No solution to dispute

At the end of a 90 minute meeting Monday night between the Columbia Fire Police and Borough Council, there was no resolution to a dispute between the two groups.

Borough Council had requested the meeting with the fire police to reach a resolution to an almost two-year-old problem that saw the fire police stop working special events in the borough.

With about 10 of its members present, the fire police and borough council discussed what caused the problem. During the discussion, it seemed that the two groups were going to meet halfway and perhaps get the fire police back to providing security and traffic control at special events in Columbia.

But after hearing from Bob Hetter, who provided security for the Antique, Art and Craft Show and the Bridge Bust, two events sponsored by the Susquehanna Valley Chamber of Commerce, the fire police said there would be no change in their status, that they would continue to respond to emergency calls such as fires and accidents only.

Hetter said he charged the chamber for the two events.

“I don’t put a uniform for under $35 an hour. I do that for a living and I had two people handle both events,” Hetter said.

“The fire police will only volunteer to do fires and accidents,” said Ken Murphy, a spokesman for the group.

See more in this week's Columbia Ledger.

Shamrock information

Here is some information on the Trinity Shamrocks, the Tide's opponent in Wednesday's District 3 Class AA semi-finals.

The Shamrocks are 16-8 and play in the Keystone Division of the Mid-Penn Conference. The Shamrocks were fourth in the division. Other teams in the division are Susquehanna Township, Red Land, Mechanicsburg, Hershey, Gettysburg, Lower Dauphin and Middletown. Trinity is the only Class AA team in the division. In addition to the 'Rocks, teams that made the playoffs are Susquehanna Township, Red Land, Mechanicsburg, Hershey and Gettysburg. Against those teams, Trinity was 8-6.

There is just one common opponent with Columbia, that being Lancaster Catholic. The Shamrocks beat the Crusaders 61-43 back on Dec. 6.

Against the other two semi-finalists in Class AA: Trinity did not play Milton Hershey, but opened the season with a 65-63 win over Delone.

They are averaging 59.6 points per game on offense, while giving up 49.1 points. Their highest offensive output was 77 in a 77-53 win over Palmyra, Jan. 14. Their lowest output was 38 in a 49-38 loss to York Catholic on Jan. 12. On defense, the most points they gave up in one game was 67 in a 67-66 loss to Mechanicsburg on Jan. 29. The least points given up in a game was 30 in a 53-30 win over Gettysburg, Dec. 21.

They are coached by Larry Kostelac, who has been guiding the Shamrocks since the 1980s and is a graduate of Shippensburg.

They have scored playoff wins over Kutztown by a 68-49 score and over York Catholic by a 55-52 score.

They won District Three titles in 2004, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1997, 1992 and 1991.

The Shamrocks beat the Tide in the semi-finals in 2005 and also in the finals in 2001. The last time Columbia beat the Shamrocks was in the 1994 district semi-finals, 65-36. That year, the Tide won the district championship.

Everyone remembers the magical season of 1987. In the district semi-finals, Trinity crushed the Tide 69-57. Columbia got its revenge in the Eastern finals as Bo Draper's buzzer beater sent the Tide into the state finals with a 43-42 win at Mechanicsburg.

Late night with the Tide

Here is the schedule for Wednesday at the Giant Center.

4 p.m., L-S vs. Lancaster Mennonite, Girls 3-A
5:30 p.m., Gettysburg vs. Northeastern, Girls 3-A
7 p.m., Delone Caholic vs. Milton Hershey, Boys 2-A
8:30 p.m., Columbia vs. Trinity, Boys 2-A.

There is no charge for parking at the Giant Center.

Tickets are $5 and $3 in advance at the high school and they will be sold on Tuesday and Wednesday. Tickets at the door at $5.

There is also no reserved seating.