Airport isn’t the answer
The Greene County Airport has always been a bone of contention among residents. The Nov. 26 Guest Commentary supports the expansion proposal for our airport. I am a resident of Greene County. With great interest I note the commentary byline shows two writers, Richard Kaplan and Don Basile. Neither are residents. The commentary identifies both as residents of neighboring Fayette County. Especially noteworthy is the fact that the writers share vested special interests in our Greene County Airport. The former is a flight instructor, tenant and Greene County Airport aviation safety inspector. The later is a representative of the Airport Owners and Pilots Association, Greene County Airport.
What this boils down to is that the writers do not live in Greene County, as Linda Varner and I do, but they make some money here much in the way of carpetbaggers. It only stands to reason that Kaplan and Basile would want to make as much money as possible. The pullout highlighted in the commentary reads, “If the federal and state governments see the advantage of linking Greene County to the rest of the National Airspace System and are therefore willing to pay 95 percent of the cost, does Greene County wish to be left behind?” This question gives rise to another question. Who is best suited to determine what in fact is vital for Greene County’s growth; local residents trying to make their homes in the county? Or carpetbaggers?
Subtle, yet a myriad of signs point to what is vital for growth in Greene County. Today, 30 years after the last moonwalk, an astonishing number of us do not believe that it happened and that it was a colossal government hoax to disguise misappropriation of funds.
Top administrators of public schools in Greene County consider a citizen and a resident to be one and the same. Also, wrongly considered to be synonymous are infinite justice and enduring freedom, slate dump and gob pile, library and museum, history and nostalgia, cabbage rolls and pigs in blankets, pride and respect, just to name a few.
Vital to the needs for growth in Greene County are economic/industrial development, not jobs (slavery is a job), world class public schools and libraries, storm water management and state-of-the-art roads, highways, water and sewage systems.
If, in fact, Kaplan and Basile want to promote the growth of Greene County they ought to petition U.S. Sens. Spector and Santorum, U. S. Rep. Murtha, Gov-elect Rendell, state Sen. Stout, state Rep. DeWeese and Greene County Commissioners Coder, Toothman and Blair to acquire 95 percent funding of those endeavors.
Should the writers do that I am confident that Greene County shall develop an airport that will be the example for all other counties to follow. However, should they not do so they should pack up their carpetbags and go fly their kites at their own Fayette County airport.
Paul Lagojda
Cumberland Township
Tribute to Dr. Pineda
I was a patient of Dr. Pineda’s for many years. He would always take as much time as I needed to discuss my problems. He was always there no matter how sick I was, even if another doctor was treating me.
You are gone but not forgotten. You will always live within my heart as my family doctor. You were a well-devoted doctor.
God took him home. It was his will, but in our hearts we love him still. As I always say, life goes on, but it will be a little harder without your smiling face.
Sadly missed by one of his patients.
Ida Mae Hall
Uledi