Let it snow

Did everyone see the 15-minute blizzard we had.
No, Locust Street wasn't blocked by those big trucks. Just was having trouble seeing across the street.

Time to start putting the basketball face on. The Tide closes crossover play with a home game against L-S. Saw L-S play the other week against Donegal, who is a much improved team. Coach Ryan Butt's team won in overtime for their first win in two years. All signs are pointing toward Monday, Jan. 28's big contest with Lancaster Catholic.
I'll be anxious to see the home crowd tonight. The bandwagon is fillin up.
As the coaches and players have been saying, "take it one game at a time."
Probably the Tide's two toughest games the rest of the way, other than Catholic might be Mennonite and Pequea Valley. Both were wins the first time around, but teams are starting to get up to play the Tide.

More honors

Brian Groff and running back Ben Guiles were named to the honorable all-state team by Eastern PA Football.
Earlier this week, the Pennsylvania Football News released its Class AA All-State team.
Groff was named to the third team as an offensive lineman, while quarterback Mike Seibert and wide receiver Colby Tuell were named as honorable mention selections.

Hall of Fame nominees sought

At its meeting Tuesday, Jan. 8, the nine member committee set in motion, plans to induct its first class of honorees.
That will be Friday, Sept. 19, when the Crimson Tide plays Lampeter-Strasburg in football.
But before the Hall of Fame committee can induct anyone, they need nominees to consider.
Nomination forms for the Hall of Fame are available at any of the Columbia school district buildings, Smith’s Hotel, 1035 Lancaster Ave., Hinkle’s Pharmacy, Third and Locust streets, the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, 445 Linden St., and the office of the Columbia Ledger, 262 Locust St.
To be eligible for nomination into the CHS Athletic Hall of Fame, nominees must an athlete, coach, a friend of CHS athletics or a team. The individual must be removed from participating from athletics for five years (coaches and friends) don’t have to meet this requirement).
Anyone can nominated a person for the Hall of Fame, you picking up a nomination form.
The nomination forms will be available until April 30. After that, the committee will meet and vote on the first class of inductees.
The nomination form asks those nominating a person write in 250 words or less why an individual or team be considered for the Hall of Fame.
Members of the Hall of Fame Committee are Charles Reinhart, Wayne Hershey, Jodie Eck, Dennis Bachman, Barry Ford, Jim Smith, Carl Morrow, Rich Gerfin and Karen Kuhn.
For more information on the Hall of Fame, contact Reinhart at 314-4998 or via email at cfreinhart@comcast.net.

This week's column

I can remember as a high school student, if not even younger, when the old Lancaster County basketball league ended its season, it was time to make the trip to Hershey for the league championship game. It was like an annual rite of the winter.
Then the old Lancaster County league became the L-L League. And after years of playing its championship games at local colleges, they decided to return the finals to Hershey and the “old barn.”
I’m a firm believer that championship games, no matter the sport, should be played at the biggest site available. In other words, the football championships, no matter the class deserve to be played on the turf in Hershey. Ditto for wrestling. Track is in a perfect spot, Shippensburg and I wouldn’t mind seeing baseball at one of the local stadiums.
You just get that championship feel, which I don’t think you can get at a local high school or college.
So when the old arena was replaced with the Giant Center, the L-L League moved its championship games to the new place, with limited success.
The games apparently were not a success financially for the league, so they have decided to move the league finals to the local area in either a high school or local college. And because of the expected crowds, it doesn’t look like the finals will be played on the same night. That’s too bad.
I’ve been to the Giant Center for a new hockey games, a couple of basketball games and the state wrestling finals. In my mind, the jury is still out on the place because I don’t think it has the atmosphere (the smell too) that the arena had. There’s no place to be a “rail bird” is one problem I have.
While I have been on the floor for wrestling, I haven’t been on the floor yet for basketball. Why not you ask.
The reason is simple, I didn’t want to sit on the floor when my team isn’t playing. I want to be able to enjoy the “new barn” when I have a reason to be there.
Over the past few years, Columbia has come close to playing on the big floor. And now with the Tide’s winning streak at 16 games, I was rally looking forward to sitting on the floor in the league finals.
Well, I guess I will have to wait until the district playoffs to do that.
Like I said earlier, championship games deserve to be played in the best places and Hershey is the best. I also understand the financial aspect.
But then again, sometimes you have to look at the teams that played in the finals and how many fans they would draw.
The Giant Center sounds like a perfect place for Columbia to pack.

Odds and ends...

• Ran into the best basketball concession in the L-L League the other night at Lebanon. The chicken corn noodle soup was just a tad heavy on the noodles, but still good.
Lebanon also gets the nod for the best pre-game and in-game music, in the non pep band division.
• Hard to believe, but in less than a month, you’ll hear the four best words in all of sports: “Pitchers and catchers report.”

Female cop hired

This is from Monday's Columbia Borough Council meeting.

You can read the entire story in Thursday's edition of the Columbia Ledger.

Holly Arndt won’t be a history maker in Columbia, but she will be the second of her gender.
Arndt was hired Monday night by borough council as just the second female police officer in the borough. Columbia has been without a female officer for about 15 years.
Arndt, who will start a six-month training course on March 3, probably won’t hit the streets of Columbia until the fall, according to Mayor Leo Lutz.
Arndt’s hiring was by a 6-1 vote. Voting for the hiring were Council President Sandy Duncan, Council Vice-President Mary Wickenheiser, Mike Beury, Mary Barninger, Mitch Cooper and Kelly Murphy. Voting against Arndt’s hiring was Vern Detz, explaining he wanted to see the need to hire another officer.
Also, council instructed the Civil Service Commission to begin the testing process for the position of sergeant.

Community Notes

CBAA sign-ups
The Columbia Boy’s Athletic Association has announced its spring sign-ups.
They will be held Sunday, Jan. 19 from 1-4 p.m. at the Park Elementary School and Saturday, Feb. 9 from 1-4 p.m., back at the Wenger Center.
The registration fees are $60 for baseball and softball and $25 for t-ball.
Registration fees are due at the time of registration.
Information can also be obtained online at www.cbaaonline.net.

Warm up the center
The Columbia Boy’s Athletic Association will hold a Basket Bingo fund-raiser at the Wenger Center, Sunday, Feb. 10.
The doors will open at noon and bingo starts at 1 p.m.
Proceeds will be used for the maintenance of the building.
Tickets can be purchased at the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, or by contacting Don or Tracy Arndt at 684-6112.
Tickets will also be sold at the door.
Donations will be accepted and they are tax deductible.

Brown bag auction
The American Legion softball team will hold a brown bag auction and soap sale on Saturday, Feb. 9 at the post home, 329 Chestnut St.
The cost is $5 per person and the doors open at 5 p.m, with the auction starting at 6 p.m.
For more information, call 341-4391 or 684-2772.

Deadline for Slow-Pitch League
The Columbia Slow-Pitch Softball League is looking for teams for the 2008 season.
The entry fee is $800 per team, depending on how many teams are in the league. The fee includes umpires and balls.
Deadline to enter the league is March 31.
Anyone interested in joining the league is asked to contact Scott Creek at 684-5407 or Tim Brown at 684-3429.