Columbia School Board president resigns abruptly; 3 new directors are chosen

 Kate Keyser (left) and Sandra Duncan were appointed to the school board at Thursday night’s meeting.

Lester Putt was also appointed to the board. Seated next to him is director Rachel Kedney, who nominated the three new appointees.

At Thursday night’s Columbia School Board meeting, it was announced that President Keith Combs resigned his position effective August 15 via a letter dated the same day. (No reason was given for the resignation.)

As a result, the board appointed Charles Leader as president and Kathy Hohenadel as vice president. Leader was formerly the board’s vice president.

The board also filled three vacancies by appointing Sandra Duncan, Kate Keyser, and Lester Putt to 3-month terms. Board Director Rachel Kedney selected the three in a single nomination. A fourth candidate, Robert Misciagna, was not nominated. The seats were open due to the resignations of Keith Combs and Jenna Geesey, and the passing of Barry Ford.

Lawmakers are talking about eliminating school property taxes. Again.

“From Columbia Borough… to Elanco, to Manheim, to Ephrata to Elizabethtown – I hear it everywhere,” Aument said in an interview in Harrisburg on Wednesday. “I don’t think there’s a district, at least in northern Lancaster County, that’s immune from passion around that topic and that issue.”

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/lawmakers-are-talking-about-eliminating-school-property-taxes-again/article_2368e464-bed6-11e9-8674-2b491a8bac2b.html

Used needles, heroin left in a makeup bag on a Carrabba's table lead to charges for Columbia woman

Caitlyn Amanda Hughes
A Columbia woman is facing charges after a Carrabba’s employee was poked with a used hypodermic needle.

The needle was left behind in a makeup bag on a table Aug. 11. The bag contained 20 used hypodermic needs, 18 of which were uncapped, police said.

There were also 16 baggies of heroin and a metal spoon inside the bag, according to police.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/used-needles-heroin-left-in-a-makeup-bag-on-a/article_a3f27e6a-bea4-11e9-bacd-b365eb6b51cb.html

THE COLUMBIA BOROUGH POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS YOUR HELP TO IDENTIFY THIS MAN | Columbia Borough Police Department

The Columbia Borough Police are investigating an incident that happened in the 100 Block of South 4th Street.  The CBPD needs your help to identify the man in the attached photographs. 

Anyone with information about this suspect is encouraged to contact the Columbia Borough Police Department at 717-684-7735 or text LANCS to 847411. 
Date:  Wednesday, August 14, 2019 
Case Status: Current 
Case Type: Criminal 
Case Region: Northeastern 

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/columbia-borough-police-department-needs-your-help-identify-man

Columbia Borough awarded $1.75 million matching grant (pending final application) for Market House, parking

Columbia Borough has been approved to receive $1.75 million for renovations to Columbia Market House and the creation of additional downtown parking.
The money comes from Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Grant program. Columbia’s project is one of six in the county that received a total of $4.95 million in the program’s most recent funding round.
Administered through the Office of the Budget, the grants must be matched with an equivalent or greater dollar amount from local sources — thus, in Columbia’s case, the total budget would be at least $3.5 million.
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/state-redevelopment-grants-go-to-columbia-market-house-cleft-palate/article_0e94cf2c-bd54-11e9-9a82-bfe8fbd7e582.html

5 Lancaster County districts, IU13 receive nearly $1 million in state school safety grants

The Columbia Borough School District received the most funding within the county, with grants totaling $361,610 to replace its aging public address system, support the school resource officer position and create a visitor management system.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/lancaster-county-districts-iu-receive-nearly-million-in-state-school/article_ce0fbb8e-bd3e-11e9-b575-7bb765c4da0a.html

About Town 8/11/19

This week’s photos of Columbia

Officer Mann gives directions.
 Because moments earlier, this happened.

 A flatbed hauling railroad ties making a right turn onto North 3rd (heading south) from Chestnut was heading right smack-dab towards the police car (far left).

With a second flatbed close behind. Fortunately, a collision was averted.

 Better order a gross of these, considering all the recent road construction.

 Will that be 1-1/2 tickets or 2?

 Archway in Avenue F

 Antiques

 Ready to roll

 Religious icon and heavenly light
 Collecting rainwater or avoiding erosion?

 Some people can do this.

 Fresh produce at Andy’s on Ironville Pike

 Leaning ever more day by day
 Hooray for the blue, white, and red!

 For collecting rainwater?

 It’s right up there at the Saint John Lutheran Church.

 Why is the grass always greener on the other side?

 Post: abandoned

 Progress at “Coffee and Cream” at Front & Walnut

 Another of those painted rocks
 Plans: revealed

 Several apartments available

 Notice #1

 Notice #2

 Notice #3

Some folks claim this is their middle name.

 Another wide turn: 2nd onto Union

 Rumor has it there’s a cottage in there somewhere.

There it is. 
Welcome to the jungle!

 Shoring it up

 Progress at 208-210 Locust

 For everyone who doesn’t like “negative news,” here’s where the good news is, down at the bus stop, straight from God! (Says so right on the poster.)

 At least it’s not a mattress this time.

When you need to mow your brick sidewalk
[Submitted photo]

 After a recent rain

 More progress at Keysone Cap

 It got bent.

 Second-floor butterfly bush

 It ends way up there?
The Locust Street Swamp
 At least the stop sign is protected.

 Enjoying the view
 They’re still with us.

 Flutterby on flower

 Two-engine vehicle

 Everything’s possible in Columbia – even a weed growing out of the top of a post.

Everyone’s favorite Columbia club

 There’s even a billboard for it in York County – to bring visitors into town.

 But fortunately this is at the edge of town ^^^
 Self-referential sign?

Mrs. Pit

 Gender-neutral restroom – old school

 Bell towers

 Time to unwrap

 Bird on many wires

 Open air tour

 Field of Screams is in town.

 Spigots and containers

 About to get breakfast

 Backyard windmill

 Humongous hose reel

 The tiny house is for sale.
(Columbia Spy posted an article about it HERE.)

 Beating the heat

 The infamous sign – now with more and better graphics

Long lashes