HARRISBURG, Pa. —
News 8 continues to look into the use of shotguns in police departments in the Susquehanna Valley.
This comes after the York County district attorney revealed last week that Officer Andrew Duarte was killed by pellets from a fellow officer’s shotgun when law enforcement opened fire on a gunman at UPMC Memorial Hospital in West Manchester Township in February.
MORE:
https://www.wgal.com/article/pennsylvania-state-police-will-stop-using-shotguns/64692006
Columbia Borough has announced a public hearing to discuss community needs and planned projects under Lancaster County’s Fiscal Year 2025 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The hearing will take place during the regular monthly Planning Commission meeting on Tuesday, May 20, 2025.
Columbia Borough Council invites affected residents, property owners, and other stakeholders to attend the meeting, which will begin at approximately 7:15 PM at Columbia Borough Hall at 308 Locust Street. The Borough Council will present their proposed project and gather community input on additional needs that should be addressed.
The primary project under consideration is a $200,000 rehabilitation of the 300 block of Union Street. This initiative would include installation of new curbs and sidewalks on both sides of the street, ADA-compliant curb ramps, and complete street repaving.
The public can submit comments or questions for consideration until 4:00 PM on the day of the meeting via email at skaufhold@columbiapa.net or by phone at (717) 684-2467. For those unable to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed live (provided the borough’s system works) on the borough’s YouTube Channel at LINK.
The proposed project aligns with priorities outlined in Lancaster County’s Fiscal Years 2021-2025 Consolidated Plan. Following the public hearing, the project will be submitted to the Redevelopment Authority of the County of Lancaster for consideration.
Two of the three former Hempfield Fire Department volunteer firefighters charged with deliberately setting fires last year will have their cases decided in Lancaster County court.
Joshua Lightcap, 23, of Columbia, and Mason Howard, 21, of Akron, waived their preliminary hearings on Friday.
A 16-year-old junior firefighter from Columbia was also charged, and that case is being handled in juvenile court. That case is still pending.
In a preliminary hearing, prosecutors must present sufficient evidence that a crime was committed and that the person charged probably is responsible and, therefore, a jury or judge should hear the case at the county court level. The hearings often are waived.
According to prosecutors, two of the fires were set to sheds and the rest to fields and brush. All fires occurred between late October and late November in 2024.
No one was injured in any of the fires.
A Nov. 9, 2024, fire in Penn Township destroyed 220 corn fodder bales, causing more than $15,000 worth of damage.
Lightcap’s most serious charges include arson and conspiracy to commit arson, and agricultural vandalism, which are felonies. One of his arson conspiracy charges relates to a Nov. 2, 2024, fire set at an Amtrak building in Landisville.
Howard’s most serious charge is agricultural vandalism.
Other charges Lightcap and Howard face are reckless endangerment, dangerous burning, conspiracy and possession of an instrument of crime.
MORE:
Download the 18-page meeting packet HERE.
This week’s photos of Columbia
Click on photos to see larger, sharper images.
The SPCA was in town this week.They left notices at a residence.
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Workers used a giant crane to hoist materials onto the roof of the National Watch & Clock Museum.
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Trucks at the 4th Street truck terminal
Saturday morning at the Market House
Signs down!
Historic house on Chestnut
Free landlord/tenant guides detailing renters rights and other topics are available at the municipal building, 308 Locust Street. The Spanish version (left) contains 97 pages, and the English version has 93.
This is still in effect.
Lights on at the bridge plaza
Cannon, partially hidden
Bricks, partially hidden
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It’s that time of year.
Please don’t litter.
Possum, not playing possum
Shawnee Run in the morning
Hidden in plain sight
Out in the open
A formidable doorway at the former Cookman Church
Now on the 600 block of Chestnut
Five units are planned near 4th & Linden.
Meeting at Columbia Crossing
Advertisement along Route 441
Black snake, apparently right after a meal
Two boneheaded beanie buddies
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The Cathouse, Columbia, PA
Borough council members
Collection day
Up the highway and onto the sidewalk
3-wheeler
On March 26, 2025, Manor Street Apartments LLC conveyed 745 Manor St. to WG Sponsor LLC, WG Manor I. LLC, WG Manor II LLC, WG Manor III LLC for $1,500,000. In the sale listing, Bennett Williams described the building as “a workforce housing apartment community…” – whatever that means. The listing also stated “the Property consists of 14 units with an opportunity to build an additional 36-60 new apartments.”
This structure at 1020 Manor is slated for demolition.
It’s wise to be prepared.
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Here are a few from Todd Stahl:
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Low-hanging branches on South 4th
[Photo: Bull Warfel]
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Borough worker Chuck Wallick hangs a Hometown Hero banner on North 2nd Street Friday afternoon.
It’s that time of year, and Hometown Hero banners are going up around town again.
The current batch, from an order that closed in January, will bring the total to over 660. The banners honor Columbia’s military veterans and active-duty personnel.
On Friday afternoon, Columbia Spy caught up with Bob Smith and Chuck Wallick hanging a banner on North 2nd Street. Bob, who leads the project, notes there’s a small challenge this year: PPL is in the process of replacing utility poles around town. That means that banners already hung on poles slated for replacement must be removed, and then rehung on the new poles. PPL has plans to replace several poles this year and routinely notify the borough of which ones will be replaced. “They call Jake [Graham, Columbia’s public works manager] and give him the numbers of the poles they’re replacing,” Bob says.
Bob Smith gets components from the work truck.
Bob, who’s been with the project for almost three years, says he’s winding down his participation and that this year will be his last. He’s thankful that the borough embraced the initiative from the beginning. “I’d like to thank borough workers and others for all their help on this project,” he said.
(English version)
Local renters and others can pick up a copy of the Landlord & Tenant Guide at Borough Hall (Columbia Municipal Building, 308 Locust Street). The free guide provides information on such topics as fair housing, rights and responsibilities, rent increases, and eviction. There is an English edition and a Spanish edition.
(Spanish version)
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Domino’s, 318 Chestnut St., Columbia, April 24. Pass. Food employees observed involved in food preparation not wearing a beard cover.
JACK PANYARD |LNP Staff Writer
Destiny Delgado-Diaz cried quietly as a judge took a final look over her charging documents Thursday before sentencing her for her role in a 2023 armed carjacking in Columbia.
Lancaster County Judge Thomas Sponaugle sentenced the 23-year-old Columbia woman to 27 months to 10 years in state prison after she pleaded guilty to seven charges including robbery of a motor vehicle, conspiracy to commit robbery, conspiracy to commit strangulation, and conspiracy to commit simple assault.
As part of her plea deal, Delgado-Diaz can be called to testify if either of the two other people charged in the case — Sammie Edward Lane and Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, both of Columbia — go to trial.
Lane, 36, is in Lancaster County Prison in lieu of $150,000 bail, and Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, 25, is free on $150,000 unsecured bail. Both are waiting for their next court appearances.
The man the three are accused of attacking in the Dec. 31, 2023, incident nearly blacked out twice as he was strangled, Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Lapp said at Thursday’s hearing.
According to prosecutors, Destiny Delgado-Diaz, Alexander Ethan Delgado-Diaz, and Lane lured the man to Columbia, began strangling him, threatened him with a handgun and stole his Dodge Durango SUV and items he had in the vehicle.
Destiny Delgado-Diaz didn’t respond Thursday when Sponaugle asked her how she thought she would not get in trouble for her actions. Her attorney, Roger Renteria, said she was remorseful for what she did and cooperated with police as soon as she was charged.
Sponaugle ended the hearing by warning Delgado-Diaz there is no guarantee she will be released from prison after the minimum sentence.
“Well, you’re off to state prison now,” Sponaugle said.
Columbia Spy 
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