Year: 2018

CVS RETAIL THEFT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED | Columbia Borough Police Department

Thank you to all who provided tips.  The individual pictured earlier in connection with the CVS retail theft has been identified.

The Columbia Borough Police Department Appreciates your willingness to help.

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/cvs-retail-theft-has-been-identified

Retail Theft: 2 Cases of beer fron Little's Beverage| Columbia Borough Police Department

Suspect in beer theft at Little’s Beverage
On 03-19-18 at approx. 7PM the pictured male took a case of beer from Little’s Beverage at 1224 Lancaster Ave. The male in the photograph also took a case of beer earlier in the day at approx. 9:20AM as well. The male was described as a black male wearing blue jeans, black sneakers, a black jacket and a red hat. In the morning the male had black colored Nike back pack with him. If anyone knows the identity of the pictured male they are asked to contact the police department at 717-684-7735 or submit a tip below. The male was last observed travelling west through Ave V to the Holy Trinity Cemetery then into Ave W towards Plane St.
Date: 

Monday, March 19, 2018

Case Status:

Case Type:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/retail-theft-2

Retail Theft at CVS – Can you ID this woman?

Suspect in baby formula theft at CVS

On 03-19-18 at approx. 7PM a retail theft occurred at the CVS located at 615 Locust St. The pictured female took baby formula from the store without paying for it. The female was last observed in the area of 4th and Locust St. She is described as a white female wearing blue sneakers, gray sweatpants and a leopard print jacket. If anyone has any information on who the person may be, they are asked to contact the police department at 717-684-7735 or submit a tip below.
Date: 

Monday, March 19, 2018

Case Status:

Case Type:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/retail-theft-1

Major reconstruction project could shut down Veterans Memorial Bridge in 2020-21

The Veterans Memorial Bridge might be shut down during a major reconstruction project.
A major reconstruction project currently underway might shut down the Veterans Memorial Bridge in 2020-21. Mayor Leo Lutz made the announcement at last Wednesday’s Safety Committee meeting.

The $54-60 million reconstruction and rehabilitation project will include a refurbished deck with an 8-foot-wide walking lane, two 8-foot bicycle lanes (on the north and south sides), and two 9-foot traffic lanes in the center. The narrower traffic lanes will be a deterrent for speeders, Lutz said. All lanes will be separated with white traffic lines.

Additional construction will bring the bridge into compliance. Of concern is a bridge arch that has “frozen” into place above its bearing and caused a significant crack. (All bridge arches rest on bearings, allowing expansion and contraction.) Despite the cracking, the bridge is rated “fair” and is considered safe. The underside of the bridge will be completed before deck work begins, Lutz said. Lights might also be added to the underside to help keep mayflies off the road surface and to beautify the bridge.

Two options are being considered for construction: closing off one lane of the bridge and having traffic flow in one direction in the remaining lane; or shutting down the bridge entirely, allowing the project to be completed more quickly (in about a year), since workers would not have to interact with traffic. Lutz said the second option is unfavorable because a traffic accident on Route 30 could shut down the Wrights Ferry (Route 30) Bridge also, preventing all traffic from crossing the river. He added, however, that the four lanes of the Wrights Ferry Bridge could quickly be converted to two in such a case, using existing median barriers as “gates.”

A portion of Rotary Park will be used to stage construction equipment and materials, and the former Columbia #1 Fire Company building along Front Street could serve as offices, Lutz said. RK&K Engineering, PennDOT, and the Lancaster County Planning Commission have already met to discuss the project. Preliminary engineering design work is scheduled for the next year and a half.

Columbia Spy previously posted these related articles: 

Part 1 – Columbia to Chickies Rock: Explore the geology of Chickies Rock, other areas on trail along Susquehanna River

Columbia is located within the Piedmont Lowlands Section or locally known as the Conestoga Valley.

MORE:

https://www.ydr.com/story/opinion/columnists/2018/03/15/take-geological-tour-northwest-lancaster-county-recreational-trail/427794002/

Resident asks why Columbia doesn't have a police dog

Frank Doutrich posted a banner on his 9th Street property about Columbia’s need for a police dog.

A long-standing controversy surfaced once again at Monday night’s borough council meeting when resident Frank Doutrich asked Mayor Leo Lutz why Columbia doesn’t have a police dog. Doutrich said he saw that two other municipalities just got police dogs.

“I never heard it from the chief, why we don’t have a police dog. I’m tired of hearing, ‘It’s the kids.'” Doutrich said, referring to the mayor’s stated concern about the dog intimidating children. “Isn’t there kids in any of these other municipalities?”

Lutz replied, “But they’re not using the dogs on the kids like you suggested.”

“Other municipalities are using it [a K-9 program].” Doutrich said. ” Why aren’t we?” Doutrich said the program was funded.

“In order to have a K-9 assigned to the police department you have to have an officer that’s willing to take on the K-9,” Lutz said. “We do not have an officer willing to take on the K-9. So, therefore, we cannot have a dog.” Doutrich replied that Columbia does have an officer available, but Lutz heatedly replied, “That officer will never have a dog in Columbia Borough.”

Doutrich accused the mayor of being political about the issue. Lutz denied the claim and said the issue is about liability.

According to a February 26, 2014 LancasterOnline article, the issue was visited in a heated back-and-forth at that month’s borough council meeting. At the meeting, Lutz said the reason for discontinuing the K-9 was due to the officer’s concern about having a dog in his home that is trained to bite. One council member said he had spoken to the officer and Lutz’s assertion was incorrect. According to the article, Lutz said that a second officer considered taking on the role of handler but was also concerned about having such a dog in his home.

In a comment following the article, a Columbia resident stated, in part: “Seems as though someone is hiding something and now the Borough is without an asset in its crime fighting arsenal. The lack of a handler is pure balderdash.”

Engraved bricks to honor military personnel are available now – Dedication to be held May 26

Order form for bricks

The public is invited to purchase bricks in honor/memory of individuals who served, or are currently serving in, the armed forces. Bricks are available to honor military personnel from any area, not just Columbia Borough.

The cost is $50 per 4” x 8” brick, each of which may have up to three lines of text, with up to 15 characters per line. Bricks will be engraved in all capital letters and will be placed in a walkway at the Veterans Memorial Bridge plaza to honor veterans and provide a grand entranceway to Columbia Borough from the bridge.

Plans for the “Veterans Memorial Bridge Island Gateway Project” call for a number of additional improvements: an array of flags representing all branches of the military, lighting, and updated landscaping. The fundraising portion of the project includes the development of brick walkways at the bridge plaza. Part of the project’s backstory can be found HERE.

A dedication is planned for May 26, 2018, the day before Columbia’s Memorial Day parade. The deadline for ordering bricks to be included in the May 26 dedication is April 15.  There is also a deadline of July 2 for an August  install, and a deadline of October 1 for a November install.

Completed purchase forms along with payment should be sent to:

VFW Veterans Memorial Flag Project
c/o Kevin Kraft
PO Box 231,
Columbia PA 17512

Questions should be directed to Kevin Kraft at 717-684-2370.

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Randy Howard unable to post $250,000 bail – Hearing set for next week

Randy Cornell Howard

Randy Cornell Howard, who was apprehended by Columbia Borough and West Hempfield Police yesterday, is now in Lancaster County Prison. Bail was set at $250,000 (monetary), which he was unable to post. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 20, at 9 a.m., at Magisterial District Judge Miles K. Bixler’s office. He is charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy in connection with the September 3, 2017 wolfpack attack on a Columbia man on the 600 block of Walnut Street.

Docket Sheet:

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