About Town

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.

Shirley A. Meley, lifelong Columbian, touched the lives of many

Shirley A. Meley

Shirley A. Meley, a lifelong resident of Columbia, PA passed peacefully on Wednesday, May 2, 2018 after a lengthy illness. She was born August 13, 1935, to the late Kathryn Miller Rupp and late step-father Carl F. Rupp. She is survived by her husband, the love of her life, William N. Meley, who she met in tenth grade homeroom and spent the next sixty-eight years with.

She leaves five children and their families to mourn: Nicholas & Christine (Gerfin), Anthony & Deb (Haldeman), Gregory, Kathleen, and Patricia. She adored her grandchildren: Amy (Ben), Dominic (Jess), Vincent, Margaret, and Elizabeth. And she was blessed to be an integral part of her great-grandchildren’s lives: Caedan, Julian, Gianna, Oliver and Oscar. She was predeceased by her beloved grandson Brendan.

She is survived by her three sisters: Carla (Walter) Petroski, Corinne (Dan) Ritz, and Christina (Marty) Zeamer, and her brothers-in-law: Joe (Holly) Mele, James (Jennifer) Meley, and Patrick Meley, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was also predeceased by her cherished parents-in-law, Nicholas & Margaret Meley, and brother-in-law Laurence Meley.

She was a lifelong learner and a passionate teacher, graduating as class valedictorian from Columbia High School, Class of 1953, while winning awards and scholarships as best student in science, mathematics, Latin and English. While working and raising her children, she earned both her BS in education and MS as a reading specialist and educational administrator from Millersville University. Her decades-long teaching career began in 1965 at the recently opened St. Leo the Great School in Rohrerstown (before the windows were even installed!), but her love of helping others achieve their academic goals began in first grade when she tutored her fellow students in reading, and continued through her high school years as she helped many classmates improve their grades and fulfill their potential. 

In 1970 she began teaching fourth grade at Holy Trinity School in Columbia and became the school’s first lay principal in 1983, spending the next fifteen years in a position she relished, until she retired in 1998. She cared deeply for the well-being of the hundreds of students whose minds and hearts she touched, and she liked nothing better than hearing from former students and celebrating their achievements. In a commemorative book presented to her upon her retirement, student after student described her as compassionate, generous of spirit, warm, and always available with comfort, a smile or a hug. Her love of teaching, and the grace with which she performed her duties as an educator, inspired a number of her students to become teachers themselves, some of whom she later hired to teach at Holy Trinity.

She was an active member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, serving as a CCD teacher, an extraordinary minister, a Pre-Cana counselor, a lector, a member of the Altar Rosary Society, and a member of the HT Mother’s Club. She served on the Lancaster County Youth Aid Panel, counseling first-time juvenile offenders from Columbia Borough, describing it as one of the most fulfilling experiences she ever had.

Possessing a generous heart and always championing the under-dog, she was an unflinching warrior for social justice, an early advocate for tolerance and cultural diversity, and she embraced interactions with folks from all walks of life, knowing each encounter enriched her life.

A former Girl Scout, she continued her love of scouting by serving as a Den Mother for the Cub Scouts. She was an excellent seamstress, sewing everything from gowns for girls in her family to celebrate the 1963 Civil War Centennial, to Barbie Doll clothes, to surfer swimming trunks for her sons. She was an excellent cook, preparing family recipes, from PA Dutch cooking to Italian cuisine, and her potato salad was legendary. She was also an exceptional baker, known for her perfect pie crusts and her cookies. At Christmas, she baked dozens of different kinds of cookies, making sure everyone’s favorite was available. She collected angel figurines, many of which were gifts from her former students.

Each day and especially on Sunday, she completed her New York Times crossword puzzle. In addition to her love for all of God’s children, she also loved all the dogs in her life and was caught on a number of occasions singing “Gene’s a Yankee-Doodle-Doggie”!

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 409 Cherry St., Columbia, PA 17512 on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 promptly at 10:00 a.m. with the Rev. Stephen P. Kelley, Celebrant. Interment will follow in Holy Trinity Catholic Cemetery. Family and friends may view at the Clyde W. Kraft Funeral Home, Inc., 519 Walnut St., Columbia, PA on Tuesday evening from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. (Recitation of the Holy Rosary at 7:30 p.m.) and again on Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. at the church. The community is invited to attend a fellowship luncheon at the Knights of Columbus, Fourth and Maple Sts., Columbia, PA following the interment. 

Donations in Shirley’s memory in lieu of flowers may be made to the Brendan W. Meley Memorial Award, c/o Thaddeus Stevens Foundation, 750 E. King St,. Lancaster, PA 17602 or to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o of Holy Trinity Catholic Church at the above address. Please add Shirley A. Meley on memo line.

Police, EMT resources are being drained in Lancaster and Columbia by a rise in synthetic drug use

“The use of synthetic cannabinoids/K2 in Columbia has been prevalent for years,” borough police Detective Matthew D. Leddy said in an email. “Our patrol officers are exposed to users of synthetic cannabinoids on a regular basis.”
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/police-emt-resources-are-being-drained-in-lancaster-columbia-by/article_91d31d5c-47f4-11e8-9639-bb932ec444ff.html

Criminal Mischief – Graffiti on retaining wall along Northwest River Trail

A report was made on 4/23/18 at approximately 2:00pm that graffiti was observed on a tall retaining wall along the Northwest River Trail in the area of Rt. 30.  If anyone has information regarding this vandalism please contact the Columbia Police Department at 717-684-7735 or text LANCS to 847411.
Date: 

Monday, April 23, 2018

Case Status:

Case Type:

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/cases/criminal-mischief-8

Arbor Day in Columbia – Photo Highlights

The 27th annual Arbor Day ceremony was held at Columbia’s Makle Park on Friday, April 27. The event was sponsored by the Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission and the Columbia Tree Society. Master of Ceremonies Pam Williams (above) opened the proceedings.
Council President Kelly Murphy offered remarks on the significance of Arbor Day.

Sandra Duncan addressed the crowd.

Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School Choir accompanied Duncan in a musical performance.

Amy Evans, chair of the Columbia Borough Shade Tree Commission, offered welcoming remarks.

Mark Zeamer announced the coloring contest winners.

Mayor Leo Lutz spoke of the environmental value of trees.
Boy Scout Troop  #35 gave the salute.

Our Lady of the Angels Catholic School Choir performed several songs during the ceremony . . .

featuring several soloists.

Rick Hartleib from the DCNR Bureau of Forestry spoke again this year and presented the Tree City USA Award.

Sam Edmond planted a tree in memory of his father.

A flag was unveiled recognizing Columbia as a Tree City USA.
Columbia High School senior Marcus Falcon read Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees.”

About Town

This week’s pics in and around Columbia…
 This Moto Marshal was part of the “Face of America” event, participants of which passed through Columbia on Sunday morning.

The event is organized by World T.E.A.M., which brings adaptive and able-bodied athletes together by empowering, enabling and engaging individuals through inclusive athletic events, according to the organization’s website.
 The cyclists were on their way to Gettysburg, after having spent a Saturday night stopover in Lancaster. They started out in Philadelphia.

Several dozen cyclists took part.

 Even recumbent bikes were welcome.

 Friendly bikers passing through

The group stopped briefly along Chestnut Street before re-embarking. They planned to meet up in Gettysburg with another group that set out from Arlington National Cemetery.
*****
 Someone left the door open down at the tracks.

 Here’s a sidewalk syringe along 462.

 Last winter’s river ice did a number on the bald cypress trees along the shoreline. The one shown above is listing a bit, so let’s fix it…

 There, that’s better.

 Checking out the knitted caps…
She’ll need at least three.

 This is who’s doing the financing for the construction project at Locust Street and Bank Avenue.

 PA Heroes Walk/Ride June 2

 16.2 miles on the Northwest River Trail

Some folks prefer another route: 
ON the beaten track.
 Saturday morning fog

 Down by the bridge plaza

 Even the lights barely cut through.

 The bridge receded into the fog.
 In some places, the bridge “appeared to disappear.”
 Half a bridge is better than none.
 Some fishermen were undaunted by the fog.

 Captions for the next two photos got lost in the fog…

 As seen from one of the Civil War piers

 A bridge and a pier

 Fence in the fog

 Lights and lights

 Where’s that confounded bridge?

 Columbia Crossing

 Along the tracks

 Up on the rooftop…

 A difference of opinion?

 A cellar without a house, soon to be an apartment building
(Locust Street & Bank Avenue)

 Near the intersection of Locust and 441

 Only this headless porch dwarf seemed able to withstand the fog.

 Figure in the fog

 Bordered by the filigree

 The 200 block of Locust, looking east

 The 300 block, same direction
 Saint Paul’s Episcopal, 340 Locust

 Saint Francis at Saint Paul’s

 Columbia Presbyterian, 360 Locust

 The 400 block of Locust

 Another figure in the fog
(500 block of Locust)

 Dragon at Global Time Wizard

 The Returned Soldier

 The former Manor Street School, now apartments

 “Wagner for Governor” 
Just a photo caption, enthusiastically NOT an endorsement

 So that’s how hubcaps are grown.

 Outhouse for a very small person
(Plane Street)

 Checking the plots at 4th & Mill

 A subtly suggested stop?

 Investigation inside

 Pointing the joints

A reader sent this photo of an item dated November 1, 1902 from the original Columbia Spy newspaper. The address is listed as 147 Locust Street.

 Kayaks are back
at Chiques Rock Outfitters.

 Baby on board

 This cat knows which way the wind blows.
(Commerce Street)

 Flagpoles down at the bridge plaza…
The dedication is May 26.

 New Age Riders

 Another low-flier

 So, what actually happened here?
(5th & Walnut)

 Legs with hats
Now we need heads with socks.
(400 block of Locust)
 Leaded glass from times past
(400 block of Locust)

 Gift/Art shop on Locust

 Is he ever here?

Camera-shy

 Not so, this one. He’s just showing off.
A see-through bird near 2nd & Union

A bird tribunal to judge the preceding birds?

 Resident Heather Shenk submitted these photos (above and below) of a peregrine falcon, taken last Sunday.

It appeared to be hunting some song birds behind the former power substation next to Columbia Fire Company. It landed in a tree on the other side of the former McGinness airfield, looked around for a few minutes, then took off flying in the direction of the river.

 A dragonfly…
Apparently, they’re bigger this year.

 Nature’s mural (with a little help from a can of paint)

 Secluded tattoo shop on 5th

A sighting of the elusive leaf-backed tabby, rare in these parts

Man accused of stealing from lockers at LA Fitness charged with 10 counts of theft & several additional

Anthony T. Key
Theft By Unlawful Taking / Attempted Theft By Unlawful Taking / Criminal Mischief Arrest, 4:49 p.m., Thursday, April 26, 2018, 1300 Lititz Pike – LA Fitness (MT) – Anthony T. Key, M/54, of Columbia PA, was charged with the above offenses following a lengthy investigation by detectives.  From July 2017 to March 2018, the Manheim Township Police Department received thirteen (13) reports of Theft or Attempted Theft at the LA Fitness located at 1300 Lititz Pike in Manheim Township.  During each of these instances, victims secured their property in a locked locker.  When they returned, they found the lockers forcibly opened and damaged.  Their property previously stored inside had been stolen. 
The detective assigned to the case obtained copies of surveillance footage from the gym, during the dates and times of the thefts.  Numerous hours were spent reviewing footage in an attempt to locate any suspect/s that were consistently observed in the building during the time periods of the thefts.  Eventually Key was identified as the person who had committed the thefts.  A criminal complaint was filed against Key on the morning of Thursday, April 26, 2018, and an arrest warrant was obtained for the following charges:
1- Ten (10) counts of Theft by Unlawful Taking
2- Three (3) counts of Attempted Theft by Unlawful Taking
3- Thirteen (13) counts of Criminal Mischief
In the afternoon of Thursday, April 26, 2018, Key was arrested at the gym after an additional theft had been reported.  Key was later taken to Central Arraignment.  He faces additional charges for the theft incident from April 26, 2018.
MEDIA CONTACT: Sergeant Michael T. Piacentino, W: 717-569-6401 Ext: 1583, C: 717-340-2130, piacentm@police.co.lancaster.pa.us
Arrest Date: 

Thursday, April 26, 2018

Case Number: 

2018-MT-02131

Source: 

Manheim Township Police Department

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/manheimtwppd/53783/arrests/key-anthony-t-10-counts-theft-unlawful-taking-and-2-additional-charges