Author: SPY

Juneteenth

This year’s local event, set to take place rain or shine on Saturday, June 15, serves to kick off the Civil War 150: Prelude to Gettysburg commemoration of the burning of the Columbia-Wrightsville Bridge in 1863 to prevent the advance of Confederate troops. Duncan stressed that all people are invited to attend the Juneteenth festivities.
The event, a collaboration between St. Paul’s Missionary Baptist Church and Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, will begin at 10 a.m. with a memorial ceremony at Zion Hill Cemetery, located on North Fifth Street in Columbia, to honor the Union soldiers of the 54th and 55th Massachusetts Colored Infantry who are buried in the cemetery. A sign designed by local businessman Mark Kife for the cemetery will be dedicated, as well. Following the ceremony, the traditional Juneteenth parade – including re-enactors, the color guard from a local American Legion post, the South Side Steppers from the York Crispus Attucks, the Fifth Masonic District Masons, and descendants of some of the honored Union troops – will proceed to Mount Bethel Cemetery on Locust Street. Ceremony attendees will be welcome to join the processional. At Mount Bethel Cemetery, another ceremony will commemorate the service of additional 54th and 55th Massachusetts members, as well as Columbia’s Juneteenth founder, who are all buried there.
MORE HERE:

Cruisin' Columbia

The upcoming installment, the ninth annual, has been set for Saturday, June 15, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., rain or shine.
Vehicles – including cars, motorcycles, trucks, antiques, muscle cars, and much more – will be parked along Locust Street between Second and Sixth streets in Columbia, with additional activities taking place in nearby Locust Street Park. Due to the magnitude of the event, the relevant portion of Locust Street will be closed to vehicular through-traffic between the early morning hours and 4 p.m. Participating vehicles will be placed on Locust Street between 7 and 9:50 a.m.
According to Barry Doutrich, who is chairing the event with Herman Migdon, the day will begin promptly at 10 a.m. with a brief ceremony that honors veterans.
MORE HERE:

Wounded Warrior Project awareness on foot takes root in Pennsylvania

The PA Hero Walk is heading west from York County toward Pittsburgh. You can join the walk for any distance, or make a contribution by visiting the PA Hero Walk website, http://www.paherowalk.org. There you can also learn where the walk will be on any given day until it ends in Pittsburgh on June 22.

PUC will investigate proposed rate increase by Columbia Water

LANCASTERONLINE
The state Public Utility Commission on Thursday voted to investigate a proposed 21.1 percent rate increase by Columbia Water Co.

Under Columbia Water's proposal, the annual bill for a typical metered residential customer using 48,000 gallons would rise $77.64, from $367.92 to $445.56.

Including the impact on the proposal on all classes of customers, Columbia Water would see its annual revenues grow by $773,210, or 19.2 percent.

With Thursday's action, Columbia Water's request is suspended for up to seven months while a PUC administrative law judge makes a recommended decision.

Columbia Water serves about 8,700 customers within Columbia and Mountville boroughs and West Hempfield, Manor, and Donegal townships, the PUC said.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/861001_PUC-will-investigate-proposed-rate-increase-by-Columbia-Water-Cp-.html

Columbia irked by proposed 21 percent water hike

LANCASTERONLINE
An impending rate hike for water in Columbia borough had many council members on Monday night discussing ways to oppose the proposed increase.

In a notice to customers, Columbia Water Company announced rates for residential, industrial, public and commercial customers in the borough will see an increase exceeding 21 percent as of June 24, if approved by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/860366_Columbia-irked-by-proposed-21-percent-water-hike.html

What I saw recently

Some shots around town from the past week . . .
 Question – and answer (or not)

 As the crow flies . . . or sits?

 This is not how to dispose of a monitor.

 Walking the line

 Strolling players

 No trespassing . . . at a cemetery?

 Lawn furniture – and what a lawn!

 Front porch – and there’s another one of those pesky phone books!

 Whatever

 It’s a fast car – says so right there.

 It gets groceries, too (very fast, I assume).

 Lotsa flags

Let justice be done on the 150th anniversary

YORK DAILY RECORD
About 150 years after the fact, and just a couple of miles away, in Wrightsville, a crowd gathered to commemorate a Civil War soldier.
According to tradition, he was identified as a Confederate soldier when his body was discovered on the bank of the river.
So we have an unknown enemy soldier, an invader of our soil, who is remembered today with a marker. His kinsmen in uniform blew the head off of a defender and fired on a town full of civilians. On the march, they stole horses, terrorized women and children and destroyed crops.

And then not far away, we have a site where an unknown friendly soldier in blue lost his life in defense of his home and country.

The site where he died, which could be identified within a couple of yards, is forgotten today.

Key to boating safety: Know the conditions

LANCASTERONLINE
Boaters can get a sense of conditions on the Susquehanna River in Lancaster County long before they hit the water.

One resource is the Lower Susquehanna River Hotline (1-800-692-6328).

Maintained by Safe Harbor Water Power Corp., the hotline offers a daily recording describing the water levels and conditions for the Lake Clarke and Lake Aldred sections of the Susquehanna.

The information also can be found on Safe Harbor's website, shwpc.com.

MORE HERE:
http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/859658_Key-to-boating-safety–Know-the-conditions.html