Author: SPY

Council plans to clamp down on fireworks in the borough

Columbia Borough Council has taken action to restrict the use of fireworks in the borough. At its July 9th meeting, council voted unanimously to advertise its intention to adopt a fireworks ordinance (shown below) at its August 13 meeting. The ordinance will severely restrict the use of fireworks within borough limits.
According to a statement read by councilman John Novak, who is also chair of the borough’s legislative committee, the proposed ordinance prohibits the lighting or discharge of fireworks on public property without permission from the borough. It also prohibits such use on private property without the express permission of the owner. In addition, fireworks may not be discharged within 150 feet of any building. The ordinance also covers all borough-owned parks, sidewalks, streets, and public buildings. The ordinance will take effect in accordance with Pennsylvania state law. According to Novak, the ordinance does not cover school district property, which is seen as private. It will be up to the district on whether or not to allow the use of fireworks on its properties. Borough Manager Rebecca Denlinger cited a state fireworks law that describes a violation of the law as a summary offense which, upon conviction, carries a maximum fine of $100.
Code Enforcement Manager Steve Kaufhold said, “This is a great ordinance. I think it’s a necessary ordinance,” adding that the next step will be to find a way to enforce it. Kaufhold said that a fire was caused by the discharge of fireworks on North Third Street during this year’s Fourth of July holiday. The fireworks discharge originated in a second floor apartment, which subsequently burned the kitchen of a downstairs apartment, causing $15,000 damage. Kaufhold also recalled a fire at Bully’s Restaurant a few years ago that was started by a single bottle rocket fired from across the street.
The proposed ordinance is a reaction to a state law enacted last year allowing the purchase of various commercial grade fireworks, and to complaints from borough residents. Novak said of the ordinance, “This has been, obviously, a concern of many of the citizens of Columbia, and the borough has recognized that position and situation, and the borough is reacting within the state laws to be able to provide guidance for the borough on how fireworks can be used.”

Randy Howard avoids sentencing, dismisses court-appointed attorney, hires private attorney instead

Randy Howard

Randy Howard avoided sentencing this morning when it was announced that he had just dismissed his court-appointed attorney in favor of a private attorney. According to Assistant District Attorney Andrew Gonzalez, if Howard fails to present a plea within 30 days, he could be sentenced to 10-20 years for the second strike offense.

Howard previously accepted a plea deal of 6 to 12 years at a preliminary hearing at District Judge Miles Bixler’s office in April to avoid a trial. Howard had the option of rejecting the plea deal before sentencing. He is charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy in connection with the September 3, 2017 attack on a 61-year-old Columbia man on the 600 block of Walnut Street.

Gun-wielding man robs Chestnut Street Turkey Hill store | Columbia Borough Police Department

On Monday, 7/9/18 at approximately 0150 hours, Columbia Police patrol officers were dispatched for a robbery that just occurred at the Turkey Hill convenience store located in the 300 Block of Chestnut Street in Columbia, PA.  A store employee reported that a white (Caucasian) male entered the store, displayed a handgun, and demanded cash from the register.  The suspect was described as being approximately 5’9″ tall with a stocky build.  He was wearing a camouflage mesh face covering, a black hat, a red shirt, and a black backpack.  After stealing approximately $50-$60 dollars in cash the suspect exited the store, mounted a bicycle and rode towards the 300 block of Avenue G to the rear of the store.
Anyone with information concerning this robbery is asked to contact the Columbia Police Department at 717-684-7735.   
Date: 

Monday, July 9, 2018

Case Status:

Case Type:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/robbery-0

About Town

This week’s photos from around Columbia…

(Tap/click on photos for larger, clearer images.)

More activity at Colonial Metals this week
 The saga begins here. The gate was opened; the forklift was loosed.
 It caught up with these guys over in the employee parking lot, otherwise empty these days.

But the driver apparently didn’t like the camera.
And that’s the story, for now.
Later – on Friday – this truck was creeping around the grounds and in and out of the gate.
*****
 Sawing the sidewalk on the 500 block of Chestnut

 Mayflies – all you can eat at the 7th Street LGH.
 Like the sign says

 Measuring Makle – part of the $67,000 park study?

 Trying to beat the heat, which was brutal and oppressive mid-week.

 Fish Window Cleaning power washing the wall at Eastern Drillers, in preparation for the mural installation.

The wall was later primed.
More info on the mural project HERE
Watch this space at 3rd & Locust.  A mural is planned for here, also.
The mural will look something like this.

 Brewery coming soon at 224 Locust
More info HERE

 There might be room for a few more items on this porch.

 Much like the mayflies arriving in June, this June bug showed up in July.

 Sun protection while painting

 Furling the flag on the Fourth

 Codes out and about

 Growing bigger every day.

 Street sweeper chugging along on the bridge.
Gotta keep it clean somehow.

 More parking spaces coming on Commerce Street

 Caught unawares!

Contemplating Plan B
 Getting up in the world

 Checking the lights at the NAWCC clock tower

 That way!

This is what’s inside the base of the tower.
*****

 Getting it together at 208-210 Locust

 Work stoppage at the apartment project at the bottom of Locust?

 Even Bank Avenue, which had been partially fenced off for the project, has been opened.

 An Air Force One-looking plane over the town

 Sidewalk seating

 “A New Life LLC” houses residents at 228-230 Cherry Street. Chris Dreisbach, who oversees the project, recently told borough officials that the facility is for men only. However, women are routinely seen at the site also, as shown above. 
 Buddhist statuary on South 2nd

 Some nice ladies out early at Tollbooth Antiques

 The soon-to-be animal shelter at the former CCFD building on South 10th

 Open-air roof, soon to be remedied

 Another look

 The once and future floor

Here’s what’s left of the old floor slab.

 This guy was throwing the rubble into a large dumpster.
*****

 And now for a few lilies

 A few more

Wait a minute . . .what?

 Anyway, here’s Jesus, looking all cosmic and such

 Here he is again, with that weird light around him. 

 Large pipes with large blades, most likely part of the ongoing pipeline project.

What a difference a week makes. That’s a difficult area to mow.
“Lucero” the two-year-old teacup chihuahua was out for a walk at 5th & Chestnut the other day.

The red, white, blue, white, and red!

This is how they decked out the buildings in the old days.
(This building at 2nd & Locust was once a hardware store.)

 This building at 3rd & Chestnut was named “Roselawn.”

 From the early 1900’s – Steamboat Mary, on the Columbia side

 Trolley and Town Hall in the 1930s

 Philadelphia and Reading Railroad Station
Demolished 1976. The architect was Frank Furness.
The site is now a parking lot on Bank Avenue. The building on the far left, owned by the Von Hess Foundation, is still there.

 The Rising Sun Hotel circa 1900, which decades later became Prudhomme’s.

Round house crew at Front & Bridge

 The former Town hall and Opera House, which was destroyed by fire on February 19, 1947. A new structure, now Borough Hall,  was built at the site at 3rd & Locust.

 F.W Woolworth Co. 5&10 Cent Store on the 300 block of Locust. The top part of the structure was removed, and the building became a Masonic lodge and is now… apartments?

Circa 1900

An ad from the Columbia Business Directory. Note the prices.