Columbia Spy

(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.) 

Rescue personnel pulled a man from the Susquehanna River this morning after he went for a swim in the cold water, as Columbia Spy reported HERE.

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Members of the Lancaster County Bird Club, who were at the Columbia Crossing building in Columbia River Park for an activity, first spotted the man in the water and called 911.

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The Veterans Memorial (Route 462) Bridge looks to be in bad shape. Will it make it to the rehabilitation project slated to start in 2027? Will the project even happen?

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These keys were hanging from a tree branch in Rotary Park and were subsequently turned in to Columbia Borough Police.

MARKET ST.

Jesse the Computer Guy at Columbia Computer & Gaming Company, 436 Locust Street, has a selection of games, DVDs, tapes, and other goodies.

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Hebe, the goddess of eternal youth, was hanging out on the 400 block of Locust Street this week.

This holiday is coming soon.

When you need to take a load off.

These things have a tendency to migrate.

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You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

A rock sculpture of sorts

Reflections

Always wear a life jacket in this zone.

The fence at River Park was broken in two places.

The Columbia Public Works Department remedied the problem.

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Meanwhile, in Washington Boro

Spare gas tank in tow

Down at the tracks

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The moon taking a break on the bridge

Coming soon

Over on the other side

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Alley cats in the 200 block of Avenue H

Canine watching the felines

The nose knows.

The General Edward C. Shannon Armory 

Friday’s sunset

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Curiosities at Columbia Curiosities . . .

Columbia Borough Council meeting, Feb. 13.

The borough has moved one step closer to receiving almost a $1 million reimbursement for money used to renovate the Columbia Market House, Borough Manager Mark Stivers told council members.

Columbia has been waiting more than three years to collect, and council members want part of the reimbursement to start the second phase of the market, Stivers said during the meeting. The second phase will focus on parking.

Reimbursement stalled when borough employees could not find a copy of the deed to the land at 15 S. Third St. Instead, Columbia had to prove ownership through other documents, such as newspaper clippings and borough council minutes from more than 100 years ago.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-council-discusses-funds-for-renovation-of-columbia-market-house/article_61a5bae6-d1e5-11ee-99c7-d320d8ca2a3c.html

Artie Poindexter scored 19 points and lifted No. 2 Columbia over third-seeded Delone Catholic 57-53 in the District Three Class 3A boys basketball semifinals at Kreiser Gym Friday.

Columbia (18-5) advanced to the district championship game for the third time in four seasons. The Crimson Tide will take on No. 1 Trinity in the final at Giant Center Wednesday at 8 p.m.

This was the last home game for the team’s eight seniors. It was the last time Poindexter will wear his No. 3 jersey and compete in the shadow of that Crimson Tide mural.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/sports/highschool/boysbasketball/artie-poindexter-helps-columbia-flip-script-on-delone-catholic-in-district-3-class-3a-boys/article_dd6bddd6-d2c6-11ee-91f6-eb0eb9063c66.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

A Columbia Borough-based pharmacist has been sentenced to three months of probation after submitting fraudulent pharmacy claims and giving customers extra pills. 

Richard Boahene, 41, of East Hempfield Township, owner of the former Qwik-Med Pharmacy at 369 Locust St., Columbia, pleaded guilty Feb. 13 to charges of improper administration of a controlled substance, making a false statement and making a false medical claim. 

Charges of drug possession with intent to deliver, dealing with proceeds of unlawful activities, criminal use of a communication facility and submitting a claim for services not rendered to a patient were dropped in the plea. 

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/columbia-pharmacist-who-admitted-to-giving-customers-extra-pills-sentenced-to-probation/article_c6638d60-d27f-11ee-bc93-2bfcefd5599e.html

Rescue personnel pulled a man from the Susquehanna River this morning after he ignored requests from police to get out of the water.

The man was initially seen at about 11 o’clock by members of the Lancaster County Bird Club, who were at the Columbia Crossing building in Columbia River Park for an activity. Members reported that the man, who was wearing a Superman t-shirt and shorts, entered and exited the water several times near the boat ramp.

After about 15 minutes, members became concerned and called 911. When police arrived, the man ignored their requests to leave the water.

Rescue crews arrived shortly after and located the man a few hundred yards downriver from the Columbia Water Company. Personnel pulled him from the water and placed him in their boat before transporting him back to the boat ramp, where crews were waiting.

The man appeared combative when he was removed from the boat. He was placed on a gurney before being taken by ambulance.

Stephen Atkins Swails

In addition to producing six generals and numerous other army officers, Columbia can boast another historical fact: It is the birthplace of the army’s first black officer in U.S. history. This fact has been confirmed by Hugh MacDougall, a historian from Cooperstown, N.Y.

Born in Columbia on February 23, 1832, Stephen Atkins Swails was the son of a black father and white mother. In 1863, while employed as a boatman in New York, Swails enlisted and joined the renowned 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment, one of the first African-American regiments in the Civil War. He eventually rose to the rank of first lieutenant.

In 1863, Swails participated in the assault on Fort Wagner in Charleston, S.C., by the 54th Regiment in the summer of 1863. The 1989 filmGlory depicted the heroic charge.

After the war, he was made a major general in the South Carolina National Guard and was elected mayor of Kingstree, South Carolina. He also served as a state senator for ten years, including three terms as president pro tem.

Swails died in Kingstree in 1901 and is buried in the Friendly Society Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina.

[Sources: LNP, Wikipedia]

Catholic War Veterans Post 1306, 250 N. Seventh St., Columbia, Feb. 12. Pass. Facility does not have written procedures for employees to follow when responding to an event involving vomitus or fecal matter discharge onto surfaces within the facility. Emailed procedures to the facility. Commercially processed, refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety food (sliced ring bologna and cubed Lebanon bologna), located in the reach-in cooler, and held more than 24 hours, is not being marked with the date it was opened. Prepackaged cherry cheesecake and apple crisp are not labeled properly with the ingredient statement and distributed-by statement. Prepackaged cherry cheesecake and apple crisp are not labeled to clearly indicate any “Big 9” allergen ingredients and/or the allergen warning statement. Soap was not available at the hand-wash sink in the men’s room. Paper towel dispenser empty at the hand-wash sink in the area of the bar. Observed working containers of chemicals and cleaners stored on a shelf in the kitchen next to food trays. Observed surface cleaner stored on a shelf next to food storage bags.

Grand China, 156 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, follow-up, Feb. 12. Pass. No violations.

General Edward C. Shannon

At its February 13 meeting, Columbia Borough Council voted to approve a resolution to name the Route 441 bridge over Route 30 for former Columbia resident General Edward C. Shannon. The bridge, which was part of the Route 441 bypass project, opened in December 2015 when the bypass opened. The structure will be known as the General Edward C. Shannon Memorial Bridge.

The location of the bridge is shown in red.

A former armory at 221 Walnut Street was named for Shannon but was later renamed the “Noah W. Wenger Center” for the PA senator who helped buy the building from the state’s department of general services. The Columbia Boys Athletic Association now owns the building and uses it for youth basketball.

During a discussion of Shannon at council’s February 6 work session, Columbia resident Dr. Claire Storm noted that Shannon was an important figure in the borough. “It really bothered me that we just sort of erased his name,” she told council.

The General Edward C. Shannon Armory at 221 Walnut Street was renamed for Senator Noah W. Wenger.

Edward C. Shannon had a long and illustrious career. In World War I, Shannon was cited for distinguished and exceptional gallantry. He was presented the Distinguished Service Medal by General John Pershing at the end of the war. Pershing said of Shannon: “He proved himself a forceful and capable military leader.” He was also awarded the Silver Star for “personally reconnoitering in front of his lines under heavy machine gun fire.”

After World War I Shannon was promoted to Brigadier General as commander of Pennsylvania’s 1st Infantry Brigade. He later commanded the 52nd Cavalry Brigade. From 1933 to 1939 Shannon served as major general and commander of the 28th Infantry Division.

Shannon was Pennsylvania’s Lieutenant Governor from 1931 to 1935.

In 1919, he was elected Prothonotary of Lancaster County. From 1931 to 1935 he served as Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, under Governor Gifford Pinchot. He unsuccessfully sought the Republican nomination for governor in 1934.

Shannon’s gravestone is located at Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens, Columbia.

Shannon lived at 500 Chestnut Street for about 20 years and died at home on May 20, 1946. He is buried at Laurel Hill Memorial Gardens, Columbia.

This plaque is located at Shannon’s former home at 500 Chestnut Street.

Chris Vera provided the Shannon photos in this article.

Columbia Spy published a previous article on General Edward C. Shannon HERE.