybe it’s OK.)

HERE is one of the many articles Columbia Spy wrote about the troubled property that was once thought to be in danger of collapse. The borough obtained the property by “eating” a nearly $52,000 debt owed to it by former owners Sam and Cynthia Bigler. The borough then conveyed it to the Lancaster County Land Bank, who subsequently conveyed it to Brookline Builders for $1. The borough also gave the Land Bank $70,000 to assist Brookline with the property, as we reported HERE. After much discussion by borough council, this plan was considered the best of several less-than-desirable options.
The Columbia Hero Walk Saturday morning.
The walk was sponsored by Columbia Catholic War Veterans Post 1306, and proceeds go toward helping veterans.
 For all your “spatial data” problems

 Clothes-pinned flag
 The dumpster at 747 Walnut got an extension.

 But the trashcans next to it didn’t.

 The extension expires June 10.

 Down at Bootleg Antiques . . .

 A sinkhole

 Shortly after this photo was taken, the road was repaired.

 Replacing ties out near the Columbia Plaza

 Some people park wherever they feel like.
 The former Prudhomme’s building . . . 
The old girl is now bedecked with bedsheets and bath towels.
Classy
 US Solar Development
Their website is HERE.

 Melons for sale at Keagy’s

 A tree grows in Columbia, right out of the Amvets.

Clogged drain on the Veterans Memorial Bridge

 Not to worry, PennDOT’s got this.

 They cleaned out the bridge drains on Friday.

 Seen over in Wrightsville, during the Donsco fire

 Columbia bridge burners are buried in Mount Bethel Cemetery

 Renovating the steeple?

 Is the Veterans Memorial Bridge falling apart?
The answer would be “YES.”

 Some of the metal plates on the sidewalk are sinking, among other problems.

 As we reported HERE, PennDOT is planning a major rehabilitation project, but it won’t begin until 2022 at the earliest.

 Let’s hope things hold together until then.
 Back in town – an unattended Heineken…

 an unattended “baby” . . .
 and a hubcap on a door.
Aaah, Columbia!

Down at Bank Avenue: Part of the road has been fenced off to allow for construction of the planned apartment building.

The road is till passable by going through the parking lot.
 Columbia Spy reported on the building project HERE.

 Saturday morning: Friday night’s heavy rains washed gutter debris down to the sewer grate here…
 and here.

 Another tree getting straightened at Columbia River Park-
Last winter’s river ice bent over a few of the bald cypress trees along the shore.

 One brown mouse . . .
Jethro Tull performed a song about a brown mouse HERE, based on a poem by the Scottish poet Robert Burns.

 A food truck at River Park on Saturday

 Canoe trips available

 Strickler Run Saturday morning after the heavy rain
Video of the same
Speaking of rain: Here’s a rain gauge on Manor Street on Saturday morning after heavy rain. It had been empty the night before.
[Photo: Heather Shenk]

 Coming soon on the 400 block of Locust: Boost Mobile

 Lighted flagpole down at the bridge plaza

Four well-fed ferals on Locust

p.p1 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 24.0px Arial; color: #404040; -webkit-text-stroke: #404040; background-color: #ffffff} p.p2 {margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 24.0px Arial; color: #404040; -webkit-text-stroke: #404040; background-color: #ffffff; min-height: 28.0px} span.s1 {font-kerning: none}