Engraved bricks to honor military personnel are available now – Dedication to be held May 26

Order form for bricks

The public is invited to purchase bricks in honor/memory of individuals who served, or are currently serving in, the armed forces. Bricks are available to honor military personnel from any area, not just Columbia Borough.

The cost is $50 per 4” x 8” brick, each of which may have up to three lines of text, with up to 15 characters per line. Bricks will be engraved in all capital letters and will be placed in a walkway at the Veterans Memorial Bridge plaza to honor veterans and provide a grand entranceway to Columbia Borough from the bridge.

Plans for the “Veterans Memorial Bridge Island Gateway Project” call for a number of additional improvements: an array of flags representing all branches of the military, lighting, and updated landscaping. The fundraising portion of the project includes the development of brick walkways at the bridge plaza. Part of the project’s backstory can be found HERE.

A dedication is planned for May 26, 2018, the day before Columbia’s Memorial Day parade. The deadline for ordering bricks to be included in the May 26 dedication is April 15.  There is also a deadline of July 2 for an August  install, and a deadline of October 1 for a November install.

Completed purchase forms along with payment should be sent to:

VFW Veterans Memorial Flag Project
c/o Kevin Kraft
PO Box 231,
Columbia PA 17512

Questions should be directed to Kevin Kraft at 717-684-2370.

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Randy Howard unable to post $250,000 bail – Hearing set for next week

Randy Cornell Howard

Randy Cornell Howard, who was apprehended by Columbia Borough and West Hempfield Police yesterday, is now in Lancaster County Prison. Bail was set at $250,000 (monetary), which he was unable to post. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for next Tuesday, March 20, at 9 a.m., at Magisterial District Judge Miles K. Bixler’s office. He is charged with aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy in connection with the September 3, 2017 wolfpack attack on a Columbia man on the 600 block of Walnut Street.

Docket Sheet:

Court Summary:

Borough reports that 75% of its streets are excellent to good, a 12% increase from 2014

The following information is reprinted from the Columbia Borough website.

2014 Map

2018 Map

Above are links to street mapping that compare how far the Borough has come with the maintenance of streets within the last few years. The 2014 map contains the rating assigned to each street when a conditions assessment was completed in October 2014. The 2018 map captures all of the projects completed within the Borough between 2015 and 2017 and those projects scheduled to be completed in 2018.

The Borough is happy to report that 75% of Borough streets are currently rated in Excellent or Good categories. That is an increase of 12% since the initial assessment in 2014. Another impressive stat is the mileage of streets categorized as poor fell from 8% to 3%. Poor streets are the most expensive to repair considering they typically require extensive base work.

The Borough is also happy to report by the end of 2018 12% of all streets will have been paved with 62% being the worst streets in the Borough.

(note: a visual re-assessment of streets was not completed for this mapping. Any street that may have deteriorated (dropped a category) since 2014 was not factored. )

APPREHENDED! RANDY HOWARD | Columbia Borough Police Department

On March 15, 2018 at approximately 1900 hours, members of the Columbia Borough Police Department along with West Hempfield Township Police Department arrested Randy C Howard a 22 year old Columbia resident for an outstanding felony warrant.  Howard was wanted for a aggravated assault and conspiracy charge which occurred on September 03, 2017 in the 600 Blk of Walnut Street.  Howard attempted to flee by jumping out a second floor rear window and was quickly apprehended in an adjoining rear yard.  His co-conspirator Shakim McIwain was convicted of the same crime by a jury in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas last month and is awaiting sentencing.  Howard was taken to Lancaster County Central Booking awaiting arraignment.  Parties are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  
Incident Date: 

Thursday, March 15, 2018 – 7:10pm

Incident Type:

Case Number: 

2471-09-03-17

Offenders: 

Location: 

146 Locust Street
Columbia, PA 17512

https://lancaster.crimewatchpa.com/columbiapd/10552/incidents/warrant-service

Man beats quick ticket, charges dropped due to errors

A Summary Trial Notice shows an incorrect name for the defendant.  The mistake was initially made on the quick ticket that was issued.

A Columbia man successfully beat a quick ticket charge due to mistakes by the officer who wrote the ticket. At a March 13 hearing before District Justice Miles Bixler, the defendant, Angel Rodriquez, said the name on the ticket – “Angela” Rodriguez – was incorrect. Rodriguez also said he does not own or rent property at the Union Street address listed on the ticket. According to Rodriguez, he entered a plea of “Not Guilty,” and charges were dismissed based on the errors. The quick ticket was issued for a small TV placed on the sidewalk outside the address.

The mystery of the wrecked police car SOLVED (Sort of)

A Columbia Borough police cruiser has been sitting at the Midway Collision Shop since last month.

During the citizens’ comment section of Monday’s Columbia Borough Council meeting, former councilman Frank Doutrich asked council for information about a wrecked police cruiser (currently sitting at the Midway Collision Shop on Lancaster Avenue, where it’s been since last month). Mayor Leo Lutz responded in the following exchange:

Doutrich: ” I understand there’s a wrecked police car. What can you tell me about it?”

Lutz: “The officer was involved in an accident. It’s being repaired.”

Doutrich: “What happened? Anybody know how it was involved? Somebody hit it? It hit somebody?”

Lutz: “The officer hit somebody, going out of the alley, responding to a call.”

(Columbia Spy spotted the cruiser sitting at Midway Collision yesterday.  It had been moved from its previous position.)

The cruiser sustained front-end damage in a traffic accident.

Borough hires Susquehanna Heritage to run the trolley

Columbia Trolley Works trolley
[Columbia Spy file photo]

At Monday’s meeting, Columbia Borough Council unanimously approved an “Addendum to Professional Services Agreement Between The Borough of Columbia AND The Susquehanna Heritage Corporation…” for management and marketing of the borough-owned Columbia Trolley Works trolley.

As part of the agreement, the borough will provide $11,000 annually to Susquehanna Heritage “for costs associated with management of the Trolley.” The breakdown of anticipated annual costs is as follows:

  • Trolley Management: $4,000
  • On-Board Interpretation – (Trolley Guides-formerly known as volunteers), two part-time positions: $4,000.
  • Support costs: (Equipment, signs, brochures, insurance, miscellaneous): $2,000.
  • SHC Administrative Support: (Accounting, Personnel Management, etc.):  $1,000

Excerpts from the agreement:

  • Trolley Maintenance: The borough shall ensure that the trolley is maintained and operated in a manner that complies with local, state, and federal laws and regulations relating to its operation, including licenses and other requirements of the public utility commission and/or the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Costs associated with maintaining and fueling the Trolley are the sole responsibility of the borough. The Borough shall maintain and fuel the Trolley so that it is readily available for use year-round, including maintaining a fully functional heat and air conditioning system. The Borough shall immediately inform Susquehanna Heritage of any mechanical or other issues that prevent the Trolley from operating. The Trolley shall be housed and maintained by the Borough at a location to be determined by the Borough.
  • Scheduling and staffing: The Borough shall be responsible for recruiting, selecting, training, supervising, and compensating employees assigned to drive and maintain the Trolley. All such employees shall be employees of the Borough and not employees of Susquehanna Heritage… It shall be the responsibility of the Borough Manager to handle any personnel issues relating to Borough employees and the Trolley operation.
The complete document can be found HERE.

Former Columbia police officer charged with harassment

A former Columbia Borough police officer is charged with harassment by the West Hempfield Police Department. Dale Niles Wiley, 52, of Mount Joy was charged after an alleged victim said he had forced her to the ground and grabbed the sides of her neck during an argument that occurred at their home on Sunday, February 25, 2018. Officers reported that the victim had red marks on her cheek and neck. The defendant denied any physical contact with the victim during the argument.

On Friday, March 2, 2018, West Hempfield Police filed a charge of One count of Harassment Section 2709 A 1 (S) against Miley at MDJ Miles Bixler’s Office in Columbia.

Charges were also filed against Miley in December 1994 for holding a gun to his girlfriend’s head and threatening to kill her, according the March 2, 1995 edition of the Lancaster New Era. The victim, Rhonda Diehl, said she “was afraid for her life.” After a preliminary hearing Miley, then 29, was ordered to stand trial on charges of terroristic threats, recklessly endangering another person, and simple assault. According to court records, Miley pled nolo contendre in March 1996 in that case.

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Will a residence near a junkyard become a religious retreat?

1029 Lancaster Avenue
[Google Maps]
Fralu Realty LP is requesting special exceptions and/or variances to convert a residential use property at 1029 Lancaster Avenue into a religious counseling retreat, according to a legal notice published in Lancaster Newspapers today.
The notice (shown below) indicates the issue will be brought before the Zoning Hearing Board of Columbia Borough on March 28.  
Records from the Lancaster County Recorder of Deeds show that the property is one of three transferred in 2011 from members of the Sahd family to Fralu Realty, whose address is 1045 Lancaster Avenue. The address is also that of Sahd Metal Recycling. Total assessment for the entire tract (land and building) at 1029 Lancaster Avenue is listed as $552,200. The 16.5 acre tract includes a residence and a junkyard.
Fralu Realty LP and Sahd Metal recycling share the same address.
The property is assessed at $552,200.

The 16.5 acre tract, outlined in blue, includes a residence and a junkyard.