COVID-19 or Coronavirus Update and Response | Columbia Borough Police Department

The CDC is recommending social distancing among all citizens.  There will be some minor changes and responses during the next few weeks.  You will still see Officers from the Columbia Borough Police patrolling the community and enforcing laws.  We are encouraging all non-emergency calls to be handled over the telephone at (717)684-7735 when possible.  If you need to bring documents into the Police Department, you can utilize the Dispatch Center, however all communication will be done through the audio system. Please try to refrain from coming to the Station.  They will also refrain from physical contact with the general public (ie. hand shaking) except in cases of arrest or lifesaving measures.  Officers will be issued personal protective equipment (ie.respirators, and gloves), so you may see them handling certain calls wearing this equipment.  Don’t be alarmed if you see certain first responders wearing masks for calls.  This is to protect the Officers and our citizens from further spread.  Wash your hands frequently and stay six feet away from other persons.   We greatly appreciate your patience during this time.

For more information visit:

Lancaster County Emergency Management – https://www.lancema.us/

PA Department of Health – https://www.health.pa.gov/topics/disease/Pages/Coronavirus.aspx

PA Emergency Management Agency – https://www.pema.pa.gov/Pages/AlertDetails.aspx

Center for Disease Prevention – https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html

World Health Organization – https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/situatio...

Source:  Columbia Borough Police Department

Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/post/covid-19-or-coronavirus-update-and-response

Lancaster County to sign declaration of disaster emergency

The Lancaster County Board of Commissioners will declare the COVID-19 virus a disaster emergency tomorrow at its 10 AM meeting.

Despite there being no confirmed cases yet in Lancaster County, the move will allow the county to be eligible to recover funds spent during the COVID-19 response. 

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/health/lancaster-county-to-sign-declaration-of-disaster-emergency-tomorrow/article_0dd402ac-67c1-11ea-8970-1f8aec907710.html 

PA workers affected by COVID-19 may be eligible for unemployment and workers’ compensation benefits

Workers in Pennsylvania who are impacted by COVID-19 may be eligible for Unemployment and Workers’ Compensation benefits, Secretary of Labor & Industry (L&I) Jerry Oleksiak announced today.  

Unemployment compensation claims should be submitted online for faster processing. 

MORE:

https://www.fox43.com/article/news/local/unemployment-covid19-cornavirus/521-9f0eaa69-0406-4f94-a70c-e94521667f8c 

Pa. wine and spirit stores will indefinitely close Tuesday amid COVID-19 concerns

All Fine Wine & Good Spirits stores and licensee service centers statewide will close indefinitely Tuesday to help slow the spread of COVID-19, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board announced Monday.

All stores will close at 9 p.m. Tuesday until further notice, according to a news release. Sales on the Fine Wine & Good Spirits website will stop at 5 p.m. Monday.

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/pa-wine-and-spirit-stores-will-indefinitely-close-tuesday-amid/article_dffd6e06-67c3-11ea-8757-1b7de35e45d7.html?utm_medium 

Gov. Tom Wolf orders state shutdown of non-essential stores as of midnight – pennlive.com

Gov. Tom Wolf has announced that Pennsylvania has ordered a shutdown of non-essential stores, as well as bars and restaurants except for takeout and delivery as of midnight. He anticipates it to continue for two weeks.

This also includes day programs for seniors. He also called for day care facilities to close, but they will not be forced to do so. There is no plans to order a curfew at this time, but Wolf urged people to stay home as much as possible. He also won’t force the dirt racing tracks that remained open over the weekend to close, but urged owners to take the safety of residents into account when scheduling future races.

MORE:

https://www.pennlive.com/news/2020/03/march-16-update-on-coronavirus-in-pa-watch-gov-wolfs-news-conference.html 

About Town 3/15/20

This week’s photos of Columbia

People came out to enjoy the nice weather last Monday.
It was a good day for jotting notes.
It was also a good day for flying.
The highway department patched cracks on the blacktop.
Street sweeping resumed. Vehicles that weren’t moved got warnings instead of tickets – this time.
There’s the sweeper now.
Motorcycles got warnings, too.
 The rehabilitation project for the Veterans Memorial Bridge is slated to begin in 2023.

 The public meeting about the project, scheduled for this coming Wednesday, was canceled due to coronavirus fears.

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Sign of life at the river shore

 Steeples on Chestnut

 Over at the National Watch & Clock Museum

 This will never pass building codes.

 The historical marker that was found lying over last week has been tied upright temporarily, presumably to get it off the grass at the bridge plaza.

 Here’s a closer look.

 The first Civil War bridge pier is becoming a favorite hangout.

 There are chickens for sale at Burning Bridge Antiques.

 Don’t lose your head over coronavirus fears, as this lady apparently did.

 The CHI construction project at 401-403 Locust is moving right along.

Here’s a closer look at the front.

 It was busy at the construction site this week.

 Outside and in

 Looks like the window glass has arrived, too.
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Notices on the door of Living Stones Masonry

 Here’s a close-up.

The section of the posted document pertaining to this property reads:

Usdin Realty Management LLC is requesting special exception(s) and/or variance(s) for the business of purchasing, reconditioning and selling fire trucks at the property located at 53 North Front Street in the Riverfront Commercial (RC) zoned district.


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 These guys were apparently checking our gas lines this week.

 Here they are on the 400 block of Chestnut.

 One is carrying some sort of detector.

 Here’s their vehicle.

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 New windows were installed on this building on Bridge Street.

 Veterans Memorial Bridge

 Pentecostal Church at 3rd & Cherry

NAWCC
The Market House project continues.

 Here’s the beginning of the fancy – and expensive – awning on the Sadie Lane side.

 Looks like the Big Ass Fans will be staying. They were installed a few years ago.
(Yes, that really is the brand name.)

 Another look inside from the 3rd Street side.
(According to the Lancaster County Tax Assessment Office (3/5/2020), the Market House is assessed at $301,400. Borough Hall is assessed at $534,100, and the adjoining land is assessed at $78,000.)

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 Here’s the broken lamp at Columbia River Park after a pickup truck hit the post and left the scene.

 Here’s one way to practice isolation and social distancing, although that probably wasn’t the vehicle’s original purpose.

 Skateboarding isn’t really permitted at River Park, but youth finds a way.

Dusk

 A drama unfolded on the first offshore Civil War bridge pier on Saturday morning.

 A Canada goose seemed to be threatened by what looked to be a trumpeter swan.

 The goose launched several attacks against the swan.

Here’s a video of the action.

After the attacks, the swan sat on the edge of the pier and appeared to have blood on its underside.
Last week, Columbia Spy posted a few photos of appeared to be a dead trumpeter swan HERE, which was misidentified as a tundra swan. Was it the mate of this swan? What killed it is still a mystery.
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Out at the borough farm . . .

And out on Blue Lane . . .

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There was water rescue training at River Park on Sunday Morning:

 Participating departments included Columbia Borough, Wellsville, Western Berks, and Rawlinsville.

 Todd Stahl of White Cap Water Rescue Training LLC led the training.

********************

Over at the Columbia Water Company office:

Here’s a public notice posted at the main plant next to River Park.

Last but not least:  “Murder at the Miller Mansion” is coming soon.

All Pa. school districts closing for 2 weeks over coronavirus fears

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has ordered all schools in the state to close for the next two weeks. 

The announcement came during a frenetic Friday afternoon that began with Lancaster County school districts initially announcing they would shut down for a week starting Monday. Schools are now expected to reopen March 30. 

MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/all-pa-school-districts-closing-for-weeks-over-coronavirus-fears/article_eed7c8ea-6552-11ea-87b6-f72164c86146.html?utm_medium 

CANCELED: March 18 meeting on Veterans Memorial Bridge Project

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation planned to hold a Public “Open House Meeting on Wednesday, March 18, 2020 for the SR 462 Veterans Memorial (Columbia-Wrightsville) Bridge Rehabilitation Project. However, per guidance issued by the Governor’s office on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), and as a precaution to the welfare of the community and the project team, this meeting has been cancelled and will be rescheduled at a later date.

Source