Author: SPY

Bridge lights installed

I took these pics of the new bridge lights on the Veterans Memorial Bridge today. Currently, there are 10 lights installed. Starting from the Wrightsville side, they leapfrog (every other pier) on the southern edge for about 2/3 of the way across to the Columbia side, and alternate with the existing pole lights. One pier was skipped for some reason. On the Columbia side, four available piers remain, which will bring the total to 15 when the rest of the lights are installed on the southern edge. I assume the same number will be installed on the northern edge, bringing the total number of lights to 30 for the entire bridge. Removing the pole lights could allow that number to double, but I don’t know if that’s part of the plan.
About a month ago, I counted only 21 light fixtures at the borough garage along the river. Are there more on the way, or are some stored elsewhere?

What I saw recently

Some shots from around town over the past few days . . . 
 Could Jim Morrison be around?

 Tracks in the grass

 Another shot of the Shawnee Creek tunnel

 A lone killdeer

 Antique roller skates at Burning Bridge Antiques

 The way to the police station

 A rusty beetle face-off

 A rusty race

A grackle looking like a cardboard cut-out of a grackle.
Life imitating art imitating life  

 Graffiti artist in training.
Someday, a true graffiti artist might emerge from our ranks, of the caliber of Keith Haring or Banksy

 Shut-off notice at Hotel Columbia/Hotel Locust

 Training session

 One of the two jets that patrol our skies daily

 Crossing the street
 Prom night
Parking brake

Utility poles installed

Over the past few days, several large utility poles have been installed in the area of Route 441 near the exit ramp to Route 30.  Each pole contains large metal pulleys.  A base station containing several bucket trucks has been set up along Route 441, just north of Route 30.

Columbia noted by Smithsonian

Columbia residents know that their little river town is full of interesting shops and restaurants, as well as rich historical significance. Apparently, the Smithsonian is also aware of Columbia’s wonderful qualities, because the organization named the borough number 13 in its 2014 list of the top 20 U.S. small towns to visit.

What I saw recently

Caught a big ‘un – a carp, that is.

 Scooping the chicken dung at McGinness’s field on Friday afternoon . . . 

and placing it in the hopper.

 Back to the pile for another scoop

 At the Earth Day celebration at Sahd’s, a young bag lady shows how many plastic bags the average American uses in a year.
Here, she’s talking to the bottle guy who’s showing – well, you guessed it.

 A male cardinal, one of the abundant variety of birds around town.

 A tunnel at Shawnee Creek, near Mill Street

 The Laurel Hill Cemetery regulations have been reposted after going missing for a while.

 Hey, where’s Jr?

 This dachsund caused a minor traffic jam on South Fourth Street on Saturday afternoon.

 Oblivious to the commotion he caused, he soon sauntered off.

Old-timey gas pump 

Here’s another one, from when gas was 41 cents a gallon.

 The Lake Meade Fire & Rescue crew practiced aquatic maneuvers Sunday morning.

 Here’s their truck.

Two in a row.
Why oh why do they ride their wheelchairs in the street where they can get hit, 
instead of on the sidewalk where they’ll be safe?
(The sidewalk curbs are handicapped accessible.)
The building that will house Little Caesar’s continues to rise.