Editorial: Columbia Borough’s Finance Turmoil Demands Real Accountability—and a Clear Plan to Fix It Columbia Borough’s finance office has become synonymous with churn. Since late 2020, the borough has lost accountants and finance managers in rapid succession, with the most recent resignation announced at the December 2025 council meeting. Each departure arrives with scant public…
Columbia Man Gets a Decade to Think About His Life Choices After Selling Enough Fentanyl to Wipe Out a Small Country In a plot twist that sounds like the opening scene of a bad Netflix crime drama, a Columbia man was sentenced to 4 years and 9 months to 10 years in state prison for…
Chaos on Walnut Street: Columbia Borough Shaken by Midnight Gunfire Columbia Borough, PA — December 9, 2025 The quiet of a winter night was shattered in Columbia Borough when a barrage of gunfire erupted on Walnut Street, leaving residents terrified and police scrambling to secure the scene. What began as a routine patrol quickly escalated…
Teacher’s Arrest in Child Exploitation Case Sparks Outrage and Calls for Stronger Safeguards Lancaster, PA — The arrest of David Sean Burkhart, a longtime Manheim Township High School teacher and former girls’ basketball coach, has ignited outrage across Lancaster County. Burkhart, 45, is accused of sending nude photos to what he believed was a 14‑year‑old…
Electric Bills Are Going Up in Columbia, PA – Here’s What You Need to Know (and How to Get Help) Starting December 1, 2025, electric rates across Pennsylvania—including Columbia—have gone up. The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) approved seasonal adjustments that hit just as winter heating season begins. For most households, electricity costs can make…
Warmth for the Holidays: LIHEAP Applications Open in Lancaster County The holiday season should be filled with joy, family, and the comfort of a warm home. Yet for many in Lancaster County, heating costs can make winter feel more like a burden than a blessing. That’s why the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is…
Always Lancaster: A “Gift” That Looks More Like a Power Grab A response to ColumbiaSpy.com’s cheerleading of the LNP transfer ColumbiaSpy.com recently applauded the announcement that veteran journalist David Greene will lead Always Lancaster, a nonprofit taking ownership of LNP | LancasterOnline. Pennon’s decision to hand over the paper as a “gift” is being spun…
Columbia Police Chief Jack Broomer to Retire in May; Holly Arndt Poised to Make History COLUMBIA, PA — Police Chief Jack Broomer, who also serves as interim Borough Manager, will retire from the department in May before transitioning into the full‑time Borough Manager role. His departure sets the stage for a historic moment in Columbia…
Last night, the heart of Columbia sparkled as families gathered for the Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, a tradition lovingly planned and carried forward by Don Murphy and his wife, Becky. For more than a decade, the Murphys—together with the Merchant’s Association of Columbia (MAC), volunteers, and countless community members—have turned this event into a celebration…
Columbia Borough’s Old-Fashioned Christmas: Saturday Schedule Columbia Borough is set to sparkle this weekend with its annual Old-Fashioned Christmas celebration. Saturday brings a full day of family-friendly events, local shopping, and holiday traditions—all leading up to the much-anticipated Tree Lighting Ceremony at Locust Street Park. Saturday, November 29 – Event Timeline A Day to Remember…
A Republican View: Shared Responsibility for Columbia’s Budget Woes Columbia Borough faces a projected $1.1 million shortfall heading into 2026. Joe Lintner’s recent article frames this as a Republican-driven spending problem, but the facts tell a broader story: both Republicans and Democrats have overseen years of fiscal mismanagement that brought us here. Overspending Is Bipartisan…
Lieutenant Holly Arndt: A Columbia Borough Leader Reaches New Heights Columbia Borough, PA – In a profession where leadership and integrity define success, Lieutenant Holly Arndt has achieved a milestone that sets her apart. The Columbia Borough Police Department recently announced her graduation from the Northwestern University Center for Public Safety’s School of Police Staff…
Columbia Borough Faces Budget Crossroads: Reserves or Responsible Tax Policy? By Jesse Sweigart | ColumbiaPA.online Columbia Borough Council is weighing difficult choices as it prepares the 2026 budget. Contrary to recent reporting, the borough’s reserve fund stands at approximately $1.6 million, not $1.1 million. While some members have suggested draining those reserves to avoid a…
Columbia Police Officers Join Toys for Tots Shopping Event The holiday season is a time for giving, and Columbia Borough Police officers recently embraced that spirit by participating in the annual Toys for Tots campaign. This program, organized by the United States Marine Corps Reserve, helps provide toys to children whose families may struggle to…
Saving Columbia’s Forgotten Dungeons: Rick Fisher’s Mission to Preserve History Beneath the bustling streets of Columbia, Pennsylvania, lies a hidden piece of American history—a series of six crumbling, windowless cells known locally as the Market House Dungeons. Built in 1836, these subterranean chambers were originally intended as storage for market vendors but were later converted…
Level Up Pizza: Columbia’s Slice of Escape Columbia Borough may be busy raising taxes and patching rotting beams, but one thing remains solid: the pizza at Level Up Pizza. Sitting right in the heart of 17512, this spot has become more than a restaurant—it’s a refuge from borough headaches and a reminder that good food…
