Wows & Scowls
Scowl: If you want to know how badly incumbent politicians want to hold onto their seats, take a look at Connecticut U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman. This week he lost a primary challenge posed by fellow Democrat Ned Lamont, but Lieberman vows to run as an independent in November. Lieberman was able to run in his party’s primary election and, in that respect, he lost fair and square, in what many pundits believe was a referendum on his support of the Iraq War He should bow out gracefully, content that voters in his own party have spoken. Scowl: Will the former Aaron’s Furniture Store in Connellsville be sold in auction on eBay? Will it not? Now that the property has been placed on the popular Web site, then yanked with no firm explanation as to why, the real question should be, “Who really cares?” When a building has been vacant for almost 30 years and has been repeatedly cited for code violations, it probably makes the most economic sense to tear it down and put something new in its place. If bidding it out accomplishes that, or puts it in the hands of someone with the capital to perform extensive renovations, we see no disadvantage.
Wow: Ground has been broken on Uniontown’s World War II memorial, which is an excellent way to commemorate the service and sacrifice of the 3,000 residents who served in the last century’s greatest military conflict. Located near the Fayette County Courthouse, the memorial is slated for completion by late September. All involved should be proud of shepherding the project to fruition.
Scowl: How does Maurice Clarett go from being a freshman star running back on Ohio State’s 2002 national championship football team to being arrested on weapons and traffic charges this week, while already facing trial in an armed robbery case? Columbus, Ohio, police reportedly found four loaded guns in his SUV and had trouble subduing Clarett because he was wearing a bullet-proof vest. As the current chapter’s of Clarett’s life story are being written, he has one person to blame for the opportunities he’s thrown away. Himself.
Wow: Former local resident Susan Jennings traveled to Jamaica earlier this year to distribute shoeboxes filled with candy and small toys to needy children, as part of Operation Christmas Child. It allowed Jennings to see the end result of area residents’ charity and the project’s attempt to spread the Gospel. Southwestern Pennsylvanians provided 16,685 shoeboxes in 2005, which is a testament to their unselfishness as well.
Scowl: Pennsylvania House Speaker John M. Perzel is calling on the state Senate to take up a gaming reform measure passed by the House in March, noting, “This is not the time for political grandstanding.” The bigger question is, why and how did a gaming law in such need of reform pass a House solidly controlled by Perzel’s party in the first place? Something’s wrong with the way they do business.