Council sells Third and Linden property for $950 K

By Barry Ford
Editor
bford@columbiaregister.com

Columbia has finally unloaded a troublesome property that will become the Turkey Hill Experience later this year or early in 2011.
At a special meeting last week, borough council unanimously approved selling the property at Third and Linden streets to the Columbia Economic Development Corporation for $950,000. CEDC will in turn sell the property to Museum Partners, who will develop the property into the Turkey Hill Experience.

The Columbia Economic Development Corporation is the middle man in the proposed sale.

According to the 11-page contract between the borough and CEDC, the seller (CEDC) will pay the borough $27,000, which will be placed into an interest bearing account, with $723,000 to be paid by CEDC at the time of closing on the property. In addition, the borough is holding a promissory note from CEDC, in the amount of $200,000 with a 6 percent interest rate that must be paid by Dec. 31.

CEDC, and later Museum Partners, according to the contract, must keep the site as a tourist attraction, which will be on the borough’s tax rolls and could also include retail and restaurant facilities and a convenience store. However, if the Turkey Hill Experience doesn’t materialize, the property owner must meet all applicable laws including zoning, including getting the approval of borough council.

Also, Columbia Borough has to tell the new owners of the property of any problems and make the corrections before sale becomes final. There will also be a meeting at Columbia Borough Hall on Feb. 4 for both parties to sign off on an environmental remediation for the property.

For the rest of this story and more local news, pick up this week's issue of the Columbia Register.

Fire ravages Columbia home
Damage at North Eighth Street property estimated at $115,000

By Barry Ford
Editor
bford@columbiaregister.com

Two cats were saved during a fire Sunday afternoon in the 200 block of North Eighth Street in Columbia.

Columbia fire officials said the blaze broke out shortly after 3 p.m. Sunday in a home owned by Mike and Monte Ann Finnegan at North Eighth and Spruce streets.

The Finnegans weren’t home at the time of the fire, which was called in by a neighbor, who saw smoke coming from the house.

While fighting the fire, two cats were taken from the house and were treated for smoke inhalation on the scene by members of Columbia’s Susquehanna Fire Company, who recently had an animal ventilating system given to them by Fred Nell, also known as Mr. Scoop.

Columbia No. 1 Fire Chief Scott Ryno said when firemen arrived on the scene, smoke was visible from the roof area. Firefighters from Columbia No. 1, Susquehanna and Consolidated, along with firemen from East Donegal Township and Wrightsville, were able to bring the fire in the one-and-half story brick house under control in about 50 minutes.

Ryno said the fire started in the basement area and traveled up the walls into the first floor living room

State Police Fire Marshal Brian Herr ruled the cause of the fire as accidental and electrical in nature.

Damage was estimated at $115,000.

For the rest of this story and more local news, pick up this week's issue of the Columbia Register.

Columbia boys heating up

By Barry Ford
Editor
bford@columbiaregister.com

Early in the season, the Columbia boys basketball team opened Section Four play with back-to-back losses to Lampeter-Strasburg and Donegal by a combined 80 points.

That was the low point for the Tide. Since those losses, the Crimson Tide has risen like a Phoenix from the ashes, ripping off three wins in their last eight games and losing two others by less than five points.

Last week, Columbia went 2-1 for the week and lost a competitive game in the second half to Section Four leader Lancaster Catholic.

Columbia is 4-9 overall and 2-6 in Section Four play.

The Tide had games last week with Annville-Cleona, Lancaster Catholic and Pequea Valley. The three had a combined record of 18-10. After the three games, Columbia won two of the three, both coming on the road.
Monday, the Tide traveled to Annville-Cleona (who was 8-2 overall) and stunned the Little Dutchmen, 54-50.

Columbia got off to a fast start against A-C and held off a couple of rallies to score the upset. How fast was the start? Columbia outscored A-C 12-2 in the first quarter and led 25-20 at the half. A-C pulled within one after three, but the Tide was tough down the stretch and won the game.

Kevin Simms and Nate Wall led the Tide with 13 points each, followed by Brandon Arnold with 11.

At mid-week, it was a big home game with rival Lancaster Catholic. In the end, the Section Four-leading Crusaders escaped with a 53-41 win.
The Tide bolted out to a 16-7 first quarter lead and had a couple of chances to extend their advantage into double digits before getting outscored 16-2 in the second quarter. That was the difference in the game. Tre Simms and Arnold led the Tide with 11points each.

Columbia closed the week with a road win and game against PV by a score of 66-61.

Tre Simms led the Tide with 18, followed by Arnold and Kevin Simms with 15 each.

For more local sports coverage, pick up this week's issue of the Columbia Register.