Columbia Spy

When: Marietta Council meeting, Sept. 10.

What happened: A safety concern over use of e-bikes alongside pedestrians on the Northwest Lancaster County River Trail resurfaced again — an issue that has come up for discussion during the past several meetings.

Quotable: “Without regulation you might as well put a brown tent over the town and make a circus of it,” resident Harold Kulman said.

Potential solution: Brandon Harter, borough solicitor, had suggested posting signs about possible lofty punishments should accidents result from speeding e-bikes. Council members continue to discuss and seek the most effective solution to the continued rise in the use of e-bikes, particularly on the river trail.

https://lancasteronline.com/news/regional/safety-concern-over-use-of-e-bikes-on-river-trail-resurfaces-at-marietta-council-meeting/article_2c559ed2-77a9-11ef-b2b7-1358bf718fca.html

The Columbia Borough School Board appointed new school board directors at its October 1, 2024 committee meeting. Elena Young and Lester Putt will take seats vacated by Ryan Sexton and Michael Burke, respectively. Both terms run through Dec. 1, 2025. District Justice Miles Bixler swore in Young and Putt.

Scott Ryno and Thomas Ziegler also applied for the open positions. 

The votes

The board nominated Young and Ryno to replace Sexton. Young received four votes to Ryno’s three.

Ryno and Putt were nominated to replace Burke. Butt received four votes, and Ryno three.

Reasons for the open positions

The school board voted unanimously to dismiss member Ryan Sexton in September 2024, citing his absence as the reason for his termination. Sexton missed six meetings, including three workshops and three full board meetings.

Michael Burke, who was elected for a two-year term in November 2023, resigned in September 2024.

 The following article is based on a recent mission trip to Los Angeles by the Columbia Dream Center. Photos were provided by Dream Center team member Gene Sweeney. 

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Here are several photos of Skid Row, showing the conditions there. Skid row extends for 50 city blocks and contains over 4,000 people.

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The team visited the historic parsonage of Sister Aimee McPherson, a pioneering evangelist who played a significant role in shaping the Christian landscape of Los Angeles. Remarkably, she acquired the land for just $500, a strategic move that allowed her to establish a stronghold for her ministry. 

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This is the LA Dream Center.

Sweeney says that Hollywood officials offered about $16.7 million for the property, but the owners sold it for $2.9 million to the Dream Center.

According to the LA Dream Center, their mission is to empower individuals in rebuilding and transforming their lives by offering a range of tools, education, community support, and various programs—all at no cost.

Each week, the Center reaches out to approximately 30 neighborhoods across LA County, delivering resources and fostering connections within the community.

Residential programs, which accommodate over 500 individuals and families, provide a safe and structured environment for personal growth and renewal.

Team members, including Pastor Dave Powers (shown above) prepared food and carried out other activities at the Dream Center. 

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These photos show MacArthur Park. According to Sweeney, people who were pushed out of Skid Row in an attempt to “clean up” the area ended up in the park. He said many ODs have occurred in the park, and people are fighting over small areas of turf. In one instance, Pastor Powers prayed over a man who OD’d and stopped breathing, and the man’s eyes opened. 

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These photos show the aftermath of a vehicle accident in which a motorcyclist hit the side of the team’s van. None of the team members was seriously injured. 

With mission accomplished, the team recently returned to Columbia, safe and sound.

You can see more photos from the trip HERE.

The meeting packet is HERE.

The race in the Hempfield-area suburbs features Republican state Rep. Brett Miller, 63, of East Hempfield Township, and challenger Brad Chambers, 33, of Columbia.

It is Miller’s first challenge from a Democrat since 2020. He is seeking his sixth two-year term.

The GOP holds a plurality of registered voters there — about 46% to Democrats’ 36%. But the 18% of independent and third-party-registered voters, coupled with likely high turnout in the presidential race, could change the trajectory of the race.

Miller, a former East Hempfield township supervisor and public school guidance counselor, did not respond to several requests from LNP | LancasterOnline to attend a doorknocking session. He also did not respond to requests for an in-person or phone interview about his re-election efforts. He answered questions sent to him by email.

Miller, responding to Chambers’ criticism via email, disputed the claim he voted against protecting women who sought an abortion in Pennsylvania. He said he voted against the bill because “all protections would be removed for women seeking recourse for improper medical treatments at the hand of unethical, unscrupulous or malpracticing abortionists.”

But Miller did co-sponsor a bill this year to ban abortion in Pennsylvania once a heartbeat is detected. The legislation, introduced by a member of the Pennsylvania Freedom Caucus, does not explicitly grant exceptions for rape, incest or the mother’s health.

On the 2020 election, Miller said it was “the most unusual” in history. He cited a common GOP skepticism surrounding its results, including that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court made “unilateral changes” to Pennsylvania’s universal mail-in ballot law.

Miller also said that there were “unexplained data discrepancies” that worried some of his constituents; he didn’t specifically cite any of those discrepancies and didn’t provide evidence they existed. Those concerns are why, he said, he signed the letter.

Election officials nationwide have repeatedly debunked discrepancies as misinformation intended to spread doubt in the election process.
MORE:

https://lancasteronline.com/news/politics/republican-state-rep-brett-miller-faces-progressive-challenger-in-41st-district-voters-guide/article_47e13192-7d13-11ef-bbca-479ac92a90a0.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Robitaille Investments LLC conveyed 14 N. Fifth St. to Robert L. Robinson for $222,500.

Angela M. Nauman conveyed 325 N. Second St. to Nauman Angela M, Baker Scott for $1.

Codreanu Allison Elizabeth, Irwin Allison Elizabeth, Ihde Deborah Mitchell conveyed 132 S. Second St. to Rgss LLC for $236,500.

Kramer James L, Kramer Beth B. conveyed 1110 Walnut St. to Chaboya Frederick V, Chaboya Erin L. for $399,998.

Carol A. Vera conveyed 220 Riverfront to Long Sherri Clark, Long Jeffrey J. for $350,000.

 This week’s photos of Columbia

(Click/tap on photos to see larger, sharper images.)

Don’t mess with him.

Guys looking every which way . . .

A duet

Some rain photos . . .

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A guardian of the pumpkins

Here’s another one, obviously on duty.

Here are some pumpkins.

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This is where the sidewalk ends.

Don’t fish here.

This image is from a recent HARB meeting packet. It shows a proposed mural on the side of Lancaster Distilleries at 230 North 4th Street.

It’s hard to see, but here’s a photo of a sketch for the mural currently on the side of the building.

Detail

Detail

A view of the bridges from the Wrightsville side

Speaking of the Wrightsville side, this photo shows an operation to install a jack last Thursday night. Obviously, there wasn’t much to see.

Last year, this structure was installed at the location shown above to help support the bridge.

[Columbia Spy previously published these photos a few months ago.] 

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Some night shots of the Columbia Historic Preservation Society building

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The driver of this vehicle led police on a chase through town until it came to rest here at 2nd & Locust.

Another look at the new digital billboard

Caulking at the museum

Caulking at the firehouse

Why not take the flag down, instead of abusing it like this?

An angel with a black cat and a gravestone at Columbia Curiosities 

A “sanitary” sewer?

Imagine that.

Looks like it’s time to clean up the alley

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