Columbia Spy

Iron Eagle employees began to “set up shop” this morning at the former McGinness property on Manor Street as another step in the remediation project there.

Iron Eagle Excavating submitted the low bid of $2,196,104.60 for the project, which is expected to take about four months for completion. 

Rick Breneman of Breneman Site Construction will oversee the project. [Columbia Spy file photo]

Rick Breneman of Breneman Site Construction will oversee the project. Breneman has been a member of the McGinness design team since the beginning.

Soil remediation/stabilization represents Phase 1 of development of the property, aimed at bringing it to “pad-ready” condition. The work will focus on removing problematic materials from the ground to ensure a clean foundation. 

Engineering assessments had revealed issues at the site, according to Jason Best of ELA Group and Derek Rinaldo, the borough’s engineer who has overseen the project since its inception. During the February 25, 2025 council meeting, Best described the scope of the problem as including “deleterious materials, including whatever junk was buried through the course of all the flattening for the runways years and years ago.”

According to Rinaldo, the southern runway was built with improperly compacted fill material that was “just dumped,” creating what he characterized as “fluffy soil” with compaction levels that are “all over the place.”

Remediation will involve stabilizing the ground to support future buildings through a multi-step process. Teams will sift contaminated areas to remove materials that don’t belong in the soil, while buried organic matter such as trees will be chipped on-site rather than transported elsewhere.

This week’s photos of Columbia 

Click on photos to see larger, sharper images. 

anndope painted these images at the State Theatre Vintage Emporium for Summerween. Her Instagram page is HERE. The shark represents the 50th anniversary of the film Jaws.

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Evening clouds

Work continues at the Linden Street Build. 

Speaking of Linden Street, this Jeep on Linden has been hit 3 times over the years while it was parked: the first time by a vehicle, the second time by a deer, and the third time by another vehicle. The most recent time was early this morning. 

[Video: Howard Stevens]

The weeds at the former McGinness airfield were finally cut down, as Columbia Spy reported previously. 

Weeds were also cut down near the shoreline at Columbia River Park. 

Carson Stahl continues to make progress at the bridge plaza, mowing and pulling weeds.

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What happens when they rust through completely?

Zinnia

Some people never check out.

Bingo makes it happen.

A Fox 43 camera operator was shooting some scenes at Columbia River Park. 

Jess & Kyle played again on Locust Street. 

The Returned Soldier endures. Columbia Spy reported on his twin brother HERE.

There’s wine tasting at the former Visitors Center on Linden Street. Lavender Acres Winery is using the location as a pop-up tasting room this weekend (11 am–9 pm) while their main tasting room is closed for improvements. There’s a possibility they could stay here until November, however. 

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Time out

A cat with a tipped left ear indicates it’s been “fixed.”

Survival of the fittest: Which species will win?

Maybe the black-eyed Susans

Monkeying around 

Sunflowers 

A worker had to repair the relay box at 4th & Poplar after a driver hit it the previous week.

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Welcome to the Locust Street Park 

There’s the gazebo.

And there’s a damaged bench.

Was it vandalism?

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Old-time light at St. John’s Lutheran 

Mulching done precisely 

Life finds a way.

All in a row on Chestnut 

Keeping it clean

Signs of life at the empty building at 14 Lancaster Avenue: Note the open door on the right.

Some time later, this appeared there.

More overhead wire work on 2nd

Eating on both sides

A two-elephant parade

It’s that time again.

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The longstanding high weeds at the former McGinness property were being cut down this morning in preparation for a soil remediation project to be done there. The remediation will be carried out by Iron Eagle Excavating of Lancaster.

Remediation will involve stabilizing the ground to support future buildings through a multi-step process. Teams will sift contaminated areas to remove materials that don’t belong in the soil, while buried organic matter such as trees will be chipped on-site rather than transported elsewhere.

Go HERE for more information on the remediation project. 

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/lancaster-county-seeks-federal-grant-for-columbia-wrightsville-bridge-overhaul/article_e6b8c8da-729f-469f-b9b5-96c205009f51.html

Driving 4 Drama Will Take the Stage

Event To Benefit Beards for Brothers

The meeting packet is HERE

https://www.wgal.com/article/lancaster-community-urges-lawmakers-to-support-school-funding/65528970

A Columbia man is charged with shooting a person in the head in East Lampeter Township early Saturday morning and leaving them hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. 

Marquis Angel Aguilera, 22, is charged with felony criminal attempted homicide, two counts of aggravated assault, discharge of a firearm into an occupied structure and possession of a deadly weapon. 

East Lampeter police say they found the victim with a gunshot wound to the head after responding to reports of a shooting at the 1900 block of Lincoln Highway East at 2:34 a.m. The victim was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. 

Aguilera was arrested and charged following the shooting Saturday. Police say the shooting is likely an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the public.

Aguilera is currently in Lancaster County Prison after being denied bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4. 

East Lampeter police are asking anyone with information on the shooting to contact Detective Heather Waltman at 717-291-4676 or submit a tip through their CRIMEWATCH website.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/1-hospitalized-following-east-lampeter-township-shooting-columbia-man-charged/article_9cc788a0-61ac-4df2-aa09-844abec43cd7.html

An SUV collided with a US Mail relay box at 4th & Poplar on Friday, landing atop the box and displacing it several feet along the beauty strip on 4th Street. Cindy Wiker caught a shot of the aftermath, showing the vehicle atop the box (see above). 

Columbia Spy posted a photo of the box after it was moved, on the weekly “About Town” post.

The collision moved the mailbox several feet along the beauty strip on North 4th Street.

A worker repaired the damaged mailbox this morning. 

Showing only a few minor “battle scars,” the box was moved back into place after being repaired. 

This morning, a worker was seen repairing the unit. Afterwards, it was moved back into place at the corner. 

Further details are posted HERE.