Greene County Cheers and Jeers
Here are some “Cheers” and “Jeers” from our editorial staff that are about Greene County.
Cheers to twin brothers Randy and Benton Shaffer of Spraggs, longtime Boy Scouts who have recently initiated Eagle Scout projects to help the community. For his project, Randy recently delivered 60 care packages filled with donated items to Washington Health System Greene for pediatric patients; and for his project, Benton Shaffer recently donated care packages to the Oxford and Bird Houses for those in rehabilitation due to alcohol and opioid addiction. We applaud the two young men for their efforts in assisting those in need.
Cheers to Kevin Willis, a teacher at Carmichaels Area High School for the past 22 years, who was recently honored with the 2018 Coldwater Conservationist of the Year award by the Chestnut Ridge Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Willis teaches chemistry, integrated science for ninth grade, conservation biology, and College-in-the-High School Chemistry, a four-credit course through Carlow University. He is also the advisor of the ChemClub and National Honor Society and additionally coaches the Envirothon team, which consistently places in the top five at the Pennsylvania State Envirothon. We strongly agree that Willis is most deserving of this award.
Cheers to state Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, who recently announced that her office is posting the Pennsylvania Broadband Bill of Rights on her state website, along with the form needed to file an official complaint with the state Public Utility Commission. Snyder said she is providing these tools to those dissatisfied with their internet service. We applaud Snyder’s ongoing efforts in improving broadband issues throughout the district, and we believe this latest announcement is going to be beneficial to the constituents.
Jeers to Windstream for not providing more sufficient telephone and broadband services in certain areas throughout Greene County, especially when the customers struggling with these issues are paying for service. We have received many reports from area residents who are not only unable to access the internet but are also actually having problems with their landline phone service — despite still being charged each month. We cannot fathom why, in this day and age of modern technology, it is so difficult for all residents throughout our communities to have quality internet speed and reliable phone service. Windstream can do better than this.
Jeers to event organizers who do not notify the media of their upcoming fundraising events or provide any information of said events prior to them happening, but then later complain to those media outlets that their events were not covered. Due to the overwhelming volume of fundraising initiatives being held all throughout the year, it is virtually impossible for our editorial staff to know about every single fundraiser, especially when they are poorly advertised or promoted. If you are coordinating or organizing a fundraiser and would like to get the word out about it, it would be in your best interest to let your media outlets know in advance. And, if you wish to have a reporter or photographer cover the event, again, it would be wise to give them a heads up.