fan foto

Click onto the Phillies website -- www.phillies/fanfoto and look for Gallery 26 on the April 20 game. Turn to page 2 and the next to last row, you'll find the president and vice-president of the Charlie Manuel Fan Club.

Phillies-Mets

Sometimes there are things that mystify me or leave me shaking my head.
More often than not it happens when I go to athletic events ranging from the youth level to the professional level.
Not don’t get me wrong, I like to drink a chilly adult beverage from time to time and within moderation.
Sunday, we had the opportunity to take in the Phils-Mets showdown at the Bank. Going to the game, I had the over and under of the number of fights at six.
Here’s why.
• One, the Phillies were playing the Mets and sorry to use the expression, but New York people are jerks.
Okay, I guess the same goes for the Philly people, but New York people are the worst.
• Two, it was a night game so those attending the game had all day to drink their favorite adult beverages.
Take for example the four people sitting in front of us in Section 139 -- two girls, who sat down with a total of four beers ($28) and the two young men, also a few beers. They already had their package on. It was kind of fun tormenting the two female fans, but only because they really looked wasted.
So, I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy night.
The left-center area of the 100 level of the Bank has taken over for the former 700 level at the Vet. Each game we’ve been too over the last few years, they verbally abuse, all in good fun the opposing leftfielder.
Sunday night, I think that’s where four of the five fights were. There was even one, well a punch job, in the bathroom, while I was standing in line.
Knowing the fact that young people, night games and alcohol aren’t a good mix, my question is why even sell alcohol at all for those games.
It hasn’t been the first time we’ve seen this and won’t be the last. It just get worse depending upon what team visits.
Although its been years since I’ve been to an Eagles game, I heard its worse there.
I know I don’t go to a game to get a load on. Heck, you’d go broke trying to get wasted. I go to a game to watch and cheer for the home team.
I just wish others would as well.

Odds and ends...

• They had a silent auction Sunday night to benefit the richie Ashburn Foundation.
Sunday night was the 60th anniversary of Richie’s debut in Major League Baseball. By the way, the video looks like a great one.
Among the items up for bid at the auction were a brick they said was from Connie Mack Stadium and a batting practice jersey autographed by Charlie Manuel.
The starting bid was $100, which was about $100 too much for me.
• Did you know the NBA playoffs are under way. Don’t worry about missing any games, they last until next season!
• Big day on Saturday. The NFL Draft will be held.
Probably as widely anticipated as the opening of training camp and the season.
Can’t way to hear all of the nonsense coming from New York.
• Also starting this week are the Barnstormers.

Your thoughts

What do you think?
Should volunteer firemen get paid if they leave their jobs to fight a fire?
Tell us in 25 words or less and we’ll print your comments in a future edition.
Send your comments with your name and address, and if you are affiliated with a fire department to columbialedger@embarqmail.com.

Your thoughts?
Where should the skate park in Columbia be located?
Tell us in 25 words or less and we’ll print your comments in a future edition.
Send your comments with your name and address to columbialedger@embarqmail.com.

Your thoughts...

We’d like to hear from readers, good or bad in the recent arrest of Columbia High School band director Robert Richards.
Tell us in 25 words or less and the responses will be printed in a later edition.
Send your comments with your name and address to columbialedger@embarqmail.com.

Tree trimming info

The Columbia Shade Tree Commission is advising property owners with street trees that PPL Utilities will be in the borough during May.
The utility will be trimming back tree limbs and branches that are close to power lines.
They will be in the following neighborhoods:
• South 14th Street between Lancaster Avenue and Manor Street.
• Eighth Street between Chestnut Street and Lancaster Avenue.
• Seventh Street between Chestnut and Locust streets.
• Sixth Sixth between Walnut Street and Lancaster Avenue.
• South Fifth Street between Locust and Mill streets.
• North Third Street between Poplar and Chestnut streets.
• Chestnut Street between North Eighth and 10th streets.
• Walnut Street between North Fifth and Ninth streets.
• Locust Street between Sixth and Ninth streets.
• Cherry Street between South Fifth Street and Lancaster Avenue.
• Union Street between South Fifth Street and Lancaster Avenue.
• Union Street between South Fifth and Short Sixth streets.
• Manor Street between South Fourth and Florence streets.
• The intersection of Fourth and Poplar streets.

Arbor Day

The Columbia Shade Tree Commission and the Columbia Tree Society will celebrate its 17th annual Arbor Day, Friday, April 25 at Janson’s Park, Sixth and Cherry streets at 6 p.m.
Ron Sahd, president of the Janson Foundation will serve as master of ceremonies. Father Kenneth Lawrence of the Holy Trinity Catholic Church will offer the benediction and invocation.
Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz will make remarks and Tim Dugan, representing the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources will present the borough with its 16th consecutive National Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree City USA Award.

With Pride

Columbia will celebrate its annual Pride Day on Saturday, April 26 from 9 a.m.-noon.
Sponsors of the event are asking residents to come out and help clean-up the community.
Designated clean-up sites are Rotary Park, Second and Chestnut streets; Columbia River Park, Front Street; Janson’s Park, Sixth and Cherry streets and Locust Street Park.
Sponsors of the vent are the chamber, Rivertownes PA USA, the Columbia Park Rangers, Columbia Borough, the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, the Columbia Board of Health and the Kleen-Rite Corporation.
For more information or to sign-up contact Glenn at 684-5249.

Do you know your neighbor?

Do you know who is living next door to you?
It could be doctor, a lawyer, your best friend and someone you’ve known for years. It could also be a sexual predator.
That topic was discussed at the April meeting of Columbia Borough Council when a resident spoke about her concerns when a registered sex offender, registered under Pennsylvania’s Megan’s Law moved into a neighborhood on Manor Street.
The resident expressed concern after the Columbia Police Department passed out flyers in the neighborhood alerting residents to the fact a sex offender had moved into the neighborhood.
“The residents are worried if the children there are safe, if they can let them out to play and not have to watch them,” the resident said.
At the meeting, Columbia Mayor Leo Lutz asked that the residents of the area “come together to keep an eye on this person.”
“They need to report any suspicious activity,” the mayor said.
He also suggested that parents sit down with their children and talked about what to do and not do if there is an incident involving the predator.
According to public information that can be obtained through the Megan’s Law website, www.pa.meaganslaw.state.pa.us, there are 10 registered sex offenders living in Columbia Borough.

More information is available in this week's edition

Did same thing happen

When Columbia band director Robert Richards was arrested for a sexual encounter with a student, the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office and the Columbia Police Department hoped that more students who may have information on the incident would come forward.
While that hasn’t happened in Columbia, it has in Richmond, VA., where Richards was the band director at Varina High School in the Henrico County School District. Shortly after the Richmond Times-Dispatch ran a story about Richards’ arrest in Columbia, people have come forward to the Columbia Ledger with information that there were similar incidents at his former school, which were never pursued by school officials or police.
The Henrico County School District in Richmond had little to say about the allegations.
“Mr. Robert Richards was a band director at Varina High School from September 1998 to June 30, 2001. That’s all the information we can provide,” said Mychael Dickerson, media relations director for the Varina County School District.

To find out more, read this week's edition.

Fire update

A 32-year-old transient has been charged with arson and related charges following a Sunday morning fire that destroyed the Hometown Hotel in the 100 block of Hellam Street in Wrightsville.
Charged with arson, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief and risking a catastrophe was Tommy E Drowatzky, 32, who was a resident of the hotel at the time of the fire.
He was placed in York County Prison in lieu of $100,000. The suspect suffered minor injuries as the result of the fire
York State Police, who investigated the fire, said Drowatzky admitted to starting the fire, but did try to warn other residents about the fire, after he set it. State Police Fire Marshal Patrick McKenna said that Drowatzky used an aerosol can and a lighter to start the fire.
More than 20 people were left homeless by the fire, which caused more than $500,000 damage.
Drowatzky, Columbia Police said Monday, at one time lived in the borough and was arrested several times for public drunkenness and drug charges.
The fire at Hometown broke out about 5:30 a.m. and quickly went to four alarms as firemen from Lancaster and York counties arrived.
The blaze, which was fully involved when firemen arrive, could be seen from miles away.
When the fire first broke out, there were reports that someone was trapped inside.
“That was unfounded,” said Joe Felus, a deputy chief with the Columbia No. 1 Fire Department, one of about 15 fire departments on the scene.
Firefighters were able to save two adjoining buildings from suffering any major damage.
“The firefighters did a great job in saving the other two buildings,” said Wrightsville Mayor Steve Rambler.
In addition to a bar and restaurant area on the first floor, there was a banquet room on the second floor. One of the group using that area was the Wrightsville Rotary Club. There were rooms on the second and third floors.
The history of the Hometown dates back to the 1800s.