Friday, July 2, 2010

COLUMBIA TALK in numbers

When I started COLUMBIA TALK back in early February, I did it to help keep Columbians informed about things going on in our town, since we no longer have a newspaper.
I didn;t know what to expect and to be honest with you, I thought perhaps there would be a couple of hits a day. Well, five months into the process, it has surpassed what I thought. As of this writing, COLUMBIA TALK has had 35,156 hits and the comments made on certain issues have been enlighting to many and apparently keeping people on their toes, where in fact I received an email this afternoon from a political figure, who was reading COLUMBIA TALK, said COLUMBIA TALK is doing more harm than good and he was going to stop reading.
There is a lot going on in our town and there is a lot of good things happening and will happen. I think the Turkey Hill Experience is one, even though like most in town, I am a little cautious about it. I do read all the comments that are posted and sent to COLUMBIA TALK. Yes, there have been some that were deleted and many I agree with and some I do not.
I've been to various meetings in York, Lancaster and Chester Counties for three decades and I have seen a lot, heard a lot and shook my head a lot, not only here in our great town, but other areas as well. I've seen people come and go; people that really should have stayed here and people who should have never been let into town. Yes, I am one of those who wants to take our town back and see it prosper. We need to work together to succeed, but, there are issues in our town, which are making it a "house divided," which is sad.
I understand the feelings of everyone good and bad, so enough for the soap box. Perhaps each day or week, I might start throwing an idea or two out there to see how it takes. It's all part of a bigger plan.
Any way, I have added a statistical column to COLUMBIA TALK. I can look and see how any hits there are a day, a week or month; what the most popular reads are and where the hits are coming from (not addresses). Like just today, there were 925 visitors to the site and 920 yesterday.
All I can say thank you to those who have "hit" this site and keep reading and I will keep posting.

Happy July 4th

Fireworks stands are showing up all over town.

Friday stuff

Columbia Borough allows its employees to park for free in the borough parking lot near the market. I have reserved feelings about that, one especeially when we are trying to draw people downtown, especially to thre market and there's no place to park.
But are employees or park enforcement people allowed to park say in the area of Fourth and Locust or other areas not within the confines of the municipal area and not plug the meters? It was something that was approached to a borough official earlier this week that it just doesn't look kosher, especially when the person is going around town giving tickets for not slugging the meters. Perhaps if the employee would park where the others do, this wouldn't be an issue, or perhaps, the borough should utilize another parking area for employees.
*****
Went to the Market again today, had to getsome more cherries ($1.99 a pound at Keagy's) and spoke fro about 30 minutes or so with new market manager Brian Long. He does have some ideas and has already started a Facebook page for the market. Improvement to the market isn't going to happen overnight and he won't be "run over" by Columbia's political games. But there is a plan in place.  Stop by and meet him and talk with him.