Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Looking down the road

Most coaches and players prefer to have the motto of "playing them one at a time."
Looking ahead is for everyone else. So, with the Columbia girls' softball unbeaten through the first five games of the league season, let's look ahead as those ever dangerous crossover games begin.
The Tide is scheduled to play McCaskey in a make-up game tomorrow before opening crossover play against Section 3 on Friday.
That's when the Tide will entertain L-S, who brings a 3-2 record into the game.
It will be "Big Friday" around the L-L League in softball. In addition to that game, Section 3 leading and also unbeaten Donegal will travel to Annville-Clrona (3-2) and Manheim Central, who the Tide will play Monday puts its 3-2 record on the line against Pequea Valley (3-1).
Donegal leads Section 3 with a 5-0 record, followed by Central and L-S at 3-2. Northern Lebanon is 2-2.
Columbia has 11 league and 2 non-league games left.

Burke homers in loss

It was a beautiful afternoon to sit out and watch baseball at Glatfelter Field. Unfortunately, the Tide baseball team wasn't feeling the love from the weather gods, losing to Lancaster Mennonite, 15-1 in a game called after five innings because of the 10-run rule.

The lone highlight of the game for the Tide came in the fourth inning. With the Tide trailing13-0, Michaael Burke launched a fast ball toward the deepest part of the yard at Glatfelter Field and once it got over the head of the Mennonite centefielder,  Burke just sprinted around the bags, making it home well before the relay throw.

The Tide got off to a rough start. Mennonite's first two hitters had solid singles up the middle off Tide starter Chris Aruda. Following two sacrifices and another single, the Blazers, coached by former Tide coach Steve Robinson, had a 2-0 lead.

In the second, three walks and an infield hit made way for a bases clearing double for Mennonite early in the inning followed by another bases loaded hit later in the inning. At that point, Mennonite was blazing, leading 10-0.

With lefty Jimmy Lee now on the bump, Mennonite added two more runs in the third and a single run in the fourth before Burke has some fun running the bases.

Mennonite scored twice more in the fifth and finished the game with 13 hits and they also walked six times.

Council moves forward with market position

The ever changing make up and discussion concerning the position of Market Manager in Columbia took another turn at Monday's borough council meeting.

While borough council approved to begin the hiring process of a new manager at $18.50 an hour for a part-time position up to 25 hours a week, debate again centered on the previous manager, Renae Sears, who was fired late last year and is now a member of the council.
The vote to begin the hiring process was a 6-1 vote with Mary Barninger, council woman voting against the plan. That was the easy part of the discussion.
First, council, management and citizens needed to discuss the "hot bell" topic of ringing a bell in the Market House by Tim Brown of Rap's World following a successful sale.\It has been debated at council meetings for the past few months.
Frank Doutrich, a former member of the council, was the first to speak. He brought his own bell to the meeting to use as an example and asking what the problem was.
"I think it adds to the market and I like it. I don't know why anyone would have a problem with it beause it gives the market soe class," Doutrich said.
"It is not an annoyance. It indicates custoer satisfaction," said Norm Meiskey, borough manager.
"There is no issue with the Market House bell," said Councilman Kelly Murphy, who chairs the council's market committee
Murphy also said its times to move forward with the market position, which is now being done by Meiskey.
"The bell is also not an issue for me," added Council President Mary Wickenheiser.
Next, council and others turned their attention toward Sears. At last month's meeting, Vern Detz, another former member of the council, asked Sears to resign her post on council after she allegedly cursed at a citizen during a March market committee meeting.
The incident was centered around Doutrich and he said he wanted a public apology from Sears. He took it one step farther saying he contacted two agencies in Harrisburg, telling the council, they could legally censor Sears for her comments.
"But, she already did that (by swearing) and now you will get people in here using the entire alphabet (while swearing)," Doutrich said.
He also objected to the salary planned to be paid to the new Market Manager, adding if the salary was lower, the borough could sae money and allow the new manager to show they were worth the higher salary.
Council President Mary Wickenheiser told Doutrich there would be no censorship of Sears.
"We don't have the power to do that," Wickenheiser said.
Detz said he was at the market meeting when the incident happened, but left before the alleged incident.
"I did leave but when I got home, I got numerous phone calls tlling me what happened. I believe it happened and you are opening up a can of worms by allowing this,: Detz said.
"She should stand up and apologize to Mr. Doutrich, if not she should resign from the council," Detz said.
Wickenheiser said the issue has been put to rest. She also said she observed some type of incident, but did not hear anything.
"The person in question wasn't sitting at the table and got up and left and went out the door," Wickenheiser said.
Two others defended Sears.
"I've known Renae Sears for 50 years and I never heard her swear," said "Cubby" Spiese.
Shirley McBride also defended Sears.
"I've never heard her say the four letter word she is accussed of. It is not inher character," McBride.
She then turned her attention to Detz telling him "not to bring issues" to council."
"You didn't get your way on council. Why don't you (Detz) just go away, sell your home and move out of Columbia,"McBride said.
"Just leave," ahe said.
"The market is good, sell your home and move out of Columbia. Columbia is a good place to live," McBride said.
"Renae," McBride said to Sears, "keep your head up and smile. You work for Columbia and I am glad to have you on council. It's horrible for someone to do this."
And in an interesting turn of events, Howard Stevens of Columbia, told the council, he had nothing to do with Sears getting fired as the Market Manager and would like to have the comments made to him about the issue stopped.
Stevens said he did work at the market.
"I ran into people in the market you told me that I was the reason Renae lost her job. I've been verbally attacked,. Can you plus address the people at the market and tell them it wasn't me," Stevens said.
Everyone on the council said they were surprised to hear of the comments.
"I do not condone this behavior," Council President Mary Wickenheiser said.
"I never accused you of anything and I am sorry people are saying that," Sears said,.
"What you have been subjected to is unfortunate," Mary Barninger, another member of the council said.