Spring clean-ups to start

Now that the calendar has turned to Spring, another sure sign that warmer weather is just around the corner starts next week in Columbia.

The borough and its Board of Health will begin its annual Spring Clean-ups, starting Friday, April 4 and continuing each Friday through April 25.

Here are the dates and areas for the clean-ups:

Friday, April 4, the area of Sixth and Locust streets south and east to Lancaster Avenue to Shawnee Run and Trinity House.

Friday, April 11, the area of Sixth and Locust streets north and south to Front Street to Route 30 and west to Colonial Metals.

Friday, April 18, the area from Sixth and Locust streets east to Union National Bank and the Columbia Consolidated Fire Department and the east end town.

Friday, April 25, the area of Sixth and Locust streets north from CVS to the Devonshire Court area, Cloverton Drive and Columbia High School.

All clean-ups begin at 8.a.m.

Crimson Code of Conduct

Students involved in activities such as drama, music and sports at the high school level are often held to a higher standard of excellence.

Starting with the 2008-09 school year, students involved in activities at Columbia High School will be held to a much higher level.

At its March meeting, the Columbia School District adopted a Crimson Code of Conduct, which will be in affect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year for students, who are often in the public eye.

“The document,” said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Barry Clippinger, “will be for all students that participate in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities.”

“The reason was to put into writing an official document for students, parents and coaches, the approved code of conduct for all students participating in activities,” Dr. Clippinger said.

Students in grades six through 11, Clippinger said, will be informed of the code by the end of the 2007-08 school year.

Examples cited of activities in the code are athletic teams, marching and pep bands, student council, drama productions, National Honor Society and quiz bowl. Co-curricular and extra-curricular activities are open to participation for all students regardless of individual differences.

The code farther says that “students (in curricular and extra-curricular activities) are often in the public eye, so, their personal conduct must be of the highest standard. They have an obligation to project at all times a positive images of themselves and the community they represent.”

Read more in this week's Columbia Ledger.

Census time

The Columbia Borough School District will be performing its annual district census in April and May.

The district will be mailing census forms in the near future directly to residents for completion, rather than sending census takers door-to-door in an effort to save money and make the census more convenient for residents to complete.

The district is required by the Pennsylvania School Code to collect a careful, correct and accurate census of all households, with or without children in the district. Census data provides information necessary for the district to fulfill the obligations with regard to compulsory attendance regulations, effectively plan for special education services and for the calculation of future enrollments.

All information is confidential.

When residents receive their form, they are asked to make necessary corrections, sign and date the form and return it in the enclosed envelope, whether there are corrections or not, to 200 North Fifth St.

The form will only take a few minutes to fill out. In instances where the forms are not returned, the district will have to incur costs by phone or by sending out a census taker.

Deadline extended

It’s something that already the talk of the town, but just how does the 2007-08 Crimson Tide boys’ basketball team that won 26 of its 31 games compare to some of the other great teams in school history?

That’s where you the reader and basketball fan come into play. We want to hear the thoughts of the basketball fans and others, who have followed the program for decades. Is this team as good as the best team ever to play at Columbia? As good as the team that won the state title back in 1987? As good as the team that won a district title in 1994? Or, as good as the team that lost to Wampum in 1958?

This year’s team won the school’s first section basketball title in 14 years; made it to the semi-finals of the L-L League playoffs; won 20 straight games and also qualified for the district and state playoffs.

We also want to hear your thoughts on the season. Any special moments the fans might have.

Was it the night that Adam Pittman and Mike Seibert both went over the 1,000 point mark in the same game? Was it beating Lancaster Catholic for the section title?

We will be seeking your input and will publish your answers in the April 10 edition of the Columbia Ledger.

One is by email, by sending your thoughts to columbialedger@embarqmail.com; by letter, sending the information to 262 Locust St., or via the Tide Talk blog, which can be reached at www.chronicleledgernewsgroup.com.

This week on the hill

Thursday, March 27
Baseball: McCaskey at Columbia (4:15 p.m.)
Softball: Columbia at McCaskey (4:15 p.m.)
Track: Northern Lebanon at Columbia (4 p.m.)

Monday, March 31
Baseball: Lancaster Mennonite at Columbia (4:15 p.m.)
Softball: Columbia at Lancaster Mennonite (4:15 p.m.)
Track: Donegal at Columbia (4 p.m.)

Tuesday, April 1
J.H. Track: Wheatland at Columbia (4 p.m.)

Wednesday, April 2
Baseball: Columbia at Pequea Valley (4:15 p.m.)
Softball: Pequea Valley at Columbia (4:15 p.m.)

Friday, April 4
Baseball: Lebanon Catholic at Columbia (4:15 p.m.)
Softball: Columbia at Lebanon Catholic (4:15 p.m.)

Saturday, April 5
Track: Columbia at White Rose Invitational at Central York (TBA).

Bowlers have banquet

The Columbia High School bowling team was honored at its year end banquet held at the Elks Lodge last week.

The boys team finished with an overall record of 32-8 and they were 23.5-16.5 in non-league matches and finished second in Section 3 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

The girls’ team finished with a 27-4 record and won the Snow Roller Tournament.
Overall, the two teams combined for a record of 82.5 and 28.5. Their team average was 976, which was the highest in school history.

Honors won by the team this season.

• Anthony Wishard placed sixth in the league singles’ tournament and was a first team all-star in Section 3.
He also placed 42nd at the regional tournament and had the second highest average in Section 3.

• Jimmy Lee placed 17th in the league’s singles tournament, was a first team all-star and had the third highest average in Section 3.

• Stef Brown was a second team all-star in Section 3, had the third highest average for girls in section three and the third highest triple.

• Keifer Kemmerly was a second team all-star in Section 3.

• Casey Barninger was a second team all-star in Section 3, had the second highest average in Section 3 and the highest single game and triple.

• Allison Michener placed ninth in the Eastern Regional tournament, advancing to states, where she placed 15th; made the all-tournament team at the Snow Roller Tournament and had the third highest single in Section 3.

Members of the team were Stef Brown, Cody Ness, Anthony Wishard, Casey Barninger, Kevin McCarty, Adam Kilp, Adrienne Zercher, Jimmy Lee, Allison Michener, Keifer Kemmerly, Katelyn Misal, David Wissler and Keith Diffenderfer.

What will the Red Devil do?

Saturday will be the first baseball trip to the City of Brotherly Love since last September when the Phillies beat Washington to win the National League East.

What a day!

But a new season opens Monday afternoon at the Bank. The question I was asked the other night when I was out having a few “sodas” while watching the basketball tournament is when am I going to write about the Phillies.

So here goes.

The MVP shortstop of the Phillies, Jimmy Rollins, has already predicted the team will win 100 games. So that leaves 62 games to play with.

Everyone knows I am not a big Charlie Manuel fan.Okay, he did something that the likes of Larry Bowa and the “Boston Legend” Terry Francona didn’t do -- win a division. Maybe his “country charm” is just what the team needs, I don’t know.
Perhaps if they win the division again and do something in the post-season, I might become a convert.

Let’s just say this that Charlie will cost the team at least 10 games this season. So that only leaves 52 games to play with, just in case J-Roll’s prediction needs help.

In the front of the rotation, the Phils might have two of the top arms in the National League in Brett Myers and Cole Hamels. Both could win 20. They need to get between 10-15 wins out of the rest of the rotation.

Will Kyle Kendrick suffer the sophomore jinx? Will Jamie Moyer pitch like Cy Young until it gets hot? Those are two spots to watch.

The number five spot in the rotation is also a big question. Adam Eaton has a lot to prove and unless they are willing to take a chance on some of the kids, there’s not much left there.

The bullpen will be solid if everyone is healthy and stays in their roles.

Carlos Ruiz and Chris Coste are solid behind the dish.

The infield of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, J-Roll and Pedro Feliz might be the best in the game. All four are capable of stroking more than 30 homers each and glove-wise, aren’t that bad either.

If there’s one question I have, its in the outfield. Will Pat Burrell pick up like he ended last season? Will Shane Victorino be better in center? How good is the platoon of Geoff Jenkins and Jayson Werth? If they all play up to their expectations, it will be a fun year.

Hopefully Charlie won’t screw it up too bad.