Fire damages several structures on the 500 block of Union Street

Several departments responded to a fire call at Union Street and Corn Avenue late this morning. The fire reportedly started in a garage on Corn Avenue where several cars are stored. The garage, which is near the Union Street Laundry, has collapsed, and the fire also damaged a neighboring residence and a building with several apartment units.

MORE DETAILS WILL FOLLOW

Smoke from the fire was visible several blocks away.

The smoke was also visible from Wrightsville.
[Photo by Bob Hammer]

Columbia Borough approves one-time bonus to former interim manager

At a virtual meeting, Borough Council voted 6-1 to provide a one-time bonus of $4,000 to police Chief Jack Brommer for serving five weeks as interim borough manager. Councilperson Eric Kauffman voted against the bonus.
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/columbia-borough-approves-one-time-bonus-to-former-interim-manager/article_3639f8ce-8048-11ea-8384-2f944bd51324.html?utm_medium 

Wolf admin. orders businesses to require face masks for workers, customers

The Wolf administration said Wednesday that it’s ordering essential businesses operating under the state’s stay-at-home order to require face masks for customers and workers. The order is effective immediately and will be enforced beginning Sunday at 8 p.m.

Under the order, most businesses must bar non-essential visitors who are not wearing masks from the premises. And employers have to provide masks to workers or approve homemade masks for employees to wear. Workers don’t have to use the masks during meal breaks. 

MORE:

https://www.penncapital-star.com/covid-19/wolf-admin-orders-businesses-to-require-face-masks-for-workers-customers/ 

High winds wreak havoc around the area today

[Photo by Drew Nyce]
Today’s high winds wreaked havoc around the area, as evidenced by the missing siding on the house shown above, on South 5th Street.  
[Submitted photo, name withheld by request]
The winds also brought down a tree on South 2nd Street and left it hanging over into Avenue J (shown here and below).

[Submitted photos]

The tree was removed from Avenue J later in the day.

 PPL responded to wires down on the first block of South 4th Street.

[Photo by Melissa Shirk]

And over in East Prospect, winds blew over a stockade fence and almost took away a backyard trampoline.
 Here’s an example of one of the many wind-related calls today on the Lancaster County-Wide Communications website.
The weather forecast for Tuesday looks a little more promising.

About Town 4/12/2020

This week’s photos of Columbia

 On patrol

Bike patrol, that is
Some prefer to walk their bikes.
This bike barely averted disaster. The driver made a wide turn and almost collided with the car.
Sometimes it’s hard to “social distance” on a bike, especially here on the Veterans Memorial Bridge, where the sidewalk is only six feet wide.
Luckily, the sidewalk is 10 feet wide at the beginning of the trail, but it still presents a challenge for three or more people passing each other. (The trail widens a bit, further on.)
 Part of Chickies Rock County Park was closed earlier this week, reportedly due to the Covid crisis.

 This ranger apparently was making sure it stayed that way.

There’s his truck.
Speaking of trucks . . . looks like this man is about to be eaten by one.
 Morning at the DAC
Evening at the DAC

This church on Kinderhook Road was holding drive-thru communion/prayer for the congregation.

 Here’s their tent.

A marker along Lincoln Highway

Unfortunately, someone blinded Lincoln.

 Overstuffed at Borough Hall

 The ribs of the sky

 Some sort of op-art windmill on Purples Lane

Here are a few sections of town:

And here’s a birds-eye view of a bird (a male cardinal, to be exact).

 And of course, the bluebird of happiness, whose presence is no doubt welcome right now.

 Here’s a black vulture – hopefully not an omen.

 This one is airing out.

 A view of this week’s pink supermoon

Down by the tracks on Union

Seems they did this before, not too long ago.

The message is clear.

Sign, leaning

Many deer here

 Spraying detail at River Park

 Open
 It’s now recommended that you wear a mask whenever you go out.

 This water heater is free, even with the rust.

 This is not the proper way to dispose of a mask.

Flowers at the window.

 And here’s who’s making the windows dirty.

 Near the top of the high school hill . . . 

 A Cooper’s hawk

 York County’s “green and pleasant land”
Also over there, a recommendation to make an emergency plan, now that the zombies have been defeated.
In Wrightsville – a stay-at-home order?
In Columbia – a pray-at-home order?

Tree vines, not social distancing

The following two photos were submitted:

The Cross

A family self-isolating for Easter dinner?

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Letting loose with his favorite song

 Fallen angel

 Here’s Mary trampling a serpent in her bare feet.

Mere mortals should never try this.

 Easter’s here.

Along with the flowers

Balloon Artist Topaz Martofel created this giant Easter basket made from balloons.
(5th & Locust)

Here are some more balloons at the town square:

Before

After

Shower curtains now being used to help protect EMS crews in Lancaster County

Susquehanna Valley EMS has begun using shower curtains to help transport possible COVID-19 patients in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

“It was important for us to get the clear plastic (curtains) so they (the patients) don’t feel totally confined,” said Susquehanna Valley EMS Chief Mike Fitzgibbons.

MORE:

https://www.fox43.com/mobile/article/news/local/shower-curtains-now-being-used-to-help-protect-ems-crews-in-lancaster-county/521-19fec67f-8ce9-4000-addf-f166f4810b68