Author: SPY

Ring in the New Year with Father Time and Baby New Year at the place that is the center of time—The National Watch and Clock Museum. The Museum’s New Years at Noon event on December 31 is the only local New Year’s Eve party designed specifically for children during daylight hours.

Children will learn about the passage of time using traditional adult activities presented in a child-friendly manner. As part of the traditional celebration, the Museum will host a countdown with Father Time, complete with a balloon drop at the strike of noon. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Father Time will lead guests in a dance party full of fun and swinging music.

Activities include time to:

Make New Year’s hats out of recycled materials with the Lancaster Creative Reuse center booth

Pose in the Museum’s New Year’s photo booth while you show off your party hat

Play a New Year’s trivia game testing your knowledge of New Year’s traditions and history

Participate in family challenges like Minute to Win It as you race against the clock

Meet and greet with Dutch Wonderland’s Princess Brooke during story time

Create a time capsule to remember 2015

Write your resolutions for 2015 on Resolution Wall

Decorate a cookie like a clock face with Rivertownes PA, USA and enjoy it as a snack afterward

Accessorize with glitter tattoos and face painting by Mimzy’s Face Painting

Advanced registration is not necessary and all activities are included with regular paid admission of adults $9, senior citizens $8, children age 5-16 $5, children younger than 5 free, and a family rate of $23. For additional information, contact 717.684.8261, ext. 237.

The National Watch and Clock Museum is operated by the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors, Inc., a nonprofit 501(c)(3) association with more than14,000 members, representing 52 countries. April through November the Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. December through March hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. From Memorial Day through Labor Day the Museum is also open on Mondays. Discounts are available to seniors, students, AAA members, and groups of 10 or more. Groups of 10 or more are encouraged to call ahead. For more program information, directions, or general Museum information, call 717.684.8261 or visit our website at http://www.museumoftime.org

Columbia Borough School District has the most flexibility in raising taxes: up to 3.6 percent.
MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/how-high-could-school-property-taxes-go-in/article_f814d936-a998-11e5-8633-4be1aae1611c.html

From a financial standpoint, Columbia Borough School District would be better off staying closed after the holiday break.

“If it wasn't for the kids, we wouldn't come back,” board president Tom Strickler said in a phone interview Tuesday.

MORE:
http://lancasteronline.com/news/local/schools-begin—planning-even-as-this-year-s/article_36d1b8b4-a995-11e5-b6c6-cbceedc5f336.html

The Columbia School Board voted unanimously to accept the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Carol Powell at a special board meeting Tuesday night. Dr. Powell’s resignation is effective at the close of the business day on Wednesday, December 23, 2015. Powell, who was present at the abbreviated meeting, wished the district well and offered a quote from Aristotle: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

Powell has accepted a position with the School District of Lancaster as Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction at a salary of $135,000 (to be pro-rated). There was no public discussion of the particulars of Dr. Powell’s contract which was to run until 2017.

The board also approved the appointment of Dr. Kenneth Klawitter as acting superintendent, effective Tuesday December 22, 2015 at 6:30 p.m., at a salary of $115,000 for the 2015-2016 school year. His salary will be prorated beginning on December 23rd. Dr. Klawitter will receive the full complement of sick, personal, and vacation days given to administrators.

Drivers traveling past a residence at 15th and Manor Streets will be treated to a flashing Christmas light display set to music.  Listeners are invited to tune their car radios to 107.5 FM to hear the music that triggers the lights. The music can also be heard from speakers at the house.

As shown in the photo above, the stop sign at Route 441 South at the Locust Street intersection has been removed again. As we reported in previous posts, the original stop sign was removed when the Route 441 bypass was opened last week. Sometime yesterday, a stop sign was placed at the same location at this intersection. Today, the stop sign is missing again.

This photo was taken just before 4 o’clock this afternoon.

UPDATE: Sometime this afternoon – without warning – a stop sign was placed – or rather, replaced – on Route 441 South at the intersection with Locust Street.  Originally, there was a stop sign at this location, but it was removed when the Route 441 bypass was opened last week. (Columbia Spy reported on it HERE.) Now, this “new” stop sign has appeared there.

Please note: There is no stop sign on Route 441 North at Locust Street, but the one at the bottom of Locust is still there.

So, to be clear: There are two stop signs at the intersection of Route 441 and Locust – one on 441 South and one at the bottom of Locust.

A few other issues: The “new” stop sign on 441 South is merely sand-bagged in place. Also, there’s no Stop Ahead sign on the road to alert drivers of the stop sign itself. There’s no flasher on the sign. In short, there’s nothing to warn drivers that a stop sign has been placed there.

As we said previously, proceed with caution at this intersection. If this re-appearing stop sign is any indication, there’s no telling what might pop up – or disappear – next.

Is Carol Powell leaving Columbia? Signs point to “yes.” Currently, she is the superintendent of Columbia Borough School District, having assumed that position on July 1, 2014 for a three-year term at a starting salary of $115,000.

Shown below is a screen shot of Personnel Recommendations from the December 15, 2015 school board meeting agenda of the School District of Lancaster:

As shown above, a Carol Powell is slated to fill the position of Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction for SDL at a salary of $135,000 (to be pro-rated). Hire date and effective date are to be determined.

No mention of her resignation from Columbia Borough School District could be found on its website.

NEW TRAFFIC PATTERNS!

As part of the Route 441 bypass project, two stop signs have been removed on Route 441 at the intersection at the lower end of Locust Street. Drivers traveling north or south on Front Street (Route 441) no longer have to stop at this intersection. DRIVERS TRAVELING DOWN LOCUST STILL NEED TO STOP HERE – and watch for traffic from right and left – before proceeding.

Looking North on Front Street (Route 441): Drivers on 441 no longer need to stop when going straight through this intersection – or turning right, up Locust.

Looking south on 441 near the Locust Street intersection: Drivers traveling south on 441 no longer need to stop. THOSE TURNING LEFT TO GO UP LOCUST MUST YIELD TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC ON 441.