The fountain in the town square at 480 Locust Street might soon disappear.
During the February 6, 2024 Columbia Borough Council Work Session, Parks & Rec Committee Chair Elizabeth Andrews said the fountain has been nonfunctional for several years, and the committee recommends that it be removed.
The round basin around the bottom will remain in place and possibly become a platform for art pieces created by local artists, to be changed every few years.
The celebration of Saint Valentine’s Day, referred to in Latin as “in natali” meaning “on the birthday,” has its roots in Christian tradition and is commemorated by the Western Christian Church to honor a martyr named Valentine, as documented in the 8th-century liturgical book known as the Gelasian Sacramentary. In contrast, the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, dedicated to the deities Pan and Juno who represented love, marriage, and fertility, was celebrated from February 13th to 15th. This festival was primarily associated with purification and health and had only a minor link to fertility and no connection to romantic love. The romantic aspects of Saint Valentine’s Day were not associated with the holiday until the 14th century when Geoffrey Chaucer penned poetry about it, long after the presumed end of Lupercalia celebrations.
Lupercalia was specific to Rome itself, while the broader Festival of Juno Februa, which translates to “Juno the purifier” or “the chaste Juno,” took place on February 13th and 14th. Although the Catholic Encyclopedia entry on Pope Gelasius I claims that he put an end to Lupercalia during his papacy from 492 to 496, Methodist theologian Bruce Forbes has pointed out that there is no solid evidence connecting Saint Valentine’s Day to Lupercalia’s ancient rituals, despite various authors suggesting otherwise.
Recent photos of Columbia
(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.)
Sunset
“God” is at Holy Trinity Cemetery
Hope at Mount Bethel seems to be asking God to “hol’ up” a minute.
John Houston Mifflin at Mount Bethel Cemetery
Columbia’s got talent!
Coming soon at 5th & Locust
More “signs” of Columbia’s dog poop problem
Mardi Gras Crawdad
Propane tanks out in the open. What could go wrong?
Seen on Bank Avenue:
One label says: “…Pre and Post Milking Iodine…for Dairy Cows”
Wait . . . what?
More jumbled numbers
Only rain, please.
That means no used motor oil, cigarette butts, urine, spit, etc.
There’s a message here somewhere.
Always check your order before you get home.
This Dunkin order was supposed to be for a sweet black pepper bacon breakfast sandwich on a croissant, and a cream-filled donut.
Traffic was backed up through town for about four hours last Monday, due to a vehicle accident on Route 30 in York County.
Although most drivers patiently endured the situation, some resorted to cursing and horn blowing.
On Thursday, the bridge inspectors were out again, possibly due to the weight of Monday’s traffic backup, in which many vehicles were stuck on the bridge, or were moving very slowly.
GONE! Universal Techs at 4th & Chestnut
The left wing might be out of blinker fluid.
The sky is a hazy shade of winter.
Across the river
Coming soon: a sign that’ll say “Coming Soon” or something similar.
The Chinese New Year was celebrated at the Buddhist temple on Saturday…
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February is Black History Month.
Enjoying the view
There’s one in every crowd.
Eagle at the American Legion
Here’s another bird: A Northern cardinal.
Old-school “SUV”
All you need is the above-named emotion.
The original is HERE.
Flags
PPL doesn’t allow staples in their poles.
Snowdrops
The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, 866-366-3723, uses a risk-based inspection reporting process for restaurants and other food handlers.
Level Up Pizza, 237 Locust St., Columbia, Jan. 31. Pass. Observed a bag of flour stored directly on the floor in the kitchen, rather than 6 inches off of the floor as required. Refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety food (tuna salad) prepared in the food facility and held for more than 24 hours, located in the reach-in cooler in the kitchen, is not being date-marked. Salami, capicola and turkey breast, refrigerated, ready-to-eat, time/temperature-control-for-safety food in the reach-in cooler in the kitchen, were date-marked by the facility but were beyond the seven-day use- or sell-by date and require discarding. Prepackaged cheesecake, chocolate cake and carrot cake are not labeled to clearly indicate any “Big 9” allergen ingredients and/or the allergen warning statement; repeat violation, June 16 and 23, 2022, and Jan. 20, 2023. Prepackaged cheesecake, chocolate cake and carrot cake are not labeled properly with the name of product, ingredient statement, net weight, distributed-by statement and/or nutritional facts; repeat violation, June 16 and 23, 2022, and Jan. 20, 2023. Soap dispenser at the hand-wash sink in the kitchen was inoperable.
Columbia Mart, 890 Lancaster Ave., Columbia, Jan. 29. Pass. Observed a scrub brush being stored in the hand-wash sink. The hand-wash sink in the back is filthy. The hand-wash sink in the back was blocked by a mop bucket and not accessible at all times for employee use. The paper towel dispenser was not functioning due to the batteries being dead.
Smoke & Chill, 353 Cherry St., Columbia, complaint, Jan. 29. Pass. A bag marked “12-pc beef” observed in the walk-in cooler, contents are moldy and adulterated. Observed liquid spillage on the floor inside the walk-in cooler.
Columbia Spy 